The Shadow

by Thurlo, Aimée

  Though he tried to peer down both tunnels, the small beam revealed nothing beyond twenty feet.

  “We can’t stay here,” he said quickly. “The shooter could pick us off too easily. Go to your right. I think that tunnel’s wider.”

  She stood motionless for a moment. “No. We need to go to our left.” In the semidarkness, her heightened senses would be her best guides. “There’s another way out at that end. Don’t you feel it?”

  “Feel what?” he asked, his gaze still on the opening above.

  Before she could answer, they both heard running footsteps at the top of the shaft, and a board being tossed aside. “One man,” Emily whispered. “But who? Grant?”

  Jonas took a quick look up, then stepped back into hiding, nodding. Handing Emily the light, he motioned toward the left tunnel and followed her, covering the rear and listening for footsteps on the ladder.

  The rock sides and the darkness conspired together, undermining her courage with each step. It was like being buried alive. What kept her going was the scent of hope. “There’s fresh air coming from the other end of this tunnel.”

  He listened as her voice rose with excitement, and didn’t have the heart to tell her that didn’t guarantee the opening would be big enough for them to use. Mines were often complex mazes with multiple air shafts and exits. If the next opening was partially collapsed, they’d have to continue searching, hoping that the other former exits hadn’t caved in or were otherwise inaccessible.

  As they continued, their route slanting downhill slightly, he remained focused on protecting their rear. If the shooter decided to come in after them, there wouldn’t be much room to maneuver. Jonas’s pistol was a better weapon than a rifle in tight spaces, but firing any weapon in these tunnels could be an act of suicide. A sudden loud sound could collapse the ceilings, which had only a few supporting timbers. Hopefully, whoever was after them would have enough sense to know that, too.

  What worried him most now was the possibility the gunman already knew where the closest exit was, and was moving on to ambush them when they came out.

  Emily placed her hand on the stone wall for balance, then suddenly pulled it back. “There’s some kind of powder on the rock face. Is it coal dust? I heard that’s explosive.”

  He took the penlight from her hand and shone it where she indicated. “Not coal, it’s white powder…” He touched it, then rubbed his fingertips together. “It feels like pollen and white shell—the contents of a medicine bundle. Dinétsoh came this way,” he said, new hope restoring his energy.

  He aimed the light toward the floor, which was coated with a fine layer of dust. “No footprints, so he must have rubbed them out as he went.”

  As the tunnel straightened again, she saw light streaming into the section ahead. “If Dinétsoh made it back out of the mine, we can, too.”

  He studied the ground carefully, taking advantage of the extra light. “Maybe he stayed inside. This tunnel joins up with what appears to be a natural cave,” he said, looking ahead and pointing to the rough, high ceiling, devoid of any supporting timbers. The walls hadn’t been cut into, and had kept their natural shape.

  “I think that’s where he went,” he said, remembering what he’d been told about Fire Rock Hollow.

  “Is there any way for us to tell for sure?” she asked, trying to see what he did, but not having much luck.

  “There’s a faint set of footprints leading in there.” Stepping over to the passage, he crouched and aimed the light to the floor of the cavern. “There’s more dried blood here, too.”

  “Let’s go then,” she said. “If he managed to stay alive, he’ll need help.”

  Jonas looked down at the ground again and shook his head. “According to this second set of tracks, he came back out. The exit print overlays one that leads in.”

  “Then where is he now?” she asked, wishing she could see in the dim light.

  “He may have gone down another tunnel and fallen into a vertical shaft, or even found a route out farther east or west. But the chances of him being alive after so many days aren’t good.” Jonas suddenly stopped speaking and put his finger over his lips. There was a faint echo of footsteps coming from the tunnel they’d taken.

  “We can’t stay here,” he said. “Head for the light and take the first exit possible.”

  About fifty feet down the largest mine shaft, they found a pile of rubble, and a big gap at the top, leading outside. “I’ll go up first and check things out,” Jonas said, handing her his pistol. “Watch behind us.”

