Great. Just great.
Chapter 8
Six came way too early the next morning. Thankfully I didn’t need much time to get ready. I pulled on a pair of jeans and my favorite pink fleece. Kira had told us to dress in layers, as the temperature on the cave floor would be in the low forties, quite a difference from the warm fall weather we’d been enjoying for the last few weeks.
I chugged two cups of hotel coffee before grabbing my gear on the way out the door. In addition to my notebook and cell phone, I had checked out a GoPro camera from Northwest Extreme. The lightweight camera could be strapped to my head so that I could record my descent and cave tour for our viewers. I hoped I wouldn’t have to edit out the sound of me screaming on my way down.
Bend’s streets were dark and deserted as I headed to the Lava Cave National Monument. Not many adventurers were up at this early hour. The sun crept up over the horizon casting a fiery glow on the red rocks. It reminded me how vastly different the geography in the Pacific Northwest can be. Within a few hours any direction from Portland, the landscape shifts from the coast, to the gorge, to the rain forest and high desert.
Chipmunks with striped tails skittered and darted on the side of the road. I wished I had their energy. I could go for another cup of coffee about now. That and I could go without having to descend deep underground. My stomach rumbled with nervous anticipation and hunger. Maybe I should have scarfed down a bagel or a half of a banana. Too late now, Meg, I told myself as I pulled into a parking space next to Harley Coltrane’s truck.
The group had assembled near a wooden sign touting the lava caves as a national monument. Everyone had dressed for the weather in jeans, sweaters, and winter coats. Dupree was handing out small flashlights and headlamps as I approached the group. I couldn’t resist snapping a couple of photos of the expedition team prepping for our descent. I wasn’t sure if the photos would turn out in the grainy light, but everyone looked the part of cavers. I could see the caption now: Northwest Extreme goes spelunking.
“Hey, Meg,” Dupree said, offering me a handheld flashlight. He had rope and carabiners hung over one side of his uniform.
I took the small flashlight. “Thanks. Do you think I’ll need one of those too?” I pointed to the stack of helmets with headlamps on the ground.
“Yeah. You’re required to wear a helmet. Kira’s orders. Not mine.”
“What about my camera?” I held out the GoPro.
He shrugged. “Maybe you can strap it around the helmet?”
“Maybe.” I frowned. “Where is Kira?”
“No idea. She’s never late.” He glanced over his shoulder. Congressman Riley’s black SUV was pulling into the parking lot. “She’s probably had enough of him.” Dupree’s voice was thick with disgust.
“When are we leaving?”
He shrugged again. “Whenever. I’ll give Kira a few more minutes, but she knows the caves better than anyone here. She can catch up.” He handed me a helmet. “Put this on.”
I tried to stretch the GoPro strap around the helmet, but it wasn’t long enough. After three attempts I gave up and decided to loop it around my neck. I wasn’t sure that the video would work bouncing around my neck, but it was worth a shot.
Congressman Riley walked with an air of importance. He wasn’t wearing his power suit from last night. Instead he had on a pair of jeans, hiking boots, and a gray jacket, but he exuded power and confidence with each step. Harley greeted him with a clap on the back. “Mornin’, Riley.”
Riley addressed all of us in response. It was as if he was holding a press conference. “Gorgeous morning here in God’s country. Let’s give the people of Oregon a look at their land.”
Dupree stiffened and flung a helmet at the congressman. “Put that on.”
Harley chuckled. I could tell that he and Congressman Riley knew exactly what to say to inflame Dupree and were pleased that they had succeeded. I wondered why Congressman Riley felt the need to get a dig in. It was obvious that Dupree had no power in the situation, short of guiding us all safely to the far reaches of the cave.
Where was Kira?
Sam and Professor LeAnna both looked like they were ready to work. They wore matching vests with an assortment of trowels and brushes. I wondered if they were planning to stay behind once the expedition was finished.
Dupree clicked his flashlight on and off three times. “If you need help down there, shine your light three times—universal call for distress. And stay put. Don’t move. We’ll come to you.” He pointed to me. “Meg, you’re going to be in the front. Shortest to tallest. Go ahead and line up, everyone.”
