“Whoa, wait a minute. You arenotlocking us in.” Connor still hadn’t lowered his rifle. “Shanti, take the padlock.”
“Yes, of course. Please, take it—and the key.” Dempo held it out to her, seeming unruffled by their mistrust. “This door is kept locked to keep out predators. No one wants a leopard joining us for meditation.”
Connor lowered the rifle at last. “How many entrances do these tunnels have?”
“Five.” Dempo reached into his robes, pulled out a smartphone. “All but this one are locked, and all are well hidden.”
He turned on the phone’s flashlight. “There’s no signal down here, but the light comes in very handy.”
Off he walked, chuckling to himself.
Shanti looked over at Connor. “Do you trust him?”
“Hell, no.”
“Why did you follow him then? We could have taken cover out there.”
“And risk being blind under my rain poncho while he waves the helicopter down with those red robes of his? No, thanks. He knows who you are. I need to know why. If he’s telling the truth, he could really help us out. If he isn’t… Stay close to me.”
“You think I’m going to run off on my own in here?”
Connor grinned. “You’ve got a smart mouth, princess.”