Lasso That Cowboy

by Lynde Lakes

  ****

  Amber and Carrillo looked up. A thrill surged through Amber at the sound of the furious little voice. Carrillo ducked and the projectile missed his head and crashed into the wall. Amber used the moment of distraction to grab the nearby lantern by the handle and swing it into his face. He shouted in pain. As the glass broke, kerosene splashed over him, and his hair caught on fire. Carrillo dropped the razor blade and hopped around in agony, slapping at the flames. His shirt caught fire. He dropped and rolled, cursing. The noise echoed through the cave.

  Amber pressed the razor cut with her thumb to ease the pain and stem the flow of blood. They had to get out of there. Fast. She held out her arms. “Jump, Alicia. I’ll catch you.”

  Alicia hesitated for only a moment, and then she leaped, warming Amber’s heart with her trust. Amber’s arms closed around the soft little form. The impact knocked Amber to the stone floor, but she protected Alicia with her body. In spite of the pain that shot through her, she struggled to her feet, taking the child with her. She wanted to hug Alicia close and hold her for a long time. Instead, she grabbed the little hand and the dented flashlight, and together she and Alicia ran from the stone room toward the entrance. She flicked on the light and guided Alicia away from the crevasse. Carrillo would be after them in seconds, as soon as he doused the flames.

  The fading light of the setting sun sent a fuzzy glow into the cave, leading them to the entrance. Suddenly, two huge silhouettes blocked the way. Amber’s breath caught in her throat. A gunshot rang out. A bullet zinged over her head. She flicked off the flashlight, plunging them into darkness.

  Amber shuddered. She had no choice. They had to go back past Carrillo and deeper into the cave, without light, feeling their way. Her heart drummed so hard she could scarcely breathe. She gripped Alicia’s hand tighter. Somehow, she found the breath to whisper, “Don’t be afraid, Alicia, we’ll make it.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  Luke wiped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve. None of their search party had ever been in this section of Endless Cave, and taking this uncharted route was risky. Matt, the sheriff, and four of his men followed Luke’s lead, rushing to keep up. Luke watched for signs that he was heading the right way. The tunnels ranged from six to twelve feet wide with eighteen to twenty-four foot ceilings and twisted around in a tangled maze. He’d heard a lot of stories about them, but only put stock in what his grandfather said—there were tunnels with dead ends—and only one of the three main arteries led to Verde Creek. For all he knew, they could be going in circles. Luke’s heart pounded in hard thuds. Dammit, if they got lost, they wouldn’t make it to Verde Creek in time, and the kidnappers would grab Amber and disappear.

  Luke flashed his light on something white in his path—crumbling human bones, the thin outer layer disintegrating into a powdery dust. At least he knew now they weren’t chasing their tails. He would’ve remembered this guy. If he didn’t find his way out of this maze of tunnels, that could be him about forty years from now—an unacceptable outcome for a man who had other plans for that fortieth anniversary—plans with his fiery-haired Amber.

  A roar of pain, more animal than human, echoed through the tunnels, stopping Luke in his tracks and prickling the hairs at his nape.

  Matt caught up with him. “What the hell was that?” he whispered.

  “Damned if I know,” Luke said in a barely audible voice.

  When the tunnel narrowed, Luke moved ahead of his brother, straining his ears for signs of trouble. An injured animal could be dangerous. He wiped his palms on the side of his jeans. Every cell in his body charged to alert. He was like a barbed wire fence, strung too tight, ready to snap. Three times he’d reached forks in the tunnel and had to choose, using his compass and raw instinct, hoping each time he’d made the right choice.

  Luke stiffened as a muffled bang bounced off the walls of the cave, echoing through the winding, damp, dark tunnels. “A gunshot,” he whispered. In a trigger reaction, he drew his holstered gun. Matt caught up with him. He had drawn his gun, too. They exchanged looks and laughed nervously. Then they eased their weapons back into place. Luke breathed deeply to calm himself. The shot had sounded distant, yet he couldn’t be sure. Could be a half mile away—or around the next bend. “For sure, we’re not alone in this cave.”

  “Has to be the kidnappers,” Matt said.

  Luke agreed. The cave was on Ryan land and none of the vaqueros came in here without telling Alfonso, or someone in the family.

