Morgan decided to wait until they’d explored the mine before he tried to put Lindl on the spot about the extra rooms.
He hadn’t been able to find much online about what platinum ore looked like. He’d learned that almost all platinum was just a byproduct of copper mining. He realized that if he was back here trying to figure out if the platinum came from the mine, he’d better start looking for it. He turned his flashlight onto the walls of the tunnel. He couldn’t, after all, expect platinum ore to lean out of the wall and say, “Here I am.”
The walls were rough, dark and unexceptional. He certainly didn’t see any flashes of silvery metal nuggets, though he realized just how ridiculous it’d be to hope for that. If chunks of platinum were in plain view, the original mine would never have shut down.
Before they hit their first branch, Lindl pointed out some knocked over stakes and rope surrounding a hole in the floor of the tunnel. “That’s what Kiri was talking about. The place she thinks the second guy might have fallen into. They gathered around, shining their lights down into the hole but couldn’t see a bottom. Wondering if someone might be down there, Morgan shouted down into it a couple of times, but there was no response.
They walked and walked, first taking a branch to the right, then coming back and taking the next branch to the right. Every time they came to a branch, Lindl inspected the large chalked arrows on the wall by the junction. They pointed towards the main entrance. Morgan immediately recognized that they were there to keep people from getting lost. When the arrows weren’t sharply obvious, Lindl went over them with a big chunk of chalk he’d brought along. Adam said, “Do you guys freshen the chalk every time you come back here?”
“I do,” Lindl said. “I’ve heard too many horror stories of people getting lost in tunnels. Dad always said we should freshen the chalk any time we went back, but I don’t think he was very religious about it. He and Kiri were both a lot more cavalier about the mine than I am. They spent a lot more time up here and I think they got desensitized to the danger.”
Morgan said, “Kiri said she hadn’t ever been very deep in the mine.”
Lindl said, “That might be true. She might not have ever gone deeper than the first junction. I guess I misspoke. Mostly it was Dad who was cavalier.”
Adam said, “That chalk wouldn’t be very helpful if your light burned out.”
“Yeah,” Lindl said, “there’s also a spike at hand height that you can feel for in the dark. It’s driven into the rocks at an angle near the arrows. The head end slants toward the mine entrance to tell you which way to go. They’re not easy to see against the rough rock, but I’ve been looking to be sure they’re there. I’ll point out a set the next time we come to a side tunnel.”
Morgan thought despairingly, I didn’t even notice spikes driven into the wall, but I’m hoping to find tiny platinum nuggets.
After tromping through the mine’s tunnels for a couple of hours they hadn’t found anything but empty tunnels. Most of them didn’t even have rails. Noticing his flashlight seemed a little dimmer, Morgan pointed that out and said, “I think we’d better take a break and head back for new batteries. Lindl, do you have any idea how much of the tunnel system we’ve actually seen so far?”
“No. I’ve never tried to search the whole thing like this.”
Adam asked, “Are you sure we haven’t been down some of the same tunnels twice?”
“I’ve been following the right side of the tunnel,” Lindl said. “When we get to an end, I come back along the right side and turn right at the next junction. As long as we’re following a single-plane branched-tree, we shouldn’t make any repeats. If some of them form loops, in theory we could wind up going round and round in circles, but actually the arrows’d tell us what was happening.” He stopped and drew a big chalk star on the wall. “That’ll tell us where to start when we come back.”
Following the arrows that indicated the direction to the entrance, it turned out not to be all that far before they came to the lighted section of the tunnel near the entrance. Morgan jockeyed into position just behind Lindl, then said, “Lindl, the security cameras show a grid of six pictures.” Morgan thought he saw a slight stiffening of Lindl’s shoulders. He knows what’s coming, Morgan thought. He continued, “The bottom three images show the entrance and this lit section of the tunnel we’re coming to. But the top three images show rooms full of equipment. At first I thought they might be images of the basement, but they’re not. What are we seeing in those three pictures?”
