Treasure of the Anasazi Page 21

  A set of headlights rushed up behind them. The lights stayed on their tail. All of a sudden the car lurched forward as they were rammed from behind.

  “What the…?” asked Smith.

  Jones pulled his revolver and leaned out the window to shoot just as they were rammed again. Jones lost his grip on the gun, juggling it as it flew from his hand to the side of the road.

  “Give me your gun!” yelled Jones.

  “Take it! I’ve got to keep control of this car.”

  Jones reached over and yanked the revolver from his partner’s shoulder holster. He leaned out the window again, firing twice at the vehicle behind. The vehicle backed off and then its lights went out.

  “I got him!” yelled Jones with satisfaction.

  The headlights flashed back on as the vehicle lunged forward, ramming them even harder. Smith’s head whiplashed and his foot slid off the gas pedal. Dazed, Smith let the car drift to the side of the road where he brought it to a stop. The vehicle that had been following them sped by, heading on down the mountain. Both Smith and Jones watched as it drove by. It was a pickup with the Mesa Verde Park emblem on the side.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  I was sure I would catch up with them before they reached the bottom of the mountain, but I never saw them again. Now, my greatest concern was Sam’s safety, so I didn’t waste any time in continuing straight for her house. Nothing could happen to her. I pushed the accelerator further to the floor. I slid to a stop in front of her house. It was all quiet and dark. The entire neighborhood was silent. I left the jeep running as I sprinted up to her house. I pounded on the front door. There were no sounds inside. I pounded again.

  “Sam!” I yelled.

  A light came on in the house. Sam pulled back the curtain and peeked out.

  “Jack?”

  She opened the front door, yawning. Her hair was lopsided. It was obvious she had been sleeping.

  “Do you know what time it is? What’s wrong?” she mumbled, pulling her robe closed.

  I grabbed her arm and pulled her out onto the front porch.

  “I’ve got to get you out of here.”

  She jerked her arm free.

  “What are you talking about?”

  “Smith and Jones just tried to kill me by blowing up my house.”

  Sam stared at me, dumbfounded.

  “Did you hear me? They just tried to kill me, and I’m afraid you may be next. Now, let’s go.”

  She turned and ran back into the house. “I’ll be right there!” she yelled over her shoulder. “I have to get dressed.”

  “We don’t have time for that. Just grab something and hurry! They could show up at any second.”

  “Is she all right?” came a voice from behind, startling me. I jerked around to see Mr. Sawyer.

  “Where did you come from?” I asked.

  “I was nearby,” he answered. “Is she all right?” he repeated.

  “Yeah, so far. You know what happened?”

  He nodded.

  “Then you know I have to get her out of here.”

  “Go on. I’ll stay here just in case they show up.”

  “What are you going to do?”

  “I don’t know. I’ll play it by ear. Where are you going to take her?”

  “There’s only one place I know of around here where she’ll be absolutely safe.”

  He nodded that he understood as Sam came out. She was as surprised to see Sawyer as I was. Without another word we hurried to my jeep and left.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “Somewhere safe.”

  * * *

  “What do you want to do now?” asked Smith. “Maybe we should take the hint and get out of town.”

  “Without any kind of payback? You know, I’m getting pretty sick of your attitude.”

  “I’m just trying to be realistic. Nothing has been going right. Maybe we should just cut our losses and go, like I suggested yesterday.”

  “Not yet, but go ahead and take off if you want to. Your yellow streak is starting to show anyway.”

  Smith back handed Jones across the face with his fist. Jones was caught completely off guard. There was no point in fighting back. Smith was not just much larger, but had been his partner successfully for several years. He knew his comment had been uncalled for, brought on by frustration.

  “I told you I wouldn’t take that kind of talk from you and anyway, I never said I was leaving, I just made a suggestion.”

  “You didn’t have to hit me.”

  “Yeah, I did.”

  Jones wiped his bloody nose on his sleeve.

