Fool's Deadly Gold, page 2
She couldn’t imagine how, but whoever had cut Bridgette’s rope—whoever had murdered her—had to have made the cut before the sisters began their climb. Lauralyn’s mind was in turmoil, but she tried to calm herself and think back to exactly what they had done after they had arrived. When they had first reached the base of the cliff, they had deposited their gear on the ground. She again looked to where they had laid it. Their backpacks were still there, near the base of a large fir tree less than a hundred feet from the bottom of the cliff, as were the tracks she had seen.
She rubbed her hands over her aching eyes, trying not to look toward where her beloved sister’s crumpled body lay covered by her silver blanket; every time she did, she started crying again. She remembered how they’d walked around the cliff to look at the western side before beginning their climb. The gear couldn’t have been out of their sight for more than ten minutes. She shuddered. Someone had to have followed them, waited for that moment, and then quickly moved in to cut the rope. And after the vile deed was done, he had walked away, entering the trees at about the same place he’d left them.
Neither one of them had seen the tracks after they’d returned from the ten-minute walk. But then they’d been excited, had challenged one another, and had been preoccupied with getting their gear set up for the climb.
The murderer had to have had some familiarity with climbing gear to have made the cut in such a crucial spot to make it break at a certain moment and to have done so quickly enough to be gone before Lauralyn and Bridgette came back from their short hike. She fought back the tears that threatened. It was all just too much. Who would do such a thing? And why? She felt another chill pass over her as she wondered again if the killer was still nearby, possibly planning to kill her as well. She could see no place to hide, except in the trees, but the killer could still be there. There was no place to go. She slowly fell to her knees and prayed as tears again streamed down her face.
***
Dade Tansey was so excited he could hardly stand it. He’d found the entrance to what he was certain was an old mine, probably a Spanish one. He’d been sure he was in a good location when he’d found this spot a couple of weeks ago and had subsequently filed a claim on it. It hadn’t appeared to have been explored by anyone recently, and no one else had filed on the site. He’d spent an hour or more grubbing out some brush that had almost entirely covered the entrance. He wouldn’t have even noticed it had he not seen a rabbit run into the brush and disappear shortly after he arrived that morning. After working hard for another half hour, he’d found that there was some kind of hole going back into the hillside. He’d known the moment he saw it that it had to be the entrance to an old mineshaft.
He had not ventured far into the mine, as he was wary of cave-ins. His intention was to move slowly, probing and poking to make sure it was safe. He planned to spend the better part of the summer there while keeping the exact location—for that matter, even the general location—to himself. Because he had filed a claim, theoretically someone could discover it, but he hoped not.
Of course, Bridgette and Lauralyn, whom he trusted implicitly, knew about it and if they wanted to, they could see it. They would never say anything about it to anyone. All they knew so far was that it was generally north of the spot where Dade had parted company with them shortly after eight that morning. They didn’t oppose what Dade was doing, but neither of them was particularly interested in participating in his quest. They wished him well, but their interest was in climbing. They’d tried to get him to join them in their sport, but he had no interest.
Now, just a few feet inside the mine’s entrance, Dade picked at a rock he’d found on the floor of the mine. It was small, about ten inches in circumference, but he thought it held promise. He examined it closely with his powerful flashlight and felt a surge of adrenaline; he suspected the rock held flakes of both gold and silver.
He had never deluded himself with the thought of finding one of the famed Lost Rhoades Gold Mines, but he’d hoped he might someday find one of the many Spanish mines legend hinted at being in the area. Mostly he enjoyed just looking for gold and ancient mines, but the excitement of finding even a little gold in any location in the mountains was what kept him coming back every summer. He didn’t consider himself a real prospector—just an outdoorsman with an interest in gold and in history. But now he thought he might be on to something, and his heart raced.
His claim was about a mile from the trail but was still in the national forest, not quite in the High Uintas Wilderness. Bridgette and Lauralyn had most likely entered the wilderness area after they’d parted ways earlier. The trail they’d come in on was one of many that led to some of the thousands of lakes that were spread throughout the area.
