Book Five: Chapter 15

Beth let out a squeal of mirth, then waved her hand apologetically. “I’m sorry, I’m just excited is all.”

Eulalie looked at Mike. “Bigfoot fan?”

Big something fan, he thought to himself. “What was happening on these patrols?” he asked, hoping to get back to the subject at hand. “And tell me about the patterns.”

Eulalie’s eyes narrowed. “At first glance, the patrols were fine. Nothing ever happened. But then a pattern of nothingness emerged. Even on patrol, you’re bound to see some form of game. Like a bear or a deer. Or maybe you don’t see the animal, but you do see signs that it was there. But there were no signs at all, as if something was chasing our prey away.

“Anyway, once I realized that Velvet and Uncle Foot were coming back with less food than ever, so I did something I haven’t done in a while. I set some traps of my own. I don’t usually bother myself with hunting, but a girl’s gotta eat.”

“With...” he gestured at her waist, the word now stuck i