Cervidae
Chapters1-5
Shehad26ribs.2morethanusual.Anextrapairoffloatingribsaddedontotheexpected 7pairsof“true”ribs(attacheddirectlytothesternum),3pairsof“false”ribs(attachedtothe cartilagecomingoffthesternum),and2pairsoffloatingribs(attachedtonothinginparticularin thefront).Anuncommon,butnotrare,abnormalitywhichmirroredPolly’suncommon,butnot rare,life.
Shehadbeenanabove-averagestudent,butnevertoppedtheclass.Acompetentactor, butnevercastasanythingmorethanasidecharacter.Along-distancerunner—thestress fracturesinheranklescouldattesttothat,—butnotoneofanynote.Shewasabouttobecome, forthefirsttimeinherlife,extraordinary.Possiblyinthesenseof“superb”butalsosimplyin thesenseof“outsidethenorm.”
Shewasstillgreenasaprivateinvestigator,mostlytakingoncasesuncovering extramaritalaffairsorexposingthosefalselyclaimingworkers’comp.HerBAinanthropology insteadofsomethingmorebusiness-mindedexcludedherfromthemore-lucrativefinancialfraud cases.Butthatwasfinewithher Shehatedthejobanyway Shealwayssawherselfworkingin somemuseum,analyzingandcatalogingartifacts.HerfixationonartifactsfromtheAmerican Revolutionstartedinhighschool.Itwasherpassion.Butsheneverreallypursuedit.Lifegotin theway.Soinsteadhereshewas,drivingouttothecountrysideforthefirstvacationshewas abletotakeinyearsduetohererraticschedule.
Eyesdartedtotheedgeoftheroad10yardsahead.Somethingwasdisturbingthebushes thatdottedtheborderbetweentheforestandtheroad.Sheslowedthecarbutkeptmoving, keepinghervisionfixedonthetreelineahead.Enoughthatshewastoodistractedtoseethedeer
leapinfrontofhercar.Slammedbrakes.Tiresmovingtooslowtoscreech.Adeerbumpedbut nothitatfullforce.
Itstaredather.Almostlookinginsulted.Itrefusedtomoveoutoftheroad,whichwas justaswelltoPolly.Shewasn’tplanningongoinganywhereanytimesoonanyway.Herhands wereshaking.Adrenalinepumping.Thedeerwasstillstandingandstaring.Apparentlyunfazed. Forsomereason,shefeltshecouldn’tstareback.Shefixatedonhertremblingpalms,now face-upinherlapinsteadofgrippingthesteeringwheel.Afterwhatfeltlikeeons,thedeer casuallywanderedoffandPollyreturnedherfoot,slowly,tothegaspedaltoreturntoher journey.
Theshadowsstretchedacrossthepavementasshepulledintothedrivewayofher parents’isolatedhome.Theyweregoneforthenexttwoweeks.Thesametwoweeksthatshe wouldbecallingherchildhoodbedroom“homebase.”Theplanwasn’ttostayhomemuch, though.Infact,thatwastheoppositeoftheplan.Thealways-too-quiethousealreadyfelt suffocating.Eventhoughshehadjustsetherkeysonthecounter.Evenmoresobecauseshewas therealone.
AsthesunreacheditstendrilsthroughthegapsbetweenthewoodenslatsontheVenetian blinds,Pollywokeup.Shestretched.Squintedattheclock.8:47am.Notbad.Shehadtimefora coffeeonthebackporchbeforeherwalkintotown.Notthatshewasonastricttimetable anyway.
Coffeeinhand,sheslidopenthenowunlockedslidingdoortothebackporch.Ifshe hadn’tbeensotiredfromhertravels,shemight’verememberedthatshelockeditlastnight.But, thatalarmbelldidn’tgooffinherhead.Groggy,sheslumpedintoagreenAdirondackand assessedhersurroundings.
Afieldoffoot-tallgrassswayedinthewind,surroundedatitsedgesbyforest.Inits centerwasafawn.Athinfawn.Grazinginthegrass,herheaddippedlow.Polly’sminddrifted tochronicwastingdisease,or,colloquially“zombiedeerdisease,”butthisdeerwasn’taimless andamblingaround.Itwasalert.Justthin.Assheliftedherhead,Pollylookedonwithhorror. Thefawn’sdelicatefacialfeatureswerecoveredinblood.Anditwasn’therown.
Eventhoughshehatedherjob,Pollywasadetectiveatheart.Shewadedthroughthesea ofgrass,feelingthesamehand-tremblingfearshehadfeltthepreviousevening.
Dewfromthegrassdappledaspottedpatternonherlightgreenpajamapantsandwether barefeetasshepressedforwardtowardthefawn.Itlookedatherinquisitively Patiently awaitingherarrival.ShewaiteduntilPollywasmerefeetawaybeforelopingofftowardsthe trees,leavingbehindonlyanimpressioninthegrasswherewhatevershehadbeeneatingwas lying.
