“Thanks, Kent. I promise you won’t regret this.”
Kent gritted his teeth. Famous last words. “I sure hope you’re right.”
When he finished the call and handed the phone back to Rich, eager faces looked his way. “Bunny sounded really excited—I could hear her all the way over here,” said Rebecca. “What was that all about?”
“She’s excited because she thinks she can show us where the drawings are located.”
Rebecca’s mouth fell open and she looked over at Amanda, who looked similarly stunned. “Bunny’s coming back out here? Are you sure that’s a good idea?”
“Yeah, she’s coming back and no, I’m not sure it’s a good idea. She says she’s turned over a new leaf and I have to say she sounded convincing. She apparently whacked one of the smugglers in the head with a wine bottle last night and he’s not around to tell anyone about it.”
Rebecca’s eyes widened and the tenor of her voice rose. “Are you kidding me? Bunny killed someone.”
“Despite all her whining, I always thought the woman looked like she had a good arm on her.”
“Whenever I saw you staring at her, it wasn’t at her arm.” Rebecca said.
Kent had no intention of letting this no-win discussion persist. “Enough idle chatter. It’ll be a few hours before Bunny and Winston arrive. In the meantime, let’s go back to the tunnel where we found the rubies and sapphires and see if we can find any unusual rocks.”
* * * *
Roberta’s nipples tightened whenever Rich walked near her. Why am I so goddamn attracted to him? The man’s personality is enough to give me a rash. But still, she couldn’t help noticing he walked like a panther—every strong muscle in his body flexed as he moved with athletic, fluid grace. And he had a gorgeous face, despite the feather-shaped knife scar on one cheek.
She’d written off relationships decades ago. She had a waiting list a mile long of companies around the world requesting her expertise on various projects. She was the archaeologist everyone wanted to hire. She’d interpreted writings from the most ancient on earth to recent and had even found writings likely left behind by visiting aliens.
Every trip was an adventure. Like finding true love is for other women. Roberta wasn’t like other women. She was unusual. She was an outdoorswoman. And men were a quick fix for a horny moment before she boarded her next flight.
A masculine voice broke into her reverie. “I guess I’m more likely to find something interesting if I hang around you.”
Roberta turned toward Rich and conjured a cool stare she hoped would obscure the raging attraction she felt toward him. The man’s brilliant blue eyes seemed to glow in the dark. Finding them distracting, she jerked her head away. “And why would you assume that?”
“You’re the world famous archaeologist. Who better to latch onto?”
She flipped on her helmet light and scanned it methodically over the walls. “I know very little about geology. If you want to follow someone who knows something about rocks, I suggest you latch onto Kent. Of course, he might not be too keen about your little dick poking up his butt.”
* * * *
A surge of blood raced to Rich’s crotch. He pretended to study the limestone walls. “You got an awfully smart mouth for a woman.”
She whipped her head around, blinding him with her headlamp. “How would you know my way of speaking is unusual? I thought you avoided women. I hang around lots of men. And you’ve got the most odious personality I’ve ever encountered.”
He shielded his eyes with his hands to block the light. “Ha. Well, your personality isn’t exactly what I’d call charming.”
“And this comes from your vast experience with women, I suppose.” Roberta burst out laughing. “You’re almost as funny as you are annoying.”
Rich never imagined a verbal battle could harden his prick this much. He hoped they wouldn’t have to walk far anytime soon. He shook a leg to release the squeeze of fabric around his crotch. “Kent gave us a job to do. Now get that goddamn light out of my face and direct it toward the rocks.”
“I would if you’d stop distracting me.” She shook her head and swirled her light around on the rocky spot where she’d last searched. “The magic rock I’d really like to find would be the one that would get you to stop pestering me.”
Rich flipped off his headlamp and took a step toward her. Fiery electricity jumped from her body straight to his, blocking out all rational thought. He wanted her naked and wriggling underneath him with a wide swath of tape over her mouth. “Get me to stop pestering you? It was you who struck up the first conversation, as I recall.”
“Yeah, that was before I knew what you were like. Now that I know you’re a—”
He pinned her body against the wall and claimed her lips in a fierce wet kiss.
He pressed her lips apart with his tongue, penetrating her mouth. He ached to push his rock-hard cock inside her wet hole. Instead he ground his hips in closer to her body, imagining what it would feel like to sink into what would undoubtedly be a tight squeeze. How many men would put up with her? “I’m thinking we should try to get along. You know, for the sake of the mission.” His voice came out sounding breathless.
“Mmm, yes. For the sake of the mission,” she whispered before kissing him again.
Chapter Eighteen
Tas would be well cared for until Winston returned from the jungle, a neighbor down the road had assured him. Now back at the house, the four of them waited for the arrival of the helicopter. Bunny heard the whirring sound of the blades before its dark shape appeared in the sky. A cloud of sand rose from the beach as the black aircraft landed. “Okay, we’re good to go,” Seth shouted.
Holding hands, the couple followed the two men to the helicopter and climbed up inside. Bunny and Winston’s shoulders pressed together as they squeezed into their seats. The last time she’d been in this helicopter, Bunny had been fleeing a terrifying experience set in a backdrop of shame.
