Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance (16 page)

anyway."

Laura rose to leave, but stopped. "Did my grandfather say

anything about where he was calling from?"

Jessup shook his head.

"Well if he happens to call back, will you let him know I

have been trying to reach him all day?"

"Will do—and I'll try and get a number where you can

return his call." He waved her on.

"I'll talk to you later, and I do mean later! Take the time

off. I do not want you to go around playing PI. You are going

to end up getting yourself hurt," Jessup told her with a stern

voice.

131

Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance

by Lorraine Kennedy

"Sure boss. I'll try and keep my nose where it belongs."

She was amused by his fatherly concern.

Her cabin was already covered in evening gloom. A feeling

of dread reached out to pick at her nerves. Every night she

felt it—the feeling of hidden eyes watching her every

movement.

She struggled with the keys to the front door, while goose

flesh rose on her skin. In an effort to calm herself, she took a

deep breath. Laura knew she was acting childish, but

nevertheless each night the uneasy feelings invaded her.

With new determination, Laura inserted the key and

unlocked the door. She felt her resolve slipping away as she

switched on every lamp. Soon the entire cabin was lit like a

lighthouse.

Once she was able to relax in a hot tub of water, Laura felt

her tensions melt away. The anguish of the past twenty-four

hours came into sharp focus, and she was torn between

exhilaration and doom.

Justin's treatment of her had cut deeply, and the pain still

tore at her. There were still so many unanswered questions,

but when she was near him, she could never seem to break

his spell long enough to put voice to them.

Why had he not told her that he was chief of the

Sungmanitu
?

Why had they drugged her?

Who was he really and what had he meant when he told

her that they had been granted this one night?

Doubt loomed up to grasp her in its hold. Were the

Sungmanitu
killers?

132

Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance

by Lorraine Kennedy

Dressing in warm cotton pajamas, Laura retired to the

couch with a cup of hot chocolate and a novel. The warm

chocolate did wonders to quiet her frayed nerves. After

reading only a few pages of her book, she found that she

could no longer keep her eyes open. Fingers of fog crawled

into her mind, settling in to smother her.

It was hot ... so hot and dark. Steam rose from the jungle

floor, covering her with a sheet of moisture. She fought her

way through the thick vegetation, and every few seconds she

suffered the sting of biting insects.

Laura pushed on, knowing that she had to go somewhere,

but the details eluded her. Finally the jungle opened, but the

mist marred her vision. Straining, she could only just make

out the silhouette of the Mayan Temple. A set of burning red

eyes sliced through the whirling mist, cutting into her like

razors. Laura moaned—her fear mounting.

She moved toward the temple, inching closer. Silent

screams of fright fought to burst free, but could not quite

escape her throat. She knew she should run, but her legs

kept moving her toward terror.

Something moved just beyond her vision. She could feel

the silent threat of its hunger.

Laura's screams filled the heavy air when the large jaguar

sprang, hitting the ground at her feet. Gracefully, the animal

sat back on its haunches, glaring at her with its predator's

eyes. Gasping for air, her body had begun to tremble

uncontrollably. Her legs were rooted in place, preventing her

escape.

133

Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance

by Lorraine Kennedy

The cat leisurely brought one paw up and began licking.

After what seemed an eternity, the animal brought its

attention back to Laura.

She felt her mind slipping away as it growled out its words.

"I have been sent by the land of shadows to warn you. The

path you are on belongs to the beast. Turn back before you

lose sight of the way." The cat's roar sent Laura into a

spiraling pit—her world was spinning so fast that she could

grasp nothing.

Her screams were vibrating from the cabin's walls when

she woke to a bright morning. It took her several moments

before she was calm enough to get off the sofa.

Staring out the window at the brilliant new day, Laura tried

to make sense of the nightmare. Her Navajo blood ran too

deep for her to believe that the dreams and events of late

were no more than coincidence. Something was definitely

wrong.

Her stomach protesting its discomfort, she went to the

kitchen and took a donut from the refrigerator. Laura could

almost hear Grandpa Busby scolding her for eating such

garbage for breakfast.

Grandpa...!

Her grandfather had tried to warn her about something,

but what? She now wished that she had made more of an

effort to find out what he knew of the S
ungmanitu
.

Who could she find to reveal the mysteries of Beaver

Creek? There had to be someone who was not too terrified to

talk, but who?

134

Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance

by Lorraine Kennedy

That old miner was pretty mean, just maybe he was mean

enough to talk.

Laura stood at the mine's entrance. She assumed the old

man must be working inside because she had seen no one

about.

"Mr. Hughes!" Laura's voice held a note of uncertainty.

She took a few steps into the darkness and was greeted by

hollow silence.

"Mr. Hughes ... are you down there?"

There was nothing ... nothing but the sound of her own

breathing and the tap—tap of condensed moisture dripping

from the sides of the tunnels.

Backtracking, Laura retrieved the battery-operated lantern

that hung from a peg at the mine's entrance. She switched it

on and the mineshaft was flooded with a bright, florescent

glow. Laura started down the damp tunnel. She found that

the deeper she descended the harder the air was to breathe.

Horrifying images darted through her thoughts—images of

being trapped down here in the dark, alone for all eternity.

The light from the lantern dimmed and she assumed the

batteries were dying. Laura strained her eyes to see through

the encroaching darkness. Something cold and clammy

brushed against her arm.

