Konocti Caves (Cobb Mt Mystery Series Book 3) Read online

  Mrs. Capra let out another sigh, but this one was a sigh of self satisfaction which made Kat wonder if this was what she had wanted all along. She smiled and reached over and patted Mrs. Capra’s hand and said, “You are a remarkable woman, Jane. I know we are going to be great friends!” She stood up and helped clear the table, then hugged Mrs. Capra and laughed as she walked to the door saying, “ I was planning on inviting you to go with me to Serendipity Art and Boutique, in Lucerne. Diane Liebe is displaying some of her painted jackets and shoes; but I’ll let you get back to your nap. You will no doubt need it before Jimmy returns, all keyed up over Konocti Mountain and the caves.”

  “Watch out Jimmy! Don’t be picking up rocks up here, unless you are ready to face a snake!” Ron called laughingly- although he was serious. Jimmy halted and took his hands off from a rock that he was about to tip over. “It doesn’t take much of a space for a snake to crawl under to get out of the heat.” Ron then pointed to some wiggly lines in the soft red dirt and said, “That’s tracks of a snake of some kind- and I wouldn’t be surprised if it were a rattler.”

  “Aren’t they hibernating? I thought they only came out in the summer,” Jimmy said obviously worried.

  “They come out briefly on sunny days all year long. And besides, this is early fall. The temperatures are still plenty comfortable for snakes.” Seeing the worry on Jimmy’s face he added, “But we don’t have to be afraid- just careful. If we leave them alone chances are they will leave us alone. But you don’t want to surprise a snake by crashing through the brush or lifting a rock up off of one.” Then the man took that opportunity to teach him how to escape an advancing snake. Picking up a long thin branch, he broke off the thin spindly limbs and said, “If you point this long stick at the snake it will follow it with its head and most likely strike at it. You can get the snake headed away from you that way.”

  Jimmy thought about it for a minute before replying, “Just make sure it’s a long stick!”

  Ron laughed; and the two guys continued their hike up the mountain. After a while Ron stopped and said “Look at this, Jimmy. This is a manzanita tree- see these tiny berries? They’re edible. Native Americans used to eat them raw and even made jam and juice out of these little berries,” Ron said pulling a few berries off the branch rolling them in the palm of his hand. “But bears love manzanita berries too. Uncle Lenny,” Ron continued- referring to his wife’s uncle as ‘Uncle’ deliberately wanting to instill a family connection for Jimmy- “always says: ‘Where ever you find manzanita trees you’ll find bears’. So we better keep our eyes out for bears, as well. If you see one in the day they are just out for a stroll and a snack, it’s best to back slowly away from them. Don’t run- it will trigger a natural instinct to chase you. But if you encounter one at night it’s another story all together. Fight for your life, because black bears do their serious hunting at night.”

  “Grizzlies?” Jimmy asked wide eyed.

  “No, the bears that live here in Lake County are black bears not grizzly. The last grizzly here was killed in 1928, I believe.” Ron was thoroughly enjoying this hike with Little Jimmy and was happy to have an opportunity to teach him a few survival skills. “Another night animal common to Lake County is the mountain lion. They do their hunting mostly at night as well; but it’s not unheard of to have a sighting in the day. And they are equally dangerous during the day or night. The chances of you seeing them are slim, since they would usually spot a human first and hide. But good to keep that in mind should you see one, and never turn your back on it. And of course don’t run… make yourself look as big as possible. Pick up a stick and wave it and while making a lot of noise; and back away slowly.” Noticing a worried look, he patted the boy on the shoulder and reassured him with, “Don’t worry Jimmy you’ll never be out in the wilderness with out an adult.”

  Then thinking it best to change the subject, Ron shaded his eyes with his hand; and looking up the trail said, “I wonder how far we are from the summit?” Ron had been able to drive his SUV up Konocti Road from Kelseyville which snaked up between two of the Konocti peaks- Howard and South Peaks and ended at Wrights Peak below the summit. They had to head out on foot from there; and had been hiking about an hour. “Whatta ya say to a cold drink?”

