Chapter 33
Hours later

Erin tried to walk causally with Robin at her elbow.  She had to keep reminding herself to mot let on to anyone that might be watching what they were up to.  They arrived at the spot Charlie had indicated during their short walk.  They walked a couple yards past and then  “causally” made their way into the trees.  Through the protection of the sheltering trees the two women dropped their persona and breathed a sigh of nervousness.

Out of nowhere Ally appeared carrying a bag, she handed it to Robin and slipped away without a word.  They had arranged this meeting so that no one would see them carrying a bad and put two-and-two together.

“Okay now all we have to do is find the fountain that your father said was here.”  Robin looked around for a trail or path or something to lead them in the right direction.

“Let’s head down to where he told me to look.  He said that it might be a little hard to find because it is over grown.”

They circled around the aria that Charlie had told Erin, but they couldn’t find it.  At last Erin became frustrated.  She stopped at the side of the trail.  “Where could it be?”  Erin asked no one.  She angrily kicked at one of the bushes.  “Ouch!”  Erin fell back with some pain.

“Are you okay?”  Robin hurried over to her.

“Yes I’m fine.  I just kicked a rock or something.”  Erin got up off the ground and tried to walk away but part of the plant was caught on her pance.  She pulled on it and it tore away from the rest of the plants to revile part of a stone structure.

“I think that answers your question.”  Robin took hold of some more vines and branches and began to move them and Erin joined her.  In an hour they had only uncovered a small section.  The inside was like a tunnel because for some reason the plants had not filled the basin of the fountain and created a tent like structure.

By that time the sun had set and it had begun to grow dark.  Erin stopped and looked at her watch.  It was 9:30!  “Robin we’ll have to hurry.  He’ll be looking for us; it’s past dark.”

Robin stopped moving around and listened, she could hear voices not to far off.  She looked around for some place where they could hide but she saw nothing and the voices were mocking in their direction.  Along with the voices she could hear dogs barking.

“Why don’t we just clime one of the trees?”  Erin whispered.

“No they have dogs this time, they most likely are trackers.  But don’t worry, I have something to fix that.  The best thing we can do is get in the fountain.”  Robin dug into the bag and pulled out a leather pouch the size of a fist and then tossed her bag into the hidden room underneath the protective cloak of thorns and vines.  Erin followed the bag in and poked her head out of the opening.  “I’ll be right behind you.  Get the pen light out of my bag and work on trying to find that lose tile.”

Erin rummaged around in the bad and found the light.  She turned the beam on low and narrow.  She held onto it with her teeth and crowed on her hands and knees.  The floor of the fountain was covered thick with dirt and leafs and she almost had to dig to find the seams between the stones.

Robin popped into the hiding place and motioned for her to turn off the light.  Erin switched off the light and sat motionless.  Moments later voices came near and they could hear barking of dogs.

Two men holding dogs came into the wooded area.  The two dogs were followed a scent that they had picked up a wile back, as soon as they came within 20 feet of the old fountain the dogs went haywire and began to jump around wildly.

Then men spoke loudly to the dogs and one man gave the other the leash of his dog and continued on looked around wile the other took the dogs back to the house.  The first man turned on his flashlight, swept it over the trees and swept it over trees and walked by the fountain.  A noise caught his attention and he walked over to the mound of plants.  He saw a flash of light from the bushes.  He hurried over to the bushes and found a hole that lead into the basin of a fountain.  There was nothing there but a bunch of dirt and leavs.  He dismissed the noise and went back to his search.

 

Erin and Robin sat motionless, holding their breath, afraid to make the smallest of sounds.  When they had sat for what felt like an eternity Erin whispered into the blackness.  “Do you think we should check and see if he’s still out there?”

Robin switched her pen light on low and shook her head.  “No I think we should get moving and get out of this hole as soon as possible.”  Erin agreed and they crawled their way to what they hoped would be freedom.