The High Country Rancher by Jan Hambright Read Free Book Online Page B

the air.
    “Take it easy. There’s a lot of dark between here and there.”
    Moving closer, she could see that the sliver oflight was no bigger than her arm, a slit in the earth. “It’s too small to squeeze through.”
    Baylor shined the flashlight at the pile of rock below the crack. “I’m going to climb up and have a look, get an idea of where we are.”
    He handed her the flashlight and she aimed it so he could see. She watched him scramble up the mountain of loose rock, maybe six feet high, and peer out of the crack. “I can hear water. We must be close to the stream at the edge of the meadow.”
    He pulled back and shuffled down the mound toward her. The beam dimmed, and panic touched on her nerves as she shook the flashlight. “Dammit.”
    “Relax,” Baylor coaxed, coming closer.
    A scream gurgled in her throat as she stared at him in what was left of the light.
    “Spiders!” With her hand she swiped at a couple of light brown-colored spiders crawling on the front of Baylor’s shirt.
    “Damn. Something’s biting me on the back.” He turned slightly, and the edge of light coming from the slit in the earth illuminated dozens of spiders crawling all over Baylor’s shirt and over his shoulders.
    “You’re covered in them.” Terror raked her body and she dropped the flashlight, slapping at the spiders.
    She watched them drop to the floor and scatter in the dimming flashlight beam. One scrambled across her foot and she let out a scream that echoed against the ceiling of the tunnel.
    Baylor pulled his shirt off and gave it a shake, freeing the nest of harmless brown spiders that he’d gotten into, but he had to calm Mariah. He could hear the panic in her voice.
    “It’s okay, I’m okay. They’re harmless.” He pulled his shirt back on and bent down, picking up the flashlight. It went out in his hand, but not before a flutter of wings whispered in the darkness.
    “What was that!” Mariah shrieked.
    He reached out and took hold of her.
    Another set of wings beat the air, followed by a squeak and the drone of hundreds of bats coming alive inside the tunnel.
    “Hold on.” Baylor pulled Mariah closer, pressing her head against his chest as the swarm, awakened by their presence in the tunnel, reacted en masse.
    Baylor tucked his head and waited for the onslaught to pass. High-pitched whistles and screeches echoed inside of the tunnel as the swarm of bats flocked past and moved through in the direction they’d come.
    “Come on!” Taking Mariah’s hand, he followed the sound.
    She resisted, but he dragged her forward.
    “They know the way.” His reasoning seemed to penetrate her panic.
    Back down the tunnel. Right into the one they hadn’t chosen.
    A rush of air greeted them the moment theystepped into the corridor. He could feel the decline under his feet.
    “Careful. Take it slow.” Feeling along the wall of solid rock, he moved forward, still focused on the eerie cries of the bats ahead of them.
    The tunnel turned slightly and Baylor slowed his pace. Squinting, he confirmed what he was seeing.
    “There’s light up ahead.”
    “I see it.”
    He moved quicker the closer he got, being able to make out the terrain under his feet in the light coming in through a large opening at the end of the tunnel.
    The last bat darted out, and Baylor ducked and stepped through, still holding Mariah’s hand.
    He sucked in a breath of fresh air and looked around.
    “I want to kiss the ground.” Mariah sat down on the log that concealed the opening.
    Caution warned Baylor they weren’t safe yet. Not until they were back at the ranch. “Someone doesn’t want this tunnel to be discovered. I’d guess it’s whoever has been working in this mine and shooting at us.”
    “But I thought you said they closed it years ago.”
    “They did.” Baylor stared into the woods, watching for any sign of movement. “Come on, we can’t afford to stay here for long. He’ll discover we’re not in the tunnel