Palmer stopped abruptly and looked incredulously at Angelina. He couldn’t believe what he had just heard. Could it be that Sela Coscarelli was being held captive by Alastair Holloway?
“What did you just say? What woman are you talking about?” he asked.
“I’m talking about Sela. She’s a big-deal researcher who helps disabled kids. I have a nephew who has Muscular Dystrophy and she’s been working on a cure. It makes me so angry that Alastair is interfering with her work,” she said, looking fretful. “At first, he let me care for her while she was here, but they moved her this morning without even telling me she was going. I’m worried about her, Emerson.”
“Wait. You mean to tell me Dr. Sela Coscarelli was here until this morning? Sela Coscarelli…the research fellow from Johns Hopkins University, she was here?”
“Yes…she was here. I don’t know about Hopkin University, but it has to be the same woman. I don’t know anyone else with such a unique name. Are you looking for her, too, Emerson?”
“Angel, you just made my whole day…hell…my whole month,” Palmer said, unexpectedly grabbing her in his arms and giving her a big hug. “Yes, I’m looking for Sela. Do you know where she’s been taken?”
“Maybe I do. But I need you to do something for me before I agree to help any more,” Angel replied, pulling herself from his embrace. “I want to come with you. I set out to help Miss Sela and we were becoming friends. I need to know firsthand that she’s okay.”
“Angel, I can’t do that. What will Mr. Holloway think? You can’t just leave without raising his suspicion.”
“No…that’s the beauty, you see. I just left him…for good. When I found out they took Sela away, it was the last straw. We just had a big fight…he threw me out. I don’t have anywhere else to go. Please, take me to Kentucky with you,” she begged, grabbing his hand impulsively. “I promise…I won’t be any trouble.”
“Kentucky, huh? Do you know where in Kentucky they took her?” he asked.
“Does that mean you’ll take me with you?” she asked excitedly, jumping up and down on the path. “Oh, please, Emerson.”
“Okay…okay. I can’t believe I’m agreeing to this…but, yes, you can come with me. Let’s get moving; we’re wasting time,” he said, grabbing her hand and leading her back to where he had parked.
“What about Alastair? I thought you had questions for him,” she asked.
“Not important any longer, Angel. You gave me all the information I need,” he explained. “I’m more concerned about Sela’s safety right now. My presence here will only tip off Holloway. I don’t want to arouse his suspicion. Now, where are we going in Kentucky?”
“I don’t know for sure, honey…some fort, I think. That’s all I heard.”
“A fort, you say?” he asked with a furrow on his brow. “Hmmm…a fort in Kentucky,” he paused, thinking, searching his memory. “Not Fort Knox?”
“Yeah, Fort Knox…that’s what I heard. Marlon said they were going to Fort Knox, Kentucky.”
Palmer looked stunned. “Well, I’ll be damned,” he said out loud. “Angel, you are a godsend. This is the best news you could have given me. Come on, there’s no time to spare. We’ll need a couple of plane tickets to Louisville. Is there anything you need to get before we leave?”
“Just my purse, sweetheart…I still have my credit cards. Let’s fly to Kentucky courtesy of Alastair Holloway,” she said with a big smile on her face. “I knew I liked the look of you, Emerson. Let’s go find Miss Sela.”
“I’m right beside you, Angel…right beside you.”
FIFTY-FIVE
Hilton Head
Emerson Palmer had only been in Hilton Head a few hours and was leaving with far more than he could have imagined. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. Meeting Angelina was an incredible breakthrough. Not only had she provided critical information about his missing subject, but she also happened to be the embittered mistress of Alastair Holloway, the man Jason Henry suspected was the person behind his case in California.
Palmer’s first thought was to call Ben Dare and share the news about Sela. But then he reconsidered and decided to call Jason before he went any further. The news that Holloway had ostensibly kidnapped Dr. Coscarelli could be the linchpin to blow the case wide open.
“What have you found out, Emerson?” Agent Henry asked expectantly, anxious to hear good news.
“Grab your socks and jock your cock, man…you won’t believe what just happened,” Palmer said, proffering slang from their days on assignment together. He looked sideways at Angelina, having forgotten he was in mixed company. He was relieved to see from her dimpled grin that he hadn’t offended her.
“Hey, man, I’m already at the airport…got socks, sans jock,” Henry jokingly replied. “I was about to call you myself. We’ve had an interesting development. But go ahead…what’s up?”
“The lead at Holloway’s estate paid off in spades, bro. I met his girlfriend. She tells me Dr. Coscarelli was in Hilton Head as recently as last night,” he stressed going for shock factor. “She thinks these guys took her someplace in Kentucky and mentioned a fort. Jason, I know it sounds crazy…but I think these guys are going to hit Fort Knox.”
“Not crazy at all, pard’,” Henry replied evenly. “Your information squares perfectly with evidence we’re piecing together out here. The last communication from Conrad mentions a place in West Point, Kentucky, called Wildcat Catfish. I’m on the next flight to Louisville in about twenty minutes. This is big, man. I’m betting Penburton was Holloway’s lackey. He’s the real mastermind behind this whole deal,” Agent Henry said confidently.
“Well, I’ll be go to hell,” Palmer said, sounding like a hillbilly. “I’m on my way back to the airport myself. Just so you know…I’ve got the woman with me.”
“You’re kidding.”
“Don’t ask; she insisted,” he explained, looking sideways again at Angelina, who was studying him carefully. “We’ll hook up with you later today. What about the locals? Have you alerted them yet?” Palmer asked.
“Absolutely not…we keep this under wraps. Lieutenant Morris has been authorized to accompany me to Louisville. But I’m having a devil-of-a-time keeping him from blowing the lid off. But I can’t just cut him out either; he’s my contact between Sarah Marshall and Dr. Conrad. Trust me, though…this is a federal matter. The locals will only hamstring us. I’m keeping Morris involved on a limited basis so we don’t lose contact with Mrs. Marshall. Other than that, he’s been ordered to stand down unless I authorize it.”
“I’ll bet he’s not happy about that.”
“Yeah, he’s pissed alright, but he’s got no choice…I’m not trying to make friends. Listen, can I call you back?” Henry said, assessing his priorities. The news that Holloway may have relocated the Coscarelli woman to Kentucky was a new wrinkle to consider.
“Sure thing…what gives?”
“I need to discuss this with Freeman before we do anything else,” Henry continued. “There’s information you don’t know about, Emerson, but believe me, it has national security implications. It’s why DOD’s been tracking this new technology all along. As I said before, we see a weapons potential. I’ll bring you current when we meet in Louisville. For now, consider everything classified.”
“Okay, you got it…but throw me a bone, will ya? Don’t leave me hanging,” Palmer pleaded, pressing his old comrade.
“Okay…okay. Remember I mentioned there’s twenty pounds of missing plutonium from the Lawrence Livermore lab?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, we suspect these guys have it in their possession,” Henry blurted out. “It’s critical to operating Conrad’s machine. It’s looking like they’ve figured a way to use it at Fort Knox.”
“The antigravity machine? You think they’ve got it working?”
“Almost certain of it. We knew Conrad had a prototype at Stanford…but I’ll bet you these guys have the real McCoy.”
“Ho-lee-shit,” Palmer enunciated slowly. He couldn’t believe his ears. “Okay man, that’s all I need to know. Get authorization from the old man and we’ll make the next move in Louisville together. What’s your recommendation?” he asked, hoping for music to his ears.