A Tangle With Conspiracy

By Reese Currie

Creigh is now leading the agency, and needs to pass the torch to his younger agents. He gives them what he believes to be an easy assignment, but nothing ever proves to be as simple as it seems. His agents end up in a fight for their lives.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Reese Currie
• Release date: Dec 18, 2021
• ISBN: 9781005988319

Reese Currie

Reese Currie has had the creative writing bug in his soul from a very young age. Now in his middle age, he is finally releasing the floodgates on his passions, including his passion for fiction writing.

Book preview

Chapter One

The bell rang, and Dejana opened the door to find Mal and Dean on the front step. Come in, she said, leading them into the house. Dean glanced at the cabinetry; since he had lost his sense of taste and smell, when Barren had thrown him against the cupboards, I noticed he often glanced in that direction on his way into the house.

Happy holidays, I said as they came into the living room. I had drinks already poured for them.

You can say Merry Christmas, Mal said as he sprawled onto the couch like he always did when he came over. It’s your house. He picked up his drink and sniffed it. Laphroiag.

Your favourite, I said.

Can you move over a little so I can sit, too? Dean asked him.

Oh, yeah, sorry, Mal said, moving over.

Dean sat. He didn’t bother smelling his drink. He couldn’t smell it, or taste it.

Dejana sat in her chair and picked up her glass. I picked up my glass. To a better 2020, I said, and we all clinked our glasses together in a toast.

I was drinking Jim Beam bourbon, and Dejana, given the option, had chosen Jim Beam as well. I had not had any Laphroiag since accepting some from Melvin in return for allowing his wife to sleep with my wife, and ultimately, with Melvin as well. Natalia went to their home to do the deed, and to her death.

I got you here a little early to discuss some business before the others arrive, I said, and before you guys head out to Montana tomorrow.

What would you like to discuss? Dean asked.

The readiness of your trainees, I said. Are they ready to go out on their own?

Dean’s nose wrinkled in that way it did. Not Gladys, he said.

Why not? I asked.

She’s been spending most of her time with you, on the computer stuff, Dean said. I mean, we get some time with her, but she’s not ready yet.

She has her cop training, Mal interjected, but that’s actually somewhat counter-productive.

That interested me. How so?

You don’t run up to a vampire and yell ‘freeze,’ Mal said, and all of us chuckled. No, really, he said. It’s hard getting those instincts out of cops to make them killers.

I nodded slowly, considering what had been said. And Brutus and Lucinda?

Mal and Dean looked at each other, then back to me.

I think they’re ready, Mal said, shrugging.

It would depend on the severity of the case, Dean added cautiously. What do you have in mind?

I’ve been collecting data on UFO sightings and cattle mutilations ever since I took over, I said. I think I finally have a predictive model. I think it’s going to happen close to Lacombe, Alberta, next. I want to send someone out there who can be on-site quickly when it actually happens.

I can imagine Lucinda would be a bit skittish about UFO’s, after having been abducted twice, Dean said.

And Alberta, after our last experience there, I said. We had been assaulted by two white supremacists; Lucinda killed both of them to rescue us. They had damaged my forearms, possibly permanently, during their attack.

Shit, I’d be nervous about flying out there, Mal said. Have you heard about this latest virus?

I nodded. It’s concerning, I said.

Dean shrugged. A new flu out of China, he said. That happens pretty frequently. It’s never the end of the world as we know it. He sniffed and said, It’s no different than flying to Montana, which we’re about to do.

SARS came from China, I said. This one might be right up there.

Dean raised his eyebrows. Really? I’m hearing it’s not here yet.

We don’t think so, but that’s subject to change, I said.

What does your buddy Trudeau think? Mal asked.

I chuckled. I’m not in daily contact with the Prime Minister, I said. Last time I saw him or heard from him was the time he passed on his sympathies about Natalia. The same night Dejana, Lucinda and Dean took out Vecchiato.

