Death Cache

by Tiffinie Helmer

  How could Nadia have lied to her like this? She’d thought they’d been friends, good friends, best friends. But all this time Nadia had slept with Gage and never told her? What did that say about the type of person she was? What other deep dark secrets did Nadia have?

  Tern inched away from her to the edge of the bed. What if right now she was sleeping beside a killer? Nadia could have taken Lucky down if she’d gotten the jump on him, surprised him. They were having sex, could she have killed him then, when his guard was down?

  Oh, God. How could she even suspect Nadia of such a thing? But then she’d suspected Robert of the same until he’d been grazed by a bullet. A bullet that Nadia could’ve shot at him. No, her. Robert had saved Tern from being shot. He’d tackled her to the ground and had been winged for his trouble.

  She was going round and round until the thoughts were knocking at the roof of her skull, making her head pound. She’d had enough head pounding today. She needed to examine the possibility that Gage was behind this. She didn’t want to, but then if she didn’t at least consider him it could be the death of her.

  Obviously Gage wasn’t the man she thought him to be. First he’d left her without a word, kept secrets from her. Could he be willing to kill her too? Whoever had set this up wanted her dead.

  Wanted all of them dead.

  A hand fell on her shoulder and she jumped.

  “Hey, it’s okay,” Nadia whispered. “It’s just me.”

  And that was supposed to reassure her?

  By the direction of light flittering into the cabin, she’d been playing round robin with her thoughts for some time. She heard Robert’s soft snoring on the opposite side of the room. But nothing from the chair where Gage kept watch. Was he still awake? Was he even still there? The shadows were deeper where he’d taken up his position. She would have heard him leave. Right?

  “Listen,” Nadia continued to whisper. “I’m really sorry you had to find out about Gage and me that way. I didn’t mean to hurt you or blurt it out like that. It’s just that this whole situation is so messed up that I’m saying and doing things I wouldn’t normally do.”

  “I don’t want to talk about it, Nadia.” She wanted peace. She wanted sleep. Escape. Above all, she wanted this burning in her heart to stop.

  “I don’t like you being mad at me.” The whine was back in Nadia’s voice, and it had Tern grinding her teeth.

  “You should have told me about you and Gage way before now.” And why had she told her when she’d caught them together. That spoke of jealously. Which had Tern rethinking how Nadia could be behind all this.

  “Can’t we work it out? You have to forgive me.”

  Not going to happen tonight or anytime soon. “Nadia, right now you need to stay the hell away from me. I’ll let you know when and if I’m ready to talk.”

  “Okay, but you might want to consider something I’ve been bothered about. Robert’s been shot, you’ve been knocked out, me too, but nothing has happened to Gage. I think there’s something fishy about that.” Nadia turned and lay on her back. “Just know that I love you Tern.”

  Sure, twist the knife in her heart.

  How did Nadia love her and then betray her like this? For that matter how did Gage? And damn it, Nadia had a good point.

  Why hadn’t Gage been attacked, when the rest of them had?

  Gage sat in the dark, listening to Nadia beg Tern to forgive her. If Tern was smart, Nadia had lost her position as friend. It didn’t miss his attention that he sat where he could see the bed, see Tern, and that his shotgun was more trained on Nadia than the front door.

  Telling Tern that they’d slept together one night when they’d both drank too much had been vicious and possibly cunning. There was more to Nadia than she’d let on.

  She’d come on to him strong when they’d first met at UAF. They worked in different departments, she a professor of mathematics, he a scientist for the Geophysical Institute specializing in the study of the aurora borealis. Most of his time was spent outside Fairbanks in Poker Flats, Normally, they wouldn’t have met even professionally, but the University was small and Fairbanks, while the second largest city in Alaska, was by no means a major metropolis. Yet, they’d kept ‘running’ into each other. He wouldn’t put it past Nadia to have hunted him out.

  Could she have stalked him? Or was he completely losing it?

