Forbidden Ground (Cold Creek #2)(89)

The buzz of the forklift motor stopped. He heard a shout behind him, followed by footsteps.

Grant lifted one hand to his head as if he could steady himself. With his free hand, he dug for the key in his pocket as he ran. If Keith caught up to him, he’d be no match for him in this condition. Now that he’d tried to kill him, there would be no holds barred.

His fingers seemed clumsy. When he glanced at his car again, it seemed to tilt, almost to stand on end.

He aimed the key for the lock, but it, too, seemed to be moving. He scratched the door paint, tried again.

Keith was close, too close. Desperation and rage poured through him. This man he’d trusted had tried to crush his skull like Paul’s, like those long-dead Adena.

As Keith lunged for him, Grant grabbed at some hanging plants outside the mill. One came loose by its chain. Gripping that, he swung the plant at Keith and connected with his jaw. He went down on all fours, then scrambled up and lunged at Grant again.

*

Although Kate could not manage to pick the lock of the box, Carson didn’t put down the gun to help her. “All right,” he muttered. “Bring the box. No more Q and A, no more stalling. I’ll take it like it is.”

It was heavy, but she lifted it in both arms. Her skin was so slick with sweat she almost dropped it. She managed to keep the needle pick, though she wasn’t sure what good it would do against a gun. But she held the pick tight under the huge box as she slowly made her way up the stairs. However pitifully small, she’d try to stab him with this pick when she got her chance. She had to keep fighting the most primitive fight-or-flight response. Stay calm, look for a way to outsmart one of the smartest people she’d ever known.

Outside, she was shocked to see only one man near the mound, a tall, muscular guy who greatly resembled Keith. And the mound—the entry was open. She could see a narrow passage into it!

“Take the box and guard it with your life,” Carson told the man.

She managed to hide the pick before he pulled the box from her aching arms. She trembled from the strain, excitement and terror. If she went in there with Carson, she knew she wasn’t coming out. How she had longed to get a glimpse of the interior, but now she wanted to run. Should she risk that, let him shoot her in the back? Maybe Gabe could trace the bullet and gun to Carson—if they ever found her body.

“You first,” Carson said and gestured with his gun toward the dark, gaping entry. “Didn’t you used to say you wanted us to explore things together?”

“You’ll need a lot of light in there,” the other man said, putting the box down and handing Kate a big light and Carson a smaller one. “You won’t believe the stuff inside. Creepy, like some horror show. Man, can’t wait to close that up again. I’ll wait here.”

Kate knew what her fate was then. He did intend to leave her inside, shot or not. Even if he interred her alive, she would run out of oxygen. Carson would be back soon to take artifacts from here, either pretend to be shocked to find her body—or get rid of it. He’d make his name with a careful excavation and claim her Celt/Adena theory was his.

*

Grant hit Keith with the plant a second time, again in the face. The big man fell back onto his rear. Keith rolled over and lunged at him again.

Grant managed to sidestep the attack. Maybe his equilibrium was improving. A car horn blared. A door slammed. Someone driving by saw them. He heard Brad’s voice. “Keith! Grant! What in— Stop it!”

“It’s him!” Grant grunted. “Him!”

“Him what?” Brad shouted and pushed them apart. Keith swung a fist at Brad and connected with his jaw.

“He tried to kill me!” Grant shouted. Dizzy as he was, he pulled Keith away from Brad and kneed him in the groin. The man he’d trusted doubled over and threw up. Grant shoved him to his knees, facedown in his own vomit. “He climbed with Todd the day before he fell, probably sabotaged his harness! He called me and said you were drunk, on the catwalk inside. It was a setup so he could kill me!”

Brad scrambled up and helped Grant subdue the bigger man. Grant pulled the length of chain from the hanging plant and wrapped its links around Keith’s wrists behind him.

“And you believed him about me being drunk again?” Brad muttered, as he spit out a tooth. “Thanks a lot.”

“No, thanks for helping. When the Mason boys stick together, look out.”

“Together again. You know, you look like hell,” Brad said.

“Dizzy. Can’t drive. Take me home. I’ve got to call Kate, tell her what happened.”

“You need a doctor. Let’s call Jace first to come arrest this bastard. He must have been killing off Gabe’s friends to get back at him. So, the Simons boys stick together, too. I was probably on his hit list next—that right, Keith?” Brad demanded. He picked up his tooth and put it in his pocket. He was bleeding from the mouth.

“Let me borrow your phone,” Grant said. “I’ll get the sheriff, but I gotta call Kate first.”

He dialed her number but she didn’t pick up. He couldn’t imagine she’d leave the house where she’d finally found the mask. She wouldn’t take it out of its hiding place and go to that damned Carson—would she? He was hoping that he and not that horrible mask was the answer to all her prayers.

*

Praying hard, clutching the needle pick in her right hand, shining a bright beam of light ahead of her, Kate entered the dank dirt passageway into the mound. Behind her, Carson held his gun on her. He prodded her in the back with it more than once. It was much too narrow in here to turn on him and try to stab him with this little needle pick.