Lindl kept walking silently but even from behind, Morgan got the distinct impression he was unhappy. Finally, Morgan said, “Lindl?”
Letting out a long breath, Lindl said, “Those are rooms that Dad and Kiri used for… exotic research.”
“Where are they?”
Again there was a period of silence, but this time Lindl spoke without being prompted. “You’d have to ask Kiri. It’s… It’s her project now.”
“Aren’t you worried that the exotic research might be the reason those guys came after your dad?”
Lindl sighed, “Yeah…” He didn’t say anything more. Morgan decided not to keep interrogating him.
They opened the gate and stepped out the mine entrance. Having reception again, Morgan’s phone chirped. He had a text message from Tilly Arvind. “Expect your niece will be released tomorrow morning. Fingers crossed.”
Morgan sent her back a text expressing his appreciation for her help. Walking down the road to the house, he thought about her straight black hair and smoky dark eyes. He’d really liked the immense sense of competence she carried with her. He wondered whether he’d have any reason to see her again once Kiri was released.
***
Buckley looked up as Dan sank into the seat across from him in the little brew pub. “What happened?” he asked.
Dan shook his head unhappily. “The shit hit the fan. Hard.” He proceeded to describe what sounded like a real debacle in Djai’s mine.
“What about Rob?” Buckley asked.
Dan shook his head again. “That hole Djai kicked him into, I swear it goes down forever. I couldn’t see any light from his flashlight and he didn’t make a peep when I yelled for him. I… I think he’s a goner.” Dan didn’t mention that he’d been feeling guilty. In his anxiety to get out of the mine, he’d forgotten to at least shout down the hole on his way out. Rob might be down there waiting for someone to get him out, he didn’t know.
Buckley said, “And you think Djai got shot when the girl nutted you?”
“That’s what the girl was screaming anyway.” Buckley didn’t say anything and after a moment, then said, “And some dudes were shouting ‘police’ and telling her what to do. They sounded like a bunch of cops all right.”
“When they were going back and forth past your hideout, you thought they were looking for you. But did you hear them say anything about how Djai was doing? Or whether they actually were looking for you?”
“Nah, I could hear them going by and see the flashes from their lights, but none of them did any talking close enough for me to understand what they were saying.”
Buckley held his beer up to the light. He took a sip and said, “You get the impression that mine was being actively worked?”
Dan shook his head. “Nothing to suggest it in the tunnels I was in. But…”
When Dan didn’t go on, Buckley said, “But what?”
“Well, everything I read says you can’t underground mine platinum. Not and have it be,” he made air quotes with his fingers, “‘economically viable’ anyway.” He gave Buckley a questioning look, “You remember how I said I thought Djai was really smart?”
Buckley nodded.
Dan shrugged, “Maybe he’s found some other way to get platinum out of a mine.”
Buckley frowned, “What other way?”
“Hell, I don’t know. Lasers, phasers, vortex suction, ESP traction? If I knew how they did it, I’d start my own mine.”
“So, I
guess you killed the goose that laid the golden eggs. Well, the platinum eggs.”
Dan grimaced, “Maybe his kids know how to do it too?”
Buckley gave him a questioning look, “How old are they?”
“Teenagers. I would’ve said the girl was sixteen or so.”
“And you figured this out in the dark, by feel?”
Dan rolled his eyes, “She felt older than twelve, know what I mean?”
Buckley shook his head, “Even if the kids do know, how would we get them to tell us?”
“Everybody talks, given the right kind of persuasion.”
“Sure, they talk. They’ll say whatever they think you want them to say. Doesn’t mean they’re telling the truth.” Buckley took another sip of his beer, “Doesn’t even mean they know the truth.”
“So,” Dan said, jutting his chin a little. “We’re just giving up?”
Buckley shrugged, “No, keep trying to figure out what’s going on. But don’t let it stand between you and getting the rest of your work done.”
