Beneath the Tombstone (The Tombstone Series)

by Martin Cogburn

  “Got it finalized before we left Texas,” Tyler responded.

  “Dodd?” a surprised voice behind the ranger asked.

  They all turned. “Ryeson!” the ranger exclaimed. “Good to see ya, my boy!” Much to Jason’s surprise, he wrapped Rye in a big hug. “How you been?” the ranger asked when he released the younger cowboy.

  “Good, sir. Good,” Rye said with a big smile.

  “Now what’d I tell you about that calling me ‘sir’ business?” the ranger asked, pretending to give the young man a lecture. “Oh well,” he laughed. “Unlike a lot of these other kids running around now-days, at least you’ve got some manners on ya.”

  “Well, thank you, ss… I mean Dodd,” Rye laughed, catching himself. He paused for a moment before adding, “If you want, you can stay for dinner and crash on the couch.”

  “I just might take you up on that offer,” the ranger said. “Tomorrow I need to run to town and order a few things for our secret mission,” he added, giving Jason a wink.

  Rye looked confused.

  “The whole ear listening, talking thing I told you about the other night,” Tyler informed him.

  “Ah,” Rye said, understanding.

  Tyler turned back to the ranger. “If you can, let’s go the two-way radio route,” he said. “I’m afraid that at the bottom of the gorge, Jason won’t get no cell phone service.”

  “I bet I can make that happen,” Ranger Dodd assured him. “I’ll see what I can do tomorrow.”

  “Well, grab a horse and help us work a few, if you want,” Tyler invited Dodd. “It ain’t as exciting as chasing bad guys along the border, but you’re still horseback.”

  “Y’all still chase bad guys on horses?” Jason asked in surprise.

  “Very rarely,” the ranger admitted with a chuckle. “But every now and then,” he added. The way his eyes danced said those times were the highlights of his career.

  That night after supper, they all gathered in the living room. Jason, Susan and Ken sat in silence, listening to the other three swap stories of life down close to the border of Mexico.

  After a while, the ranger turned to Jason. “Let me tell you the story of how me, Tyler, and Ryeson all met,” he said excitedly.

  “Naw, we better save that for another time,” Tyler cut in before the story began. “It’s getting late. Let’s turn in, get some rest.”

  The following day, true to his word, Ranger Dodd rounded up all the gadgets needed to make communication between Tyler and Jason possible during the climb. After ensuring it was all connected and working properly, the old ranger said his goodbyes and headed back to Texas, the word of increased drug activity along the border shorting his visit.

  Jason continued with his climbing. Grappling with the rocks around the circle every day was paying off, and so the time soon came that he could climb all over the cliffs in the rock pit, up the thin boards attached to the side of the barn using only his hands, and anything else he wished to ascend.

  A few days later saw the sun rise on Sunday morning… also, unfortunately, the week of Jason’s climb. Everyone got up at five, took part in feeding the horses and fixing a big breakfast before they got dressed in their best and headed off to church. The preacher had an excellent sermon about a man named Caleb. Apparently, Caleb had been in a situation close to the one Jason was in. He had a mountain he needed to conquer and that is exactly what he did. Jason wasn’t sure, but he had a funny feeling that the sermon was meant for him. And so when he told the preacher, “good sermon,” he meant it from the bottom of his heart. He realized risking life and limb for family and love was something men had been doing for thousands of years.

  - - - - - -

  “Welcome to Garden of the Gods,” Tyler spoke quietly as he and Jason gazed up at the giant red cliffs. Jason’s stomach, knotted though it always seemed to be, drew up even tighter. Climbing the bunny slopes back at the ranch was one thing, but these red titans rose hundreds of feet off the ground, casting their giant shadows across the landscape in royal display; a truly fitting place for the immortals to assemble, if ever there was one.

  Jason had signed the free registration form earlier that morning, and now he stood at the base of what Tyler had referred to as Kindergarten Rock. Jason wasn’t exactly sure why it was called that; it certainly didn’t look elementary to him. He took a deep breath and exhaled sharply as Tyler began to ascend one of the routes on the sandstone cliffs. They had gone over the process several times, and Jason was well aware of his responsibility… namely, making sure he got Tyler stopped if he fell.