  She’d been sweet. Too sweet. Too accommodating. In a moment of weakness, he’d ignored his big brain for his smaller one and taken her up on her blatant invitation. He’d regretted it immediately. As kindly as he could, he explained that a relationship was not for him. Had he been the trigger?

  Didn’t they say with every psychopath, there was a trigger that started them on a killing spree?

  What if him hooking up with Tern had flipped something inside Nadia? But then he’d left Tern. He was ashamed to admit it now, but he’d run from Tern like a scared hare from a hungry wolf. Yes, the situation with his sister, and his incarceration, were valid reasons to have left and stayed gone, but he should have called and explained things to her.

  It didn’t make sense for Nadia to have flipped over that. What kind of proof did he have that she was a psychopath other than she was a bitch and bothered the shit out of him?

  It wasn’t like Tern hadn’t slept with anyone before him. Hell, he faced them all on this trip. What was the big deal that she found out about Nadia?

  Oh, this was so not the way to go.

  Lucky must have been her experimental stage. God knew that man had more thrill genes than brains. Robert must have been a rebound. He represented family and Gage knew how important family was to Tern and how much she wanted children of her own. Mac was easy. He was the father figure. Gage couldn’t find anything negative to say about Mac. He’d respected the man, had looked forward to getting to know him better.

  The bed squeaked as Tern adjusted her position. How he wanted to lie next to her. It had been too long since they had actually shared a bed, and he wanted time. Time to be with her, explore her, and make amends that were long overdue. He was such an idiot not to see what he had. She was his match. His soulmate. It was so sappy, but that was how he felt. He was complete with her, fulfilled, and not just in a sexual way. Though the sex rocked.

  He’d done nothing but fuck up his chances with her from the beginning. Not telling her the full truth about his acquaintance with Nadia. Because of that, he might have lost her completely. She loved him, but did she love him enough to forgive his sorry ass?

  His hands tightened around the shotgun. He had to keep them all alive, prove to Tern that he was worthy of her love, her respect. Then maybe she’d give him a chance to grovel at her feet.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

  Tern looked around the quiet cabin once more before shutting the door. Was it weird of her to GPS this location for future reference? She wanted to know who had lived here and what happened to them. Hopefully she’d be given the chance to find out if they made it out of here alive. She’d like to return to this spot, even though her memories of it were bittersweet.

  She glanced at the pond with longing as they traipsed by on their way into the forest. If only Nadia had kept her mouth shut. But then she’d rather know the truth than be deceived, right? Of course she wanted the truth.

  She watched the movements of Gage’s broad shoulders in front of her. He still insisted on carrying her pack. She’d told him she was fine, but he’d taken it from her anyway. She kind of felt bad because no one offered to help Nadia’s with hers. Thankfully, Nadia had stopped bitching about it, but insisted she take the rear and Robert at least break the trail for her.

  The weather had cleared. Bringing heat that filtered through the birch leaves and helped keep the buzzing mosquitoes down to a slower slapping level. They didn’t seem to bother her as much as the men and Nadia.

  Everything bothered Nadia.

  She even complained about the sun. It had to be by far the most beautiful day since they’d lef
t Fairbanks. Tern tried to shut her out, as the men were doing. Men could ignore women as though it was an art form. Nadia was only doing this because Tern hadn’t forgiven her yet. Like this behavior would endear her into forgetting that she’d lied to Tern all this time. Gage had been smart enough to leave Tern alone, other than checking out the bump on her head. She sported a nice pair of shiners today, and the never-ending headache continued to beat on, but she was fine.

  The terrain was steep as they hiked down to the river. The trail narrowed on the rocky cliff with the rushing river below. The cold humidity of the water was a welcome relief as they struggled over the rough landscape. Rapids rushed by some fifty to sixty feet below them as they carefully navigated the loose shale. It was a deadly drop to the gunmetal, silt-filled waters below. It was a relief to know they’d soon be at the riverbank. They just needed to find a safe way down the razor-sharp edge without falling to their deaths.

  “Watch your footing,” Gage hollered. “Hold onto something. Trail looks easier up ahead.”

