Page 96 of You'll Be Sorry

It didn’t matter how exhausted she felt. This mattered. To the family, the town, the greater public consciousness. Three decades later, it was time to bring the Dixons home again.

“Come on,” she said. “I’ll take you there.”

Adams fell in step behind her, descending through the woods. As they approached, he slowed considerably. At first, she thought the rough terrain was bothering his prosthetic. Then she realized it was something else as he halted altogether.

“I’ve…I’ve never been good with caves,” he admitted, gazing up at the narrow opening. “I don’t know. Just never been my thing.”

“The opening isn’t as tight as it looks. And the cavern itself…a virtual ballroom. Aladdin-esque in its wonders. Which is to say, no way someone around here doesn’t know about its existence.”

“The night the Dixons disappeared it was storming, torrential rainfall, thunder and lightning.” Adams frowned. “How the hell did they end up way out here?”

“Could be we have the timeline wrong. Maybe they headed out after the storm, or were here before the storm. Truth is, the final twenty-four hours of the Dixons’ life is part of the mystery. My father and the other investigators made educated guesses based on what they found in the house, but the theories are just that—theories.”

Adams managed a short, troubled nod.

Most of the volunteer firefighters had dispersed by now. Mandy took the relative quiet to be a sign of the seriousness of the situation.A boarded-up historic well yielding a skeleton—plus crockery!—had been a genuinely what-the-fuck circus show. This…

This felt more like hallowed ground.

She closed the distance to the narrow opening, expecting the state detective to follow. When he didn’t advance, she turned around questioningly.

Adams was pale as a sheet. Sweat beaded his forehead. He looked a second away from vomiting.

Which apparently was truth in advertising as he took three steps to the side and threw up behind a bush.

Mandy didn’t raise a hand to assist. She’d been there, done that. No investigator appreciated others drawing attention to the act.

“Shit.” The man drew his forearm across his mouth. “Just…Shit.”

“I can show you pics if you pre—”

“Don’t you fucking dare.”

Mandy was wise enough to remain silent.

“I got this,” he muttered. “Yep. Totally, completely, yep. Let’s do it.”

Mandy stepped into the opening, Adams shuffling behind her.

Seven or eight feet of solid granite squeezed around them, then they emerged into the immense cavern. The space was now brightly lit by a half dozen RDLs to aid Debs and her assistant in their efforts.

“I’m thinking it’s best to leave the remains in place,” the forensic anthro called out without looking up. “At least till after tonight’s storm. But wow. Just…wow.”

Mandy didn’t get a chance to answer. Adams glanced around once, slapped a hand over his mouth, and fled.

He made it farther from the entrance this time; not puking too close to the crime scene was always appreciated. His entire body heaved several times before winding down to gagging violently.

Mandy waited patiently off to the side.

“S-s-sorry,” he managed at last. “I don’t know what happened.” Another ragged gasp. “I don’t like enclosed spaces, but…never like this.”

“This cave isn’t just a cave. And this scene isn’t just a scene.”

“I wouldn’t know. Fuck it all.”

“Like I said, I have plenty of photos.”

“All these years. Thinking of this moment, trying to imagine it. How can I not be able to handle the real deal?”