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'All right。' Glover accepted the cigarette which was offered； lit it and inhaled deeply before replying。 'I went across to the edge of the River Welland。 There are a few geese moving about under this full moon and tonight was just right。 I'd been there about an hour。 Didn't see or hear anything so thought I'd move on； further up。 I heard something moving up a deep creek。 Thought maybe it was a coypu。 Then I saw it！ I'll never forget that moment as long as I live。 Thought it was a man at first； some other fowler dressed up in sweaters and waterproofs； then the moon shone on it Covered in scales like a bloody reptile； and the face…bloody hell！ You should've seen its face！ Straight out of hell。 Then it saw me。 We were twenty yards apart。 I let both barrels go。 Heavy goose…shot I was usin' too。 Should've cut it in two。 It never even noticed it had been shot at。 Then it started after me。 There's only one thing to be said in its favour…it can't move very fast。 Just shambles； but it won't let up though。 It doesn't have to go round the deep creeks； just goes through them； submerges itself and es up the other side。 At last I got away from it。 It changed direction and headed back to the sea…wall。 Going inland probably。 Thought I'd best e here。'
They sat in silence for some time。
'Well；' Professor Lowson knocked his pipe out。 'We'd better get out there and try and locate it Follow it to its lair。 You lead the way Glover。 You know where you saw it last。'
Mallard Glover recoiled in horror。
'Not me mister；' he snarled； 'not for a thousand quid。 Not for ten thousand。 Nobody'd get me out there again tonight。 If you want to try and find it go ahead。 But I'm not ing with you。 That's for definite！'
Gavin and Lowson looked at each other。 Liz turned her head away。
'We can't force you；' Gavin replied calmly。 'Anyway we can't take Liz with us and I don't like the idea of leaving her here alone with that thing on the prowl。 So the only logical answer is for the two of you to stop here while the two of us go。'
Glover sighed with relief。 A gleam appeared in his eyes。
'OK； then I'll stay here。'
'One word of warning though；' Gavin's lips were tight and bloodless。 'If anything happens to Liz here； I'll hold you responsible and then it would have been better for you if the Slime Beast had caught up with you。'
As they made ready to set off； Liz pressed her face close to Gavin's chest。
'Do you have to go？' she pleaded； close to breaking down。 'Couldn't we just take the Land Rover into Sutton and telephone the police？'
He shook his head。
'Once again we've got no proof。 Don't worry love。 All we want to do is to follow it at a distance and find out where its lair is； and once we've established that fact I'm going to phone the police。 No matter what your uncle says。 With any luck we'll be away from the Wash for good by this time tomorrow。'
'I can't wait。 I never want to see this place again as long as I live。'
Their lips met； and she closed her eyes。 She could not bear to open them again。 As though in a trance she listened to the footsteps of the two men receding across the salt…marshes。 Then slowly the silence came surging softly back。
CHAPTER SIX
AFTER another tot of brandy； handed to him by Liz； Mallard Glover began to feel a whole lot better。 He stopped trembling。 After all he was capable of outrunning this hellish thing which the archaeologists referred to as the Slime Beast。 So long as it didn't corner you； you were all right。 He grinned to himself。 Suppose it did manage to surprise the two men who had gone out to look for ft； disembowelled them as it had done to Manton Haywood。
He glanced at Liz。 Hell！ He wouldn't have stopped that mob from the village if it hadn't been for her。 And she didn't even realise 。。。 She was lying on top of the sleeping…bag eyes closed； asleep。 There were a couple of buttons on her blouse undone。 She wasn't even wearing a bra。 He leaned forward in order to obtain a better view。 Now he could see a nipple。 His eyes travelled down her slender form。 There was a patch of wet on the outside of her jeans between her thighs。 His imagination began working。 She'd been playing around with that fellow called Gavin。 He'd shot on to her。 It brought back memories。 He'd never had a woman properly； only Violet； the village pro； and everybody had had Violet She'd been charging a quid since before the war。 No fancy playing about for your money。 Never even took her knickers off。 That was why she always wore wide…legged ones。
He thought of Liz naked。 He'd never even seen between a woman's legs properly。 Something was pushing hard at his trousers。 He couldn't remember the last time when it had reared up like that。 He started undoing a few buttons； watching her all the tune。 Her eyelids did not even flicker。
Perhaps he could just enjoy himself for a while and leave it at that。 She'd be none the wiser when she woke up。 Maybe another stain on her jeans if he wanted to be really daring。 She'd never guess 。。。
Minutes later his desires were mounting rapidly。 He checked himself。 It was just a waste。 Pure fantasy！ What were young girls for anyway？
He rose to his feet； still holding himself； and tip…toed over to her。 He stood looking down on her。 She had moved in her troubled slumbers。 Her legs were wider apart now。 Gently he lowered himself down and knelt between them。 He stretched out a hand。 The third button on her blouse was almost undone anyway。 All it needed was a gentle touch。 The garment fell open and now he had an unrestricted view of the pure white flesh； rising and falling in time with her breathing。 The pink nipples seemed to invite his mouth。
Liz's eyes flickered open the moment Mallard Glover's lips closed over her left breast。 She was filled with amazement and disgust。 Instinctively her right hand came across his weather…beaten face with a resounding slap。
'You filthy lecherous pig！' Her eyes were blazing。 As he reared back she rolled beneath him and jumped to her feet。 For the first time she noticed the lower half of his body。 Fear stabbed at her heart。 She almost retched。 To think it had been so close！
'You foul demented snake！' she screeched； backing off and putting a packing…case between herself and Glover。
He grasped himself with both hands pointing the object of her disgust directly at her。 He leered。 Then his expression changed； almost pleading。
'I won't hurt you。' he avoided her gaze； 'just this once； please。'
'Don't you dare even touch me！' There was contempt in her voice。
He stood and watched her； only his hands moving。 His lust was rising again。 His features were contorted into a snarl。 He was an animal…and he wanted a mate。
'So you're too good for me； eh？' he began to shout。 'You let that jumped…up kid do it didn't you？ Maybe you let him do it regularly。 Why not me then？'
She was frightened。 If she didn't give him what he wanted； he would take it Any way he cou