A Trick of the Moon

by Melinda Barron

  If they were using the kiva, there was every chance they had artifacts that had been passed down from generation to generation. Getting the chance to look at those artifacts would be amazing. But they had to be cautious about it.

  If they got too heavy-handed, they would piss someone off or send them running and not be able to get anything out of them at all.

  “What do we do next?” Dario's voice interrupted his musings.

  “Camp out,” Declan said, turning toward them.

  Maura put her hands on her hips, and Declan wet his lips. Her legs were slightly spread, and thinking about the tasty treat that was inside her was probably something he shouldn't be doing in this space.

  “It's the middle of the afternoon,” she said. “If that's a veiled reference to going to bed, it's not working.”

  A Trick of the Moon

  69

  Both men chuckled, and then Declan crossed to her and pulled her into his arms. “Tempting, but we'll save it for later. Let's eat lunch, and we can discuss what I want to do later tonight.”

  Dario patted her on the butt, and Declan added a pat, just for good measure. She jumped playfully, then took hold of the ladder and put her foot on the first rung.

  Declan saw what was happening before Maura realized it. The ladder moved more than it should have, swaying almost as if it were in the wind. She grabbed hold of a rung and started to climb. Her weight pulled on what was obviously a now-unsecured ladder, and the apparatus began falling down, coiling down from the ceiling. He moved behind her, grabbing her around the waist as the rope ladder fell into the kiva, effectively trapping them inside the ancient structure.

  She landed on top of him as they tumbled onto the floor, Declan effectively breaking her fall. His deep grunt from the impact made her body tense.

  “Declan!” Her voice sounded as if it were far away, and she turned to see her rescuer under her, his face frozen in pain. “Declan! Are you all right?”

  “Fine.” The word came out on a wheeze, and Dario's strong arms wrapped around her and pulled her upright. She clasped them tightly. Dario set her aside, then knelt down next to Declan.

  “Don't move.” Dario's hands were on his shoulders. “You might have broken something.”

  “No, I don't think so.” Declan sat up and Maura watched, trying to see as much as she could in the darkened space. Declan had dropped his flashlight, and the beam was now illuminating the far part of the kiva.

  She walked toward the area slowly, turning the beam on the two men.

  Dario was running his hands up and down Declan's arms and legs, checking for breaks.

  70

  Melinda Barron

  “Did you hit your head?” The cop's cool, in-control voice let her know he was totally in charge of the situation. There was not one whit of the fear and nervousness she felt right now.

  “No, I'm fine.” Declan pushed his hands away, then glanced at Maura.

  “What about you?”

  “Right as rain,” she said softly. “Except for the fact we're stuck down here.”

  “No.” Dario stood and lifted his arm above his head. “All it will take is Declan getting on my shoulders, and we're out. It's not that deep. They didn't want to leave us here, just scare us.”

  His words made Maura's stomach roil. “They?”

  “Whoever undid the ladder,” Declan said. “Trust me, Dario and I both checked it to make sure it was secure. There's no way it came loose on its own after supporting the three of us as we climbed down. Someone really doesn't want us here.”

  “But why?” Maura shone the light up into the opening. There was no movement from above, no sign that anyone was out there. But of course she'd not heard anyone earlier. She'd been too interested in looking around.

  “This is my fault,” Declan said, pushing himself into a standing position.

  She went to him and placed her free arm on his bicep.

  “Maybe you should sit for a little while.” She wanted to kiss him, but somehow she didn't think this was the right place and time. “And this isn't your fault.”

  “Yes, it is. The three of us shouldn't have come down at one time.” The look of self-loathing on his face made her want to smack him. “I broke a cardinal rule of exploring. Not everyone goes into a place at one time.”

  Dario snorted out a laugh. “Yeah, one of us could have been up top, and whoever loosened the ladder could have hit somebody over the head to complete his mission. Trust me when I say that I have no doubt they would A Trick of the Moon

  71

  have done it. If they want to keep people away, they won't stop at much to see that it's done.”

  “Well, this does frighten me a little. I don't like being caught in a hole with no way out.”

  “Relax, Maura. We'll get out, with no problem. We need to let Declan catch his breath first, though.”

  “Yeah, nothing like having a two-hundred-pound woman land on top of you.”

  “I don't appreciate your sarcasm,” Declan said. “And you can be on top of me any day, in any place, at any time.”

  She watched him consider his words. “Well, maybe not here, because of the whole sacred-site aspect, but once we get up top, then yeah, here works.”

  “You're sweet,” she said, stroking his cheek.

  “You're sweeter.” Declan kissed the tip of her nose, and she laughed.

  Dario cleared his throat. “You're right, she is. And if you're feeling well enough to trade compliments, then we need to kick it into gear and get the hell out. Deck, you weigh less than I do. I'll put you on my shoulders. If you can stand and reach the top, then you can pull yourself out and reattach the ladder. If you can't do it, then we'll trade places and see how that works.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Let's do it.” He stepped around Maura and picked up his camera, dusting it off.

  “Is it damaged?”