  The sheriff and his men caught up with Luke and his brother. “We’d better stay quiet from here on in,” the sheriff whispered. “Keep your flashlights aimed down. I’d like to check out that gun play, but I can’t tell if the shot came from ahead or behind. Better stick close and not scatter our force.”

  Luke and Matt nodded and moved ahead, not talking, knowing—like the gunshot they’d heard—the slightest sound could give them away and ruin the chance of an ambush. The lawmen followed stealthily like well-trained commandos.

  Luke tightened his jaw, thinking about what the gunshots could mean. Not Amber—not Alicia, his soul cried. Where was Alicia? The kidnappers could’ve stashed her anywhere. Or she could be… No! Not dead. Luke touched the cross of the rosary he now wore over his heart. He had to believe the kidnappers had Alicia with them—had to believe she was safe, and had to believe he had a chance to find her. And he had to believe he could save both Alicia and Amber.

  Matt patted Luke on the back and whispered, “We’ll find them.”

  ****

  Holding Alicia’s hand and keeping the child behind her, Amber felt her way through the darkness, along the cold, damp walls with uncertain fingers while she slid a tentative toe forward, feeling for holes and crevasses. She longed to turn on her flashlight. But the bright beam would give them away. Her heart pounded wildly. Nothing but a life or death situation could have sent her deeper into this cave. Memories of the two days she’d spent trapped in a cave long ago closed in on her like an endless night—the black emptiness, the fear. Amber shook her head to clear the rising panic. Focus only on Alicia and survival. She had warned Alicia not to speak, and she was proud of her for staying silent. The little pixie was doing an excellent job of keeping up, too. But she was just a child and would tire quickly. Amber wanted to carry her, but it was safer to keep her slightly behind her own body in case she, herself, fell into a crevasse.

  Amber wanted to hug Alicia so desperately. The moment she’d spied her hiding up on that ledge—face and clothes dirty—but looking unharmed and full of spirit, Amber’s heart had actually sung with joy. With her uninjured hand, Amber gave Alicia’s fingers a gentle squeeze. How she loved this spunky little girl.

  Alicia had saved her from a great deal of pain. She could still visualize Carrillo’s narrowed eyes and sneering mouth as he’d jabbed her finger with the razor blade. The pain had been so excruciating she had actually seen a flash of white light. If Alicia hadn’t distracted Ricardo, he wouldn’t have stopped with one jab. Amber could still see the lantern breaking, the hot kerosene splashing over Carrillo, catching his hair on fire. She’d seen his rage. If he caught them now, he would kill them both.

  Shouted curses, labored breathing, and thuds of heavy boots crunching rocks echoed behind them. The kidnappers were getting closer.

  A gunshot rang out, the bullet hitting the top of the cave over their heads, raining small stones down on them. They had to go faster. Amber lifted Alicia into her arms, shifted the child to her right side, and used her left hand to feel her way. Soft, warm little arms encircled Amber’s neck like a lasso of trust, warming Amber’s heart and strengthening her determination to keep the sweet angel safe.

  Alicia wasn’t terribly heavy, yet the extra weight pulled on Amber. Breath burned in her lungs. She tripped over large stones. Instinct, the need to protect Alicia, and self-preservation, kept her legs moving.

  Rocks crunched behind them.

  Amber didn’t want to die. She knew clearly what
she wanted now. She wanted Luke and Alicia. An impossible dream, but the meager hope gave her strength.

  Using gliding fingers along the wall as her compass, Amber ran faster, stumbling, putting a distance between them and their pursuers. The inky unknown stretched ahead. At her speed, she could step out into nothingness before she knew it. The wall seemed to be curving. Amber had to risk turning on her flashlight. She strained to focus her eyes. Ahead, the cave split. A break! The kidnappers wouldn’t know which fork they took. She had to help them go wrong. She placed Alicia on her feet, grabbed the edge of her own shirt, ripped a piece off the bottom and stuck it on a protruding rock at the entrance of the tunnel. A bullet zinged past her head. She cut the light, dropped to the cave floor, and crawled on her belly to Alicia. Together they scurried ahead on their hands and knees.

  When Amber felt it was safe, she staggered to her feet, bringing Alicia up with her. Their labored breathing echoed around them. She gave Alicia a reassuring hug and scrambled on. She flicked on the light briefly to get her bearings. Ahead, the tunnel split again. She and Alicia veered left. Minutes later, she heard the kidnappers’ thundering boot steps go right. Amber almost laughed out loud. They had a chance! They had a chance!