Today, Bunny felt exhilarated. She pattered her feet on the floor, eager to reach the cave and find the drawings. The skin on her face tingled pleasantly as she realized she’d be the person to make a difference today. She looked at Winston and smiled. Their faces were only inches apart.
Smile lines radiated from Winston’s twinkling blue eyes. “You just can’t wait to get started, can you?”
Bunny bounced in her seat, gesturing with her hands. “No, I really can’t. I know I can find that spot and I’m eager to learn what this mystery’s all about.”
Winston reached out and playfully tweaked her nose. “I have to say the last twenty-four hours have been more exciting than any excursion I’ve ever led. I might miss the adrenaline rush after all this is over.”
Bunny leaned in toward him and whispered. “Maybe you can get one a different way.”
The sensual curl up of his lips proved that he understood her meaning. “I definitely fancy that idea.”
He locked his gaze on her and Bunny saw the depth of feeling in his eyes. A warm softness spread through her center. She gripped his hand and squeezed. Bunny’s backside pulled up from the seat as the helicopter made a rapid descent. She leaned over Winston’s shoulder to peer out the window.
Lush jungle intermingled with jagged limestone features Kent had referred to as karst. Before, she’d looked at the jungle as a threat, today she saw its beauty—the canopy of lush green trees, the dark cave mouth surrounded by a pool of brilliant blue water so transparent, the rocky features on the bottom looked like they lay below a sheet of glass. Bunny pointed toward the cave opening. “We’ll wade through that water to get inside.”
“It looks like the ocean.”
She placed a hand on his shoulder and nuzzled his neck. “It sure doesn’t feel like it. Cave water is ice cold.”
He turned his head toward her, nearly colliding with her face. “That might feel rather good in this heat.”
“You’ll like it for about five seconds until your bones get so chi
lled, you’ll crave scorching heat.”
Once the helicopter landed, Bunny and Winston followed the two men, jumping down onto the muddy ground. Kent and the others stood waiting for them.
Introductions were made and then Kent queried her about the cave drawings. “Where do you suggest we start?” He rubbed his fingers over his cheek dimples.
Bunny was determined to convince him of her competence. She raised her head a little higher to boost her confidence. “It was along that main corridor beyond where they set up camp, near where they stashed the gemstones. If we walk out that route, I think I’ll remember.”
Rich spoke to a group of the soldiers, including the members of the Vietnamese army, instructing them to guard the perimeter of the cave in case anyone hostile showed up. Kent urged his team into the water. “Okay guys, let’s get a move on. We’ve got a cold water wade ahead of us.”
Bunny inched into the ice cold water, feeling its chill all the way into her bones. Winston waded alongside her into the deepening water.
“You weren’t kidding about this water being cold, were you?” Winston’s lips had turned a bluish hue.
Bunny turned toward him and massaged his arms with her hands. “You look like you’re freezing to death. Maybe if we move a little faster, you’ll warm up a little.”
The two strode as fast as they could through the mostly waist-deep water. Bunny angled her head toward Roberta and Rich and nudged Winston on the shoulder. “Those two are really going after each other.” Their postures tense and defensive, the pair flung out insults as fast as they could articulate them.
Winston shook his head and frowned. “Yeah, that’s the kind of attraction I can bloody well do without.”
“Rebecca and Kent used to argue and launch insults each other’s way for hours—and look at them now. If you watch their body language, they almost seem to move in synch. And they never run out of topics to talk about—their interests are so similar. There’s definitely something lasting between them.”
Winston’s brows tipped in and he scratched his chin. “So our relationship isn’t exciting enough for you?”
Bunny splashed water in his direction and laughed. Her voice echoed through the maze of tunnels that went on for miles. “You know that’s not true.”
Winston glanced over his shoulder at Rich and Roberta when one of them spewed out the f word yet again. “Crikey—those two sound like they’re going to kill each other.”
“Oh, thank goodness we’re almost there.” Bunny’s teeth chattered as she stepped from the icy water onto a smooth platform of limestone.
Winston hunched over and shivered beside her. “Bunny, you’re freezing.” He gripped her shoulders and rubbed his hands up her arms to create some warm friction.
His warm touch worked its magic and soon Bunny had enough feeling in her fingers to reciprocate. “Your turn for the hypothermia treatment.” She zipped her hands over Winston’s arms before moving on to his lower back. “At least this cave is reasonably warm inside, since it’s nearly level with the ground. Rebecca said the main cave was freezing. I never got to go down there because Kent didn’t think I could do the three hundred foot rappel.”
Kent stood nearby, tipping his water bottle toward his mouth. Water dripped down his chin where it missed. He wiped it away and extended his arm toward the embracing couple, still holding his bottle. “Okay, enough of that kinky stuff.”
“We’re just trying to warm up a bit,” said Winston.
“Great, now let’s go find those hieroglyphics.”
As they stepped over the masses of boulders, Bunny tried to recall what she’d seen. She’d glimpsed the place the kidnappers had described after Kent and Rebecca had rescued her and they’d escaped by fleeing deeper into the cave. The ground leveled off and Bunny’s ankles let out a sigh of relief now that they weren’t being twisted in every direction. That’s it. “Wait. It’s somewhere near here.”