Dade stepped out into the bright sunlight, broke a small flake from the larger rock, and was looking through a powerful magnifying glass at the flake when he heard the heavy beating of helicopter rotors. He scrambled back from the mine entrance and looked to the east just in time to see the aircraft as it flew low over the trees not more than a hundred yards from him. He recognized it as a medevac helicopter, white with red and blue markings, and his stomach clenched. He didn’t know for sure where his wife and sister-in-law were climbing, but he was fairly confident they were not too far away.
They had hiked together for some distance that morning before they had noted their coordinates and he had veered off the trail and headed toward his claim. They had agreed to meet back at that spot on the trail at around six that evening, giving them time to return to the truck before it was fully dark.
As the aircraft disappeared west of Dade, his stomach churned uncomfortably. Surely the girls were okay. They were experienced. They were cautious. They had the best equipment available. But he knew that even the best of climbers could have an accident.
He vacillated between telling himself the helicopter had nothing to do with the girls and fearing desperately that it did. He tossed the rock back into the hole, the excitement of his find tempered by worry for his wife and her sister. He quickly gathered his equipment and arranged what would fit in his large backpack, securing some of the other items to the outside of it. Then he spent several minutes working to conceal the opening with brush so that if someone else were to come along, it could not be easily found. When he’d finished, he felt like he’d rendered it invisible to the unpracticed eye. Until he knew Bridgett and her sister were safe, he couldn’t continue his work at the mine.
***
Only two or three minutes after Tansey disappeared, Gus Colburn emerged from the trees where he’d been hiding for the past hour. A grin split his bearded face as he stepped to where Tansey had been so carefully placing brush. He pulled the brush aside, and his grin grew bigger.
“Yeah,” he said softly. “I thought you had something here, Tansey. Well, now it’s mine. You won’t be getting it back.”
Gus pumped a fist and added under his breath, “Take that, Cutler Pike. I beat you. I found the mine. You can go ahead and dig over there if you want to.”
Cutler had beat Gus up and threatened to kill him, but Gus had a real mine now; all Cutler had was the hope of one, and if he ever thought of taking this from Gus, he’d regret it. Gus could feel the cash filling his pockets and his meager bank account. He didn’t care a hoot about the stakes he saw in the ground. Dade Tansey would not be mining this either. Only Gus would, and he’d fight anyone who tried to stop him.
After pulling away the brush Tansey had so carefully placed there, Gus took his flashlight from a jacket pocket and entered the hole. He shined the light about for a moment, until it illuminated a rock that looked to be about ten inches around. Small specks of gold and silver winked in Gus’s light. He again pumped his empty fist and then picked up the rock. “So this was what Tansey was looking at,” he muttered as he exited the ancient mine. He looked back at the entrance, and for a moment, he could feel the weight of the gold that he was going to get out of there. He didn’t doubt that there was a lot more where this came from. He slowly rotated the rock in his hand. His heart beat rapidly, and he couldn’t stop grinning.
Gus finally set the rock on the ground, stepped back into the trees where he’d been hiding, and retrieved his pick. He reentered the mine and began to make his way deeper into the side of the hill, the mineshaft slowly working its way downward.
Elated, Gus shook a fist and muttered, “Thank you, Mr. Tansey. Sorry for your financial loss.” He chuckled to himself.
***
Once Dade hit the trail, he headed west, all thoughts of the old mine discarded as he worried about Bridgette and Lauralyn. They’re okay, he kept telling himself, but the gnawing worry continued to eat at him.
He hadn’t gone far before he heard the sound of horses’ hooves striking rocks on the trail behind him. He stepped to the side of the path so they could pass him. His heart again heaved in his chest when he saw that the riders were a couple of deputy sheriffs. Both were mounted, and one—whom Dade recognized as Jake Holt—was leading a saddled horse. “Tansey,” Jake said as they stopped beside him.
“Is there a problem, Jake?” he responded, trying to keep his voice steady.
