Scream for Me (9 page)

Marsh rolled his shoulders as he studied the map. “The caves have been used plenty over the years. Indians used ’em for some rituals, Confederate soldiers hid in them and stored weapons in there. Hell, the story goes that even some of Jesse James’s men stayed in them once, when they were running from the law. The caves stretch for miles and miles. The areas I know about, anyway.”

Miles and miles
. “You’re taking me to those caves.” Because from what Kyle was hearing, they sounded like the perfect spot for the killer.

Marsh scratched his chin. “You wouldn’t have to worry about hunters finding her in those caves. Hell, you wouldn’t have to worry about animals getting to her, either. Not in there.”

“The caves are dangerous,” James said, stepping forward with a hard shake of his head. “There was a cave-in there a few years back. Geologists said the whole place could collapse at any moment. Sending men in there—”

“I’ll take the risk,” Kyle said. No hesitation.

“So will I,” Cadence added. He’d known she would say that.

James exhaled and gave a slow nod.

“And I’ll lead you.” Marsh had straightened his shoulders. “I’ll show you the area, and if Lily is there, we’ll find her.”

Damn straight they would, but Kyle wasn’t about to let the task force lose focus. He pointed to the map once more. “Anniston, you keep a team searching near the south ridge area. Officer Crenshaw, you keep interviewing the folks from Striker’s. Someone knows something, someone saw
something
.”

They would all keep working. And they would
find
Lily.

I just want to find her alive
.

“How come tourists aren’t flooding to these caves?” Cadence asked Jason as they headed deeper into the woods and toward the entrance to the caves.

Kyle kept steady pace with them, not about to be left behind. He knew Cadence was worried about him, but he had this.

He finally fucking had this.

I’m going to find you
. He was going to find the man who’d taken Lily—the same bastard he believed had taken his sister, and he would make the guy pay.

Cadence had asked him,
Who were you killing?
In his dreams—his nightmares—there was one person Kyle killed again and again.
The man who took Maria
.

“Captain was right about the caves being dangerous. We had some geologists come in a few years ago. They did some tests, said it wasn’t safe for folks.” Jason came to a stop before a heavy slab of stone. “Up in Kentucky, they have Mammoth Caves. Mammoth stretches for over a hundred miles.”

Kyle damn well hoped the caves in Paradox weren’t as vast. If they were, more than just three folks needed to be out there.

“How far do the caves stretch here?” Cadence asked as she approached the slab.

As Kyle got closer, he realized there was darkness behind the slab. Twisting vines, grass, and what looked like a dark window.

The entrance to the caves.

“At least fifty miles, according to the geologist.” Jason pulled a flashlight from his backpack. They’d all taken the time to stock up
some packs before they left the station. “But most of the tunnels are unstable, so they didn’t go too far down them. Just estimated.” He glanced back at Kyle and Cadence. “They were from Auburn University. They measured for days, then said we needed to keep folks away, that it was too dangerous inside.”

Yet they were all about to head right into the window of darkness.

Jason eyed them both. “Guess I should’ve asked sooner, but have you two ever explored caves before?”

Kyle stared back at him. “A time or two.” More than that, but they didn’t need to go over his history right then.

“So I guess you don’t have any problem with tight spaces, huh, Agent McKenzie?” Jason asked.

“No, I don’t,
Officer
Marsh.”

Jason gave him a hard smile. “Actually, it’s
Detective
.”

The guy was getting on his damn nerves. And if he sent one more longing glance toward Cadence when they had a fucking job to do—

Cadence rolled her shoulders. “Let’s get moving.”

Jason offered him a faint smile. “At least you left your suit behind. Good thinking.”

Screw off
. Kyle headed forward, the hiking boots he’d picked up helping him to move easily over the rougher terrain.

Then it was Jason’s turn to hurry to keep up with him and Cadence.

Sunlight trickled just inside the cave’s interior, showing them a long, narrow tunnel.

“Like I said,” Jason murmured, “I hope you don’t mind tight spaces.”

Kyle glanced at Cadence. Had she flinched?

No, not her…

Had she?

Cadence reached into her pack and pulled out a small light. The light was attached to a length of elastic. She slipped the elastic band onto her head, then adjusted the strap so it fit securely. The black strap blended with her hair, and she hit the button on the front to illuminate her way. “Let’s stop wasting time, boys. Jason, take us to the areas you know first.”

No, Cadence didn’t sound afraid. He’d seen her stare down killers. She rarely ever felt fear.

That he knew of.

Jason took the lead, heading forward in the tunnel. Silence followed as they trekked deeper into the darkness.

Soon Kyle saw more openings, twisting paths leading from the main tunnel. Heavy stalactites sprouted from the ceiling, while thick stalagmites grew from the bottom, some nearly meeting in places.

The caverns were old. Very, very old.

“A small stream flows just ahead. Watch your step,” Jason advised without glancing back.

Kyle was already watching his and Cadence’s steps. His own headlamp swept the area. He’d secured it moments after Cadence adjusted hers. There was no sign anyone had been in the area anytime recently.

No sign of anyone at all.

“Is there another entrance?” Kyle asked.

“Not that I’ve found,” was Jason’s answer.

“With fifty miles to cover, maybe you just haven’t found it yet.” Cadence moved easily over the stream. She had on tennis shoes. Jeans. Her hair slid over her shoulders. “Maybe there’s a lot you haven’t found.”

Just as she reached the edge of the stream, her tennis shoe slipped.

Kyle lunged for her.

But Jason beat him. “I’ve got you,” he told her, curling his hand around hers.

Holding her a little too tight.

Cadence pulled away. “I’m good.”

Kyle hated that cop.

“Yes,” Jason agreed softly. “You are.” Then he pointed to the right. “This way, it will take us deeper inside the caverns.”