  “I reckon I’ll stick with you ‘til you’re ready to go. So now what?”

  “Stay with the plan. Trader just got lucky. The lady Ranger is next on our list…if that’s okay with you. She’s the main one on my list anyway. Head to her house. We’ll have to make sure the whole house goes up this time.”

  As they approached Sam’s house, they saw the lady Ranger and Jack get into Jack’s jeep and drive off.

  “It looks like he beat us here, so follow them and we’ll just wait for an opportunity. This still may work out.”

  Sawyer, sitting in the park pickup near Sam’s house, recognized the rusty car and the two familiar characters in it as it drove by. He pulled out from the curb, his headlights off, using only the streetlamps for light, staying far enough back not to be seen, but close enough to follow the red glow of their taillights.

  * * *

  I drove straight to Mesa Verde Park as fast as Sam would allow.

  “Why didn’t you just call Joe?” asked Sam.

  “And tell him what? I can’t tell him where they are because I don’t know. All he could do is have us come in, place us in protective custody, and wait until they catch Smith and Jones. No thanks.”

  She didn’t say another word on the way to the park. We drove past the office without slowing down. Sam looked over at me and stared.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Weren’t you going to stop at the office?”

  “No.”

  “Then may I ask where you’re taking me?”

  “I’m taking you to the village in the Restricted Area.”

  “Why would we go there?”

  “Smith and Jones couldn’t find it, so it stands to reason that it’s where you will be the safest.”

  “Are you sure you’re not blowing this all out of proportion?”

  “They…blew…up…my…house.”

  “Okay, okay. So, how long am I supposed to stay out here?”

  “Until I know you’re safe.”

  * * *

  Smith and Jones followed at a distance that was just far enough not to lose them and not close enough to raise suspicions. Sawyer wasn’t far behind.

  “It looks like we’re headed back to the park,” observed Smith.

  “I think you’re right. One good thing is that there won’t be anyone around to get in our way.”

  They watched as Jack and the Ranger drove past the office, without the brake lights coming on once. They hadn’t even slowed down.

  “Where do you suppose they’re going?” asked Smith.

  “Towards the Restricted Area,” speculated Jones. “Stop here at the office. We’ll pick up a little extra firepower and get the party started by leaving the Ranger a little something.”

  Smith easily kicked in the office door. They found the gun case against one wall, out in plain sight. A cheap lock had been used on the case, which broke off easily. Their hand guns from the other night were in the ammunition drawer, which they grabbed. Each also took a Winchester 30/30 and all the ammo they could carry.

  “This should put the odds in our favor. Now get the dynamite so we can leave a little surprise.”

  Jones lit the two-foot-long fuse while Smith waited in the car, ready to speed off. The fuse length would give them plenty of time to get away before the explosion. Smith took the paved road leading in the direction Jack and the
Ranger had taken.

  Sawyer entered through the open door. He heard the sizzle and saw the flickering light of the burning fuse and quickly found it. Casually he stepped on the bundle of dynamite with one foot and pulled out the fuse, tossing it to the side.

  “Did you hear anything? There should have been an explosion by now,” said Smith.

  “Just keep going. The fuse must have been bad. When we get finished out here, we’ll swing back by and try again.”

  * * *

  The beam from the headlights panned across the ‘Do Not Enter’ sign on the fence of the Restricted Area. I pulled up near the fence and turned off the jeep. I felt better now. Sam would be safe here. I relaxed a bit, let out a sigh and leaned back to stare at the starry sky.

  “What are you doing?” asked Sam.

  “Isn’t the sky clear tonight? Look at the moon and all those stars. This is just one of the things I love about being out here. You won’t find this view anywhere in town.”

  “Are you okay?”

  I smiled at her. “I think so. Almost being blown to bits makes a guy stop and enjoy what’s around him. Like you.”

  “Now I know there’s something wrong with you.” He was acting differently and she liked it.