And you took out Rocca, Mal said. Fuck, I felt like an idiot when I found out the guy I thought I was watching down there turned out to be up here. Brutus impressed the hell out of me. I think he’s ready for anything.

He got his information from us, Dejana pointed out.

Creigh is the information centre, Mal said. That’s how it’s supposed to happen. Brutus acted on it fast, and very capably for a first-timer.

Dejana nodded her agreement. Mal turned his attention to me and said, If Lucinda’s too skittish about UFO’s to go with him, maybe you could send Gladys.

That’s complicated, I said.

Because he fucked her, sure, Mal said. But, in any line of work, a complicated home life doesn’t necessarily have to be allowed for in your work life.

True, I had to agree. Maybe I’ll bring the opportunity to the three of them and let them choose who goes.

Dejana eyed me curiously.

It should be pretty light duty, really, I explained. Just get me some on the ground information, maybe interview some of the farmers who lost cattle previously. Run some instruments on the area.

What does the RCMP tell the farmers when they investigate these incidents? Dean asked.

Some kind of bullshit, like, the cow ate a poisonous weed, I said.

Do they believe that? Dean asked.

Of course not, they’re ranchers, I replied. They know you’re not going to get surgical precision cuts from eating a weed. Anyway the RCMP always shows up a day too late to see the cow before the bloat starts to happen. I want people on the scene before that, to get real evidence.

Dean sat back in the couch. For evidence collection done right, you want Gladys.

Makes sense, I agreed. Gladys and who?

Dean said Lucinda at the same moment Mal said Brutus.

They looked at each other and smiled.

Why? I asked, pointing at Dean first.

Familiarity with UFO’s, Dean said. We don’t know if what she experienced was alien or demonic activity, but either way, it was UFO activity and she may recognize the signs of it better than Brutus or Gladys would.

I pointed at Mal.

Dean almost has me convinced, he admitted. I was thinking Brutus because he’s a man and he’s white. I think he’ll get more respect from ranchers than a couple of black girls.

You underestimate the egalitarianism of the Canadian rancher, I said.

Mal chuckled. Do you think? You could be right. Brutus is going to wonder why a rookie is going instead of him.

They’re both rookies, I said. I want to keep him available in case we need some strong-arm stuff somewhere else. I don’t think we’ll need any strong-arm stuff on this case.

I looked at Dejana. I also think jealousy issues would be reduced. For Brutus, the thought of Lucinda and Gladys getting it on is fantasy fuel. For Lucinda, the thought of Brutus and Gladys getting it on is a nightmare that would feed her insecurities.

It is too bad that is factor in making decision, Dejana said.

It’s too bad, but I think we can agree it’s a factor, I said.

Dejana took another drink. Yeah, she agreed.

Thank you for your input, gentlemen, I said to Mal and Dean, and lady, I said to Dejana.

When do you plan to tell them about it? Dean asked. Tonight?

Might as well let them have Christmas, I said. But they might be flying out on Boxing Day or the day after.

I need to go check turkey, Dejana said, getting to her feet.

Creigh’s right here, Mal said.

I shook my head and sipped my Jim Beam.

Chapter Two

Did we get here late? Brutus asked when he and Lucinda showed up at the door.

No, you got here at a good time, I said. I got Mal and Dean to come here a bit early.

Workin’ out our bonuses? Lucinda asked jokingly, pushing past Brutus to come in the door.

Come in, I said, as Lucinda walked into the living room. Brutus chuckled and followed her in. I grabbed a couple of beers from the fridge, Mill Streets made in Ottawa, and handed them to Lucinda and Brutus.

Father Leard comin’? Lucinda asked before taking a long pull on her beer.

Not tonight, I said. We’re going to see him later, though. Midnight Eucharist, complete with incense. It’s the same thing as Midnight Mass for Catholics.

Oh, okay, Lucinda said, taking another pull.

Did you want to see him? I asked.

No, no, just curious, she said.

I went back out to the kitchen and saw another car pulling in. I went to the door and waited for Gladys Stone to appear. I opened the door as she was coming up the steps.

