Dream Under the Hill (Oberon Book 8)

by P. G. Forte

  But the quietness was the only thing he had to be grateful for, because finding the tunnel had brought him no closer to finding Jim, or to learning anything new about Amy or Jack. Finding the tunnel told him nothing he didn’t already know.

  The basement was cool and dry and derelict, with a lumpy, dirt floor and walls of weathered granite packed together with crumbling cement. Dust motes swirled in the narrow shafts of light that struggled in from the windows. The whole place had a smell of neglect; of friable, old wood, of desiccated mouse droppings and, very faintly, of apples and whiskey and stale beer.

  The entrance to the tunnel was in a dark recess at the back of the house. It was boarded up, just as Cara had promised, and so inconspicuous that, if he hadn’t been looking for it, he would probably have passed it over without giving it a second glance.

  He shone his penlight into the spaces between the boards, but the little beam illuminated nothing but shadows and dirt, and no more than a few feet of either.

  It was bigger than he’d expected, however. The passageway he spied out was large enough for several men to walk abreast – at least for the first few feet. It might be solid rock beyond that distance, or, it might continue for miles, winding unobstructed beneath the nearby hills, ending up... where?

  The Ocean? The Interstate? In any of a dozen local watersheds?

  The list of possible destinations was depressingly large. And, although the tunnel didn’t appear to have been used recently, there was really no way to tell that for sure, just by looking at it.

  The nails holding the boards in place looked to be as old as the house itself, but there was a dusty box half full of identical ones rusting away on a nearby shelf; they could have been replaced any number of times over the years.

  Even the preponderance of cobwebs proved nothing. The spiders who populated the old house seemed an especially industrious bunch, given to tearing down and rebuilding their webs on almost a daily basis. As Liam had reason to know, given the hours he’d spent lately, staring at the ones in the corners of his room, trying hard not to think of Cara.

  Last night had been particularly brutal in that regard. Now that he knew the taste of her, the urge to kiss her again was damn near overwhelming. Now, he suspected, even spider webs would only make him think of her, and want her, that much more.

  He thought about that as he slipped the flashlight back into his pocket and headed for the stairs; wiping his hands on his pants to remove any traces of dust and grime, then running them through his hair. He never should have let her kiss him. That had been a mistake – a big one. He couldn’t very well fault Gregg for taking advantage of Cara, if he was going to do the same damn thing. If nothing else, he could at least make sure the bastard did some serious time for statutory rape.

  But that meant not being stupid. Not doing anything that could earn him matching charges and an adjacent cell.

  Even if she was the one who initiated it.

  God, he needed a break from this shit. He needed to stay away from the girl, for both their sakes. And he needed a good night’s sleep. He didn’t know how any of the others stood all the interrupted nights. He didn’t know how Gregg stood it, either, for that matter. Unless the bastard was ganking some industrial strength amphetamines during his once-a-week visits to minister patients at the local hospital.

  Shit, he probably is, Liam realized, surprised he hadn’t thought of it sooner. He was pretty sure there was nothing Gregg did that didn’t involve a pay off of some kind, which made any of his supposedly charitable activities extremely suspect. That was something else he’d need to check into, once he was finished here.

  In the meantime... he needed to stay focused. He needed to concentrate on getting through this ordeal – one day at a time. He needed to finish his work here. He needed to find a link that would lead him to Jim.

  And he needed to leave.

  Once he was gone, he’d damn sure advise the local authorities of Cara’s situation, so they could come in and bust Gregg’s no-good ass.

  Considering how upset Cara would likely be, if he did that; how much she’d probably hate him for it, it would be an empty victory, at best. But he owed it to her. He owed it to Amy and Jack. And to himself. He owed it to every kid who’d ever been abused or used or otherwise mistreated by an adult.

  It was for her own good. It was the right thing to do. And, if she didn’t like that... well, that was too bad.