“I’m afraid so. Follow us and don’t lag behind.”
Fear crept over Dade like an ice storm. “What’s happened?” he pressed.
“Just follow us,” Jake instructed again. Gesturing to the spare horse, he said, “Drop the backpack, and then you can ride, but you’ll have to walk when you go out.” The roan gelding he was riding shifted anxiously in place. “Put it in the trees back there a ways where it can’t be seen. You’ll be coming back soon and can pick it up then.” Then he pointed to his companion and said, “This is Deputy Alec Harris.”
Dade and Alec nodded at each other, and Dade did as instructed. As he mounted the stout bay gelding, he said, “Can’t you at least tell me what’s going on, Jake? Has something happened?” he pressed.
“You’ll find out soon enough,” Jake said as he pressed his heels into his horse’s sides and continued up the trail. “Better hustle,” he called over his shoulder. Dade fumed. Typical Jake Holt. For the life of him, Dade couldn’t imagine why Lauralyn had ever gone out with him.
Jake was her age—twenty-five—and probably about the same age as the other deputy. Lauralyn had dated Jake a little in high school, and he’d taken her out a few times since then, but she’d told Dade and Bridgette that she really didn’t care for the guy. Jake still called her from time to time like he wanted to date her again, but she refused.
“Pick up the pace!” Jake barked back at them.
The other deputy rolled his eyes and shook his head when Jake urged his horse into a faster pace, but he followed him anyway.
Dade also did as instructed, though he was angry that Jake was refusing to tell him anything. Alec seemed like he was a decent sort but didn’t seem to be included in any decisions.
Continuing up the trail, Dade saw the top of a tall ledge before either of the deputies did. He instinctively knew the girls would have seen it too. They most likely would have at least checked it out, and if they’d found it challenging, they might be climbing there. The deputies seemed not to notice it, though, and Dade was relieved as they continued up the trail. Perhaps the girls were okay and something farther on had brought the helicopter and the officers into the mountains.
His hopes were dashed a moment later when Jake, who was looking at a small device in his hand, pulled his horse to a stop and called back to Alec, “We’re close. The GPS coordinates are telling me we need to leave the trail here and ride north. It can’t be far.”
“What can’t be far?” Dade asked as he rode up beside him.
Alec spoke up from behind them. “It’s the place—”
Jake cut him off. “He’ll see soon enough. You two follow me.”
Dade turned back toward Alec, who shook his head and pointed at Jake. “Sorry,” he whispered.
“Come on, Alec,” Jake called back and began to ride through the timber. Alec fell in behind him. Dade tamped back his anger and followed them.
From time to time, Dade could see the cliff he’d spotted from the trail. Each time it was just a brief glimpse, but he could tell it was tall and perpendicular. It was exactly what the girls would have been looking for. His heart sank deeper yet. The certainty that something was wrong settled deeply into his mind.
Finally, the horses stepped into a small clearing that led to the bottom of the cliff. Dade took in the scene with a single glance and jumped off the horse. Just a few feet away was Detective Sergeant Roger Koltun, Dade’s close friend, but his stomach dropped when he saw what Roger was focused on.
Jake barked at him, “Stay with that horse, Tansey.”
Dade ignored Jake and ran toward where Lauralyn was kneeling, sobbing, near a thin silver blanket covering something—someone—and he knew it had to be his wife. Lauralyn sprang up and ran for him, her long red hair flying. She threw her arms around him and stopped him just a few feet short of his goal.
“I’m so sorry,” she said, as he struggled to free himself. She continued to sob, and even as tears filled his own eyes and began to stream down his face, Dade quit struggling and let her hold him. He knew what she wasn’t saying. His Bridgette was gone. Dade’s life was shattered.
A hand grabbed his shoulder, and Jake’s gruff voice said, “I told you to stay back, Tansey. I meant it.”
“Back off, Jake. I’ll take it from here,” Roger said as he removed the deputy’s hand from Jake’s shoulder.
“But I gave him an order,” Jake said stubbornly.
