Page 16 of Gone (Gray Wolf Security #23)
“I thought you said it was this cave,” growled Tommy.
“I thought it was, dickhead,” said Frank. “It’s been eight years since we dumped this shit. Someone could have found it.”
“No one found it. It would have been all over the news if they had,” said Tommy. “Besides, no one would have been able to reach this.”
“First off, anyone who found the money wouldn’t have been stupid enough to tell everyone about it. If they were, they deserve what’s coming to them. Second, if we’re able to reach these fucking caves, someone else could too. Hell, there are still Indians wandering around the cliffs.”
“It’s not an old western, Frank. They don’t live up here any longer. The only things in these caves are bears and wolves.”
“Fucking bears and wolves didn’t eat the damn money,” snapped Frank. “It’s not this cave. We have to keep moving.”
“Fine. Fine, but let’s make one thing perfectly clear. You might have been able to ditch the other three, but you and I are in this together. You try to shoot me like you did Rusty, I’ll fucking kill you,” said Tommy.
Frank just stared at the other man, then nodded.
“I hear you, Tommy. Right back atcha.”
They carefully walked the ledge of the ravine, not trusting one another enough to assist. At one point, Tommy was on his hands and knees, skirting the narrow rock path.
Each time they entered a cave, they were disappointed, finding nothing. They all looked exactly the same to them. Just big, empty caves with rock walls, dirt floors, spiders, and other shit.
They could hear the thunder outside and stared at one another.
“Fucking great. Another night waiting to be washed away,” said Tommy.
“We’re too high up,” said Frank, gazing out the opening. “We’ll be fine in here for tonight, but we need a fire, or we’re going to freeze to death. Do you think you can catch a fish or maybe a rabbit or something?”
“Do I look like fucking Daniel Boone?” Tommy growled.
“Look, asshole. We’re in this together. We have to work together until we find the money, and then you can go wherever the hell it is you want to go. For now, we’re both hungry, tired, and cold. I’ll get the firewood if you can find us some food.”
Tommy glared at him for a long moment and then nodded.
“Fine. That’s fair.” Frank turned to leave the cave, and Tommy called out to him. “Frank? You’re right. We’re just tired and hungry. We’ll find the damn money and get to Mexico.”
Seeing a small area of flat outcropping ahead, Frank skirted the edge and found some loose branches and a few stray spruce trees. Using the lace from one of his shoes, he tied the bundle together.
Looking at the tree, he realized he could crawl up and maybe get a good view of what was around them. He couldn’t get more than about seven feet up, but it was enough to see that they were alone. So far.
The river below was already raging, and the rain was starting to come down once again. With the ledges being so narrow and slick, no one would be chasing them tonight.
Edging back down the tree, he crawled back to the cave and started the small fire.
When they’d escaped from their work group with the prison, they were smart enough to take everything they could find along the way. Clothing, shoes, sheets, but especially items they could use later.
After finding a small general store just outside the national park, they waited until dark, broke the windows, and took as much jerky, granola, and water as they could carry. They’d even stolen a backpack.
Coming across that scout master and the kids was just luck. The other three wanted nothing to do with kidnapping kids, but they didn’t give a fuck. It would keep the cops back if necessary.
Now, they didn’t have that advantage. It was just the two of them, and neither trusted the other. He was careful to not make the fire too large, hoping his small wood haul would last through the rain and the night.
When Tommy walked through the cave entrance, he pointed the weapon at him, then shook his head, realizing who it was.
“Thanks for not shooting me,” he said with a small grin.
“You’re welcome.”
“I caught two fish. It wasn’t hard with that river raging like it is. Although I have to confess, I wasn’t sure I’d make it back up the ledge.”
“I don’t remember it being this hard to get to when we hid the money.”
“We’re older and, as much as I hate to say it, slower and fatter. Prison didn’t do me any favors,” frowned Tommy. He took the small knife in his pocket and began cleaning the fish, then spearing them on sticks to cook over the fire. They weren’t very big, so it didn’t take long.
“Not bad,” said Frank. “Or I’m really hungry.”
“I think we’re really hungry,” said Tommy. He looked around the cave and shook his head. “Has anything we’ve passed looked familiar to you?”
“Only that big boulder we passed yesterday. I remember it because some kids had carved their names into it. It was still there.”
“Then we’re headed in the right direction,” said Tommy. “Should we take watch turns?”
“Nah. No one is coming out in this slop, and if they did, we’d hear them.”
“Alright then,” said Tommy, lying back with his hands behind his head. “Tomorrow’s the day. We find that money and get to Mexico.” Frank nodded, lying back as well.
“Mexico here we come.”