Untraceable (The Nature of Grace Series)

by S. R. Johannes

  “Are there more camps like this?”

  “Yes. There are a more in different parts of the States. It’s part of a larger operation. All mostly run by locals to avoid suspicion.”

  “All for money?”

  “Yes.” He leans in and cups my face in his hands. Even though I divert my eyes, he finds them and grabs their attention. “But this isn’t about money for me. It’s about getting justice for my dad. You know that, right?”

  I swallow, afraid to ask my question. “Okay, but how involved are you? Are you killing bears?”

  Mo wrings his hands. “No, how can you even ask me that? I’d never be able to do that.”

  “No. You just let them die. Without doing anything about it.”

  His eyes water. “I was just trying to get close enough to find out who was the top guy. I swear.”

  I cradle my head in my hands. It’s heavy with the information bogging it down. Too many free weights have been stacked on my shoulders. “I don’t know anything anymore, Mo. Especially not about you. You’ve lied to me this whole time.”

  Mo refuses to believe me. “Crumbs, you’re the only person who knows me, Grace. The real me. Everything that’s happened between us is real. Not telling you about my dad and this group was my way of keeping you safe.”

  I point to the cave we’re sitting in, then to my swollen face. “How’s it working for you?”

  He shakes his head. “I know. But I tried to warn you.”

  I jerk my head up as the main question pushes forward in a long line of inquiries crowding in my head. “So these guys kidnapped my dad?

  He refuses to look at me when he answers. “Yes.”

  A wave of energy jolts to life and pumps throughout my body in tandem with my blood. My breath escapes in short bursts of air. “Is he alive?” It takes him too long to answer so I stand and push him with both hands. “Tell me!”

  Mo remains stiff. “I don’t know. They had him at the camp for a while. He escaped a couple times but they caught him.”

  I almost smile thinking of Dad getting away. Must have been irritating for them. “Did they kill him? Just tell me.”

  “I really don’t know. I haven’t seen him since then. But I promise, I’ll help you find out what happened, either way. These people took both of our dads from us. I’m going to make sure they pay for it. Okay?”

  I shackle down any escaping emotions. This is not the time to crumble. I have to keep it together until I find out what happened for sure. “So now what?”

  Mo rubs his hand over his mouth. “I don’t know. I can’t go back. As soon as they find out I killed Chief Reed, they’ll know I helped you. And if they find me now, they’ll kill me, especially if they think I told you anything. I need to keep you hidden for a few days until they leave. Then we can go to the authorities.”

  “You can’t keep me prisoner here.”

  He tugs on his hair in frustration and grits his teeth to keep from raising his voice. “Bloody hell. Is that what you think I’m doing? I’m saving your life.”

  “Or are you saving yours?” I let the words hang in the air before saying more. “Besides, I’m not going to hide from these creeps. Lets go see Carl. He’s the police captain, and we can tell him everything.”

  Mo raises his voice. “No, we can’t trust anyone but us. The whole town’s dirty.”

  I almost laugh. “Believe me, you can trust Carl.” I think about how much by the book Carl has always been. “The guy doesn’t even know what it means to break a rule. Trust me, I’ve tried.”

  “Fine, but telling Carl only stops this group, and we may not find out where all the others are.” Mo thinks for a second. “I saw some maps back at the camp.”

  I clutch onto his hand and squeeze. “If we can help Carl find these guys, we can shut this operation down.”

  He massages his scalp as if he’s shifting thoughts around.

  A glimmer of hope warms my heart when I realize he’s thinking about helping me. Maybe he isn’t bad after all. “Let’s go to Carl. Before someone else gets hurt. Please, do this for me. For us.”

  He finally softens to my touch and leans his forehead against mine. His voice is almost too quiet to hear. “For what it’s worth, I’ve never killed any bears or anyone. Until that bloke was going to kill you first.”

  This time, I don’t pull away. “I know.”

  He clasps my face and kisses my cheeks. His eyes gleam with moisture. “In that moment, when I thought he would kill you, you were all I cared about. Grace, I don’t want to be without you.”

