Damp footprints along the seafront before first light. No one knew who or what had made them. They were clearly human, although they were bigger than the average human feet. They had appeared during a cold winter morning, out of the blue, and they had kept appearing from then. No one knew where the things, because there were clearly more than one, went, as the footsteps started fading away before they arrived to where the first houses were.
Special agents Williams and Spencer arrived mid-afternoon a month after the footsteps had started appearing. It wasn't their usual field of investigation, but apparently the mayor had been really insistent. Dana Williams looked annoyed, her grey eyes had a sharp edge. Tray Spencer, on the contrary, had a guilty air over him. She lead the way, not even checking if he was following. Dana was a couple of inches taller than Tray, mainly because of the heels she usually wore, that and the dark suit she dressed in, made her look older than the twenty-six she was.
-Dana.- Tray stopped her, catching his breath.
-I haven't given you permission to call me Dana, agent Spencer.
Dana was his superior, although they had the same rank. Tray looked at her surprised, but kept the composure.
-You have never told me not to, agent Williams.
-Take this as a start.- she restarted her walk.
Tray looked hopelessly at her. He was older, just past thirty, and what women usually called attractive. He was not as brilliant as Dana, he knew that, but he was quite good. And they had been a good team, until then. Dana was already at the door of the local police station, waiting for him.
-Hurry up, Spencer.
As soon as he arrived, Dana opened the door and headed to the counter. It was a really small station, barely the counter, a couple of chairs in front of it and an office some meters behind it.
-We are special agents Williams and Spencer.- she said to the agent behind it, showing him her plaque.- We are coming here for the footprints.
The young man raised from his chair.
-I'll call the sheriff, please take a seat.
As the agents waited sitting on some uncomfortable plastic chairs, he hurried into an office. Tray shifted uncomfortably on the seat.
-Agent Williams,...
-Not, now.- Dana replied severely.
-But, I...
-I said, not now.- she gave him a stare that left him frozen from the inside, he had seriously screwed up.
A fat man with grayish hair appeared from the office. They both raised from their chairs, as it was clear that he was the authority there. The sheriff approached them, affably.
-So, you're the agents they are sending for this crazy thing, uh?- he was only talking to Tray.- I'm Tomas Holt, but you can call me Tom.
-Thank you, sheriff Holt.- said Dana coldly.- I am special agent Dana Williams and he is special agent Tray Spencer. I am in charge of the operation.
The sheriff looked at her for the first time and shrugged his shoulders.
-Times change, I guess.
He lead them to his office. It was full of newspapers clippings and old pictures. Some of them appeared to be of the sheriff in his youth. He offered them coffee, but they declined. After sitting down, the sheriff spoke.
-What do you know about the case?
-That there are some unexplained footprints appearing every morning on the sidewalk. And that the mayor is very insistent and convinced our superior to send someone in here.- "And we were the ones he hated the most" Dana added internally.
-Well, this is a very small town, as you'll have seen. Most of the people is old people, and they are very alarmed by it. There are some midwife tales talking about sea monsters and sea people, and some people around here believe them. Nothing ever happens in here, so the police station is small, it's only me and Richards outside, we don't need more. Most of the time we're solving petty fights.
-We will take care of it from here. Can we meet tomorrow morning to see the footsteps?- asked Dana standing up.
-Yes, of course, we can meet at six-thirty here.
-Thank you sheriff.- said Tray, shaking his hand. He was always the one with the courtesies.
He and Dana headed outside in silence, they walked side by side along seafront, the wind howling on their ears. Tray finally decided to break the silence.
-So, what do you make out of it?
Dana stopped, her stare lost on the ocean.
-I don't know. We better talk it over dinner.
-We should probably look for our inn, too.
-Great, an inn.- she replied, frowning.
No comments:
Post a Comment