I gulped, and my palms began to sweat. I had to go first? “I don’t know where I’m going,” I said to Dupree, trying to keep the panic from my voice.
“It’s cool. Don’t sweat it. Wait at the bottom. I’ll take it from there.”
“Right.” I swallowed hard and tried to smile. No problem. I could do that. Why did I have to be short?
After Dupree lined us up he clicked on his headlamp and pointed his flashlight at the steep stone steps that led to the cave floor. “Take it slow. One step at a time.”
“Got it.” I could hear my voice shake as I replied. “One step at a time.”
I started forward, but Dupree grabbed my arm and yanked me back.
“Light.” He turned on my headlamp for me and nodded to my flashlight. “You’re gonna need both down there.”
“Yeah. Of course,” I said.
The glowing circle from my flashlight barely illuminated my feet. How many steps were there? I tried to remember what I’d read in my research. Actually, on second thought, maybe it was better not to know. From this vantage point I couldn’t see the cave floor.
“You good?” Dupree asked.
“Yep. Great.”
He waited for me to move. I could feel Sam’s breath behind me and knew that everyone was waiting for me to get this expedition in motion.
“Right.” I took a timid step forward and was so focused on trying to act as if I wasn’t scared that I almost missed the first step. I clutched the rocky wall to my left. Great. That was just the first step. It was going to be a long way down.
“Meg, are you okay?” Sam said.
I didn’t want to risk turning around and losing my footing again. Keeping my head straight forward, I nodded. “Yeah, I’m good,” I lied.
Light from my headlamp danced on the cave ceiling. It was equally gorgeous and eerie. Water stains ran from the ceiling to the slick steps. I wondered if there were waterfalls cascading down the cave when the snow melted in the spring. The cave walls were layered with color and textures. Gold, white, rust, black, and striations of gray rocks showcased how the lava must have once flowed and cooled. Despite my fear, my breath caught as I took in the cave’s beauty. I’d never seen anything like it.
One hundred fifty. That’s how many steps I had in front of me. The number popped into my head as I took another timid step. Drat. Why did my brain have to remember details?
I concentrated my flashlight on my boots and took one small step after another. I knew that I was moving at a snail’s pace and probably holding up the line, but I didn’t care. There was no way I was moving faster, and I had the shortest legs in the bunch. Congressman Riley could probably take one step to every two of mine. Was that why Dupree put me first? I was setting the pace, if you could even call it a pace.
The temperature dropped with each step down. A chill ran up my spine. I was glad for the warmth of my coat and fleece but wished I had put gloves on. My fingertips tingled with cold.
“How’s it going up front?” I heard a voice call down. I thought it was Dupree, but the sound echoed off the cave walls.
I held up my left hand in a thumbs-up and shouted, “Fine!”
The natural light (what little of it there was) disappeared as we inched deeper into the lava tube. I hoped that I had made it to the halfway point. It felt as if the walls were shrinking. That sent me into another ro
und of panic. I’m so claustrophobic that I refuse to ride in elevators. I’d rather huff and puff up twenty flights of stairs than be stuck in a moving coffin.
My legs quivered with each step. I could see my breath almost immediately as the temperature plunged. If I wasn’t in the front I probably would have bailed, but there was no turning back now. First of all, it would have been impossible to make my way back up the narrow and crowded stairway, but also it would have revealed to the entire group my ridiculous lack of outdoor prowess. How is it that I always end up in situations like this?
Gam would tell me that I was “at choice,” and that I had made a choice to push myself and grow. She might be right, or it might be that I’m just an idiot. After what felt like an hour I finally felt solid rock beneath my feet. I’d made it to the bottom. Thank God. I let out a sigh of relief.
The feeling of relief didn’t last long. I pointed my flashlight down the tunnel. The beam appeared to stretch forever. Please tell me that the end of the tube is nearby, I said internally, offering a prayer to the Universe.
“Hey, Meg, push forward a bit.” Sam landed on the cave floor with both feet. “We need to make room for everyone.”
“Is that where we’re going?” I asked, taking a step forward and nodding toward the long tube.
