Track of the Beast: A Brock Stone Adventure

21- The Secret

Stone followed Marian up a steep incline, moving in the general direction that Moss had gone several minutes earlier. He found himself on high alert, wondering if she might be leading him into some sort of trap. His gut told him otherwise, but it was best to remain vigilant.

Off to his right, he spotted a few signs of Moss’s trail — partial footprints, a broken twig. The fellow had grown careless. Perhaps he’d seen Marian approach Stone and seized upon the opportunity to get out of there. In any case, the tracks led back toward the cabin, which was fine with him.

Marian saw him looking. “He’s gone. He’ll be angry that I showed you this, but it’s better than having you poking around back here where you’re not wanted.”

Stone didn’t reply. He didn’t much care what the woman thought of him as long as she either provided him with a clue to find Trinity or helped him mark her father off of his list of suspects.

A gentle breeze carried with it a whiff of something feral, like a polecat or a fox’s den. Stone crinkled his nose.

“It’s just up here.” Marian pointed to a cave, its entrance almost entirely obscured by fallen rocks.

“What’s inside?”

“Just follow me.” She led the way into the cave, the air inside cool, but oddly fresh.

They worked their way down a series of slippery declines and loose rock piles, the faint glow from the cave mouth lighting their way, until they came to a dead end. Or so Stone thought.

“You might have trouble squeezing through here.” Marian pointed to a narrow passageway hidden in shadow.

Stone could see well in the dark, but he’d overlook it. As predicted, he had a difficult time forcing his muscular body through the opening, but he managed to squeeze through until the going became a bit easier. He was still forced to turn sideways, but at least he could breathe. The passage made a sharp bend, and up ahead he could see a sliver of light.

“Another squeeze, I’m afraid.” Marian slipped through, blotting out the light for a moment, and then Stone followed.

He found himself standing on a ledge overlooking a tiny box canyon. Trees ringed the rim, obscuring the view from above and casting long shadows on the forest below. One could fly right over it and probably not take notice. A few feet below where they stood, a natural spring poured a gentle stream of clear water down to the canyon below.

“Is this Ape Canyon?” he asked.

Marian made a noncommittal gesture. “It connects to the canyon where my father was attacked by a narrow passageway. It’s one of the few ways in and out.”

“So, what is special about this place?”

“They live down there.”

Stone did a double-take. “The Bigfoot?”

“A small troop of them. They’re only around in warm weather. We think they migrate south in the winter, probably all the way down to California.”

Stone blinked a few times, taking in what Marian was saying. “Do they interact with you?”

“Not directly, but every once in a while one will let itself be seen. They also vocalize when we leave food for them. Saying thank you, I guess.”

“What do they eat?”

“Judging by their scats, they’re omnivores just like us. We give them vitamin-rich fruits, leafy greens, things that will help balance their diet.”

Stone blinked a few times, taking in what Marian was saying. Bigfoot was real!

Stone nodded. In the early days of seafaring, sailors had suffered from scurvy and other health problems due to a lack of essential vitamins and minerals their limited diet did not provide. Even soldiers in the field had similar complaints. Ship captains and military officers had taken to providing citrus fruits and cider to balance out the diets of those in their charge.

Stone scanned the valley below, his sharp eyes picking out minute details within the mass of green. A bird perched on a limb, a squirrel scrambled up a tree trunk. But no sign of a giant furry beast.

“Why is your father doing this? He was nearly killed by these things.”

“He believes the Bigfoot could have killed the miners if they wanted to, but instead they gave the men one last chance to escape.”

“Even though a miner shot one of their own,” Stone added.

“Exactly. He thinks they are worth caring for.”

“So, your father is their… protector?”

“I think that’s what he considers himself, although they probably don’t need his help. They can look out for themselves just fine.” Marian’s flinty gaze softened as she stared down into the valley. “He’s worried that the logging industry will grow to the point that the creatures are driven away as their habitat shrinks.”

Stone considered this. It probably would happen, eventually, considering how many Americans were moving west in search of new opportunities, but this land was so vast and untouched that it would take centuries for that to happen. And then he remembered something that Davis, the logging foreman, had said.

“Has your father been messing with things at the logging site?”

Marian hesitated, then nodded. “I’m certain he has, though he’s never admitted it. He once told me that someone ought to spike every tree in the Pacific Northwest just to make it more difficult for the loggers.” She sighed. “I know that makes him sound like a bad man, but his intentions are good. He only wants to look out for the creatures.”

“Was it he who left fake Bigfoot tracks near the mining camp?”

“Not a chance. He wouldn’t want to leave any evidence that these creatures are real, much less that they live around here.”

“Are they down there right now?” Stone asked, his eyes still searching, probing.

“You never know. They range widely and can move like shadows in the forest.”

“And you don’t believe the stories of these creatures kidnapping women?” Stone asked sharply, trying to catch her off guard.

“No. All they want is to be left alone. They always keep their distance from humans unless they feel they are in danger. I’ve been close to them a few times and none of them have ever made a move toward me.”

Stone nodded. He hadn’t considered it likely that these Bigfoot creatures had taken Trinity. But why was she looking for them at all?

“And you aren’t pulling my leg?” he asked.

“Of course I’m not lying. What did you think you would find out here if not Bigfoot?”

“I was looking for Trinity, not Bigfoot. If you have any idea what happened to her, please tell me.”

Marian lowered her head. “I don’t know what happened to her, and that’s the God’s honest truth.”

“I know where she went.” They turned to see Harold Moss approaching. A pained expression painted his face, and he didn’t quite meet Stone’s eye. “I’m afraid something has happened to that girl and it’s all my fault.”

Alex hadn’t driven more than a quarter of a mile before Constance ordered him to stop. There was a note of command to her voice that caught Alex so completely by surprise that instinctively slammed on the brakes. The Roadster skidded to a halt on the mountain road, kicking up a cloud of dust and gravel.

“What’s wrong?” he asked.

Constance ignored him. She reached underneath her seat and pulled out a rucksack.

“What’s in there?”

“Turn your head,” she snapped as she pulled a pair of dungarees from the bag. Her sharp tone and the hard look in her eyes, made her seem like a different person.

“You can’t wait until we get back to town before changing clothes?” He felt his cheeks warm at the sound of rustling clothing.

“No,” she said simply.

A few seconds later he heard the passenger door open. He turned to see Constance, now dressed in pants, shirt, and boots, slide out of the cab.

“Where are you going?” he asked.

“There’s no time to explain.” Constance hurried around to the driver’s side and spoke to him through the window. “I’m trained to read people. Moss was lying. Every time the subject of the Bigfoot or Ape Canyon came up, his eyes flitted in the same direction. I’m going to catch up with Stone. He might need help.”

“You?” Alex scratched his head with the tip of his hook. “I should come with you.”

“That’s gallant of you, but you would slow me down. Go get Moses. I will leave a trail in the forest for you to follow. Look for broken branches pointing the way.”

Alex blinked, surprise rendering him mute. This was not the Constance he thought he knew.

“I owe you an explanation,” she said, “but there’s no time.” She climbed up onto the running board and planted a kiss on his lips. “I promise I’ll tell you everything. Just trust me.”

With that, she hopped nimbly to the ground, turned, and sprinted into the forest. In a matter of seconds, she was gone.