Alexander thought for a moment as he stepped over to the large window overlooking the Sierra Nevada Mountains. The rocky peaks jutted into the sky as far as the eye could see.
“I know who you are talking about. I figured he would come around eventually. You have too many resources at work under the table for someone like him not to notice.”
“How would you like me to proceed?”
Lindsey took a deep breath. There it was again, solving another’s problems. What was he paying them for if they couldn’t provide solutions? Only now, their problems had become his. He wiped his forehead and tried shake off his aggravation. If he was to succeed, he knew more hand holding would have to be done for a little while longer.
“Let him in on the deal. If Samuel is anything like I have heard, he’s just as greedy as the people his department seeks to expose. I’m sure he probably told you he wanted a piece of whatever you’re doing, yes?”
There was a momentary pause on the other end. Then, “Yes.”
“Good,” he replied. “We’ll let him in and then cut him off when the time is right. For now, having an ally like him could prove useful. Better the devil you know.”
“Understood.”
Jennings was silent on the other line for a second before he spoke again. “Wyatt and the two women went into a cave at the Grand Canyon. We’ve had no visual or any other kind of contact since they entered. There is no way out except through us. When they find the next piece of the puzzle and exit the cave, we’ll be waiting.”
Lindsey thought for a few seconds. Uncertainty arose within him. But for now, he had to trust his lead asset. “What about the New Mexico situation?”
“I haven’t heard back from them yet. But I am certain Hastings has it under control. Last he reported, they had rented a car and were heading toward Bandelier National Monument.”
Alexander didn’t like the fact that he had so many irons in the fire. Loose ends were easier to turn up that way. And since an additional branch of the government had become involved, that meant that others could come along sooner or later. Eventually, there would be a cowboy who would try to expose the whole thing. That was something he simply could not afford. There was too much at stake. “Let me know when you hear from him.”
“Yes, sir.”
Lindsey hung up the phone. A small, LED television glowed brightly on the wall nearby. A news headline ran across the bottom as a scene from a car accident appeared. A local businessman named Rick Baker had lost control of his automobile and run off the road. He was pronounced dead at the scene. One problem solved. If his operatives were successful and recovered the three golden leaves, they would only need one additional piece to the puzzle. The diary of Francisco Coronado.
Chapter 38
The rafting guide had showed Sean an old mule trail up the canyon that would take he and his friends back to where they could find their way to the car. It had been a long hike, taking a few hours to wind their way to the top. Fortunately they had eaten a good breakfast, provided by the generous guide.
He’d been a friendly fellow, with narrow eyes and light blonde hair and beard.
The man had asked if they wanted to come aboard their enormous touring raft but taking the mule trail was a faster way to get back to the car and given the events of the last 48 hours, speed was of the essence.
When they’d finally reached the top, their legs burned and all three of the hikers were gasping for breath.
Where the trail had come out on the desert plateau, they were actually fairly close to the parking lot.
When they’d finally reached the top, their legs burned and all three of the hikers were gasping for breath.
After a two-hour drive and paying way too much for a plane ticket out of Las Vegas International, the group of three arrived in Atlanta’s Hartsfield International Airport about eight hours later.
With the time change, the daylight was already waning when they arrived at IAA headquarters in downtown Atlanta.
Tommy received the group’s entrance as he would have on any other day, casually and to the point. He laughed, “You guys look rough.”
“Vacation was great. Thanks for asking,” Sean said sarcastically as he plopped down in a standard-looking office chair with black leather upholstery.
The conference room had various maps from all over the world posted on the walls with pushpins and notes tacked in different places. The room itself had a warm feel to it. Lots of wood appointments, including ceiling lattices and beams, that made it feel more like an opulent home rather than a workplace. A burnt-red wall made the place seem cozy yet trendy.
“Well,” Sean spoke before his long-time friend could get another word in, “it was fine until I got shot at. That kind of took the enjoyment out of it.”
Schultz gave him a rough grin. “I know the feeling. Had some similar issues here and in New Mexico, too.”
“Odd. Seems like I remember we got into this business to leave all that behind,” Sean said reflectively. “Who was after you?”
“I have no idea.” Changing the subject the subject, he said, “Hello Emily. Nice to see you again.”
“Likewise, Thomas,” there was an odd tone to the way she said his name.
His gaze lingered for an awkward extra second on Emily before turning his attention to the Spaniard. And none of his other friends called him by his formal first name. “And who is this?” he shifted his eyes to the other woman in the room.
“My name is Adriana Villa,” she stated as she reached out her hand.
He extended his hand as well and got a polite but firm shake.
“She saved our butts in Vegas,” Sean threw in.
“Maybe I should hire her to help keep you out of trouble,” Tommy ribbed. Then, he sat back down. His long-time friend simply gave an amused shake of his head.
Tommy went on, “By the way, saw what happened at the poker tournament. Brutal beat, man.”
“It happens,” Sean replied as he set a small book bag on the table. “At least we came out of the desert with something.”
Tommy pulled the bag closer to him and unzipped the main compartment. “What is it?” he asked as he pulled out one wrapped towel and then another.
“We’re not sure. You and I have seen a lot of stuff all over the world. But this one has me stumped. They look like a golden leaves.”
Schultz stopped unwrapping the package momentarily.
“Leaves?”
“Yeah, like off a tree. But a little bigger.”
Tommy’s eyebrows came together, revealing he was perplexed about the new information. He reached into the bag and pulled out one of the objects, much like the one he and Will had recovered in New Mexico. Curious, he unwrapped the second piece and held both up, comparing them side-by-side. They were nearly identical. Their structure and detail matched almost perfectly.
“They’re fairly light considering what they are made out of.” Sean said while his friend examined the relics. “Whoever made them must have been an expert metal worker.”
Tommy carefully laid both objects down and stepped over to a box that was sitting next to a window. He reached in and pulled out a piece that appeared exactly like the two he’d just been looking at. “They match the one we found in New Mexico,” he said with a perplexed look as he set the third leaf next to the other two.
“So what I want to know is, how does all of this come together?” Sean asked.
“I think I may be able to lend a hand with that.” A familiar voice, gruff and southern came from just outside in the hall. Joe McElroy appeared in the doorway. His hair was thick, flowing brown with some streaks of gray, just to the bottom of his ears. He was in jeans and a flannel jacket, one arm in a sling from the bullet wound he’d received a few weeks before. His face was shaved clean, making him look a lot younger than he was.