Sorry if I’m late, she said.

You’re not late, I replied. I don’t know what you drink. Do you want wine, or whisky? I have some Mill Street beers.

I’ll have one of those beers, Gladys said. I guess I’m still a cop at heart.

I smiled and let her choose which beer she wanted; then she, too, went into the living room. I stood in the doorway and watched. She sat on the couch’s armrest next to Dean and struck up a little conversation with him. Lucinda hardly so much as looked at her, and Brutus rather pointedly did not look at her. I wondered if there was some mutual embarrassment about the threesome that had taken place between Gladys, Lucinda and Brutus. I hoped it wouldn’t mean trouble for the upcoming mission.

Creigh, came from behind me. Could you give me hand?

I looked back at Dejana; she was taking the turkey out of the oven. I put down my drink and rushed over to help. We put it up onto a cutting board, then I went to the stove top, turned off the burners and started dealing with the veggies.

Get somebody with working forearms to carve the turkey, I suggested to Dejana.

Good idea, she said, and stuck her head into the living room. Would anyone like to carve turkey?

I will, Mal said, extricating himself from his conversation with Brutus.

Dejana came back from the doorway while I was mashing potatoes. Is that easier than carving?

I shrugged. I’m less likely to cut myself if I lose control.

Good point, she said, and kissed my cheek.

Take a look out there and see who Gladys is talking to now, I said.

She glanced out, then returned. Dean.

I think Brutus and Lucinda are avoiding her, and she’s avoiding them, I said. That sucks.

Maybe mission together will help, Dejana said.

There’s that, I said.

I looked over to Mal. I’m done, he said.

I’m done, I said.

Food is ready, Dejana called out into the living room.

We didn’t really have a table, so people came into the kitchen, took their plates out to the living room, and ate holding their plates in their laps. Except Gladys. Gladys was sort of hesitant, not knowing where to go. Finally she decided to eat out in the kitchen with us.

Sorry we don’t have a table, I said.

It’s all right, she said. I’m just glad to be here.

How’s the other half of your training going? I asked.

Creigh, is not time for work, Dejana said.

Dejana’s right, I said.

Do you mind if I answer? Gladys asked.

Dejana shrugged. Go ahead, if you want.

Shooting first is a problem for me, Gladys admitted. I always hesitate. The police training drilled that into me.

Interesting. She had the same evaluation Mal had of her.

You kind of want to yell ‘freeze’ or ‘drop your weapons’? I asked.

Exactly, Gladys replied.

I’m getting ready to give you your first case, I said.

Really? Gladys asked excitedly.

You won’t be alone on it, I added. You’ll have help.

Good, good, Gladys said, not yet knowing who her partner was going to be.

First, I’ll have to talk to you about what the agency’s really about, I said. You’ll understand after that why we shoot first.

Can I know now? she asked, her voice hushed.

This is why I did not want you to talk about work at party, Dejana said.

Work is what draws us all together, I said.

No, it is not, Dejana said. Love and friendship draws us all together. Work; well, it is why it is important that we are drawn together.

Dejana moved in closer, so close that Gladys had to look up to see her. Are you drawn together with us?

Gladys looked at the floor. I am, with Creigh and Dean. And you.

Your trainers, Dejana said. What about Brutus and Lucinda? Dejana put two fingers under Gladys’s chin to lift her head. Hm?

I’m kind of embarrassed, and I think they are, too, Gladys replied. Her eyes turned to look at me.

You’ve got to move past that, I said. You remember what I said. You have to be comfortable working with them.

I think I will be, she replied. I just—I can’t really seem to connect with them now. We can’t really go back to ‘getting to know you’ now. We’ve been naked together. Dejana released her chin, and Gladys’s head dropped again. We’ve had sex.

Dejana looked at me, and then at Mal. Mal got up and took his plate into the living room, as if he didn’t notice us at all.

Creigh and I swapped with them, she said quietly to Gladys, whose eyes grew wide. It does not create awkwardness with us. Dejana gently touched Gladys’s cheek. It is you who are bringing the awkwardness between you.