  The armor around my heart unhinges. “Thank you for saving me.”

  He strokes my hair as if he can’t believe I’m in front of him. “Can you ever forgive me?”

  I rub his chin. “I know what it’s like to do what it takes for someone you love. Promise me you’re being honest now and that you’ll help me fix this.”

  He smiles and holds up two fingers. “Scout’s honor.” Not even a second later, Mo’s face jerks toward the entrance. He places a finger to his lips and points.

  My heart slams into my rib cage as I watch terror sweep over his face.

  Something scuffles outside.

  I grab onto Mo just as men swarm the cave.

  Survival Skill #45

  The best way to handle any attack is to try and get away. Never be taken to another location.

  “Leave her alone!” Mo screams.

  I look over to see Mo struggling with a couple of men from my town.

  He jerks an arm free and punches my dad’s barber, Ned, in the face. Then he kicks our real estate agent in the gut and moves in my direction. Before Mo can reach me, a third man pistol-whips him across the temple. His eyes roll back in his head. Then he doubles over on the ground and curls into a ball, like a little boy, vunerable and scared. A trickle of blood dots the corner of his mouth.

  We lock eyes and he mouths the words, I’m sorry.

  A bunch of hands grip my armpits and drag me out of the shelter, my legs scraping the ground behind me. I try to scream, but only a moan escapes. Rocks and sticks tear at my knees. The pain returns and sprays through all my limbs.

  As soon as it registers what’s happened, I fight back, kicking and screaming. Little stars flicker across my vision, but I manage to muster up one last dose of energy to flail. This time, I break free and kick Tony in the kneecap. Then I sweep my foot across the ground in a wide circle, taking out another pair of legs. Ned flops backwards and lands on his butt. A third man from my church jumps on top of me, pinning me down with his knees. I buck like a wild horse until someone presses a damp cloth over my nose and mouth.

  My vision is affected first. The leaves outside the cave morph into butterflies that flit off into a blurry backdrop. I gag at the pungent smell as a bitter taste fills my mouth.

