Loki felt along the wall until she reached a hole, then she placed her hands in front of her and made her way slowly around the room until her fingers touched something cold and metallic. Her heart was pounding, and a cold sweat covered her face and neck. She fought the urge to stand up and run. The air was thick. She felt lightheaded. The small room was totally black, silent, and her breath came in short gasps as the walls started to close in around her. Fear makes us see and hear things that aren’t really there. Control the fear. Forcing herself to turn around, Loki held her breath and closed her eyes until the dizziness subsided. All I have to do is make it out of this room and into the main corridor, then it’s only twenty feet to the entrance. She could stay calm for twenty feet. Placing her left hand in front of her, she clutched the lantern in her right and began the slow process of finding the entrance to the room. Ten feet, and she felt the first stirrings of fresh air. Loki moved faster, overwhelmed by the need to rid herself of the dark enclosure.
Harry hung up the phone and rushed to the kitchen. “Pack it in, guys. Reggie, we’re leaving tonight.”
“Who was that?”
“An old friend from the reservation, Neta Blackwell. Her father saw a smoke signal from the direction of the ridge this morning. Loki needs help.” Harry folded the maps and stuffed them into the backpack. “We’ll stop by their house on the way up. She says her father knows where they are.”
Reggie finished his last bite of steak, wiped his mouth, and grinned at Dr. Coomer. “That was a fine meal, ma’am. Thank you.”
Harry was storing extra ammunition in the pack. “Jules, tomorrow morning you and Grace search that ravine. It might help us figure out why someone is trying to kill you three.”
“You know it’s Grandfather. He’s the one you should be going after.”
Harry hefted Jake’s rifle, getting a feel for the weight. “Jake is going to take care of that. Right now our mission is to find Loki and Dadron and get them off that reservation.”
Dr. Coomer sealed the bag she’d been packing. “Bandages, antibiotics, and snake bite medicine. Just in case.”
Harry stuffed it in the pack. “Thanks, Mary Ann. We’ll be out of cell phone reach, and radios won’t work there, either.”
“Jake should just call that nice FBI agent who was here and get his helicopter.” Mary Ann started clearing the table. “Be a whole lot quicker.”
“It would, but the area we’re going into is a no-fly zone right now. I don’t think even the FBI could bend that rule.”
“Now why in the world would a part of the reservation be a no-fly zone?”
“Drugs.”
Reggie came into the kitchen. “Loaded and ready to go.”
Harry took a final glance around. “Then let’s get headed.”
They reached the reservation in a little over an hour. “Bathroom break before we head out into the wilderness?”
Reggie shook his head. “I’m good. Streets look pretty empty here except for the police officers patrolling. You think there’s something going on we don’t know about?”
“Neta mentioned some gang violence.”
“Gang violence, no-fly zones, and lost hunters. Isn’t that a little unusual for a reservation?”
Harry shook his head. “At one time I would have found that unusual, but not anymore. Crime has grown steadily since the casinos were built.”
“I can see that. Happens everywhere. People get hooked on the idea they’re gonna hit it rich, but it never happens. Still don’t understand the no-fly zone.”
“Someone was dropping drugs on the reservation. Instead of sending in a team to deal with it, they just made it a no-fly zone.”
“So we don’t know if the people after your girl are out to kill her, a drug family trying to bring in their drugs, or both. Sounds like she might have stepped on a hornet’s nest.”
Harry turned onto a rutted dirt road. “I’m in the mood to squash some bugs.”
28
Loki sat in the creek, washing her body and clothes to rid them of the bat dung. She wouldn’t be able to start a fire to dry off, but the night was still warm. If all went well tomorrow, she’d be on her way home.
Satisfied the stench was finally gone, she picked up her gear and set off in a northerly direction toward the cabin. For her plan to work, she really needed a bow and arrows. Saplings for making the bow wouldn’t be a problem, but she didn’t have time to dry and cord the milkweed or nettles for the string. If they made it out of this alive, she’d never leave home again without a bow.
