The Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove

passengers before he approached. Sheriff Burton was screaming at him on the cell phone.
    "I'm pinned down up here,Sheridan. Handle this and get your ass up here.Now!"
    "Yes, sir.What do you want me to do with them?"
    "Find out who they are, then cuff them and leave them there. And hurry."
    Sheridanhung up. "Get out of the car. Keep your hands where I can see them."
    The two men and a woman did as they were told and submitted to pat-downs fromSheridan 's men.
    When they were handcuffed,Sheridan spun the younger man around.
    "Who are you?"
    "Gabe Fenton. I'm a biologist." Gabe smiled weakly. "Nice headsets. You guys could all be standing
    by to take my subscription order for Corruption Weekly."
    Sheridandidn't react. "What are you doing here?"
    "Endangered species protection.There's a very rare creature in that cave up there."
    Val winced. "Were you supposed to tell him that?" she whispered.
    "How did you know to come here?"Sheridan asked.
    "This is the habitat of theCalifornia red-legged frog, very endangered. I saw your SWAT vehicle go by and the driver had that 'I want to kill some rare frogs' look in his eye." Gabe looked at one of the other SWAT guys, a stocky Hispanic man who was glaring at him over the sights of his M-16. "See, there's that look right there."
    "We didn't bring the SWAT vehicle,"Sheridan said flatly.
    "Actually," Val jumped in, "I'm a clinical psychologist. I have experience in hostage negotiation. I heard the SWAT team being dispatched on my scanner at home, and since you're so far north, I thought you might need some help. Dr. Fenton agreed to ride along with me."
    "We weren't dispatched over the radio,"Sheridan said, dismissing Val as if she were an insect. He looked at Howard. "And you?"
    "Howard Phillips. I'm merely here to observe a hideous ancient creature that has arisen from the darkest Stygian depths to wreak havoc on civilization and feast on human flesh." Howard smiled (the smile of an undertaker at the news of a big bus crash, but a smile nonetheless).
    Sheridanstared blankly at H.P., saying nothing.
    "He's the caterer," Gabe said quickly. "We brought him along to get your order. I'll bet none of you guys remembered to pack a lunch, did you?"
    "Who did you tell you were coming here?"
    Gabe looked at Val and Howard for some clue as to the right answer. "No one," he said.
    Sheridannodded. "We are going to put you in the back of that truck over there for your own safety," he said. Then to the others he said, "Lock them in the K-9 unit. We've got to go." thirty Theo
    "Listen," Theo said, cocking his ear toward the cave mouth."Vehicles. The SWAT team is here."
    Molly glanced to the back of the cave. From the light of the colors Steve was flashing she could see that the pilgrims had surrounded the Sea Beast and were stroking his scales. She turned back to Theo.
    "You've got to stop the helicopters. Call them and stop it."
    "Molly, it's not the news helicopters that will hurt him, or us. It's those guys who just pulled up." Theo peeked out the mouth of the cave and saw two four-wheel-drives parking down on the marine terrace, about a hundred yards from the cave mouth. Of course, he thought, they still think they need cover.
    Molly brandished her broadsword, holding it only inches from Theo's stomach. "If he's hurt, I'll never forgive you, Theo Crowe. I'll track you down to the ends of the earth and kill you like the radioactive scum that you are."
    "That Kendra or Molly talking?"
    "I mean it," she screamed, almost hysterical now. Steve roared from the back of the cave.
    "Don't go nuts on me, Molly. I'm doing my best. But the only thing your pal seems likely to do is eat me. He doesn'tseemed real motivated by anything else."
    Molly slumped to her knees and hung her head as if someone had sucked the energy out of her though a valve in her boot. Theo fought the urge to comfort her, afraid that if he even touched her shoulder the Sea Beast might attack him.
    Then it hit him. He flipped open his cell phone and dialed the Head of the Slug.
    Mavis Mavis Sand had spent a lifetime making mistakes and learning from them, and that perspective made her feel as if she knew what was good for people better than they knew themselves. Consequently, Mavis was a meddler. Most of the time she was content to use information as her tool of choice and rumor as her means of delivery. What someone knew – and when they knew it – controlled what they did. (The Spider, pulling digital strings from his basement