Lindsey watched for a few minutes with a disturbing grin on his face. Satisfied that the job was done, he turned to the council and nodded. Then he exited through the dark door where he had entered. The others proceeded to file out of the above exits as well, leaving the executioners alone with the screams to tend the fire.
Chapter 70
Sean sat at a table with Emily Starks in a secluded corner of the Buckhead Coffee House. She’d come to Atlanta to help Sean tie up some of the loose ends from the events of the previous week. The shop was a nice change from some of the busier coffee places in the area. They did good business, but it never seemed like it was a corporate gathering hole for wannabe freelancers and consultants. Outside, people walked by, looking in the windows occasionally but usually continuing on to one of the boutiques that surrounded the café. The décor of the place was clever. It felt more like a log cabin than anything else. There were wood appointments and tables that went perfectly with the wood paneled walls. Sean likened it to a Cracker Barrel that specialized in coffee and tea. Typical noises of a coffee shop filled the air and mingled with the scents of espresso, house blends, and foamy lattes. His eyes scanned the scene as he sipped his mocha. Returning his focus to Emily, he set the cup down.
“So Jennings was working for the Order?” Sean asked as he lowered his cup coffee.
She nodded. “So it seems. And all this time I thought Townsend was the dirty one. Turns out Jennings murdered him and tried to frame some other guy, though we aren’t sure why just yet. We are assuming it is because Townsend was getting too close to discovering Jennings’s dealings.”
“Any leads?”
“No,” she shook her head. “Nothing that we can use. This man that is running Golden Dawn remains a mystery, at least for now.”
“He’ll turn up, eventually,” Sean stated as he took another sip of his coffee.
She changed the subject. “I know you had a question for me before, about a woman who called herself Allyson Webster.”
“Yeah,” Sean’s facial expression remained stoic as he lowered the cup.
“She isn’t one of mine,” Emily said flatly.
His demeanor still didn’t change. “Then who is she?”
“We think some rogue working out of London. She hasn’t done anything to threaten us, so, right now, we are leaving her alone.”
Sean smiled at the information but stared down at his coffee. “She’s a treasure hunter,” he said finally, more to himself than to Emily. “A thief, to be more precise.”
Emily seemed puzzled. “What do you mean?”
Sean’s mind reflected back to the week that Allyson had left for her next “assignment.” A few pieces they’d found at the chamber in Georgia had gone missing.
The majority of the collection was in tact and the historical loss of the items was negligible; however, they would fetch a high price on the underground antiquities market. “A few things disappeared about the time she left. She must have stolen them. That was her plan from the beginning,” he lifted his eyes to meet hers.
“You want me to contact Interpol, put out a net?” Emily showed genuine concern.
“No,” he said quickly. “The things she took won’t be missed. In an odd way, I think she knew that.” He sat quietly for a minute.
“There’s something else you need to know,” she interrupted his thoughts.
At this, his expression changed. “A surprise?”
“Sort of,” she said and passed a cream-colored folder across the table to him.
“What’s this?” he lifted the document and opened it.
“Will Hastings wasn’t who he said he was either.”
The words hit him hard.
“He was an asset, Sean. We are fairly certain he was working for Golden Dawn.”
Sean looked through the dossier for a minute or two. When he finished reading the file, he flipped it back across the table to Starks.
“Impressive. He had me fooled. Guess that’s getting easier to do these days,” Sean said with resignation. “Don’t be hard on yourself, Sean. I just thought you’d like to know.”
“They never found his body,” he said, looking out a window at the other end of the coffee shop. “And I’m not being hard on myself. It’s good that I got out of Axis when I did. I’m obviously getting rusty.”
Beneath the window, a young woman with dark hair sat, reading a book.
“You know that isn’t true, Sean. In fact, I’d love to have you back…”
He stood up and grabbed his cup. “Thanks, Em. I appreciate the offer. Still not interested,” he started to walk away then turned back to his old friend.
Emily stared at him with a smile.
“I’ll be in touch soon. You take care of yourself,” he said and then strolled over to the woman at the window table. “Whatcha reading?” he asked playfully.
Adriana looked up from her book. She had on dark rimmed glasses that accentuated her strong facial features. “Just catching up on my Egyptian history,” she answered him as he slid into the seat across from her. “From the details on the inscription we found, I believe we are looking for a specific temple, probably a Hathor temple.”
Emily walked by and gave him one more quick wave of the hand as she exited through the glass door behind Adriana.
“Planning on going there soon?” he asked with a grin.
She set the book down.
“I think you need my help, Mr. Wyatt.”
“Oh really?
She nodded.
“Maybe I do,” he resigned. He sat silent for a few seconds before he spoke again. “When will you see your father again?”
The question caught her off guard and seemed to make her instantly uncomfortable. “What do you mean?”
He gave her a comforting smile. “I know you went to see your father when we were in Ecuador.” Before she could refute his claim he spoke up again.
The confession surprised her she narrowed her eyes. “How did you know?” she asked.
“Men who work in the field your father works in can be good men to know. Emily has used his expertise on several occasions.”
She absorbed what Sean was saying. Then finally, she smiled. “Somehow, I thought you knew.”
“What other secrets do you have, Sean Wyatt?” she said in a seductive tone.
“I guess you’ll just have to see.”
He looked down at the book she was studying and picked it up. “First, though, tell me about Egypt.”
Author’s Notes
There are lots of interesting facts and places in this story that are worth noting. The two stone lions in New Mexico are real as are the ruins of a nearby ancient settlement. The details about the Grand Canyon are correct, though the cave was my creation.
Part of the story about Coronado was my concoction while much of it was fact.
The Rosicrucians were a real group and some speculate they still exist today. In fact, there is a group operating under the same name in California, though their connections to the original lineage may be questioned. The Order of the Golden Dawn was also real. They too seemed to disappear in the early 20th century. It is unknown if there are any active members at present.
The most interesting part of the story, to me, revolves around Father Carlos Crespi. Not only was he an intriguing personality, the mysteries he concealed in his vault are still unsolved to this day.
The cave in Ecuador is from my imagination, but there are many rivers in the region that intersect the way I described.