  Soon, my world dissolves into blackness.

  ~~~~

  The only point of light I see is high above me. It’s either the moon or a distant star. When I sit up, my stomach churns as every place on me throbs. My fingers graze over a bump on my cheek. I groan and push through the sharp pain in my torso, feeling my way along the moist wall. Jagged rocks formed into some sort of underground tomb.

  Where am I? In a cave? Maybe deep underground.

  Buried alive.

  Panic wells in my chest as claustrophobia kicks in. I cry out to the dark space. “Help! Is anyone here?”

  Then a familiar noise floats through the cramped space.

  Whistling.

  My body trembles. I know that sound. How could I forget it?

  A door opens and a shaft of light illuminates the black space. A huge figure crouches through a man-made door and holds up a lantern. I shield my eyes until they adjust.

  The first thing I focus on is Al’s evil grin.

  “I’m baaaaaaack.” He bursts into laughter as he glides closer to me, dragging a large blob behind him. “And I bear gifts. Who says I’m not a nice guy?” He tosses the mound on the floor.
>
  I stare at it, expecting a dead body until a cough pierces through the darkness.

  “Mo?” I crouch down and pull back the sheet. His face is battered and swollen. Duct tape is spread out over his mouth, and one eye is swollen shut. Dried blood dots his chin, and a small gash across his eyebrow drips down his face. He moans through the cloth stuck into his mouth and struggles against the ropes hog-tying him.

  I mask my fear and glare at Al. “Let him go.”

  Al pretends to think for a second. “No.” He sneers and gives Mo a kick in the gut.

  I shield Mo’s body and scream. “Stop it!”

  Al chuckles and glides toward me. He clutches onto my arm as if his fingers are huge talons. He smells my hair. His voice sizzles like drops of water splashing into a hot pan. “But don’t worry, I’ll give you another chance.” He presses me against the wall and twirls a piece of my hair. “Wouldn’t want you to be lonely down here.”

  Mo moans under the material and flips around on the sandy floor. His eyes flash dark, and he wraps his legs around Al’s ankle, pulling him down.

  Caught off guard, Al stumbles backwards but catches himself against the wall. He pulls a gun from his holster and presses the muzzle against Mo’s cheek. “Check, mate.”

  I yell. “Wait!” Al sneers at me, so I try softening my voice. “Please don’t.”

  Al seems amused. “You know what, Mo? She’s right. Why don’t you watch our little party first? Then, I’ll kill yah.”

  Behind him, someone bellows. “You’ll do no such thing!” Les appears through the door, holding a gun. His face and shirt are drenched in sweat. “Didn’t you learn from Billy’s mistakes? Drop the gun, Al.” Al lets his gun clunk on the ground as Les hobbles over to me and shines a light in my face. “You okay, Gracie?”

  I shove against his blubbery body. “Get away from me, traitor!”

  Les appears shocked. “I came here to help you. I warned you to stay out of this.”

  Tears well in my eyes. He’s right, but what other choice did I have. “How could you be involved in all this? Dad loved you!”

  Les keeps his gun on Al who’s eyeing him like a lion does a lamb. “I don’t have time to argue with you now. Come with me.”

  Mo watches me but remains still on the floor.

  I lift my head and speak emphatically. “No.”

  Les frowns and grabs my arm, pulling me toward the door. “Gracie, you don’t know what you’re talking about. Now you have no choice but to come with me, or you will die.”

  Just then, someone hits Les over the head, and he drops to the floor with a grunt.

  Survival Skill #46

  When in a survival situation, always trust your instinct. Usually, it’s right.

  Another man enters the shrinking space. “Damn it, what the hell is going on in here?”

  My mouth drops open, and I smile. “Carl!”

  Al bends over and snatches his gun off the floor. “Man, I thought you’d never get here.”

  Carl ignores me and frowns at Al. “You’re making things messy. First Joe, then thrill kills, and then you toss Billy over the canyon. Now, you’ve got two teens down here? How long do you think it’ll be before people start snooping around, looking for them?”

  I watch as they talk, my head swinging back and forth, not understanding what they’re talking about.

  Al shrugs as he speaks. “Didn’t hurt us with Joe, did it?”

  I interrupt and address Carl with tears in my eyes. “Wait. You’re in on this?”

  Carl ignores me and lifts his hat off his head to smooth his hair. “Damn it, Al. You’re risking everything. Getting careless. I’m not letting you take me down on this one.”

  Al pushes Carl who backs up a few steps. “Look, don’t be getting in my face. You had your chance to lock me up a while back. Instead, you wanted in on this. So don’t be threatening me, you’re in this just as thick as I am. If not more.”

  Carl grits his teeth. “Look. I started this operation months ago, and I can do it without you.”

  Al puffs up his chest. “You wouldn’t. I don’t care if you’re the boss or not. It was my idea.”

  “These are my people out here, and they’ll back me up if they need to. Without me, you got no operation. So shut up if you want to get paid. Get Les outta here, and try not to kill anyone else. We got enough blood on our hands.”

