Kathlyn Trent, Marcus Burton 01 - Valley of the Shadow by Kathryn Le Veque Page A

don’t have to be here for it. I know what they’ll find.”
    “So where are we going?”
    Kathlyn thought of a distant pacific shore. “Home,” she said. “I need to rest awhile.”
    The thought agreed with all of them. Debra Jo had a son she hadn’t seen in a few months, and Juliana had visions of stock car racing that she’d been away from far too long.  Home was a good destination and they were secretly relieved.
    Juliana snapped off one of the lights and pulled a sheet up over Kathlyn. As she and Debra Jo settled down for the night, the tent flap suddenly brushed aside and Burton filled the tent with his great hulking presence. The women yelped with outrage.
    “Dr. Burton!” Juliana put herself between Kathlyn and Burton. “What in the hell are you doing?”
    Burton didn’t have time to argue. He had just run all the way from the East Valley. “I need Dr. Trent.”
    Kathlyn rolled over, eyeing him. “Get out, Burton. I have no desire to…”
    He moved around Juliana as carefully as he could without bulldozing her over. Kneeling beside Kathlyn’s bed, there was a sense of urgency about his manner that was unlike him. Kathlyn didn’t notice it, however; she was too exhausted, too emotionally drained to care.
    “I don’t have time to explain, but I need you to come with me, now.” He wanted to pull her to her feet but he didn’t want to hurt her hands. “Please, Kathlyn. It’s important.”
    She just lay there, staring at him, not at all impressed that he had just called her by her given name. He'd always called her by her title until now. “I’m exhausted. Whatever it is, you can handle it, I’m sure. Leave me alone.”
    He exhaled sharply, his hands hovering above her as if not quite sure where he could grab her without hurting her. He wanted her up and moving.
    “I know I said a lot of things this afternoon that I shouldn’t have and I’m sorry,” he rushed his apology, though it was clear that it was sincere. “I was just pissed off because you’ve made more progress in two days than I’ve made in three seasons. But you were right. You were absolutely right and God forgive me for doubting you. Dennis and Lynn did some digging after you left and they came up with something. I need you to come and take a look.”
    Juliana and Debra Jo forgot their outrage. Even Kathlyn perked up. “What did they find?” she asked.
    He couldn’t keep the awe, and irony, from his voice. “A step. So far, we’ve uncovered five.”
    Kathlyn sat bolt upright in bed. “Five steps?” she repeated, incredulous. "Descending into the slope?”
    He was smiling. “No. Ascending up the hill.”
    She caught his excitement. "My God,” she gasped. “No wonder the ground scans didn't pick it up. If the tomb is located up the hill...."
    "Nothing short of good old fashioned digging or drilling straight into the side of the hill would have discovered it."
    She clapped her bandaged hands in delight. "I knew it! I just knew it!"
    He looked at her, studying her bright smile, her overall joy. No conceit, no gloating, just pure excitement. "By damn, if you didn't. Mind telling me how?"
    "That hocus-pocus you were talking about."
    He didn't have a snappy reply. It took the three of them to help get her socks, boots and sweatshirt on. After that, she beat them to the site.
     
     
     
     

 
     
    CHAPTER FIVE
     
    Five weeks later
     
    Kathlyn emerged from her tent into the dawn of a new day. The sun was barely up, ribbons of pink and gold bleeding across the eastern horizon.  She stretched and yawned, giving Juliana an indignant look when the woman exited the tent and plowed into her. But Juliana needed her coffee and was heading to the mess tent, and Kathlyn needed to get to the dig site. Dressed in a pair of denim shorts, a white shirt, her trademark duster and big boots, she marched her way through the rousing camp towards the east valley.
    Already, work was going on in the dig area, an excavation site now known as