seeding the area with transplanted panthers from Texas, to beef up the bloodlines because of inbreeding. But I don’t think it’s a panther. They’re very afraid of dogs. More likely to run from one than eat one. Still, they do weigh over a hundred pounds, and killing a dog wouldn’t be that difficult for a healthy panther.
“But, no. I think someone would have heard something. At least one of the dogs in the neighborhood would have caught wind of a panther. And there’s been no sign of struggle or of blood. I can’t see a panther operating like that. Nope. Doubt it’s a panther.”
“Then what?”
“Could be bear, I guess. But I’d rule that out for many of the same reasons, although I know these woods have a healthy bear population. A bear coming in to eat a dog would just make more of a fuss, I think.” Ron gazed off into those woods, peering even beyond the longleaf savanna.
“Then there’s coyotes. They’ve been known to lure dogs out into the bush and then ambush them and eat them. But I haven’t seen any credible evidence that there are any coyotes in this part of the state.
“So…barring the dogs just wandering off into that wilderness and getting lost…”
“Yes?”
“I’d have to say a snake.”
Tatum stood and took a few steps away from his desk. “A snake? You mean, like Dodd is writing about? A giant snake? Are you crazy?”
“Well, look at it this way. The dogs don’t even raise an alarm. They’re in the yard one hour, gone the next. No one sees anything or hears anything. No blood. No tracks. In the past, people here in Florida have either lost large pet snakes, or released them when they got too big to handle. Pythons, usually, but there are a couple of Anacondas on record as having been recaptured around the state. One near Big Springs State Park was a twenty-footer. It had been chowing down on the local dogs when it couldn’t find enough raccoons to eat.”
“Twenty feet? You’re serious?”
“Yes, I am. I’ve read the reports about that one. They found it under a lady’s house when her poodle started barking at something under there. A snake that big could eat a child, you know.”
“Jesus.” Tatum strode back to the desk and picked up the phone, then put it back down. “I guess we leave this up to you guys, then? Endangered or threatened species, right?”
“Actually, if it’s an escaped large constrictor, we don’t want it roaming free. It’s a non-native species and not officially welcome here. But, yes, I’d like to take a look around, and we can recommend a specialist to trap it if we decide that’s what the problem is.”
“Well, that’s a relief.” The smile returned to Tatum’s face. “So. When can you get started?”
Chapter Four
Walks Backward laid his head in the cool shadows, sighed. The Scarlet had gone rogue and the rest of the Flock was in danger because of it.
Nearby, Egg Mother and Egg Father murmured to the young brood, telling the great stories of their ancestors. He raised his head a small distance and peered toward them. They were so well concealed that even he could not spot them. Quickly, though, he looked back the way they had come, the direction in which he lay, the way he always did, as was his task.
It was also his task to worry. For years he had worried about the Scarlet. It was not good that its coat was so different from the others. They lived in concealment and in safety because they could blend so well with the land in which they roamed. But not the Scarlet. His coloring did not allow him to vanish so completely as the rest of the Flock. But he had been born directly of the Egg Mother, and so it was not the place of Walks Backward to eliminate the threat by eating the Scarlet while he was still a hatchling. Not his place to act, only to worry.
But now the Scarlet was grown. And how he had grown. The Scarlet was much larger than any other member of the Flock. Larger even than Egg Father, heavier even than Walks Backward himself, who was heavier than all the others. Until now.
The Scarlet was not right, did not do things as they were to be done. In times past, this one should have made his move to take his place as foremost of the Flock. He should have learned to lead and