  Good. She was getting vertigo from climbing so high over the rushing water. They made the bit Gage called ‘easier’, but they still needed to stay alert and watch every step. At least here there were struggling birch trees to hold onto.

  A gunshot rang out, followed by Nadia’s horrifying scream, and then a splash echoed from far below. Tern swiveled as Gage knocked her to the uneven ground.

  “Nadia!” Tern screamed.

  Robert had hit the dirt, too, but there was no sign of Nadia. Another shot rang out close to them. Shattered shale flew into the air like shards of glass. Robert swore, rivaling the cursing coming from Gage as he attempted to flatten her into the ground with the heavy blanket of his body.

  “Nadia!” Tern screamed again. A sob lodged in her throat. “Where the hell is she?” No one answered her and Tern was afraid she knew why.

  “Move back, take cover!” Gage yelled, the words ringing in her ears as he dragged her into the safety of the trees away from the cliff face and raining bullets.

  “Shit, shit, shit!” Robert muttered a litany of swear words like a prayer as he belly-crawled after them.

  Gage picked Tern up, half-carrying her to a thick stand of birch where he deposited her behind the trunk of the largest tree. He knelt in front of her, his eyes wild and filled with fury and dread.

  “You all right?” His hands roved over her body checking to see if she was hit.

  “Nadia,” she pleaded, grabbing his shoulders. “You’ve got to help Nadia.”

  “She’s beyond help now.”

  “No, we have to go after her.”

  “You heard the splash. If she wasn’t shot, the fall killed her.”

  “She’s a good swimmer,” Tern argued. “What if she’s hanging onto the side of the cliff right now?”

  “I saw her go over,” Robert said, joining them. “I’m sorry, Tern.”

  “No!” Tern scrambled to stand and rush passed the men. Gage caught her around the waist and swung her off her feet. “There’s got to be a way to save her.”

  “Even if she survived the fall, the water’s too cold, moving too fast, and has already drowned her with silt.”

  “We have to do something,” she begged on a sob, struggling in his rigid hold.

  Gage twisted Tern in his arms and shook her. “There’s nothing to do. She’s gone. And unless you want to die, too, you’ll have to grieve later. Robert?”

  “Ready.”

  “Ready for what?” Tern asked. The men ignored her as they went into some type of combat mode.

  Robert was on his knees, the muzzle of his rifle cocked between branches, the butt of the gun snug against his shoulder, one eye closed and the other looking through the scope.

  “We’ll head southeast, away from the river into deeper brush,” Gage said, his hold on her tightening in readiness. “You got enough bullets?”

  “Yes. Now go!” Robert started shooting, the repeat of the rifle deafening.

  They ran as Robert laid down cover for them. Tern did her best to keep up with Gage. She knew he’d staggered his stride to make it easier for her, but he still had to drag her along behind him, helping her when she stumbled. They ran until she gasped for air and her legs turned to jelly. Yet they still ran, dogging branches and tearing through brush.

  Would they ever stop? Would this nightmare ever end?

  Were they all going to die?

  She could no longer hear the gunfire. Did that mean Robert had taken care of the killer, or was he now dead himself?

  Just like Nadia.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT

  “We’ll stop here,” Gage said, his breathing heavy, his chest heaving. He struggled out of the backpacks he’d been shouldering and bent at the waist trying to catch his breath.

  Everything that she’d been running from crashed into her. “This can’t be happening. Why?” She gasped as the pain of Nadia’s loss cut through her. “Why her? She never hurt anybody.”

  Gage pulled her into his arms. “I’m sorry, Tern.” He kissed her forehead. Then he was helping her to sit on the ground as her body crumbled in on itself with grief.

  Just last night she’d lain next to Nadia while Nadia begged for forgiveness.

  She’d gone to her death thinking Tern hated her. Another series of sobs racked her body. What were the last words she’d spoke to her? They came crashing back with sharp clarity.

  Right now you need to stay the hell away from me.

  If they’d stayed at the cabin, like Nadia had wanted to, she’d still be with them.

