by David Wood
“You don’t understand what’s at stake here.” Jameson rose to his feet. “Once Bonebrake found the door, it was only a matter of time before the secret got out. And if those men learned that I’d been hiding something this important from them...”
“So you just handed it over to them?” Matthew asked.
“All they know is a man with suspicious government connections, and a history of meddling in things of this nature has been poking around. They know the Halcón Rock legend, but that’s it. They don’t know anything else and if you want it to stay that way, keep your head down and your mouth shut. They’ve got the place cordoned off as a precaution, but as far as I know, they’re not actively searching for a path to...you know.”
“So you believe it leads to the world beneath?” Matthew asked.
Jameson shrugged. “It makes as much sense as anything else. The truth, whatever it turns out to be, will be stranger than fiction, as they say.”
“That’s just it,” Matthew pleaded. “I want to know what the truth is. Whoever built that door is hiding something. What is it?”
“There’s another possibility.” Jameson turned his eyes to the full moon and tried to ignore the shiver running down his spine. “What if that door was built to keep something from getting out?”
Chapter 25
“I freaking hate hospitals.” Bones shrugged his leather jacket up as if it could shield him from the antiseptic smell and the underlying current of fear that pervaded the place.
“Why?” Jessie glanced up at him, a bemused frown painting her face.
“You don’t come here unless you’re sick or dying. Not my kind of place.”
“People come here to get better. It’s a place of healing.” She reached out and took his hand. “And don’t forget, some people come here to have babies. You know, to bring new life into the world?”
“That’s an entirely different type of horror.”
Jessie giggled and leaned her head against his shoulder. It was only for an instant and then she drew away, but the sense of familiarity, even affection, was palpable. She stole another glance at him, the too-bright lights reflected in her dark eyes. Neither of them spoke, nor did either let go of the other’s hand.
“I’m not sure I should be here,” Bones said. “I barely know Mari.”
“She asked to see you,” Jessie said. “And Manny’s there. Maybe you can talk him out of doing something crazy to Matthew.”
“Not likely.” The very mention of Matthew’s name sent waves of rage through Bones. He craved a confrontation with the arrogant man, the opportunity to lay hands on the coward.”
“Ouch. You’re crushing my hand.”
“Sorry.” Bones loosened his grip.
“That’s better.” Jessie suddenly halted. “Listen to me. We don’t know for certain Matthew did this to her.”
Bones looked down at the young woman. “You don’t believe that, do you?”
Jessie stared hard into his eyes. “It doesn’t matter what either of us believe. He’s the sheriff’s son. You’d end up in prison.”
“Not if I did it right.”
“You can’t mean that.” Jessie released his hand, reached up, and took his face in her hands. “You and I both know that nothing is going to change for Mari until she changes. If it’s not Matthew, it’ll be another guy just like him. The best thing we can do for her is help her do that.”
“That’s pretty much what Amanda said before you and I left the waiting room.”
“Well, she’s right, and so am I.”
As he looked into Jessie’s eyes and considered her words, Bones was once again forced to revise his opinion of her. “You know, when I met you, I thought you were just some sorority bimbo.”
“What do you think now?”
“Still figuring you out. I’ll let you know.” He winked.
They entered Mari’s room without knocking. She was sitting up in her bed, watching a game show on mute. She smiled when she saw Bones.
“You look good.” He meant it. He’d expected her to be battered and bruised, but save the faintest trace of the bruised eye he’d noticed at their first meeting, her face was free of blemish.
“It’s my ribs,” she said. “I took a bad spill.”
Bones didn’t bother to contradict her. He could tell by the look in her eyes she knew he didn’t believe her lie.
He squeezed himself into the chair in the corner of the room while Jessie took a seat on the side of the bed. They made small talk for a few minutes before Mari asked to speak to Bones alone. Jessie gave her friend a peck on the forehead, flashed a warning look at Bones, and slipped out of the room.
“Please don’t do anything to him,” Mari said as soon as the door closed.
“To who?”
“You know who—Matthew. And it’s ‘to whom’, by the way.”
“So you admit he’s the one who did this to you?” Bones kept his voice calm, though he felt his ire rising.
Mari shook her head. “I didn’t say that. I just know that you think he did it.”
They sat in silence for a moment.
“Is that it, or is there more?”
Mari hesitated. “I think there’s a way you can get back at Matthew without going to prison.”
“I’m listening.”
“Figure out the mystery of Halcón Rock before he does. He considers it his life’s work. You could beat him up, but cuts and bruises will heal. If you can solve the mystery, it’ll eat at him for the rest of his life.”
“Can’t I do both?”
“Not if you want what I have.”
“And what is that?”
“Not until you promise you won’t go after Matthew.”
Bones wanted to argue with her, to ask her why she was protecting the dirtbag, but he knew it was never that simple in this kind of relationship. His eyes bored into hers, but her determination didn’t waver.
“All right,” he said. “I promise I won’t go after him. But if he should come after me, I’m going to defend myself.”
