Chapter Thirty-Two

A large helicopter landed in front of the hotel, kicking up so much dust Teesh had to hurry inside and shut the door. Before the propellers had stopped, several cars pulled up, filled with law enforcement agents. Teesh stepped back out but had to shield her eyes from the glaring lights of the helicopter. She motioned for the sheriff and one of his deputies to come inside. Soon, two FBI agents in full SWAT gear entered also.

The sheriff had a map spread out on the table by the time the FBI got inside.

“This is a map of the Duluth mine. I grabbed it out of the archives, knowing we’d need it. That old mine is extremely dangerous, more so the farther in you get, and any of the timbers could go at any time.”

The FBI team began studying the map. Soon, four more agents joined them, including the helicopter pilot. The head agent pointed to different entrances to the mine and directed teams to different locations.

“Tell me what my deputies and I can do to help.”

Once informed, the sheriff ordered his deputies to the entrance behind the antique shop and to another entry farther back in the mountain, accessible by a logging road. The FBI divvied up the entrances in the wilderness areas, and two of them headed toward Peg’s entrance. In just minutes, the helicopter took off again.

Teesh watched it all in the darkness that had fallen and hoped everything would be all right and the girl Billie would be found alive and safe. She also prayed Charlie and Harri would not be harmed. She felt guilty for not having told what she knew about Janie and Lester and hoped it would not have been helpful information that could have prevented some of this. Knowing it was now just a matter of time before she would have to disclose the whole story, she went back inside and got her big black purse off the sofa. She reached inside and pulled out a very old journal, took it to the table, and began reading it after she had prayed silently for her friends.

****

Harri held her breath. The voices were close. She had the element of surprise on her side and could at least knock out one of her opponents. Deep down, though, she knew she was no match for the two big men, one of whom was Steve.

My first impression of him was right on. I should have trusted my instincts. I hope he’s in the front so I can get in one good lick on him.

Harri stood still, her weapon held high, ready to hit whoever came first. She’d aim as close to between the eyes as possible. Then out of nowhere, a thick, black shadow covered her like a black drape, pinning Harri against the black tunnel wall and camouflaging her from the beam of the men’s flashlight. The drape smelled of tobacco and whiskey, and an overwhelming scent of expensive perfume. Harri thought this was definitely not the Reverend Abel Mather. She listened as the two men passed right by without seeing her.

Only when the men were out of sight and hearing did the shadow move. Harri turned her flashlight on and shined it back down the tunnel, away from the Keeper and Steve. The shadow moved in front of her beam and headed around the corner.

Harri chose to follow the shadow rather than the men, feeling it a better option—especially since the shadow had saved her from capture. She kept the light on low beam and close to the ground and continued back through the tunnel. The timbers creaked and groaned, causing her to pick up her pace.

When she reached a juncture and did not know which tunnel to take, the shadow appeared briefly, and Harri obediently followed. She heard a sound up ahead, like scurrying, and wondered whether a bear or a cougar had found its way into the tunnel.

So which do I prefer? Being brutalized by the Keeper and Steve? Falling into the pit to decompose with the others? Or being eaten by a bear?

Her mental images were interrupted by the appearance of two men—or were they monsters?—moving fast in her direction. Too late she realized they had long guns aimed at her.

Harri started to scream, but something moved toward the men. Her friendly neighborhood shadow knocked the guns out of their hands.

“What the hell?” the leader yelled.

“Stop! FBI!” The man had pulled his handgun from his side holster.

“No! Don’t shoot! My name is Harriet Wellington, and I come in peace!”

I come in peace? I sound like I’m addressing aliens. I’ll take the Keeper over aliens any day…I think.

Harri dropped her flashlight and held up her hands.

The two agents ran to her. “Are you Harri?”

“Yes. My friend Charlie is up ahead, trying to get help. There’s a young lady trapped in a deep pit in the tunnel, and two very bad guys are heading toward her.”

“Keep going straight ahead. You’ll come to the entrance. Other agents will be waiting for you there.” The agent picked up the flashlight and handed it to Harri as they gathered the assault weapons that had been mysteriously knocked out of their hands. Then the two took off toward the pit.

Harri felt some relief, but she would not feel totally at ease until she saw Charlie and Billie safely outside the pit and the tunnel. She also hoped the agents kicked some serious butt when they reached the Keeper and Steve.

Harri saw the shadow a couple more times and smiled, knowing the shadow had made the men drop their weapons. It seemed to be protecting her.

She reached the cellblock first. A wide, heavy door had been propped open, and she could see a lighted room full of people up ahead. She hoped the men she’d met had a radio and had told these agents she “came in peace.”

Before she went through the doors, she looked behind her. The shadow was gone, but just down the tunnel she heard a female laugh, a familiar cackle that was not mean-spirited.

