Page 177 of 1001 Dark Nights: Bundle Forty-Two

Suddenly realizing that it was bone.

Yes, she was in a crypt, or rather the space beneath it.Likely some kind of catacombs or something. There had to be a tunnel, andDebbie had been in it when Angela had heard her speaking.

There was a way in. Therefore, there was a way out. AndAngela would find it.

Because she was going to live. As she began to crawl, sheheard another voice. “Angela, Angela! I’ll get toJackson. I’ve found you, oh, hallelujah! You’re going the right way, doing theright thing. This stretches from the crypt to the woods. But I didn’t know it.Keep going, keep going, keep going...”

“Colonel?” she whispered in the darkness.

“At your service, ma’am.”

* * * *

“There is something else in this crypt?” BenjaminRobertson asked, his expression one that appeared to offer real confusion. “Icame here with my folks, even as a kid, because myhowever-many-times-great-grandfather was a hero and I had to know it,” he said,making a pained face. “I just don’t...”

“You don’t know how people got into it either, right?”Jackson asked him.

Robertson sighed, looking down. “Me, I guess. I don’t know.My father was old and sick, but he was still my father. The day of thefuneral... I was off. I don’t know. Maybe I left it open. Who the hell wants toadmit they might have been an unwilling accomplice to murder?”

“Now that sounded like the truth,” Brodie said dryly.

Jackson was there now with Robertson, Brodie, and Patrick.And Brybo. Jackson was glad that Brybowas with them.

Robertson kept a nervous eye on the dog.

And Jackson needed to know what the man knew about the tomb.

“Are there three graves under the floor?” he asked.

“I’m telling you, if there are, I don’t know anything aboutthem.”

Jackson stared hard at the man. He felt his phone vibratingand quickly answered it.

Mark was on the other end.

“We’re out here in the woods, and the dogs are going crazy.Someone is definitely out here. Not Angela, butmaybe...”

“Someone who can lead us to her,” Jackson said. He glancedat Brodie. “Heading to the woods. I’ll have you gentlemen keep Mr. Robertsonhere company.”

“Am I under arrest?” Robertson asked.

“Only if you attempt to leave,” Jackson told him. He lookedat Brodie. “The writer’s a no-show?”

“Haven’t seen him yet,” Brodie said. “I tried his phone. Noanswer. “

“Right. I’ll be back.”

Jackson ran across the graveyard at full speed. While thewoods were dense and darkness was falling, he didn’t need directions. He heardRed and Hugo barking and howling up ahead, sounding as if in pursuit. Followingtheir woofs and growls, he chased after them and found them at the base of atall oak with wide-spread branches.

Mark and the others ran up just as they reached the tree.

“Get the hell down from there!” Jackson shouted.

“Oh, my God! You’re yelling at me. That horrible man came,and he made Angela believe he came to tell her something important. She let himin and... oh, God! I don’t know what he’s done with her, but... I’m so scared.And now the dogs are after me!”

“We’re here now, Debbie. You can come ondown safely. We’ve got the dogs!” Jackson called out.

“I’m scared!”