  Tyler topped out on the one pitch run after which Jason lowered him back down, just like he’d been instructed. Reaching the ground, Tyler smiled. “Your turn,” he spoke cheerfully. Jason looked up at the run, fear mounting in his chest. He wished the butterflies there could somehow magically carry him to the top. “Jason,” Tyler said, interrupting his thoughts, “that’s less than a hundred feet… and you’re hooked to a rope. Come the end of this week, you’re going to be climbing a thousand feet… without a rope.” Such a kind reminder.

  They switched gear then Jason took a deep breath and began his ascent. After climbing thirty feet or so, he slipped while attempting to execute what should have been a fairly easy move. His heart lurched as he plummeted several feet before the tension took up in the rope, halting his rapid descent.

  “Come on, Jason,” Tyler said, a bit of sharpness on his tongue. “We don’t want to make a habit out of that, do we?”

  “No sir,” Jason replied from his perch.

  “You do that on the Tombstone, you’ll be dead.”

  “Yes sir.”

  “Now get back ahold of that rock, and don’t let it get away from you again.”

  Jason did and soon made it to the top. There were quite a few runs on that one rock, so they spent a good part of the day climbing there. Jason only fell a few more times, each fall bringing a few pointed words from Tyler.

  As the day was wrapping up, another climber approached after one of Tyler’s sharp remarks brought on by one of Jason’s falls. The young man’s hair was a bright blonde color and his skin a dark brown.

  “Dude, how long’s he been climbing?” he asked in truly laid back suffer fashion.

  “Less than a month,” Tyler replied dryly, never looking his way.

  “Then cut him some slack, bro,” the other climber spoke. “Let ‘em have some fun, you know.”

  “Is that why you climb?” Tyler asked. “For fun?”

  “Yeah,” the man sighed. “Why else do it, right? It’s like what makes my life an epic battle, my friend. Gotta love it.”

  “Jason doesn’t,” Tyler said.

  “Well, I don’t blame him, man. I don’t think I could love it either with a big dude talkin’ all rude to me… and yes, you’re the big dude in this story. Give ‘em a shot, you know? Right? I mean, that’s like wow or somethin’.”

  Tyler’s face was beginning to turn red. “What’s your name, sir?” he asked.

  “Sir? Whoa. No man, I’m no sir… just a regular dude that likes to scale some stone and glide some waves, you know?”

  “Okay… okay,” Tyler spoke sharply then sighed like this was more than he could bear. “Well, regardless of your name and whether or not you are indeed a sir, please go away. We’re training for something really important… like life or death important.”

  “Gotcha bro,” came the reply. “Like competition or something?”

  “Go away!” Tyler barked. Jason sighed, wishing the guy would have done that long ago. He was walking all over Tyler’s already rather frail layer of patience.

  “Alright, alright,” the young man said, raising his hands as if to put a barrier between himself and Tyler. “Just try not to murder all the joy.” With that he wandered off, looking around, as if searching for someone else with some life problems that need fixing.

  Jason topped out and was lowered back down. “So why have you been so… you know, like all talki
n’ rude to me, bro?” he asked, a hint of a smile on his lips as he did his best to mimic surfer boy’s laid back tone.

  Tyler sighed and smiled a little at the imitation. “Because you’re a friend. And a good man. And I don’t want you to die. I don’t like you getting the feeling that if you fall something’s going to be there to catch you because, come Friday, there won’t be.” He looked up at the giant rock before them. “So, every time you fall, I’m going to give you a lecture… make it as uncomfortable as possible. The subconscious is a strange and powerful thing; we want to make sure yours knows that falling is a bad, bad thing.”

  They spent the night in nearby Colorado City, and the following day returned to the red rock formations where they resumed their rock climbing lessons. Along about noon, they stood before a very peculiar looking rock formation. It was joined at the base but rose up in three different sections, like multiple blades joined side-by-side, forming one knife.