Chapter Four
Sunday morning
Midmorning Sunday, the doorbell rang. When Morgan answered it, he found a policeman standing there with Kiri. “Hi Kiri! he said, unconsciously stepping forward to give her a hug. He remembered her aversion to hugs just in time and settled for patting her on the back. To his relief, she didn’t squirm away.
Morgan gave the policeman a questioning look.
The man said, “Morgan Djai?”
Morgan nodded.
The cop nodded toward Kiri, “You’re Ms. Kiri Djai’s uncle and guardian?”
Morgan nodded again. Remembering Tilly’s advice to stay on the good side of the police, he said, “Yes sir.”
The policeman straightened a little and spoke as if he were reading from a script, “The Police Department and Detective Chatfield would like to convey their apologies for the arrest of Ms. Djai prior to the full review of the videotape from the mine’s security cameras. She’s again being placed under your care, although she should not leave the city.”
Kiri took a breath and looked like she was about to say something disparaging, but she subsided at a quelling look from Morgan.
The policeman nodded toward the road up to the mine and said, “The investigation at the mine has been reopened and we’ll be bringing in a team to explore the vertical shafts as well as to search the mine a second time, looking for any other possible hiding places for the second man.”
Trying to remain pleasant, Morgan said, “Have you gotten any further in determining the motive for the attack?”
The policeman glanced up the hill toward the mine, but then faced Morgan again and said, “Not to my knowledge, sir.”
“Will someone keep us apprised? I’m concerned that, depending on what that motive was, the rest of us might be in danger too.”
The policeman nodded, “I’ll mention that to Detective Chatfield.”
“Thank you,” Morgan said, holding the door open and motioning Kiri into the house.
The policeman gave a little two fingered salute and departed. Morgan stepped into the house and found Kiri waiting for him. “I so want to give them a piece of my mind,” she said. She gave Morgan a little grin, “Thanks for reminding me I shouldn’t.”
Morgan grinned back, “I appreciate your restraint.”
She gave him a nod and headed for the stairs. He wanted to ask her about the hidden rooms, but decided to wait until she’d had a chance to settle back in. Instead, he shouted up the stairs, “Lindl, Adam… Kiri’s home!”
She was only part way up the stairs when they came around the corner and thundered down to greet her enthusiastically.
Morgan decided that he should let Tilly Arvind know that Kiri’d been released. It would, after all, save Ms. Arvind worrying about whether Kiri’d been turned loose and perhaps wasting her time checking into it.
After spending thirty minutes carefully considering what to say, he began to realize just how afflicted he was. He’d started out wondering how to phrase the call so it’d sound friendly, yet professional.
Not too professional though.
A friendly courtesy call from one professional to another. No, that’s not right. She’s the professional and I’m the client. I’m not trying to end-run that relationship. I just don’t want her to waste her time. And I’m friendly.
If she’s interested.
What if she’s married but just doesn’t wear her ring? He found himself searching the Internet. Trying to find evidence for or against that possibility. He gave it up as a bad idea, deciding that the chances a married woman wouldn’t be wearing her ring had to be pretty low.
He wondered if he could invite her out to dinner to celebrate Kiri’s freedom. That’s gotta be inappropriate. She’s a professional. You don’t invite a professional out to dinner because she did her job. It’s not like she worked on Kiri’s case for months and I’ve really gotten to know her. And I’d have to get Adam to give me some money to do it with.
Feeling somewhat crazed, he settled on a text. “Dear Ms. Arvind. As you expected, they brought Kiri home this morning. We even got an apology. Thank you very, very much for your help.” After further agonizing, he added a final sentence, “I hope that we might see you again sometime, under more pleasant circumstances.”
He vacillated for a while, but finally sent it.
