Buried (A Bone Secrets Novel 03) (32 page)

Before they escaped, Chris had been struggling with a fever for a few weeks. The Ghostman had given him some medicine, and Chris had seemed better, but then he was suddenly sicker than he’d been to start with. The last three days he’d had a cough that’d shook his whole body. Today, he’d spit blood when he coughed. Last night had been so cold…Daniel didn’t want to think about sleeping in the dirt again.

He’d covered up Chris with dirt and leaves, trying to get him warm, then slept with his arms around him for body heat. Had he even slept? It felt like he’d woken up every ten minutes to strange sounds in the woods. He’d expected the Ghostman to leap out from behind every tree. Chris’s bony body didn’t offer much in the way of body heat. He swore both of them had shivered all night, but at least it hadn’t rained.

He knew it was summer. He didn’t know the month, but he did know the year. This was the second summer since he’d been taken. To him, summer meant the hole was slightly less cold. And the Ghostman would wear shorts.

He breathed deep. The air smelled so rich and clean. The hole had stunk. It’d stunk after the first week. If only the clean air was enough to give Chris the energy to keep moving.

Just before full dark last night, he’d seen a light. A moving light far off in the woods, and he’d known HE was looking for them. At least he didn’t have anyone to help him. He’d told them hundreds of times that the hellhole was his special secret that he’d shared with no one. Daniel didn’t think he’d reveal his secret now.

Chris’s legs stopped moving completely. Before, he’d at least helped balance or propel himself as Daniel dragged him along.

“I can’t. I can’t go any further. Just let me rest for a little bit. Then I’ll walk.”

Chris’s cracked lips alarmed Daniel. And he was so hot. It was like a fire was burning him from the inside out. His skin seemed lightly scorched everywhere. Almost scaly.

Daniel feared stopping. He didn’t believe he’d be able to get Chris going again. But he stopped and eased Chris down next to an ancient fallen tree. Chris sighed and closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the bark.

“I’ll just rest for a bit.”

Daniel studied his best friend. Chris’s bones stuck out everywhere, but so did Daniel’s. But Chris’s skin looked stretched so tight over the elbow when he bent his arm. The arm that he could bend. The other arm had been broken months ago and never healed right. Chris barely ever used it. The Ghostman had fashioned him a sling that he wore nonstop. He said his arm hurt whenever he took it off.

Daniel sat down next to his friend. Hot tears leaked out of his eyes, and he swiped at them angrily. Crying wasn’t going to get them out of the woods.

“Daniel?” It was a whisper.

“Yes?” Daniel wiped at his eyes again
.

“I don’t think I’m going to get back up.”

Daniel’s heart froze. “You just need a rest. Take a short nap, and you’ll be ready to go again.”

“No, Daniel. Really—”

“Shut up, Chris! Just shut up! You’re going to be fine!” His voice cracked.

Chris opened his eyes and looked straight at his friend. Daniel could see the defeat in his eyes. “We both know I’m not going any further. I can’t feel my feet, Daniel.”

Daniel flung his arms around his friend and squeezed him tight to his chest, throwing Chris into a coughing fit. Daniel didn’t let go. “No, Chris,” he whispered. “I can’t do this alone. It’s supposed to be you and me. Both of us till the end.”

Chris laid his head on Daniel’s shoulder. It felt as light as a kitten. “I know. But if something happens to me, promise you’ll keep going.”

Daniel bit back a sob. Why was Chris talking like this?

“If you were in my shoes, you’d be saying the same thing,” Chris said. “You’re my best friend. And one of us has to get out of here.”

Daniel watched his friend’s knobby chest slowly rise and fall. As long as he stuck with Chris, they’d both be okay. Chris just needed a break. Daniel closed his own eyes. He might as well rest, too. He’d just take a short nap.

Daniel startled awake. It was lighter than it’d been when he drifted off to sleep. And a little warmer. Probably closer to the middle of the day. At least he hadn’t slept the whole day away. He and Chris should get moving again. He shook Chris’s shoulder. The boys had lain completely down as they slept. Chris was curled up on his side as close to Daniel as possible to stay warm.

“Chris?” He shook him again.

The boy didn’t move. Daniel felt his empty stomach clench tight. He ran his hand across Chris’s forehead. It was cool.

“Oh God!” Daniel scooted away from the dead boy, his hands and feet scrambling on the dirt floor of the woods. He collapsed, staring at what had been his best friend. Tears flooded his eyes. He slowly crept back, keeping his gaze locked on Chris’s face. “Chris?” he whispered.

Chris didn’t answer.

Daniel touched Chris’s face with a shaking hand, pushing the hair off his cheek. His friend’s fever was gone. The stress in his face had relaxed. He actually looked restful, peaceful. Envy flashed through Daniel’s mind and vanished. He wanted that peace, too, but not like this. Daniel sat beside his friend and leaned back against the old log, and placed his friend’s head on his lap, stroking his hair.

