Deadly Touch - Heather Graham Page 0,99

the state, but this particular program happened only once a year.

The same people had been involved forever with others joining in over the years.

By the time they picked up Titan and got to Andrew’s, collected Andrew and reached Nigel, it was after three, but they still had several hours to search the general area where the young people would be staying before darkness fell.

When they arrived after taking a long snakelike backwoods trail off the main road, they discovered Jeremy Gray was already there, among others, setting up his tent and his displays and maps. He greeted them with a bit of surprise, looking from Axel to Andrew and then Raina and the dog.

“You’re early!” he told them.

“Yeah, we’re going to go over the place with a fine-tooth comb,” Axel said.

Jeremy nodded. “The dog will certainly help with that.”

“There’s nothing like a dog,” Raina assured him.

Axel offered Jeremy a shrug and a rueful smile.

“Kids are coming,” he said. “We want to teach them about the incredible and unique wonder of our river of grass, and the history of the Seminole and Miccosukee tribes. This is an important program. Fun ghost stories are one thing, but potentially stumbling upon a body is another matter.”

Jeremy nodded strenuously, having grown serious at Axel’s words.

“I hear you, my friend. I can help you in another thirty minutes if you’d like.”

“Every bit helps,” Andrew said.

Jeremy pointed to one of the chickees down something of a straggly path. It was built up with a platform several feet above the ground as they had been in the past, a bit of safety from the things that wandered the Everglades at night.

“That’s still the storyteller’s space. All yours.”

“Thanks!”

“The old concrete-block-and-stucco structure has been kept up through the years. Bedrolls, blankets, stuff you might need—all still in there in case you want to hunker down for the whole shebang,” Jeremy told them.

“Great. They still have showers, right?” Axel asked.

“Is it still ninety degrees plus on many a day?” Jeremy said. “Hell, yes, there are still showers!” He smiled at Raina. “Not sure about dog food, but I’m guessing Titan would be fine with some frankfurters! We do weenie roasts. Not to worry—we still do native cooking demonstrations.”

“We should get to it,” Axel said, waving to him, and heading out.

“They’re already here, you know,” Andrew said. “The teacher chaperones, Loretta Oster and Frank Peters.”

“Yeah, I noticed,” Axel said. “You think it’s them? Angela checked out their individual finances—neither seems to be living above their means. Then again, I don’t always think money is the motive for those who want people dead—maybe getting ahead is the motive.”

“For the people who want people dead. Possibly, as you told me, Peter Scarborough’s estranged-wife-now-widow, and the young fellow working at the dentist’s office. I know your Krewe offices are scouring records.” He hesitated. “The only ones with real money are the attorneys.”

“Attorneys,” Axel said. “If Jordan Rivera would just come to, we’d know more. Andrew, I know you know this hammock like the back of your hand. Six finger areas heading off the central site, the dirt road entering through the largest, to our west?”

Andrew nodded. “Storms come and go and the landscape changes. But yes, basically, same six finger areas you know. How do you want to do this? Clockwise and counterclockwise?”

Axel nodded. “You start with the rear southern finger, I’ll take the rear north, and we’ll meet up back at the main road.”

“It will be dark by then,” Andrew noted.

“Then we’d best be really careful,” Axel said. He looked at Raina. “You going to be okay? The ground is going to be soggy. Out by the swampy areas, we could encounter all kinds of things.”

“You do know how to shoot that gun you carry, right?” she asked him.

“I do,” he said.

“Then let’s go.”

She hunkered down and talked to Titan, stroking his head.

“Now, don’t you go after anything out here—they can be dangerous. You bark, let us know what’s happening.”

As she spoke to the dog, Axel’s phone rang. He answered it and then swore softly.

“Hung up on me,” he said, shaking his head and looking around. “Cell phones are still iffy out here.” He frowned, looking at the number.

“The hospital!” he told her, dialing the return number.

She waited, saying nothing.

He was put on hold several times. Then he listened, nodding.

He looked at Raina. “They’re going to bring Jordan out of his coma tonight or tomorrow morning. He’s doing well. They’ll let me know when he’s able to talk.”

“There’s a break!” Raina said.

“Yeah, hopefully,”