“Yep. I think Dupree is going to take us to some of the research sections that aren’t accessible to the public, but we’ll head that way and then he’ll take it from there.”
“It looks as if it goes on forever.”
He laughed. “Yeah, it’s a mile.”
“A mile?” My voice squeaked out the word.
“Don’t worry. It’s fun.”
Fun. Yeah, right. He and I had very different ideas of the definition of fun, but I didn’t say that aloud. I continued forward, keeping my eyes on the stalactites jutting from the ceiling. All of a sudden my boot hit something. At first I assumed I had stumbled over a chunk of fallen lava rock, but as I bent my head down, the light from my headlamp revealed something much more terrible than a fallen rock.
I hadn’t tripped on a rock. I had tripped on a body. A dead body.
Chapter 9
Kira’s body was sprawled on the cave floor. Someone had stabbed with her with a trowel. I let out a shriek, dropped my flashlight, and froze. This couldn’t be happening. Not Kira!
Sam raced up behind me. “Meg! What’s wrong?”
He stopped in mid-stride when he realized what I’d seen. “Kira!” He bent over and reached for her wrist.
“Don’t!” I commanded. My voice sounded strong. “Don’t touch her body.”
“Her body?” Sam looked up at me in surprise. “How do you know she’s dead?”
“Sam, look at her stomach.”
He glanced down, then immediately shielded me from her body. “Oh, my God, you’re right. Let’s move back.” His hand was firm on my shoulder, but I could feel his fingers trembling. “Do you think someone killed her?”
I shook my head. In truth I knew that she had been killed. The trowel lodged in her stomach looked like the result of a direct blow, but everyone pushed in around us and I wasn’t about to share that thought aloud. I’d learned enough over the past year to know that it was better to keep quiet and wait for the authorities.
Harley elbowed me and Sam out of the way. “What’s going on?” he said as he barreled his way closer to Kira’s lifeless body.
“Stop!” I shouted. Again I was surprised by my own resolve and confidence. “Don’t touch anything. Someone needs to go get help.” I spun around and pointed to Dupree. “Go call nine-one-one. Everyone else wait here, and no one comes closer to Kira.”
“Meg’s right,” Professor LeAnna called. “Someone needs to alert the authorities.”
Sam jumped to my defense and linked his arm through mine, making a human barricade in front of Kira. “You heard her, back up.”
Harley let out a scoff, but he moved away and joined the others.
Congressman Riley waved his arms as if speaking at a formal campaign rally. “No one needs to panic, Ms. Reed. Let’s take a closer look before we rush off and call nine-one-one.”
I bit my bottom lip. I wasn’t panicking. Quite the opposite. I was impressed at how calm I felt given the circumstances. I wasn’t about to let the congressman bully me around. “Dupree, go get help!” I yelled.
Dupree sprinted up the steps. I wasn’t sure if that was because I sounded commanding or because he didn’t like Congressman Riley, but either way he was going for help.
Congressman Riley scowled, “Step back, you two.”
Sam tightened his grasp on my shoulder. “I don’t think that’s a good idea, sir. Like Meg said, we need to make sure that no one touches anything until the police arrive.”
“Do you know who I am, young man?” Congressman Riley’s voice was laced with anger. It was obvious that he wasn’t used to taking orders from anyone, and certainly not two twenty-somethings.
“Sir, with all due respect, I think we need to leave everything as it is.”
Again I found myself surprised that Professor LeAnna didn’t speak up in Sam’s defense. I could see her standing near the back of our small party, but she made no move to support Sam.
Congressman Riley huffed and pursed his lips tighter. Sam stood his ground. For a second I thought they might come to blows. The congressman jutted out his chin and glared at Sam for what felt like an eternity. Sam’s body quaked as we stood like statues refusing to be intimated. Finally Congressman Riley let out an exasperated sigh, shook his head, and muttered, “Stupid kids.” He walked over to Harley and said, “Let’s go. I don’t have time for this.”
Sam spoke up. “Sir, I don’t think anyone should leave until the police arrive. We don’t want to block the exit.”