  He played with the settings before responding. “The fall might have jarred it, but the pictures on here are okay. I don't know if it will take photos again, though. We'll have to test it later.”

  He put the camera in the bag, and then Maura lifted her hand, holding the flashlight. “Excuse me? I have a question about the plan you two are so gung ho about. What happens if you both fall?”

  72

  Melinda Barron

  “Oh ye of little faith,” Declan replied. “Ever ride on someone's shoulders when you were a kid playing in the pool?”

  “Yeah, and if you miss your target and fall, you have the water to cushion you,” she said. “You don't have that here, or have you missed that little tidbit?”

  “I'm not going to fall,” Declan said. “Trust me.”

  Dario flexed his muscles. “And me. This is going to work just fine.”

  The two men huddled together for a few minutes before walking to the area near the opening. Dario faced the wall and crouched down. Declan threw his legs over his shoulder, then put his hands on the wall as Dario stood, his hands clasped on Declan's thighs.

  He wobbled a little, and Maura put out her hands as if to steady him, even though she was nowhere near close enough, or strong enough, to do anything if they toppled to the ground. If that happened, they'd be up the proverbial creek until someone came to investigate the truck that was sitting alone in the middle of the desert.

  “Be careful.” She whispered the words as they stood there. She figured Dario was adjusting to the extra weight. She shone the light up them, happy to see that Dario was right. Declan was mere feet away from the top. If he could lift himself up without sending Dario tumbling, he could grab the top and, hopefully, pull himself out.

  They took a few more wobbly steps, then leaned back against the wall.

  “Sweetie, pull the stepladder out of my pack,” Declan said, looking back at her.

  “Put it near the opening, and then when I start to stand, you can help steadying me by putting your hands on my butt. Can you do that?”

  “Oh yeah, you get to have your butt
played with and I get to do all the work,” Dario said, strain evident in his voice. “This sucks.”

  “I'll play with your butt later,” Maura replied, setting the stepladder right next to the light ring formed by the opening. “Right now let's get this show on the road.”

  A Trick of the Moon

  73

  Dario took several steps until he was in the middle of the ring; then he transferred his hands from Declan's thighs to his feet. “On the count of three.

  One, two…” He grunted and pushed. “Three.”

  Maura put her hands on Declan's ass, pushing him up as he lifted. She felt him strain, then felt Dario push harder as Declan's body lifted into the air.

  “I got it! Keep pushing.” She moved her hands to his thighs, competing for space with Dario's as they maneuvered to keep their friend aloft. They moved and pushed, almost as if they were dancing under him, both of them grunting with the exertion of keeping Declan in the air. The sound of rock and dirt falling through the opening increased as Declan obviously fought to get a grip up top. She glanced up and could see his elbows were outside, and he was using them to try and get out. The strain on his body was evident, and Dario gave him one final push with a heavy groan before he disappeared through the opening, one leg going up, the other following soon afterward.

  “Holy shit,” Dario said, bending over. “That was fun. Let's not do it again.”

  His breath was heavy, and Maura stepped down from the ladder, putting her hand on his back.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Peachy, and you?” He grinned up at her, a devilish look that made her laugh.

  Declan's head appeared in the opening. He lowered down a hook attached to a piece of wood. “Secure this to the ladder, and I'll pull it up. Then we've got to eat, because I don't know about you two, but I'm starved.”

  Maura did as he asked, and watched as the ladder disappeared through the hole. She waited a few minutes, then sighed in relief as it lowered back down.

  “We're good to go. And don't forget my bag.”

  74

  Melinda Barron

  “Boy, he's bossy,” Dario said, picking up the bag. He folded up the stepladder and put it inside, then secured the pack over his shoulder. “You need to remind him you're in charge, skipper.”

  She gave him a condescending look. “Like that would work. I wasn't too keen on the plan for getting us out, but I was overruled, wasn't I?”

  “We're out, aren't we?” Dario grabbed the ladder before jerking his head toward it. “You first.”

  “Why, so if I fall, I can land on you this time? Why don't I go last? That way you are free from being slammed to the ground if I happen to take a tumble again.”

  The look on Dario's face made her take a step back. “Boss or no boss, if I had time, and we were in someplace different, I'd spank you for that remark.

  Now, get up there before I change my mind and do it anyway.”

  “Yes, sir.” She took a deep breath, then closed her eyes to forget the feel of the ladder slipping from up top, as it had just minutes ago. She'd climbed up two rungs and it was obvious it wasn't going to fall this time. By the time she got to the third, she jolted as Dario swatted her ass. Hard. She turned to stare at him, her mouth open in shock.

  “Hey.”

  “You'd better move before I take aim again.” He put a hand on the ladder.

  “I don't like ladies putting themselves down, especially ones that I like. That's something you needed to remember.”

  Maura started up the ladder again, his words echoing in her mind. Declan took her hand as she reached the top. She lifted her head to the sun, happy to be aboveground again. Then she jumped as Declan's hand came down on her ass.

  “Hey! You two need to remember who's the boss here.”