  Still, just thinking about that had him seething with guilt and anger and frustration as he climbed the stairs from the basement. The smells of seaweed and rice, and other less familiar and less appealing fragrances, along with the dissonant clatter of noise coming from the direction of the kitchen told him that this week’s kitchen crew was attempting to prepare the evening meal. They did nothing to stimulate his appetite.

  He’d skip dinner again tonight, he decided, and then he’d sneak downstairs later in the evening, when the place was deserted, and steal himself a snack.

  If he was lucky, he wouldn’t run into Cara in the kitchen again tonight. Or did he have that all wrong? Wasn’t that exactly what he was hoping for?

  The lights were off on the second floor, the windows on the landing were swathed in drapes, making the hallway even darker then the basement had been. He opened the door to his room, and blinked – surprised as much by the sudden flood of light as he was by the sight of Cara, sprawled face down on his bed, with her nose in a book and her bare feet waving in the air above her butt.

  “What’s going on?” he asked from the doorway. “What are you doing here?”

  “Hi,” she said, turning to glance at him over her shoulder. She put down the book and rolled until she was propped up on her elbows, gazing at him down the length of her body. “Where’ve you been?”

  She was wearing jeans and a long sleeved jersey – baby blue, prettied up with lace and ribbons – that fit her like a second skin. The flush on her face was at odds with the casual tone of her voice, and she was breathing a little too rapidly.

  Liam shrugged in what he hoped was a credibly off-hand manner. “Just wandering around, getting a little exercise. I get antsy if I have to stay still for too long.” He glanced at the bulging backpack on the floor next to the bed. “Do you need help with your schoolwork, or something?”

  Cara shook her head. “Not really. Maybe later.” She studied him for a moment longer, and then dropped her gaze to her feet. “So. I guess we should talk, or something.”

  Uh-oh. That didn’t sound too good. “Okay.” Liam quietly shut the door behind him and leaned his back against it. “About what?”

  Cara’s gaze remained glued to her toes. “Well, you don’t seem real happy here,” she said, as she flexed and pointed her feet. “And... I guess... I was thinking... that maybe I should do something. Or give you something. Or, you know, try to change that, somehow?”

  He stared at her, as alarmed by her words as he was puzzled by the discomfort she was trying to hide. “Give me something,” he repeated blankly. “Like what?”

  She gave a little shrug. A frown creased her forehead. “Like... something that would keep you busy, or happy. Or, you know, make you hang around more.”

  Something that would keep him busy? “You mean, some kind of chores?” Oh, yeah, that was just what he needed, all right. Like he didn’t have little enough time already. Was this payback for yesterday, or some new disaster?

  “What?” She glanced up at him, startled. Color suffused her face once more, and her voice was choked with laughter. “No. Not chores. Not–” She broke off, shaking her head and giggling, looking so pretty that it made his chest hurt. “No, Liam. No. Nothing like that.”

  He crossed his arms and sighed. “Okay, look, I’m a little tired for games. So, why don’t you just tell me what you want, okay?” And then get out of here, before I do something stupid.

  “What I want?” Cara repeated mockingly. Her voice was a husky little murmur that zinged straight to his groin. He barely suppres
sed a groan as she bit her lip, as her smile turned sly. She crooked a finger at him. “Why don’t you come over here, and I’ll show you what I want?”

  He leveled a steady look in her direction, determined to stand his ground. “I don’t think so.”

  Cara’s smile dissolved. Her eyelids fluttered nervously as she sat up. “Wh-why not?”

  “Because it’s not a very good idea, that’s why.” He looked at her curiously. “What’s this all about?”

  “I told you,” she said, pouting now. “I want you to be happy here. And, and you’re not. Are you? Gregg thinks you’re not.”

  His eyes narrowed. “So you’re here to make me happy. Is that it?”

  Cara nodded. “Yes.”

  “Kinda like the way you make Gregg happy, d’you mean?” he couldn’t help asking.

  Cara’s gaze dropped to the floor. She shrugged. “Yeah. Sort of.”

  “No.” Liam took a step away from the door and pulled it open. “Forget it.”

