by Liz Wolfe
“Keep an eye on the Jeep,” she told Nick when he climbed up to relieve her. “They returned over an hour ago, but I can’t believe they’re done for the day.”
“I’ll holler when they leave again,” Nick assured her.
Paige climbed down and joined the others sitting under the shade of a tree close to the cave entrance. Everyone became strangely quiet when she approached. Paige gave them a few minutes. There was a lot of looking at the sky, looking at the ground, and looking into the distance.
“Okay, what is it?” she asked.
“Nothing,” Ty said a bit too quickly.
“Lighten up, guys. She doesn’t bite.” Connor grinned at them and then at her.
“Actually, I do bite, but that’s not the point.” She grinned to let them know it was a joke. “Come on, what’s on your minds?”
“We were just wondering if you have any idea about how we’re going to get off this island. Alive.” Alex glanced at Paige and then the others.
“Good question,” she agreed. “And one we need to talk about.”
“First, we have to find the missing part for the plane, right?” Aleisha asked.
“Exactly. The distributor cap. Connor and I didn’t find it at the Hunters’ house.”
“Which means either they hid it very well, or they took it somewhere else,” Connor added.
“They must have realized that we’d try to take the plane, so they wouldn’t leave it lying around where we could find it. Especially since they all leave the house at once,” Paige said.
“Yeah, hunting is such a social sport.” Ty snorted.
“They didn’t leave any of their guns at the house either,” Connor said. Paige looked up and their eyes met. She could see that they’d had the same thought.
“They take the guns with them because they don’t want us to be able to steal them when they’re gone. And I’ll bet the distributor cap is with them, too,” Paige said
“How big is a distributor cap?” Aleisha asked.
“About this big.” Connor made a circle with his hands. “With wires hanging offit.”
“Easy enough to carry something like that around in their Jeep,” Ty said.
“So that’s where we need to look,” Connor said.
“But how?” Alex asked.
“We only have two choices,” Paige said. “At night when they’re asleep, or during the day while they’re hunting.”
“I’m guessing they take it inside at night. With the guns,” Connor said.
“Then daytime it is.” Paige got up and wandered away from the group, needing a little time to work it all out in her head. She walked down to the stream and sat on a rock, tossing pebbles into the water.
“Nick says they haven’t left the house yet.” Connor nudged her over to share the rock.
“Did you follow me here?”
“Of course. Is that a problem?”
“What if I’d been leaving to take care of some personal business?”
“I’ve already seen your personal parts. No big deal.” Connor shrugged, and Paige didn’t know whether to laugh or deck him.
“Just for future reference, women don’t really look at it that way.”
“What way?”
She took a deep breath and let it out. “Women usually like to take care of personal business in private.”
“Yeah, what’s up with that? I mean, you’re rolling around on the sheets,” he grinned at her, “or the sand, together. Seeing and touching every conceivable inch of each other’s bodies, then she has to take a leak. She gets up and puts on a robe, then closes the bathroom door.”
“It’s a girl thing.” There was no way to explain it, so why try? “And something you should keep in mind.”
“Sure, no problem.”
They sat in silence for a few minutes. “I’m surprised they haven’t left the house yet.”
“What do you think that means?”
Paige shrugged. “Could mean they’re taking a nap. Having a long lunch. Watching a movie.”
“Or?” Connor asked, frowning.
How did he know she wasn’t saying what she really thought? “Or, they could be resting up and planning on hunting at night.”
“That would seriously suck.”
“Only if they find us.”
The ground trembled, and Connor threw his arm around her. “What the hell is causing that?”
“There’s an active volcano not far away.”
“On this island?”
“No. The island to the northeast of us. I saw it from the tree.”
“I could do without it,” Connor said.
“Me, too. Especially since we’re in a cave.” Paige got up and brushed sand off the seat of her shorts. “But we’re as close to the opening as possible, so a cave-in won’t trap us.”
“That’s a happy thought.” Connor stood and held out a hand to her.
When they got back to camp, Nick still hadn’t seen the Jeep leave. It would be dark in a couple of hours. Would the Hunters start hunting them at night? While they were sleeping? Paige thought she might explode with frustration. She forced herself to breathe and calm down. The Hunters probably wouldn’t hunt them at night. Tomorrow the Hunters would leave, and she would find the Jeep and get the distributor cap. They would put it back on the plane and fly away from this island.
Dinner was quiet, everyone lost in his or her own thoughts. Probably dismal thoughts if they were anything like Paige’s. They choked down the fish and boiled potatoes then cleaned up. Everyone helped, which was good. Paige had no idea if they would ever have worked as a team if this had really been a television show, but in real life they had all come together.
Paige told Nick to take the first watch. She would relieve him in two hours, then Connor, and then Ty. Alex and Aleisha needed more rest since their injuries were still healing.
Connor and Paige bedded down under the tarp and were asleep in minutes, only to be awakened when the ground trembled again. Nick raced in, a look of astonishment on his face, when the trembling continued much longer than it had before.
“Let’s get out of here,” Paige yelled as she heard the sound of rocks and dirt rolling. The trembling stopped, but the sound got louder. They all turned just as several tons of dirt and rock crashed to the ground outside the opening.
