Page 10 of Silent Past
Someone who had not only killed Dr. Mitchell, but had nearly killed two more people as well.
"We need to talk to those spelunkers," Sheila said, turning to Finn. "They may have seen something they don't even realize is important."
They made their way back through the cave system, their footsteps echoing in the darkness. As they climbed out into the morning light, Finn rubbed his hands together, trying to warm them.
"What are you thinking?" he asked as they headed down the trail toward the base camp.
Sheila considered for a moment. "I'm thinking about the timing. Mitchell disappears. Less than forty-eight hours later, two spelunkers happen to find her body."
"And someone tries to make sure they don't leave the cave alive." Finn nodded. "Either our killer was still down there, watching..."
"Or they knew somehow that the spelunkers had found the body," Sheila finished. "Neither option is particularly comforting."
They walked in silence for a few steps before Finn spoke again. "You know what bothers me most? The care taken with the body. The traditional garments, the positioning. It's almost... respectful."
"Like a ritual," Sheila said. She glanced at him. "You're thinking this isn't his first?"
"The caves were closed for a reason," Finn said quietly. "And we never did find all the bodies from last time."
Sheila remembered that case from years ago—three hikers who'd disappeared in these caves. They'd only found two of them. The third was still out there somewhere, lost in the darkness.
They'd been college students from Elbridge—Lisa Kendrick, Mike Denton, and Travis Walsh—doing research on the cave system's unique mineral formations. All geology majors, all experienced cavers. They'd had the right equipment, filed the proper permits, done everything by the book. But a sudden storm had caused flash flooding in the lower chambers, and they'd gotten separated trying to find their way out.
They found Lisa and Mike three days later. The flood waters had receded by then, leaving their bodies wedged in a narrow passage. The medical examiner determined they'd died from hypothermia, their wet clothes stealing their body heat in the fifty-degree cave air. Travis Walsh's body was never recovered, though they found his backpack and one of his boots nearly half a mile from where his friends had died.
The search had gone on for two weeks before being called off. Travis's parents had hired private search teams, but even they eventually gave up. The caves were simply too vast, too complex, with hundreds of unexplored passages and chambers.
"You know what always bothered me about that case?" Finn asked, his voice echoing slightly in the tunnel. "Their equipment was top-notch. They had emergency supplies, backup lights, everything. Lisa Kendrick had even mapped these caves before. So how did they get so lost?"
"Sometimes nature just wins," Sheila said softly. She remembered the look on Travis's mother's face when they'd finally convinced her to stop searching. Some questions didn't have answers, and some bodies were never found.
"The spelunkers who found Mitchell's body," she said, coming back to the present. "They had to know the caves were closed. Why come here?"
"Maybe they were looking for a bit of adventure, somewhere off the beaten path."
"If so, I'd say they found more than they'd bargained for."
They reached the base camp, where several vehicles were parked and a medical tent had been set up. Two EMTs were looking over a young woman wrapped in a thermal blanket while a man about the same age sat nearby, clutching a cup of something hot.
Kelly Bishop looked up as they approached, her dark hair tangled and matted with cave dust. Despite her obvious exhaustion, there was something sharp in her gaze, an alertness that caught Sheila's attention. The camera hanging from her neck suggested she was more than just a casual explorer.
Mike Ramirez set down his cup and straightened his posture, almost military-like. His easy grin seemed forced, a mask to cover his nerves. Both of them had the lean, muscled build of experienced climbers.
"Ms. Bishop, Mr. Ramirez," Sheila said. "I'm Sheriff Stone, and this is Deputy Mercer. How are you holding up?"
The spelunkers exchanged glances. "We're fine," Kelly said. "Just cold."
"And lucky to be alive," Mike added quietly.
Sheila pulled up a folding chair, positioning herself at their level. "I have to ask: What were you doing in the caves in the first place?"
Kelly's shoulders tensed. "We were documenting the cave system," she said. "I'm a photographer, focusing on underground formations. Mike's my safety partner."
"The caves were closed years ago," Finn said. "Why come here now?"
Another glance between them. Mike cleared his throat. "There were rumors. About new passages opening up after the spring floods. We thought... well, Kelly thought it would make a great addition to her portfolio."
"And that's when you found her?" Sheila prompted.