Kyle didn’t want this to be a waste of time. He wanted to find something, anything.

His head turned to the left. To the right.

He saw only rocks. The heavy walls of the caves.

Nothing to guide him.

Nothing to help him.

Deeper they went. Another chamber opened up, heavier with stalactites, bigger.

“I call this place the ballroom.” Jason pointed inside, to the right. “It looks like they’re dancing.”

Sure enough, the rocks were twisted, seeming to form the outlines of two figures, wrapped tightly together.

A trick cavers used. Naming chambers, describing the shapes they saw so they could remember where they were.

“From the ballroom, you head back out, cross the stream, and go straight down the corridor.” Jason was staring at Cadence. What else was new? “Remember that.”

“We’ve got it,” Kyle flatly assured him.

They went about ten more feet.

The path split. Two dark tunnels.

Which way to go?

“This will take you to a few more chambers,” Jason said, pointing to the right. “It’s easier to navigate.”

“The left,” Kyle said.

Jason frowned. “Why? It’s gonna be harder.”

“If he’s hiding Lily here, he wouldn’t put her in a spot that was easy to find.” No, the killer would go deeper into the caves. He’d take the path others wouldn’t.

Jason nodded. “I haven’t ever been far in there. We need to be careful because there was a cave-in when the geologists were up here.” But he was turning. Going into the tunnel on the left.

Kyle’s light swept into the interior. He saw the heavy veil of rocks, where it looked like part of the ceiling and wall had fallen in.

Gingerly, the group made their way past the rocks.

“If our guy brought Lily in here…hell, I don’t see how he
could
,” Marsh muttered. “It’s hard enough for us to maneuver, without having to worry about pulling in a body, too.” It was cooler inside the caves than it had been outside, the stifling heat gone, and there was a heavy stillness.

As quiet as a tomb
.

Two more paths cut away from the tunnel.

“Statue of Liberty,” Cadence murmured.

Frowning, Kyle followed her gaze. His light connected with hers and shone on the rocky image. One that sure enough looked like Lady Liberty holding up a torch.

“Right or left at the statue?” Jason wanted to know.

Kyle wanted to split up. Wanted Jason to head left while he and Cadence went to the right. They could cover more ground, faster, that way.

“What’s that?” Cadence asked. She went to the right.

Where more rocks had fallen.

The cave-in had reached this area, too.

His headlamp lit the scene as Cadence crouched down. She was reaching toward a stone that had been bleached white.

That’s not a stone
.

“Is that what I think it is?” Jason asked as he pressed close.

Kyle’s breath sawed from his lungs. What Cadence was near looked like a human femur.

Bile rose in his throat.

He’d known Cadence was looking for a dump site, but to find the remains—“It’s not her,” broke from him, a hard growl of denial.
Not Maria. Not Maria
. The mantra repeated in his head.

“Are there more?” Jason demanded in the same instant as he headed toward Cadence.

Carefully, Cadence pushed aside the rock. “Yes.” Soft. Sad.

Kyle advanced. Saw that—
fuck
—there were more. Old, tattered clothing covered the bones. “Is there a necklace?” His voice rasped out the question.
Maria always wore her necklace…her half-moon…

“I can’t tell,” Cadence said softly, sadly. “There are too many rocks.”

That’s not my sister
. He didn’t
want
it to be Maria. Beautiful Maria, reduced to this.
No
.

“Call it in,” Cadence ordered Jason.

He scrambled for his radio. Tried to make contact. When it didn’t work, he yanked out his phone. “There’s no signal here!”

No, Kyle hadn’t really expected there would be. They’d traveled down as they headed deeper and deeper into the caverns.

Cadence was still crouched on the ground, studying those bones.

Kyle’s muscles had locked down. Could that be his sister? Christ.
Don’t be Maria. Don’t be
.

It looked like the remains were covered by a dress. A woman. A woman who’d been hidden down in this giant tomb. If it hadn’t been for the cave-in, would she still be hidden?

Jason bent down next to Cadence. Kyle frowned at him. The guy needed to get out of there and get some backup for them.

“There’s something on her,” Cadence whispered as she bent forward.

Her
. Kyle’s breath was cold in his lungs

“A wire?” Jason said, voice rising. “It is! Looks like it’s pinning her down.” He reached for the wire.

The fool
reached
for it.

“No!” Cadence and Kyle shouted at the same time.

But it was too late. Jason had pulled on the wire. He glanced up, eyes wide at their shouts, as the detonation began.

A trap
.

Jason had taken the bait.

Kyle grabbed for Cadence, locking his arms around her and yanking her back even as Jason lurched forward, surging desperately for escape. Jason shoved against Cadence and Kyle, knocking them to the ground as he ran.

Then an explosion blasted through the chamber, an explosion that had the ceiling collapsing and the walls falling in on them.

Kyle held Cadence as close as he could.

As the rocks hit him.

CHAPTER FIVE

Darkness. A perfect black that made Cadence wonder if she was dreaming. Or dead.

Then the pain came, and she knew she was still alive.

“Kyle?” She whispered his name, afraid that if she spoke too loudly, she might start another cave-in.

Something heavy was on top of her, heavy and warm. Not rocks.

“I’m here.”

He
was on top of her.

His body curled over hers, shielding her.

She felt the rustle of his breath on her cheek, but she couldn’t see him. The darkness was too perfect and complete.

“Are you okay?” she asked softly. Cadence could still hear the faint tumble of rocks.

“Yeah. You?”

Her back ached. The back of her head throbbed, and she could feel the wetness of blood on her legs, but… “Yes, I’m fine.” Nothing she couldn’t handle.

“There are rocks on me,” he told her, keeping his voice low. “Give me a minute and let me see what I can do.”