Oklahoma's Gold (32 page)

She tried smiling more bravely. "I know I'm just being silly. Once we get moving, I'll be fine." She moved ahead to step off the porch.

"That's better. Gotta keep the team goin'!" he joked and smacked Jess on her behind. "Right team mate?"

She jumped and turned to glare at him, just barely covering a smile. "Save that move for your horses, foreman," she quipped.

He put his head back and laughed. He felt good, really good. Better than in a long time. Calling for Frank, he climbed up into the truck. It was six-thirty already, and they had an hour's drive before reaching the caves.

"Come on, Frank!" Once more he hollered out the window, then laid on the horn, just as the ranch hand came limping out of the bunkhouse. Daniel looked dismayed as he watched Frank hobble over.

"Hey, Daniel," Frank greeted.

"Good lord! What happened to you?"

"Well, Bessie and me had a difference of opinion just a bit ago." Bessie was one of their prize mares. Frank went on to explain how she'd reared up on him, and before he could move quickly enough, her hoof came down hard on his foot. "Think I broke some toes." He shifted his balance to rest against the truck.

Daniel looked over at Jess and raised an eyebrow. "Guess we go it alone."

"Miss Emma will be really upset."

"Can't be helped. Too late to change plans now." He turned the ignition on and glanced out the window. "You rest that foot, now, Frank."

"Maybe Tim could go in my place," he suggested.

"Nope. We'll be fine. Do me a favor though, Frank."

"What's that?"

"Kinda lay low this mornin'. At least till Miss Emma leaves to visit Fred?"

Frank smiled knowingly, "Sure thing, Daniel. I'll do just that." He waved as the truck drove down the long drive and toward the mountains.

Chapter 45

He quickly threw everything he valued, which wasn't much, into the tattered trunk. Frantically, he looked around into every corner of every room in the house. He didn't want to miss anything. It had only been forty minutes since his sister's phone call. And at first Sonny had been skeptical. Told her she was being a hysterical ninny. At least he felt that way until Betty told him Lucas had up and left town. Then his tune changed. Sure enough he'd become a Heinz fifty-seven mix of emotions with anger and fear at the forefront.

How could he be so stupid, so trusting, and so damned gullible? He slammed drawers and doors as he went through each room. Not one red cent, he realized. He had been a chump and was left with empty pockets. Now he had to leave the only home he'd ever known or go to jail. Tough choice. Betty had already left, and he was going to be following close behind.

Phoning Billy had been the scary part. Billy was friendly and all, but he had this underlying mean streak. You didn't want to be around when that surfaced. Sonny knew firsthand what that was like. So, it's understandable how for a minute there he almost didn't call. Let Billy take the heat. He'd go to jail and be at a safe distance. But what about when he'd get out, Sonny pondered? It didn't take brains to figure that one out. Billy would come looking for him and, well … He didn't need to finish that thought.

Fortunately, the conversation was short and sweet. Not too much time for chitchat when you're running from the law, he figured. Billy only wanted to know one thing. Where did Lucas go? Sonny could only tell him what Betty had said. He had a plane ticket to Martinique. That seemed to satisfy Billy because he got off the phone after that.

Now Jorgé was a different story. Sonny didn't care if that Mexican lived or died. Besides, the fewer people there were who knew he was leaving, the better. Sonny made his decision. No phone call to Jorgé.

He threw the clothes trunk in the back of his battered pick up and then hopped in the cab. He raced down the road, shifting gears as he headed for the highway. California sounded nice. A lot of deals going on there. As he neared the turnoff and left town, Sonny relaxed a bit. That was a narrow escape. Maybe Gentry would have never found him out. Caleb was a buffoon as far as Sonny judged. But if they could finger him and all he'd done, vandalizing those farms and ranches, scamming people for their land and livelihood? Well, jail would be his home for a long time. Yep. Real narrow escape. He pressed down harder on the gas pedal, desperately needing to put more and more miles between him and Chickasha.

* * *

The walk to the cave entrance was a short one. That was the lucky part. The not so lucky part was finding a way into the cave. Brush and thick vines obstructed any space that could provide a way in. Obvious to both of them was the fact that no one had visited, at least through this entrance, these caves in a very long time.

"Lucky for us I came prepared. There's equipment in the truck, including some clippers that should take care of this mess," Daniel said.

"Well, aren't you the Boy Scout," Jess teased. "I guess that means you will have to go back to the truck to get it, while I wait here, of course."

"No, no, no. You're not getting off that easy." Daniel wagged a finger at her, then started toward the vehicle. "Two people can carry more equipment than one."

Jess had to agree and so admitted defeat. "Oh, all right. Let's go team mate," she responded and smacked him on the rear.

He jumped and looked back at her in surprise. "Now you're asking for it."

She squealed as she skirted around him and began to run down the path, which fortunately was level and smoothed even from walking. Daniel followed close behind and soon caught up to grab her. He lifted her off the ground, kicking and screaming. Then turning her around to face him, he threw her over his shoulder, his arms gripped tightly over the tops of her legs.

