Splatsquatch: The Ocean Crest Chronicles #1

Dates & Little Blue Pills

Regina handed Mack the same house salad and ham and Swiss on sourdough that he ordered every day at lunchtime at the Silver Spoon Cafe. "Thanks, Reggie," he said as she slid the plate in front of him.

"Heard that Bolton's got broken into last night," the middle aged waitress said as she brushed back her blonde hair.

"So they tell me," Mack replied.

"Bet Micheal Bolton is even weirder than usual, huh?" she asked with a smirk.

Raising his eyebrows and shaking his head, Mack replied, "If telling me stories of what he had to do to survive as a teen is any makes him any weirder than usual, then yes."
Regina laughed and topped off Mack's iced tea. "I can't even imagine how that story went."

"Nobody ever needs to imagine how that story went," Mack said after a sip of the tea. "What I know now will haunt me until the end of my days."

"It couldn't have been that bad."

"If I hadn't had to run out to Midge's to try and figure out who or what took three of her chickens last night I would have been showering in fetal position until now."

"Don't you have a constable to take care of stuff like that?"

"Usually I do," the sheriff replied, "but today he is up in Laurel's Holler canvassing the area."

The waitress, whose husband just happened to be the mayor, said, "After Splatsquatch?"

"You heard?"

"Everybody heard. Word of a masturbating mythical beast in the woods tends to spread fast."

"Indeed it does, Reggie. After I finish lunch I guess I should probably drive on up there and see if Bigfoot has made Skeeter his prison bitch yet."

Regina put Mack's bill down on the table. "I'll let you get to it then, Sheriff," she said as she walked away. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yes you will, young lady," Mack replied. "Maybe I'll surprise you and order a different sandwich."

Behind the counter Regina grabbed a few coffee cups for a new group of customers who had just come in. She looked at Mack, rolled her eyes, smiled and said, "And maybe my husband will be able to get it up without a little blue pill this week."

"Am I wearing a sign that says, 'tell me shit I don't need to know' today?" Mack asked her as she winked and went to greet the new customers.

After finishing his lunch and trying to wash away the stain that Micheal Bolton left on his psyche, Mack grabbed his iPhone and called Skeeter, but got no answer. After trying, and failing, to reach him on the radio he sighed and determined that he would have to drive all the way up to Laurel's Holler to check and see if Skeeter was okay.

As he was getting into his cruiser he saw Nina Hurst on the other side of the street. "Hey, Nina," he shouted.

The short, dark haired girl stopped and turned around. She waved at the sheriff and then crossed the street to greet him. "You got a second?" Mack asked.

"Not really, Sheriff," she replied. "I'm teaching a yoga class in five minutes."

"Oh," Mack replied. "I just have a few questions to ask you about where you were last night."

A stunned look spread across her face. "I heard about the break in last night. Am I a suspect?" she asked.

"No, nothing like that," Mack replied. "I just need to officially get a statement from you is all."

"Oh," she replied. "I can't do it now, but I'll be free after six."

"Alright, can we meet somewhere to do a quick chat?"

After adjusting her dark rimmed glasses and brushing the short black hair out of her face she said, "Of course. How bout we meet at the Spoon at seven?"

"That works," the sheriff replied. "I'll see you then."

"Okay," Nina replied as she began crossing the street again. Mid way across the two way street she spun on her heels and said, "Great. It's a date." She then continued on to the other side of the road and carried on her way.

Mack raised his finger into the air and looked very confused. "Um, okay," he said.