Sedona's Deadly Secret

grateful.

Chapter One

The morning after her interview with Dan, Kelly decided to hike around Bell Rock in hopes of gaining perspective on what she should do about the job offer. She was intrigued with the opportunity to do something different from what she’d always known as a journalist but, at the same time, she was a little concerned about working for a private investigator—an area where she clearly lacked knowledge.

Climbing up the path, she headed to a large flat rock that was one of her favorite places to meditate and clear her mind. She took off her backpack and laid her head against it; with her knees bent, she surrendered to the tranquility—but it didn’t last long. Kelly sensed a presence around her and opened her eyes to see if anyone was near. Raising her head, she looked in all directions. There were a few visitors further down on one of the hiking paths, but no one seemed to be close by. Confident she was alone, she resumed her meditative position. Once again she felt a presence, but this time it was much stronger. She sat straight up to check her surroundings, looking at the ledges above, below, and on either side of her, but no one was there. In the distance, she could vaguely hear the sound of muffled voices from hikers who were probably leaving. The early June’s morning sun was beginning to heat up, and Kelly had little time left to relish in her solitude.

Soaking in the warmth she began to once again relax with her eyes closed, head leaning against the backpack. The job offer wasn’t the only thing Kelly thought about. She questioned her sudden decision to quit her job at the newspaper and move to Sedona, a place she felt was calling her. She also thought about her friendship with the detective, Joe Conrad, and their chance meeting in Cripple Creek, Colorado, where together they solved the murder of her best friend, Tara. Her thoughts abruptly vanished when she heard giddy laughter coming from a young couple nearby as they climbed up to another level on Bell Rock. Opening her eyes, she saw the young couple and a few other hikers who were on their way down, but she flinched when she saw a man sitting across from her. He was only a few feet away, relaxing on a large rock that rested on the ledge she was on.

Sorry to startle you, he said. I was concerned that I was holding up the people behind me, so I decided to stop and rest a while. I hope you don’t mind. I’ll be on my way shortly.

Facing the sun, Kelly sat up and squinted, using her hand as a shield to keep the sun out. No need to hurry. I’m leaving. I’ve been here long enough and it’s starting to get too hot for me. She reached for her backpack.

Before you go, maybe you could answer a question I have about this place, said the stranger.

I doubt I’d have an answer. I’m fairly new here.

So am I. Well, actually, I don’t live here. I’m visiting my cousin for a few weeks. His wife just had back surgery, and he asked me to come out and help with the kids. I work from home on the computer, so I can do that from his house. I guess I was the most logical choice.

I doubt I can help, but what was your question?

My cousin suggested that when he’s home with the kids, I should visit some of the vortexes. I’m from Nebraska, and I have to admit that I know very little about a vortex, other than it’s where the earth feels alive and has more energy. But I don’t experience or feel a sense of enlightenment as I’ve been told I might. So I guess my question is, am I missing something?

In the few weeks Kelly had been in Sedona, she’d hiked almost every day, usually early in the morning or early evening, to avoid the heat. Her two favorite places were Airport Vortex and Bell Rock. She’d heard much about the mystique of the vortexes and how masculine and feminine energies radiated from the earth’s surface. Sedona was considered to be a very spiritual place, and people from all over the world came to visit the vortexes. Since each person was an individual, every one would experience different emotions and feelings, she was told. It was also said that the more sensitive a person was, the more heightened their senses would become. Kelly considered a lot of what she heard to be nothing more than myth, but she had to admit that when she was there sitting on a rock and absorbing all the beauty the area had to offer, she felt a serenity like none she’d ever experienced before.

Kelly reflected. I don’t know that you’re missing anything. It’s all very personal, I suppose. Perhaps what you seek is what you gain. I enjoy hiking the area and meditating on its rock formations. I feel rested and very peaceful when I leave.

Sort of like ‘stop and smell the roses’? he asked.

I guess so. She heard other people coming and, as they got closer, the stranger—without saying a word—got up and left. Kelly watched him, thinking that how he was dressed was a little odd. There doesn’t seem to be a rule of thumb or dress code when hiking or exploring vortexes, she thought. She’d certainly seen all styles of shorts, jeans, and shoes, but she’d never noticed anyone wearing what appeared to be dress shoes. She wouldn’t have thought much about the golf shirt and khaki pants he wore, but his polished brown loafers with tassels seemed an odd choice for exploring rock formations. The only item that seemed most appropriate was the red Huskers cap on his head. He is from Nebraska, and he’s only here to help his cousin with the kids, so hiking obviously wasn’t foremost on his mind, to each his own, she concluded.

