by Sandy Nadeau
As twilight set, many members of the church family began to gather in the parking lot of the ranch. Mandy knew the professional searchers would stay out in the wilderness, but they couldn’t expect these families to stay out in the elements. She thanked them for their help and offered them dinner at the cafeteria.
Connie sat on the step of her cabin, head in her hands, sobbing uncontrollably.
Rick’s own search came up with nothing. He stood, patting his wife’s shoulder, his back hunched and his head down.
The volunteer searchers came out of the cafeteria in groups, standing around the corrals, the office, and the yard. A few people left to go home and take care of chores, but eventually they returned as the shadows lengthened.
The searchers joined hands, and Carl, Dean’s dad, said a prayer. People stood, their silent vigil the only support they could offer.
****
The two men wrapped up for the night.
Mark helped Jenny move back over to her original location. From a cooler they had brought in, he took out another wrapped sandwich and a few other items along with a bottle of water. He gathered up a couple of old scratchy wool blankets and set them next to her.
“What are you doing?” Jenny asked with wide eyes. “You’re not leaving me in here tonight are you?”
“I don’t have any choice,” Mark whispered. He added another rope around her hands, attaching it to a heavy metal stake driven into the floor of the cave. Mark set a lantern nearby and turned the wick down low.
Panic increased. She did not want to be alone in this cave all night long.
Barney growled, as if he sensed Jenny’s fear.
The taller man stomped towards her. “You better be here when we get back in the morning. We know how to find you and we know who your family is, so don’t be stupid.”
Terrified, Jenny could only cry.
Barney followed them out.
Her control fled. She wailed, frightened beyond belief. Finally, her body could take no more and she wound down. “You…you…you…can’t leave me in here!” The wobble in her voice shocked her as it echoed back.
Barney trotted back in and lay near her outstretched legs, his warmth lessening the chill that permeated the room.
She raised her hands and began working at the knot with her teeth. The knot held tight. She reached down and attempted to pull at the rope around her ankles. She couldn’t do it. The knots were just too tight.
Barney watched her every move.
“Barney, you gotta get help. You’ve got to go get Mandy.”
The dog whined at the name of his master.
“Barney, go! Get Mandy!” She thrust her arms in the direction of the opening. The dog put his head on his front paws. His big brown eyes just looked up at her.
****
Mandy stepped out of the shower. She hadn’t slept much. Barney’s absence disturbed her, as well. She prayed that he was with Jenny and providing some measure of comfort. She heard the screen door slam.
Jon marched up with the newspaper scrunched in his hand. “Look at this,” he thrust the paper towards her. “Look what that reporter wrote.”
“Young Teen Missing From Local Resort.”
The article stretched into dramatics.
“Apparently, several safety issues have become a great concern for guests of High Country Safaris. Two serious incidents in less than a week have marred the ranch’s ability to provide the fun adventure that they advertise. This type of adventure is not one any parent would want for their child. Where is Jenny Carter? Will she be found safe? The search continues. If you have any information about this teen, call local authorities.”
Jenny’s photo also appeared next to the article.
Mandy walked outside with Jon, startled to see many of the church members outside.
Dean came over to them. “We sent several people home, but the ones who wanted to stay slept in their cars.”
“Would you like breakfast and some hot coffee? The cafeteria is open.” Mandy was so touched she could barely speak.
“That’d be great.”
After she got the kitchen crew started on feeding the crowd, she went back outside.
Mr. Shonee pulled up in his mint-condition antique luxury car.
“What on earth would he be doing here?” Mandy asked as Jon came over to her.
“I want to talk to you two,” the old man shouted, pointing his cane at them. “I saw the paper this morning. What’s wrong with you people? You can’t seem to keep track of anybody. I’m tired of all this traffic and noise. You got people crawling all over the place. Cars comin’ and goin’ are stirring up so much dust, my house is covered in it. You got them dad-blame machines running up the hills day and night. I keep gettin’ bothered by cops questioning me all suspicious like. Even that fool reporter came knockin’. Then your dang office woman hangs up on me. I finally get my good-for-nothin’ son out of the house and now I gotta deal with all this? I want all the racket and commotion stopped, and I want it stopped now.”
“Mr. Shonee, we have to do all we can to find this girl. I should think you would want to help.” Jon’s words were terse.
“Blast. What am I gonna do about it? She’s probably just another runaway. I want peace and quiet around here. I’ve lived in these parts for more than fifty years, I don’t need all this.”
“We’re doing our best, Mr. Shonee,” Mandy said. “Please, just be patient. You might want to think about saying a prayer for this young girl instead of being so angry about it. She’s been missing all night.”
“Prayer. Bah. Fat lot of good that would do me, or her. Just settle it down over here.” The old man hobbled back to his car and his tires kicked up rocks and dirt as he left their driveway.
Jon watched him go with his hands in his pocket. “Sad old guy, isn’t he?”
“Sad and infuriating. Let’s go over to the office and see if any news has come in from the sheriff’s office.”
Sue was on the phone, trying to reassure the caller. She kept trying to say something, but was cut short with every attempt. She set the handset back down. “Hi guys. Umm…bad news. We’ve had three cancellations so far this morning. Folks are seeing the article and getting worried enough to cancel. And demand their deposits back.”
