The Circle Eight: Caleb (11 page)

It hurt her heart to think of all the boy could have gone through. She didn’t know the details, didn’t want to know them to be truthful. But she knew enough. If she didn’t have a wound in her side, she would find her rifle and shoot Garza, or possibly kick him in the balls if she couldn’t find a weapon.

Benjamin sat next to her, watching his big brother with wide eyes. He hadn’t spoken a word, and as far as she knew, never did. Not that she blamed him. If she had endured what the boy had, she might not want to speak to anyone either.

Caleb came back into the room and shut the door. His face was tight with worry. “I can’t find a single point of exit that we won’t be seen. Dammit.”

“What does that mean?” Rory swallowed a yawn.

“It means we can’t leave together. Someone will spot us. Garza has guards all over the damn place. Even some out in the dark.” Caleb cursed under his breath.

“How do you know they’re out there if it’s dark?” Rory knew her neighbor was careful but the guards went beyond standard safety. He was hiding something. Perhaps Benjamin.

“Because at least three of them like to smoke. The tips glow orange in the blackness.” Caleb tucked his shirt into his pants, even though it was still quite damp.

“Then what do we do?” Rory wanted to leave as much as he did, even if she was weak and healing. That particular fact annoyed her.

“I don’t know. Yet.” Caleb sat on the floor with his back to the door, looking as though he was ready for a fight. Fists clenched, jaw tight and brows lowered.

Benjamin got to his feet and walked over to the ranger. The boy sat beside his brother, mimicking his pose. Rory hid a smile behind her hand. It was the first time she’d seen Benjamin make an effort to be close to anyone.

Watching him gave her an idea. “Benjamin, do you know of a secret way to leave the house? I’m guessing you have explored every nook and cranny in this house.”

The boy looked startled and then his gaze swung to Caleb’s. His big brother eyed him with a frown.

“Do you know of a secret way out?”

To her delight, Benjamin nodded.

“Can we all fit?”

The boy nodded again.

“Is it close?”

This time he shook his head.

“Can you show us?” Caleb’s tone had dropped low as he leaned toward the smaller Graham. “We need you, Benjy.”

Benjy
.

The name fit him more than the more formal Benjamin. She waited while he seemed to consider Caleb’s question. The boy looked up and met Rory’s gaze. His greenish blue eyes so much like Caleb’s were full of sorrow and a little bit of hope. She gave him a slight nod.

Benjy got to his feet and held out his hand. Caleb smiled and it lit up his entire face. Rory couldn’t believe the change in the hard ranger. He was incredibly handsome without the addition of a genuine smile. With it, he was devastating. Her stomach did a funny flip and her lower belly throbbed. She had shared the marriage bed with Horatio and found pleasure, however, she had a feeling she didn’t know what real pleasure was. Caleb was the kind of man to teach her.

He accepted his little brother’s hand and got to his feet. “We should be gentlemen and help Rory now. She’s hurt and I’m gonna need you to watch out for her.”

The ten-year-old almost snapped to attention and swung around to face her. Gone was the sorrow, and in its place was an intensity he must have gotten from his big brother. He approached the bed and held out both hands. Rory swung her legs over and waited until the wooziness passed before she scooted to the edge.

Benjy waited with far more patience than his brother had shown. She finally put her hands into the boy’s and allowed him to pull her to her feet. She glanced down and noted her boots were missing, as was her hat.

“I need my boots.”

Caleb glanced around. “Shit. I didn’t even see who took them. It was either the doctor or Bernadette.”

“Why would they take my boots?” A coldness settled over Rory. She already knew the answer.

“They don’t want us to leave. There is no other reason. Hell, they haven’t even cleaned up the bloody bandages we used.” Caleb gestured to the pile in the corner. “I don’t care what kind of smiles or how friendly people seem, no one here is to be trusted.”

“He must have recognized you.” Rory frowned. “You look enough alike. And your eyes are identical color. A shade most folks don’t have.”

