“Yes,” I answered, waiting for him to expand on where he was going with that.
“Then you know that ye can look at a person and see them for who they really are as yer talking to them, or even when ye watch them interact with others?”
I thought about it for a second, trying to think of a situation with Aiden that would link Father McKinnon’s meaning.
“I watched him, really looked at him, when he carried ye into the church earlier. There’s a depth to him that echoes the man he is. I saw a lot of things in those brief seconds when the two of ye were both in front of me. And I’d put my faith, and everything else I stand for, on the line by saying that he cares deeply for ye. More than even he might understand right now.”
“That’s a lot to wager for someone neither one of us know much about,” I tossed back at him.
“It is. Which is why I’m so sure of it. Now, even though I see those things, it doesn’t mean he’d be just as willing to admit them. But for the sake of argument, I’d also bet my best hat on the fact that he’d walk away from ye before he admits the truth to ye. Men like Aiden are few and far between. He’d sacrifice his own happiness for ye and yer safety. Remember that in the months to come.”
There was nothing I could say to that as I watched Father McKinnon get to his feet. “I need to get back upstairs. Think about what I’ve said, Airen. Try to put yerself in his shoes and ask yerself how he feels before ye say or do something that may or may not be something ye can take back.”
He left without another word, and all I could do was stare at the door he’d closed behind him.
"I THOUGHT YOU SAID HE had a head start on us,” I said, focusing my binoculars at the truck as it came to a stop beside the construction trailer.
“He did,” Grant answered.
“Then why the hell is he just now showing up here?” Ace jumped in.
“No idea. But whatever he’s been up to, it can’t be good. See the logo on the door of the truck? It matches the one on the construction trailer,” Grant said, hissing a curse under his breath, but loud enough that we all heard him.
“Either he stole it or he took out whoever was driving it,” Oliver said, voice dripping with disgust.
“I hope it’s stolen. If not, there’s either a body to report or an ambulance needed. Shit,” Grant answered, cussing louder that time. “He just can’t fucking help himself, can he?” he hissed, not really expecting any of us to answer his rhetorical question.
“What do you want to do?” Oliver asked.
“Hold your positions until we can figure out what he’s up to. If he goes inside the trailer, I’ll move down and around to the back of it to report what I see,” Grant answered.
“And if he goes the opposite way towards the cliffside?” I asked.
“If he does, you and Oliver follow him. Ace, keep your rifle trained on him. I’ll make my way to the trailer and see if anyone is inside,” Grant replied as we watched the door of the truck open and Robert de Fleur emerge from the driver’s seat.
It was a good thing Ace and Grant had the rifles, because my fingers itched to pull the trigger on him where he stood so brazenly out in the open.
Satisfied with his surroundings, Robert hauled a bag across the seat and then closed the truck door, moving around the front and away from the construction trailer.
“Somethings not right, Grant. He’s headed towards the water with a damn overnight bag,” Oliver said, shifting beside me as Robert moved closer to the beach.
Before Grant could reply, Robert brought his arm up to check his watch, looked back over the water, and then up at the cliffside to his left.
“He must be waiting for someone to pick him up. I need to make a quick call, give me a second,” Grant said, disconnecting the com from us.
Around us, the wind picked up, blowing in a cold, stiff breeze and some nasty-looking rain clouds. Somewhere in the distance, a low rumble of thunder rolled across the sky. Hearing it, Robert pulled the strap of the bag over his head so that it ran across his chest.
The contents of the bag sat snug against his back, unmoving as he turned to head for the jagged rocks on his left.
“He’s going for the rocks. I’m gonna lose sight of him in fifteen paces,” Ace said.
Oliver’s steady voice came across the com. “Hold your position, we’re moving now to get a better vantage point.”
“Copy that,” Ace replied.
Oliver turned, communicating with me in hand signals. Stay low and keep an eye out, they said.
I nodded and fell into a crouched walk behind him as we picked our way over the uneven ground as quickly as we could.
