A Reason To Breathe (22 page)

“Don’t have time for your bullshit, Mayor,” I growled as I made my way past him and to the front doors.

“I think you’ll want to make time for me, Jack. I’m lodging a complaint with the City Council that you’re ignoring your responsibilities as Sheriff. Once that’s done, we’ll be appointing Grady as acting Sheriff until we can review your case, sometime in the near future.”

I stopped, and turned slowly to face this prick, and with controlled anger, told him exactly what I thought of his threat.

“John, be a man and accept when a woman thinks you’re an ass. Don’t run to your council members to eliminate the competition.” The Mayor said nothing but turned three shades of red. I was done; I didn’t give a shit, so I turned and headed to the door, but before I walked through them, I heard Grady address his father.

“I’ll turn down your appointment, and if you force me to take it, I’ll quit.” 

The doors opened behind me, and I turned to see Barry, Grady and Phil all heading to their vehicles, all of us with one objective in mind.

Find Gerry.

I paused as I reached mine and gave them a nod, and then climbed inside to go find this sonofabitch, and put an end to the killing. But first I had to find Jenn, and tell her a man she trusted and saw as family had betrayed her, and tried to kill her light.

Chapter Twenty-two

Ghost Mine

        “Shit, I left my phone at Jack’s.”  Dumping my bag on the seat of my Jeep, searching, but finding no phone, I looked up at the old “Ghost Mine” haunted mine tour and saw several people waiting for me. Hoping Jack didn’t try to call me while I was here, I took a deep breath to shake off the last week, grabbed my bag, got out of my Jeep, and then headed towards the waiting assembly of ghost and goblins.

“Are you Ms. Stewart?” A man dressed as a ghost miner asked.

“Yes. Are you Mr. Buckley?”

“Indeed. Pleasure to meet you. Thank you for coming and touring with us today.”

“I’ve been told I’m a kid at heart, so it’s my pleasure to be here. I love a good old fashioned haunted house to get you in the mood for Halloween.”

“We brought in the whole crew to give you the full effect and invited our families, as well. One can’t get into the atmosphere of the place unless there are plenty of people screaming.” Thinking I’d had enough screaming to last a lifetime, I smiled at the man and then pulled out my camera to take pictures of all the actors in their costumes. I had them pose in different positions, reminiscent of the old time photos. When I finished, I put my camera back in my satchel and slung it across my body, ready for the tour.

“Ok, Mr. Buckley, lead the way.”

“Excellent, places everyone,” he shouted, and the group of actors headed into the mine, to prepare for our group.

Looking through the crowd as I waited to take the tour, I saw many faces I knew, and waved at them.  Several teenaged girls squealed, as the line moved forward, and we had just started to move when I felt a hand at my elbow and turned to see Mandy standing there.

“Hey, what are you doing here?”

“Carla’s brother works here and she invited me.” I turned to the woman on her right and smiled. My attention was then captured by the screams already coming from the narrow tunnel of the mine.

“You’re brave coming to this after the other night.” Mandy whispered in my ear.

“Ha, not brave, it’s called a paycheck. ” Mandy chuckled, “Right,” as the line kept moving. We entered the dark tunnel, and the air became much cooler, and I shivered, wishing I’d brought a jacket. There were torches on the walls, throwing enough light in our path to see our feet, but giving the creepiness factor a boost. There was a turn in the tunnel and more screams were heard; a hand reached out from the dark and grabbed my arm and I screamed, immediately jumping back into Mandy. She laughed in my ear, and it made me groan for reacting like a quivering child.

“You get in front of me if you think it’s fun being scared.” Mandy pushed past me, and I decided I was chicken enough not to care and grabbed the back of her shirt to hold on. I saw a green glowing light up above, and searched ahead to see if I could make out what was happening.  All three of us jumped when something brushed across our legs, sending chills and thrills just like the flyer for “Ghost Mine” promoted.

“Fuck, what was I thinking coming here,” Mandy shouted over the haunting music and deathly cries, emanating from the loudspeakers.

“Beats me, but you’re not leaving me here alone,” I shouted back. Carla pressed in close behind me, and as the green light got closer, out of nowhere a ghost miner jumped out, swung his pickaxe high in the air, shouting in a dead voice, “This is my Mine, all whom trespass shall die.” I giggled at the teenage boy and his serious expression, when a cold blast of air hit our necks, and we jumped again, screaming.