  Sam hopped out of the jeep. “Do you know where to go now?”

  “I think so. I’ve never been there at night before though.”

  The moon was full, dimly lighting everything well enough to see where I stepped. I helped Sam through the fence. Just as we began to walk, Sarah suddenly appeared.

  Sam, startled, “Who…?”

  I placed my hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay. This is Sarah. Sarah, Sam. I guess it’s about time you two met.”

  Sam stepped past me, her hand out. “So,…you’re the…”

  Sarah only smiled.

  “Sarah, we need your help,” I interrupted.

  “I know. Come with me. We’ve been expecting you.”

  Sarah led us on the familiar trail. Sam nudged me and whispered,” I can see her so clearly.” I just smiled. Sam stayed behind me as Sarah led us to the Anasazi canyon and village. We became aware of sounds and movement in the brush off to each side of the trail, just out of sight, matching our pace. The sounds were of panting and the sound of padded feet repeatedly hitting the sandy soil. Sam moved ahead to a position between Sarah and me.

  “Jack, something’s out there,” said Sam.

  “Don’t worry,” I assured her. “They’re with us. Just keep moving.”

  I knew she had more questions, but showed an amazing amount of restraint, based on how well I knew her. In a matter of minutes I saw that we were entering the canyon where the village was located. It was fairly quiet, but expected, since it was the middle of the night. Entering the village I was surprised to see many of the Anasazi still walking about or congregating about the fires. I could tell that Sam was overwhelmed, looking as I suspect I did the first time coming here. A huge grin suddenly appeared on her face as she turned to take it all in, then looked at me, evidently searching for the right words.

  “This is incredible. You jerk, why didn’t you bring me out here sooner?” she asked, as she slugged me in the arm.

  “How could I? I just found out about all this myself.”

  “This way,” directed Sarah. Several of the village women came out to us and coaxed us to follow them. It occurred to me that certain individuals had been protecting the Anasazi by keeping them safe and hidden for who knows how long and now it was the Anasazi who were protecting us.

  We were led up a series of steps and handholds carved from the stone face of the canyon wall, up to the main level of the nearest cliff dwelling. Sarah took us to a series of steps leading down to an arched doorway. Inside was a large open room which Sarah explained was their ceremonial kiva. Inside, the walls were lined with small burning pots, dimly lighting the interior. Over the years I had entered the remains of many kivas, but all had been much smaller than this. Sam and I were both amazed to find one wall lined with the armor and weapons of who I suspect were Spanish Conquistadors. In the center of the room was a still pool of water, the moonlight reflecting off of it through a centrally located roof opening.

  “Sarah, is this …?”

  “Yes, Jack, this is the spring where the Anasazi drink to receive the gift of life.”

  “This is amazing.”

  “Jack, you didn’t know about any of this?” asked Sam.

  “No, I swear. I had never heard anything about this village or this spring until a few days ago, but I didn’t believe the village actually existed until two days ago and this is the first time I’ve seen the spring. And if I hadn’t seen this armor with my own eyes, I still wouldn’t have believed that the Spaniards had come here. There’s no record that they traveled anywhere near this area.”

  “Maybe these things were brought from somewhere else,” suggested Sam.

  “It’s possible, I suppose.”

  “No, their journey ended here,” said Sarah. “I have listened to the stories around the campfires and know that these people were forced to protect themselves. The Spaniards killed many and attempted to enslave the rest. The Spaniards had no idea of what the Anasazi were capable of, until it was too late. Once the Anasazi realized they had no choice, it was all over in a matter of minutes. No one escaped.”

  “That’s why there’s no record,” whispered Sam.

  “Makes sense,” I said.

  I turned back to Sarah.

  “Can you watch Sam and keep her safe?” I asked.

  “Of course.”

  “Wait a minute. Where are you going?” asked Sam.

  “I can’t stand waiting in here. I need to be out there to know what’s going on, whether we were successful in escaping Smith and Jones.”