Stopping at a low point in the wall, Oliver brought his binoculars to his face again.
Grant’s voice came back over the com. “What’s the status, Oliver?”
“You’re safe to make your way to the construction trailer. Ace is out of range, so Aiden and I are moving to the path on the cliffside.”
“Copy that. Ace, keep your eyes open. He’s a wily bastard and if he even has the slightest inclination he’s being watched, he’ll backtrack,” Grant said.
“Copy that,” Ace replied.
Oliver pulled the binoculars away from his face, waving for me to follow him as he reported what he saw back to Grant. “He’s starting his climb up the rocks.”
Slowly, we made our way down a narrow path cut between two massive stones.
Stopping when we made it to a level spot on the hill, Oliver put the binoculars up to his eyes again and focused them in.
“I’ll be damned, do you see that?” he said, lifting a finger to point at a spot above where Robert hefted himself up onto a narrow slab of rock jutting out of the cliffside.
My eyes followed his finger before bringing the binoculars up, giving me an idea of where I’d need to focus them in at.
From where I stood, there was nothing to see, but once I zeroed in on it with the binoculars, I could.
It was a cutaway, blended in so well with the rock that unless you knew what to look for, you’d never see it. And it was exactly where Robert de Fleur was headed, inch by inch of his climb.
“Grant, there’s an opening in the cliffside like we’d talked about. He’s still climbing, so we’re going to wait at the base of the cliff until he disappears inside. Once he’s in, we’ll make our way up,” Oliver reported.
“Copy that. I’m heading into the construction trailer now,” Grant answered.
As we waited for Grant to report his findings, Oliver and I watched Robert’s progress up the cliff. He definitely knew what he was doing as he put his hands and feet in places that ensured he made it up to the next rock.
The good news for us was that the climb didn’t take us up the face of the cliff since the rocks jutted out all the way to the top in sections. It would, however, keep us hugging the wall and climbing the side on a demented set of rock stairs.
Putting the binoculars up to my eyes, I looked at the cave entrance again, trying to get an idea of how big the opening was. It didn’t look like much from where we stood, but looks could be deceiving and the cave, once inside of it, might be huge.
“It’d be nice to know how big that cave is before we climb up there. I’d hate to step inside and have a gun put to my head,” I said, keeping my voice low as I spoke to Oliver.
“Won’t know ‘till we get up there. Besides, it wouldn’t be you he’d put the gun on if I’m going in first,” Oliver said, giving me a weird look. “You getting cold feet about this?”
“No, I’ve just seen what he’s capable of, and frankly, I don’t want to be another name on the long list of people he’s taken out to get what he wants. I don’t want you to be either.”
Hearing myself say that, I realized it really did sound like I wanted to back out.
If we didn’t stop him, he’d get away, and everything Airen and her family had been through would be for nothing if he was still on the run.
Looking back up to where Robert
stretched his left arm up and gripped his next handhold made my stomach knot. “We see where he’s headed. Why not take the shot and end this now?”
Water rolled over my feet, surprising me. “What the hell?”
“Tide’s coming in, Grant. We’re gonna have to move soon before we either have to backtrack, or climb while he’s still climbing and take the chance of him seeing us.”
Grant’s voice came through the speaker, almost breathless sounding as if he were running. “Hold your position; I’ll be there in just a couple minutes.”
“Copy that,” Oliver answered.
Pulling the com out of his ear, he pegged me with a hard look. “You went and fell in love with that girl. Didn’t you?”
“What?” He’d thrown me for a complete loop.
“You heard me. You’re thinking with your dick and not your head. After this is done and we move on to another case, she’ll still be in danger. You can’t live this life and not expect that. I thought you of all people knew better,” he said with a hint of disappointment in his voice.
“First of all, I didn’t fall in love with her. And second of all, keep your fucking nose out of my personal business and worry about the fact that we have to climb up that and square off with a madman who’d rather shoot us than look at us,” I said, jerking my thumb over my shoulder where Robert had almost made it to the mouth of the cave.