  She turned on the flashlight. The bright beam made it safe to pick up their pace. They swallowed cool, dank air in agonizing gulps. The cave floor was rougher now, more stones and more dust. Footsteps echoed behind them again. Oh, no. The kidnappers had backtracked to this fork. It was okay…it was okay…she and Alicia had a good head start. They still had a chance.

  They turned at a bend in the tunnel. The space narrowed. Suddenly, a rock wall blocked their path. God, no. It was a dead end!

  ****

  Luke spied a familiar piece of cloth caught on a protruding rock. Amber’s shirt? He sniffed it—definitely her fragrance. His heart pounded. This confirmed it. Amber wasn’t at Verde Creek—she was somewhere in this cave! Could that mean Alicia was with her? Hope rose in such a rush that for a moment he couldn’t breathe.

  “What’ve you got there?” Matt asked.

  The sheriff and his men moved in for a look, too. Luke and Matt spoke only in low whispers.

  “It’s Amber’s,” Luke said. “Verde Creek is no longer our destination.”

  Luke shined the flashlight on the cave floor, which at this point was mostly rock. Nothing he saw gave him a clue. “She could be with the kidnappers or alone—running for her life.” God, let her be all right.

  Matt scratched his head and looked from the cloth to the protruding rock where Luke had found it. “Something’s phony about this. Tear’s too precise. Cloth’s from the bottom edge of a shirt. Rock height’s wrong to catch the hem.”

  Adrenaline shot through Luke. “She purposely put it there! That’s why we didn’t meet her along the way. And whoever she was trying to fool must’ve realized it was a decoy, too, and that’s why we didn’t meet them along the way, either.” Good try, babe. If they were right, it could mean the kidnappers didn’t have her. Yet.

  Luke stepped into the other fork in the tunnel and flashed a big circle of light onto the cave floor that was less rock and more dirt. Footprints might show how many kidnappers were on her tail. Luke’s breathing turned shallow. He could hardly believe his eyes. Near the wall was a tiny boot print… Alicia was with her!

  With his heart thundering with happiness, Luke gestured to the print. Matt nodded and gave a thumbs-up sign.

  They scanned the confusion of prints on the path. Matt held up four fingers. Luke figured the guess was about right. They probably had the kidnappers outnumbered, but if those bastards caught Alicia and Amber, numbers wouldn’t count.

  Luke and his search party continued on to the next fork in the tunnel. Matt grabbed Luke’s arm and pointed to a faded drawing over the top of the entrance. It looked like a flat hand with a fist against it. Matt and Luke decoded the warning at the same time, and together whispered, “Dead end.”

  Amber and Alicia are trapped! Luke’s heart beat wildly.

  And he had the kidnappers trapped!

  His gut knotted. Cornered men were the most dangerous.

  ****

  Amber took a deep breath and, holding Alicia’s hand tightly, headed back toward men who wanted to kill them. She frantically flashed the light around, looking for a place to hide. The tunnel widened between a smooth, slate-like facade on one side, and a ragged wall on the other. About ten feet up, Amber spied an indentation in the wall deep enough to hide Alicia. How would she get her up there?

  Amber bent and put her mouth against Alicia’s ear. “Hang onto my neck and clamp your legs around my waist. We’re climbing this wall.”

  Alicia looked up the rough surface and shook her head.

  Amber didn’t blame her. It wasn’t a great plan. When the kidnappers didn’t find them at the dead end, they would search every cubby hole along the passage way. Unless, she drew them away. Buying time was all she and Alicia had going for them. “Please, Rosebud, it’s our only chance. All you have to do is hang on.”

  Alicia’s lip jutted out in a pout, and her wide blue eyes looked wary. Amber shoved the flashlight into Alicia’s hands. “Do you think you can hold this, too? I’ll need light.”

  Alicia shook her head again.

  “Honey, you can do this—we both can. We have to!”

  Amber bit her lip, and looked up. Easier said than done. She didn’t have cleats, ropes, gloves, or any kind of equipment. All she had was a strong body and determination. And an ardent belief in her maker. Please, let that be enough to keep Alicia out of the killer’s hands. Amber squatted down. “Put your arms around my neck, hold the flashlight in your right hand, grip your right wrist with your left hand—and hang on no matter what.”