"Daniel Ross! You put me down!" she yelled, but to no avail. He totally ignored her pleas and instead began whistling a tune. It took a few bars, but soon she recognized the melody and slapped him on the back for it. It was a song about a wild woman who needed a strong man to tame and settle her down. Her faced screwed up in a frown. Of all the chauvinistic moves!

"Might as well stop fighting. I've got you now, Jess," he said, then continued his whistling.

Of course, Jess suspected he was talking about more than just having her over his shoulder. But she couldn't pursue it. Not just yet. So she remained quiet. After all, he'd have to put her down when they reached the truck, wouldn't he? He needed both hands to carry equipment. At least that would keep them occupied. She wasn't sure whether that made her sad or relieved.

  * * *

Two Turtles bounced in the seat as she traveled over rough terrain in her Ford Ranger. The dirt path was a shortcut back to Chickasha. She'd spent one night in Wichita with her sick sister. That's all. In one night's sleep, she'd had the dream. No, more like a nightmare. It was still so vivid; it made her shiver to play it back in her mind.

She scolded herself the whole time she hurriedly packed her things, the whole time she had been driving home. She should have known, should have suspected this. When she had first laid eyes on her. It was in her eyes. She should have known. The young girl from far away. Tall, thin, dark, she had come in a vision earlier this year. In the spring, it was. A traveler from the north would come. She would bring chaos, danger, and death to town. Of course, now Two Turtles knew, the young girl was not the cause. She was to become the victim. Her dream showed her that the other night. It showed her two forces from far away. Good versus evil. Jess was the good, but she wasn't sure who was the evil. She did know one thing, and she saw it very, very clearly. This girl was in serious danger. And Two Turtles needed to warn her. That is why she raced like hell now to get back there.

Where she'd find her she still wasn't certain. She was praying that a familiar sight on the way home might trigger her memory of the fitful night of sleep. Parts of it were fuzzy. She couldn't see clearly or remember. Two Turtles now must have faith in the stronger power, the spirit to guide her to this girl. To save her.

The tires hit hard over the next ridge, bouncing the vehicle almost two feet into the air. When it came down, Two Turtles knew, with dread in her heart, it didn't sound right. The left front wheel began to wobble uncontrollably as she tried to move forward. Frustrated, she stopped the truck and got out to look. Yep. She saw the frame and wheel were bent so badly it wasn't going anywhere now. Holding a hand up to shade her eyes from the sun, Two Turtles scanned the area, but of course there were no cars in sight. This was, after all, a shortcut. No one took it. Hardly ever, at least.

"Now, you're in trouble," she mumbled as her hands searched through the glove compartment. Fortunately for her, unlike her name or home surroundings would indicate, there were a few modern conveniences she had taken a liking to. Cell phones were one of them. A woman traveling alone most of the time. Well, a connection to the outside world could be a lifesaver.

"Like now," she said aloud as she pulled the phone from its hiding place. All she had to do was hope she wasn't standing in one of those dead zones. Otherwise, she wouldn't be communicating with anything but rattlesnakes and other creatures. It didn't help that the day was turning out to be another August scorcher. Probably hit close to one hundred degrees before it was over. She slammed her hand against the steering wheel out of frustration.

Two Turtles punched in nine-one-one and silently prayed. It seemed to take forever. The phone display kept reading "searching". She felt tears of frustration. Here all she wanted to do was save that young girl. Instead, she was messing things up so badly, they both could die. And she, for one, wasn't ready to go yet. Not by a long shot.

Her legs nearly buckled out from under her when she heard the blessed sound of a phone ringing. Quickly, giving her location to the operator before the phone could die, she then thanked her over and over again. The operator told her to try and be patient; it would be a couple hours before someone could get to that isolated place she was stuck in. But it didn't matter to Two Turtles. Help was on the way. That's what counted.

She closed the phone antenna and decided to find a place on the other side of the truck to sit and wait. At least it was shaded there. For the time being.

Just then something caught her eye. Peering out across the plain she saw it. A coyote, sitting still as a statue, staring intently at Two Turtles. She felt a strange sense of calm wash over her. And suddenly she wasn't worried anymore. It was such a relief; she wanted to cry all over again. She watched as the animal stood up on all fours. It howled once. A long, lonely cry. Then it was gone. Running off toward the mountains. Two Turtles finally leaned back against her Ford Ranger and waited, puzzling over the coyote and wondering whether the good spirits would protect the tall, thin one from the evil she had come to dread.

Chapter 46

The playful teasing was over and the work began as they carried tools back to the cave entrance. Sweat poured down their backs, their arms, their faces, as the sunlight scorched the ground. Only nine o'clock and the temperature had reached near ninety. Fortunately, if all went well, they'd soon be sheltered by the cool, dark cave.

At least if they could cut through this tangled mass of vines and brush, thought Jess as she clipped and snipped. Just trying to create an opening, something they could get through, seemed impossible. Still, they kept at it, cutting and clearing for almost an hour.