Sheriff Scott handed her the binoculars. Grace adjusted them and stared down at the valley below. I dont understand. He was in that valley. Hell, his truck and trailer are still parked back at the road. Where could he have gone? She handed the binoculars back to the sheriff. Do you think he was only wounded and crawled beneath a bush or something? She was on her feet and headed back to the ATV. We need to get down there. If that man is still alive, he could be in a bad way.
The sheriff hurried to catch up to her. Grace, I want you to stay up here with Mr. Decker.
Shed reached the ATV and had thrown her leg over the seat before she turned to stare at the sheriff. Are you kidding? I left him once, when I could have saved him.
The sheriff shook his head. You dont know that. You could have ended up a second victim, and nobody would have known where to find either one of you. He touched her arm. You did the right thing by coming straight to my office.
When the lawman turned away, Grace captured his hand. Sheriff, I need to know. I feel like I could have done something to stop that man from shooting the other guy. I know its irrational, but somehow I feel responsible.
The way she stared at the sheriff with her soft gray eyes made Caveman want the sheriff to let her accompany him to the valley floor.
You promise to stay back enough not to disturb what could potentially be a crime scene? Sheriff Scott asked.
She held up her hand like she was swearing in front of a judge. I promise.
The sheriff shot a glance at Caveman. Mr. Decker, will you keep an eye on her to make sure shes safe?
I will, Caveman said. He wanted to know what was in that valley as well, but if it meant leaving Grace alone on the ridge, he would have stayed with her.
Fine. Come along, but stay back. Sheriff Scott and the deputy climbed onto their four-wheelers and eased their way down a narrow path to the valley floor.
Caveman let Grace drive again, knowing she was better protected with his body wrapped around her than if shed ridden on the back.
At the bottom of the hill, Grace parked the four-wheeler twenty yards from the pine tree shed indicated. Well see a lot more on foot than on an ATV.
True. Caveman studied the surrounding area, careful to stay out of the way of the sheriff and his deputy.
Grace, the sheriff called out.
She and Caveman hurried over to where the sheriff squatted on his haunches, staring at the dirt. He pointed. Is this the spot where he fell?
Grace glanced around at the nearby tree and nodded. I think so.
The sheriffs lips pressed together and he pointed at the ground. This looks like dried blood.
Caveman stared at the dark blotches, his belly tightening. Hed seen similar dark stains in the dust of an Afghanistan village where his brothers in arms had bled out.
Got tire tracks here. Deputy Pierce stared at the ground a few yards away.
The sheriff straightened and walked slowly toward the deputy. And theres a trail of blood leading toward the tracks.
Caveman circled wide, studying the ground until he saw what he thought he might find. More tracks over here. The tracks led toward a hill. Without waiting for permission, Caveman climbed the hill, parallel to the tracks. As the ground grew rockier, the tracks became harder to follow. At that point, Caveman looked for disturbed pebbles, scraped rocks and anything that would indicate a heavy four-wheeler had passed that direction.
At the top of the hill, the slope leveled off briefly and then fell in a sheer two-hundred-foot drop-off to a boulder-strewn creek bed below. Cavemans stomach tightened as he spotted what appeared to be the wreckage of an ATV. I found the ATV. He squinted. What was that next to the big boulder shaped like an anvil? He leaned over the edge a little farther and noticed what appeared to be a shoe...attached to a foot. Im sorry to say, but I think I found Mr. Khalig.
Grace scrambled to the top of the hill and nearly pitched over the edge.
Caveman shot out his hand, stopping her short of following the pipeline inspector to a horrible death. Oh, dear Lord.
Wrapping his arm around her shoulders, Caveman pulled her against him.
She burrowed her face into his chest. I should have stayed.
You couldnt, Caveman said. You would have been shot.
I could have circled back, she said, her voice quivering.
On that trail? Caveman shook his head. No way. You did the right thing.
Sheriff Scott appeared beside Caveman. Mr. Deckers right. You wouldnt be alive if youd stopped to help a man who could have been dead before he went over the edge.
Grace lifted her head and stared at the sheriff through watery eyes. What do you mean?
We noticed footprints and drag marks in the dirt back there, Deputy Pierce said.
The sheriff nodded. I suspect the killer came back, dragged the body onto the ATV and rode it up to the hill. Then he pushed it over the edge with Mr. Khalig still on it. He glanced over at the deputy. Well get the state rescue team in to recover the body. The coroner will conduct an autopsy. Hell know whether the bullet killed him or the fall.
Is there anything we can do to help? Grace asked.
Sheriff Scott nodded. Id like you to come in and sign a statement detailing what you saw and at what time.
Anything you need. Ill be there. Grace shivered. I wish Id seen the killers face.
I do, too. The sheriff stared down at the creek bed. Murder cases are seldom solved so easily. He glanced across at Grace. You might want to watch your back. If he thinks you could pick him out in a lineup, he might come after you.
Grace shivered again. We live in a small town. Her gaze captured the sheriffs. Theres a good chance I might know him.
If the law isnt knocking on his door within twenty-four hours, Caveman said, he might figure out that you didnt see enough of him to turn him in.
In which case, hed be smart to keep a low profile and leave you alone, the sheriff added.
Or not. Grace sighed. I cant stay holed up in my house. I have work to do. I still havent found my wolf.
It might not be safe for you to be roaming the woods right now, the sheriff said. By yourself, you present an easy target with no witnesses.
Graces shoulders squared. I wont let fear run my life. I ran today, and Mr. Khalig is dead because I did.
Caveman shook his head. No, Mr. Khalig is dead because someone shot him. Not because you didnt stop that someone from shooting him. You are not responsible for that mans death. You didnt pull the trigger. The words were an echo from his psychologists arsenal of phrases shed used to help him through survivors guilt. Using them now with Grace helped him see the truth of them.
He hadnt detonated the bomb that had killed his teammates, nor had he pulled the trigger on the AK-47s that had taken out more of his battle buddies. He couldnt have done anything differently other than die in his teammates place by being the forward element at that exact moment. He couldnt have known. It didnt make it easier. Only time would help him accept the truth.
* * *
THERE IS SOMETHING you could do for me, the sheriff said.