  She looked up at him again. “How come? Don’t you want to?”

  Unbidden, the words of the Miranda Act filed through his head. He was pretty sure this was as good a time as any for keeping his mouth shut. He nodded at the door. “Go on, get out now. Quit fooling around. I’m pretty sure they could use your help in the kitchen. From the looks of things down there, I doubt they’ll manage anything edible tonight.”

  “I don’t care about that. I’m not hungry right now.”

  “Yeah, well, neither am I. But I am tired. I want to see if I can’t get a nap in while I have time.”

  She studied him thoughtfully. “Why don’t you come and lie down, if you’re tired. Maybe I could stay and help you relax?”

  Help him relax? That’d be the day. “Yeah? And just what do you suppose Gregg’ll have to say about something like that, huh? I know you like to bend the rules, Caramel, but I don’t think either of us is up for that much trouble right now.”

  “Is that all you’re worried about?” she asked, looking entirely too relieved, all of a sudden. He watched as she got up from the bed and sauntered toward him, biting her lower lip and smiling. She reached around him to push the door closed and then turned back to face him. Liam felt his breath hitch as she ran one hand up his chest.

  “Stop it, Cara,” he warned. “Don’t be stupid.”

  “Shhh. I’m not.” She silenced him with a finger against his lips. “Really, no one’s going to get in trouble this time, okay? Gregg’s not gonna be upset. I promise.”

  Liam was practically growling as she moved to stand closer. He took hold of her shoulders and pushed her back a pace. What he wanted was to feel her body pressed against his. What he needed, however, was to keep her as far from him as he could get her. “Oh, no? Why’s that?”

  Cara ducked her head. A mischievous grin tugged at her mouth as she peeked up at him. “Because it was his idea?”

  “His idea?” Liam had to close his eyes for an instant, until the impulse to turn and put his fist through the door had passed. “You’re telling me Gregg sent you here to sleep with me? And you’re okay with that?”

  “Well, yeah,” she said as her face softened and a miniscule smile curved her lips. “You’ve always been pretty nice to me, so, sure. Why not?”

  He did growl, then. Shoving her away and pacing angrily into the center of the room. “How many others?” he demanded as he whirled around to face her.

  Her brow puckered up in confusion. “How many other what?”

  “Men, Cara.” He scowled at her. “Who else have you been making happy around here?” He wished he could push away the images that were rising to the surface of his mind, but he couldn’t. Half forgotten memories and sensations crowded his thoughts, resisting all his attempts to ignore them. Memories of callused, rough hands caressing supple, young flesh. The smell of sweat and sex mingling in the still evening air. Bodies straining, writhing. Voices crying out in pain, or in release...

  Bile rose in his throat as he stared at her. The thought that she had come here to let him use her like that, the realization that she believed he would, made him furious. Furious with her for not caring more, for not knowing him better. Furious with himself for not thinking of it sooner, for not taking steps to get her out of here the very first night.

  He knew there was something wrong about her being here. He knew it. Yet he’d done nothing. And, in the process, he’d become his own enemy. How, and when, had that happened?

  “What the hell’s the matter with you?” he snarled at her. “Why would you go along with something like that? You could have left – any time. You didn’t have to stay here.”

  She stared at him, mystified. “Something like what? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “How many of the others has Gregg set you up with in the last five months? Or lent you out to. Or however you want to put it.”

  Cara glared at him. “Don’t be disgusting. It’s not like that!”

  “The hell it’s not.”

  “It’s not,” she insisted. One shoulder hitched upward in a tiny shrug. “It’s just... he’s with Lauren again and... and he thought I should have someone else, too. We didn’t discuss anyone else, you know. Just you.”

  “Oh. Well, lucky me then.”

  Cara’s eyes flew open, her cheeks blazed – as red as if they’d been struck.

  He ignored the pain that filled her eyes, and asked again, “Now, tell me. How many of these other creeps have you been with?”

  Her face turned sullen. “None. Okay?”

  He shook his head. “Wrong answer. Don’t lie to me, Cara. I want names.”

