by Dale Mayer
Her mouth salivated at the rich aromas wafting from the bag. Opening it, she pulled out two warm oversized muffins and below it, a small container of fruit salad followed by two large Kaiser bun sandwiches. "Perfect. Thank you." She broke off a piece of the muffin and popped it into her mouth. She closed her eyes and moaned as the fresh banana nut flavor filled her mouth. After several more bites and a long sip of her fresh coffee, Kali knew she'd survive. She turned her attention to Grant.
"Bring me up-to-date on the progress with the case. Did you talk to Jarl?" In-between mouthfuls, Kali listened, but her hope quickly sank to despair. For all the legwork, phone work, and man-hours, they hadn't found much. No idea who'd shot her. No sign of Jarl. And no leads on locating Julie.
Not great dinner conversation. Pushing the table away, she leaned back and massaged her belly. "Okay. I'll survive a little longer. What about the police sketch, any luck identifying it?"
"Your sketch you mean?" Grant dropped his muffin wrapper to the table, then reached for one of the two sandwiches he'd brought.
"Nope, the credit goes to the police artist. Her skill dragged the information out of Brenda. I translated the answers to paper."
"So did the police artist, but your picture hit the mark. We showed it to several people at the center and he's been tentatively ID'd as Christian LeFleure. No one seems to know much about him. The team is running a background check on him."
Kali tilted her head. "Christian. Hmmm. Sounds familiar, but I can't place him. Stan will know him. We can ask him when he wakes up." A yawn worked up from deep inside. The warm food and drink, not to mention the drugs, were making her sleepy.
"Mind if I go through your sketchbook again?"
Kali glanced to the book at the end of the bed. "I did a bit of doodling while you were gone, but not much." Shifting slightly, she stretched out on her left side, tugging the blanket up to her shoulder. With the pillow crunching under her head, Kali felt lethargy taking over. "I need to close my eyes for a just a moment," she murmured.
With eyes drooping closed, she watched as Grant picked up her sketchbook and started flicking through the pages. Snuggling deeper, she drifted off to sleep.
***
Kali's 'doodle' socked him in the gut. It also didn't make sense. He turned it sideways and still couldn't get the clarity he needed. "Kali? What's-" Catching sight of her, he smiled gently. She slept, curled up like a child, her breathing slow and regular. One blanket rested precariously on her shoulders with a second crumpled at her feet. Grant laid down the sketchbook, stepped over and spread the second blanket over her prone body. Walking to the other side, he straightened the gown up to her shoulders. The gauze bandage gaped, showing the string of black stitches surrounded by red puffy tissue.
"Shit." Grant whispered softly, his heart aching at the damage. The good doctor had spoken true. She was damn lucky.
His gaze dropped to her sketch.
Kali had incredible talents, whether she believed it or not. Both as a psychic and an artist. Sitting again, he took his time to study the two sketches. The first one of Julie that had led them to David and he presumed the second was of her as well, but he didn't know that.
They needed something useful, landmarks, terrain, to lead them to her location.
Frustrated, he studied the sketch. The close-up showed only the underground hell with little to no above ground markings. He had the weird sense of missing something important. "Damn it. What's the missing link? Where the hell are you, Julie?"
"She's there."
Grant turned to face Kali. "Did I wake you? Sorry."
Kali's soft voice had an odd flatness to it. "Julie's so scared."
Grant studied her face. She appeared half asleep, half awake. Studying her face, he whispered, "Kali? Do you know the location in your sketch? It looks odd and I can't quite figure it out."
"What sketch?" she murmured, her eyes still closed.
"Kali, this is important. Open your eyes." Grant leaned closer, holding the sketchbook above her face.
She blinked several times, struggling to focus. With a big yawn, she shifted slightly and looked at the picture in front of her. "That's an underground stream."
"Underground stream? Huh?" Grant stared at the picture. With her explanation, he could identify the lines depicting water a distance beneath the body.
"Roystan Park. It's well known for the underground stream running through the length of it. Julie has to be at Roystan Park."
Grant wasn't familiar with the area, had never been to the park and knew nothing about underground streams. One thing he did understand, underground waterways like above-ground ones usually ran for miles. "That's a lot of territory to cover, Kali. Can you narrow it further?"
Kali didn't answer, her eyes drifted closed. She needed her rest, but he needed answers and Julie needed help.
He sharpened his voice. "Kali."
"What?" she answered, her voice groggy, her eyes flickering open briefly.
"Where on the underground stream is Julie?"
"Look at the tree from the first picture. There's a recently disturbed hill."
Snatching up the sketchbook, Grant flipped to the first Julie picture. The first picture showed a unique tree. Christ. "I need to borrow your sketch book, Kali. I need to copy these pictures.”
Kali yawned, her eyes drooping closed. "Nurses' station."