  Al salutes. “My pleasure, boss.” He grabs Les by both arms and drags him through the door. “Damn, it’s like hauling a hippo.” I can hear Al cackling at his stupid joke all the way down the tunnel as he grunts and groans from dragging the extra weight.

  Once Al’s gone, Carl faces me and clicks his tongue. “Now what am I going to do with you?” Suddenly, skinny Carl appears large and in control.

  Shaking my head, I move in front of Mo, protecting him. “No, you can’t be involved with them. Not you. Not this.”

  Carl smiles an impish grin. “Sorry to let you down, Grace. But things are more complicated than you realize. A man’s got to take care of his family and life the best way he knows how.”

  Tears fill my eyes. Memories of Carl plague my mind. How he helped Wyn and me hang up a tire swing or how he taught us how to shoot a can from fifty feet away. “I don’t understand. How could you?”

  Carl glares at me. “What choice did I have? It was either this or watching a town I love, the town I grew up in, slowly crumble to dust.” I stare at him blankly, but he goes on without my response. “Surely you’ve seen what’s been going on. Shops closing. People leaving. Who do you think is breathing life back into it?”

  I speak slowly. “You’re not doing this for the town. You’re doing it for yourself.”

  “You should thank me,” he snaps back. “Our town would have dried up and washed away if it wasn’t for the money I’ve been putting into rebuilding it. Then where would we be? Poor, jobless, no future!”

  “But this isn’t the way to do it!”

  Carl shakes his head. “What do you know? You’re a teenager. You don’t have bills to pay. You don’t have to worry about anything. This town is all most of these people have. Without it, who would they be? What would they do?”

  “So the whole town is in on this?”

  He plays with the guns on his hips. “Not everyone, but I got a few others on board.”

  A tornado of thoughts twist through my head, destroying everything in its path. “So Les isn’t working with you?”

  Carl laughs. “That buffoon? Are you serious? He’s been riding my ass for weeks. If you hadn’t warned me about Al leavin’ that bear, Les probably would’ve have caught us. Lucky we got it cleaned up just in time.”

  “Les was protecting me?”

  “Ever since your dad fell into … unfortunate circumstances … Les has been tailing you, making sure you were safe. Nabbed Al when he was stalking you and that boy by the river.” He motions to Mo who’s still bound and gagged on the floor.

  My head swirls. Les was protecting me? I swallow hard. Feels as if my saliva’s hardened and can barely fit down my throat. “What about my dad?”

  Carl sighs and takes off his hat. “That was all Al. Joe was an unfortunate liability. One I tried to prevent, but he was about to blow our operation wide open. He and his English friend. For a while, his tracking skills came in real helpful in locating bears. Until he got … difficult.”

  The thought of Dad helping these guys makes my stomach churn. I can’t imagine how he felt doing that. “Give him to me. Now.”

  Carl shakes his head. “Hm, you are persistent. I’m afraid I can’t do that. He’s dead.”

  “Dead?” My body sags, and my back slides down the wall until I’m slumped in a seated position. Burying my face in my hands, I run through what he said but remain in denial. “No, no, it can’t be.” I blink back tears and lock my jaw to keep from screaming. “You’re lying.”

  Carl kneels down beside me and strokes my hair. “Wish I was. But you know Al. He’s a little uncontrollable.
I tried to protect Joe, but he wasn’t cooperating.” If looks could kill, I would have already put Carl six feet under. “At least I got here before Al could hurt you. Right?”

  “Yeah, you’re a real hero.”

  Carl smiles. “I’ve always admired you, Grace. You got spunk. A lot of guts. That’s why I’m going to help you. So don’t go anywhere, I gotta go do some damage control.”

  “I don’t want your help.”

  “You better. I’m all that stands between you and Al. Trust me, you don’t want him unleashed. It’s not a pretty sight.” Carl nudges Mo with the toe of his boot before ducking out the doorway. “Don’t worry, boy. We haven’t forgotten about you. Al will have fun with you later.”

  After Carl leaves, a large boulder rolls over the hole, blocking us in.

  As soon as we’re alone, I yank the tape off Mo’s mouth and choke out, “I thought he was going to kill you.” I fiddle with the knot for some time because my hands won’t stop trembling. Finally, the rope surrenders and releases Mo’s hands.

  He rubs the red-inflamed markings on his wrists. “I’m abso-bloody-lutely positive it’s won’t be too long before he does.” Mo checks me over before touching my cheek. “Look what they’ve done to you.”

  I lick the dried blood coming from a cut in the corner of my mouth. “I’m in better shape than you.” I lightly touch his swollen eye. “Are you okay?”

  “Shoot, you should see the other bloke.” Mo begins checking out the place. “We gotta get out of here. Now that I know Carl’s the top guy of this whole operation. I gotta get some help.”

  “This is insane. I cannot believe Carl is caught up in this.”I sit back and prop my elbows up on my knees, wondering where Wyn is right now. If he has any idea what his idol, Carl, has done. Though maybe I should have known. The Dixie song in his office. The green bandana. Not to mention, he’s been holding me back from solving this case since day one. If it hadn’t been for Wyn defending him all the time, I may have caught onto Carl weeks ago.