  “Sounds great!” Jimmy said and pulled his back pack off and looked around cautiously for a place to sit. He looked at Ron questioningly.

  Ron smiled happy at this rare sign of trust. After walking around a fallen tree he said, “I think we’ll be fine on this log.” They each pulled out their canteen from the side pocket of their backpacks and took a drink. “Funny how water from a canteen tastes so good,” he said grinning at Jimmy who had just imitated him by wiping his mouth with the back of his forearm. Ron tested him by reaching up and taking off his cap and wiped his brow with his arm, and was rewarded by Jimmy copying him again. This trip had been a great idea. He wondered how things were going with Kat’s visit with Mrs. Capra.

  Seeing that Jimmy was already getting antsy he said, “Well if we’re going to find these caves you’re so crazy about, we better get going,” and stood up.

  Jimmy jumped up and cried out “Yeah, Konocti Caves here we come!” He started to run ahead but then as if remembering Ron’s warnings about snakes and wild animals he stopped abruptly; but after awhile he could barely contain himself from running ahead and would run in spurts before repeatedly putting the breaks on.

  Ron and Jimmy finally reached the summit of one of Konocti’s peaks. The two stood there gazing out over Lake County in awe. The view was breathtaking, and Ron found himself wishing Kat was there to enjoy it with them. He smiled as he thought, “Someday the three of us will return as a family.” Impulsively he reached over and put his arm around Jimmy’s shoulder; but quickly removed it when he felt the little boy stiffen. He was reminded of Little Jimmy’s years of neglect and abuse. Trying to diffuse the tension he had created he said “Let’s find the caves,” realizing that he said it a little too gently he coughed pretending to have a dry throat and laughed it off.

  “Which way?” Jimmy asked eagerly, looking around.

  “I don’t know, Jimmy, you’re the expert on this mountain, and of the caves. You tell me!” Jimmy obviously liked that, because he grinned widely and looked around again- this time with an air of authority.

  “Well, let’s take a look over that way,” he said and now it was his turn to teach Ron, “Actually they aren’t really caves. They are vents. I read that in 1818 the water level got so low that a huge cave was discovered at the base of East Peak but I don’t know if it’s true or not. But the vents up here are a fact. The largest one is on the East Peak. But it was dynamited closed because some kids fell down it and they didn’t want anyone else to. There’s legends that that there are large catacombs but no one knows for sure.” The excitement in Little Jimmy’s voice was only outdone by the excitement in his sparkling blue eyes as he spoke nonstop about the many legends and rumors told about Mt. Konocti. Ron tried to hide his amazement. Not that he was surprised at Jimmy’s knowledge. He knew that, except for required school books, all Jimmy ever read was books on Lake County geology especially those featuring Konocti. What had him stunned was how Jimmy was able to articulate it all so clear and concise; and without a bit of the self-consciousness that he usually displayed when talking. He wanted him to keep talking. To keep this enthusiasm.

  “What do you think Jimmy?” Ron asked, partly to keep the conversation going and partly because he really wanted to know.

  “I think that there might be a…” Jimmy started and then gave a long sideways glance towards Ron to make sure he wasn’t patronizing him before continuing, “I think these mountain peaks are magna chambers formed by repeated magma flows which would have formed caverns as they cooled. I think that there might be the world’s largest cavern in one of these peaks… and maybe the tallest volcanic shaft inside here somewhere.” The excitement had returned and Jimmy continued with one theory after another but always
returning to his theory. “I’m not the only one that thinks that,” he said as if it added validity if someone else agreed with him. “I read almost the same thing quoted from a magazine when I did a search online.”

  Ron asked, “Remember our boat ride to Soda Bay last spring?” Jimmy nodded and Ron continued, “Do you know what causes the bubbles in Soda Bay?”

  “Yeah- a cauldron! There is a huge hole down there! Really huge!” Jimmy replied excitedly. “And once a man went down inside it in scuba gear and he said it even got bigger inside!” Jimmy looked up at Ron with wide eyes and exclaimed, “Don’t we live in a wonderful place?” This time when Ron reached out and put his arm around Jimmy he didn’t pull away.