  “You heard Sarah. They won’t stand a chance even if they do come here.”

  “I’m sure that’s probably true, but I’m not going to sit here twiddling my thumbs and hope everything’s going to work out. I brought you here to make sure you stay safe and that’s just what I’m going to do. I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

  A smile slowly appeared on Sam’s face.

  “I don’t want anything to happen to you either.” I looked into Sam’s eyes and moved towards her, then stopped when I realized Sarah was watching, also smiling.

  We heard the distant muffled sound of gun shots. A few random ones at first followed by the rapid succession of many more. I poked my head out of the kiva. The echo of the shots off the canyon walls was clear, but the direction of their origin wasn’t. Intermixed were the sounds of howls and yelps of pain. The sounds seemed to be getting progressively closer to the village.

  Somehow Smith and Jones must have followed us.

  “I’m sorry, Sam. I was wrong. We didn’t fool anyone. They must have followed us here.”

  “Smith and Jones?”

  “Who else? Yes, Smith and Jones. It sounds like they’re almost here.”

  “There is no need for you to worry. They will be stopped,” offered Sarah calmly. “Just as the Spaniards were. If you stay here, you will be safe.”

  “The Spaniards didn’t have today’s weapons either,” I reminded her.

  * * *

  Sawyer followed Smith and Jones with the headlights off until they stopped near Jack’s jeep. He stopped maybe a hundred yards back. Turning off the pickup, he moved in slowly. He heard them arguing before they crossed the fence, but couldn’t quite make out what it was about. He let them get a little ways ahead before he started over the fence. He stopped halfway over, then hopped back down. This couldn’t have turned out any better, he told himself. He was confident that if he let events follow their natural course, Smith and Jones would be dealt with in a most disagreeable and deadly way. As a result, the secret of these people would once again remain intact, and these two would never threaten anyone ever again. The Anasazi were survivors and perfectly capable of dealing with these two, protecting Sam, and eliminatin
g any kind of threat to the village. He wasn’t worried about Jack, he was confident he could take care of himself. Sawyer had two objectives, to make sure the secret of Mesa Verde stayed just that, a secret, and to eliminate the immediate threat in any way he deemed necessary. Now, the Anasazi would do the job for him. All he had to do was sit back and wait. Sawyer returned to the pickup and slouched down in the seat, smiling to himself.

  * * *

  Two young Anasazi men entered the kiva. They spoke briefly to Sarah. She smiled and nodded to them as they took up places on each side of the entrance.

  “The elders have sent them here to protect you,” she explained. “You have nothing to worry about.”

  “What about Jack?”

  “He is safe.”

  “Will you stay with me too?” asked Sam.

  Sarah smiled. “I’d love to.”

  * * *

  Smith and Jones ducked into a narrow arroyo to take up temporary refuge and reload.

  “How much ammo do you have left?” asked Jones, out of breath.

  “I’ve still got two boxes,” Smith replied, as he glanced back out to the main trail. There were no movements or sounds.

  “I hope it’s enough. It seems they backed off as soon as we stopped.”

  “I’ve never seen so many wolves in my life. I’m not sure I hit any of them. It seemed like they were actually dodging the bullets. How is that possible?”

  “Let’s keep moving. The lady Ranger and her friend, Jack, can’t be too far ahead. We’ll take care of them and then get the hell out of here.”

  “Do you know which way they went?” asked Smith.

  “We’ll just keep following this canyon trail.”

  As soon as they stepped out, they were surrounded by growling again, obviously a warning. They ignored them and kept moving. The sounds moved as they did. Both were becoming jumpy, spinning at the snap of a twig. At the next bend, four of the massive coyote stood side by side across the trail, blocking their way. Their teeth were bared and each released a deep guttural growl. Smith and Jones stopped. They looked back for a possible retreat, but several more of the coyote had moved in, surrounding them on all sides.