Touched by Death (26 page)

Meg suggested, "That's often the problem. They
don't go through the grieving process. Life stops for them."

Jade agreed. She knew all about that. "I wonder
how much of Tasha's condition is genetic, considering her father."

"It's too early to know. First the doctors have
to get her physically healthy. Hopefully her mental and emotional states
will start to stabilize and strengthen as she starts to heal."

Dane turned and asked, "And if it doesn't? What's
there for her?"

"If she remains in a catatonic state. They'll
try different treatments as they attempt to bring her around. If nothing
works, she'll have to be institutionalized."

Nice. John would go from being a proud papa-to-be
with a beautiful young wife, surrounded by family, to being the only
one left alive and sane. Not good. Hadn't Dane said something about
John struggling after losing his wife years ago? Tough to go through
that again.

Jade wiped her forehead on her t-shirt. It was another
gorgeous day in paradise and that meant the sun was intense right now.
She hoped it would ease as they crested the next hill. She wished there
were more shaded spots to take a break from the direct sunlight.

Meg seemed oblivious to the scenery. "I'm sorry
for John. There's no easy answer. It's a waiting game."

"And with everyone gone, he doesn't feel like
it's his home anymore. It was Tasha and Emile's home. They grew up in
that house. Without them there, John says he feels like an interloper."

They came upon a series of rocks, obviously walked
on over the ages to the point that they were almost stairs cut into
the hillside. Dane led, Meg came next and Jade walked the last of the
line. She turned to look back. "Hey. You can see the gravesite
from here."

Meg joined her and stared over the open expanse of
valley. With the blue sky, sunshine and a gentle breeze, it was almost
perfect. "It's beautiful, you know. It's not such a bad place to
be buried."

"From the sounds of it, most of the bodies will
be going back in there too. Susan said that they had so few people coming
to look for remains of lost loved ones, she didn't know why they were
running the clinics." Jade didn't know how she felt about that.

"I imagine most people know their loved ones
are here and are happy to leave them." Meg smiled. "It's not
a bad place to rest."

"Hmm."

They carried on for another twenty minutes and stopped
for another breather and to enjoy the view. Jade couldn't get enough
of the valley scene. It was truly beautiful. The air was cleaner, fresher
the higher they climbed. She took several deep breaths, enjoying the
easing of the tension on her shoulders as she did. "Shouldn't we
have found them by now?"

"Not yet. Another hour maybe?"

"Why don't we call them? Maybe they're right
around the corner," Jade suggested.

Meg pulled her cell phone out of her pocket and called
Bruce. The three of them stopped and waited. "It's ringing but
he's not answering."

"Then send a text," Jade suggested. "That
often works if you can't get through. Could be the hill interfering
with the signal too."

With a shake of her head, Meg quickly tapped out a
message. They kept walking upwards. "Dane, where are the caves?"

"We should see the first one in ten or fifteen
minutes. A couple of them are quite big."

"I suppose travelers would have been glad to
have them too." Jade didn't think much of the idea though. All
she could think of was that predators hid out in scary dark places.

They rounded a corner and came to a stop. Dane pointed
off to the right. "Look part way up that hill, do you see the cave?"

Meg nodded.

"Is this the first one?" Jade studied the
black crevasse in the wall slightly off to the left. "It's a little
hard to see if you don't already know it's there."

"Approaching from this side, it is. There are
more just ahead."

Meg and Jade looked at each other then over at the
cave.

"I'm going to check this one out. Just in case."
True to his word, he climbed to the opening in a few easy steps. He
stared into it for a moment before disappearing into the yawning mouth.
He reappeared within minutes to half step and slide his way back down
to them. "Nothing in there. It's small and empty."

"Good. Let's check the next one."

Five minutes later, they approached the gaping black
mouth of the second cave.

Jade couldn't say why they all fell quiet. But they
did.

Dane studied the large opening in the side of the
hill. John had shown him the caves because they wanted to see if they'd
sustained damage in the quake. To rule out that anyone had sought shelter
in them. There'd been nothing unusual in any of them. They appeared
the same as the first time he'd seen them.