Gladys’s eyes moved between us. D-do you still—?

No, Dejana said. Has been months since the one and only time. Still, it is not awkward.

You guys were friends first, Gladys said. Maybe that’s the difference?

The difference is we were friends after, Dejana said. I think you will have to make friends again.

I don’t know how I would start, Gladys said.

Start with knowing that sex is good, Dejana said. It is natural. You did not steal anything from each other; you did not trick each other. You only gave to each other, and received from each other. Maybe you do not want to exchange gifts anymore, and that is okay.

Gladys looked up at Dejana, blinking. She glanced at Dejana’s lips, then at her eyes, then got up on her tiptoes and they kissed. Dejana was surprised to find herself kissing Gladys, a bit too surprised to hold back from slipping her tongue into Gladys’s mouth. They separated with Gladys still looking up at Dejana, a look of wonder on her face.

See, Dejana said, recovering, it is little gift exchanged between friends. Nothing to be sorry about. Okay?

Gladys nodded and finally pried her eyes away from Dejana. Thanks, she said breathlessly.

Go in and say hi to your friends, Dejana said, taking Gladys’s empty plate. Do you want second plate?

No, I—I’m quite full, Gladys said. It was delicious, thank you.

Gladys went out to the living room, and Dejana put her plate and cutlery in the dishwasher, then her own plate. Are you done? she asked me, and I wordlessly handed her my plate and cutlery, which she placed in the dishwasher.

We heard Gladys’s tinkling wind-chime laugh coming from the living room.

Can we talk in garage? Dejana asked.

Sure, I said, and followed her.

Chapter Three

Dejana put her hands on the hood of the Lincoln. I am stupid, she said. Stupid!

No, you’re not, I said. You really helped her. You reset her. She’s in the living room getting reacquainted.

It was not motherly kiss, Dejana said. She licked her lips and looked at the wall, not wanting to meet my eyes. She sighed and said, I gave her tongue.

I thought you may have, I said, running my hand down her arm. It’s all right.

Father Leard will not marry us if things like this happen, Dejana said.

Things like what? I asked her, embracing her waist, linking my hands behind her. We didn’t have sex. We’ve not seen her naked.

But I kiss her, Dejana said. My tongue was in her mouth.

I pressed my forehead against hers. "Why did you do that?"

I do not know, Dejana said. I was surprised I was kissing at all, and—seemed natural. Instinctive.

Isn’t that exactly what you were telling her? I asked, holding her head in my hands, staring close-up into her eyes.

She sighed. Well, yes.

If you feel bad about it, you defeat the whole message you gave her, I said. And that message, she needed to hear. It did her a lot of good.

I guess, Dejana said, blushing. I still feel like I should do penance or something.

I assign you the penance of putting your tongue in my mouth instead, I said, and was rewarded with a little laugh. We kissed, and she did put her tongue in my mouth. We smiled, kissed again, and I gave her a little tongue. When we separated, I said, Okay?

Dejana smiled. Okay.

Let’s go back in, I said.

I followed her back into the house and we made a round in the living room, taking people’s plates and silverware. We dumped it all into the dishwasher, put the leftovers in the fridge, and came out to join in the conversation in the living room.

Dean was showing his wedding ring. This is my first Christmas as a married man for a really long time, he was saying.

My first ever, Mal said.

You were married before? Gladys asked.

To a woman, yeah, Dean said. It didn’t work out. Well, obviously.

I didn’t know, Gladys said, shrugging. You could have been a widower.

True, Dean said.

Did you have any, uhm, nevermind, Gladys said.

No, no, ask your question, Dean said. I know you quite well from training you. Even if you think the question is rude, I know you don’t intend it that way.

Did you have any clue, when you were married, that you might be gay? Gladys blushed darkly after getting the question out.

Not a clue, Dean replied. And I’d even been on duty with this guy, he added, gesturing at Mal.