The moon had risen, making it easier to see. She sent up a small prayer of thanks. The men would be expecting her eventually, but she hoped to take them by surprise by arriving just before dawn. She’d have only minutes to locate Dadron and Mr. Thompkins, plan an escape route, and set fire to the cabin. She sighed. That was where the bow and arrow would have been useful, but she’d have to improvise with water bottles filled with liquid from the lantern. And she’d have to be closer than she’d really wanted to be when she threw it. If she was wrong, and this wasn’t some horrible plan of her grandfather’s to scare them, the odds were she’d be shot.
The miles passed quickly, and the cabin came into sight. Loki knelt behind a tree, studying the terrain. A light shone through the window, but no guards were posted in front. Slipping quietly through the grass, she made her way to the back of the cabin. Her heartbeat accelerated, and tears filled her eyes. Dadron hung from a tree branch by his wrists, his toes just above the ground. His shirt had been stripped off. Huge bloody welts covered the flesh of his back. They’d wanted to make sure she saw him, and several lanterns had been placed to shine light on his body.
She forced her eyes away from the horrific picture and searched for Thompkins. He was less visible, tied to a tree a few feet away. It was a trap, and a good one, because everything inside her was screaming for her to go to Dadron. Even if she managed to cut him down without getting caught, he wouldn’t be able to run. It would be hours before he’d be well enough to even walk. She closed her eyes, her nails biting into the flesh of her palms as she silently screamed her rage. Give them hell, honey.
Loki dropped to one knee, pulled ammunition from the backpack, and placed it beside her before preparing the firebombs. She’d have only seconds to toss the bottles and run back to the cover of the trees, but the cabin was old, and if she was lucky, the fire would spread quickly. Her grandfather had underestimated her, and that would be his downfall. He’d expected her to go to Dadron and give herself up. She might go down before this night was over, but she would go down fighting. No one would believe she was killed by Nalusa Falaya.
She studied the distance between her position, the house, and Dadron. There was always the chance the men would run out and shoot Dadron before she could stop them. Thompkins was far enough away from Dadron and in the dark. They probably weren’t watching him with the same intensity as Dadron, and if she could free him, then he could free Dadron. Loki slipped her knife from its sheath and crawled on her stomach until she reached the next stretch of trees. She moved from one tree to another until finally she stood behind the tree where Thompkins was tied. Kneeling, she reached around and covered his mouth with her hand. “If I free you and leave you my knife, can you free my brother?”
Thompkins nodded, and Loki cut the ropes around his wrists.
“They’re watching him. How am I supposed to get close enough without getting shot?”
Loki passed him the knife. “You’ll know when to go.” She moved quickly through the trees and to her spot above the cabin. Grandpa had called her Little Warrior. Over the years, she’d laughed many times at that name, but now it filled her with pride. She unscrewed the tops to the bottles and threaded in the strips of cloth she’d cut earlier. One at the base of the cabin and one on the roof should do it. Loki took a deep breath and slipped down the grassy incline on her butt. She made her way toward the cabin, keeping close to the front of the building. Seconds mattered, and she
lit the cloth, tossed the first bottle on top of the roof, and lit the second one. She tossed it at the center of the wall, turned, and fled to the tree line. Letting out a Choctaw war cry, she dropped to her knees, raised the rifle to her shoulder, and began firing.
“Thanks, Neta.” Harry took the cup of coffee, his gaze glued to the map Mr. Blackwell had drawn. “Dadron probably went up this way to follow the path of the hunters. Since we’re not worried about that, we can save time by heading in here.”
“You go that way, and you’re going to hit some swamps.” Tim looked over Harry’s shoulder and pointed at a spot. “You’ll be safer going around, even if it takes longer.”
“No, Papa.”
Harry glanced up from the map. “What’s he saying?”
“He says he knows the way through the swamps, and he can show you. He’s too weak, Harry. He’ll never be able to make it that far.”
