Chapter 62: ANIMAL MAGNETISM / PROLOGUE

Feral Colorado…

Tyler opened the door to the Blood Moon Studio. A very popular tattoo shop located in some back-

water mountain town called Feral, twenty minutes outside Aspen. Tyler was a detective with the Colorado State Patrol. He did not have a partner. He worked alone. A new case had landed on his desk recently. One that held his interest. Over the last six to seven months, there had been a staggering rise in animal attacks around the Feral, resulting in fatalities. The most suspicious one being the most recent one. What made it suspicious was that the car had been run off the road, then torn apart, and the victim dragged out into the street and torn limb from limb.

His investigation had led him to Feral. Since all the deaths had occurred within a few miles of Feral, he felt someone in the small town might know something. So today, he was pounding the pavement to interview the residents. He was starting with one Gordon Wilder, who owned the tattoo shop, and according to his research, owned most of Feral’s commercial properties.

Tyler walked into the tattoo shop. The chime above the door alerted those in the backroom to his presence. A middle-aged biker-looking fellow came out of the back room, standing behind the counter.

Tyler knew this man was Gordon Wilder, the big man in Feral. He looked him over. The man was all ripped jeans and leather. He looked like a badass that was no stranger to law enforcement.

Tyler had looked into Gordon, and all he could find were a few transgressions as a youth, but he had not been arrested for any reason in over twenty years. Now Tyler knew that did not mean that Gordon Wilder wasn’t into some shady shit. It only meant he had gotten better at hiding it.

Gordon stood at the counter, looking Tyler over and sizing him up. Tyler knew he did not look like a cop. As a detective, he was not forced to wear a uniform, but unlike most detectives who wore cheap suits, Tyler just wore his everyday jeans and his favourite leather jacket.

“Can I help you?” Gordon asked.

Tyler pulled the bottom of his open jacket aside, flashing Gordon a badge clipped to his belt on his right hip. “I’m Detective Winthrop with the Colorado State Patrol. I’m investigating some strange occurrences on the highway this last year.” He said, identifying himself as law enforcement.

He knew he did not look like a cop. He was a First Nation’s man. His complexation was deeply bronzed, and his thin ebony hair was long but tied back. He was a fit man with broad shoulders and long legs. But it was his age that threw most people. He was only thirty and had been a detective for the State Patrol for three years. He was awfully young to be a plainclothes State Detective, but Tyler had risen through the ranks quickly because he was smart and his success raid with his cases thus far was 100% closed, with a 100% conviction rate.

“Do you have time to answer some questions?” Tyler asked. It was clearly a rhetorical question. He was going to make this man answer his questions whether he wanted to or not.

“Sure. Can we make it quick? I have another client coming in, and most of my clientele are bikers, and cops make them nervous.”

“No problem,” Tyler said. “I don’t know if you have heard, but there have been a few incidents on the highways around Feral mostly. People are getting run off the road. There has been some serious car wreckage.”

“Mountain roads are dangerous. Careless drivers die.” Gordon said, trying to sound disinterested. His attempt to appear indifferent was suspicious. This man knew more than he was letting on.

“That is true.” Tyler agreed. “Thing about these specific wrecks is that the crash is not what is killing these people.”

“Oh?”

“The men in these accidents,” He said, making air quotes with his fingers to illustrate that he did not believe these accidents were accidents, “weren’t killed by the crashes. They were torn apart by animals. In fact, one car showed evidence of an animal. The driver’s door and the trunk had been ripped off with massive claw marks in the metal. Something ripped open that car and dragged the victim from the vehicle to kill him in the street.”

“Really?” Gordon acted surprised by the news. Yeah, he defiantly knew something.

“You know an animal like that must be massive and dangerous. You haven’t seen any strange animals roaming around the area, have you?”

“I’m sorry, I thought you said that you were with the State Patrol. Isn’t this an Animal Control problem?”