We were UN peacekeepers in the Balkans war, Mal explained. He looked at Dean and added, And best of friends. After his divorce we were both thinking about major changes, and we both ended up moving to the United States.

Living together? Gladys asked.

Yeah, but as friends, Mal said.

And rarely really together, Dean said. This guy was in international waters most of the time.

Yeah, I didn’t need my own house, Mal said. So it was great, when I needed a break, to just go to Dean’s place to rest up.

No sex at all? Lucinda asked. Of course it was Lucinda. She was much more open about these things than Gladys.

We each discovered the other was gay in Toronto, Dean said.

Mal looked over at me and squinted. I can’t believe you two aren’t married yet.

It’s not that we don’t want to be, I said.

Father Leard has laid down some rules, Dejana said.

Mal frowned and seemed surprised. "I feel less bad that he wouldn’t marry us, if he won’t marry you two."

He’s got standards, I guess, I said.

Fuck his standards, and fuck him, Mal said. Just get married. It doesn’t have to be him performing the service.

Mal and Dean had ended up getting married in a different Anglican church that was more liberal in nature, and that was where they were attending now. Their priest was Father Edwards. Father Leard had recommended him as a person who would perform their wedding.

We want church wedding, Dejana said. "We want sacramental wedding."

I’m sure lots of Anglican priests would marry you two, Mal replied. Father Edwards would for sure. Just because Father Leard is the agency’s exorcist doesn’t mean he has to perform your wedding.

The agency’s what? Gladys asked.

Ah, shit, Mal said, looking at me helplessly.

I was going to tell her after Christmas, but, we can do it now, I said. I have to do it, because I’m giving her an assignment. Her and Lucinda.

Uh, what about me? Brutus asked.

Not this time, I said. It’s a pretty light assignment. I want to keep you available in case something heavy comes up. If that happens, you’d go with Mal or Dean, or me.

You are not going anywhere while our other programming person is on assignment, Dejana said.

Yeah, that’s true, I guess, I said. You’d go with Mal or Dean.

Or me, Dejana said, frowning. Mal and Dean are in Montana for Christmas week.

What is this agency? Gladys asked.

You almost guessed it exactly that day you showed us around the crime scenes, I said.

You’re really ghost hunters?

It’s more than ghosts, I said. It’s everything paranormal, and it’s our job to suppress it and to limit the danger to the public.

"What’s—what’s everything paranormal?" Gladys asked.

It’s werewolves, vampires, aliens, Sasquatch, demons, I said, counting them off against my fingers. Most everything is a form of demonic manifestation. Sasquatch aren’t. We don’t know that all aliens are, but we know demons can pose as aliens.

Gladys wavered in her chair.

Catch her, I said urgently to Brutus, and he was quickly at her side.

Take my spot on the couch, Mal said, moving clear, and Brutus helped Gladys sit down there.

I shouldn’t have gone that fast, I said.

Demons—the very idea terrifies me, Gladys said.

Brutus piped up. Creigh and I—we participated in an exorcism with Father Leard. We were there to hold the person down if we needed to, but we didn’t end up needing to. It was freaky hearing a demonic voice coming from a person, I won’t lie. It gave me the willies, and I really thought about running out. Meanwhile, Father Leard was remarkably calm, just saying the prayers and going through the process. The demon folded fast when faced with the power of God.

Maybe we should get you to meet Father Leard, I said. He’s not here tonight because he’s doing Christmas Eve services.

My assignment—will it have to do with demons? Gladys asked.

I don’t think so, but the truth is, we don’t know until we find out, I said. It would be dishonest of me to say otherwise.

Creigh is honest to a fault, Dean said, with us, his friends, anyway.

Why don’t I tell you all about the case? I said. It’s about time, anyway.

Everybody nodded their assent, and I began.

Chapter Four

I’ve been keeping data on cattle mutilations in Canada and the United States, I said. Have you all heard of cattle mutilations?

Dean and Mal of course nodded.

I’m aware of them, in detail, Brutus said gravely. Lucinda nodded.

