Whispering Spirits (19 page)

“Great…I accuse your father so now you’re
accusing mine? Damn it, Bradley.” Summer kicked a small rock and it
sailed into a large boulder making a loud snap. “We’re wasting time
and our advantage here. We need to do more and talk less. What’s
our plan?”

Running Crane didn’t miss the strained
control Summer expressed in her tone. She was one hundred percent
correct. They were losing their edge the longer they delayed making
a decision. “Okay, I think Summer and I should go back and see if
there’s any way we can get Morning Star Timber Wolf out of that
house and away from Worthington.”

“I figure we are about five miles south of
StoneHouse and we might be about two miles from the edge of Saint
Mary Lake.” He looked at Bradley and realized he still looked
somewhat uneasy on his feet from the beating Worthington gave him.
“If you hike to the lake, you might find someone already at their
summer home. Call Detective Tom Buggeta and let him know where we
are and what’s been going on. What do you think?”

“I can do that. Worthington might not be at
StoneHouse when you get there, but there’ll still be two men
guarding your grandmother, Summer.”

“So do you know where Worthington is going?”
Running Crane wondered what Bradley wasn’t saying.

“He…I’m not certain, you understand. I have
suspicions and gossip only to substantiate…but—”

“Bradley, out with it!’ Summer rolled her
eyes.

“I think he’s in a relationship.”

“He has a girlfriend? This is important—why?”
Summer pulled her hair back.

“Vulnerability. Your grandmother is yours, my
father is mine, and it looks like right now you are Running Crane’s
weakness. We find out who she is and we might even get her to
talk.”

This changes things. Running Crane wondered
if they should be pursuing this lead instead of going after
Nah’ah
. “If we were to get this woman, we could trade her
for
Nah’ah
. We would for once have the edge. If this
girlfriend talks, even better.”

“I get what you guys are saying…but leaving
Nah’ah at StoneHouse with—”

“They won’t hurt her, Summer,” Bradley
said.

“Like Worthington wouldn’t hurt you?
You’re…were supposedly his daughter’s boyfriend. He didn’t hesitate
to decide to kill you. Never underestimate what he will or won’t
do.” Summer shook her head. “We can’t take that chance.”

“How would we learn who she is? We’re going
to have to make a decision what we’re going to do and quick. We’ve
lost so much valuable time just in talking. Come on you two, we
need to get out of here before someone spots us and Worthington
realizes we’ve survived that wreck.”

“I vote we all head to Saint Mary Lake and
quickly get help.”

Running Crane scanned the tree line.
“Domonique is going to be our ace.” Their stares told him he’d made
the right decision. No one would be expecting it.

“Meaning?” Bradley rubbed his arms,
generating some warmth in the chilly morning air.

“We get to a cabin and you call Domonique.
You explain her father tried killing you. She doesn’t have to know
the three of us survived…only you. Get in close and find out who
her father is taking to his bed.”

“I start asking questions about her father
and she’ll see through it right away.”

“You never ask her about her father? How were
you planning on getting evidence against him?” Summer shook her
head.

The cool air and warm earth worked together
and once again a hazy fog rolled in. “This is good and bad. They
won’t be able to search for that chopper in this fog. On the other
hand it won’t take much to get turned around in this thick mist.
Come on, let’s get moving. I’ll lead, Summer hang onto my backpack
and Bradley grab the back of her sweater.”

“How do you plan on moving in this? We could
walk off a cliff and never know it until we hit bottom,” Bradley
shouted from behind.

“I know there’s nothing but shrubs and tall
grass from here to the tree line. If my guess is right that will be
about a good mile. We can feel our way from tree to tree another
good half-mile. By then this should thin out if not lift
completely.” Running Crane wondered if he was doing the right
thing. If his hunch panned out…Bradley would accidentally let go of
Summer’s sweater and disappear into the fog.

* * *

Summer wanted nothing more than to stop and
catch her breath. They’d been walking most of the early morning and
she considered refusing to take another step. In the last few
minutes it seemed the fog had lightened as did the light.

“I think the fog is lifting,” she
whispered.

Running Crane didn’t answer and Summer fell
silent. Did she hear a single drum beating softly in the distance?
There it was again. It seemed to be warning her. Were those
footsteps down the trail?

“Stop!” she whispered, pulling Running Crane
back against her, dragging them to the ground. He fell on top of
her, nearly knocking the wind from her lungs.

“What—”

“Shhh,” she whispered.

“Come on, Stuart, I know they headed
west.”

“I can’t see a fucking thing. How the hell
did any of you survive that crash? Let’s stop a minute, I can
hardly breathe.” He dropped to the ground.

“Don’t talk so loud. A voice can carry a mile
in the stillness of morning.”

“Shit, Bradley, I think I stepped in deer
shit. I wish I’d never run into you. I’d be back at StoneHouse
drinking a beer and sitting in front of a warm fireplace. Why not
just let them go?”

“I bring them back to Worthington and he’ll
know I love his daughter and I’m in it for the long haul.”

“Aren’t you just a bit pissed he tried
killing you in that chopper?”

“He’ll pay for that one once Domonique finds
out.”

“Why didn’t you take them down when you had
the chance? Shit you was hiking with them for Christ’s sake.”

Running Crane rolled off Summer and inched
closer to the ground. He wished his suspicions were wrong about
Bradley.

“It’s that two against one thing. Summer’s
had several years of defensive training so I didn’t want to take a
chance.”

“How come you know so much about Summer?”

“Her grandma likes to brag about her every
chance she gets. She’s wanted me and Summer to hook up ever since
we was kids. I think she’s too much like her grandma. Snoopy damn
old woman. My dad thinks she walks on water,” Bradley said. “So I
decided I’d better get a gun and backup. You saved us valuable time
by heading out.”

“Worthington figured you’d get about a mile
or so before crashing. I drew the short stick and had to make sure
none of you walked out alive. He didn’t even give a shit I hurt my
ankle when that damn ledge gave way. Hurt by my own damn trap.
Pisses me off.”

“Worthington is still at StoneHouse?”

“Naw, he’s gone into Babb to meet up with
some chick.”

“You know who she is? I’ve known the man for
some time and I’ve never seen him get involved before.”

“I understand she’s quite the looker.
Worthington usually uses and leaves them, but I guess this one has
grit and he’s suddenly thinking with his Johnson. He meets up with
her at some place called Montana’s Duck Lake Lodge. I don’t know.
Can’t imagine the guy being anything too gentle, if you catch my
drift.”

“That’s not something I care to even think
about, Stuart. It’s downright nauseating. I’d guess those two will
need a rest pretty damn soon. Running Crane’s leg must be killing
him.”

“You faked that beating awfully good.”

“This fat lip ain’t faked. Damn thing cracked
and hurts like hell. We’ll ease over that next ridge. Get up off
your ass and let’s get moving. We’ll need to stop talking and step
lightly.”

“Your Injun blood is showing.”

“Shut the fuck up and get moving. I’ll follow
you.”

“Why are you following me? If there’s a booby
trap it’ll get me instead of you?” Stuart laughed. “I ain’t as
stupid as you think. I’ve got skills, don’t you forget that.”

“Yeah, yeah, let’s get moving.”

Summer held her breath as Bradley and Stuart
passed within yards of where she and Running Crane lay. It seemed
they remained motionless for hours after the men moved on, yet she
knew it must have only been minutes. She sat, moving slow and
silent.

“That was interesting,” she whispered.

“I say we change our strategy and head for
Babb. Bradley will lead Stuart to Saint Mary Lake. We’ll wait until
Worthington leaves his love, then we’ll move in and find out what
she knows.”

Summer gave his plan some thought. A light
drizzle settled in and she shivered. “If it means getting warm and
something to eat, I’m with you all the way.” She forced a quiet
laugh she didn’t feel.

“I know you want to help
Nah’ah
, but I
think we’ll be helping her more this way.”

“You might be right, it’s…hard to know she’s
being held against her will and at gunpoint. I don’t think she’s
being fed well and this kind of stress isn’t good for her.” She
took the hand he offered and allowed him to pull her to her feet.
“How’s the leg feeling?”

“Considering what it’s gone through, not bad.
At least I can limp along without a crutch. And I’m beyond
starving, too.”

She gazed at Running Crane and realized he
was more handsome than she remembered. In the early morning light
he somehow had the appearance of having stepped out of 1820. Just
looking at him made her heart beat fast.

“Why are you looking at me like that?”

“No reason.”

“Come on…tell me just once what you’re
thinking.”

Summer smiled and pressed her palm to his
cheek. “I was just thinking how much you look like pictures of our
men from years ago. You have those strong, square cheekbones and
high forehead. I love how you’ve managed to keep your braids. I’ve
always liked that about you.”

He gently pulled her against him and lowered
his head. She stretched to meet his kiss. She slid her palms around
his neck and pulled him in closer. The heat of wanting him warmed
her.

“Let’s get moving before Bradley and Stuart
figure out we’re not ahead of them.”

Summer nodded and broke away from his
embrace. The gesture instantly chilled her to the bone. “I’m so
tired I can barely move.”

“Know what you mean. We get to Babb and maybe
we can get some rest before Worthington leaves his love nest.”

“Pl…eeeease! Spare me from forming an image
of that one.” She walked alongside Running Crane. His limp reminded
her of his injury. She gave him a quick glance and suddenly
realized morning light cast eerie shadows across the land. “How far
is it to Babb?”

“Maybe three miles. But there’s some steep
terrain and with my leg and considering how tired we are, I’m
guessing we’ll be near Babb in about two hours.”

“That’s not so bad. We can check into a
hotel, clean up, get some food and sleep.” She wished they could
run the entire three miles.

“That sounds too good to be true,” he
chuckled.

They fell into a comfortable silence,
concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. They just
crested a steep hill and had barely moved downward when they both
stopped dead in their tracks.

A cinnamon bear and her two black cubs stood
directly in their path, staring at them. If it hadn’t been so
dangerous, it would have been almost comical.

“Lower your gaze and slowly back away.”

Summer gave him a glare without moving her
head. “Are you kidding me? We should bee-line it back down that
hill behind us.”

“No! We run and they’ll have us shredded to
pieces in a matter of minutes. Bears are non-confrontational. Take
a deep breath and do your best to be calm and—”

The sow growled several short grunts in their
direction and her cubs quickly ran into the bushes off to their
right. After several long seconds of staring at them, she sauntered
after her young.

Breathing deeply, Summer swallowed hard. “I’m
actually shaking,” she said under her breath. I’ve seen bear
before, but I’ve never been face-to-face with one like this. Aren’t
you just—”

Running Crane grabbed her arm and pulled her
down, squatting close to the ground. “I’m sure I saw movement in
the same direction that bear headed.”

“Her cubs—”

“No, further along those cottonwoods,” he
pointed to his right.

She scanned the area with care. Morning
stillness settled over them. A meadowlark trilled in the distance
and several bluebirds sassed each other behind them. A skittish
chipmunk chattered as he skidaddled up a Ponderosa Pine just ahead
of them.

Finally she saw a single figure step out of
the tree line. He moved swiftly and somewhat recklessly. “You think
that’s Bradley or Stuart?”

“Too tall for Stuart. I’d guess it’s Bradley.
Wonder what he did with his buddy. He must have realized we weren’t
heading toward Saint Mary Lake and decided our objective was Babb.
Must have figured we had more of a head-start on him than we
actually do. He reaches Worthington before us and we’ve lost our
edge.”

“Maybe we should accidentally reveal our
position and make Bradley back track to us. Didn’t he say he wanted
to deliver us to Worthington?” She didn’t want to think so lowly of
Bradley. They’d saved his life in that chopper and now he was
willing to turn them over to the lion.

“Make him come to us…instead of us rushing
down to surprise him? You might have something there. Why don’t we
build a fire and—”

“No, that’s too obvious. He knows we’d never
make a mistake like that.”

“True, but what do you suggest?”

Summer thought for a moment. “How about one
of us fakes falling down this hill?” She glanced down and cringed
at the thought.

“I’m the one with the bum leg. It’s more
likely I’d fall than you.”