  Emily heard him climb out, and then it was dead silent. In that stillness it felt as if the darkness of the tunnels was calling to her, whispering to a kindred spirit who’d one day live in the dark.

  Seconds turned into eternities until, at long last, she heard a noise above her. Glancing up, she saw Jonas on his knees, motioning to her.

  She climbed up the loose rubble, picking her way across the sharp rocks, and emerged into the sunlight. Breathing a sigh of relief, she made herself a promise. She would never go underground again.

  Suddenly remembering Dinétsoh, she felt her chest tighten. “We’ll have to go back in as soon as we can. Dinétsoh might still be in one of those tunnels. We can’t be one hundred percent sure until we check.”

  “We’ll come back, but right now we have to get away from here.”

  “Do you know where we are?” she asked, scanning the hillside.

  “I recognize the general area,” he said, leading the way down the slope. “We’re above Grant’s property.” He pointed off to their right. “That looks like a roof over there, about a half mile away. It must be the cabin Sam was working on. We’ll head there next.”

  “At least we now know why Jen and Sam were worried about Grant. From the looks of it, Grant was the one who killed Jefferson, and probably my father,” Emily said. “But why is he risking everything for my land? He has enough of his own.”

  “Maybe Sam and Jen can tell us more.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Jonas pulled out his cell phone as they proceeded. After making a quick call, he glanced over at her. “I told the man watching the house where Jen Caldwell is holed up to get the sheriff’s department over there immediately. She’s a material witness to the Jefferson murder now, and I don’t want Woods to catch up to her first.”

  “That’s not very likely. He’s after us at the moment.”

  Hearing Emily’s voice waver, he reached for her hand. “It’s been a long road, Em. Don’t stop believing in me.”

  As she glanced into the dark depths of his eyes, she saw determination, and another, gentler emotion that took her breath away. The Brotherhood had his loyalty, but she had his heart. “We’ll see this through together.”

  He smiled, pleased. “Now let’s go find Sam Carpenter and offer him the chance to take down his boss.”

  When they were close to the cabin, Jonas slowed his pace and signaled her to crouch. Lifting his binoculars, he studied the small, wood-framed structure.

  “There’s a pickup out front, and it looks like the one we followed last night,” he said.

  “Is anyone in sight?”

  “Yes, Sam just came out of the cabin. Now he’s pacing back and forth between the truck and the entrance, cell phone to his ear. He looks angry. There’s a rifle on the front step.”

  “What now?”

  “I’m going down there and taking him out. Once it’s safe, I’ll signal you to join me,” Jonas said.

  “No, wait. What if—” The rest of that thought was too awful to contemplate, and the words got jammed at the back of her throat.

  “Don’t worry. This is what I do. Nobody’s going to die—especially me. Just stay down and wait for my all clear.” He paused, pulled out a pen and wrote something on a page of a small notebook. “If Grant shows up, or something goes wrong, do not come to help me. Take off, hide, then call this number and ask for help.” He handed her the paper.

  “I will not ‘
take off,’” she said angrily. “How could you even think I’d run away and abandon you?”

  He expelled a breath and shook his head. “I’m here to keep you safe—”

  “Then you better keep yourself safe.”

  “All right,” he muttered, exasperated. “Stay here until you hear from me. Can I count on you to do that?”

  “For now. But maybe I can help.”

  “How?”

  “Once you’re in position and ready to jump him, give me a buzz on my cell phone. I’ll yell and wave. When he looks over at me…”

  “I make my move,” he finished with a nod. “Okay, you’re the diversion. But hit the ground if he reaches for his rifle.”

  “Deal.”

  Jonas moved silently, and she waited under cover. About five minutes later, her cell phone vibrated. Swallowing hard, she stepped out in the open and yelled, “Hey, Sam! Where’s your boss?”

  The man turned in surprise, stared a second, then stepped over to pick up his rifle.

  Before he could reach it, Jonas dived out from behind the corner of the cabin and tackled him to the ground.

