CHAPTER NINE

A/N We resume the usual story in progress…Maura fell into an underground cavern. Let's see if we can give her a hand and get her back home. A big Thank You to those of you riding this train with me. I appreciate the company. And now, back to the fabulous Dr. Maura Isles.

Maura landed with a thump that knocked the breath from her lungs, but not on the hard packed earth or various jagged edged boulders. She landed on a two person inflatable Coleman boat. "Unbelievable!" she sputtered digging one of the aluminum oars from her backside. The craft was in perfect condition, well it had been. One of the oars now resembled a U. The other was in pristine condition and the boat was begging her to drag it to the gurgling stream less than a hundred feet from where she lay and paddle out of here as fast as her muscles could propel her. In five hours, at most, she would be safe.

At the mouth of the cavern, she stopped and took a look around the shadowy refuge. In addition to the boat, a sleeping bag, two Coleman lanterns, a camp stove, and a small stool provided a somewhat homey feel. Someone had set up a temporary living quarters. The ten million dollar question was; FBI, or one of Savages' crew?

FBI would detain her asking a zillion questions she couldn't answer. If the hiding place belonged to Savage, she wouldn't have to worry about questions. She was pretty sure they would shoot first and forego asking any questionsr. "Oh my God!" Maura scrambled from the boat limping slightly. The oar wasn't the only thing dented. Her ankle had sustained a slight twist. She could soak it in the cold water of the stream and elevate it on the edge of the boat. However, there would be no compression or rest until she found civilization.

"An M4 and a Remington shotgun." Further evidence of FBI presence, but just as likely belonging to Savage. She stood looking from one weapon to the other a long minute. "If Jane were here, she would grab them both and head for the nearest motorist. She would probably scare them into running off the road and therefore not be any closer to being rescued." Maura squared her shoulders and limped to the rifle and shotgun. Jane wasn't here and she was on her own. She was going to make sure these handsome fellows didn't scare anyone. She thought about hiding them in the cavern, but decided on a more permanent solution.

"I say we take a little swim." With that, she hefted one weapon in each hand and very carefully made her way to the rushing water. She shifted the rifle into the hand holding the shotgun and bent to select a heavy pebble. "Let's see if you are as deep as your reflection suggests." She tossed the pebble into the clear dancing water. It landed with a satisfying thunk and slipped onto the sandy bottom of the streambed. The stream was a good four feet deep here at the mouth of the cavern. It would do nicely. "Most definitely time for a swim Boys."

She transferred the rifle back into her empty hand and raised it above her head. "If you have been used in the service of protecting your country, thank you and I apologize for the damage you are about to sustain. If you have been used for nefarious purposes, this is nothing personal." Maura tossed the heavy weapon as far into the stream as she was able. She then performed a similar ritual with the shotgun.

Beads of perspiration trickled down her face stinging her eyes. "I haven't been exposed to the sun long enough for heat exhaustion to set in. It has to be a reaction to the extreme stress of the situation. Why else would I hold a conversation with a rifle and a shotgun?" She wiped her face on the tail of her jacket and encountered a familiar object.

"My phone!" Thinking she was far enough away to obtain a clear signal, she opened the phone only to close it with a quick snap and an uncharacteristic curse. The signal was obviously being jammed. The only one with something to gain by cutting off the world was Savage. She would have to get in the boat and pray she chose the right direction.

Thinking the occupants of the cavern may have stored other supplies, she returned to the dim interior and went in search of food and something to drink. In a small cooler she found a six pack of sugary sodas and a leftover sandwich. She ignored the pieces of crust from a second sandwich and ravenously pulled her treasure form the wrinkled baggie. "Beggars can not be choosers." She sank onto the stool the peanut butter and grape jelly sandwich in her lap. She pulled the tab on the soda and raised it to her lips. The cool metal stung the unprotected skin of her lips. If only she hadn't been forced to leave her purse behind. She desperately needed her lipstick! The Broder brothers had collected the women's bags and stuffed them into a plastic garbage bag for disposal. She uttered a quick blessing and took a bracing sip followed by a huge bite of the peanut butter and jelly. "Not as good as peanut butter and fluff, but right now, it tastes like a filet mignon!"

Once the sandwich and soda were nestled happily in her stomach, Maura returned to the boat. She could steer perfectly well with one oar, but it would be slow and extremely tiring. After running all night, her reserves were less than ideal for a white water excursion. Still she didn't have a multitude of choices. The longer she hesitated, the greater chance Savage and his men would re-capture her. She owed it to James and the women being held as spare body parts to try.

After a brief tug of war with the boat, she had it at the water's edge and was ready to begin her voyage. She tossed the bent oar into the boat next to the working one. With a tired sigh, she pushed the boat into the water and successfully half leapt half fell into it. Maura righted herself and settled in the center of the boat. True she hadn't rowed since college, but it would come back to her.

She could go upstream and try her luck, or she could go downstream and see what waited there. Instinct told her to go upstream. After an hour of rowing with one good oar, she was drenched in sweat and second guessing her decision to go upstream. She allowed the boat to float on it's own a minute as she searched her inner compass. It had to be the correct direction. Going downstream would only carry her back into Savages clutches.