Vaguely, Gladys said. I’ve seen news reports.

So, just the facts first, I said. Ranchers report cattle mutilations. The reproductive organs have always been removed, and usually, an eye or both eyes, the left ear, sometimes the tongue. I have a picture on my laptop, give me a second.

Ain’t that Christmasy, Lucinda remarked.

I brought up the image, of a mutilated cow lying on snow. What’s wrong with this picture?

It’s got a dead fuckin’ cow in it, Lucinda said. That’s one thing.

Everyone laughed, including Gladys, which was good.

What else? I asked.

No blood on the snow, Brutus said.

There’s no blood in the animal, either, I said. What else?

No footprints, except for hoof-marks, no vehicle tracks, Brutus added.

So it hasn’t been transported here, at least not by conventional means, I said.

There’s no sign of a struggle, Gladys said.

And there was no sound, Brutus said.

I looked at Brutus. Do you know about this particular incident?

Yeah, I do, Brutus replied. This cow was found easily within earshot of the rancher’s house. They didn’t see or hear anything. They just got up in the morning and found a dead cow.

Let me clarify something, I said. "There was no sound when the cow was returned, assuming it was returned. We don’t know that’s the same place the cow was picked up, or killed, or cut up, or drained of blood. What else do you know, Brutus?"

He hesitated, not sure he should say.

Go ahead, I said.

Well, it’s not on this particular case, and it didn’t happen in Canada, Brutus said.

Where? I asked.

Brazil, I think, Brutus replied. I’d have to check. There’s one case of a human having this done to him. Supposedly, he died of pain. I think the cattle die of pain, too. They’re not killed first.

How could there be no sound? Gladys asked. The cow is going to make sounds if it’s being cut up alive.

I bet there is sound, Lucinda said. I bet there’s fuckin’ horrific sound. They just don’t remember hearin’ it because they got abducted and had their memories erased.

I had to sit back in my chair. I had never even considered that as a possibility.

Gladys was staring at Lucinda. Lucinda looked back at her and said, I been abducted by aliens three times. Lucinda sighed and added, Three times that I know of. Three times I can remember.

Three? Dean asked, frowning.

I didn’t remember the second one, but the aliens let me remember it on the third one, Lucinda said.

Ah, yes, Dean said. I remember now.

Lucinda looked at me and said, First thing that happened to me after I took this job.

I was thinking probably the cow is abducted and the stuff happens in the UFO, I said. It gets lowered back to earth, or dropped. Some of the cows have broken bones, like they’ve been dropped from a distance.

You’re pretty sure it’s a UFO thing rather than a cult thing? Mal asked.

Insofar as alien presences are sometimes demonic presences, that line could be blurred, I said, watching for Gladys’s reaction. She was uncomfortable, but she didn’t panic. In fact, she immediately asked the next question.

Did the RCMP investigate?

They only got there the day after the death, when the cow had started to bloat, I said. They suggested the cow had eaten something poisonous. I’d like to know what poison can excise a cow’s eye and her reproductive organs and make all of her blood disappear.

I sighed and added, They have to make up some sort of bullshit. They’re not supposed to share the truth about these things either.

What are we supposed to do that the RCMP didn’t do? Gladys asked.

I think I can predict the area that’s going to be hit next, using past data and a predictive algorithm, I said.

"Now you’ve piqued my interest," Gladys said.

I think you’re about to pique my headache, Lucinda said. That’s normally how this technical shit goes for me.

I think you’ll understand this one, I said, moving on to a slideshow presentation. To start with, this is a map of UFO sightings in Oregon. Red dots for the sightings. These have to be seen and reported, so this is not complete data. It doesn’t include unseen or unreported appearances.

I let that sink in, then said, "Next slide. Cattle mutilations. Blue dots for where the bodies are left. I believe this is complete information. Maybe there are some unreported losses, but you kind of need to report them to get insurance payouts for the mutilated cattle. It’s complete enough."