Mr. Blackwell pointed at the sky, his words coming fast and hard. Harry understood only a few of them, but he caught the gist of the conversation. “Tell him we said thank you. We’ll go in the same way Loki and Dadron did.”
Neta shook her head, her voice trembling as she spoke. “No, we will go with you, and we will show you the way. Papa says it is the will of Shilup Chitoh Osh. He wishes to die in a place he was happy long ago so his spirit can run free as a child again.”
“Let’s take a walk, Neta.” Harry rose. “Reggie, you and Tim should get some rest. We’ll be leaving at first light.”
Harry walked in silence beside Neta for a short distance away from the house. “It’s been a long time since I heard Choctaw. Explain to me what’s going on with your father so that I can understand.”
“He has cancer, and he’s dying. Shilup Chitoh Osh is the old word for the Great Spirit. I cannot argue with the will of God. He also says if you go the other way, it will take too long, and Loki and Dadron will die.”
Harry wasn’t sure what to say and wanted to choose his words wisely. “I promised someone I’d bring Loki and Dadron back alive. They wouldn’t want me to do that if it meant someone else must die. We’ll find another way.”
“He will die either way, Harry. If you say no, you will break his heart, and his spirit will never run free. Isn’t it better that we die happy than miserable?”
“Do you think he can really make it that far?”
“If it’s the will of Shilup Chitoh Osh, then he will make it as far as he needs to go.”
“All right, but I can’t slow down for him, Neta. Promise me if he can’t keep up that you’ll let us go on without him, and you and Tim will bring him home.”
“I promise.” Neta looked at the sky. “The stars are extra bright tonight. We will find Loki and Dadron, and you will keep your promise. I will go tell Papa and prepare the things we will need.”
Harry watched her go then turned his attention to the distant ridge. Drug runners were some of the most vicious criminals out there. There was a good chance none of them would come back. Isn’t it better that we die happy than miserable? Harry pulled out his cell phone and dialed Jenna’s number. He needed to hear her voice, and he needed to tell her he loved her.
29
The fire spread quickly, and it didn’t take long for Loki to realize something was wrong. Her gaze went to the trees. Anniston Thompkins was standing beside Dadron and holding the knife at his throat.
“Throw down the rifle, Redmond, or I’ll kill him here and now.”
Loki dropped the rifle and stood. “So you were part of this all along?”
Thompkins laughed. “Part of this? No.” He motioned with the knife, and Loki moved toward him. “My agenda is a lot more profitable than scaring a bunch of kids. These guys just got in my way.”
The cabin was totally engulfed, and Loki stopped a few feet away. “So how did you manage all this? And why let me go through the motions when you could have just stopped me?”
“I thought you deserved a little fun. After all, these men were hired by your grandfather to catch you. Didn’t know you were gonna burn the place down, though.” He waved a hand at the burning building. “My men finally caught up with us.” Thompkins lowered the knife. “One of them has a bead on you right now, so don’t try anything funny.” To emphasize his point, a rifle fired, kicking up dirt near Loki’s feet. Thompkins cut the ropes holding Dadron and let him drop to the ground. “Sorry about that, but he’s a big guy, and I’m still kind of weak.”
Loki flinched as Dadron groaned. “We saved your life. The least you can do is allow me to tend to my brother.”
“Come on in, Manjael,” Thompkins yelled. A tall, thin man stepped from behind a tree. Loki knew the look, and her heart began to beat rapidly. Mercenaries.
“So where are the rest of your men?”
“Manjael here intercepted that little smoke signal you sent. They went to welcome your rescue party.”
Dadron moaned again, and Loki took a step toward him. Manjael’s gun immediately came up. “If I don’t tend to those wounds, they’ll become infected and he’ll die. If you wanted us dead, you would have already killed us.”
“Let her tend to him, Manjael. We need him on his feet.”