Jon plopped down in a chair and cradled his forehead in his hand.
“I thought that article would help.” Mandy began to pace. “Now look what’s happening. We needed people to focus on finding Jenny, not think our resort is a danger to their family. What are we going to do? If we get too many cancellations, we won’t even be able to keep the staff on. We can’t let people go. They depend on us.”
“The sheriff called to see if she had shown up during the night.” Sue shuffled papers on her desk. “They’ve still had no sign of her. The rangers also called. No trace of her but they are still searching. Nate came in very early wondering where Mark has been. I guess he hasn’t been around since two days ago.”
Jon looked up. “Has he called in?”
“Nope. That’s what’s so strange. The guys know they have to call so we can get someone to fill in for them if they have a tour scheduled. Mark was supposed to lead a couple of guys on another fly fishing excursion this morning, so Ken had to take them up. He did say he’d be keeping an eye out for Jenny up by the lake.”
“I think the three of us better just get to prayin’ this morning,” Jon said, his tone bleak. “Sue, come on over to the couch with us.”
The three huddled and held hands, each one taking a turn to pray aloud that they would find Jenny safe.
16
Jenny woke up with the warmth of Barney next to her body. She was thankful for the heat and the company. The scratchy woolen blankets had barely covered her. She pushed upright and rubbed her sleep-filled eyes with the backs of her bound hands.
The lantern had dimmed.
She’d woken several times feeling like something crawled on her legs or arms. Another time a noise h
ad made Barney jump and caused her to jolt awake. Tears fell every time she woke up. She groaned and sobbed at the memory of those scary nighttime hours and the realization of her plight.
She heard the noisy machines as the men returned to her prison. Relief came over her, along with dread. What was she going to do? She had to find a way to escape.
The noise stopped.
There were footsteps, and then they appeared at the opening.
“Ah…there’s our girl,” the taller man sneered. “Sleep well?”
“You’ve got to let me go. My parents are probably going crazy. This isn’t doing you any good.”
“Apparently your parents are going crazy. The whole area is crawling with cops, rangers and a whole lot of other people. We had to come in through my…the other property.”
“This isn’t fair.” Tears fell again. “I want to go home. I’m hungry and these ropes hurt. Please don’t keep me in here any longer. I won’t tell anybody that you’re here.”
“We’ll keep you as long as we need to. Quit your whinin’. I don’t want to hear it.”
Mark had two sacks and a six pack of water bottles. He handed her the sacks and a bottle of water. There were snack bars, a couple of sandwiches, and bags of chips. The other held her favorite—glazed donuts. She pulled one out and began eating, sharing with Barney. “Can’t you get me out of here?” she murmured to Mark.
He threw her a look of warning. “Shhh…,” he whispered. “I’m trying to figure out something.”
She leaned back against the cold rock wall.
Mark took up the lamp to fill it.
“It was really cold in here last night. These blankets stink. Can you get me something warmer?”
Mark pulled an old dark blue sweatshirt out of a plastic crate, shook dirt and dust out of it, and gave it to her. He untied her hands.
She rubbed her freed wrists, and then pulled the dirty shirt over her top. “I have to….go, too.”
Mark untied her feet. “Come on. Back down the tunnel.”
He had to help her up. Her legs were stiff and weak from being in the same position for so long. Her feet tingled as she tried to walk.
Barney stayed right at her side.
She stretched her legs, arms, and back in the tunnel. Relief accomplished, she made her way back to the main cavern.
The men were examining the vein of mineral.
She stepped quietly to the opening. If she could just run as fast as she could...
Barney looked up at her.
She reached down, scratched behind his ear, and placed a finger to her lips. She looked at the men one more time, and took off at a hard run. Fire broke out in her lower limbs but she kept going. She had to get out of there.
Barney ran with her.
“Get her!” The tall man yelled.
Barney barked.
The uneven floor caused her to sail forward, feet scrambling for a hold.
The men caught up just as she was about to fall.
She screamed as the tall man grabbed her arm and pulled her to a stop.
Barney barked ferociously, but kept his distance.
“Dang it, girl. Don’t be messin’ around like this. You ain’t goin’ anywhere. Get that dog,” the taller man yelled at Mark.
“Barney. Get out of here.” She tried to wriggle from the tight grasp. “You’ve got to get out of here, Barney. Go get Mandy. Go!”
Mark made a move towards the dog.
Barney barked and growled at him. His teeth were bared, and he looked ready to rip flesh.
Mark continued slowly moving towards the dog. “Come on, Barney. Good dog, come here, buddy.” The dog backed up and continued to growl, his teeth threatening the man. “Kane, he won’t come to me.”
Kane dragged Jenny away.
She screamed again, “Barney, run. Get Mandy.” Crying overtook her.
The dog whined loudly, and then ran out the entrance of the cave.
Mark took off after him.
Kane pushed Jenny down to the floor and tied her up. The ropes cut into her skin. She cried out in pain.