"Back in a minute." Grant bent over, dropped a hard kiss on her forehead, only to hear her slow even breathing. She was asleep.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Kali shifted her position gently, wincing at the tugs on her shoulders and spine. Hospital beds weren't comfy to begin with, but for the injured, they really sucked. Opening her eyes, she watched the long shadows stretch across the room. She yawned. The afternoon had long disappeared. With a sense of relaxation permeating her soul, Kali realized for all the aches and soreness, she felt better. Less like she'd been hit by a bus.
The table and her sketchbook slid into focus. Tidbits of conversation with Grant came back to her. Her curiosity spiked.
Shuffling upright, she stretched out a hand for the pad, flipping to the last picture she'd done. Bold stark lines stared at her. What had she said? Roystan Park. Kali bolted upright, moaning at the sudden movement. Damn it. Then she caught sight of her cell phone. Her pain forgotten, she reached for it. Yeah, connected again. She dialed Grant's number.
"Why aren't you asleep?" he growled.
"Hi, how are you doing? Nice of you to call," she snapped, throwing back the blankets.
"Sorry, how nice of you to call. Niceties done, why the hell aren't you asleep?"
Kali slid off the side of the bed and walked over to the window. "Because I woke up. Cut the attitude and tell me what's going on. I remember something about Roystan Park."
"That's where we are right now."
"Good, which handlers have you called in?"
Silence filled the phone.
Kali's heart sank and she closed her eyes. "You didn't call any, did you?" Kali couldn't believe it. "Jesus, Grant. You need a canine team and preferably more than one. You'll never find her otherwise."
"I didn't know whom to trust," he said simply.
She paused and closed her eyes in acquiescence. What a nightmare.
"There are forty men here. I'll call you when we find her. Bye."
Frustrated, Kali stared at the dead phone in her hand. He was wrong to believe men, regardless of how many, made up for the lack of a canine unit. She lived that world. She understood just what these dogs could do. Yet he was also right. Whom could they trust? She doubted everyone and no longer trusted those she knew.
Who could help?
Shiloh. And therefore Kali.
Grant would never let her...if he knew. But...was she capable of going out and searching? If she couldn't physically do the job, she'd slow them down - or worse, take valuable man-hours away from the search for Julie. She rolled her shoulders, testing them. A few tugs and a few pulls
- and actually it wasn't that bad. Okay, she was lying. Still, she felt so much better than she expected. Amazing what a paradigm shift could do.
Encouraged, Kali considered the situation. Julie needed her help. She was out of time. They had a potential location, and all the stops needed to be pulled to make the most of the next few hours.
If heavy painkillers worked and allowed her to function at a safe level, she might pull this off. If she fell and ripped her stitches...well, better to not go there.
Kali walked experimentally around the room, then attempted to twist and bend slightly one way and then another. Painful, but not agonizing, sore yet doable. She could do this. First, she needed to get the hell home, grab Shiloh and head to the park. Ticking off her mental to-do list, she didn't see any of it happening short of an hour. That meant starting her search alone and in the dusky light. Damn.
"What are you doing out of bed, Kali?"
Kali smiled with relief. Her doctor had perfect timing. She quickly explained what she needed and why.
He frowned and shook his head.
She interjected before he could refuse her. "I know this isn't your recommendation. I understand this is a really bad idea. Except a woman is dying. I have to find her."
Thankfully, her doctor had dealt with survivors of several local disasters. His frown deepened and he pursed his lips. "Why can't someone else go?"
"Everyone who can - is. I understand the damage I could cause again, however, the bottom line is that even if I rip out the stitches, the damage won't kill me. If I stay here, Julie will die."
"Overdramatizing, aren't you?"
"No," Kali said softly, sadly. "Julie is out of time. We have to find her soon."
The doctor studied her face, then made a decision. "Get dressed and come down to the nurses' station. I'll give you something for right now. When you finish tonight, you return here. Not home, not the boyfriend's house, but here. Agreed?"
When she didn't answer immediately, he added, "That's the condition. Take it or leave it."
"I'll take it. I'll be at the station in five minutes." Kali turned away, opening up the locker at the far wall, searching for her clothes. The cargo pants, although blood stained, were serviceable. Wearing the same underclothes weren't her choice, but she had no option. She pulled on the few clothes she found, realizing belatedly she had no shirt and there was no sign of her sweater. Damn it. The doctor must have cut it off when she'd been brought in.
A nurse walked in. "I guess you don't need my help getting dressed. You've done just fine."
"I'm okay, so far, but I can't find a shirt or my sweater. I'm presuming they were destroyed?"
The nurse walked over to look in the locker. "Possibly. But there's a pile of clothes in the Lost and Found. Give me a moment."
What a relief. Kali hadn't relished the idea of walking out topless. There was no way she was going to attempt to wear a bra. In the small bathroom, she washed up and ran her fingers through her hair. Dried blood clung to the ends. More blood dotted her arms and chest. Using the washcloth, she did a quick wipe, removing the worst of the mess.