Mari nodded. “I guess that’s the most I can hope for.” She paused, her eyes searching the room. Finally, she again met Bones’ eye. “All this time I made excuses for Matthew because I thought that, deep down, he truly loved me. Yesterday I found out it was all a lie.”
“I’m sorry this is what it took to make you realize that, but I’m glad you did. This kind of relationship isn’t love.” He thought about the things Amanda and Jessie had said to him, and hastily added, “You should be proud of yourself for figuring that out. Some people never do.”
A single tear trickled from the corner of Mari’s eye. “You might want to save your accolades. The reason I realized it isn’t what you think.”
“What is it, then?”
“He told me he’d been waiting and waiting and he wasn’t going to wait anymore. Then he asked ‘Where is it?’ over and over again.”
“Where is what?” Bones asked.
“My father was a researcher who was into all the stuff Matthew is studying. Aliens, underworld dwellers, lost treasures, even the chupacabra.”
“I know a little something about that last one.”
Mari smirked. “Sure you do. Anyway, Papi kept his work quiet. In such a small town, he was afraid his work would reflect badly on me, so he kept it to himself. When he died, I hid it all away. I thought no one else knew, but somehow Matthew found out about it. Turns out, that’s the only reason he pretended to be interested in me. When I think about what I put up with from him and all the while, he just wanted Papi’s research. God, I’m such an idiot.”
“Don’t do that to yourself. We’re all stupid for love sometimes.”
“I suppose. I guess I should give him credit for his patience. He stuck with me for a long time.”
“Do you think your father knew something about Halcón Rock?”
“Matthew certainly thought so. I’m not sure what’s in his research, but he always claimed to know more than
anyone else in town. His big thing was the Gregory Glade treasure. He was pretty sure he had solved that one.”
Bones perked up at the mention of the treasure. “Seriously?”
Mari forced a small, sad smile and turned to gaze out the window. “He was on his way to the spot where he swore the treasure was hidden when he ran off the road and was killed.”
“I’m sorry,” Bones said. “I never had a father, but I know how it feels to lose people you care about. It’s happened to me more times than I care to count.”
“Thanks.”
“If you’re willing to share his research with me, I think it could help more than you know.”
“It’s yours if you want it. It’s brought me nothing but heartbreak.” Her gaze softened as if she were staring at something only she could see.
“Is that why you never tried to find the treasure yourself?”
Mari laughed. “Partly, but could you imagine me hunting treasure? I wouldn’t know where to begin. I’m a waitress. That’s all I’ll ever be.”
“What if I told you that’s not true?”
“I’d say you’re sweet. A liar, but sweet.”
Bones leaned forward, all business. “Mari, look at me. I need you to understand something. This isn’t just a race between me and Matthew. There’s someone else involved—someone dangerous.”
“More dangerous than Matthew and the sheriff?”
“Yes. They’ve already tried to kill me once. I don’t know who they are or what kind of resources they have at their disposal, but they caught up to me again after I thought I’d shaken them.”
“I’m sure you can handle it.”
“It’s not me I’m worried about. I don’t know if Matthew is connected to the people who are after me, but if he knows your secret, we have to assume it’s going to get out. If they find out about it...”
For the first time, Mari looked frightened. “What do I do?”
“Let me move you to somewhere safe until this blows over.” He stood, moved to her bedside, and took her hand. “I know people who can help you start over for real. I’m talking an ironclad new identity, maybe even set you up with a new job and a new life. If you’re willing.”
Mari’s lower lip trembled. “Why would you do that for me?”
“It’s not easy to explain, but mostly because it’s the right thing to do. You’ve put up with enough crap in your life. It’s time you got a break.”
“All right, I’ll do it. The doctor says they’ll release me tomorrow morning.”
“Great. You can stay with a friend of mine while I make the arrangements.” He’d have to set her up at Amanda’s place. She’d give him a hard time about it, but she wouldn’t say no to someone in Mari’s plight. “If I’m not here when you’re released, someone will be.”
Mari gave his hand a squeeze. “I’d hug you, but I’m afraid it would hurt my ribs.”
“That’s okay,” he chuckled. “So, is your dad’s research hidden somewhere in your house?”
“No. I hid it at one of Papi’s favorite places. You shouldn’t have any problem finding it, but you’ll have to be careful.”
Bones grinned. “Chick, that’s the story of my life.”
Chapter 26
“This looks like the place.” Bones pulled his truck over to the side of the dirt road and cut the engine. All around, the rich, brown hills, dotted with patches of green, shone beneath the clear, cornflower blue sky. It was hard to believe that only a twenty-minute drive from Albuquerque could put them in a spot that felt like the middle of nowhere.
“I’ll admit I was a bit skeptical of Mari’s directions.” Jessie held up the paper on which Bones had jotted some notes. “Bear right at the railroad tracks, turn left at the railroad storage area, head toward the landfill until you see the gate on your left.” She chuckled.
“Sounds like something out of a bad comedy movie,” Bones agreed. “Well, let’s get moving. She said it should be easy to find where she hid the box, but who knows?”
They stepped out into the warm day. A gentle breeze stirred the dust that seemed to pervade this part of New Mexico.
