“I got you. ” He held a hand out. “I promise, you’ll love it. ”
She practically had to crawl up, clutching his hand and clawing at roots to clamber up behind him. Finally, she made it to the top, and he held her shoulders to steady her.
“Careful. ” He led her along a narrow ledge. “I need you in one piece, so you can see”—he put his hands on her shoulders, angling her—“this. ”
She gasped. The path led to a black hole in the wall of the hill. Rotted timber posts at the entrance told her it was more than just a natural cave. “What’s that?”
“An old gold mine,” he said, sounding as giddy as a kid. “I’ll show you. ”
She grabbed his shirt to stop him. “Is it safe?”
“Sure. ” He tugged her forward. “I’ve been here a bunch of times now. ”
As they got closer, she caught a glimpse inside, taking in the deep hallway and timber scaffolding. “Wow, it really is a mine. ” The Sierra Nevada foothills were gold country—there must’ve been half a dozen gold rush tourist spots in El Dorado County alone—but she’d never been inside an actual mine. “Holy cow. And this is on our land?”
“Yup,” he called from inside. “All yours. Too bad it’s not worth a dime. ”
“I’ll say. ” She followed him in, stopping to let her eyes adjust. It was dark, but not pitch-black. She sniffed, picking up a distant smell, pungent, like urine. “What is that? Is there, like, an army of homeless prospectors still down there?”
He laughed. “It’s okay. Just bats. They won’t hurt you. ”
She scowled, not buying it. “I guess. ”
He came back, guiding her shoulders. “I promise. It’s totally safe. I’ve been hiking here since I found it. ”
Curiosity got the better of her, and she felt comfortable enough to look around. The place was in remarkably pristine condition, with regular wooden posts and tracks for a rail cart, just like in the movies. “How come not everyone knows about this?”
“I did some research down at Town Hall. The mine was a failure. ”
“You did research?”
“Yes, Bail. I did research. ” He walked in farther, leaning against a railing. “The Comstock Lode hit, and folks forgot about this place. ”
She went to stand next to him, then yelped and hopped back a step. He was standing at the edge of a narrow shaft. She registered the rusted pulley overhead, rotting ropes dangling from it like cobwebs. A ladder led one level down, dark enough that the floor below could easily have been just an illusion. “Creepy. ”
“I thought you’d like it. ” He picked up a rock and tossed it down. It landed on a platform just one story down, but the sound echoed and echoed.
“You’re such a guy,” she accused. “Don’t do anything crazy, okay?”
“It’s pretty safe, don’t worry. ”
“Pretty safe?” She shivered, backing up another step. “I’ll take your word for it. You’re right, though. It is cool. How’d you even find it?”
“I didn’t. Coop did. ”
“Your dog found it?”
“We were hunting. He scented a fox and wouldn’t let it go. He followed her to a den just outside. There was a whole litter of kits—I swear there were a dozen of the things. ”
“Please tell me Cooper didn’t eat them. ”
“Never fear. You know Coop wouldn’t hurt a fly. ” Damien laughed. “It’s why he’s such a sucky hunting dog. ”
A quiet hissing sounded outside, and she went back to the entrance, glancing out to see a drizzle starting to fall. Nothing serious—just a gentle Sierra misting—but enough that she found herself a spot between rails and slid to the ground, leaning against the side of the tunnel.
He tossed down his backpack and joined her. “Hungry?”
“Starved. ” A light breeze billowed in, bringing the scent of damp pine needles. It was serene—and eerie, but in a pleasant way. She tucked into a turkey and Havarti sandwich and asked between bites, “So you really just wanted to show me this place?”