Bonnie - Iris Johansen [109]
“Bonnie?”
“You’ve found me, Mama. I kept telling you that it didn’t matter, but you wouldn’t believe me.”
“It mattered to me.”
“And I guess that’s why you finally found me.”
“Where are you? I don’t see you.”
“You will. Not right now. He’s suffering so much that I can’t get near you.”
“Damn him.”
“No. Don’t be angry. Can’t you see? I know everything now. The two planes have come together, and I remember what happened. There mustn’t be anger.”
“I don’t see. He took you away from me. I am angry. I won’t let—”
“She’s here, isn’t she?” Danner was staring at Eve, his face pasty white. “But I don’t see her.”
She could no longer sense Bonnie, and the sudden loneliness sparked even more anger. “You’re keeping her away.” She looked at the looming dark crevice. “You bastard. You stuffed her in that black hole? What did you do? Just pile a bunch of rocks on her body?” She was striding into the narrow space between the rock walls. It was dark and so close it was claustrophobic. She could see the shadow of a large boulder blocking the path ahead.
“Get out of my way.” Danner was pushing her aside and going ahead. He rolled aside the boulder and pushed her through the opening out of the darkness. “If she’s here, it must be because she wants you here, too. Can’t you see? I was right. I have to do it.”
After the darkness, the daylight almost blinded Eve.
She stopped, stunned.
* * *
“SHIT, WHERE’S HE TAKING HER?” Joe said between set teeth, as his gaze flew down the path and the dark crevices on either side. “This part of the canyon looks like a rabbit warren. It will be a nightmare trying to follow him into any of those crevices.”
“And no footprints,” Gallo said. The trail had become rock and stone once they left the lower part of the trail. “If we had shale, I could at least tell if it had been disturbed.” He stopped and gazed down one of the twisting passageways between the walls. “I’ll check out this one. You take the next path over there.”
Joe nodded. Taking the openings one by one was the only thing they could do, but it was a waste of time. Dammit, they had no time to do an extensive search.
“No.” Ben was suddenly beside Joe. “Not there. Not this one. Straight ahead.”
“We have to eliminate every possibility, kid,” Gallo said.
“No, straight ahead.” He put his hand on Joe’s arm. “She’s not there.”
Joe looked at him.
“I have to be with you. But not here.” He added urgently, “Tell him. We have to hurry, Joe.”
Joe hesitated, gazing at the boy’s pleading expression. Then he said slowly, “We’ll split up, Gallo, we can cover more area. You search here, and I’ll go straight ahead.” He whirled and started running up the path. He could hear Gallo cursing behind him, but when he glanced behind him, Gallo had disappeared down one of the crevices.
Ben caught up with Joe and passed him.
Follow him. He seems to know where he is going.
And God knows Joe had no idea.
* * *
EVE WAS FROZEN WITH SHOCK. She couldn’t believe her eyes.
Greenery where there had been only rocks, grass so well tended it looked like velvet. A flowering magnolia tree, shiny-leafed shrubs, plum leaf azaleas, small, exquisite pink roses, delicate lantana, and golden sunflowers … She was on the edge of the rose-hued canyon wall on a cliff that was perhaps thirty feet in diameter. It was sheltered by a network of vines on all sides that made it into a secret garden.
Secret Garden. Yes, that was what it reminded her of, that classic children’s tale about a garden of magic beauty that had the power to heal because of the love that gone into bringing it to life.
“What is this, Danner?”
“It’s the place.” He gazed at the garden. “It took me years to make it for her. I had to bring in lots of soil, and the vines to shelter it from the weather. And the flowers had to be hardy and not take much care. I couldn’t bear to come here too often after I gave it to her. She frightened me.”
Her gaze was wandering around