Her boss sat, Tedrick remained standing. “Sadie, tell us what you’ve got so far on the Crypts Cavern cases.”
“Yes, sir.” Willing her nerves away, she walked to the head of the table as Kimi slid into a plastic chair.
“As you know, my team and I were called to Crypts Cavern to excavate human remains found by two Berry Springs teenagers. I’ve determined that the markings found on the lower ribs were, indeed, kerf marks, made perimortem, indicating a homicide. Mixed in with the bones, I found a tooth, which happened to match cold case 7370. As you may remember, 7370 belongs to a woman found buried in a shallow grave in the Ozark mountains about five months ago. Although I didn’t excavate the bones personally, her case is part of my cold case project that I’m working on—”
“Which is getting a lot of visibility with the board,” Ronnie included.
She nodded, knowing that the pressure had been turned up the moment Allan Tedrick took interest in the fact his lab was assigning a team to reopen cold cases.
“We know now that her name was Shauna Winters, a free-spirit backpacking through the mountains, who was murdered alongside Ray Grayson, by a search and rescue expert named Aaron Knapp.” She looked at her notes that she’d gone over with Lieutenant Colson ahead of her presentation. “Although the media has put its own flare on it, it was determined by local authorities that Mr. Grayson had picked Shauna up on his way for a hike, where they ran into Aaron Knapp. Aaron had recently found out his wife and Ray had been having an affair, and had followed Ray and Shauna into the cave where he confronted, then killed Ray. Shauna got away during the scuffle, but unfortunately Aaron found her on his way out and forced her into his truck where he then murdered and dumped her body.”
“How do they know this?”
“Security cameras from a woman named Kat Silva’s house. Deputy Tucker, with the Carroll County police had the tapes pulled after questioning her about the last time she’d seen Ray. Apparently, he’d linked the bones found in the cave to Mr. Grayson early on, just like Owen did, and was conducting his own investigation on the side. Aaron covered his tracks by placing Ray’s pack in another cave, along with a smear of his blood, making it appear that Mr. Grayson died in an unfortunate spelunking accident, then burying Shauna’s body. He took care of everything, except the knife he lost in the cave. The knife he used to kill Ray. The knife he was worried Brian Russell would find if he went back into the cave.”
A moment passed as everyone took a moment to digest the events of the last few weeks.
“Shauna White’s family called the lab personally, you know,” Tedrick said. “To thank us for providing closure to the nightmare they’d been living the last seven months.”
Sadie nodded. She’d seen their interview on the local news, where they’d thanked local law enforcement and mentioned the lab several times. Apparently, Shauna had been fired from her job and decided to take some time ‘finding herself’ and backpack through the mountains. Shauna had been gone for weeks when Ray found her.
“Alright, so we’ve got Ray Grayson and Shauna White… now onto the third set of bones,” her boss said, to move things along.
Sadie shuffled through her papers. “While I was conducting my last search in the cave, I found another bone buried deep in a crevice.” She glanced at Kimi, who’s spine was as straight as a board. “When we determined that this bone didn’t belong to Ray Grayson or cold case 7370, Kimi and I went back to the location and discovered that just beyond the crevice was a small room—”
“A tomb,” Kimi corrected, her tone peaked with excitement.
Sadie nodded and grinned, “Complete with a full skeleton. We excavated the remains, and…” she slid a stack of photos across the table. “I have determined that the bones belong to a male, mid-fifties, estimated TOD to be more than three hundred years ago.” She lifted a photo of the skull, “I took facial and cranial measurements, and you can see here… the almond shape of the orbital bones, high cheek bones, and wide, round face, are consistent with Native American features. But it wasn’t until I ran an isotope scan and discovered elevated levels of C4-plants, most notably maize, that I can officially assess that we are looking at a Native American male.”
“Which also fits with the TOD estimate,” Kimi added. “Native Americans lived on that land during that time.”