Once the quietness she reveled in was disrupted, Kelly was ready to leave, but she decided to venture off the beaten path and purposely walk by the old juniper tree. Again, she felt it drawing her near. What is it about you that seems so mysterious? she asked out loud, looking up and down its trunk. In a weird way, I sense you’re trying to tell me something, but what? Walking around the juniper several times, she studied the ground beneath it and shuffled her feet through its small rocks and debris. The sun’s rays reflected off a shiny object glimmering from the area where she’d just pushed aside some rocks. She knelt down and with her hands tried to dig the dry solid ground away from it, but the hard surface wouldn’t be persuaded. Kelly reached for her water bottle, poured the rest of it around the item, and waited for it to soak in. Looking around, she found a small fallen branch and a sharp-edged rock. She worked the soil with both of them, releasing only part of the shiny object. It was enough so she could see that it was a large knife—the size a butcher would use—but it was what she thought she could see on its blade that caused her to shudder. She needed more water—the ground was unforgiving—and remembered that she had an extra bottle in her backpack. The time she had spent with Joe to solve Tara’s murder had created even more curiosity in her naturally inquisitive reporter’s mind, but it also instilled a sense of caution. She panned the area around her to make sure no one was watching, then quickly grabbed the water bottle and soaked the dirt around the knife, being careful to avoid getting water on the blade. Once it was free, she took a clean tissue from her pocket and wrapped it around the handle, placing the knife in her backpack. Before leaving, she tried to rearrange the dirt and the rocks as they were when she arrived, hoping no one would notice that the ground had been disturbed. She had an eerie feeling that she was being watched, and when she turned to leave, she saw the man with the red Huskers cap coming quickly toward her. Something about his demeanor frightened her, and she started to run just as a group of hikers came down the path. He briskly turned in the opposite direction and hurried away, and Kelly followed the hikers until she got closer to the parking lot, then ran to her car. Out of breath and shaken, she could hardly control the keys to unlock the car. Once inside, she locked the doors and sped away, hoping she wasn’t being followed. Whether there was any importance to the knife or not, Kelly couldn’t be sure, but she felt anxious and had a sense that it had its own story to tell.

Chapter Two

Kelly took several detours on her way home in order to make sure that she wasn’t being followed. When she got to her condo, she locked the door and even latched the security lock—something she’d never done before. She didn’t scare easily. For the most part, she considered herself to be a levelheaded, rational person who could understand most situations. But she was taken aback by the stranger and at finding the knife.

Why was he coming toward me? Did he see me pick up the knife? Was he just curious? There were so many questions going through her head. Since I just found the knife, did I imagine that he seemed intense? But then why did he leave as soon as the others came? She stared at the backpack she’d left on the floor by the door. Do some hikers carry large knives in case they encounter a snake, or even a vicious javalina? That could explain the knife, but not the stranger. I’ve spent too much time alone since moving to Sedona. I’m becoming paranoid, and that’s not like me.

Taking a deep breath, Kelly went to her computer at a small desk next to the patio doors and googled Bell Rock/mysteries/deaths. She was surprised to learn of three occurrences in the Bell Rock area within the last five years. Two were hikers—both foreigners—and they seemed to have fallen while climbing. The third was a woman in her late twenties, and the caption read: Sheriff suspects foul play in the death of a local woman from Jerome. The next posting said that the coroner ruled the young woman’s death at Bell Rock a homicide. Her attention piqued, Kelly clicked on the article to read the full account. The second paragraph stated that the sheriff’s department wasn’t releasing information on how the young woman—now known to be Melanie Davies, a native of Jerome, Arizona—died, only that she was murdered. In a statement to the media, Sheriff Matt Gardner said, We’re investigating several persons of interest but until we have a suspect, we will not be giving out any pertinent information that might interfere with the investigation.

The knife! I wonder if it could be the murder weapon? Kelly wanted to take it out of her backpack, but she was concerned about contaminating it even more than it might already have been. She felt she should take it to the police station and give it to the lead detective on the case, but she had a thousand questions going through her mind. What if they ask me why I was digging around the juniper tree? What if they think I know more than I’m telling them? What if they ask me why I decided to put the knife in my backpack instead of calling the police? She grabbed her cell to call Joe just as it began to ring.

Hi, Kelly. You free for lunch? My flight leaves later this afternoon, but I was hoping we could get together before I go. I’d like to see you, and I want to know what you thought of Dan and how your interview went.

Joe! I was just about to call you. Would you have time to come here to Sedona before you have to be at the airport? I can fix lunch for us. It’s important, Joe, or I wouldn’t ask. I need to show you something.

Hearing the urgency in her voice, he asked, What’s wrong, Kelly? Are you all right?

Just shaken a bit, but I’d rather not discuss it over the phone. I’m probably overreacting, but I’d like to talk with you in person. I need to take care of something, and I’m not sure exactly how to handle it. I’ll try not to keep you from missing your plane, but I’d really appreciate it if you could come here instead of me going to Flagstaff.

"Count on it. I’ll call the airlines and see if I can change to a later flight, and that way you won’t feel rushed. I’ll be there as soon