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The sheriff’s grip switched from her palm to her elbow as her knees buckled. “Ease on down, Doc. I’ve got you.”
Dr. Walker dropped her head between her knees and was content to squeeze the sheriff’s hand. At last, with a trembling hand she brushed sweaty brunette curls away from her neck. Pale scars puckered the skin and plunged out of sight beneath the coat.
It was so faint I couldn’t be certain, but it appeared to be some kind of faded bite.
She pulled a tissue from her coat pocket and wiped her nose. “Noah wasn’t even supposed to be on.”
“Who’s Noah?” I asked.
She didn’t seem to hear. “We were going on our first date last night, but one of my patients coded. I stayed. He took a double shift and we made a dinner-date in the cafeteria. We’ve been friends fifteen years. Fifteen years and one shitty divorce later, I pluck up the courage to ask him out and he’s gone. Held his hand five minutes and he’s gone!”
“You're safe,” Caelan said in a low, reassuring tone. He dropped a hand on her shoulder. “Noah put himself between you and the animal to keep you safe. We need to catch this beast before harm comes to more of Bayberry’s innocents. I wouldn’t ask this of you if I believed you weren’t capable, Dr. Walker. What you share will save lives.”
Caelan sent me for coffee. By the time I'd returned, balancing three cups of lukewarm vending machine 'coffee', he had settled her into a desk chair. He'd rolled a seat for himself beside her, one hand resting on hers. Unsure what to do, I perched on the desk to watch him work.
“As I'm to understand, you’re an attending physician?” he asked. A small notebook lay ready on his lap with a pen shoved into the spiral binding.
“Yes.”
“One down, a few to go, Doc.”
She passed a shaky smile over her cup.
“Where was the animal first seen?”
“302C, Elliot Foster’s room. End of the hall, first door by the rear staircase.”
“And where is Mr. Foster now?”
She shrugged.
He tried again. “What was he hospitalized for?”
“Admitted into the ER vomiting and dehydrated. High fever, muscle aches, fatigue. Flu peaked in late January, but it isn’t unusual for cases to continue through May.” At Caelan's gentle touch she carried on. “He experienced difficulty breathing and minor chest pain. We kept him overnight for observation. He's in his late sixties. Lives alone. History of heart issues. We wanted to be sure.”
“Elliot's name didn’t appear on the list of fatalities. He the gentleman y’all claimed disappeared during the evacuation?”
“Blood and tissue soaked his sheets; if he wasn’t eaten, we assume he escaped in the chaos wounded and disoriented.”
“Takes a large animal to devour an entire man.” The sheriff studied her expression. From the fear in her eyes, there was no doubt such a wolf had passed. “Our canine unit, finest noses in the department, are searching the woods behind the parking garage as we speak. If he’s there, we’ll find him.”
I wondered if his statement included Lieutenant Mishra-Anderson.
“Could you please describe the animal for us, Doc?”
“It’s a wolf,” she snapped. “I don’t care what Fish and Game says. They’re here, same as cougars. My father owned a pest control company. Growing up, I helped him catch coyotes and nuisance animals. I know wolves from coyotes. This you'd mistake for a black bear.” She set the coffee on the desk and dropped her hands in her lap. “This is going to sound stupid, but the animal smelled of ocean debris and was wearing a necklace.”
I raised my eyebrows. Meanwhile, Caelan worked his magic, smoothing over her concerns as his pen clicked into action.
“What kind of necklace?” I asked when she seemed comfortable.
“It’s on the video.”
“Sure would help to know what the grainy specks of footage are supposed to resemble. Could make the difference between sending Deputy Davins searching for a cat or dog shaped tag.”
Her coffee trembled. Her gaze tipped toward the ceiling as she thought. “Maybe it wasn’t a necklace. It was this, this dirty tweed pouch on a leather cord? Dripping wet.”
Caelan frowned. “Blood or water?”
