The Bone House - Brian Freeman [147]
She landed hard on her side and rolled through the mud, and when she stopped, she found herself on her back, staring up at the web of branches that had saved her. Fire spat through the broken window overhead like the tongue of a devil. Rain gently poured through the light and cooled her and washed away the blood, and the mud and puddles stamped out the flames that had licked at her back. She tried to move, to pull herself away to a safe distance, but her pummeled muscles refused to budge. All she could do for now was lie on the ground and wait.
She felt a hand on her cheek. When she turned her head, she saw Amy hovering over her, propped on one elbow. The girl's face was dirty, but her eyes were bright and glassy with tears that streaked down her skin along with the rain.
'You OK?' Amy asked.
Hilary gave a weak smile. 'Yeah. You?'
'I'm all right.'
Amy sank against Hilary's shoulder and put an arm protectively around her and held on tight. The girl closed her eyes. Hilary did, too. Their chests rose and fell in unison as they breathed. Hilary heard the splash of boots as men drew closer and the comforting shouts of their voices. They talked to her like the angels in Mark's paintings, but she couldn't answer, even as she felt strong arms lifting her and carrying her. All she could do was give herself up to sleep.
* * *
Chapter Fifty-Five
As the ferry drew closer to the mainland, Cab felt the turbulent waters of the Death's Door passage settle into bobbing swells. The stubborn rain soaking the peninsula had broken up over the past three days and drifted east across the lake, leaving blue skies and mild temperatures in its wake. The magic of the view made him finally understand why there were people who would choose to live nowhere else but in this remote, beautiful land.
Cab's phone rang on his belt. It was Lala calling from Florida. He'd barely spoken to her since she guided him to the body buried on Peter Hoffman's property. They'd only had time for brief conversations as the local police wrapped up their investigations in Green Bay and on Washington Island.
'So what's the deal, Cab?' Lala said. 'Are the loose ends tied up?'
'Most of them.'
'No more dead bodies?'
'Not today.'
'That's good. Try to keep it that way, OK? You're making the lieutenant nervous.'
Cab smiled. 'I will.'
'I read your report. I guess you found what you were looking for. With the key. At the bottom of that hole.'
'Yeah, you're right. I did.' He added, 'It's scary what people keep hidden under the ground.'
'It is.'
He heard the unspoken questions in her voice. What about you, Cab? What are you hiding?
'So where do you go next?' Lala went on, with a casualness that sounded false. 'Do I win the bet?'
'What bet?' he asked, but he knew what she meant.
'The pool, remember? I figured this was the week that Catch-a-Cab Bolton would head for the horizon. I have a lot of money riding on you.'
'How much?'
'Ten whole bucks.'
'You must have been pretty confident.'
'No, I was pretty cynical. I'm actually starting to feel bad about that.'
'Don't.'
'It sounds like Door County needs a new sheriff,' Lala reminded him. 'Do you want the job?'
Cab laughed. 'This place is too cold for me. What's it like down there?'
'What else? Hot. Humid.'
'That actually sounds nice,' Cab admitted. 'I'll be back home tonight. I guess I owe you ten bucks.'
'Keep it,' Lala said. 'You've got a surprise waiting for you down here.'
'What is it?'
'I got out of your shower this morning, and guess who was waiting for me in the living room of your condo? Your mother.'
'My mother's in Florida?'
'Tarla Bolton in the flesh. Actually, I was the one in the flesh. We were both pretty damn surprised to see each other.'
Cab laughed again. It felt good. 'What did she say?'
'She said her son has good taste.'
'Well, that's true.'
'She also brought enough luggage to completely fill your second bedroom.'
'She's