Sunday evening
Morgan went upstairs to invite the teenagers down to dinner. He’d made a pot of chili, garlic bread and a salad. He found all three teenagers in Lindl’s room. Adam sat in the chair looking pinched while Kiri and Lindl sprawled on the beds. For once, Lindl wasn’t playing his guitar though it laid near to hand. His eyes were red, and when Morgan looked at Kiri he saw hers were the same. When she lifted her head to look at him, she rubbed at a cheek. Nonetheless, the dried streaks of her tears remained. Morgan said quietly, “I’ve made dinner, but it can wait. Do you want to talk about it?”
Lindl and Kiri both shook their heads. Adam stood up and sidled toward Morgan.
Morgan said, “I’ll put dinner on hold until seven. See you then.” He exited the room, Adam close on his heels.
As they went downstairs, Morgan asked, “Something happen?”
Sounding distraught, Adam said, “I asked something about Uncle Daryn. I can’t even remember what it was anymore. Lindl started to answer, then Kiri filled in some details. Moments later they were just pouring out their hearts, tears running down their faces.” Adam shook his head, “From the stories they told, your brother was the kind of dad everyone ought to have.”
Morgan wanted to say something wise. Something that would somehow show he could live up to the impossible standard of fatherhood that’d apparently been set by his brother.
But the frog in his throat kept him from speaking.
Back in the kitchen, he put the bread back in the warm oven and the pot of chili on the burner at its lowest setting. Then he and Adam sat silently at the breakfast bar thinking. When Morgan thought he could speak without croaking, he said, “I think you did them a service. It’s probably good for them to… to talk about him. It’s a time-honored tradition at wakes and memorials to reminisce about the person who died.”
Adam didn’t say anything for a while and Morgan wondered if he understood. Finally, he said, “I’ve never been to a funeral or memorial. Are we going to have one for Uncle Daryn?”
“In his will he said he wanted to be cremated. I guess I should ask Lindl and Kiri if that’s okay with them. I’m sure Daryn wouldn’t care if they wanted him to be buried instead.” He sighed, “With so little in the way of family and friends, it’d be pretty strange to have a big funeral ceremony. I guess he might have a bunch of friends I don’t know about.”
Adam said, “You can still have a memorial service, right? Even if you’re being cremated?”
“Yeah, but we could do that with just the four of us if they wanted. Scatter his ashes in a favorite place or something.”
Monday morning
Kiri ran down the stairs and out the back door. Her eyes were already focused on the start of her favorite trail when motion caught her eye. Adam was getting up off a stump. He had on an old T-shirt, shorts, and running shoes. He wants to go running with me, she realized.
It became even more evident as he spooled up to a running stride, taking an angle that’d intersect her path to the trail. “Morning,” he said cheerfully as he pulled up alongside.
“I hope you don’t think we’re going out to chitchat on a nice easy run.”
He gave her a grin, “Nope, no chitchat. You’re going to run me into the ground. All you’ll hear from me’s a lot of gasping.”
She grinned back, “Damn right.”
They settled into eating miles. They’d gone some distance when Kiri realized there was something companionable about running with a buddy… cousin? This’s weird, she thought. He may be my cousin, but he feels more like a good friend. A mile later, she’d decided that he probably didn’t feel like a cousin because she didn’t know him like you’d normally know a family member.
She looked over at him and he flashed her a strained smile. She turned back to the front again before she realized just how strained it had been. She looked back at him and immediately slowed. “Holy crap Adam! Are you trying to kill yourself?” He looked as blown out as someone who’d just tried to win a distance race.
A few seconds later, he’d stopped, braced his hands on his knees and begun gasping for breath. Kiri took his elbow, “Come on. Stand up. Walk it out so you won’t cramp.” She walked him in a small half circle that pointed him back toward the house then tugged until he was shambling that direction.
Adam glanced over at her, a little wide-eyed as if he had no idea what’d just happened to him. “Hey… Sorry.” He made an abortive wave down the trail the way they’d been going. “Go… ‘m-okay.”
The Transmuter's Daughter Page 17