“You think he plans on killing us? Why would he heal you?”

She shrugged. “Maybe he wants us to be hale and hearty when he shoots us.”

Caleb swore under his breath. Their situation was worse than she thought. Garza likely wouldn’t let any of them leave alive.

“We’ve got to get out of here. Now.”

“I can walk in my socks, but not over rough ground.” She wiggled her toes. “Those were a good pair of boots and I don’t have money to replace them.”

“I’ll buy you a new pair. Let’s get going. Every minute we stay here is another minute we could get caught.” Caleb opened the door and peered out. “Ready?”

Benjy took her arm, like a little gentleman, and waited. Rory shuffled forward, her gut already complaining about moving. It didn’t matter. She knew they had to leave. The boy led her to the door and then ran back to the bed. He fluffed up the pillow and blankets, making it appear as though a body still lay beneath the covers.

“He’s a Graham through and through,” Caleb whispered. “We’re all sneaky as hell. Smart too.”

“And annoying.” She ignored his snort. True was true.

Benjy returned and took hold of Rory’s arm again. Caleb leaned in toward them and spoke low enough she could barely hear him.

“Benjy, you lead the way until we get outside, then I’ll hand over her care to you again. Right now I need you walk was quiet as a mouse down the hallway.” Caleb waited until Benjy nodded. “Don’t go any further if you see any guards. Understand?”

Another head bob.

“Right then.” Caleb’s gaze flicked to hers. “Do you need me to carry you?”

Surprisingly, he didn’t ask the question with sarcasm or rancor. He was serious and she appreciated his concern. He might have carried her in but he sure as hell wasn’t going to carry her out. She wanted to leave this place of darkness and shadows. The blood money would never take the taste of evil out of her mouth.

“No. I’ll walk out of here.” She probably looked like death but she would make it on her own two feet.

Caleb took her arm and waited until Benjy slipped out of the room before they followed. Rory’s heart pounded as they crept down the hallway as silently as possible. Her ears started to hurt from the thumping going on in her chest. Her side burned and she could hardly put one foot in front of the other. She gritted her teeth and thought about how strong Benjy was. How could she not be just as strong?

They made it around two corners and down one hallway before Benjy stopped in front of a large urn beside a cupboard. He reached into the urn, nearly falling in head first. The two adults watched while the boy located what was apparently a hidden switch. The cupboard made a ticking sound and then shifted left an inch.

It was loud in the quiet hallway. They all stopped, frozen in place. Rory looked behind them at the shadowy passageway, fully expected running feet. Her mouth was cotton dry and she didn’t even have enough spit to swallow.

After what seemed like an hour, she sucked in a much-needed breath. Caleb gestured to the cupboard and Benjy swung it open. Fortunately it was well oiled and smooth. Behind it was an opening about four feet tall by three feet wide. The perfect size for a ten-year-old boy. Benjy disappeared through the opening. It was going to hurt like hell to crawl through the hole in her side.

“Can you do it?” Caleb whispered in her ear.

“I can do anything I set my mind to.” She hissed the words out through her teeth.

“I’ll bet you can.” He crouched down and held her hand as she got to her knees.

Pain roared through her but she began to crawl into the dark tunnel. She focused on Benjy’s shoes and moved. One knee, one hand, the other knee, the other hand. Over and over without any thought other than escape. She could feel Caleb behind her, his large presence nearly filling the tunnel. Strangely enough, she felt safe sandwiched between to the two Graham brothers. They had little chance of success but even a small chance was enough to motivate her. Rory didn’t give up easily. Ever.

When he reached a T in the tunnel, Benjy turned left and kept going. Rory managed the turn a bit more slowly. Sweat poured down her back and face but she dared not stop to wipe it. She didn’t know if she could start moving if she stopped. Her stomach threatened to reacquaint her with the milk she’d drunk. She had never been more miserable than she was at that moment, but she kept moving. Nothing but unconsciousness would stop her.

