by Casi McLean
He huffed and rolled his eyes. “So, I could see your chamber. I’m genuinely interested in examining exactly where you found your amulet.”
She clutched her bag closer. What Jack said made sense. And her nerves had been on edge for the past two weeks, not to mention having the flu from hell over the last two days. Syd turned to face Jack. “I’m sorry. My head is still foggy. I shouldn’t have jumped to a ridiculous conclusion.” Her stomach grumbled and she shifted in her seat to relieve the discomfort. “And thank you for paying my hotel bill.”
“Apology accepted, and you’re welcome.” He snatched a magazine from his computer bag then shoved the case under his seat. “No offense, but you looked pretty rough yesterday. I’m sure Clay would have been happy to reschedule if you had asked.”
“Of course, he would have. But Clay rearranged his plans to accommodate me and I didn’t want to put him out. I’m anxious to learn more about this amulet as much, if not more than both of you. Besides, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to push through an illness for work. I’ll be fine.”
By the time they landed, met Clay, and pulled onto the highway toward Sharon, Sydney’s flu had returned with a second punch––this one with a vengeance stronger than the first. Her stomach twisted in knots. Heat flushed her entire body, changing from hot one minute to a chill the next. Her neck prickled from sweat beads under her mop of hair, and her appetite was non-existent. Even the mere talk of food tossed her stomach. But she hid her symptoms as best she could. During the trip to Sharon, she distracted herself by recounting to Clay and Jack the details of her previous trip.
When Clay parked the car in front of the house, Syd excused herself and ran inside to the bathroom. Worried she might not remember precisely where she discovered the stone structure, she strained her memory. Searching for Noah, she’d followed the GPS from his phone. Now, she had no device to lead her. Closing her eyes, she envisioned her search but saw only a vague mass of trees. She left the house that day and walked down the trail into the woods… Maybe she’d recall more along the path. After splashing cool water on her face and neck, she took more Tamiflu and sipped a bit of water to swallow the medicine, fearing more than a few drops would cause her to heave. After several long breaths, she walked down the stairs to the great room.
“So, this is where the gunfire started?” Clay asked.
Syd gazed around. Nothing seemed out of place. Had they left the home this spotless? Or did Luke hire someone to clean the mess? Syd wracked her brain for details. “No. The gunshots started when we drove away. The sun had set a few hours earlier, but the moon was full. I heard something outside, like a rustling in the brush, so I looked through the window.” Her shoulders stiffened at the eerie memory.
Jack let out a brief chuckle. “Damn. Sounds like an intro to a horror movie.”
“It felt that way, too… I saw an image slinking around through the forest, so we turned off the lights to get a better look. I held my gaze on the figure until the moonlight glinted off something metal. That’s when I knew someone––not an animal––was lurking around the house, and he…or she was armed. Aware Jillian was assaulted earlier, I knew we had to leave immediately.”
Clay’s gaze met hers. “Jillian? You found out the lost girl’s name is Jillian?”
Sydney let her shoulders slump as she leaned against the wall. “Turns out BW’s name is Jillian Andrews, an ex-marine who worked for the Houston Port Authority.”
“If she lives in Texas, what was she doing wandering the woods in northeastern Connecticut?” Clay asked.
“Good question. Apparently, she discovered a huge cocaine stash in one of the containers. The day after she testified, the cartel murdered her husband and son.” Syd’s lips collapsed into a flat line, and she shook her head. “Poor girl. She was placed in witness protection, but lord only knows how she ended up in Connecticut––or what disease she’s suffering from.”
“Damn.” Jack stared at Clay then Sydney. “Do you think Jillian has a connection to the amulet?”
Chapter 23
“We should go.” Sydney wandered toward the front entrance. “It might take a while to find the stone chamber.”
Jack rushed ahead and opened the door. “You lead the way, Syd.”
He looked like a kid at Christmas. No wonder he dropped everything and caught the first available flight to Hartford.
