...... The depression was floored with a thin layer of loose snow, blown in by the light wind. Already, the edges were crumbling and breaking off in lumps.
...... I wiped the powdery white off of my gloves and stood up. An idling engine came under full power, and I looked up at the light plane, a blue and silver silhouette against the government-gray of the sky. It tilted slightly, then flared and touched down with bursts of dark smoke from its main wheels.
...... "You made good time gettin' here," the Sheriff remarked, shrugging deeper into his heavy coat.
...... "I had to. I'm only just ahead of the storm. The weather bureau is promising a monster." Across at the airfield, the single-engine aircraft had turned, braked, and pulled into the tie-down area.
...... He looked up at the dark sky. "I'd guess only a couple hours. So what do you think of that?" He waved a gloved hand at the line of depressions which stretched across the meadow. "The storm tonight'll obliterate 'em all."
...... Again, I studied the curved line of perfectly formed pawprints, each about six feet in diameter. "Ever seen anything else in nature with square sides? It's someone's practical joke. And not a very good hoax at that." Beyond the police barrier tape, people stood in small groups, talking and shivering. The wind was coming in gusts, tugging at coattails and whipping at the broad yellow plastic tape stretched between metal uprights.
...... He nodded in apparent agreement. "With all the open space in this county, this thing is right in the middle of the airport flight path, where it'd be seen the minute the sun came up." He paused to look at a small, red-haired woman who was leaning against the back fender of his patrol car. Her fashion coat wasn't designed for this kind of weather, and she was trying unsuccessfully not to shiver. A man stopped to say something, she shook her head, and he walked on. "And every single track is identical," the Sheriff finished.
...... "Not to mention they're shaped like a cartoonist's idea. There's nothing here for my group, although I do appreciate the chance to see this. I guess I'll be heading back to the motel." I ducked under the tape, followed by the Sheriff. "You've acquired quite a crowd out here."
...... "Only news to hit this area in some time. Other than the Craft Fair, which ain't bad news. Even the mayor came to see for himself, windchill and all." He stopped to nod toward my vehicle. "Can I hitch a ride back to town with you? I'd like to leave my car for my Deputy, and it'd save radioing for somebody. I got all my people out on patrol, and vehicles are in short supply today."
...... "Glad to oblige. I was surprised to find a traffic jam on your main street. The Fair must draw from miles around."
...... "Our biggest and only event of the year." The snow crunched beneath his heavy insulated boots. "With the Fair and the snow storm, the city limits are startin' to bulge. Good thing you found a room first thing." He stopped beside the front passenger door. "It's most likely the Fair which made these jokers do their stunt this morning."
...... A paunchy man in a sheepskin coat caught up with us. "Excuse me. Sheriff, can I catch a ride back to town with you? My wife's taken our car."
...... "I'm ridin' with Mr. Driver here." He gestured the introduction. "This is our Mayor Jacobson."
...... "You're most welcome to come along." I opened the back door in invitation. Glancing over the groups of twos and threes, I raised my voice. "Anybody need a ride into town?"
...... Several shook their heads, but the red-haired woman straightened up and took a step forward.
...... "Still plenty of room," I offered, as the Sheriff followed the Mayor into the backseat.
...... "Thanks." She smiled and climbed in, kicking loose snow off her feet. "Hi, everybody. I'm Charli from the Willy Daily."
...... "I didn't think anyone would come as far as Williamsville for this tiny item," the Mayor was saying, as I scooted in and switched on the ignition. The warning panels on the dash flickered through the standard checkout then went blank -- all systems okay. The engine was still warm and caught instantly.
...... "It's a slow week for news," she answered with a light laugh.
...... Pushing the fan switch to high, I slid the shift selector into Drive and did a sharp left turn to avoid a hidden ditch which I'd found the hard way before. The vehicle still bounced over ruts permanently frozen into the tilled ground.
...... "Willyville is two counties east of here," she advised me. She held tightly to the overhead grip, as the truck bounced toward the snowbank delineating the main road.
...... At the edge of the roadway, the Sheriff gripped my shoulder. "Stop here a minute, Driver, if you would." He motioned to the Deputy standing a few yards away.
...... I stopped and ran my window down, letting a few preliminary snowflakes drift in.
...... "Manfield! I've left my car for you. Pull the barrier down and go back on patrol. I'll be at the Big Burger, then be back at the station." He leaned back. "Thanks, Driver."
...... The Deputy checked for nonexistent traffic, then motioned me forward. I zipped the window back up, waved in acknowledgement, and pulled out onto the scraped but still snowpacked county road. The Jeep slithered a little under acceleration, as the load shifted between the wheels, then settled down when I reached the speed limit. There wasn't any competition for the roadway -- sensible people were staying indoors. The clouds were darkening further, and snowflakes smacked and melted on the windshield.