  As the two continued walking towards the area where Jimmy was sure they would find the cave; Ron pointed out edible and poisonous plants. Stooping and pointing to markings on the ground, he told Jimmy which animal made them; while Jimmy continued telling Ron about legends, theories and facts about Konocti.

  The ride home was quieter than Ron expected. He thought Jimmy would still be bouncing with excitement, but he seemed deep in thought. “I hope he’s not too disappointed that we didn’t find the caves,” Ron thought.

  As they dropped down Glasgow Grade Jimmy looked over and said hopefully, “Thanks for taking me to Konocti, Ron. I… I hope we can do something again real soon.”

  “Sure, Buddy, there’s lots more of Lake County to explore!” Ron grinned reaching over and ruffling Jimmy’s red hair, trying to hide just how happy that made him. This was the first time Little Jimmy ever asked him for an outing. “You come up with a plan for my next weekend off. I’ll let you know as soon as the new schedule is posted.” Then he ventured something new, “Maybe Kat could join us next time.” Jimmy turned his head toward the window as he said, “Sure,” trying to hide his disappointment, but Ron sensed he had moved too fast. “Now he’s probably thinking that I’m getting bored with spending time with him alone,” so he quickly added, “Well… maybe that’s a bad idea. I mean she probably couldn’t keep up with us guys.” This brought the smile back to Jimmy’s face; and he offered, “Yeah- maybe we should just take her bowling one evening this week.” Ron laughed as he realized he had just been played.

  The SUV rolled smoothly down his driveway on Edgewater Drive, and Ron smiled to see Kat on the glider on the front porch waiting for him. He searched her face for a sign of how things went with Mrs. Capra and could tell that she had news. But the news could wait a moment- first things first. Quickly getting out of his SUV, Ron pulled his wife up to her feet and after a long embrace and kiss he cupped her face in his large hands; and looked into those deep blue eyes that still cause a chill go up his spine, “I missed you today. I’m glad to be home,” and then added, “Nice shoes, are they new?”

  “Uh huh, got them at Serendipity’s today,” Kat smiled and they turned and walked into their lake house. Without a word the newly wed couple headed to the deck where they leaned on the rail; and gazed out over the smooth lake to the mountain where Ron had spent his day with Jimmy.

  “How did it go today- find any caves?” Kat asked.

  “No, but it went good. Real good. But that can wait, tell me how things went with Mrs. Capra. Was she home? Did you two hit it off?”

  Kat’s lips tightened into a thoughtful smile. “She was home alright. That old dame is a lot smarter than I thought.” Seeing a glint of worry spring up into Ron’s eyes she quickly added, “I know we had talked about not revealing our intentions before she and I got to know each other a bit more; but she was on to me from the time she opened her door- actually she was one step in front of me. Mrs. Capra is very possessive and protective of Jimmy..,” seeing the smile drop from Ron’s face, she added, “Don’t worry- it’s okay. It’s just going to take longer than we thought… And I think that’s a good thing. Mrs. Capra is right- even though Jimmy and you are getting closer all the time, he barely knows me and any abrupt change could be very bad for him right now.”

  “Did you discuss her health?” Ron pushed.

  “Yes, and she knows she can’t keep up the pace… and she knows that trying to keep up with Jimmy is wearing her out. I think she knew… she had seen this coming… maybe even hoped for us to want to adopt Jimmy.” Kat stopped and the couple grinned as they realized that the ball was in motion. Ron put his arm around Kat pulling her closer as they relished the moment, smiling into each other’s eyes.

  He couldn’t have been happier if she told him she was pregnant; although he was looking forward to that day as well.

  Finally Kat continued relating her visit with Jimmy’s foster mother, “Mrs. Capra seemed to have a plan already… and made it clear that it was not up for negotiation. It’s her way or…”

  “The highway.” Ron interjected.