  “What are you, the sex police?” She huffed out an angry little breath. “Anyway, why should I lie? I do what I want to do. And if I wanted to hook up with every guy here, what’s it to you?”

  He sighed. “You’re a kid. You shouldn’t be doing things like that.”

  “I am not a kid!”

  “Well, you’re not eighteen, yet, are you? That makes you a kid in my book. And you shouldn’t be hooking up with anyone.”

  Cara snorted. “Get real.” She frowned at him for a moment and then, “I don’t know what this age thing is all about with you. Gregg’s like twice as old as you are. He doesn’t have a problem with it.”

  “Gregg is old enough to be your father,” Liam said, clenching his teeth to keep from screaming the words. “All these other guys are old enough to be your father.”

  “I know. That’s my point. In fact, there’s some chick who’s like my age who just emailed Gregg, ‘cause she can’t find her father and she thinks maybe he’s it. So, if that’s okay, then–”

  “It’s not okay. That’s what I– Wait. Some girl–? What are you talking about?” Liam swallowed hard. His hands were shaking and he could barely breathe. Amy? Could it be? Could Amy be looking for Jim – just as he was? Could her search have led her here, to Gregg?

  Cara frowned at him. “I’m talking about the fact that you aren’t anywhere near as old as Gregg. That’s what. Which is why I–”

  “Forget that,” Liam said, cutting her off. He crossed back to where she was standing and took hold of her shoulders once more. “I don’t care about any of that right now. I just want to hear about this girl. Do you know her name? Did she leave an address, some way to contact her?”

  Cara’s eyebrows rose. “What do you want to know about her for?”

  Liam held onto his temper with an effort. “I just do, okay? Now, could you please just–”

  “No.” Cara glared at him moodily. “I won’t. I’m tired of all the time having to listen to guys talk up other girls when they’re with me. First Seth, then Gregg and now you, too? And you don’t even know this chick. So just forget it.”

  “Cara,” he began warningly, wanting to shake the silly girl.

  “No,” she repeated stubbornly. But there were tears in her eyes and her voice shook as she added, “It’s not fair, Liam. What’s so wrong with me that everyone always want
s someone else, instead?”

  This time, it was impossible to ignore the pain she was feeling, because he was feeling it, too. Loneliness slammed into his solar plexus, so hard he had to gulp for breath.

  “Nothing’s wrong with you,” he murmured as he pressed a kiss to her forehead. He wanted to wrap his arms around her, but he didn’t trust himself to stop there. He pulled back and smiled into her eyes. “And, for what it’s worth, I don’t want someone else.”

  “Right. You just don’t want me.”

  Liam sighed. Between the hurt in her eyes and the vulnerability that tinged her voice, he had no doubt that wasn’t a statement she’d just made. It was a question – one that begged an answer. Unfortunately, the answer he had to give her was not the one she wanted to hear. “I don’t want anyone tonight, okay? I just want information.”

  “Well, too bad. Because I don’t have any.”

  “Cara... ”

  “I don’t,” she insisted. “It was just one email and a picture of some chick holding a cat. For all I know he could have deleted both of them by now.”

  “A picture? What does she look like?” Even if it was Amy, Liam wondered if he’d still recognize her. After all these years? He wasn’t as sure of that as he ought to be.

  “Why?” Cara’s eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Why are you so interested in this girl, anyway?”

  “I can’t tell you that. But... look, is there any way you can get me a copy?”

  “Of what? Her picture?”

  Liam nodded. “And the email, too.”

  Cara’s mouth dropped open. “Oh, sure. And then I can get my butt tossed out of here for messing with Gregg’s stuff. Are you nuts? Why the fuck would I do something like that?”

  “Because.” He stared at her for a moment. Not knowing how much to say, or how far he could trust her. “It’s important.”

  “Important, huh? You mean it’s important to you?”

  Liam nodded.

  Cara continued to eye him suspiciously. “And you’re not going to tell me why that is, either, are you?”