They were sealed inside the cave.
Shelby sat at her desk and sipped coffee while she checked her email. She drained the cup and glanced at the clock. Half an hour before she had to leave for EasTech. She poured another cup of coffee and leaned back in her chair, watching Zoe sort through bills and correspondence.
“Is it safe to talk to you yet?” Zoe asked. “I mean, that’s your second cup, right?”
“You have a smart mouth, Zoe.”
“Yeah, I know.”
“And the way you’re always at your desk at the crack of dawn and so incredibly perky is just unnatural.”
Zoe shrugged and grinned. “It’s easy since you’re letting me live here. By the way, I really appreciate it. And I’ve got a lead on an apartment, so I should be out of your way in another week.”
“You’re welcome, and it’s no problem if you need to stay for a while. Not that I’m looking for a permanent roommate.”
“You know the thing I hated most about being a thief? Working at night. Usually, I’d go to bed early and then get up after midnight when I had a job to do.”
“What’s on your mind?” Shelby asked.
“When do I get to do something?”
“You’re doing something now. You’re sorting out the paperwork and getting my accounts in order.”
“That’s not what I mean,” Zoe protested. “You said I’d be an investigator. When do I get to do that?”
“Soon,” Shelby assured her. “When Paige gets back, I’ll be able to spend some time with you. Have you been reading the material I gave you?”
“Every day. I’ll be ready for the test soon.”
“G
ood. Then you can get your provisional license.” Shelby grinned at her. “Believe me, I’m as anxious as you are. I can use another investigator around here.”
“How’s the case going at EasTech?” Zoe asked.
“Strangely.”
“Sounds interesting. What’s strange about it?”
“I ran across something that I can’t figure out. And it could be big. And it’s not what I was hired to investigate.”
“Well, two heads might be better than one. Tell me everything.” Zoe put down her papers and leaned her elbows on her desk.
“I found a copy of the plans for a top secret Mobile Anti-Radar Device on David Howell’s personal drive.”
“Well, he’s the general manager,” Zoe said. “Wouldn’t he have access to everything?”
“Technically, there’s no reason he shouldn’t have the plans,” Shelby admitted. “But, why would he? He isn’t doing any of the actual work on the plans. He wouldn’t even understand the plans.”
“And you want to know why he has a copy of them.”
“Exactly. My instinct tells me he’s up to no good, but I can’t bust him for having access to the plans.”
“You could call Ethan. See what he says,” Zoe suggested.
“I know. But I’d rather find out if I’m just being overly suspicious first.” Shelby glanced at the clock. “And right now, I have to get to work.”
“I need you to sign some checks today. They need to go out in the mail.”
“Can’t they wait until tomorrow?” Shelby asked.
“Not if you want a decent credit rating.”
“Crap. Can you bring them by EasTech at lunch? I’ll sign them there, and you can drop them off at the post office.”
“Sure, no problem. Is noon good?”
“Perfect. I’ll see you then.” Shelby grabbed her jacket and headed for her rental car. Two more days and she’d have her Mini Cooper back.
She drove a little over the speed limit and arrived at EasTech just minutes before she was due at a meeting. The next three hours were spent listening to EasTech marketing executives talk about their projects and complimenting each other on their brilliant marketing ideas. Fortunately, no one asked her opinion about anything, and Shelby spent the time considering ways to narrow her list of suspects for the source code theft. A few minutes before noon, the meeting broke up, and Shelby hurried to her office to find Zoe waiting for her.
“Hey, sorry I’m late “
“No problem. Here are the checks.” Zoe handed her a folder.
Shelby signed the checks and handed the folder back just as David Howell appeared at her door.
“Hey, Shelby, have you got a minute?”
“Come in, David. This is my associate, Zoe Drummond.”
Zoe stood, reached out a hand to David, and stumbled over a chair leg. She fell against him and immediately pulled back.
“Oh, I’m sorry. I got tangled up in the chair leg. Nice to meet you.” She picked up the folder. “I’ll go get these in the mail, Shelby. See you later.”
“There’s a post office just around the corner,” David said.
“Thanks. Shelby, where’s the ladies’ room?” Zoe asked. “Second door on the left, down the hall.”
Zoe left and David took a seat opposite Shelby. “How’s the investigation going?”
“I’m just getting started. I had to be in a meeting all morning to keep up the pretense of my position here. But this afternoon I’m going over the personnel files of all the developers, writers, and assistants that have worked on the account.”
“Good, that’s a step in the right direction. I know this will take time. Don’t worry about that.”
“Thanks. A lot of clients expect results immediately, and, unfortunately, that is rarely the case.”
“I’m a little more realistic than that.” David laughed and rose from his seat. “Just keep me informed on what’s happening.”
“Fine. I should have a preliminary report for you by the end of the week.”
“Excellent.”
David left and Shelby logged onto her computer. But before she could access the personnel files, Zoe returned. She slipped into the office and closed the door behind her.
“Did you need something else?” Shelby asked.
“No, but I have something for you.” Zoe pulled a PDA from the folder she held and handed it to Shelby.
