Page 44 of Clear Path

Sadie flicked her eyes toward Diana before answering. Diana nodded.

“We call in the dogs and helicopters.”

There was a heavy silence.

Then Diana says, “Stay in radio range. Two miles—three miles max.”

“What if one of us finds her?” Aaron asked.

“Three short whistle blasts,” Diana instructed. “Then radio your location.”

They distributed the supplies—first aid kits, radios, extra batteries for headlamps, and food—then gathered at the edge of the clearing.

“Let’s move out,” Diana commanded.

The two groups headed out, their six headlamps creating a bright burst of light that gradually separated in two constellations as they peeled off in opposite directions in the dark night.

29

North of the Cave, GAP Mile 93

Diana, Julie, and Sadie picked their way carefully through the underbrush. Julie kept close to Diana’s side, occasionally touching her elbow when the terrain grew especially treacherous. Sadie took care to illuminate the ground ahead of Diana with a wide-beamed flashlight. Diana accepted the assistance without argument. Her priority was finding Rory. She’d have plenty of time to indulge her anger at Julie’s betrayal later And, boy, would she.

“There should be an old rail tunnel about half a mile ahead,” Sadie said, consulting her map by headlamp. “And then the two abandoned barns beyond that.”

“Perfect hiding places,” Julie remarked.

Diana snorted. “Or perfect places to stash a body.”

The blunt assessment hung in the air for several paces before Julie broke the silence. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I hope it’s just a publicity stunt.”

“It’s not,” Diana said firmly. “The blood in that cave was real.”

They walked in silence until they reached the tunnel entrance—a dark half-circle of stone emerging from the hillside, covered in moss and vines.

“I’ll go first,” Sadie volunteered, adjusting her headlamp to its brightest setting.

The three women entered the tunnel, their footsteps echoing against the damp stone walls. Their beams of light swept across the curved ceiling and graffiti-covered walls.

“Rory!” Diana called, her voice bouncing back at them. “Rory Westin!”

Only the slow drip of water hitting the ground answered.

Halfway through the tunnel, Diana stopped suddenly. “Wait. I heard something.”

The three women froze, listening intently. A faint rustling came from ahead.

“Rory?” Julie called, her voice hopeful.

A pair of yellow eyes reflected in their headlamps and a raccoon scurried away into a crevice.

They let out three deflated breaths in unison, then continued through the tunnel, emerging on the other side into a small clearing where the moonlight illuminated the silhouettes of two weathered wooden structures.

“The barns,” Sadie confirmed.

As they approached the first structure, Julie murmured, “This would make a great event center. Imagine the weddings, the receptions. The possibilities are endless.”

Sadie stiffened. “Do you think you’ll ever be satisfied?”

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