Danger at Deception Pass

Danger at Deception Pass

Stephen Bly

The Lewis and Clark Squad Series

Book 5

SMASHWORDS EDITION

* * * * *

PUBLISHED BY:

Bly Books on Smashwords

Copyright©1998,2015 by Janet Chester Bly

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Cover illustration: Sergio Giovine

Cover design: Cindy Kiple

For a list of other books by Stephen Bly write:

Bly Books, P.O. Box 157, Winchester, ID 83555

Or check website: http://www.blybooks.com/

Dedication:

For my good pal

Candice Riggers

Chapter 1

The heavy, damp air inside the train tunnel felt like fog at night.

The toe of Cody’s boot caught on a railroad tie, and he stumbled farther into the darkness. After he regained his balance, he jammed his cowboy hat down tighter on his head and kept walking. He could feel a coiled, stiff nylon rope in his right hand.

But he couldn’t see it.

I thought this tunnel was only a hundred feet long. How can it be so dark in here? Why can’t I see the opening at the east end? Did they close it off?

He stopped and turned his head back. The front opening of the tunnel was no more than a pinpoint of light in the distance. The tunnel was so huge. He would go back if it weren’t for the wolves.

Wolves? There aren’t supposed to be any wolves left in north-central Idaho. But then the tunnel at Deception Pass wasn’t supposed to be this long either.

Maybe this was a mineshaft and not a railroad tunnel.

But it was a tunnel when I walked into it.

Wasn’t it?

This is stupid.

What am I doing in here?

The coarse, crushed rock from the track bed crunched beneath his feet. When he stopped, he could hear drops of water splashing to his right as they drained inside the granite tunnel. Although the air was a little cold on his arms, Cody felt sweat on his forehead.

Relax, Cody Wayne Clark. Every tunnel has an end to it.

He started to jog into the darkness, caught his toe on a railroad tie, and tripped. The palm of his right hand jammed into unseen sharp rocks. His left crashed into the cold, slick steel of the rail itself. There was a slight, steady vibration in the rail.

Though he couldn’t see anything, Cody stood up and brushed off the knees of his jeans. What made that rail vibrate? The railroad was abandoned and they wouldn’t start salvage operations until September.

No one’s up here. It’s seven miles back to Halt. This isn’t funny. I don't want to be here. Where’s Larry? Feather? Townie? Denver? Mom? Dad? I thought I was riding my horse. Where’s Rolly?

Added to the dripping water was now a faint, dull hum. Cody stopped to listen.

There’s a motor back here. Maybe it’s a generator for electricity. Someone is mining. I wonder if someone found gold in this mountain and had to wait for the railroad to abandon this line before they could high-grade the ore? They won’t want visitors. Maybe I should hike back out. I can cross Deception Pass some other way. There can’t be any wolves out there. Wild dogs maybe. Or a cougar. I’ll ride Rolly right over the top of Old Joseph Butte if I have to—provided the critters don’t chase off my horse.

Or was he riding his bicycle? He couldn't ride his bike up Scout Cliff.

Could I? Why can’t I remember? How long have I been in here? I can’t even remember what day it is or what time of the day.

Cody turned around to look for the speck of light still filtering into the tunnel from the front opening. There was no longer any trace of the tunnel entrance. It was pitch- dark in every direction. In panic he spun around several times but could see absolutely nothing but blackness.

I have no idea what direction to go. I’ll have to crawl along feeling the track. This is not good, Lord!

The hum of an engine no longer sounded distant. Sweat dripped off his forehead. Goose bumps climbed the back of his neck.

My rope? I don’t have my rope. I must have dropped it. Oh, man, it’s my favorite rope. I’m not going back. That’s it. No more tunnels for me. I’m getting out of here. I don’t care how many wolves there are.

Cody straddled the rail and sprinted as he slid his boots along the slick steel. The soft hum of the engine increased. Suddenly his right boot tangled in something. He reached down in the darkness to pull his foot free.

My rope! I found my rope. What’s it stuck on?

Cody tugged and tugged but couldn’t get the coiled rope free. Nor could he seem to release his boot.

I can’t believe this. This is not a good day.

The motor’s hum now became an unseen roar.

Lord, if You’re trying to teach me a lesson, I think I've learned it. Never enter anything when you don’t know the way out. I’ve got it. Trust me, this will never happen again. Now if You’d shed a little light on this situation.

The bright halogen headlight of the train engine flashed from side to side as it approached. At first sight it was so small it looked as if it could have been an exit to the tunnel or someone waving a flashlight.

The railroad bed vibrated.

A train? That’s not the light I had in mind. There aren’t any trains on this line. They shut it down. It can’t be. This is an abandoned line.

When he yanked on his foot, one boot came off. He turned around and began to run the opposite direction of the approaching light. He stumbled, fell, got up, ran, stumbled, and fell again. Now both boots were gone, and he felt splinters from the railroad ties pierce the bottoms of his bare feet.

I’ve got to make it to the entrance. Oh, man, here it comes. Lord, if You’re going to do something, You’d better do it quick!

The approaching train rumbled and roared only fifty or sixty feet behind him. He tried scampering to the side of the tracks. He tripped over the rail and crashed into a granite wall. His hat tumbled into the darkness.

My hat! I’m not getting run over without my hat.

The roaring train engine now looked close enough to touch. Cody dropped to his knees and fumbled for his black beaver felt hat. Instead, his hands touched something soft.

A pillow?

What’s my pillow doing in this tunnel?

Now the train was on top of him.

Lord, have mercy on my soul!

Cody dove between the tracks and hugged the pillow to his chest with both arms. Then, for some reason he could not explain, he sat straight up and stared at the rocketing headlight that was only inches from his face.

They won’t even find body parts.

Above the terrifying roar of the train engine, he heard a faint voice. Which one? it seemed to say.

The light from the train illuminated the tunnel, and he looked to the right to see the shadowy silhouette of someone standing in the doorway.

There’s a door. But I don’t have time.

The voice was louder this time. Which girl is it?

Girl?

Denver’s voice grew louder than the train. Which girl were you dreaming about?

Girl? Cody repeated.

His seventeen-year-old brother leaned against the doorjamb of Cody’s bedroom. Next to him the dresser was piled high with rodeo trophies and roping ribbons. Dirty clothes were scattered across the brown-carpeted floor. An empty Mountain Dew can perched on top of a stack of basketball cards.

Cody stammered, What are you d-doing here?

Remember me—your brother? I live here. Man, you are really out to la-la land. I didn’t have dreams like that until I was fifteen.

Dreams like what?

Dreams about girls.

Daylight trickled through the beige mini-blinds on Cody’s window. He stared across the room at the poster of Hall of Fame calf-roper Roy Cooper, who held a pigging string in his mouth as he did a flying offside dismount.

Oh, man, Cody moaned. It was all a dream. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and onto his pillowcase.

From the looks of how tight you’re hugging the pillow, I’d say it was a very interesting dream. Who was it you were hugging? Feather? Denver teased.

Cody tossed the pillow down on the white-sheeted bed. Feather?

Don’t tell me you have someone else lined up. I thought she was your girl.

Feather? But she’s not... I wasn’t even ... oh, man, it was all a dream.

You said that before. Now I’ll tell you what isn’t a dream. Mom's got breakfast on the table, and Dad wants us out there loading hay by 6:30. That means you have twenty minutes, buckaroo.

Haying? I’ve never been so glad to load hay bales in my life.

Good. I’ll see you at breakfast.

Eh, Denver, Cody called, how long is that train tunnel on Deception Pass?

"I have no idea, lil’ bro’. No one’s ever allowed to