“Well, here is the thing. I think someone is in possession of dangerous vicious dogs. I think they are running motorists off the road and using these dogs to kill the victims.” It was a very good theory. “Do you know anyone who has dogs around here?”

Gordon took a deep breath and pretended to think about his answer. “No,” he finally said, “None that I know off.”

“You know the last victim was an FBI Agent. I think he died because he knew too much. He was investigating a case and clearly uncovered something that got him killed. Someone around here is a cop a killer.”

“I wish I could help you, but I don’t know anything. Feral is a fairly uneventful place.” Both men stood there, their confident gaze holding the other, staring each other down. Tyler was hoping to intimidate Gordon into saying something to incriminate himself, but Gordon did not break. He was one cool customer.

“What is going on, Baby?” A young pregnant blond asked, coming from the back room.

“It is nothing,” Gordon said firmly. “Go back into the back room. I’ll be back in a minute.”

“No, wait,” Tyler said, putting up his hand to stop her from leaving. “I want to ask her a few questions.

First off, who are you?”

“My Fiancée,” Gordon answered. Tyler was surprised. This woman had to be half Gordon’s age. Good for him. Tyler was impressed.

“If you don’t mind, I want to hear her answers, not yours.” Tyler scolded Gordon.

Gordon said nothing as he shot a warning glance at his fiancée. It was a look she understood, and Tyler got the feeling she was not going to tell him anything, but he was going to ask anyway.

“Who are you?” Tyler asked again.

“I’m Mackenzie Starr.”

“Do you live around here?”

“Yes.”

“Do you know anything about the recent automobile crashes on the highway around here?” She shook her head, no. “Do you know anyone who might own some large dogs?”

“I can’t say I do.”

“See, Detective, we don’t know anything,” Gordon stressed. “Now, if you don’t mind, we were in the middle of lunch, and I’m expecting a client.”

“Alright.” He said, reaching into his jacket pocket and took out his wallet. He removed a business card and handed it to Gordon. “If either of you remembers anything, we haven’t already discussed. Please call me.”

Gordon accepted the card. “Will do.”

The door opened, and the chimes sounded as another woman came into the shop. Tyler took one look at her and his breath caught in his chest. Dear Lord, she was stunning. The woman was of average height with an amazing figure that could make a man speechless. Her long blond hair was thick and hung in long waves cascading down her back and over her shoulders. Her face was round with soft features and ivory skin. She looked like an earth-bound angel with striking amber eyes.

“Hello.” Tyler managed, trying not to appear as if he was gawking at her.

“Hello.” She smiled back with a glint of interest in her eyes, or maybe he just saw what he wanted to because he was interested.

Gordon cleared his throat. “Detective Winthrop, allow me to introduce my daughter Aster Wilder. Aster, honey, this is Detective Winthrop with the Colorado State Patrol.”

Gordon’s gaze held Aster’s for a moment, and then she smiled once more and shook Tyler’s hand. Her skin was so soft. “Nice to meet you, Detective.”

“It is very nice to meet you, Miss. Wilder.” He smiled back as he shook her hand.

“He is investigating some traffic fatalities around here,” Gordon informed his daughter. Tyler noticed the look that passed between father and daughter, and Tyler knew Aster knew something also.

“Do you know anything about them?” Tyler asked.

“I don’t watch the news. I find it depressing.” She said.

“Do you know anyone who might own some large dogs in the area?”

Aster pretended to think over his question. “No, sorry, I don’t. But I’m often working, so I don’t socialize much.”

“What do you do for a living?” He asked.

“I own a bakery.” She said.

“In Feral?”

“In Aspen.”

“If that is everything, Detective, I’m sure my daughter came to see me. If you don’t mind leaving us to our business.”

“No, of course not.” He took out another business card and offered it to Aster. “If you think of anything that might be helpful, please call me.”

Aster accepted the card and smiled as Tyler walked out the door. He knew they knew something. He was going to have to investigate this little town a little more. Something was going on here, and he was going to figure out just what.