Oliver rolled his eyes. “Your business is my business when we’re putting our lives in each other’s hands. What affects you, affects me. If your heads up your ass, you won’t be the only one who pays for it.”
“Fuck you, Oliver,” I said, rolling my shoulders as my bunched muscles begged me to punch him in his arrogant face.
He sighed, shaking his head as he brought the binoculars up to his eyes. He said, “You think you’re the first one to fall for a beautiful girl you’re in charge of protecting? I’m not saying this to be an asshole. I’m saying it to remind you that loving someone, hell, even caring deeply for someone, could get them killed. Might not be today, might not be years from now, but it happens. You have no idea what that does to you. What kind of hell it puts you through day in and day out. There’s no escaping it.”
Anger ripped through me. “Sounds like your story, not mine. And I’m not in love, so drop it.”
“Grant, he’s only got about two more feet and he’ll be inside the cave,” Oliver said, bringing the com up to his ear as he spoke.
“Be there in just a few seconds,” he huffed. “Just coming down the path now.”
Oliver dropped the com, and it swung against his chest from the neck of his black T-shirt. “Look, Aiden. I’m not trying to be a dick, but I saw your face when you had her in your arms. I saw the looks passed between the two of you before we left to come here. You can deny it all you want. Maybe you don’t even realize it yet. But there’s something between you. You can’t deny that at least. I just don’t want you to suffer the same fate I have. It breaks something inside of you. Something you can never fix.”
“And you chose now to say something? Seriously?” Did he have any idea what kind of turmoil he’d thrown me into when I needed to keep myself focused?
“Now is just as good a time as any. Maybe hearing it now will make it sink in a little deeper, especially when things go to shit. Because they’re gonna go to shit. We’re chasing a fucking lunatic up a cliffside covered in moss and slime with no place to take cover, into a cave we have no idea the size of.”
“Well, your timing sucks,” I snapped at him.
“Yep, it usually does. That’s my point. Just do me one favor… walk away from her. If you really care about her, that’s the only way you can ensure she lives a long and happy life.”
“Whatever, Oliver.” I rolled my eyes at him, turning away and hoping he was done spewing his advice. “I’m not in love with her, so drop it.” Putting my hand up to stop him from saying anything else, I said the only thing I hoped would end the discussion entirely. “If ever I fall, I’ll make sure it’s not in love. I’ll make it a damn mountain or that,” I answered, stabbing a finger in the air at the cliffside.
Water poured over the tops of my boots and spread up the heavy canvas of my cargo pants. If Grant didn’t hurry up, we’d be swimming our way to the cave opening.
As if he heard my thoughts, he stepped out around the rock we’d kept to our backs. “Tide’s coming in pretty fast.”
Oliver handed him his binoculars, stepping out of the way so Grant could take his position.
“This puts us in a really bad spot all the way up. Never mind it being actual suicide once we’re at the mouth of the cave.” Pulling the binoculars away from his face, he tapped his finger against them.
“Can you hear that?” Oliver asked, craning his neck to look at the sky.
Grant whipped the binoculars up to his face, cussing when he spotted something in the distance. “Helicopter. About four minutes out and closing in. We’re losing our chance.”
Tossing Oliver’s binoculars back at him, he spoke to Ace over the com. “If for whatever reason we don’t make it up to the cave entrance and you see Robert swinging from the sky, climbing into a helicopter, take him out.”
“Copy that, moving into position now.”
“Hurry, Ace, you don’t have much time,” Grant said, gesturing for us to follow him.
That saying, the first step’s a doozy? So not the case when we started up the side of the cliff. It was more like the eighth one that almost sent me sliding off the slippery edge.
Worse than that though, was when fat drops of rain plopped down as if in warning before all hell broke loose.
The wind picked up, ripping at our clothes, pulling at us with invisible fingers as we clung to the rocks, out of breath and fighting, of all things, the elements, in order to survive.