...... The Sheriff gripped my shoulder again. "We'll be havin' an informal conference at our usual place, the back table at the Big Burger. Why don't you stop over there too. You might have some answers none of us have."
...... "Good idea," the Mayor added. "I'll be stopping there myself, before I go back to the office. I assume you too, Charli?"
...... She nodded. "That's the only place for news today. Or for supper."
...... "I could use a bite," I allowed. The city limits sign came up, followed by the twenty-five speed limit. "Not that there's much information I can give on your problem."
...... "Driver and I agree the whole thing is a joke by somebody around here," the Sheriff explained. "That paw shape is comic book, and they're overlapped to cover any tracks put down first. The trail starts and ends at plowed county roads, where they could unload and load their equipment."
...... "And here I had a Giant Monster Stalks Craft Fair headline all reserved," she remarked. "Practical Joker At Work ends up next to the used car ads."
...... "Unfortunately, that's what it looks like," I agreed. "If I were doing it, I'd cut the shape out of plywood and chain it to the bucket of a backhoe. With the stabilizers up and two men to do the job, it could be done rather fast, even though the tractor would rock a bit. There's heavy tire ruts frozen in under the snow, but there's no way to date them."
...... "So much for my U.P.I. story," she laughed.
...... "Are you that short of news?" the Mayor asked. "Williamsville is five times the size of our village."
...... "Which still isn't much." She waved a slim hand. "All we have is our resident ghost in that abandoned chemical plant down the valley. And that's horror fiction, not news."
...... The red and silver of the Big Burger sign appeared in the distance -- it wasn't too likely there were two of them here.
...... "So I'll be spendin' the night on the road looking for people who saw heavy equipment bein' moved last night or early this morning." The Sheriff peered out of the side window. "And with a whopper of a snow storm comin' in fast." He tapped my shoulder once more. "You're over at Todd's Motel, Driver. Nice place, family run, very informal, and only five minutes from the Craft Fair, if you cut across the field out back. You might want to drop over there to see the sights. There's nothing much on television anyway."
...... "It sounds like a good idea." The driveway was more packed than plowed -- I waited for a car to pull out. It slid when it braked, so I eased into the parking space, letting the four-by creep to a stop. "I do need to do some gift shopping. And your operation sounds like a good place."
...... Steamed windows and clattering sounds, the smell of wet coats and hot frying fat, soft background music beneath the called orders. I stopped beside the decorative plastic panel, which set off the dining area, and studied the brightly colored menu.
...... "Can I get something for you?" the Sheriff offered from behind me.
...... "Trying to make up my mind, such as it is. Can I get you something?"
...... "Just coffee for me and the Mayor." He pulled out dollar bills. "Two large, black. Nothin' else. Don't bother with the change." He hurried toward a big round table set in the back corner"
...... The red-haired woman vanished down the small side hallway. I joined the line, while still inspecting the offerings on the back-lit display. It was a short line -- I put down the tray and delivered the requested coffee within three minutes, according to the ornamental wall clock behind the serving counter.
...... Four strangers were at the table, in addition to the Sheriff and the Mayor. At least one of them must have been a newsperson, because the Mayor was delivering the official version of the hoax investigation. A few minutes later, the red-head put a tray on the table, next spot over, and flopped her snow-damp coat on the adjacent seat. One of the strangers offered her a quick wave, and she nodded in return.
...... "You were looking at those tracks, so you must be a cop too," she remarked, while pulling the transparent top from a dinner salad. She opened an envelope of salad dressing and added half of it. "Are you State or something special? I didn't hear any title mentioned, and your license plate is from out-of-state."
...... "Special Investigations Department," I explained between swallows. "It's a tiny Federal branch for jobs which don't seem to belong to anyone else."
...... "Excuse me, Charlene," the Sheriff called. "Sorry to interrupt. Driver, this is James of the State Police. He had a couple questions which you'd be better at."
...... I couldn't answer them any better, but I could use more words -- that seemed to satisfy, because the conversation changed to local events and local problems. I listened and munched a fish sandwich, only half noticing the talk.
...... Three tables away, a dark-haired beauty in a light and dark brown ski outfit slid onto one of the plastic benches. I stared at her for a few seconds before I realized that she was a stranger. Lynn had purchased the same outfit a couple weeks ago at a discount place, and I'd mistaken the stranger for her.
...... Meal finished, I offered my goodbyes, shook the necessary hands, declined the various invitations, dumped my tray leavings, and went on my way.
...... At the motel after checking the T.V. listings, I decided that the Sheriff had been right, changed my clothes, put on a heavy leather coat and my battered hat, and headed across the snow-covered farm field toward the hundreds of lights which denoted the Craft Fair building.