Page 14 of Be A Detective, They Said. It’ll Be Fun, They Said

He chuckled, a satisfying gurgle of a laugh. “At least you have each other. I’m mostly alone. I’ve heard of others like me, but I’ve never seen them. Though, the animals here in the forest make it easier.”

Almost as if on cue, a deer appeared from the brush, slipping to Hank’s side to rub up against him. He cupped her head with his large paw, stroking her ears.

I hated the sadness in his deep tone, the longing, and I wondered how we could ease that. But before we could even consider it, I wanted to know what he knew about Neerie.

I tucked my hands into the pockets of my jacket, my fingers frigid, my nose drippy. “So, before we get to know one another, and we surely will, Hank, what can you tell us about Neerie?”

He spread his arms wide, making a gesture that said not much. “She was here with that group, but she came late. I’m not sure if they even attempted stealth. I could hear them a mile away, guffawing and stomping around. I have super-hearing, too, by the way.

“Anyway, she wasn’t here long, and I was so focused on those cowboys and the guy who was out here…” He cleared his throat. “Um, mating, I lost track of her. She just disappeared. But she dropped her phone. I have it, if you’d like. I was going to try to drop it off at a police station, if I could get close enough. Cameras are everywhere these days. It’s not like the days of old anymore.”

I thought of all the shots I’d seen over the years of the ever-elusive Bigfoot and wondered if any of them were of Hank.

“We’d definitely like Neerie’s phone, Hank. She disappeared, and she has a little girl who misses her terribly. We came here because of the group that was here the other night, thinking maybe we could find something, maybe track her scent. You have no idea how much her phone might help.”

Stooping, he dug around an area with shrubbery and rocks and pulled out a black square. “Here you go. I hope it helps.”

I took it from him, almost laughing at how it looked like the size of a chiclet in his hand. “I could kiss you, Hank!”

He backed away with a hearty laugh. “I wouldn’t do that, Wanda. I smell like a landfill. I promise I don’t always smell like this. I do bathe regularly.”

The deer who’d approached Hank sniffed the air and moved toward Nina. All animals loved her. We thought it so ironic that vampires had once fed off of small animals. They didn’t do that anymore, at least not the good ones, but no animal ever appeared to fear Nina. She had a gift when it came to all creatures great and small.

Reaching out a hand, she ran her fingers over its snout to caress it between the eyes. The deer leaned into Nina’s hip, its soft eyes gazing up at her in adoration.

“An animal lover, are you?” Hank asked, his deep voice going gentle.

She grinned down at the deer. “The biggest. They’re the only beings on Earth who don’t judge you.”

“Tell me about it,” Hank responded, the irony in his words clear.

I thought about what I was about to offer, knowing it sounded outlandish, but somehow also perfectly feasible. “Hank, Nina’s castle isn’t far from here. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen it in your travels. Would you ever consider popping in? Maybe joining us for lunch…or…I hate to be rude, but do you eat lunch? I’m unfamiliar with a Bigfoot’s dietary needs, but I’m sure we can accommodate, right, girls?”

He stood very still and for the first time, I saw one of his eyes gleaming in the dark night. “You’d have me sit at a table with you?”

Nina snickered. “Fuck yeah. I have tall ceilings. There’s no reason you can’t fit. The kids’d love ya.”

Now he stared at us for a long moment. “You’d allow me around the children? Won’t I frighten them?”

“Don’t be silly,” Marty chimed in. “They’re used to all manner of the paranormal. Mermaids, elves, trolls, you’re no different. You’re just bigger.”

“True dat. He’s even bigger than Teddy,” Nina agreed. “She’s a bear shifter, FYI, for reference.”

Hank held up a fuzzy paw, the wind blowing his fur around. “Wait, sorry to backtrack, but mermaids are real?” he squeaked.

I laughed so hard, I almost wet myself. “Yes, Hank. Mermaids are real and so is our invitation. We’d love it if you’d drop by. We always say, the more the merrier.”

“I…I…I don’t know what to say…” he murmured.

“Say yes and it’s a date, Gigantor,” Nina said with a smile. “Arch is gonna love you. Bet you could eat a side of beef.”

Hank scratched his head. “You know, I don’t know. My diet consists of mostly berries and mushrooms.”

I gave one of his fuzzy fingers a squeeze. “Well, I guess we’ll find out then. Anyway, Hank, you’ve been a huge help, but I’m freezing and it’s getting late. So we’d better go. We have a wayward fairy to find, but we’ll see you soon, okay? Promise. And if you remember anything else that might be helpful, we’ll stop back and check with you.”

“Your kindness is unmatched, Wanda,” he whispered softly. “Thank you. I look forward to seeing you all again and meeting your families.” He looked toward the edge of the woods. “May I escort you back to your car?”

Nina flapped a hand at him. “Nah. You stay hidden from those whackadoodles. I don’t want ya gettin’ caught.” She gave one last stroke of her hand to the deer’s head before she waved at Hank. “See ya soon.”

---