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"I'll be careful," he promised. "Multiple light sources, rope lines, emergency beacon. I've done this a hundred times."
"Not in a murder scene," she muttered into his shoulder. "You know I'd go with you if I didn't get so claustrophobic."
He pulled back, meeting her eyes. "I know you would. But don't worry. I'll be gone two hours—that's all. Just enough to film the entrance and maybe the first hundred yards. Nothing crazy."
Amy studied his face, probably remembering all the times he'd made similar promises. Like when he'd said he was "just checking out" the old silver mine near Tucson, only to spend six hours mapping a newly discovered tunnel. Or the time he'd promised a "quick look" at a cave system and ended up finding a whole new chamber.
"Your girlfriend knows about this?" Amy asked.
"Ex-girlfriend," he said. "Rachel didn't exactly appreciate my career choices."
"Smart woman."
Marcus grabbed his pack again. "Two hours," he repeated. "I'll text you when I'm done."
Amy drummed her fingers on the steering wheel. "You didn't answer my question from before. Are you really doing this because of Tyler Matthews? Or because you know a video about his death will go viral?"
The question hit home. Marcus had been asking himself the same thing since he'd heard about Tyler's murder. Yes, the video would probably bring in views—maybe even enough to finally monetize his channel. But there was more to it than that.
"You didn't see the comments on my last Copper Queen video," he said. "People talking about exploring it themselves, treating it like some adventure playground. If I can show them what really happens in these mines..."
"You think that'll stop them?"
"Maybe not. But at least they'll understand the risks." He shouldered his pack. "And maybe we'll learn something about why Tyler went in there. Help the police find whoever killed him."
Amy shook her head, but he could see her resolving herself to his decision. "Two hours," she said. "Then I'm calling Search and Rescue."
"Deal." He started walking toward the mine entrance, then stopped. "Hey, Amy? Thanks. For understanding."
"I don't understand," she called after him. "But I love you anyway."
Marcus smiled and kept walking. The mine entrance loomed ahead, a dark rectangle cut into the mountainside. He pulled up his latest video on his phone, checking the comments again:
Crazy what happened to that college kid. You should do a memorial video.
Bet there's more to this story. Go find out what really happened!
Following in a murder victim's footsteps? Kind of sick, don't you think?
That last one gave him pause. Was this disrespectful to Tyler's memory? Or was he providing a valuable service, showing people the dangers these mines could hold?
He switched on his camera, darkness ahead.
"Hey guys, Marcus here. Today, we're exploring the Copper Queen Mine, but this isn't our usual kind of video. Just this morning, a young man named Tyler Matthews was found dead outside this mine. Apparently, he'd been in there for the past two nights..."
CHAPTER NINE
Sheila pressed the call button again, watching the empty road ahead as Gabriel drove. Once again, Marcus Reed's phone went straight to voicemail.
"Marcus, this is Sheriff Stone. I need you to call me back immediately regarding the Copper Queen Mine. Do not enter the mine. I repeat, do not—"
The call dropped. No signal. She lowered the phone in frustration, watching the mountain roads wind ahead of them. They were heading toward Marcus's last known address, but something told her they were already too late.
"I'll try Jim," Gabriel said, taking a sharp turn that made the tires squeal. "He might know where he is."
"Jim?"
Gabriel was already dialing, his free hand steady on the wheel. "He's a neighbor of the Reeds, knows them pretty well. He and I used to go golfing with Frank."