“Jumping Jehoshaphat,” I screamed pulling both women back with me further.

“Jumping what?” Mandy laughed.

“Fuck off,” I laughed.

Looking further down the tunnel all I could see was girls screaming and people jumping, I braced for what came next. Someone pushed past us, shoving people out of the way, and I figured they had the right idea. Get out quick.
I fucking hate my job right now.

More hands, more screams, men jumping from corners, women lying on floors bleeding, it was a frightening and nerve-wracking culmination of sights and sounds that had me ready to leave…. Like, right now.

“You think this is almost over?” I whispered in Mandy’s ear. Her shoulders shrugged with the unknown answer. Thinking if I kept my eyes on her back I wouldn’t see anything, and therefore make it out without peeing my ever-loving jeans, I kept my eyes forward staring at a rose tattoo on her neck. A few nerve wracking turns later, there was a commotion in front of us, and we stopped. Some woman said hysterically, “That looks real! Doesn’t that look real?”

Turning to the right where she was pointing, I saw a man lying in a vignette of barrels and cobwebs. The blood on the floor around him, still seemed to be flowing, and I wondered how they got it to run out like that? As we pushed forward watching, I was thinking that any minute the man would jump up and scream at us. As I passed the body I saw movement from the corner of my eye, and I turned to see Gerry lunge from behind a barrel.

I stood stock-still and smiled at him. He hadn’t told me he was working here? I noticed he had fake blood on the front of his t-shirt, and I wondered why he wasn’t in costume. He was heading right for me, so I waited for him, when his hand rose from behind his back, and I saw the jagged knife he was holding. I felt my face fall, a split second before my brain interpreted what was happening, and Gerry screamed, “Whore,” moving quickly towards me. A hand from behind me grabbed my arm, and a panicked Mandy screamed, “Run, Jennifer.”

*
                            *                            *

        “This isn’t happening,” I chanted, as I ran down the tunnel, the screams of those behind me echoing, and keeping me company. Jesus, what was happening with my friends?

Mandy had shoved me forward and screamed, “Run,” then turned towards Gerry like some sort of bodyguard. I’d turned back to get her, when Gerry punched her in the face, sending her falling to her knees. Men who were near tried to stop him and I saw more than one get stabbed in the arm for his trouble. Gerry was trying to pull away, when he turned his head towards me, and I felt the ice-cold fury in his face run through my blood, and I knew he wouldn’t stop till he was free, and had buried that knife deep in my chest. I had to save others from his wrath, and avoid any more bloodshed, so I did as Mandy said; I ran, praying it would draw Gerry after me and leave those behind safe from harm.

I’d guessed correctly. I heard his feet pounding the rock floor in pursuit, but I didn’t chance looking back to see how close he was. There were more people up ahead, and I screamed, “Move, hide,” but all I got in return were a few screams and giggles from girls who thought I was part of the entertainment.

“Oh god, where’s the exit?” I could hear him getting closer, when an opening in the tunnel came up, so I darted left down an unlit corridor and slowed my pace, hand to the wall guiding me. I realized my mistake immediately; I should have zigged when I zagged…. Left took me further into an unknown tunnel, when forward would have taken me to the exit. I stopped and listened, trying to keep my breathing quiet. I plastered myself against the wall, praying I’d been far enough ahead that Gerry didn’t see my wrong turn. That’s when I heard the footfalls, and knew he was coming, so without any choice, and praying someone got to the exit, and phoned Jack, I kept moving forward.

*
                            *                            *

        I should have called Bailey this morning; I could have told her I loved her one last time. I can do this; I can do this, don’t make noise and hide when you can, simple really.

I kicked a rock, and sent it flying across the floor then it went silent. Holding my hand over my mouth to keep from crying out in frustration, I listened and heard nothing. Had he turned back?

“I heard that whore; I’ll find you, and when I do, I’ll send you to hell with all the other whores. You’re nothing like my Annie. I can’t believe I fell for your temptress ways.”

Shaking in terror, and in shock that my friend, a man I considered family, was a maniac intent on ending my life, I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Inch by inch I moved down the side of the wall, careful not to kick any more rocks.