Turning sharply in that direction, Laura screamed and her

eyes widened in terror. The walls and floor were covered in

blood.

Gripped by cold horror, Laura backed as far away as she

could until she was up against the earthen walls. The lantern

135

Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance

by Lorraine Kennedy

dimmed again and then blinked out altogether, leaving her in

total darkness.

Laura's screams ripped through the darkness when the

squeals of hundreds of bats filled the shaft. Trying to remain

still, she huddled against the cold wall, covering her head with

her arms—even as the leathery wings brushed against her

curled up form.

Once the sound of the bats died away, another sound

reached out to claw at her terrified mind. The noise was

distant, but getting closer with each passing second.

Laura remained completely still, knowing that to breathe

too loudly might draw its attention. The closer it got—the

more trapped she felt, and the only place to run led into the

bowels of the earth.

Soon she could make out a dim light coming toward her.

What if it was the maniac who had been killing people?

What if the miner was the one doing it? Who was it that hung

from the wooden support beam? Laura's thoughts raced.

The light was brighter now, and Laura had to shield her

eyes against the offensive glare. She didn't know whether to

be relieved, or more afraid when she recognized Mr. Hughes

carrying an oil lamp. His hunched over form cast a ghostly

shadow against the earth wall.

"What the devil are you doing down here, Missy?" Hughes

bellowed.

Wordlessly, she pointed into the darkness. He turned to

peer in the direction she was indicating, lifting the lamp high

to help cut through the darkness. Startled, he took a couple

of steps back.

136

Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance

by Lorraine Kennedy

"What the...!" His words trailed off. Dewey's face went

ashen and his hands began to tremble.

Dewey stood still, transfixed by the monstrous vision

before him. He shook himself from his state of shock and held

out his hand to Laura.

"Who did this?" Laura's voice quivered.

Dewey shook his head and then went back to studying the

corpse. It was pretty much intact from the waist up, but its

legs had been torn from the trunk. The limbs lay close by—

chunks of meat had been ripped from the bone.

"Looks like the work of a large animal," he spoke his

thoughts aloud.

"Would an animal be able to hang up the leftovers for

later?" she cried, still half hysterical.

He shrugged his shoulders. "Never can tell in these parts."

His wall of secrecy was firmly intact.

"Why is it that you haven't come across this until now? It's

obviously been here awhile," she questioned him suspiciously.

"Number one, Missy, I don't work this mine full time.

Reason number two is cause I been in Cheyenne the past few

days. I'd just returned when I heard you screaming your

damn fool head off down here. Sounds echo out of here, you

know."

"Have any idea who it is?" Laura was a little calmer now.

Dewey shook his head. "Nope, can't say that I do," he told

her before spitting a wad of tobacco into the dirt.

"We need to contact the authorities." Her forced calm

began to waver.

137

Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance

by Lorraine Kennedy

"Yeah, I suppose that would be the thing to do. Not that

they will be able to do a thing about it, except maybe clean

up this here mess," he chuckled.

"Mr. Hughes, I don't find anything funny about this

situation." She scowled.

"Course not! I was just speaking the truth, that's all."

"Let's go." Laura started for the entrance and before long

they emerged into the blazing sun.

Laura brought a hand up to shield her eyes from the

sudden glare. "This is harsh. I don't see how you can stand to

work down there."

You get used to it, especially when it's all you know to do.

Besides...." Dewey paused to spit more tobacco, "when it gets

really hot up here, it stays nice and cool down below."

"Where's your phone?" Laura was becoming impatient.

"No phone." He started toward a mobile home that sat

below a lone tree.

"Hey! Where you going? We need to contact the police."

"Know that, Missy. I have a two-way radio inside. We'll

radio the ranger's station and have them call the police."

Laura and Dewey Hughes stood by and watched while the

state police and their homicide technicians combed the mine

and adjoining grounds. Having already been questioned

several times by the police, they were dismayed when they

saw another one walking up to them.

"Hello, I'm Detective Gates. I take it that it was you two

who found the body?"

"That would be so." Dewey spoke for both of them.

138

Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance

by Lorraine Kennedy

"I don't suppose you have any idea what happened or how

long he's been down there?" The detective had taken out a

notebook and pen.

"Right again, sir." Dewey smiled.

Laura decided it was time to intervene. "We've told the

story many times already, officer."

"Yeah, I know but I've been assigned to cover this

homicide investigation and I have to interview you." He

appeared to be as tired as they were.

"Okay, shoot. Might as well get it done and over with."

Dewey was really starting to get annoyed.

For twenty minutes they endured the same series of

questions. Their answer had almost become automatic by

now. The detective snapped his notebook shut and walked

away when he saw them bringing out a body bag.

"Don't go anywhere yet," the detective called back over his

shoulder.

Laura averted her eyes so that she wouldn't have to see

the gruesome site once again. Though she knew it wouldn't

be visible, it was the thought of what was inside the bag.

"Cops ... they are too darn bossy if you ask me," Dewey

muttered under his breath as he was sticking another piece of

tobacco in his mouth.

While Detective Gates spoke to the technicians, Sheriff

Moss joined him. Soon they both started back to the tree

where Laura and Dewey sat, trying to find some relief from

the sun.

139

Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance