Page 18 of Touch My Shelves

CHAPTER 6

BRAX

I’m not sure my heart has started beating again since Freeya ran into my office and announced that Poppy is stuck in a cave. Why the woman thought taking my daughter into a cave was a safe thing to do, I have no idea. But I am going to find out. As soon as I rescue her and make sure she isn’t hurt. Then I’m firing her ass. I don’t care how cute that ass is or how badly I want to fuck her.

I grabbed the rope Freeya said we’d need from the tool room and we each have a big flashlight.

The climb up to the cave entrance is harrowing, another thing I’m going to discuss with Poppy. What was she thinking?

As soon as we enter the cave, I hear off-key singing. Really bad singing. It’s hard to make the words out, but the rough tune is familiar.

“Five hundred and seventy-seven bottles of rum on the wall. Take one drink…” There’s a pause before it continues, “And pass it around, five hundred and seventy-six bottles of rum on the wall.”

I shine the light on the sandy floor and find the opening of the tunnel. I kneel and brace my hands to look down the dark hole. The light picks up movement about twenty feet down. Before she can go another round, I call out, “Poppy!”

“Helloooo!” She elongates the word and ends with a giggle.

I frown and look at Freeya, who shrugs. If I didn’t know better…

“Are you okay?” I call down the tunnel and shine the light, catching an overly-wide smile on Poppy’s dirt-stained face as she stares up at us.

“Oh, shuuure,” she slurs and topples over. “I’m right as rain. Why is rain right? Isn’t sun righter?” Another giggle.

She’s sloshed!

Now my blood is boiling. I hired a lush to look after my daughter. A lush who is evidently drinking on the job. “Stand back. I’m throwing the rope down.”

“Okey dokey doodie!” she replies. “Oops, I said doodie!” More giggles ring out, echoing up the tunnel. Freeya giggles too.

Before I do any rescuing… “Freeya, run home and have Chef put on a pot of coffee and turn down Poppy’s bed. We’ll be right behind you.”

I don’t want my daughter to see her nanny falling-down drunk.

Freeya looks at Poppy and back up at me. She’s conflicted. “Are you sure, Daddy? I can help pull her up.”

“I’m sure. Run along and get everything ready.” I wait for her to leave before tossing the rope down the tunnel.

“Oomph!” I hear just before, “I got it! Score!”

I grin at her very enthusiastic confirmation. “Let me know when you’re ready.”

“I’m more than ready to get out of here. I don’t usually like small spaces. I’m a cleo-patric, you know. No, that’s not the right word. Closet-topia.”

She pauses again—I hope to tie the rope around herself.

“Do you know the right word? It means I freak out in small spaces. But I’m not freaked out now. I think it’s this yummy rummy I found down here.”

That brings on a whole new series of giggles. I have no idea what she’s talking about. I start to pull the rope, but there is no weight on the other end. “Did you tie the rope around yourself?” I call down.

“Nooo. Am I supposed to?” she asks innocently, like we hadn’t just discussed this.

My lips twitch. This isn’t looking good. “Yes, Poppy. I asked if you were ready.”

“You asked if I was ready to get out of here and I am. This place was freaking scary before I started drinking the yummy rummy. But now, I don’t feel so good. Do you think the yummy rummy is bad? I mean, it looks realllllll old.”

I have no idea where she found a bottle of rum. I guess she could have taken it from the bar at home. I don’t want to fire Poppy, but I can’t have her drinking on the job. Being drunk is probably why she fell down the tunnel.

“I’m sure it’s fine. Tie the rope around your chest and I’ll pull you up.”

---