ORIGINAL FICTION: "Climbers" (Chapter Twenty)

the least concerned about a second attack. Jake had dropped her off at the house and offered to come in and make sure whatever had been in the back yard was gone and the house was safe. Barbara thanked him, but assured him that she would be just fine. It was late. Go home, Jake. And thank you. She closed the garage door- but not before seeing a faded yellow motorbike stashed in the far corner. She was astounded. Steve rode that thing from Lyndon? Amazing. Brave. And stupid. Why would he want to do that? Must have taken him all day. With the garage door closed and Barbara safely locked in the house, she had one last thing to do before trying to sleep: Upstairs in the bedroom she pulled out the box that held the pistol. She opened it up and removed the gun and its shoulder holster. Cleaned, loaded and holstered, the gun was on her night stand before the light went out. That climber would be in for a bigger surprise next time. Dead animals don't need cages.
Sunday morning came and went. Very few people stirred. It was a quiet morning, even for a Sunday. Because the attack came later in the evening, there was no mention of it in the morning paper. That gave the Meadows (and Steve) a day of grace before it would all hit the fan. The only person to get at all excited over the event was someone Ray had met months before. Officer Patricia Robinson happened to hear of the attack when she came on duty that Sunday morning. A wild animal attack on Compton Road last night. A man in the hospital. The bells started going off in her head. Didn't some guy question her awhile back about loose exotic animals in that part of town? She found the police report and recognized Ray's name. Looks like he found his wild animal. She mentioned the connection to the detective and offered to go down to the hospital and be the friendly face Ray Meadows could talk to about the whole thing. Find out what they were dealing with. And how big a gun they'd need. So it was that when Ray Meadows woke up (or came to) that Sunday afternoon, the first person he saw was not his wife. It was Officer Patricia Robinson. He smiled though the fog.
Not far behind the good officer was Barbara Meadows and her new-found cousin, Steve V. Meadows. Steve had arrived at the house at ten that morning by cab. After a quick look around the yard, they set off for the hospital. Barbara drove and Steve didn't argue. Never argue with an armed woman. Steve had still been more than a little vague on his sudden appearance so many miles from his own home. And how he got there. Walking into Ray's hospital room, they weren't surprised to see a police officer. That they expected. They were surprised that Ray was more than just awake, he was chatty. Must be the drugs. Or the friendly, congenial (and large) police officer.
"So, Mister Meadows, you were asleep?"
"Ah, yes, I was. Sound asleep."
Ray looked around the uniformed Officer Robinson to see his wife come through the door with- of all people- Steve Vaan. How did he know? How did he get here so quickly?
"Hi, Barb, Hello Steve!"
"Hi there, cousin. How you feeling?"
Ray might have been drugged, but he was no fool. Cousin? Is that the game of the day? Ok, he could play with that. Cousin Steve.
"Flying high, I think. Wide awake, at least."
Patricia Robinson, an officer and a lady, was kind enough to defer to Ray's wife on the matter of further questioning. Not that she had gotten very far either way.
"Mrs. Meadows? You don't mind if I ask you both just a few questions? I'd like to figure out what we're going after here."
Barbara gave her a sunny smile. She knew the game would have to be played.
"Oh, no, you go right ahead."
"Thank you. You said last night you never saw what happened in the back yard?"
"No. I just heard Ray yell and came running."
"About how long do you think it took you