The first cave – had showed signs someone had been
there recently. The path appeared well traveled. There could be any
number of locals coming through here. Just because Emile and Tasha considered
this their backyard didn't mean it was.

With a glance toward the two women, he started toward
the second cave. They stayed behind. Maybe it was due to their nervousness,
but he approached warily. Large boulders sat piled high off to one side
of the dark entrance as if from a cave-in. The opening was smaller than
it looked. Bending over slightly, he peered in until his eyes adjusted
to the darkness then he navigated to a spot further in.

Inside, he straightened slightly and surveyed the
small open space that narrowed almost to a point at the back. The cave
appeared empty. Large boulders dotted the floor and the light was dim
but there was enough that he could see as he walked all the way to the
back to make sure it was empty. He understood that the girls were looking
for Dr. Mike, but he hadn't been able to forget that this was actually
Peppe's backyard. The old man could have taken up residence anywhere
here or been injured and lying wounded or dead inside. Dr. Mike, he'd
have assumed would be close to the entrance if he were here, in the
event help came along.

Not so in the case of the missing Peppe. Dane had
the utmost respect for the medical profession yet when it came to mental
instability, they often didn't have any answers. Look at Tasha.

He gave the inside one more cursory glance.

"Dane? Is there anything in there?"

He headed back to the sunlight. "No, it's empty."

"Nothing in the back?" Meg asked, frowning.

"Not that I saw. And yes I walked right to the
back."

Jade stepped forward carefully. "I think I'd
like to check it out. I've never really been in a cave like this."

Dane stepped aside as Jade bent down and walked past
him. He followed.

She glanced around and walked to the far back. "It
really goes deep, doesn't it?" She peered into the darkness. "Did
you say there was a third cave? We've checked two. Might as well take
a look at the last one."

"Sure, it's only a minute or so away. Come on."

He led the way back out to where Meg was enjoying
the sunshine.

"Jade wants to see the last cave. It's actually
the biggest."

Meg brightened. "I'd like to see it too. This
is a great hike."

Jade smiled slightly. "It would be, except
where are the guys?"

Meg glanced down at her watch. "Trust a little
more. I'm sure they'll be here soon."

Jade sighed. "Let's hope so."

Dane, who had continued along the path, turned back.
"Ladies? Are we going to check out the last one or not?"

The two women raced to catch up.

J
ade stared at the massive black hole and shuddered.
That cave might look good to some people. Not to her. There was nothing
comforting about it. In fact, the shivers going down her back were telling
her the opposite. "I so don't like the look of this place."

She felt Dane's curious gaze. He reached out and grabbed
her hand. She stared down at their entwined fingers and smiled weakly.
"Thanks. Let's go in, then go back. I think I've had enough."

"Done." he said easily. "You don't
have to come in with me if you don't want to."

"No, I don't, but I will. Then I'll know there
isn't anything to be afraid of inside."

Dane smiled and tugged her closer. She didn't mind.
It was nice to have a strong, protective male around. For that matter
Meg was walking pretty darn close to them both.

At the entrance, they paused for a long moment for
their eyes to adjust, then walked around the stack of boulders protecting
the entrance. Inside, the cave showed signs of heavy use over the ages
– not so much recent activity. There was a fire pit close to
the mouth of the cave, only there was no wood or coals in the area.
There were ledges and large flat rocks though. Jade pictured people
spending hours there talking. At the back of the cave, where the blackness
was so thick you couldn't see two feet in front, were more boulders.
Dropping Dane's hand, Jade headed to the back, toward all the boulders.
There was no reason for anyone to be back here. She just needed to make
sure.

She wandered around, stubbing her toes on rocks in
the dark and scraping her hands as she clambered over the bigger ones
in her search. She'd just about given up, when she heard the faintest
of sounds.

"Did you guys hear anything?"

Meg called from the entrance, "No. Nothing."

"Dane? Did you?"

"I'm not sure." He navigated toward her.