  “What do they call this one?” Jason asked, nodding up to the rock formation.

  Tyler smiled as if he had been about to explain that anyways. “Three Graces,” he responded.

  “Because there’re three of them, I assume?”

  “Yep.”

  “But why are they called graces?”

  “Because of first Corinthians thirteen,” Tyler answered then paused, looking thoughtfully up at the formation before beginning to recite the passage. “And now these three remain,” he pointed at the grace rock on the left, “faith,” he pointed to the one in the center, “hope,” he pointed to the one on the right, which rose above the other two, “and love.” He smiled and looked at Jason. “Which is the greatest of the three?”

  “Love,” Jason replied, understanding dawning on his face as he gazed up at the rock formation, as if seeing it anew. “Wow, that’s their names?”

  “Yep,” Tyler smiled. “And the greatest is love, just like the scripture says. Love will take you higher and further than any other feeling. Hate, anger… they could cause a man to lose his life, but only love could bring a man to lay it down willing.” He looked down and kicked at the dirt thoughtfully. “Hopefully that’s not how your story ends, Jason, but if it is,” he looked up, “what an ending.”

  For some reason, his friend’s words brought a strange sensation of something akin to peace within Jason. They climbed for the rest of the day then, a short time before sundown, they headed back towards the ranch, making the loop around Pikes Peak, over to its other side.

  After they got home, as Jason was trudging up to his shack, Tyler stopped him. “The Tombstone’s in two days, right?”

  “Yep,” Jason replied as anxiety sprung up in his heart. “Day after tomorrow.”

  “You’re ready,” Tyler assured him. Jason nodded his head, hoping the tall horseman was right.

  - - - - - -

  That evening, the next morning, and throughout the entire day, one thought plagued Jason’s mind: where was the evidence that he had asked for? Where was the proof that Misty was okay… or at least alive? After the horses had been fed that evening and everyone had eaten dinner, Jason went up to his shack and sat on his bed just to pray and try to work things out in his mind. Honestly, he was new to the whole prayer thing. He just talked to God like a good friend.

  Jason raised his head and looked at the picture of Misty on the table. But as he gazed at it, something new caught his eye. Leaping to his feet, he rushed over to the table and moved the picture to one side. A small USB memory stick was revealed, sitting on the table where the picture had been. Jason snatched it up and held it close to his face for inspection. This had to be the answer!

  He flung the door of his shack open and went tearing down the hill. “Tyler! Tyler!” he yelled as he burst into the main ranch house. “You got a computer?” he called out, making his way towards the living room. Tyler was on his feet and heading Jason’s direction in a hurry when they spotted one another. “You got a computer?” Jason inquired again.

  “A computer?” Tyler asked incredulously. “What do you want a computer for?”

  “This,” Jason exclaimed, holding up the memory stick. “I found it in my shack. I think it may be from Misty’s kidnappers.”

  “I’ve got a laptop,” Tyler said excitedly as he rushed from the room. He hurried back in shortly and sat the computer on the dining room table before opening the screen towards Jason as he and Susan gathered around. “Just stick it in that slot there,” the tall horseman instructed after everything loaded, pointing to the side of the computer.

  Jason did so. There was only one file. He clicked it, and after a few moments, a face popped up on the screen. “Misty,” he whispered softly. Her hands appeared to be tied behind her back.

  “Hi Jason,” she spoke, looking directly into the camera. She paused for a moment then smiled tearfully. “They told me of the request you made; you wanted proof that I’m alive. As you can see, I am. I know what they want you to do. I almost decided not to do this so maybe you wouldn’t climb, but,” her bottom lip began to quiver, “but I love you for being willing to die for me… and for so many other reasons.” She paused and sniffed. “Just don’t – okay. Don’t die.”

  She was silent for a moment. “I know the truth, Jason,” she said, seeming to look deep within his soul, her words sending a jolt through his body. “All of it,” she added. “Don’t hold it against yourself. I’m not holding it against you.”