“Are you sure?” asked Kent.
Bunny felt elated and excited. “I’m absolutely positive. I remember feeling that same relief after we stopped climbing over those boulder piles before. You never forget ankle pain like that. It’s a small niche on this left side somewhere. But I think we passed it.”
Kent pursed his lips, deepening his dimples.
Bunny knew he still doubted her. “Come on, I know it’s back here some place.”
Although their headlights illuminated the passageway, the group started panning flashlights over the limestone walls to detect side passages. Bunny ran her hands over the jagged limestone as she walked, trying to jar another memory. “Oh, yeah, I just remembered. There was a rock jutting out that reminded me of a hawk’s beak nearby.”
“What about that.” Winston extended a pointing finger over her shoulder.
“That’s it,” Bunny shouted as she ran toward the shape.
“Watch your step,” said Kent. “You won’t be much help to us with a broken neck.”
Bunny bit back her frustration. “I’ve got it under control.” She walked below the rocky projection and ran her hands over the wall again until she felt the groove. “Here it is.” She shone the light directly into the narrow opening in the rock. Everyone peered around her to glimpse the inscriptions that were clearly visible on the wall.
Kent’s blue eyes widened with astonishment. He wiped his lips to hide the smile that spread over his face. “Excellent job tracking this down, Bunny. That was awesome.” He gave her a brotherly pat on the back.
“Thanks.” Bunny was so thrilled, she felt like she could leap right out of her skin.
Winston raised his hand to give her a high five and gave her an affectionate wink.
Kent turned toward Roberta. “So what do you think?”
Roberta shrugged. “I’ll slide in there and take a closer look, but I am ninety-five percent certain this is modern day art.”
“How do you know that?” Kent asked.
Roberta launched out a sharp-edged response. “Words written in English are a pretty big clue.”
Kent tipped his head and gazed inside the opening with pursed his lips. “Can you see what it says?”
“Not at this distance in this kind of light.”
Kent placed two fingers on either side of his chin, compressing his full lips. “Let’s squeeze in there and take a closer look. Roberta, I’ll let you go first.”
Roberta shook her head, then wriggled her way through the opening. “Fabulous. Funny thing, I’m always the first one nominated to go into openings likely to be crawling with snakes.”
Bunny covered her mouth with her hands and glanced at Winston. She could tell by the strained, yet amused, upward curl of his lips that he was struggling as hard as she was not to laugh.
Kent’s lips turned up in a smile as he gave the group a she’s a real piece of work look. “I’ll be right behind you.”
“Yeah, that sounds like something macho man Rich would say, too.”
* * * *
Kent pushed his way through the narrow opening, which widened inside a small chamber. Standing beside Roberta, he ran his fingers over the strange drawings etched in black on the limestone walls. There were a series of stick-figure drawings of a man running. One had been drawn with solid lines, the second one was done in dashes, and the final one used only dots to represent the figure’s shape. “These drawings must represent how the powder makes people invisible,” said Kent.
“I think you’re right about that. But look at this. Whatever instrument was used to draw these images and write these notes has smudged,” said Roberta. “But underneath the third picture, it says the Unseen are here on Earth. Now, I’m one of them.”
“What do you think that means?” On Earth, from where?
“I’m really not sure. It sounds to me like whoever inscribed this believes some kind of extraterrestrial beings were here. Maybe the powers he experienced made him feel connected to them somehow.”
“Hmm. When do you think the drawings were created?�
��
“I’d wager during the Vietnam War. I extensively researched the history of this area and six Vietnam Veterans mentioned hiding out in caves in blog posts and published books. I contacted every one of them. Three of the men admitted they’d seen writing on the walls in caves in this study area, but none said they’d actually written them or found anything unusual down here. One was deceased. There were two men who never returned my calls. I’m hoping to follow up with them when I get back to my office.”
“It sounds like you’ve done your homework,” said Kent.
Roberta perched her hands on her hips and stared at him as if he was a patient in a mental hospital. “They don’t call me out to every Godforsaken place in the world to stand around and pick my wedgies.”
Kent wondered if Rich had any idea what he was getting himself into. This woman seemed to thrive on conflict. “Right.”
Roberta angled her body toward the entrance. “What about you, Slick? Did your men hide out around here?”
Rich’s booming voice echoed through the tunnels. “Lady, real men don’t hide out and scribble on walls during wars.”
“Yeah, but I was asking you.”
Almost thirty minutes had passed since the couple’s last cat and dog fight and now they were at it all over again. Kent shifted his body to block Roberta’s view of Rich, hoping that would calm her. “Roberta, please, can we get back to work?”
Rich’s angry voice echoed through the labyrinths. “If you weren’t a woman, I’d punch your fucking lights out. I bet you’re one of those men who just dresses like a woman.”
Roberta pushed Kent aside so she could make eye contact with Rich. “Ha. You’re just intimidated by me, that’s all.”
Kent grabbed Roberta’s arm and flashed her a warning look. “Can you cool it down and save this love fight for later?”
The Unseen Page 17