“And I gave you one,” Roger said firmly. Then he turned to Dade and said quietly, “There was nothing Lauralyn could do. Bridgette fell. I’m so sorry.”
Dade finally pulled back from his sister-in-law’s anguished embrace. “But she doesn’t fall,” he protested. “She’s too careful for that.”
Dade rushed the rest of the way to where his wife lay beneath the thin emergency blanket, sank to the ground, and pulled it back. “Don’t touch the body!” Jake yelled as Dade laid his head against Bridgette’s cold, lifeless cheek and bathed her face with tears.
“That’s enough Jake,” Roger said with an edge in his voice that hushed his subordinate. “He’s not hurting anything.”
Dade tuned out further conversation between the officers as his heart broke. A gentle hand touched his shoulder, and he looked up. Tears were streaming down Lauralyn’s face, and she knelt beside him. Again she said, “I’m so sorry, Dade.”
She took his hand and gently squeezed it. For a moment their eyes met, and Dade recognized in Lauralyn’s eyes the same unbearable pain he was experiencing. “I’m sorry too,” he murmured.
A good ten minutes passed before Dade finally kissed Bridgette’s cold lips and then pulled the silver emergency blanket back over her face. He stood up and again spoke to Lauralyn. “How in the world am I going to tell Lizzie that her mother is . . . ?” He couldn’t bring himself to say it. “I told her Bridgette would always be safe because she was so careful.”
Lauralyn slowly shook her head and rubbed the tears from her somber gray eyes. “I’ll help you tell her, and I’ll help you take care of her. I promise.”
“But I lied to her, Lauralyn. I promised Lizzie her mother was safe. I lied. I didn’t think Bridgette could ever fall. She was so careful,” he said again.
“Dade, you’re my best friend. I don’t know how to say this,” Roger broke in, his voice cracking.
“Say what, Roger?” Dade pressed.
Roger stepped close to Dade and put a hand on his shoulder. “It wasn’t an accident, Dade.”
“What do you mean?” Dade asked. He looked into his friend’s eyes, and Roger brushed away his own tears.
“Dade, I know this will come as a shock, and I’m sorry, but someone cut the rope.”
“Cut her rope?” Dade asked in confusion. “She checked the ropes last night. They were fine. She and Lauralyn assured me of that when they loaded them into the truck. The ropes couldn’t have been cut.”
“Dade,” Lauralyn said gently. He again faced her and looked at her sad eyes. “Bridgette and I left our gear over there.” Dade looked in the direction she pointed and saw their backpacks beneath a large fir. “We walked around the base of the cliff to see if this was the best part to climb.”
Understanding dawned. “How long were you gone?” he asked.
“Not more than ten minutes,” she said.
“Someone followed you here,” Dade said as anger began to build. “But why? Bridgette didn’t have any enemies. Why would anyone do this?”
“And how did they know what to do?” Roger asked. He shook his head. “I guess anyone would know that cutting a rope would do this. I’m going to figure this out, Dade. So help me I will!”
“Whoever did it must have known enough about climbing to know just where to cut the rope so it would break at the right moment,” Dade said. Again he turned to his sister-in-law. “Did it look like the ropes had been disturbed when you got back to them?”
“We didn’t see anything out of order,” she assured him. “If we had, we would have checked everything again.”
“I know you would,” he said softly. “I’m sorry. I wasn’t blaming you.”
“I know, Dade,” Lauralyn said, brushing long strands of red hair away from her eyes.
He nodded at her and then again addressed Roger. “Did you come in the medevac helicopter?”
“I did,” Roger told him.
“Why didn’t they take her when they left?”
“There was nothing they could do for her, and they had another call. I’m sorry, Dade. The pilot told me he couldn’t wait, that there was a life they could save if they left right then.” Roger continued. “I need to be able to process the scene and collect all the evidence that can be found. I want to catch whoever did this. These guys are here to help.” He pointed at Jake and Alec, who were standing by their horses. Jake looked angry and kept staring at Lauralyn. She ignored him.