  Nodding Kat continued, “Actually it’s a very good plan and I think it will work out all the way around…” As Kat filled Ron in on Mrs. Capra’s plan they walked back and forth from the kitchen gathering the dinner that she had prepared and carrying it to the table that she had set. Ron smiled as he poured the Lake County wine into the engraved glasses from their first and last blind date- the same ones they drank from at their wedding. Now they would drink from them as they planned, and looked forward to the addition to their family. He handed Kat her glass and the newlyweds talked softly and watched the sun dip behind Konocti.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Family Night

  Jimmy’s idea of bowling presented a perfect opportunity for Ron and Kat to have their first outing with Jimmy and Jane Capra.

  “Much better than a dinner at Mrs. Capra’s home or ours,” thought Ron as they walked into the bowling alley. First dinners together always feel too formal, too planned when they are in one of the party’s home. This spontaneous bowling date would set the perfect informal atmosphere for a family bonding that Mrs. Capra wanted.

  Jane Capra and Jimmy were waiting inside and had already reserved a lane. Jimmy had the familiar look of fear and anticipation which was quickly replaced by a wide smile when he saw Ron.

  The evening went well even though there were not enough for two teams, since Mrs. Capra had declined playing.

  “I’ll just keep score,” she smiled. Ron, Kat and Jimmy took turns bowling, with Jimmy and Ron outplaying Kat; who was a good sport about it.

  “Ya gotta admit, I have great form!” she laughed as she rolled another ball into the gutter. After a couple ‘games’ the four of them wandered over to the arcade and billiards. Jimmy kept Ron and Kat running as he went from one game to another; while Mrs. Capra sat off to the side laughing heartily.

  Kat enjoyed the dance video game and could almost keep up with Jimmy. Ron grinned seeing how well Kat and Jimmy were getting along.

  All four were soon laughing and by the time they left the bowling alley any awkwardness was all but gone.

  Walking to the cars Ron winked at Kat who then suggested that they stop off at Guido’s Pizzeria in Kelseyville, which was on the way home for them all.

  Even with the amount of snacks that were consumed at the bowling alley, the bonding family devoured every last bite of the large pizza that Nate had created for them.

  “Feeding happy families is the best part of owning a pizzeria,” Nate’s wife McKee commented as she refilled their ice tea; causing Jimmy to grin from ear to ear.

  Over pizza another ‘family night’ was planned, although they didn’t actually call it that. The next month they went to the Clearlake Cinemas, barbequed at Austin Park in Clearlake, toured Shannon Ridge Vineyards and sustainable farm, breakfasted at Main Street Bar and Grill in Clearlake, Lunched at Karl’s Corner in Clearlake Oaks, and returned to Guido’s Pizzeria after an evening at the planetarium in Kelseyville. And one Saturday morning Kat ‘bumped into’ Jimmy and Jane Capra at the children’s museum.

  Although this was Jane Capra’s idea, she withdrew to a bench in the hall crocheting while Kat watched Jimmy repeatedly scamper to the top of the volcano exhibit and sl
iding down the slide which reminded Kat of that first time she saw him there. He had ‘borrowed’ a little girl’s doll to conduct an experiment. Using the doll and a bucket of water placed at the bottom of the slide, he reenacted the folklore about a child falling down a Konocti Cave and later surfacing in the lake.

  It seemed like so long ago when in reality it was just over two years ago.

  Suddenly Jimmy spotted a friend from school and spun around and took off across the hall to the Ecology Exhibit, with Kat following close behind.

  Kat kept her distance but also kept her eyes on the two boys- fully aware that Mrs. Capra never took her eyes off her.

  After a couple hours at the museum the three walked to the Cactus Grill for lunch. The owner, Amy, greeted them warmly and seated them on the patio. She related all the latest news about her grand daughter, before taking their orders. Then for the first time since they started their ‘family outings’ the conversation seemed to come to a halt. Mrs. Capra withdrew her attention and busied herself studying the faces of the other patrons, or the landscape beyond the wrought iron fence.

  Kat’s stomach tightened. She felt sure that this was a test to see if she could carry the ball alone with Jimmy; but try as she may she couldn’t think of a thing to say. Her mind raced as she tried to come up with something witty or a question to get Jimmy talking. She was blank. She could come up with nothing. Nothing. She was saved by the ring of her cell phone. It was Ron.