I clicked for the next slide. This is the UFO sighting map overlaid on top of the cattle mutilations map. There are, of course, many sightings that don’t involve a cattle mutilation. There’s an interesting pattern, though, which I’ll show you in orange on the next slide.

I clicked for the next slide and continued, On a few of these, you’ll see there are five equidistant UFO sightings, which are also equidistant from the location where the dead cows were found. It’s in the centre of the five sightings.

I caught Gladys’s eye. They’re regular pentagrams.

It’s interesting, but there are only a few, Gladys said.

Yes, but the math around regular pentagrams lets us infer missing sightings, I said. Wherever I have three or more points equidistant from the dead cow, I can pinpoint the fourth and fifth. This next slide adds the inferred ones in purple, with the unrelated sightings removed.

Holy shit, Lucinda said when she saw the slide.

Practically every mutilation is in a pentagram, Gladys said.

In the exact center of it, I said. Now this is Oregon, where there are more sightings, and more cattle mutilations than Alberta. Let’s take the same algorithm to Alberta.

I clicked for the next slide. We got the third sighting last night, I said. The center of the pentagram is Irwin Bell’s ranch, between Lacombe and Edmonton. It’s going to be one of his cows.

What are we going to do about it? Gladys asked.

Well, this is my thought, I replied. We’ll get him to sign a confidentiality agreement first, then we’ll tell him we think we are able to predict that one of his cows is going to be mutilated, and we need to test the theory. You don’t know the theory, you just know some egg-head in Ottawa has a theory and you were sent out. If he doesn’t have GPS gear installed on all of his cows already, we’ll install it. We’ll also pay for any cows he loses. We want him to call us instead of the RCMP when he loses a cow, and you will be gathering evidence immediately.

That’s it? Lucinda asked.

This is just research, I said. Like I said, this is really low risk duty. I have budget for it, and I think we can learn something valuable. We’re going to have software monitoring his cows, and I want you on-site to collect evidence before his cow bloats. Your cop training, for gathering evidence, is why I’m assigning you. Lucinda’s experience with UFO’s is why I’m sending her.

I looked at Brutus. Where did you get your knowledge about cattle mutilations?

Brutus coloured. Well, there’s this wrestling promoter here in Ottawa who is very interested in this stuff. I thought I might actually see if I could do some wrestling for him. Agency work is pretty rare.

I know the guy you mean, I said. He does tremendous interviews of old-school wrestlers, and he’s also interviewed a lot of UFO people. He was a good wrestler when he wrestled, too.

That’s great that you know who I mean, Brutus said, smiling.

I sighed, hating to have to break the news to Brutus. I can’t have you working for him, sorry. You shouldn’t even speak to him.

His smile collapsed. Why not?

If he ever stumbled on something really secret, and there was any question whether you gave it to him, it could be bad. I couldn’t protect you. We’re not the only ones monitoring these things.

Shit, Brutus said. I was hoping to get into a ring again.

I can’t let you do the league in Quebec either, because they’re friends, I added.

Maybe I have to go for that WWE try-out, Brutus said.

Vince and his wife Linda are connected to President Trump, I said. Sorry.

Well, shit, Brutus said.

Chapter Five

It’s good knowing what the plan is, but I think we should be going, Dean said.

So soon? I asked.

We’ve got a flight early tomorrow, going back to Montana for a visit and to shut down everything, Dean said. We’re also selling Brutus’s old car to a dealer. I kind of hoped not to be thinking about work tonight.

I winced. Sorry, Dean.

That was my fault, Mal said. I drank too much and let it slip that we have an exorcist.

Yeah, I was hoping not to reveal all that until after Christmas, I said again.

Shouldn’t we go there pretty soon, though? Gladys asked.

It’s often a week or more between sightings, I said. Another sighting would help confirm the location. It might not even be a pentagram being formed, they could be unrelated sightings. But if they do form this projected pentagram, Bell’s farm will be right in the middle of it.

But what if no one saw two of the appearances, and the pentagram is actually completed?