I wondered how long Dupree had been gone. He practically flew up the steps. I knew he was light on his feet and used to traversing up and down the long, narrow passageway. The police should be here soon. As if on cue the sound of wailing sirens echoed off the cave walls. Thank goodness.
The congressman must have heard the sirens too, because he grunted, pulled Harley aside, and whispered something in his ear.
I let out an involuntary shudder. Sam turned his attention to me. “Are you okay, Meg?”
“Just cold.” I rubbed my arms.
“Here.” He took off his jacket and wrapped it around me. “Take this.”
“Thanks.” I looked at him. “But won’t you be cold?”
“I’m fine. I’m used to working down here for long hours. I guess I’ve gotten used to the cold.” He smiled.
“If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure. How are you holding up?”
“Okay.” I could hear the hesitation in my voice. The reality of the situation was starting to sink in. “You hear those sirens too, right?”
“Yeah.” He pointed his flashlight to the stairs. “The police should be here any minute.”
I wrapped his jacket tighter and tried to will my body to stop shaking. Kira was dead. Why? Who could have wanted to harm Kira? In the short time I knew her, I’d been so impressed with her drive and powerfully calm confidence. I wanted her to be my surrogate big sister, and now she was dead and I knew that my suspicion wasn’t wrong. Someone had killed her.
Chapter 10
The police arrived a few minutes later. Light flooded the stairway as they descended. It looked like something out of a movie. They bounded down the steps with ease, lugging a stretcher and medical bags. “Back up, everyone! Back up,” one of them commanded as he hit the ground and ran toward us.
I felt as if I was walking in slow motion, as if I was in a fuzzy dream—or waking nightmare. Sam pulled me toward the far wall as the paramedics knelt next to Kira’s body. “It’s going to be okay,” he assured me.
“Right.” My confidence had begun to fade. I looked away as the paramedics placed a sheet over Kira’s face.
Congressman Riley cleared his throat. “Listen, I have
important business to do. Can we wrap this up?”
One of the police officers stepped forward. “I’m going to escort everyone back up, but no one is to leave until my detective gives you the go-ahead. We’re going to need statements from each of you. I know that you’re all probably cold. We can head up and get your statements.”
“Do you know who I am?” the congressman asked.
The police officer nodded. “I do, Congressman Riley, and I’m sure you’ll appreciate the fact that we have to follow protocol.” He swept his hand to the stairs. “Now if you’ll all take it nice and easy, let’s get you up to some warmer air.”
I followed the group. Sam tapped my shoulder. “I’m right behind you, Meg. Just take it one step at a time.”
He was being so kind to me. I wondered if it was evident that I was starting to freak out, or if he was just friendly. Probably signs of my freak-out were starting to show. I blinked back tears as we began to climb. Kira had so much life in front of her, and in one horrid moment it had been ripped away. How could someone do that? I knew I was probably jumping to conclusions. No one had said that it was murder yet, but I was sure that Kira had been killed. It was what Gam called a “knowing.” I felt it in every cell in my body. Not to mention the trowel stabbed in her stomach. It didn’t take a medical degree or Gam’s intuition to figure out that it was highly unlikely Kira had impaled herself on the digging tool.
Walking back up the stairs passed in a blur. I was in such a daze that I didn’t even register the fact that I could slip to my death at any moment. Death hung over all of us. No one spoke as we climbed higher and higher. Not even the sunlight or warmth radiating out of the ground could lift my spirits as we finally made it to the cave entrance. Everything felt off, and despite the fact that I’d witnessed a murder before, there was something about Kira’s death that felt different—darker and more sinister.
It took me a few minutes to adjust to the light. My vision blurred as I squinted from the startling bright sky. Were the ponderosa pines spinning, or was it me? Emergency vehicles jammed the park entrance, as well as two white trucks with the Forest Service logo painted on the side and a green stripe that read LAW ENFORCEMENT. The police officer who had escorted us out of the cave whisked me over to a small, forest green shack where rangers checked in visitors for their cave tour and rented lanterns. He pushed open the creaky door and pointed to a wooden bench.
In Cave Danger Page 7