"Here. Try these on."
The same nurse held out a black tee shirt and a hoodie in royal blue. Perfect. The nurse dressed her like a two year old with her arms in front sliding the tee shirt close to her chest before slipping it over her head. "Let's wait until the doctor gives you a shot, then put the hoodie on."
Then Kali tackled her shoes, a much harder proposition. Biting her tongue, she finally finished and stood up again. "Okay, let's go."
She walked out of her room.
And came face to face with a guard – one of Grant's men. Easily six feet four, with steely eyes and linebacker build, he didn’t look like compromise was in his dictionary. He raised one eyebrow and stared down at her.
"Oh shit."
The eyebrow went higher.
She sighed, and considered. "It would be so much easier if you overheard my conversation with my doctor." She waited a beat. "Did you?"
He nodded his head.
"Oh, thank heavens. Sooo, I’m hoping that like the good doctor you understand? I have to do this? A woman’s life is at stake?”
Again silence, then a clipped nod.
Were all Grant’s men so taciturn? She brightened. "Then you’ll let me go?"
"Yes. But I’m going with you."
She brightened. "Actually, I’d be pleased to have you. But...I can’t have you telling Grant. He’s not going to let me go or let you let me go."
The guard narrowed his gaze as he stared down at her as he tried to sift through her words.
"I have to do this. Julie’s dying. I might be able to save her."
One final clip of that close shaved head and relief flooded through her. "First stop is home to collect Shiloh, my search and rescue dog. Then to the site. We have not time to waste."
She raced to the nurses' stations, where she signed papers and waited for the doctor. The guard, Scott, she'd managed to drag his name out of him, drove. She leaned forward, but every bump in the road jostled her spine and threw her backwards. At her house she headed inside where Shiloh waited, wiggling in excitement.
"Hello, Sweetheart. Did you miss me? I'd love to cuddle, but we need to go to work." Kali walked into the kitchen and filled her pockets with granola bars and energy drinks. Water bottles had to be filled, dog bones collected and, what else? Another five minutes and Kali decided they were ready to go. Flashlights, rescue bag, snacks, drinks, warm vest and a blanket for Shiloh. At the last minute, Kali snatched up Shiloh's Teddy Bear. Shiloh understood and waited at the door.
You had to love a dog that gave her all, no matter where or when.
Scott backed out of the driveway and headed in the direction of Roystan Park. Kali had to push her seat all the way to the furthest setting and sit on the edge to avoid hitting her sore back with every bump. Chewing on her lip, she wondered how much ground Grant had covered. Then snorted and laughed a little grimly. It didn't matter. She'd have to go over the same miles to confirm they hadn't missed her. Shiloh could pick up a human scent within a quarter of a mile and track it forward. "Have you any idea where they are in the park, Scott?"
He shook his head. "Haven’t had an update."
Kali called Grant. "So," she asked, "Any news?"
"No, nothing yet. But it's early yet."
"How many miles do you think you have to cover?" Kali turned the Jeep to the right. It should take her another five minutes to reach Roystan Park.
"About ten. The hydrogeologist gave us a map of the underground creek. It's on the west side of the park, running parallel to the back fence."
Her heart sank. Ten might be more than she could do.
"What do I hear?"
Kali heard the frown in his voice and lied without a qualm. "The nurses' trolley is coming."
"Oh. You rest and heal. I promise I'll call if I hear anything."
"Okay. I'll talk to you later." Kali clicked off before he had time to ask questions.
Shiloh knew the park relatively well, since they'd spent many a happy day roaming the area. Although, she didn't remember seeing a fence along the back. By the time they pulled into the parking lot, they'd already driven several miles in. The kidnapper could use the access roads to go wherever he wanted to, but she couldn't take the chance of missing Julie by not starting this search in an orderly fashion. Since there were a couple of FBI vehicles in the parking lot, she could only presume the rest were using the service roads. There should be a dozen vehicles here. "Scott, I’m going cross country." As she went to give him instructions, a group of FBI came out of the woods, powerful lights shining in eerie patterns in the sky. "Scott, I have to go before Grant finds out. Grab them and follow me, if you can. You should be able to see my light ahead. I'm going up this fence line." She pointed it out.
Unloading what she needed, Kali clipped Shiloh onto her lead and headed off, the adrenaline pumping.
The underground creek surfac
ed south of here. The park was a huge rough rectangle but the entrance led to the parking lot in the center of the park. Left and right were both options. Going left would offer the most mileage and had a slight downhill slope, but the creek traveled closer to the surface on the right.
Shiloh would decide.
"Shiloh. Go look. Let's find Julie."
Shiloh barked once, looked at Kali then took off left.
Of course. Right would have been the easy answer.
***