“Thank you, Peg!” Harri whispered. “Remember, if you want some fashion advice, come see me at the hotel before I leave. Our little secret.” Peg gave her biggest laugh, showed herself for a second, and limped off down the tunnel.

****

Charlie led Hank and the others straight to the pit. Hank shined his flashlight down and saw Billie, but the girl was still.

Piper was first to join him. “She’s alive, Hank. I know she’s alive. Get me down to her, and I’ll give her CPR. It’s what I’m supposed to do!” Piper looked to her mom for support.

“As much as I hate to see my daughter in that pit, I think she’s right. Piper is trained in CPR, and she was shown.”

“I’ll go with you, Piper.”

“No. Denise is down there, too, Zach.”

“I know. But I can’t help Denise. My concern is you, Piper. Please let me be with you.”

“I don’t know how we’ll get either of you down there.” Hank looked around, but did not see a rope or anything that would reach to the bottom.

“Charlie help!” Charlie pulled everyone back away from the pit, backed up, and ran toward the pit, leaping over it easily. In seconds, he had disappeared. When he returned a few minutes later, he had a rope curled over his shoulder.

“Forest ranger rope.” Charlie pulled his old hat down tighter, threw the rope across the pit to Hank, but stayed on the other side. Charlie beamed with pride and puffed out his chest, and his friends knew that, in his mind, he was a forest ranger like his dad.

Hank tied the rope around his waist and gave the other end to Zach. “Are you two sure you want to do this?”

“Yes. I need to go first, Zach, and start CPR on Billie as soon as possible.”

Zach knew not to argue. He helped Piper tie the rope around her waist, then held it tight and let Piper gradually down into the hole. As soon as she reached the bottom, she untied the rope, knelt beside Billie, and felt her pulse.

“I can’t feel anything, but it could just be weak. I’m starting CPR.” Piper turned Billie over on her back, and just like in her dream, the Maglite rolled out of the girl’s hand.

Zach was by her side in no time, and Hank and Cayce watched from above. Cayce shone the flashlight on Billie.

Zach watched for any sign of life, focusing on the living and not the dead around him, keeping his back to Denise. He did not want to look at her.

He put his fingers on Billie’s wrist, hoping to get a pulse, and looked up and smiled at Piper when she gave him a quick glance. “I’m getting a pulse, Piper. Keep going.”

Billie coughed and opened her eyes. She looked up and saw a beautiful young woman with golden curls and light eyes smiling down at her. Rays of amber light surrounded the young woman as if she were heaven sent.

“Are you an angel?” Billie asked. “Am I in heaven? I see the light. Is my baby here with me?”

“You’re alive, Billie. You and your baby are alive. We’re going to get you out of here and take you home.” Piper reached for Zach’s hand while holding Billie’s head in her lap.

But before the three could be helped from the pit, voices were heard in the tunnel. Hank and Cayce motioned for Charlie to jump back across, but he shook his head and headed in the direction of the voices.

“The pit is right up here. If Billie’s still alive, I’ll shoot her, Steve. If you have a problem with that, go back now. We can’t risk her talking. When we leave, we’ll explode the mine and they’ll never find her or the others. The lambs and the Fold will be safe.”

The Keeper began whistling his battle song.

Billie scared! Charlie help!

The little man stopped at one of the oldest, weakest timbers and put his back to it, keeping his face toward the voices. He pushed against the timber, using all the strength in his little body. He could feel the timber shaking loose. Rocks, small rocks, pelted him, and he put his hands over his head to protect his old hat while continuing to push on the timber. As the voices got closer, Charlie pushed harder. A black shadow moved to his side, but he was not afraid. Charlie pushed, and the shadow helped. The timber swayed, and the rocks plummeted down. The tunnel rumbled. The Keeper and Steve saw Charlie and ran toward the pit and safety.

“Billie scared! Charlie not scared!” Charlie screamed at the men as he ran head-on toward them. He beat his chest and gave a deep-throated yell like Tarzan and charged into the big men, head-butting them, knocking them both into a heap on the mine floor.

The tunnel shook violently, the old timber gave way, and Charlie, the hero, and the two bad men were buried under an avalanche of timbers, rocks, and boulders.

Tears streamed down Cayce’s face as she realized what had happened. Hank took her hand and squeezed it, but only briefly.

“Mom, what’s going on? What was that noise? Where’s Charlie?”

Cayce couldn’t answer for a few seconds as she swallowed to prevent her voice from shaking. There was more to do. “It’s okay, Piper. We’re going to get you and Billie out. Are you ready, Zach?”

Cayce heard noises behind them and turned to see several men in SWAT gear racing through the tunnel.

“FBI!” the leader yelled.

Piper heard the FBI agent and squeezed Zach’s hand tighter. Holding tightly to Piper’s hand, Zach turned to face Denise, his eyes full of tears and compassion.

“I’m taking you home, Denise, to your parents. And then I’m going to find our baby.”