  Tears streamed from Jason’s eyes as he watched the ones roll down Misty’s face. She paused for a moment and wiped them from her cheek with her shoulder before going on. “It looks like you’ve become a hero to this nation,” she said then looked down for a moment as the tears continued to flow. She looked back up and added, “And to me.” She sniffed before concluding, “Be careful Jason… I love you more than anything.” And then the screen went blank.

  “I love you, too,” Jason said in a choked whisper as tears rolled down his cheeks. “Misty’s alive,” he said, turning to a teary eyed Susan. One of Jason’s tears streaked across his lips as he smiled. Seeing his wife almost didn’t seem real. In his mind, he knew she had been a part of his life, but to his heart, it was beginning to seem like the life they had shared had been nothing more than a sweet dream.

  “What’d she mean by all of the truth?” Tyler asked, interrupting Jason’s thoughts.

  Jason didn’t answer. He just rose to his feet and looked down at the now blank screen. “Can I take it up to the shack?” he asked.

  “Sure,” Tyler answered kindly, but a curiosity shone deep within his eyes.

  Offering no explanation or further words of any kind, Jason walked from the room and out the door. Relief filled his heart knowing that not only was Misty alive, but she knew the whole truth… she knew this was all his fault and still loved him.

  Something else came to mind: the fact that Misty said she knew the whole truth meant more than one thing. For her to know the whole truth, the kidnappers had to know the whole truth. And that simply left no doubt in Jason’s mind… Denton was the kidnapper. Just like Jason and the doctor had suspected, he must have over heard the doctor’s men running their mouths in the bar telling everything, including Jason’s pathetic plan to win back the heart of his wife.

  As soon as Jason got inside his shack, he lay down in his bed and placed the laptop on his stomach. Opening the computer, he looked into the eyes of his wife and listened to her words, playing the short clip over and over again.

  His mind drifted back to a time when he and Misty had sat on the beach on their honeymoon, watching the sun go down across the glimmering ocean. Misty had always dreamed of going back there again for a second honeymoon. Then there was the time he’d brought a puppy home. Misty had hugged the little ball of golden fur, trying to decide what her name should be. After seeing the rebellious streak the puppy had, only one name seemed to fit – Dixie. Jason remembered coming home and looking out the back window to find Misty and Dixie in an epic battle of tug-of-war over an old
rug that Misty had thrown out.

  Jason looked towards the table at the picture of Misty in her wedding dress, standing proudly by his side. Everything looked perfect... but Jason knew better. Everything she had done, all the fights they’d had, beneath all the frustration she’d shown, just a few words could sum up all the others she’d used – “Put me first.” The whole blow up over the credit card, their disagreement on children, and all those other things they’d fought over – at the base of all those problems lay the simple fact that she wanted Jason to put her first. Most of their married life, rather than put her first, Jason simply went along and let things fall into whatever place they landed. He now realized that his uncaring attitude had been the main cause of many of their fights.

  But watching her on the screen now, something was different. Her eyes still seemed to say “put me first” but once where a look of desperate pleading had cried those words, now trust filled her eyes. She knew he was putting her first because he was putting her life before his own.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  The sun was coming up just like it had done thousands of times before in Jason’s life, but as it peeked over the eastern horizon and reflected in his eyes, he knew that this was unlike any other day. On any other day, he would’ve taken the sunrise for granted – but, then again, on any other day, he would’ve expected to be around to see it set. Today he knew the possibility for that was much slimmer.

  As he leaned against a split-rail wooden fence, which held several colts inside, he looked around at the world and drank in its beauty. He’d never thought of the earth and sky, the grass and trees – life – he’d never thought of life as such a precious and beautiful thing.

  “You ready?” Tyler asked solemnly, approaching Jason from behind.

  “Yes,” Jason replied quietly without turning to face Tyler. He didn’t want the tall horseman to see that his eyes were filled with fear.

  Tyler turned and began to walk away, but Jason didn’t move, so the tall cowboy halted after a few steps and turned back around. “You coming?” he asked. No answer. Tyler walked over to the fence and leaned against it beside Jason.