“No promises I can find the place, Jack. Completely concealed by vines and overgrowth, the structure blends into the brushwood. I’d never have seen the opening if I hadn’t been following the GPS signal from Noah’s phone.” She stepped onto the porch and feeling a slight wave of nausea, steadied herself. Innate curiosity fed her adrenaline and kept her going despite how badly she felt. She willed herself to continue until she led Clay and Jack to the stone chamber.
Clay zipped around them and marched off the porch. “Come on children. We’ll never find this mysterious old cellar if we just stand here and chat.” He strode into the yard then gazed around. “Which way?”
Syd gulped in a breath, then paced forward. “You see that dirt trail off to the right?” She pointed in the general direction. “I entered the woods there then hiked the mountain along that incline until the worn path disappeared into a mass of vines and underbrush.”
“Let’s go, then. You might be surprised at what you remember once we’re on the trail.” Jack’s cool encouragement was still laced with excitement.
When the path narrowed, Syd lead, followed by Jack, with Clay bringing up the rear.
After hiking for only ten minutes or so, her head pounded with each step. She halted to catch her breath. The first trek hadn’t been nearly as exhausting as this. Clear your head… focus, Syd. She squinted and concentrated on the path ahead. “I recall digging my hiking boots through underbrush, kicking up dead leaves along the way in case I got lost. You know, like leaving a trail of breadcrumbs behind… there, you see?” She paced forward.
After trudging through the tussled underbrush for about twenty minutes, Syd’s energy ebbed, and she was beginning to get discouraged. Again, she stopped to rest. “We have to be going in the right direction. I remember being winded from the uphill hike. But I don’t see anything familiar. Everything looks the same… trees, bushes, vines…” She shrugged and gazed at the ground. “For that matter, this roughed-up trail could have been made by some animal.”
Clay marched a bit farther then turned to face the others. “There’s a drop-off just ahead. Does that sound familiar?”
Her pulse kicked up a beat. “Yes… I mean, maybe.” Syd labored up the hill to a knoll overlooking a hollow below. “I remember stopping here. The cell service was intermittent, and I wanted to get a strong signal.” A swirl of dizziness flooded her head. Beads of sweat gathered along her hairline as her tired limbs weakened. Willing herself to continue, she scanned the perimeter. “This is where I called Noah’s phone… I heard it ring.”
Still lightheaded, she gazed down the ridge from the vine-covered knoll until she spotted the concave dip where she’d yanked away the ivy when she retrieved her brother’s smartphone. Syd pointed. “There.” A pang of relief rippled from the base of her neck down her arms and legs. So close. She drew in a long breath, pushing her determination with a boost of adrenaline. She angled her foot, creating a controlled slide down the embankment. The creeping vines caught her feet, and tiny thorns prickled against her jeans. She snatched a handful of ivy to keep from slipping too fast. When she reached the bottom of the knoll, she turned and faced the vegetation then ran a hand through the clinging vines until she felt the coolness of rough stacked stones. “I found it,” she called back to them. “Be careful you don’t snag a foot on the shrubs. They’ll send you flying down the mountainside.”
Heart racing, she yanked the foliage until her hand felt the curved stone marking the chamber entrance. Letting out a soft sigh of relief, she waited until the others joined her. “This is the structure, but…” She paused and bit the insi
de of her lip.
“But what? Why are you hesitating?” Jack stepped closer and swept a handful of ivy aside then peered into the dark cavern.
“Stop.” Syd tugged on his arm. “When I entered the structure the first time, I didn’t notice the bats dangling from the arch inside.”
Clay scowled. “Bats?”
“Hundreds of them. Edging inside, I had no idea what I’d discover, so I crept in slowly, hoping to find Noah. My eyes needed to adjust to the darkness… but I was impatient, so I flipped on my phone flashlight. The sudden bright beam must have set off the bats, because I heard a flurry of fluttering wings. Before I could process what was happening, I saw this black bat-swarm darting toward me. I ducked and yanked my brother’s jacket over my head.” Just thinking about the incident revved up her heart.