“It’s so dry here,” Jessie said. “One of these days I want to move somewhere that actually has water.”
“I like it,” Bones said. “It’s not Key West, but it’s not bad in its way.”
“You’ll have to show me Key West sometime.”
Bones smiled but didn’t meet Jessie’s eye. She wasn’t quite hitting on him, but she was definitely testing the waters, and he wasn’t ready to deal with that just yet. As they headed for the gate, he wondered what his problem was. When had he ever passed up an opening, even a small one? The girl was cute, smart, clever, capable, if inexperienced. Normally he’d be all over her. What made this different?
On the opposite side of the road, a double gate barred the way. To its left, a narrow stile afforded passage beyond the fence line.
“So, what’s the deal with you and Amanda?” Jessie asked as they passed through, Bones ducking beneath the bar overhead.
“Nothing for a long time. I guess we’re friends...maybe.”
“I thought I sensed some kind of spark between the two of you.” Jessie’s face reddened as she spoke.
“Friction causes sparks.” Bones was proud of that turn of phrase. Too bad his friends weren’t around to hear it. “She’s got her reasons to be pissed off at me, but that’s all there is.”
“Mari seems to like you.”
The girl was definitely fishing.
“I’m no expert, but I think Mari needs to stay away from men for a long time. She’s got some things she needs to fix in her own life.” Bones grimaced. He didn’t need this distraction right now. Wait. What was he thinking? When did he ever consider a hot girl, much less three of them, a distraction? Who was he? Maddock? “Look, I grew up a broke, troublemaking Indian kid in the middle of redneck heaven, so I know how it feels to be treated like you’re nothing. That’s why I feel bad for Mari. If I can help her out, cool, but I’m the last guy who’s going to tend to the bird with the broken wing, or whatever they call it.”
“You like the independent type?” Jessie said.
“I like the type who doesn’t expect you to call her back.” It was harsh, and a wave of guilt hit him like a slap the instant he’d said it, but it was for the best. He needed to focus, and this intrusion from his...feminine side, or whatever the hell it was, was unwelcome.
“Sure you do.” Jessie smirked, then held up the paper again. “Two miles that way.” She pointed to a rutted, overgrown dirt track that led off to the right. Beyond it, a solitary mountain loomed in the distance. “You take the lead, tough guy.”
A short, silent walk later across parched ground strewn with thistles and sage, they came to a gate, actually more of an opening in a barbed wire fence, and passed through. They followed the fence line until they spotted the first marker stone: a black rock with an arrow scratched in the surface. After another brief walk, they came to their destination.
“I’ve wanted to see this for a long time,” Bones said. “The Los Lunas Decalogue Stone.”
Located near the base of Hidden Mountain near Los Lunas, the Los Lunas Decalogue Stone, or Commandment Rock was a controversial artifact— a boulder engraved with a truncated version of the Ten Commandments, it was written in what some called Paleo-Hebrew, a form of writing much like Phoenician, and dated by experts to 500 BCE.
“The natives call this place The Cliff of Strange Writings,” Jessie said, “not only because of this stone, but because of what’s at the top of the mountain.” She examined the large stone. Nestled against the cliff face atop a pile of smaller stones, the eighty-ton boulder stood at a forty-five-degree angle, the top of it reaching just above her head.
Bones moved in for a closer look. The lines of white text were carved deeply, with a subtle geometric precision to the lines, the top of which had been defaced by vandals years before. Its surface was shaded by the gray-green foliage
of a tamarisk tree— the very same type of tree planted by Abraham at Beersheba at a site known to this day as Abraham’s Well. Bones had done his share of reading about this, and similar “pseudo-archaeological” finds, like the Kensington Runestone, the Bat Creek Tablet, and the Newark Holy Stones, and had brushed up on it after talking with Mari. While many considered it an obvious forgery, perhaps even a hoax perpetrated by two University of New Mexico students, a number of researchers believed it to be a genuine Pre-Columbian artifact.
“What exactly does it say?” Jessie asked.
Bones took out his phone and opened the browser where he’d bookmarked some articles about the site, and began to read.
“I am Jehovah your God who has taken you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of slaves. There must be no other gods before my face. You must not make any idol. You must not take the name of Jehovah in vain. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy. Honor your father and your mother so that your days may be long in the land that Jehovah your God has given to you. You must not murder. You must not commit adultery. You must not steal. You must not give a false witness against your neighbor. You must not desire the wife of your neighbor nor anything that is his.”
“Okay, so literally a shortened version of the Ten Commandments. I guess I was expecting a little something extra thrown in there.”
“It’s still pretty cool,” Bones said. “My kind of stuff.” He glanced up toward the top of the mountain. “I guess we’d better get a move on. From what I understand, this isn’t half as cool as what’s waiting for us up there.”
Chapter 27
They paused at the top of the mountain to take in the scenery. To the northeast, the sharp outline of the Sandias loomed dark on the horizon. As he turned toward the west, the land flattened out, and Bones imagined he could almost see Arizona across the broad desert expanse. For a moment, he forgot everything that had happened over the past few days and simply took in the grandeur.