Page 52 of Canyon of Deceit
TWENTY-SIX
ALINA
Daddy had taught me about guns, how to clean, load, fire, and be very careful with what he called handguns and rifles. He told me guns were like people and to respect them. Guns in the wrong hands could hurt and kill others, and he said never point a gun at anyone unless I wanted to face the consequences of shooting them. I didn’t understand the big wordconsequences, but Daddy said it was like me doing something bad on purpose, knowing I’d be punished.
He also told me not to tell anyone that he’d taught me these things, not even Daria. Why? He kept his guns in a secret place in our house, and he and Daria each had a key to unlock it.
I missed Daddy so much.
The sun hadn’t come up, but I watched the two men who’d kidnapped me. Mr. Chandler, the man who used lots of bad words, gave the orders. I was more afraid of him than Mr. Falin, who’d been nice to me back home in Houston. Each laid guns at the cave’s opening and packed water into their backpacks.
They must be planning to hurt someone. Maybe the people who were looking for me... or my daddy.
Mr. Falin bent and studied me. “You haven’t been much trouble,” he said in Russian, and I looked into his dark-blue eyes. “Rurik taughtyou well. If there was a way to spare you, I would, but too much is at stake. Rurik allowed this to happen by being a coward. Your father isglupyy.”
My daddy wasn’t stupid, but I said nothing, only listened. What did the men really want? Maybe I could get my hands untied while they were gone, then I could run away.
“Can I ask you something?” I said in Russian.
He frowned. “Da. Keep your voice down.”
Mr. Chandler strung a wire across the cave’s opening.
“What has my daddy done to make you mad?”
He huffed. “It’s what he hasn’t done.”
“If he does this thing, will you let me go?” I believed he’d take me home, but I wanted him to say it.
“Maybe.”
“Have you asked him?”
“He refused in the past, but he didn’t anticipate we’d snatch you.”
“Have you done something to Daria?”
“She’s dead.”
I choked back throw-up. One of them had killed Daria?
He pulled a bandana from around his head. “Open your mouth.”
I did as he asked, and he placed the dirty bandana in it and tied it around my head. The dirt taste and sweaty smell rolled around in my tummy. I tried to spit it out, and he laughed. “Can’t have you screaming and ruining our plans. The irony is if someone enters the cave, they’ll trip, setting off an explosion and blowing you and them to pieces.”
Mr. Chandler walked into the cave and stood over me like a shadowy giant. He tossed me my backpack. “Untie her. I have an idea.” He glared at me. “Do exactly as I say.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
THERESE
I left Blane with half of my water, food, antibiotic gel, Vitamin I, and bandages. If I was lucky, I’d find a trickle of water not far from the meetup location with the FBI team and the Rangers. One of the disadvantages of hiking a rescue mission came with negative think time. A pleasure hike promised a worshipful experience but not this morning. My imagination steered toward the worst of the worst.
Did the team believe Blane and I were in a dangerous situation—or worse? Without our phones, no one had means to contact us.
I hiked four hours to the agreed-upon FBI rendezvous only to find it void of anyone. Signs of six agents caught my scrutiny. They’d spent the night and headed in a westerly direction. The impressions of the helicopter’s rails indicated the aircraft had dropped off the team, then flew back, possibly to the Dog Canyon Visitor’s Center for further instructions. Would the team’s search be divided between finding us and Alina?
For the next thirty minutes, I followed the team in a westerly direction toward a section where Chandler was certain to avoid with more open territory. The visibility showed everything for miles, and Chandler slithered like a snake, hiding under rocks and striking when his pursuers least expected it. I hadn’t heard rifle fire in that direction,but his skills with a knife had caused good men to lose their lives. Rumors said he’d cut the heart out of his victims and eat it.