Although the thought of passing out in this tunnel scared her more than getting caught. It would take a miracle to haul her big carcass out of there and although a good helper, Benjy couldn’t move her. That left the ranger, who was strong enough, but it would be the end of their escape if she wasn’t able to keep going.

Rory dug deep and crawled. She let her mind drift to the image of the ranger’s bare chest. It was such a nice chest, whorls of brown hair and muscles surrounding flat copper nipples. He was a magnificent specimen of man. If they made it out of the tunnel, she might be foolish enough to tell him so. Or possibly put her hands on that chest she wouldn’t ever forget.

The injury, blood loss and danger had scrambled her brains. She had the absurd urge to laugh and had to bite her tongue from doing so. The tunnel seemed endless and each foot she crawled seemed to add two feet to the length. She was sliding into a place where she might lose control. They had to get out of the tunnel as fast as possible. Somehow she found a well of strength she didn’t know she had and picked up speed.

“Damn, woman.” Caleb’s harsh whisper made her bare her teeth. She enjoyed making that man guess what she would do next. It was a power she could lay claim to.

Benjy stopped and squatted on his haunches, waiting. His pale face glowed in the darkness of the tunnel. She made it to him, breathing shallow, but she made it. If God was merciful, she wouldn’t ever have to repeat the last ten minutes.

Caleb tapped her foot. “What’s happening?”

“Benjy stopped.”

“Ask him what the hell he’s doing.” Caleb spoke slowly as though he had to enunciate for a child.

Rory inched forward until she could whisper to the boy. “What’s wrong?”

Benjy pointed to a spot three feet from him with a sliver of silvery light shining near the floor. The exit! Then he put his finger to his lips and cupped his ear. That’s when she heard it.

Voices.

People were right outside the exit. From the look of the light creeping in, the door led outside and moonlight lit their path. How long the people would be outside the exit was anybody’s guess. Rory, however, couldn’t stay in the tunnel much longer. Not only did she want to puke but she might truly pass out. That would not be the occurrence she was hoping for.

Caleb tapped her foot again. She hissed at him but he did it again. Although she wanted to smack him, she couldn’t turn around to reach him and she simply didn’t have enough in her to crawl backwards. Sweat stung her eyes and she shook from head to toe. Rory was near to collapsing. Something had to happen, and soon, or she would embarrass herself.

Chapter Five

Caleb was ready to strangle Rory. She blocked his view and he couldn’t see what Benjy was doing. She was also puffing like a locomotive, making it difficult to hear. While many things, Rory was not a stealthy escape artist in a tunnel. She could be heard by anyone passing by. He was about to tell her to slow her breathing when Benjy popped up beside her. He put his finger to his lips and then moved his hand to mimic talking.

“We’re trapped?” Caleb mouthed.

Benjy nodded.

“Shit.” Caleb knew the escape wasn’t easy on Rory, especially judging by how much noise she made. He had to give her credit though. She had been wounded and had lost enough blood to make her weak. How the hell she made it through the tunnel at that speed was beyond him. The woman had grit.

“How many?”

Benjy held up three fingers. Three men between them and their escape. He also had no idea where this tunnel led but his horse was secured at the front of the house. Getting Justice was phase two of the plan. First they had to make it out of the house alive and undetected. That would be difficult with three men blocking their path.

Caleb knew they couldn’t wait in the tunnel for long. Judging by the way Rory was breathing, they had only a few minutes. He had to calm her down somehow or none of them would make it undetected.

He put his hand on her back. “You need to slow your breathing, Aurora. One breath at a time, in then out.”

“I think I remember how to breathe.” Her speech was slurred. Oh hell, she was about to hit the floor.

Caleb tried to remember what to do. “You have to put your head between your knees.”

She snorted, the sound loud in the quiet tunnel. “And how would you suggest I do that? Bang a hole in the wall or the ceiling so I can straighten up?”