AsPollyapproachedshesawthepoorcreature,amangleddoe.Itsabdomenwastorn openbutitswhitespecklesanddelicateheadandlegswereunmistakable.Sheshuddered.
Coursingadrenalineslowlywasreplacedwithanachingsadness.Shewouldstopbythegame warden’sofficelaterthatday.Hewasafriendfromhighschoolandnotonlywouldknowwhat todowiththecarcassbutwouldalsoknowwhatwaswrongwiththesedeer.
Pollyabandonedherplanstowalktotown.Feelingasenseofurgencysheoptedforthe speedierchoiceofdriving,cuttinga20-minutejourneytoamerefive.
Slidingdoorrippedopenandhastilyclosed.Coffeemugabandonedontheporch.Jeans pulledon.T-shirtputonoverhertanktop.Bootslaced.Keysgrabbedfromthecounter Car started.
Shetoreintothemunicipalbuildingparkinglotwherethesheriffandgamewarden’s officeswerelocatedandranupthefrontsteps.Becomingcognizantofherheavybreathingshe stoodatthedoorforasecondandcollectedherself.Slowedherbreathing.Smoothedhertitian hair Practicedawarmsmile.Realizedhowridiculousshelookedandpushedtheheavyoakdoor open.
Thereceptionareawasfamiliar,butthereceptionistwasnot.Pollyestimatedthatthe bored-lookingwomanatthedeskclockedinataroundmid-fiftiesbutherpinklipstickand dyed-to-cover-gray-rootshairmadeherlookyounger Shesatdoingeitheracrosswordor sudoku,Pollycouldn’ttellbutshesawthemagazinewithitscoverfoldedoverinoneofthe receptionist’shandsandapenintheother.Afairguess.Pollyapproachedthedesk.
“Hey,isJimin?”Polly’spracticedwarmsmilewaswastedonthereceptionistwhokept hereyesgluedonherpuzzle.Aplaqueonthedeskread“Florence.”
“Yeah,inhisoffice,”saiddistractedly,withagapingpausebetweenthe“yeah”andthe “inhisoffice.”
“Thanks!”OnceagainthesmilewaswastedonFlorence.“I’manoldfriendofhis.”
“Alrighty.”
Feelingslightlydejectedfromthecurtinteraction,Pollyroundedthecornerandswung openthefrostedglassdooremblazonedwiththewords“GameWarden.”
Jim’seyesliftedlazilyfromhisdeskandlitupastheymetPolly’s.
“PollyScott!AsIliveandbreathe!WhatareyoudoinginDurrey?”
Pollytookhiminforabeat.Helookedoldernow Likearealadult.Darkringscircled hiseyes.Thosedeepanddarkcow-likeeyes.Howlonghadshebeengone?Shehadn’t recognizedthereceptionisteither,uncommoninatownthissize.Then,returningtoreality, “Vacationifyoucanbelieveit.”
“Bigcitytoomuchforyou?”
“Idon’tknowifI’dcallNorfolkabigcity.”
“Aroundhereitis,”hissmilebroadened.“Andwhatbringsyoutomyoffice?”
“Deer,mostly.”
“Notforme?”Hishandsflutteredtohischestinfeignedtheatrics.Thesmilereturnedto hisface.
“Thattoo.Just, Jesus,Idon’tknowwhat’swrongwiththesedeerIhitonelastnight and–”
“Areyouokay?Isyourcarokay?”Hisfacereflectedrealconcernthistime.
“Yeah,ImeanIjustbumpedit.Ithinkeventhedeerisokay.Itwalkedawayatleast.But here’stheweirdthing:thismorningIfoundafawninmyfolk’syardeatingadoe.”
“Itsown?”Hisbrowfurrowedinconfusion.
“Idon’tknowbutitwasdisturbing.Thethingwasmangled.”
“Imeanithappensinsomecases.Ifitwasherowndoeitwouldmakemoresense. Pregnancytakesitstollonthemother.Theyeattheplacentaandafterbirthnaturallyanyway.It’s agoodsourceofproteinandhelpswithmilkproduction.Maybethepoorthingwasstillbornand mamawashungry.”Shouldersraisedina“whoknows”expression.
“WhatshouldIdoaboutit?”
“Imeanweshoulddefinitelyremovethebody Youdon’twantcoyotesinyouryard.”
“We?”
“IhaveatruckandIhaveasneakingsuspicionyoudon’twantadoeridingshotgunin yourPrius.”
“Hey,Iwould at least putitinthebackseat.AndIdon’tdriveaPrius.”
“Let’sseeifCamisaround,she’llgetakickoutofitwithherwholemorbidbone collectionanyway.”
“Cam?”SynapsesfiredforPolly.CamasinCamilla.Thefinalpersonintheirlittlehigh schooltriad.“Ididn’tknowshewasstillaround.”
