Page 53 of Vanished in the Mist
Dawson jumped back and Kaden brought his axe crashing down a foot to the right of the first hole. “Check it.”
“Nothing. Just lumber, no gaps.”
“It sounded hollow when I banged on the wall before. Maybe it’s on this side.”
Again, Kaden swung the axe. Again, there was no opening.
“Make room for Frank.”
Kaden frowned and glanced over his shoulder. Stella ushered her husband into the tight space. He, too, was holding one of the fire axes, like the one that Kaden had grabbed from the wall in the hallway. Without a word, he shoved past Kaden and began pounding on the wall with the dull end of the axe, knocking holes as he went, in a straight line, from right to left.
Kaden swore and started doing the same thing, but from left to right. The sound of metal on metal had him whirling around.
Frank motioned toward the last hole he’d made. “Metal bar on the other side. This must be the door.”
With Frank, Dawson and Kaden ripping and breaking through the Sheetrock, the passage was quickly revealed.
“Stairs,” Stella announced from over their shoulders. “Well, I’ll be. They go straight down. What do you think, Frank? The Cooper’s Bluff mine shaft? You think it runs all the way to the B and B?”
He nodded. “Could be.”
“We’ll need flashlights,” Kaden said.
“Hang on.” Stella ran from the room.
“Dawson—”
“Yeah, yeah. I’ll grab my guys from downstairs. Be right back.”
Stella ran into the room, passing Dawson as he ran out. “Here, Kaden. That’s the only one I could find.” She gave Frank a stern look. “Someone hasn’t been keeping up with the batteries around here. The others are dead.”
Frank rolled his eyes.
“Tell Dawson he’ll need more flashlights,” Kaden said. “I’m not waiting for him.” He ducked under the metal bar that was no longer holding anything, since the Sheetrock and wood around it had been obliterated, and jogged down the steep set of steps.
Chapter Twenty
In spite of the frightening speed at which her captor raced his four-wheeler through the woods, it seemed as if they’d ridden forever until he finally began to slow. Although she’d tried to keep her bearings, to figure out where they were going, the thick canopy of trees blocked out most of the sun. It was impossible to be sure in what direction they were headed. But judging by the turns they’d made, they seemed to be going in a somewhat straight line.
That meant most likely they were still heading out of town, parallel with the lake. But where, exactly? She clenched her fists in frustration. Her one chance at escape may have been when they’d exited the mine. She should have made a run for it. Even half-blind from the sunlight she might have had a better chance than now, with her arms duct-taped behind her. He had no plans of ever letting her go. That was obvious, since he hadn’t blindfolded her, as he’d done with Sam. He wasn’t worried about leaving a witness behind.
Earlier she’d hoped that Kaden would find her, that he’d somehow manage to rescue her. Now, with time potentially running out, she hoped for the opposite. She prayed he wouldn’t put himself in danger for her. Somehow, she’d managed to fall half-in-love with him in an incredibly short amount of time. Love at first sight? Such a cliché, but she felt it deep within hersoul. She couldn’t bear the thought of him getting hurt, or killed, because he tried to help her.
The vehicle finally slowed, then stopped. He grabbed his knife and pulled her out. Then he slashed her bindings as he’d done shortly after entering the mine.
She rubbed her aching wrists. “Thank you. That feels so much better.”
“I only did it so you can keep your balance. I don’t want to have to keep picking you up and pushing you along.” He prodded her forward. “Not too much farther. You’ll see.”
Going as slowly as she dared, stalling for time, she tried to get more information.
“Is there something I can call you other than the Phantom? It seems so…impersonal. We’re friends, right? You saved me from a bully.”
He gave her a sideways look. “The Phantom is all you’ll get. It’s been my name for the past twenty years. No reason to change now.”
“Twenty years. You’ve lived in Mystic Lake that whole time?”
“Mostly. Why?”