Loki knelt beside Dadron and examined his body. The bruises on his chest and face were indicative of the beating he’d taken, and the skinned knuckles showed he’d put up a fight. He didn’t appear to have any broken bones. “Help me turn him over.”
Manjael knelt beside her and gently turned Dadron on his stomach. The wounds were ugly but not as deep as she’d feared. “I’m going to need some fresh water and marigold flowers.”
“Shame you burned down the cabin.” Thompkins grinned at her. “There’s a small creek not too far from here. Best I can do.” He nodded to Manjael. “Take her to get what she needs, but be careful. Unlike a rattlesnake, she doesn’t give a lot of warning before she strikes.”
Manjael prodded her with the gun.
“I’ll need to stop and get my backpack. I have some empty water bottles inside it.” She walked toward the hill, gauging her chances of actually grabbing the rifle and getting off a shot before Manjael killed her. The problem was Thompkins still had her knife, and Dadron couldn’t defend himself. Manjael stopped her a few feet from the rifle, picked it up, and motioned for her to grab the backpack.
“Not too far” turned out to be over a mile away. At least the water was clear, and Loki quickly filled her remaining bottles. Marsh marigold was growing along the edge, and she gathered the flowers she needed. Like all mercenaries, Manjael was good at his job. He kept a ten-foot distance between them and watched her every move. Until Dadron was better, escape would be impossible, but she needed to find some way to warn Harry of what was waiting for him. Thompkins wasn’t keeping them alive just because they’d saved him. He had a need for them, or they would already be dead. He also wasn’t stupid and would realize smoke from the fire could be seen from miles away. He’d be pressing her to get Dadron on his feet and moving, and if she couldn’t, he’d kill him. “This would go a lot faster if you helped me.”
Manjael grunted and motioned with the rifle. Loki placed the water in the backpack and the flower petals on top of it. “I guess I’ve got enough.”
Harry followed Nat and Neta Blackwell through a cluster of trees surrounded by greenish water. True to his word, Blackwell had led them through the swamp without incident. In another mile or so, they would reach the grasslands. Going this way had saved them at least two days’ travel. “Any chance your people saw that smoke, Tim, and will send someone out to investigate?”
“Not likely. If anyone were going, it would be me, and since they think I’m dead, the odds are they’ll just keep an eye on it to see if it gets bigger. It’s already dying down.”
Reggie’s foot slipped and splashed in the water. “Damn, and these are new boots.”
Mr. Blackwell chuckled and spoke to his daughter.
“Papa says not to get so close to the water. There are alligators in some of t
he swamps.”
“Alligators?” Reggie moved inside the small walking space, his eyes darting around. “Nobody mentioned alligators. Anything else out here I need to worry about?”
Harry pointed at one of the trees a few feet away. “Snakes, bears, razorbacks, and drug runners. Your first time camping, Reggie?”
“Yeah, I like to do my camping in the backyard.”
Blackwell stopped and held up a hand.
Harry moved forward and stood beside Neta. He whispered, “What’s up?”
“There are men ahead of us. He smells their soap scent, and one of them is wearing cologne.”
“How far?”
Neta spoke to her father and nodded. “Papa says about a mile where the swamp turns into grassland.”
Harry dropped his pack. “Stay here. I’ll go on ahead and see what we’re up against.”
“I’ll go with you, Harry.” Tim grabbed a bottle of water and drank half of it, smiling at Neta. “That should keep me hydrated until we get back.”
Nat held out the bow and sheaf of arrows he’d brought with him, and Harry shook his head. “Rifle is better for this, Nat.”
“Papa says to hurry. We can’t stay here after dark.”
Reggie frowned. “Why can’t we stay here after dark?”
“That’s when the alligators feed.”
Harry moved swiftly and silently through the remaining marsh, stopping to smell occasionally. He motioned for Tim to join him. “We’re close. I’m going to slip into the water and try to come out above the guy on this side.”
Innocent Blood: a gripping thriller that will have you hooked (Redmond Investigations Book 2) Page 15