“You ever try that again and you’re gonna be so sorry.” His face had turned red, veins in his neck stuck way out, and extended purple lines down to his shirt collar.
Mark returned without Barney. “The dog got away.”
“Dang it, Mark. Can’t you do anything right?”
“We gotta get out of here, Kane.”
“Shut up, you idiot.”
Jenny swiped at her runny nose with the sleeve of the sweatshirt feeling the grit stick above her lip.
“Seriously, Kane. It’s time. We’ve gotten a lot of great gems out of here. We gotta let her go and get out of here. They’re gonna find us, and then we’ll have nothing.”
“Dang it.” Kane stomped over to the vein and took a serious look at what remained. He held the lantern up against the wall.
Jenny could see that dull greens, shiny silver areas, and white quartz-like rock remained. She saw the slightest amount of rosy pink.
Kane set the lantern down, rather roughly, startling Jenny with fear that it would break and burst into flame.
“If she wouldn’t have messed it up for us, we could have dug in further to see if this vein picked up again. Dang it. I deserve this stuff. It’s mine.” He stomped over to the center of the cavern and looked around. “Get anything that might give us away and get it out to the ATV.”
The men began going through the supplies.
“She already knows who I am, Kane. What am I going to do?”
“We’ll just have to get out of the area. Grab this stuff and let’s go!”
“You’re not going to leave me in here, are you?” Panic rose in Jenny’s chest.
“Shut up. You can be stuck in here forever, for all I care.”
Jenny looked to Mark, silently pleading for help.
“Kane, we can’t leave her here. She’ll die. Then we’re up for murder. I’m not going down for something like that.”
“I. Don’t. Care.” He got in Mark’s face, and then made his way out of the cave with a box.
Mark rushed over to Jenny and began to loosen her ropes. “Listen now,” he whispered. “I’m going to loosen these up enough for you to get out of them. When we’re gone, you’ll be able to pull out of them and get out of here. Just wait until we’re gone. He’s real mad, and I don’t trust what he might do to you.” He frantically pulled at the tight knots until he had them much looser. Hearing footsteps in the passageway, he returned to sorting through things just as Kane reappeared.
Jenny pulled her feet up so they were harder to see. She could feel the rope almost falling off. Her hands were hidden in her lap. She fought to hold back the tears.
Both men left the cavern with more crates and equipment.
Jenny examined the knots. If she could just pull with her teeth, she’d be able to get free.
Little evidence remained from their work, only garbage and the single lantern nearby.
The ATVs started up. The smell of exhaust shot into the cavern. Rocks pelted against the walls of the entrance tunnel.
Jenny began to chew on the knot at her wrists and pulled as the rope loosened. Her body shook as the panic set in. She got her hands free, and then worked at the knots around her ankles. She kicked her way out the rest of the bindings.
She shuffled to the entrance, as feeling returned to her extremities. The noise of the machines faded in the distance. The shade hurt her eyes after so many hours of the cave’s gloom, despite the lantern’s light. She blinked and rubbed at her eyes. Pushing away at some bushes, she almost fell out of the entrance.
Freedom.
Between the rough terrain, and legs that didn’t want to cooperate, she had to settle for a brisk walk. She kept a lookout for the men. She shook with a combination of fear, cold, and stiffness. Down the hillside… just keep going… Sliding on the thick layer of dry pine needles, she had to grab at things to keep from falling.
; Someone yelled.
Terrified, she stopped to listen. Someone called out her name.
“I’m here! Help!” She screamed, scrambled, and slid in the direction of the voice.
“Jenny? Jenny, where are you?”
“I’m over here.”
From the other direction, Mr. Shonee screamed his complaints about all the noise and racket. Jenny recognized his gruff voice.
That cute guy…Dean…from Sunday school ran towards her.
“Dean?” She ran towards him, slipping and stumbling the whole way.
“Oh my gosh, girl.” He opened his arms. “Where have you been?”
She ran right into his arms and began to cry. “Some guys had me tied up in a cave.”
“What?” He pushed her back, holding onto her shoulders. “Are you all right?” He looked at the dirty sweatshirt and her dusty jeans. “Did they hurt you?”
“It just hurts where the ropes were.” She showed him raw wrists.
“Come on. We need to get you back to the ranch. Everyone’s worried sick. Can you walk OK?”
“Yeah, I’m a little shaky, but I can walk. What are you doing here?” She was a mess. She raked fingers through her greasy hair trying to smooth it out. She cringed at the thought of what she must look like to this cute guy.
Dean put his arm around her shoulder to keep her steady as they walked. “Everybody has been out looking for you. The police, the forest rangers, the staff at camp. Even a bunch from church. Your parents are scared to death. I decided to walk around this way this morning.”
“I didn’t think I’d ever get out of there. I was so scared.” She stifled a sob and leaned into him.
Barney came around the bend and ran towards them.
Mandy and Jon were on horses galloping to keep up with the dog.
“Jenny!” Mandy yelled. “Oh my gosh. Jenny. Dean, is she all right?”
Mandy’s feet hit the ground before her horse completely stopped. She ran towards Jenny and threw her arms around the girl. “Are you all right? Are you hurt? Where have you been?”
