Ashes - Book 2 (New Adult Romantic Suspense) by Leslie Johnson Page B

to breathe, I force myself to calm down. “This is Beth Richards; I spoke to Ryan earlier regarding a child who had fallen on a Red Rock trail.”
    “Yes, Miss Richards. Is there something else?”
    “Yes. The fireman who assisted says he’s found seven bodies near where the boy had fallen.”
    Pause. “Seven dead bodies? Please confirm.”
    “Yes. Seven. Whoever you send will need climbing gear.” I look at the sun. “And lighting. He said he found them in a cave.”
    “One moment.”
    I wait an eternity before she comes back. “Are you at the exact same GPS location as before?”
    “Yes. No. I’m further up the hill. My cell won’t work at the cliff. But I’ll be there to meet whoever responds.”
    “One moment.”
    I want to growl or kick a rock in frustration. I hate standing up here, doing nothing.
    A few minutes later, she’s back. “Miss Richards, officials are on route. Red Rock search and rescue is on their way as well to assist. Please ask the fireman to not touch anything or disturb the scene.”
    “Okay. Thank you. I’m heading back down the trail now.”
    “Be safe please. I hope I don’t hear from you again today.”
    I bark a short laugh, grateful for the opportunity for that momentary emotional release. “Me too.”

    Back at the ledge, I wrap the rope Gage secured for me around my waist and drop to my belly to look down.
    “Gage!” I call out to him and then call out again, louder.
    I don’t hear him, but I see his safety line moving. I wait. And wait. Then see him coming around the corner.
    Dear God, it must be bad down there. He looks terrible, as if he’s aged two lifetimes in the past twenty minutes. I pull back and search through our packs for more water. Two bottles left. Damn. I twist off the lid, take a small sip and tie a small hand towel I found around it.
    I lower myself to the edge again. When I look down, he’s staring up, waiting for me to reappear.
    “Head’s up.”
    I drop the water and towel and watch him pour some of the water on the cloth. He lays it on the back of his neck and then takes long drinks from the bottle. I hate that I can’t do anything more for him.
    “What can I do?” I call down.
    He shakes his head. “What’s the ETA?”
    “Not sure. Red Rock SAR is on their way. They’re the closest, but I don’t know how long it will take.”
    The shadows in the valley are getting long and my ability to see Gage has grown dimmer since I left to call for help. I look up and catch my breath as the fiery red orb begins its descent beyond the horizon. Threads of light mingle with a few dotting clouds and the heavens are dyed with long rays of orange, red and pink.
    The cruelty of life has never been so evident as it is to me in this moment. No matter how ugly life can be, the world moves on without seeming to care. The sun rises and it sets. Earth spins on its axis and the moon continues to cause the tides to ebb and flow.
    Looking back down at Gage, I notice him also watching the sun sink into its daily slumber. It’s our first sunset together, I realize. We’ve never taken the time to … well, do anything as intimate as this. Sex, yes. Lots of it. But nothing is as intimate as witnessing the hand of God at work.
    But we have witnessed the hand of the Devil at work before. I think he’s seen its evil hand at work again.
    Gage turns back to me, but is distracted by something that catches his eyes. He shines his light that way and steps up onto a rock.
    “What is it?” I ask him, edging further off the ledge in an attempt to see.
    “Anchors. They’re driven into the rock.” His light moves up the face of the rock. “Several of them. Spaced about ten feet apart straight up the cliff.”
    I scramble to my left until I’m just above his light. There’s a pile of rocks on the edge and I carefully move them away. I see it. A steel half circle with huge nail like things pinning it to the rock.
    “One up here too.”
    “Don’t touch anything,” he