Seed of Evil by Greig Beck (great reads .txt) 📕

bars were pulled in, making a hole in one corner.

“Is it invisible?” Greg asked.

“No, but it’s damned gone.” He cursed again as he threw the blanket down on top of the cage. “I fed a rat I caught some of the mine water and it began to change within a few hours. It was becoming just like the dog.”

“The faithful old dog that attacked its owner?” Greg raised his eyebrows.

“Shelly?” Mitch called.

She appeared, looked around, and pointed to the two coffees that had been waiting for them. Her brows came together. “It’s probably cold now. Want some more?”

Mitch shook his head and then pointed at the cage. “Did you come in here? There was a laboratory rat in this cage, and it seems to have got out.”

“No, I didn’t. But if I saw that huge rat that had been hanging around, I’m more than likely to drop a heavy book on it.” She made a gagging expression.

“This one, stay away from,” Greg said.

“Okay, thanks, Shelly. Keep a lookout and tell me if you see it. But don’t go near it.” Mitch sighed.

She nodded and went outside.

“There goes my controled experiment.” He blew air between his lips.

“One question,” Greg said. “Has anyone checked on Mr. Bimford lately? You know, the guy attacked by his friendly old dog that was turning to something like wood?”

“I’m thinking that should be our next stop,” Mitch replied. “But first, it’s time to visit the mayor and see if we can get some help.”

CHAPTER 26

Mitch drove Greg up the familiar private road toward the line of orange trees. Peeking above them was the three-story Georgian mansion with huge white columns framing a double door entrance, ivy climbing all the way up one wall, and box hedges creating borders around smaller gardens.

“Very nice. I could live here,” Greg said. “When are you going to run for mayor?”

“Pfft. All that money, respect, and luxury? Way too rich for my blood.” Mitch grinned. “I’m happy being one of the little guys.”

“Nah, you were always a leader, not a follower,” Greg added. “You’d be good at it. Give it a run after you’ve added a few years.”

“And a few pounds.” Mitch grinned. “Wait until you meet Mayor Melnick.”

They pulled up out front and stepped out of the car. Mitch thought it seemed like the property was even bigger without the party crowd. Also, quieter.

Mitch turned at the top of the steps. “And remember, they’re not called butlers or maids, they’re called staff.”

“Got it—to their face.” Greg snorted. “Because I’d still be telling everyone I had a butler, not staff.”

Mitch pressed the bell and within seconds, one of the huge doors was pulled inward.

A middle-aged man in a perfectly pressed suit Mitch had seen serving drinks at the mayor’s cookout stood rod straight in the doorway.

“Doctor Taylor, how can I help you?” He reserved a flat smile for Mitch, but his eyes shot Greg a cool gaze as they lingered on him for a moment or two.

“Good morning, Alston,” Mitch began. “Please tell the mayor I’d like a brief word about the work we’re doing regarding Hank and Alfie.”

His eyes went to Greg again and the suspicion was still writ large on his face. “And who else should I say is calling?”

“Doctor Taylor and associate.” Mitch stared back, not giving an inch.

“Very good, Doctor Taylor.” He closed the door on them.

Greg chuckled. “He seems nice.”

A few minutes later, Keith Melnick appeared in a polo shirt and pressed pants.

He greeted Mitch warmly and then stood back. “And who have we here?”

Greg stuck his hand out. “Good morning, Mayor Melnick. I’m a friend of Mitch’s and also work in the medical field.”

“Private research or corporate?” Melnick held onto his hand, searching his face.

“Neither actually—military,” Greg replied.

Melnick dropped his hand and his eyes slid back to Mitch.

Mitch patted Greg’s shoulder. “He’s a medically experienced friend acting in a private capacity as a sounding board. But it is why we’re here. We need a little more help. This thing that infected Hank and Alfie…”

“You found Alfie?” Melnick asked.

“No, but—” Mitch began.

“So, we still don’t know it infected Alfie, if at all, then?” Melnick’s brows rose.

The guy was a bulldozer and Mitch knew then how this was going to go. “Mayor, whatever is affecting people in this town…”

“Which people? The sheriff told me about Harlen’s dog, Buford I think he said. But who else?” The mayor’s smile was stuck on and held no warmth.

“Mayor, we have missing people, and we know it was caused by whatever it is leaking out of the mine. I conducted a test on a rat, and it changed into something…unnatural. We need to bring in some professional help on this one.” Mitch’s jaws clenched.

Melnick frowned. “You have this changed rat? I want to see it.”

“Not anymore. It escaped.” Mitch knew how feeble that sounded, and by the look on Melnick’s face, he did too.

Melnick turned to Greg. “Did you see it?”

Greg shook his head. “I didn’t need to, I saw the DNA evidence, and there was definitely a biological agent that acted as an accelerant for genome changes at the DNA level.”

“I see.” Melnick nodded as he walked a few paces further out onto his front porch, leaving the door open behind him.

He turned. “So, we have a dead man, that the sheriff is thinking is a potential homicide case. We have a dead dog, that I believe was diseased, rabies maybe. We have a deformed rat, missing. And we have…what else?”

Mitch felt his face going red as his temples throbbed.

Melnick reached out and put an arm over his shoulders. “Mitch, I trust your judgment. And my request still stands for you to handle this with the sheriff, as he is one of the most competent men in the town.”

He stopped, glanced at Greg, and then back to Mitch. “If things start to get a little more complicated, then we can revisit the discussion on whether we need more resources.” He looked at Mitch from under lowered brows. “But