“The legend of Atohi lives,” Allan Tedrick said, a gleam in his eyes. This story would get more press than his son’s breakup.
“Or, dies, however you choose to look at it,” Kimi said with a smile. “The legend says that once his body receives a proper burial, the curse on his bloodline dies.”
Sadie smiled, watching the excitement radiate from Kimi. At Kimi’s request, they kept the fact that she was part of that bloodline out of the details, but she had been working day and night on the case, earning her plenty of pats on the back for her work. Allan Tedrick had taken notice.
“There are rumors that descendants of Atohi still live in the area,” Sadie said. “If we find them, I’d like to release the bones to them, sir.”
Allan nodded. “Nice work, Dr. Hart. This is a very big deal.” He glanced down at his beeping phone. “I’ve got to get this.” He paused, pinning Sadie with a hard look before saying, “You’re building quite the reputation here. You’ve been part of a team who’s provided closure to Brian Russell’s, Ray Grayson’s, and Shauna White’s families, as well as uncovering a tremendous archeological find. I look forward to seeing what else you can bring to the lab. Excuse me.”
After both men left the room, Kimi jumped up, closed the door and began squealing. Sadie exhaled and shook her head, feeling the weight of the last few weeks release from her shoulders.
“You’re not getting fired, Sadie!” Kimi bear-hugged her, then began jumping around like a kid on Christmas morning. “And I get to break the curse!”
Just then, the door opened and Sadie and Kimi froze like statues.
“I must’ve missed my invite to the party.”
Leaning on a cane, Griffin grinned from the doorway. Kimi squeaked—again—and ran over and kissed his cheek.
“Sadie just had a Crypt update meeting with Ronnie, and you’ll never believe who showed up.”
“The ghost of Aaron Knapp.”
“Not funny. No, worse, Allan Tedrick. And not only is Sadie not losing her job, they’re going to release Atohi’s bones.”
“Nice,” he squeezed Kimi’s hand, then winked at Sadie as he propped a hip onto the edge of the conference table. “I told you he wouldn’t can you.”
She wished she would have believed it. Her face squeezed with concern. “How’re you doing?”
Kimi frowned at the question, moved closer to Griffin, and rubbed his back. Griffin and Kimi had gone from zero to sixty since the horrific day at Crypts Cavern, and Sadie wondered exactly how much had gone on before the little adventure.
“Really good.” He tapped his cane on the floor. “Just came from therapy. My leg’s getting better every day. Thanks to my beautiful Pocahontas here.”
Kimi smiled, a tear glistening in her eye.
“Seriously, you helped save my life, Kimi, you know that. Owen couldn’t plug both my wounds at the same time. I’d say the curse was lifted the moment you set foot in the cave.”
Sadie stiffened hearing Owen’s name.
Kimi kissed Griffin’s cheek. “God, what a crazy few weeks it’s been.” She turned to Sadie and her face fell. “Have you spoken to Owen at all?”
Sadie looked down and began gathering her papers, ignoring the sinking in her stomach. “Nope.” The single word was like a punch in the gut. She looked at the clock, “Hey, I gotta run guys,” and forced a smile. “Griffin, I’m so glad you’re doing so well… and that you’ve found your little Pocahontas.”
Kimi smiled.
“I’ll catch you guys later.”
“Happy hour at Frank’s in thirty,” Griffin called out as she left the room. In an effort to avoid questions from the interns, Sadi
e clicked on her phone and pretended to be checking email as she weaved through the lab.
Victory.
She pushed out the lab door and heaved out a breath.
She should feel relieved that she was going to keep her job, and that Griffin was not only on the road to recovery, but that he and Kimi had found true love.
And she was glad, but the truth was, she’d spent the last two weeks trying to disperse a depressing gray, bleak cloud that had settled around her, growing darker with every hour that Owen didn’t call. She’d spent the last two weeks doing everything she could to forget Owen Grayson.
It had been exactly fifteen days since they’d both almost died in the depths of Crypts Cavern.