“Ohshesureisandshe’sabigshotnow.Sheriff.Electedlastyear.Meaningshe’sjust onedoorover.”
PollyandJimsteppedoutsidehisofficeandJimopenedCamilla’sdooraftertwoshort knocks.
“Jim,atleastwaitformetorespondbeforeyouopenthedoor,”Camillasaidasthough shewastalkingtoachild,keepinghereyesfixedtoherpaperwork.
“Youwillneverguesswhothecatdraggedin.Andyouwould’vealreadyfigureditoutif youwerepoliteenoughtolookupwhenpeopleenteredyouroffice.”
Camilla’seyesrolledandthenraised.JustlikeJim,hereyesbrightenedastheylookedat Polly.Softly,“Polly,ithasbeenyearshasn’tit?”
“Eightofthem,”Pollyresponded.Herfriend’sfeatureswerejustassheremembered them.Almost-whiteblondehairthatusedtobeworninwavesbutnowwastightlypulledintoa bun.AsprayoffrecklesacrosshernoseandcheeksmatchedPolly’sown.
“Eighttoomany.WhatcanIdofory’all,though?”
“We’vegotadeaddoeandthoughtyoumightwantfirstdibs,”Jim.
“Althoughthatisusuallyatemptingoffer,”Cam’svoicetrailedoffforasecond,“Ican’t”
“Whaton earth couldbemoreimportantthanadeaddeer?”Jimquestionedjokingly.
Camdidn’treturnthejokingdemeanor “Wefoundabody Ahumanone.”
TheridefromthemunicipalbuildingtoPolly’sParents’housewasanythingbut comfortable.Yes,thewadded-upfastfoodwrappersthatscatteredthefloorandthecigarette buttsinthecupholdersdidn’tmakeanythingmorepleasant,buttheissuewasJim’ssilence.He wasneversilent.ForaslongasPollycouldrememberJimwastalkativetoanobnoxiousdegree.
Inhighschool,hecouldsmooth-talkhiswayoutofanysituation.Thiswashelpfulbecause Polly,Jim,andCamhadahabitofgettingintotrouble.Neveranythingserious.Afew
firecrackershere,afewdrunkenbonfiresthere.AnditwasalwaysJimgettingthemoutofany consequenceswhenanangryneighbororparentgotinvolved.Hewasn’tslimythough.Hewas justcharming.Youcouldn’tlookintohisgenuinelykindeyesandbroadsmileandnotlikehim.
NowJimwassilent.Deadsilent.Hisjawclenchedenougheveryfewsecondsthatit causedtheunlitcigarettehangingfromhislipstobobupanddownlikeaseesawrightafterakid getsoff.
Thishadhappenedbefore.Andithadhappenedhere.That’swhyPollyleft.Alloftheir teenyearswerescarredbyaseriesofdisappearancesthatquicklyturnedintoaseriesofbodies scatteredaroundDurrey Butthiswasn’tlikethen.Shehoped.
ThetrucksputteredtoastopnexttoPolly’ssedan.
“Where’sthelittleguy?”Jim’sfirstwordsinagesashesparkedhislighter
“Outinthelonggrass,”Pollyresponded,gesturingtothefield,“I’lltakeyourighttothe spot.”
Sheguidedhimthroughthetrampledgrasspathshehadmadethatmorningonlytofind nothing.Nodoe.Noblood.Eventhecircularpatchwherethedoe’sbodyhadflattenedthegrass wasgone.
“Isweartherewasadoehere,”Polly.
“Ibelieveyou.Probablyjustgotcarriedoffbysomethingbigger.”
“Where’sthebloodthen?I’mtellingyouitwasgory.”
“Idon’tknow It’sweirdforsure.”
“Knowwhatelseisweird?”Pollyasked,justaboveawhisper.Anxious.HopingthatJim wouldunderstandwhatshewasgettingto.
“Thebody.Iknow.Foundinthesameconditionas before too,”theword“before”was spokenwithextrameaning.Pollyknewwhathemeant.Hemeanteightyearsago.
“Idon’thaveagoodfeelingaboutthis.Camdoesn’thaveanIDonthebodyyeteither.”
“Well,howcouldshe?Imeanwiththestateofitandall.Imeanyourememberbackin senioryearwhen,y’know.Whenwefoundoneof‘em.Theynevercaughttheguyeither.”
“Orgal,”Pollycorrected.
“Ah,okayMs.Feminist,serialkillerscanbewomentoo.”Jim’sattemptatlighteningthe mood.Hesaiditwithasmilebuthiseyeswerecloudedanddistant,absentoftheirusualsparkle.
“Comeinforsometea?”
“Ithoughtyou’dneverask.”
AsthepairstartedbacktothehouseJim’sphonerang.Thedisplayscreenread“Millie,” Cam’shighschoolnickname.Heansweredandpromptlyputthecallonspeakerphone.
“Weneedtotalk.Allofus.”