  Dario popped through the opening as if he were walking on air. He swung Declan's pack off his shoulder.

  A Trick of the Moon

  75

  “Some bosses need lessons from their workers, right, Declan?”

  “That's right. You can dock our pay for the swats you got just now, but when we're off the clock later, we'll finish what we just started.” They moved in unison toward the truck, and Maura stood in place, unable to move from the astonishment that had taken hold of her.

  Did they mean they planned to spank her, together? Surely not. But then again, maybe so. With these two, you never knew.

  76

  Melinda Barron

  Chapter Eight

  “Tell me again what you want to do.” Maura took a sip from her bottle of tea, her gaze never leaving Declan, who had wolfed down two sandwiches and was now starting on his third. It was a good thing she'd packed a lot of food.

  She'd done so thinking they might be out here for lunch and dinner.

  But watching the way Declan and Dario were devouring the contents of the cooler let her know she'd only packed enough for lunch.

  “I'm going to set up a camp,” Declan said, after swallowing his last bite. He pointed to an area just beyond the truck. “Right over there.”

  “And you're going to do…what?” How could the two of them be so calm after being trapped in an underground hole by persons unknown?

  “I'm going to survey the site,” he said, giving her a look that indicated she should have known that. “I'll check and see if there's any other traces of archeological interest. The kiva indicates there would be other things around, because either this was used by a small village, or it was a meeting place. Since it's so small, I'm guessing a village or just a few people. There are some larger sites that have been excavated that were used as a gathering place. Chaco Canyon is the main one, of course, and then there is Mesa Verde. Little is really known about the ancient ones. We can say that…”

  Declan closed his mouth and glanced between her and Dario. “I'm doing it again, aren't I?”

  Maura laughed, then nodded. “You're passionate about your work. That's good to know. But don't you think staying out here at night might be dangerous, considering what just happened?”

  A Trick of the Moon

  77

  “I carry a gun, remember?” Dario's words made her wince.

  “I don't like the idea that a gun might be needed.”

  Dario leaned closer, and she inhaled the strong scent of man that drifted off him. It reminded her of him touching her last night, of them both touching her, and sent a jolt of desire straight to her clit, which tingled in response. “Do you like the idea of camping out with us better?”

  She laughed nervously, trying to fight back the desire to jump them both.

  This was about work, not pleasure. “Yeah, that's a fascinating idea. But I can't stay gone from the office all day. I'll have to go back and forth and check on things.”

  “That's why you hired us,” Declan replied. “You don't have to stay, but we do. Of course we'd like to go back once a day to shower. Or else you might not be able to stand being around us.”

  Oh she could stand it, all right. Being around them wouldn't be any problem at all. “Do you have a tent and other supplies?”

  “I came fully prepared,” Declan said. “I have a tent, air mattress, sleeping bags, cooking stove, and anything else you might need to survive out here for a while. We'll go back now and pack up some food. Then Dario and I can bring my SUV back out here while you do office work.”

  Something akin to sorrow wrapped around her at the idea of the two of them being out here working while she was at the house. She knew it was the right thing to do, though. She had paperwork she needed to get done, and if she let it pile up while she sat out here and watched the two of them, things could get ugly in the office.

  It was best to act normally while the two of them did what she hired them for. “I can bring dinner out later.”

  “She's sexy and she cooks. Be still my heart.” Dario thudded his hand against his chest, and Maura flushed. She'd never thought of herself as sexy 78

  Melinda Barron
<
br />   before. Even the men she'd dated had never used that term. Maybe it was why she'd never dated anyone for long.

  “Perfect.” Declan stood and began stuffing trash into a sack. “Let's get this show on the road. I'm itching to see what else I can find out here.”

  * * * * *

  Dario bent down near a yucca plant, running his fingers through the loose soil. Underneath the fine layer of dirt, the ground was hard, and he could make out the faint outline of a footprint. Not that it would do much good. This was Charlie Atwell's land, true, but he let his guests roam free. There was no telling how long this print had been here or who it came from. Trying to gather samples to compare it to would be useless, since guests came and went.

  That, added to the time factor, made the print useless.

  He'd checked around where the truck was parked this morning and found nothing, only prints from the boots Declan wore, and the sneakers both he and Maura were wearing. The person who had undone the ladder should have left a clue somewhere. Instead they'd slipped in and out without leaving so much as a smudge in the dirt.

  Since he didn't have a fingerprint kit on him, he couldn't check for that.

  And convincing his boss to run the prints would be a tough trick to pull. Ward would complain about using state money on a private job, and one where a crime hadn't been committed. He'd tell Dario he needed to hurry up and finish his vacation so he could put him back to work.

  It was too bad the person using the kiva had raked the floor. If they hadn't, he could get a print off that, but he'd be back to the problem of finding a sample to compare it to. He couldn't compel people to let him look at the bottom of their shoes. It was a moot point, anyway, since the person, or persons, had cleaned up after themselves. The way he saw it, they did it for one of two reasons: to cover their tracks or to leave the area as clean as possible out of respect for the god to whom they had been praying.