Fifteen days since she’d had the best kisses of her life.
Fifteen days since she’d been whisked away in the back of an ambulance, watching Owen get strapped down on his own gurney with his dad by his side.
During the chaos, she’d learned that Owen’s dad had heard about the bones and the rumor that they were his brother’s while he was in rehab. He packed up and drove home, driving all night, straight to the cave where he’d arrived not a second too soon, and saved his son’s life.
She hadn’t heard from Owen since.
When she and Kimi had gone back to excavate Atohi’s remains, Lieutenant Colson had told her Owen had recovered, and had gone back to Louisiana to rejoin the military, leaving Berry Springs for good.
Leaving her, for good.
Owen Grayson had sucked her in, rocked her world, and then disappeared into thin air like one of the Crypts ghosts.
Not a single call.
Not a single text.
Nothing.
With her stomach still twisting from the mere mention of his name, Sadie glanced at the clock on the wall—5:04 p.m.—and decided to screw working late, like she always did. She needed a warm bath, a massive glass of wine, and whatever mindless reality television was on that evening. After grabbing her purse and computer from her office, Sadie pushed out the front doors of KT Crime Labs.
And her heart dropped to her feet.
Wearing a snug-fitting black T-shirt, worn jeans, and a sling over his left arm, Owen Grayson leaned against her SUV, his face shaded by dark sunglasses.
The late afternoon soon twinkled against the yellow leaves flittering down from the oak tree above him as their eyes met from across the parking lot.
A smile slowly curved his mouth. He pushed off her vehicle and met her at the top of the steps. “Here, let me…” and took the computer bag and purse from her hands.
She stared back at him, her mind racing to process the man standing in front of her. The man she thought she’d never see again.
His gaze drifted down to the dress she’d ordered online three days earlier. “You look good.”
Warmth spread over her. She nodded to her walking boot. “Just missing my skis. Or, ski, I should say.”
He frowned. “How’s it doing?”
“Getting better. Doc says it should be off in two more weeks.”
“That’s good.”
She looked at his sling. “How’s your arm?”
“Will be good as new in about the same amount of time.”
“Did you need surgery?”
“Nope. Just a box of staples.”
“Well, I could have done that for free.” If he’d been around, she meant in a thinly veiled joke.
A moment of silence slid between them.
“Headed to your car, I assume?”
She nodded.
He slung her purse over his shoulder and lightly grabbed her arm.
Butterflies.
He guided her down the steps. “Congratulations on the historic find. It’s all over the news.”
“Congratulations on morphing back into human form,” she said, not bothering to hide the sarcasm.
They stopped at her SUV and he blew out a breath. “Vanished like a ghost, I get it.” He tore off his sunglasses and ran his fingers through his hair. “I’m sorry.”
Although her heart was racing, she crossed her arms over her chest and pretended to remain aloof.
He continued, “I tried to find you at the hospital after, but you’d already left.”
The truth was, she’d tried to find him, too, in between taking turns with Kimi sitting next to Griffin in his room until his parents arrived. But somewhere after four in the morning, Griffin’s mother arrived, and the doctors advised that she and Kimi go home to get some rest.
“I came back the next day… Kimi and I did to check on Griff.”
“Why didn’t you call or text?”
“Why didn’t you?”
Sadie had written five—or was it five hundred—different texts to him, but could never hit the send button. By then, everything had hit the news, and it was a circus. Truthfully, she assumed he’d text or call her.
“Because…” he began pacing. “I had a lot going on with my Dad. We had a lot of catching up to do, and… well, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do…”
“What do you mean, what you were going to do?”
“Go back to the Coast Guard or not.”
“You did.”
He nodded. “Once I was sure my dad was good, I went back to Louisiana.”
She forced herself to hold his gaze, although every inch of her wanted to get in her car and drive away, exactly like he’d done to her. “Well, I’m glad things are better with your dad, and I know how much you loved the Guard, so I’m glad you were able to get back. Sounds like everything worked out.” She started to push past him.