Shelby noted the scratch on the dark gray cover and lifted an eyebrow. “You’re giving me a used Palm Pilot?”
“Yeah, but the thing is who’s been using it.” Zoe pointed to the item. “I lifted that from Howell.”
“You did what?” Shelby forced her voice lower. “When?” “When I stumbled against him. Didn’t you catch that? I mean, it’s the oldest trick in the book. I think I learned it when I was about ten. Anyone accidentally stumbles into me and I frisk them.”
“You must be good, because I didn’t see a thing.”
“Of course I’m good. Now, look at the damn thing.”
Shelby snapped open the PDA. Howell had attached a printed label with his name and phone number on the inside of the lid. She pulled the stylus out and touched the screen to open up his email files. There were none saved. That was disappointing. She touched the icon for his calendar. A grid for July displayed, and she noticed there were several appointments for today’s date. She touched on the date and another page displayed with a list of appointments. They all looked normal. Meetings with several managers at EasTech. She clicked on the next day, and another list appeared. The first appointment was for two in the morning. The only information listed was an address. She memorized the address and time, clicked out of the calendar program and snapped the PDA closed.
Who would David Howell be meeting at two in the morning? There was only one way to find out.
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
PLUNGED INTO TOTAL DARKNESS, THERE was a moment of stunned silence then a cacophony of screaming, cursing, and talking.
“Quiet!” Paige yelled over the noise. “Stay quiet and still,” she commanded, pleased that the screams and cursing died down immediately. She fumbled around for her backpack and pulled it onto her lap. A moment later her hand closed around a flashlight. She flicked it on, illuminating the dusty air.
Alex and Aleisha were huddled together, their arms wrapped around one another. Connor was sitting upright next to her. Ty stood on his sleeping bag, an expression of fear and confusion reflected on his face. Nick stood at the foot of the rubble that filled the cave opening.
Aleisha was still whimpering and Alex tried to calm her, although he looked like he was ready to cry. If everyone weren’t looking to her for a solution, whimpering wouldn’t have been out of the question for her either. She automatically took stock of their situation. They had no food in the cave, but the water bladders were full, and she sent up a little prayer of thanks that they had gotten into the habit of filling them before they turned in each evening.
“Are we going to suffocate?” Ty asked.
“No, it just feels that way from the dust. The cave goes back a long way with several tunnels. There’s plenty of air for us.” For now. Connor reached over and squeezed her leg and Paige guessed he was thinking the same thing.
“What do we do?” Nick asked. They all looked at her like she was the answer to their prayers. Or had the answers. She really wished that were true.
“Find a way out,” Paige said.
“I think we’d all agree with that. But how?” Ty asked. “We’ll go at it from two angles,” Paige decided. “Some of us will stay here to remove the rubble. It might not be that thick, and we might be able to dig through it fairly quickly.”
Everyone nodded, and Paige hated to dash the hope in their eyes.
“On the other hand, the entrance could be blocked by a boulder that’s too big for us to move, or the rocks and dirt could be too high and too deep.”
“I’ll go look for another exit,” Ty volunteered.
“Me?” Aleisha squeaked.
“You can’t move rocks with that shoulder, and it’s better that two of us go, just in case something happens.” Paige didn’t want to give voice to what could happen. “The guys will stay here and start moving rocks.”
Everyone nodded in agreement. “I’ve got several hundred feet of rappelling line. What have you got, Alex?”
He fumbled in his pack and pulled out two neatly wound lengths of line. “Each one is two hundred feet.” He tossed the line to her. “They’re both used, though.”
“That doesn’t matter,” Paige said. “We only need them as a guide. I have two flashlights. We’ll take one and leave the other. There are extra batteries here.” She pulled out the batteries and laid them on the ground. “Should be enough for several hours, but use it sparingly.”
Paige tossed Alex’s line into her pack and slipped it over her shoulders, then filled a quart bottle with water from the bladders.
“No one goes off exploring alone. Understood?” Paige waited until each person had nodded their agreement. The last thing she needed was everyone scattered about the multiple corridors of the cave.
Connor took his shirt off, laid it on the ground, and began shoveling rocks and dirt onto it. The other men caught on and joined him.
Paige tied one end of a rappel line around a rock large enough that tugging on the line wouldn’t drag it, and unwound it as she moved into the tunnel to her left. Aleisha grabbed her free hand.
“We’re girlfriends, right?” Her voice was high and squeaky. “We can hold hands.”
“Right. We’re girlfriends. We can hold hands.” Paige gave her hand a squeeze of encouragement.
Paige had never been in such darkness before. Living so close to downtown Portland, she was used to light all the time. Even in the small hours of the morning there were streetlights, light pouring from apartment buildings and office buildings. Paige thought she had seen darkness on camping trips when there was no moon, but this was complete, total darkness. Creepy. And unnatural. She flicked the flashlight on every few minutes to see what was ahead, then they carefully moved along the tunnel, feeling the ground with their feet and the walls with their hands. When she came to the end of the rappel line, she pulled another one from the bag strapped around her waist and tied them together.