  Alicia still hesitated. The shouts coming from the tunnel got louder. Alicia quickly clamped her arms around Amber’s neck, putting pressure on her windpipe. Amber readjusted the hold so she could breathe, then wiped her hands on her jeans, and hoisted herself and her precious cargo to the first level of toeholds.

  Her long-sleeved shirt protected her arms from scrapes and scratches, but the rocks cut into her fingers. The razor cut began to bleed, smearing the rocks with her blood. It hurt something fierce. Concentrate on the goal, she repeated like a mantra. Sweat dripped from her face—rivulets trickled down her back. She envisioned Carrillo charging from the darkness and lunging for her, grabbing her ankle. Heart pounding, Amber scrambled higher.

  Luke, if only you were here. Thinking about his happiness when she returned his beloved daughter gave Amber a new blast of energy. He would never forgive her for failing to protect Alicia from the kidnappers, but his happiness when he got her back would be all Amber dared to hope for.

  She teetered on a narrow toehold, then regained her balance. After climbing about seven feet, she couldn’t stop herself from looking down. The shadows below made the cave floor look ominous. Once she hid Alicia, how would she ever climb down? Maybe there would be enough room for both of them.

  The next toehold crumbled, and Alicia whimpered as loosened rocks rained to the cave floor. Amber paused, stiff with fear. She blinked and inhaled deeply to hold back a wave of dizziness. She closed her eyes and willed away a rising panic, then crept upward again. Only another foot…

  With supreme effort, she hoisted herself and Alicia onto the ledge. She tucked the child into the back of the indentation, then tried to curl herself within the remaining space. No matter how she scrunched up, she hung over the edge.

  Since she couldn’t fold herself out of sight, she had to draw the kidnappers away. If they ever got their hands on Alicia, they would hurt her to make Amber talk. She’d be glad to tell them everything, but she didn’t know anything to tell.

  Amber kissed Alicia’s forehead and told her to stay put and not make a sound. “I’ll leave this flashlight with you,” she whispered. “Point it down the wall so I can see to climb down. Then turn it off and leave it off. Only turn it on in an emergency.�
�� God, she was leaving a child not yet four-years-old in the dark, alone, terrified. If Alicia moved close to the edge, she could fall. Please, Lord, protect her.

  “I’ll be back to get you when it’s safe,” Amber whispered into Alicia’s ear. “The kidnappers may try to trick you. Don’t answer, even if I call to you, unless you’re absolutely sure I’m alone. I’ll call you, Rosebud. Otherwise be quiet and stay hidden.”

  Alicia’s face scrunched up like she might cry.

  Amber fought her own tears. She fished in her pocket to find something comforting to give the child. Her pockets were empty. She took off her gold bracelet and pressed it into Alicia’s hands. “Hold tight to this. And remember I love you.”

  As Amber climbed down, the full impact hit her—dehydration—starvation. Without her, the child would die. She had to return to Alicia.

  Heading toward the main tunnel, Amber felt her way in the darkness. If only she could see. Without a hiding place, she would run right into the clutches of killers.

  “There she is,” Ricardo growled, flashing a large circle of light on her.

  She froze. Running back the way she’d come would lead them toward Alicia. And she’d be trapped by the dead end anyway. Amber lowered her head and tried to barrel past him. Carrillo grabbed a fist full of hair and swung her against the tunnel wall. Pain shot through her skull and shoulder. Her knees buckled, and as she slid down the wall, he lifted her by the throat, cutting off her air.

  She couldn’t die. Alicia was counting on her!

  Amber brought her knee up and jammed it into Carrillo’s groin. He doubled up in pain. When he let go, she scrambled to her feet. He recovered fast and reached for her. She darted past him and right into the muzzle of Angel Garcia’s gun. “Gotcha,” he shouted.

  With a sinking heart, she glanced back at Carrillo. Sneering, he withdrew the folded razor-blade- holder from his pocket and flicked it open. The exposed, sharp edge reflected against the ceiling of the cave. Her mouth went dry. “You won’t need that,” she said as he came toward her. He smelled of kerosene and burnt hair. The singed tufts and blistered skin made him look fierce, grotesque. “I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”