"Well, that’s possible, but I don’t want you having to sit out there for a month waiting for something to happen," I said.

Creigh, we’re all sitting around here waiting to be needed, Brutus said. That’s why I was thinking of getting back in the ring, so I can do something between assignments. I mean, you always had a job between assignments when you were a field agent.

Not always, I said. I remembered the time that Natalia and I, before we were married, were often looking for things to do to have enough money to survive. Including our trip to Serbia where we met Dejana. But most of the time, yeah.

I thought about it some more and said, Tell you what. You contact that promoter if you like. If anything comes up, I’ll say I assigned you to keep an eye on him, to make sure he doesn’t get too close to the truth.

Really? Brutus asked. Geez, thanks Creigh.

See if he’ll wrestle you, I said. I know he’s retired but that would be a hell of a good match.

I know, right? he said.

I’d buy a ticket, I said.

Creigh, Lucinda said, looking straight at me.

Yeah?

Why are they pentagrams? she asked.

I don’t know, I admitted. I can speculate, but I don’t know.

You thought to look for pentagrams, she said.

An algorithm helped me find the pattern, I said. I had it looking for equidistant points around the reported cattle mutilations. It was a shot in the dark. It turned out to be a pentagram.

Why did you think of that? Lucinda asked.

If you were going to kill a cow, what would you do? I asked.

Lucinda frowned and shook her head. Wear an apron? she joked.

Okay, if you were going to try to steal a diamond from a jewellery shop, what would you do?

Lucinda thought for a moment and said, I’d case the place.

So I looked for UFO sightings around cattle mutilations, assuming they would be casing the place, I said. I think they’re casing the place from five angles before they commit. Five places equidistant from the place they’re planning to hit.

I hesitated.

There’s more, isn’t there? Lucinda asked.

I sighed and said, I think it could be to do with sacrificial ritual.

Gladys’s countenance fell.

Many, many of earth’s religions, from antiquity, have used pentagrams, I added. It was used by Hebrews to represent the Pentateuch, the five books in the Mosaic Law. It was used by early Christians to represent the five wounds of Christ—it was thought to ward off demons. It’s used in Wicca to symbolize air, earth, fire, water, and spirit. In Wicca, spirit is created when air, earth, fire and water are in perfect balance. The Mormon temples are adorned with pentagrams. A pentacle is used in Satanism, which is a specific type of pentagram, pointing downward to represent a goat’s head, in a circle. Maybe it means something to the aliens, too.

Having made Gladys and Lucinda uncomfortable, I turned to Mal and Dean. If you guys want to leave now, do you need a ride home?

I’m more sober than Mal is, Dean said. I can drive.

I’ve had, like, one beer, Brutus said. I could drive you, and Lucinda could follow and take me home.

It’s better than a DUI, I said.

I don’t think I’ve had enough to get a DUI, Dean said.

"I know I’ve not had enough," Brutus said.

After a moment, Dean dropped his keys into Brutus’s hand. Better safe than sorry, he said. Thanks.

You good? Brutus asked Lucinda. You got enough info?

Yeah, I guess, Lucinda said uncertainly.

I—I just need your bathroom, Gladys said. Then, I can go.

I pointed at the ground floor bathroom next to the ground floor bedroom. Right in there, I said. Then I got up and Dejana and I both accompanied our other guests to the door.

Look, I said, it’s not set in stone. Either of you could go with Gladys. But it’s evidence gathering, and she’s trained, and I want her to lead it. I know she’s the most junior agent but this is her thing.

You also think I’m gonna get jealous if she goes with Brutus, Lucinda said.

I do, I said.

Lucinda sighed and admitted, You ain’t necessarily wrong.

I thought it over, I said. "The advantage of sending Brutus is, if this rancher Bell is a racist or a sexist, he may not play ball with a couple of black girls. But you know what? If he’s a racist or a sexist, fuck him. We’ll help the next rancher instead. We’ll just let his cow get killed, it will prove my theory anyway, and on we go. Meanwhile, I have Brutus and one of