  Robert crashed through the bushes. “I scared off the motherfucker. Guy tucked tail and scurried back into the trees like the coward he was. I gave chase for a few but couldn’t catch up to the murdering asshole.”

  Tern lurched to her feet and threw herself into Robert’s arms. She’d been so terrified he’d been killed too. Robert staggered back under her weight but wrapped his arms tightly around her. “Now this I like.” He nuzzled his lips into the crook of her neck, and his hand cupped her butt. She pushed out of his grasp.

  “What? No kiss?”

  A tear escaped her and she angrily whipped it away. She knew he was attempting humor to dispel the tragedy they’d just experienced, but it didn’t do any good. Tears streamed down her cheeks again, and the sobs came harder.

  “Hey, you don’t have to kiss me. Just stop that. Please.” His voice cracked.

  Gage wrapped an arm around her and brought her carefully, like she was glass, into the safety of his broad shoulders. “We have to keep moving, Tern.”

  She nodded, but the tears wouldn’t stop.

  “Oh, shit. Shut her up, man.” Robert turned and suspiciously wiped at his own eyes.

  “Are you sure?” Tern choked out. “Absolutely positive?”

  Robert didn’t pretend he didn’t know what she was asking. “Yeah. Everything happened so fast, but I saw that bright pink backpack of hers hit the river. I’m so sorry, Tern.”

  Tern nodded, but her lips wouldn’t stop trembling.

  “Come on,” Gage said.

  “No. We need to recover Nadia’s body. Make sure she’s…”

  “There’s nothing we can do for Nadia,” Gage said, his tone hardening.

  “I don’t have a body to bury for Lucky—”

  “Don’t forget his head’s bagged and on ice with Mac.” Robert backed up a few steps from the look she shot his way. “Sorry. But I’m not going after Nadia’s body. Not when someone’s been shooting at us.”

  “He’s right,” Gage said. “He’s a jerk, but he’s right.”

  “Hey!”

  “Shut up, Robert.”

  “We need to go after the son of a bitch.” Tern fists tightened, wanting them around the throat of the murderer who’d brought her so much heartache.

  “Think it through, Tern,” Gage said. “You’re riding on emotions. We don’t know where he is, why he’s doing this. We’re running out of ammo. We don’t have any food, an
d no way to contact help. Our best chance to stay alive is to make it to the river.”

  “I’m not running any more. If I sit here long enough, the murdering coward will find me, and I’ll get him.”

  “The hell you will. I’m not going to let you get yourself killed.”

  “What? Like Lucky and Mac and Nadia got themselves killed?”

  “You’re smarter than this. You know we need to get to safety.” Gage stared at her, willing her to understand.

  She swallowed the biting remark dying to fly from her mouth and wrangled in her emotions. He was right. She was reacting. Not thinking.

  She nodded.

  “Good,” Robert said. “Glad that’s settled. I need a minute to give nature my best, and then we’ll get out of this fucking forest.” He headed into the trees, one hand unbuckling his belt, the other still tightened around his rifle.

  “I gotta hand it to Robert,” Gage said with a small smile. “While he’s useless most of the time, he’s good in a gunfight. I’m grateful he had our backs today.”

  “I should have told him that.”

  Gage cracked a smile. “You did when you plaster yourself to him.”

  “Yeah, well. Jerk copped a feel while I was showing him my ‘gratitude’.”

  “Can’t say I blame him.” Gage swallowed. “Listen, Tern, about what happened yesterday with Nadia—”

  “I don’t want to talk about it.” Tern grabbed her pack and struggled into the straps, hitching it onto her shoulders.

  “We need to before—”

  “Before what? Another one of us dies, and it’s too late?”

  The look in his eyes answered for him.

  “You’ll just have to keep us alive then, won’t you?”

  “Loving you isn’t going to be easy, is it?”

  “Nothing worth having ever is.”

  Robert’s terrified scream echoed through the forest.

  CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE

  They found Robert on his back, pants around his knees, blood covering his head and torso. “Damn bitch caught me with my pants down, taking a shit!” At least he was conscious and still breathing.