  As the two men fought, each hoping to get to the rifle first, Emily raced toward them. By the time she arrived, the fight was over and Sam was on his knees. Jonas, aiming the rifle straight at him, and not taking his eyes off his prisoner, called out, “Okay, we’re—”

  “Don’t shout. I’m here.” Emily stopped about ten feet away. “Sorry. I couldn’t wait.”

  She looked at Sam and saw the man was shaking. Something told her this was more than just a reaction to the fight he’d lost.

  “You two can’t stay here. He might see—” Sam’s gaze darted around nervously. “Jen…”

  “Is safe,” Jonas finished for him.

  “No, she’s not. Grant has her. He just called me on the phone to gloat. But maybe he’ll trade me for her.”

  “Wait—Grant has Jen?” Emily looked at Jonas. “How can that be?”

  Jonas pulled out his pistol and leaned Sam’s rifle against the wall. “Emily, call the number I gave you and check. Preston will know.”

  Emily brought out the piece of paper and her cell phone, then spoke hurriedly. Less than thirty seconds later, she closed the phone. “Preston says that he was about to call you. He heard that the TV was on, but when he went in closer to take a look, no one was inside.”

  “Grant’s not stupid. He must have known you’d have someone keep an eye on her, and left the set on,” Sam said, his voice rising. “You’ve underestimated him badly.”

  “He must have followed her—and us—to Kirtland,” Jonas said, peeling his lips back in disgust.

  “You’re wasting time. I need to go—now,” Sam said. “You don’t know Grant.”

  “Do you think he’d hurt her?” Emily asked him.

  “I can’t predict him right now. He’s feeling trapped. If he’s tying up loose ends, he’ll want me dead. But as for Jen…” He shook his head. “I think he’ll keep her around and use her until he gets bored. Then he’ll kill her. The best chance she’s got is if I trade myself for her. But you have to let me go—now.”

  The sound of a single shot echoed against the bluffs, and Sam shuddered, grabbing his chest.

  Jonas instantly yanked Emily into the cabin. “Down on the floor!”

  Using the thick log walls for protection, he dropped to his knees beside the doorjamb and fired two quick shots up the road, in the direction the bullet had come from. He watched, hoping for return fire so he could get a fix on Grant’s location, but nothing happened. A minute passed, then they heard the sound of a vehicle.

  “Sam needs help.” Emily scrambled to her feet and headed for the door.

  Jonas grabbed her and pulled her back. “Stay inside. Sam’s dead.”

  “What? No.” She shook her head.

  “He took a bullet through the heart. He was dead before he hit the ground.”

  Tears streamed down her face. “I can’t do this anymore. My inn isn’t worth anyone’s life.”

  Jonas grasped her shoulders and forced her to look at him. “Em, this isn’t about your inn—not anymore. This is about fighting for what’s right. When good people look the other way and refuse to take action, evil gets the upper hand.”

  “But evil will always be around.”

  “It’s true no one can destroy evil. It’s a part of life and will always find a way to make itself felt. What we can do is bring it under control. That’s what we’re fighting for now—to restore the balance. Without that, everyone loses.”

  His words, rooted in the Navajo Way, reached her. She gathered her courage, and making sure her voice remained steady, asked, “What’s our next move? Should we go after Grant?”

  She wasn’t a warrior by trade, but she certainly had the heart of one. Knowing that she needed him more than ever sharpened his focus.

  “The sniper, probably Grant, took off in a hurry. He wasn’t interested in us,” he said, stepping outside and looking down the road. A cloud of dust indicated the passage of a vehicle. “I think Sam was right. Grant’s tying up loose ends.”

  Jonas flipped open his cell phone and spoke quickly in Navajo to Diné Nééz, asking that an area search be made to find Grant Woods, keeping an eye out for a possible hostage. After giving him a description of Jen, he hung up.