"Do you need help Miss?" A chuckling male voice called from a short dock less than five feet away.

"Oh my. I. Yes. I'm Maura, Medical Examiner of Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Phone?" She realized she was babbling like an idiot and stopped to gather her scattered wits.

"I recognize you from the paper. You're Paddy Doyle's little girl. What are you doing in that boat?" The man asked his warm brown eyes laughing, but not in an unkind way.

"You know my Fath…Paddy Doyle?" Maura snapped.

"Easy there. I meant no disrespect to you or your Dad. I'm Brian." he held up his hands in a gesture of contrition.

"None taken." Maura drew a calming breath and asked in a more reasonable tone. "Brian, do you have a working phone?"

Instead of answering, he waded into the chilly water and pulled the boat to his dock. "Toss me that line and I'll secure your craft."

"Does that mean you do, or do not have a working phone?" Maura asked tossing him the nylon rope. She watched in mute admiration as he expertly secured the boat to the dock.

Brian chuckled at her seemingly single mindedness. "I do indeed have a working phone. May I call you Maura, or would you prefer Dr. Isles?" He flashed a smile framed by two deep dimples.

She was racing a million laps a second in her mind wondering what to tell him. How much could she trust him? For that matter, could she trust anyone in this part of the state? He could easily work for Savage. The boat and the cavern hideaway could be his. Maura chewed her bottom lip in indecision. She was exhausted, smelled like a farm animal and desperately wanted to lay down and sleep for a year after consuming the entire contents of a grocery store. She had to take a chance. Six people depended on her to save them.

"Maura is fine." She came to a decision. "Brian, I need to get in touch with Detective Vince Korsak or Detective Barry Frost of the Boston Police Department. There are six people in grave danger. They need to contact the FBI and tell them "the horse is ready to leave the barn". Detective Korsak needs to get the SWAT team ready to go in and rescue them. If we don't hurry they will be chopped into little pieces and sold on the black market. Don't just stand there Brian. We gotta move now! Lives are at stake." She gave him a pleading look and made a wobbly leap onto the solid deck. It felt so good to have solid wood under her feet. She felt him reach for her and folded into the welcoming heat of his arms.

"Easy. Maura, slow down. If you're talking about James and the Savage property, help is already on the way. Take a breath and let's get you inside." Brian guided her into the small home being used as FBI headquarters.

"How did you know…"

He clamped his lips against the urge to tell her the entire saga. Were the rumors about the ME and a certain Detective true? One could get lost in the alluring hazel depths of Maura Isles intelligent gaze. He gave himself a hard mental shake. He was starting to sound like one of those racy novels found at the supermarket checkout stands. The ones with heaving bosoms and throbbing manhood's. He risked a peek at a certain bosom. She certainly would make his manhood throb given the right circumstances.

"Are you staring at my breasts?" Maura blurted, her filter completely worn away by exhaustion and the need for nutrition.

Brian turned red and quickly looked away. He had been caught like a naughty school boy peeking at the hot teenager next door. What in the hell was wrong with him? He was a full grown red-blooded man and she was a very attractive woman. If he wanted to look at her breasts, dammit, he would look at her breasts! He flashed his disarming smile and admitted. "I have to say, I was and they are magnificent."

Now it was Maura's turn to blush. He was an extremely handsome man, but she wasn't here for a date. Lives were in her hands and right now she was acting like a hormonal teenager. She chewed her lip a long moment and admitted. "I think I'm seeing someone."

"Just my luck. All the amazing women are taken. Let's get you to that phone and let your people know you are OK." Brian led her through the back door and into the homey kitchen. He pulled out a sturdy wooden chair and guided her down into it. Once she was settled into the chair, he found a glass and poured a tall iced lemonade and even found a few bites of leftover crab salad. "Eat, I'll dial."

Maura grabbed the glass and downed over half in one long satisfying gulp. She then held the plate in one hand and shoveled the delicious treat into her mouth. She couldn't eat fast enough to satisfy her raging hunger. In between bites, she rattled off Korsak's number for Brian.

"I'll leave you to handle your business. If you need me before I return, you can explore or just give a nice loud yell." He gave her a playful wink and left the kitchen.

"Doctor Isles? Is it really you?" Huge teardrops fell onto the empty plate as she registered the familiar raspy voice.

"Maura! Maura, are you OK. Dammit Korsak give me the phone!" Jane demanded.

"I'm OK. Jane, I'm OK. How are you? Jane I'm so sorry." The tears now ran freely down her cheeks.

"Shhh. Forget all that now. Just tell me where you are. Frost and I are coming to get you!"

"I'm." The room began to spin and her head felt full of cotton. Brian had drugged her. Maura fell over onto the table her face barely missing the edge of the plate.

A/N Maura has jumped from the frying pan seemingly into the fire. Is Brain FBI? Does he work for Savage? Will Jane and company be able to locate Maura? It will probably be Thursday before I am able to post the next chapter. Sorry, but work rules most of the week….. Thanks for reading!