“I left him there by the log. I couldn’t do anything else. I covered him with some brush and stuff. Then I got up and started to walk. I’m not sure how many more days went by before I stumbled into civilization. Three? Maybe four? It’s all a blur.

“After I left home for good, I went back to try to find his body. It took three different trips and a lot of camping in the forest before I located that log. I started at the farmhouse where they found me and worked my way back, taking the path of easiest resistance each time. When I finally found him, half the bones were gone. Scattered by scavengers.

“I buried what was left. And marked the site and coordinates. He was my other brother.”

“Did you look for the bunker?” Michael asked.

“God, no. I didn’t ever want to go back there. You know, before I escaped, I thought the other kids had been released. That’s what he told us he was doing.”

Michael shook his head. “He didn’t.”

“The recent news reports didn’t say how the other kids died.”

Michael thought for a second. “You’re right. I know there weren’t any bullet holes in skulls of the children at the recovery site. I don’t know if they could tell how they died.”

“We never heard any gunshots. It’s driven me crazy for years wondering what exactly happened to them. Once I was told they’d never returned, I knew he’d killed them. I’ve had nightmares where I see him doing…things to them. Sometimes not knowing is the worst part. Your brain makes up its own details.”

Tell me about it.
Michael understood too well.

“Hang on. I think I know who could answer that question.” Michael dialed his phone.

“Michael? Where are you?” Lacey Campbell’s voice spoke in his ear.

“Eastern Oregon still. You following what’s been going on out here?”

“Yes. I’ve spoken with Detective Lusco. Is everything all right?”

Michael rubbed at his eyes. “No. Jamie is missing. We’ve got every cop in Oregon looking out for our tattooed man, because we think he managed to nab her. Maybe tricked her to leave our hotel room somehow. I’m going crazy not being able to do anything.”

“God damn it! When are they going to stop him?”

“Lacey, I wanted to ask you if the ME’s office figured out how all the kids were killed.”

Lacey was silent for a second. “Why are you asking about that?”

“I need to know. I need to know what he does to them. Were they shot? Stabbed? Can you guys even tell?”

He heard her exhale noisily over the phone. “None of the bones show signs of gunshot or stab wounds. Could there have been those types of wounds and they didn’t touch the bones, yes, but it’s doubtful. Usually the bones tell. Dr. Peres didn’t find a single knife nick from a stabbing on any of the kids or the adults from the pit.”

“So how’d he do it?”

“Two of the bodies from the pit had broken hyoid bones.”

“The bone at the throat?”

“Yes. Sometimes it breaks during strangulation.”

“But none of the kids had that?”

“In children, the bone hasn’t fused. It starts as three pieces and then fuses into one as they age. Usually by age thirty, most people have fully fused hyoids. We just can’t tell on children.”

“How can you tell the difference between a broken bone and one that hasn’t fused? They’re both in pieces. Those bodies in the pit were all in their twenties, right? Maybe they weren’t strangled, maybe their hyoids hadn’t fused yet,” Michael theorized.

“Fractures cause jagged ends on the bones. Unfused bones have smooth ends. The broken adult hyoids were very jagged.”

“Got it. But strangulation wasn’t ruled out on the children.”

“No,” said Lacey. “We couldn’t rule it out. But my gut says that’s what was done.”

“Mine too. Chris says he didn’t hear any gunshots.”

“Chris?” Lacey said sharply. “You found him?”

“Oh God, Lace. I haven’t told you. Fuck. He found me.” Michael rattled off the events of the last thirty minutes.

“It’s Daniel? Are you sure?” Lacey said softly.

“Never been so sure of anything in my life.” Michael stared at his brother as he examined Brian’s bug. The boy was gesturing excitedly as he pointed out the finer parts of the bug to his father.

“Oh, Michael. How wonderful.”

“Wonderful doesn’t begin to describe it. Now I just need Jamie back. I don’t know where to start looking. Christ, Lace. It’s the absolute worst and happiest day of my life! I want to hit something and cheer at the same time.”

“They’ll find her. She’ll be okay.”

“Don’t simply say meaningless words. I need answers.”

Lacey was silent, and Michael felt like shit.

“I’m sorry, Lace. I’m absolutely at my wit’s end. I don’t know what to do, and I’ve never felt this way before. I always know what direction to head next.”

“She’s something special,” Lacey stated, but Michael knew it was a question.

“Yes, she is. She’s the one, Lace, I know it, and I can feel it in every cell of my bones. I can’t lose her when I’ve just found her!” Michael’s hands shook. He’d spoken the truth. He hadn’t realized it until that very second. It’d taken his entire life to find the woman who fit him perfectly.

Jamie was his woman. And she’d been snatched away by a killer.

Would he get her back?
He closed his eyes.
Was she still alive?

Two patrol cars stopped behind Chris’s truck. One Luna County and one OSP.

Finally.

Michael ended his conversation with Lacey. Chris stood next to Michael with Brian peeking out at the cops from behind his father.

Michael mentally shook his head.

A boy should be racing down the walkway to check out the cool police cars, not hiding.