“This is a suck-ass plan, Grant. We’ll never make it all the way up with this shit.” Oliver’s voice hammered into my ear as he yelled loud enough for the com to pick up the sound of his voice over the howling wind.
“Just keep moving; the weather’s in our favor right now. There’s no way the helicopter can get close enough to pick him up in this. It’d be suicide for the pilot to even try it.”
“It’s suicide for us to even try it,” I said, tossing my thoughts in.
“We’re halfway there, so it’s either man up or give up,” Grant snapped in our ears.
“I vote up, cause down isn’t looking too promising,” Oliver butted in.
Grant looked over his shoulder. I followed his gaze, seeing the water level had submerged the spot we’d been standing only ten minutes prior. “Up it is,” I added, watching a wave crash violently against the wall about five feet below us.
There was no more talking about it after that as we clung to the rocks with everything we had to keep from succumbing to the elements.
Mother Nature was pissed, and I couldn’t help but feel like her personal target.
Oliver hissed a curse, growling a string of words. I looked back and saw him tuck his right arm against his side.
“What happened?” Grant asked, pushing himself up to peek under his arm, trying to see past me where Oliver was.
“Slipped. Caught my arm on a rock,” Oliver replied, adding. “Keep going. I’ll be fine.”
Grant took his word for it and moved up to the next rock. “Two more from here and I’ll be at the mouth of the cave.”
We moved up another foothold and stopped, waiting for Grant to pull himself up onto the ledge that led to the mouth of the cave.
When he made it to his feet, he swayed slightly. Regaining his stance, he braced his back against the wall. “Aiden, be ready to move up to this position once I slip inside, but don’t move in until I give you the all clear,” he said, keeping his face turned away as he issued the order.
I didn’t blame him. I wouldn’t turn my eyes from where Robert had disappeared into either.
When he slipped inside the opening, I moved up, fighting a wav
e of dizziness that threatened to buckle my legs. I pushed my back hard against the rocks.
Something sharp poked me in the shoulder blade, keeping me completely aware of the situation I was in.
“You good?” Oliver asked. I looked down at him, noticing a streak of red rolling over his elbow and spreading out where his hand gripped the rock he used to keep himself anchored.
It was then I saw the waterline as each wave pulled back and then raced forward again, slapping at the wall. Only three feet below us, it looked angry enough to swallow us whole and never spit us up if we made any mistakes.
“Fine. You?” I said, flicking a glance at his arm.
“I’ve had worse. Just need to get to a spot where I can bind it. Last thing I wanna do is slip up on my own damn blood and fall into that,” he said, jutting his chin towards the water below.
Thunder rumbled closer, bringing the storm over our heads. Forked lightning split the bruised-looking sky. The visibility went from low light to almost no light, as if night had crept up on us.
There was no sign of the helicopter anymore, so that was at least one good sign.
“Aiden, can you hear me?” Grant’s voice whispered from the com.
I pushed my finger against it, plugging my other ear so I could hear him over the howl of the wind.
“Yes,” I said, keeping my answer brief.
“When you come in, keep to the left wall,” Grant said.
“Copy that.”
“Oliver, standby at the edge until Aiden’s inside. If he’s watching the opening, I don’t want him to know you’re with us. Okay?”
“Copy that, Grant. Be careful,” Oliver said, reaching up to tap my leg, giving me the signal to enter the cave.
Even with the darkened sky outside, the cave was much darker, but I made my way over to the far left wall with only a few minor missteps. Kneeling alongside it, I pulled the pistol Grant loaned me before we left the church from the side pocket of my cargo pants.
“Aiden,” Grant whispered as he moved to stand beside me.
I looked up, seeing only the outline of his face.
“Oliver, hold your position. Aiden and I are going to move towards the back of the cave and see if we can flush him out.”
If Ever I Fall: Book 3 of The Six Series Page 18