He stepped forward and reached for her hand. A cool breeze blew around them, spinning leaves around their legs.
“Sadie.” He gripped both her hands. “I didn’t go back.”
She narrowed her eyes.
“I mean, technically I did, but I went back to officially leave the military.”
Her heart froze. “What?”
A soft smile crossed his lips, and he stepped closer, inches from her. “My dad and I had a long talk. I’m going to take over the outfitters, buy him out, so I’ll officially own it. I’m house hunting now; there’s a cabin on the lake I’m going to check out later today. And dad’s going to go back into the Navy, in a training capacity. It’s what he loves. He’s not himself without it, and I’m excited about running the business. I’ve got so many ideas.” He squeezed her hand, then reached up and ran a finger down her cheek, sending a wave of goosebumps flying over her skin. “And I’m excited to see you again.”
“Yeah?” She couldn’t fight the smile.
“Yeah.” He cupped her cheeks in his hand. “And, I’d like to take you on that date.”
Her smile widened as she fought the sting of tears in her eyes. “Somewhere that doesn’t involve creepy legends, ghosts, vampire bats, or see-through monster fish?”
“Well,” A devilish grin flashed across his face. “I thought it could involve something see-through…”
She laughed. “Sorry to disappoint, but this cast has eliminated every shred of femininity left in me.”
“Except for that dress.” He reached down and swooped her off her feet.
“Owen.” She tipped her head back and laughed, desperately trying to close her skirt. “Owen, put me down.”
He kissed her forehead as he carried her to his truck.
“Where are we going?”
“On our date.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
“People are watching us. Put me down,” she laughed.
“I like carrying you around.” He opened his passenger door.
“You’ve done it enough already to last a lifetime, Owen.”
He sat her inside and gave her a long, slow kiss. “Not nearly enough, Sadie, I can promise you that.” With that, he kissed her nose, shut the door and took her out for a romantic dinner for two… that may or may not have ended with a peek at something see-through.
***
***I am so e
xcited to introduce you to a BRAND-NEW series coming this fall!***
Do you remember Gage Steele, from THE FOG? He and his badass brothers are starring in a new, spin-off series entitled STEELE SHADOWS SECURITY!
Fair warning: I'm pushing the envelope with this one. This series is a bit steamier and a bit grittier than Berry Springs, but it still has the sexy alpha males, smart, sassy heroines and page-turning suspense and mystery you expect from me. I cannot wait for you to read it!!
You can pre-order your copy today. Click Here
***
From multi-award-winning romantic suspense author Amanda McKinney comes the first book in the steamy, edge-of-your-seat, three-part series, Steele Shadows Security…
Hidden deep in the remote mountains of Berry Springs is a private security firm where some go to escape, and others find exactly what they’ve been looking for.
Welcome to Cabin 1, Cabin 2, Cabin 3…
Cabin 1 (Steele Shadows Security)
***
Amanda McKinney
About the Author
Amanda McKinney is the bestselling and multi-award-winning author of more than ten romantic suspense and mystery novels. She wrote her debut novel, LETHAL LEGACY, after walking away from her career to become a writer and stay-at-home mom. Her books include the BERRY SPRINGS SERIES, STEELE SHADOWS SECURITY, and the BLACK ROSE MYSTERY SERIES, with many more to come. Amanda lives in Arkansas with her handsome husband, two beautiful boys, and three obnoxious dogs.
Text AMANDABOOKS to 66866 to sign up for Amanda’s Newsletter and get the latest on new releases, promos, and freebies!
www.amandamckinneyauthor.com
If you enjoyed The Cave, please write a review!
THE AWARD-WINNING BERRY SPRINGS SERIES
The Woods (A Berry Springs Novel)
The Lake (A Berry Springs Novel)
The Storm (A Berry Springs Novel)
The Fog (A Berry Springs Novel)
The Cave Page 23