I moved my foot an inch more to the right, and I felt the ground disappear from under it. Grabbing hold of the rough wall, I stopped myself from falling. Reaching around with my foot, I felt the ground till I found the edge of the opening, so I dropped to my knees, and crawled forward searching for a way across. Scared I’d have to turn around, I heard footsteps coming, and I panicked; I was trying to stand when a light from a cell phone hit my eyes, blinding me. Gerry roared, “Time for you to die, whore.” Oh, god I was trapped. He ran straight at me, and I didn’t have time to react. Petrified and without thinking, I stepped back, and lost my footing just as he reached me. The ground disappeared from beneath my feet, as Gerry hit me, and we both fell…. and fell.

*                            *                            *

Jack

        “Swear to Christ the woman can’t listen for more than a minute to a simple request to stay in touch.” I was racing down the highway to the abandoned gold mine, because the one time I needed that woman to have her phone on her; I’d found it sitting on my kitchen counter. I could feel the tension of the past week riding up my neck, but I ignored it and put my phone to my ear and called the station.

“Sheriff’s department.”

“Amy, call Grady and the boys and tell them I’m headed to the old gold mine haunted house. I’ll be out of range soon, so if they need me, they'll know where to find me. I’ll call in as soon as I’m done and let you know where I’m headed.

“Will do Sheriff.”

I threw my phone on the seat, and thought back over what Ben had said. Christ. Jenn had sat there with that bastard talking about the killer and he’d played along, never giving anything away. I punched the steering wheel with my palm, wishing I had Gerry’s neck between my hands. That fucker had murdered four women in his demented approach at winning Jenn’s love. How a man’s mind can turn that sick was beyond me, but I’d seen enough in the twenty years as a cop to know as sick as he is, there were more out there just like him, maybe even worse.

My phone started ringing, and I looked at the screen. An unknown number scrolled across, so I picked it up thinking Jenn had borrowed someone's phone and was finally calling the fuck in.

“Jac…hel…Ja…r u ther.” I heard what sounded like Mandy coming broken across the line and then it went dead. A prickling ran across my spine, and I hit redial and listened to the phone ring on the other end.

“Jack, are you there?”

“I hear you Mandy, just barely.”

“Old gold mine…. Gerry…. knife.” And the line went dead again. I felt a cold sweat break out across my forehead and didn’t want to think about what it meant that Mandy was calling instead of Jenn. I pushed the accelerator to the floor, grabbed the CB and prayed I wasn’t out of range.

“Base this is Gunnison, come in?”

“Base this is Sheriff Gunnison come in?” The CB crackled to life, and a faint voice came across the wire.

“Base to Gunnison, we hear you Jack.”

“Find Grady, and the boys and get them out to the old mine haunted house. Repeat the old mine haunted house. You copy that?”

“We copy that Sheriff, contacting now.”

I dropped the handheld and drove faster. Within five minutes, I saw the sign for the old mine coming up on my right. I took it too fast and fishtailed, straightened out then gunned the gas. The road was bumpy, and the contents of my cab went flying as I raced towards the mine. As I neared the entrance I saw a large group of people standing around and others sitting or lying. Mandy was running towards my truck, while I was scanning the crowd looking for Jenn. I threw the truck in park, jumped out of the cab as Mandy reached me screaming.

“Gerry’s the killer, he’s in the mine with Jenn; he chased her down an unmarked path and neither has come out.” My breath caught on her words, but I shook it off, grabbed her arm pulling her with me as I moved towards the entrance.

“Someone needs to show me where they disappeared?” A man in his forties moved forward, so I stopped and looked towards him.

“You know the way?”

“Yeah, I saw her turn down the passage and he followed her. We have two men at the entrance in case he comes out.”

“You didn’t go in after her?” I thundered and grabbed the man by his shirt.

“You let a defenseless woman be chased down by a man wielding a knife?” I hissed, and the bastard had the decency to pale. I grabbed his arm and hauled him with me to the entrance, then shoved him in and on a threat shouted, “You haul your ass down this tunnel to where she disappeared like your life depended on it, ‘cause if any harm has come to her, I will personally rip you in half.”