“No doubt they’re still roosting inside the structure.” Clay turned to face Jack. “Surely, you’ve encountered bats on some of your digs. Any ideas as to how we proceed so we can examine the chamber?”
Fists on his hips, Jack cocked his head and inspected the opening. “Did they dive-bomb you or just fly outside?”
She tried to remember but recalled only dropping her bag then grabbing the collar of Noah’s jacket and pulling it over her head. “I’m not sure. I kinda panicked… I ducked but lost my balance and fell against the side of the structure… which knocked out some of the wall stones… then I shined my phone light toward the floor to see what fell.” She paused, envisioning the inside of the chamber.
“And?” Wide-eyed, Clay stepped closer to the entrance and shifted his head to peer between the overgrown foliage.
“The floor appeared to be a solid sheet of rock. At some point, someone had built a fire, because I saw a pile of ashes and some burnt wood. I shined the light toward the campfire and saw a reflection, like something metallic.”
“The amulet.” Jack grinned.
“Yes. The amulet.”
He turned toward the entrance. “Are we going to stand here and talk about Sydney’s findings, or see them for ourselves?” Jack tugged at the greenery until it gave then swept it to the side.
Clay grabbed his upper arm. “Wait, what about the bats?”
Jack frowned. “You too?” He shook his head. “There’s no reason to believe the bats from this area are dangerous… unless they’re rabid. They’re not bloodsuckers. The species native to Connecticut are primarily insect eaters… they devour mosquitoes.” He retrieved a Tak light from his backpack then shone the beam first at the edge of the entrance, slowly directing the light toward the rear of the structure. Chattering erupted as the light cast a glow on a colony of nervous bats, but instead of taking flight, they watched with beady eyes as the intruders cautiously entered their roost. “Sydney’s right. She must have frightened them when she flashed on the light. They’re watching us. See. But, so far, they’re not threatened. Just come in slowly. No quick moves.”
Clay cleared away more vines to shed as much light in the structure as possible before following Jack inside.
A wave of vertigo jolted Syd, and she grabbed a thick vine to steady herself, then ducked under the greenery and stepped inside. A stab of familiar eye-stinging stench turned her stomach. To keep from retching, she swallowed the bile burning her throat. Slowly, she edged toward the broken stones still lying on the ground next to the campfire. “This is where I found the amulet.” She knelt and ran a hand across the ashes, wondering if she might have missed something when she found the sapphire stone.
Finding nothing more, she turned toward the wall and saw where the stones had nested, possibly for hundreds of years. “Someone must have hidden the amulet behind those loose rocks where no one would ever find it.” Again, she ran her fingers over the rough stone, this time inside the cavity. “I wonder how long the talisman hid in here.” She turned toward Jack. “I’d guess at least a few hundred years… but you said the piece was Celtic… reminiscent of that salty lake in the European Alps. How could a three-thousand-year-old piece of jewelry turn up in an old root cellar in northern Connecticut?”
Smiling, Jack raised his eyebrows and inspected the cavity in the wall then turned to Sydney. “The mystery deepens. Wait until I tell you what my final tests revealed.”
Chapter 24
Widening his eyes, Noah stood and stared at Jillian, unsure if she regained her memory. Did she feel pain as she woke up in the hospital and realized the wound came from a gunshot? Did she remember the shootout… how they escaped the thugs following her and how he and Syd literally saved her life? He grasped hold of the bedrail and leaned forward. “Jillian, do you recall what happened… where or how your injury occurred?”
“I remember feeling utterly confused about everything around me… everything except you… and your sister.” She lifted a hand and brushed her fingers across his knuckles then clasped his wrist. “How can I ever thank you?”
“Thank God.” He smiled and closed his eyes, letting out a sigh of relief. “How much do you recall? Please, tell me… I want to know every detail. Why did you travel to Connecticut? Were you alone? How did you end up lost and wandering through the forest near our property? Who followed you, and why did they mean you harm?” He leaned back into his chair, weaved his fingers together, and rested them on his lap.
