Flashback

“Then shut off that damn light.”

She didn’t obey, asking instead, “What are you doing here?”

Her mind raced through the possibilities, forced to reject those that had to do with his keeping Raine prisoner. Not only had she verified the cave was empty, if Underwood were the kidnapper, he’d have to be an idiot to confront her.

Something else that his service record had disproved.

“The same thing you are.”

Eden hesitated, knowing that if she admitted she’d been checking out a location that matched his “flashback,” she would also be admitting that she’d given credence to that vision.

“Or am I wrong?” he asked into her silence.

“This is the only thing I could think of that we might not have covered.”

“You mean the possibility that what I told you did have something to do with the Nolan girl?” There was a trace of sarcasm in his question.

“Like I said, we’ve covered everything else.” She sounded defensive, yet she was only doing what her father had taught her. Leave no stone unturned—no matter how unlikely. “Coming here falls under the category of grasping at straws, I guess.”

He lowered his hand, his eyes apparently having adjusted to her light. “Sorry you went to the trouble, then. This isn’t it.”

“What?”

“This isn’t where she’s being held.”

Present tense, Eden noted. For some reason, her tired spirit responded to that.

“You’ve searched the other one? The other cave?” Maybe while she’d been searching this one?

He shook his head. “It’s not rock. I don’t know why I didn’t remember that until I came. Maybe I just didn’t notice.”

“Notice…?”

“Wherever she is—that place she’s in—it’s been dug out of the earth. I could see exposed roots in the dirt. Tree roots. The roots of shrubs. Just…no rock.”

Eden realized that she had been listening with her lips parted, seemingly willing to take in every word the guy said. Angry with that eagerness to believe, she closed her mouth and then lowered the flashlight so that it was no longer directed at him.

“Which means it could be anywhere.” She’d kept her tone flat, but he clearly read what she was feeling.

“Look, I don’t care whether you believe me or not. All I’m telling you is this isn’t the place.” Despite the fact her weapon was still trained on his chest, Underwood turned, shrugging broad shoulders through the opening in the rock.

Did she believe that he’d just happened to think of these caves and come to investigate? Or did he have some other, more sinister reason for being in this isolated location?

She shivered, unsure whether that thought or the natural chill of the cave was responsible. She listened, but couldn’t hear any sounds that would indicate Underwood was moving down the trail. Which meant…

Taking a breath, she switched off her light and then ducked through the opening. As she straightened, she saw him standing at the head of the path, looking down the slope. The evening shadows had elongated, reaching into the trees below.

“I’ll wait while you check the other one,” he said without looking at her.

In spite of the heat, the insects had started their evening song. She actually debated taking his word for it that this wasn’t the place before she turned and trudged up to the second cave. She didn’t bother going inside, simply directing her flashlight around the interior.

Nothing there. Just as she’d expected.

And just as he’d told her.

She switched off her light and realized only then that she still held her weapon. She shoved the Glock back into its holster, turning as she did to look at the ex-soldier. He hadn’t moved, his continued stillness unnerving.

“If the caves aren’t what you saw—” she began.

“She could be anywhere. Anywhere isolated enough that he could dig a hole and lower her into it without anyone seeing him.”

The despair in his voice echoed what she had felt all day. They were well beyond any time frame in which conventional wisdom suggested a kidnap victim might still be alive. And they were no closer to finding Raine than they had been when the 911 call came in.

“He?” She had finally grasped the significant part of what Underwood had just said.

“She’s terrified… It doesn’t seem like a woman could produce that level of fear.”

“But if she’s alone and in the dark—”

“It’s more than that. It’s him.”

It would be, of course. As she and Dean had speculated that first morning, whoever had taken Raine hadn’t done it for money.

You’re acting as if this guy knows what he’s talking about. As if he really is tuned into that little girl’s terror.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t say something like that to anyone in town.”

He turned, his eyes hard. “I did what I was told to do and look where it got me. Believe me, I’m not likely to talk up my ‘insanity’ around town. You ready?”

Should she consider his determination not to leave her alone up here a vestige of his upbringing or something more sinister? Except she hadn’t gotten that vibe from him. After the initial spurt of fear, she hadn’t been afraid to be alone with him. She wasn’t now.

And there was nothing else to examine up here. Another dead end. Another in a long, frustrating series of them. “I’m ready.”

She had expected him to let her lead the way, but he started down the trail, leaving her to follow. As she did, she realized that she wouldn’t have been comfortable with him trailing behind her through the growing darkness. And he had known that.

Just as he’d known why she was out here? Hell, maybe he was psychic.

Or maybe you’ve gone way too many hours without sleep.

They didn’t speak again until they reached her cruiser. She opened the door and then hesitated. In the gathering twilight, he had watched her every move.

She met his eyes, deciding that, since she’d come this far, she might as well go all the way. In for a penny…

“You think she’s still alive?”

He didn’t answer for a long heartbeat, his eyes focusing on something up the slope behind her. When he looked at her again, he shook his head. “I don’t have any reason to believe she isn’t.”

“Then…?”