“From human mothers?” asked Eleanor, sounding a bit skeptical.
"That’s correct.”
“If that were the case,” said Andy, “it seems that the first off-spring should’ve been half-human. ”
"Genetically speaking,” added his wife, Alison, nodding in agreement.
"And if that one mated with a human female,” Andy continued, “their child ought to lose about three-quarters of its beast traits.”
"I know,” Tuck said. “That’s generally the way it’s supposed to be. I completely understand. In fact, though, there hasn’t been any noticable change in the physical appearance of the beasts since Bobo came to town almost a hundred years ago. Maybe there’ve been changes that nobody noticed, but nothing obvious.”
“From a scientific standpoint,” Andy said, “it seems impossible.”
Tuck grinned. "And yet, it’s true.”
“Aren’t their offspring ever female?” asked Connie.
Next in line, Dana watched Professor Bixby step forward to view the mouth.
Do I really want to see this thing? she wondered.
Hell, no.
Then how come I’m standing here?
"...in Malcasa Point?” Tuck said. “Not that we know of. If there have been females...” She shrugged. "In certain present-day human cultures, you know, female infants are commonly destroyed at birth. Because they aren’t considered socially convenient.”
"That’s not so,” blurted Eleanor, sounding distressed. “I don’t believe that for a single minute.”
“I’m afraid it is true,” said Alison, coming to Tuck’s defense.
“India, for starters,” Andy pointed out.
“Exactly,” said Tuck. “In present-day India, there’s wholesale slaughter of female infants. Apparently, they’re considered a burden on family finances.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Eleanor insisted.
“But true,” Tuck said. "Anyway, I only brought it up to indicate the possibility that the beasts may have practiced something along those lines—killing the females at birth. That could explain why we’ve never seen any around here. Or maybe something else is going on.”
At last, Bixby moved on.
Dana stepped closer to the stairs. Standing in front of Clyde, she crouched slightly. Tuck still shined her flashlight on the mouthlike orifice. The opening was rimmed by thin, white ridges... lips? The teeth looked sharp. The tongue, just inside, was bright red.
What would it be like to... ?
Dana found herself blushing.
The rigid, half-open mouth suddenly darted at the tip of her nose.
She gasped and lurched backward.
“Hey!” Tuck snapped. She gave Clyde a quick jab with her elbow.
“Very funny, Clyde,” Dana said.
Quiet, muffled laughter came out of the beast mask.
As Dana hurried away, Tuck asked the group, "Any more questions?”
“I underhand that the beasts are bi-sexual,” boomed Bixby.
“I’d say that’s an understatement,” Tuck answered. “They appear to be omnisexual. To be crude about it, they’d screw the crack of dawn. If there isn’t a suitable orifice for the purpose, they’ll create one with their teeth. They’ve been known to chew their way in.”
“Oh, dear God,” blurted Eleanor, sounding appalled.
“Is everybody done inspecting Clyde’s anatomy?” Tuck asked. “He will be accompanying us on the tour, so you’ll have plenty of other opportunities to observe his peculiarities ”
“The beast’s peculiarities,” Clyde corrected her.
“Those, too.”
“Lynn’s nothing if not amusing,” Clyde announced. “And she’s rarely that.”
Tuck said, “He only thinks I won’t fire him.”
Keeping her flashlight on, she stepped to the bottom of the stairs. “We’ll be going down to the cellar, now. I’ll lead the way. Everybody stay close behind me. Dana will take up the rear,”
Tuck stepped around the newel post and disappeared into the hallway alongside the staircase. Hanging back, Dana watched the others follow her. Clyde waited on the stairs. His white, hairless head swiveled as he looked from the group to Dana. After all the tourists had crowded into the hallway, he stepped down to the first stair.
Dana motioned for him to go ahead.
He stayed. “Ladies first.”
“Lynn wants me to take up the rear.”
“I always go last.”
“Okay,” Dana said. “Whatever.” She followed the others into the hallway.
Clyde hopped off the bottom stair and came after her.
The hallway was murky with remains of light from the foyer chandelier. The tourists in front of Dana were pressed close together, slowly shuffling along.
Clyde prodded her in the rump.
She jerked her head around. “Stop that,” she whispered.
“My reputation precedes me.”
“Keep that thing away from me.”
He poked her with it again. “How would you like it in you?”
“Knock it off.”
“If you’d like to just make a little detour into the employee’s restroom...”
“No thanks.”
“The next best thing to getting it from a real beast.”
She stopped, turned sideways, and shoved her face up close to the twisted snout of his mask. Seething but trying to sound calm, she whispered, “Listen to me, Clyde. I’m not interested. Okay? So just keep your damn prick to yourself, keep your mouth shut and leave me alone. Please.”
He laughed softly. It sounded strange through the mask.
“What if I don’t?” he asked, his voice smirky and taunting. “You gonna tell on me to Lynn? Think she’ll fire me? She wouldn’t dare.”
“Just leave me alone.”
“Sue me for sexual harassment?”
“Maybe.”
He lifted a pale hand and clutched her left breast. Through the fabric of her shirt and bra, the points of the claws were sharp against her skin.
She bashed the hand away. “Touch me again and you’ll be sorry.” She whirled around and hurried up the hallway. It was deserted in front of her. The tour had moved on.
She heard Clyde close behind her.
With each stride of her right leg, she felt the pistol bump against her thigh.
Just forget about that, she told herself. I can’t shoot him for pawing me.
Eve probably would.
Eve!
Why isn’t she here?
Dana found the tour group inside the dark kitchen. They were gathered near the open pantry door, where Tuck stood with her flashlight. Its beam swept toward Dana and lit her.
“Thought maybe the beast had nailed you,” Tuck said.
“Nope. Everything’s fine.”
Clyde stepped through the doorway. Tuck shined the flashlight on him. “Staying out of trouble?” she asked.
He waved. The claws of his beast hand cast long, hooked shadows on the wall to his right.
“Okay,” Tuck said. “Before we descend into the cellar, let me tell you that the audio tour is loaded with lies and half-truths. It’s based very closely on the original tours given by Maggie Kutch, and Maggie had a lot to hide. You already know most of this if you’ve read Janice’s books. Have any of you not read either book?”
More than half the people in the group raised a hand.
“That’s fine. If you’re only familiar with the audio tour and haven’t read either book, then you’ve been misled about a lot of things. During the course of tonight’s tour, I’ll be telling you what really happened.