Page 93 of Glimmer in the Darkness

Cassidy was.

No, he wouldn’t put her in danger.

Staying low, he peered toward the front. Here, the narrow pathway was lined on one side with the giant rock, on the other with the cliff they’d climbed the day before. Nobody was in sight.

Where was the killer?

James backed up, returned to the mouth of the narrow passageway and, using those uneven rocks, climbed on top. Flattening himself to the cavern’s granite roof, he army-crawled forward, studying the forest up ahead.

Saw nothing. Nobody.

Was he crazy?

He lowered his head to the rock and listened again.

Ella’s soft cries. Nothing had changed there, which told him the kidnapper probably hadn’t gone into the cave.

No other noises.

Had the killer seen him? Heard him?

He looked behind, just in case, but nobody was there.

What now?

He returned the way he’d come. The cliff was still empty of people. James again circled the cavern toward the hillside where he’d left Cassidy. No sign of her, but she’d be hidden from here.

Silently, staying low, he climbed down the steep hillside, then moved toward the path. He’d watch from below, see if anybody turned up.

He found a spot away from the nearly hidden path and, crouching behind a tree, waited.

The snap of a branch too close had his head whipping around.

Vince stood ten feet behind, finger over his mouth in the universal sign for silence.

He closed the distance and crouched near James. “We had the same idea.”

James nodded once, heart thumping, and turned his attention back to the mouth of the cave. “She’s in there.”

“You saw her?”

“Heard her crying.”

“Poor kid.” Vince looked around the hillside. “No signs of the guy?”

“Just you and me.”

“And Cassidy. Where is she?”

“She’s not here.”

When Vince said nothing, James glanced his way. Saw Vince’s smirk.

“If you say so,” Vince said. “Either way, this is no place for you. You and your girlfriend need to head down the mountain and call 911. I’ll stay here.”

“Not a chance.”

“You’re not trained for this.” Vince’s voice was low, but not low enough.