Jade thought the sound had come from the left. She
climbed carefully, so as to not twist an ankle in the treacherous debris
lying up against the walls. A soft moan sounded. She gasped with excitement.
"I think I hear someone. Dane, come here."

She moved carefully, struggling to make out what she'd
heard. The noise had definitely come from somewhere off to the left
and in a little further. The walls slanted sharply and were heaped with
rocks along the bottom. The darkness was cloying. She scrambled over
a boulder and came to a halt.

"Dr. Mike!"

"What!" Shocked joy lit Meg's voice.

Dane reached Jade first; Meg came tearing to join
them. "Is it him? Really?"

"I think so. It's hard to see."

"Hang on. Let me move some of this." Dane
bent and cleared a space so he could crouch down. Meg and Jade kneeled
down beside Dr. Mike who lay in a crumpled ball. Dane ran through his
mental checklist of first aid training even as Meg checked the unconscious
man's head. Dane leaned across the prone man, tracing down his arms
to his hands that were tucked behind his back. He came to a stop. Please
not. "Shit."

"What?' He felt both girls stare at him. About
all he could see were the whites of their eyes.

"Christ." His mind raced even as he reached
for his old Swiss army knife.

"Dane, you're scaring us."

"And you need to be scared. He's been tied up."

Shocked silence, then gasps of horror were followed
by tears. "Tied up, as in someone brought him here and left him
to die?"

"We don't know that. Someone obviously left him
here, but they might be coming back."

He opened the knife and hesitated. "I wish we'd
thought to bring a flashlight. I can't see what I'm cutting."

"Let's move him out into the sun and then cut
him loose?"

He studied the path ahead of them. "I need to
clear a few of these rocks. Then we should be able to pick him up and
carry him out."

"We'll help you." Meg and Jade started moving
more rocks to clear a path. Five minutes later, Dane scooped up the
injured man, wincing at the unconscious man's groans, and carried him
out into the sun.

Jade hovered like a mother hen with a long-lost chick
as Dane gently laid Dr. Mike on the ground. More rocks than dirt and
so little shade as not to count, but the sunlight would be warm and
welcome to the injured man. Dane cut the bonds around Dr. Mike's wrists.
Dr. Mike's arms fell apart as if boneless and a soft pained groan erupted
from the man. Meg grabbed one of his arms and rubbed with short hard
strokes. Jade snatched up the second arm and together they massaged
life back into them. Dane worked on Dr. Mike's legs. She didn't know
how long he'd been lying in there, but getting the circulation running
properly through those limbs had to hurt.

Meg checked Dr. Mike over thoroughly. She found dried
blood at the back and side of his head, but not very much. She pointed
it out; both Jade and Dane peered at it and shrugged. It didn't look
that bad. Meg continued to check Dr. Mike over. "Right ankle is
puffy and he has just the one head injury that I can see – the rest
of him appears to be fine. Unless he has internal injuries."

With those words, Dr. Mike blinked several times and
tried to open his eyes in the bright sunlight. "Hi," he said
in a raspy voice.

That prompted Jade to reach for her water bottle,
and with Dane's help, they hefted Dr. Mike up slightly. Jade held his
head steady in the crook of her arm. "Dr. Mike, try to drink some
water." She poured the water gently into Dr. Mike's mouth. Just
a little to begin with, moistening the inside of his mouth first. Then
she poured in a little more.

He swallowed greedily. Taking in more, sip by sip,
until he could drink fully.

"That's better."

Dr. Mike sighed. He smiled gently. "So glad you
found me."

"So are we."

He made an effort to raise his head, then gave up.
"I don't feel so good. It seems like forever that I was in there."

"Overnight most likely. The thing is you're off
the beaten track a fair bit." Meg nudged him gently. "We found
the SUV and had no idea where you'd gotten too. Or how? Can you tell
us what happened?"

He winced, took a deep breath and lunged to a sitting
position. A surprised look washed over his face. The color drained from
his cheeks, his eyes rolled into the back of his head. With a weird
squeak he crumpled back to the ground.