“Whew. So many questions.” She pressed a control button until the bed raised her upper body to a sitting position then drew in a long breath and whooshed it out. “First, how did you discover my name?”
“It wasn’t easy. We checked every reasonable database and found nothing. No trace, as if your entire life was erased from existence.”
“That’s not far from the truth.”
“The mystery raised Syd’s insatiable curiosity. She used everything she had at her disposal––including friends in the industry––to unearth your identity. I was curious, too. At first because you couldn’t remember anything or anyone. Even if the meeting occurred only moments earlier.”
Jillian frowned. “Yikes. That’s scary.”
“I’m sure it would have been if you had recalled having the memory. But, as a rare disease specialist, I was fascinated… and challenged.”
“Thank God you were the one who found me.”
“I was definitely intrigued by your symptoms and asked a highly qualified friend, who used reverse genealogy, to track down your relatives.”
“I’m sorry you all went to so much trouble.” She turned away and gazed out the window in silence for a long moment then turned to face Noah. “If you could find me… so can the cartel.”
“No, Jillian. My sister and I knew you were in danger, and we were very discrete. You’re safe, now. I promise.”
“Perhaps, but not for long.” She drew her knees close to her chest and wrapped her arms around them.
“Sydney did several databank searches but found no trace of you having ever existed. Your entire life vanished, except a sealed FBI record Syd’s PI friend managed to hack stating you succumbed to injuries sustained in an automobile accident that killed your husband and child.” The moment the words spilled from his lips, Noah knew he shouldn’t have spoken of her family.
She lowered her gaze while a single tear rolled down her cheek.
Snatching a tissue from the side table, Noah handed it to her. “I’m so sorry. That was a callous, inconsiderate comment. I just meant that right after you were placed into witness protection, someone erased your past. Do you remember what happened?”
Jillian accepted the tissue and wiped away her tears. “For my protection, the cartel needed to believe I died with my family. I couldn’t go home to retrieve anything, not even a picture. The Feds took me underground through a maze of safe houses toward my final destination––I had no idea where I’d end up.”
“I can’t imagine what you went through.” Noah’s heart broke for Jillian.
“I was told to check in with a specific agent exactly one month after I settled into my new identity… which means the FBI wouldn’t ha
ve known I disappeared for at least a month. But something went wrong… a leak, or a payoff… the cartel reaches around the world with endless money.”
“I can’t even imagine losing everything and everyone, let alone having the courage to stand against the cartel in court.”
Her lips flattened. “I signed up for that possibility when I took the job. The last leg of the journey took me and my guide through the Appalachians. The agent seemed nice enough, until he stopped at an overlook and pushed me off the side of the mountain. I’m pretty sure he thought I died, because he left me there. When I woke up, I had a hell-of-a headache, bruises, lacerations, and nothing but the clothes on my back.”
Unsure her memories were accurate after what she’d gone through, he coaxed her with detailed questions. “Good Lord. Did you climb back up to the road?’
“No. I couldn’t take the chance he’d find me. I knew from a road sign I’d seen along the way that I was in the general area of the Appalachian Trail. I figured if I found the path, I was bound to see backpackers along the way. I thanked God every day for my military survival skills, but weeks passed, and the weather cooled. I was lost in the wilderness, hiking sometimes in circles just trying to stay alive until I found my way back to civilization. I think that’s when I started to get confused. I couldn’t remember little things at first, like which direction I needed to go.”
“Malnutrition.” Noah bent forward. “I’m not sure how you kept yourself alive, but confusion set in because you were malnourished and the lack of thiamin in your diet brought on Korsakoff’s Syndrome. Amazingly, though, your innate survival skill and military training kept you going.” He stood. “That’s an amazing story.” He wrinkled his forehead and rubbed the bristles on his chin. “Do you remember the man who assaulted you by the riverside right before we met?”
She nodded. “Vaguely. Why?” She stiffened her back.
“Was he the man who pushed you off the overlook?”