  When he turned around, he saw Emily at Sam’s laptop computer, which rested atop a small wooden table. “You need to see this,” she said quietly, turning the screen so it faced him. “It was already on, open to a file named Security. Looks like Sam’s been keeping records. He listed each of his and Jen’s ‘jobs’ for Grant, and how much they were paid. The dates for his ‘jobs’ match the attacks on us, including last night. He also kept a log and mentions finding out that Jefferson tried to blackmail Woods.” She turned her head and looked up. “Sam was eavesdropping and got caught,” she finally concluded.

  “Bad luck on his part,” Jonas said, stepping close enough to read over her shoulder.

  Emily nodded. “Sam and Jen knew too much about Grant for their own good. When Robert told Jen to research Grant’s financial profile, she found out that he owns the company that holds my mortgage. When she told Jefferson, he realized that Grant was behind the sabotage on my inn. If I was forced to sell or default on the mortgage, Grant would get my place.”

  “So Jefferson tried to cut himself in, and Grant killed him,” Jonas surmised. “Sam screwed up when he tried the same thing, pushing Grant for more money. But we’re still missing something. None of this explains why your father was attacked, and what happened to Dinétsoh. This turned into a high-stakes game for Grant somewhere along the way. What we don’t know is why. If we could figure out why buying you out was so important to him, I think we’d be able to put things together.”

  “There’s nothing on my land that can explain this,” she said flatly. “But we can’t stop to figure it out right now. We have to find Jen. I doubt Grant would hide her at his house. It’s too obvious. So where do we look?”

  “Search Sam’s other files. Maybe one of them will give us a lead,” he said.

  When a quick scan of the other data files produced nothing, Jonas looked down at the menu on the screen. “Call up his graphic files. There could be photos of Grant’s property there, maybe even the place where he’s hiding Jen.”

  Emily opened the folder and stared at the thumbnail images. “Here are several candid snapshots of Jen. But the ones at the bottom…” She shuddered as she glanced at the images of the young woman tied to a chair. “She looks terrified.”

  “Enlarge those photos, focusing on the background,” he said.

  Emily did as he asked, and swallowed as more graphic details came into view. “Grant hasn’t had Jen for very long. How could these have been taken already, and how did Sam find them so quickly?”

  “That’s not Jen,” Jonas answered. “That’s someone else who looks a lot like her. From the quality of those photos I suspect they were taken ye
ars ago with a cheap camera, then scanned in later. This might be the secret Grant’s willing to kill to protect.”

  “But where’s this place, and is that where he took Jen?” Emily studied the background for clues.

  “There’s another set of photos in the next folder.”

  Emily opened them and revealed a woman in a uniform. “Is she a waitress? I can’t make out the logo on her blouse.”

  “Look at her face. It’s the same woman that was in the other photos.”

  “She really does look a lot like Jen.” Seeing a close-up, Emily clicked on that, then stared at the photo for several moments. “I think I’ve seen her before…but years ago.”

  “A former classmate? Neighbor?”

  “No. But it’ll come to me.”

  “Send those files to this computer right now,” he said, giving her an e-mail address. “They’ll do whatever it takes to get an ID.”

  Emily did as he asked, then returned her attention to the photo of the woman tied to the chair. “Look outside the little window behind her. Those are the bluffs. Judging from the angle, I’ll bet anything that this photo was taken on the Woods property.” She glanced through the cabin’s two small windows, comparing. “But not from here.”

  “The wall behind her is unfinished. It looks like a shed,” Jonas said.

  “The only other outbuildings I remember on the Woods ranch are farther east of the house. I’ve only seen their roofs from atop the bluffs, like with this cabin, so I can’t give you any more details.”

  “We don’t know for sure where Jen is,” he said, thinking out loud. “These photos are of someone else, apparently taken years ago. Now that Grant lives alone, he might have a special place in his home where he takes women. Let’s go check the main house first. If we don’t find anything there, we’ll keep going.”

  “And if he’s at home?”

  “Then that’ll make my day, but it won’t do much for his.”

  “Sam’s truck is right outside. We’ll need to borrow it,” she said, closing up the laptop and tucking it under her arm.