“That was someone from the Atlanta Police Department. They want us…me to come in to answer some questions about the two guys I shot today.”
“Good. Maybe they can help us.”
“I don’t think so. Pretty sure I’m a suspect, not a victim.”
“But it was self-defense. I was there. I can be a witness for you.” She had a pleading look on her face.
Sean felt bad that she was all of the sudden pulled into this, whatever it was. Odds were, she’d been implicated as well.
“The cop said that Tommy Schultz has disappeared and a professor that we have worked with a few times has turned up murdered. They think that I had something to do with it. At least, that’s what they are saying.”
“Your friend from IAA? What can we do?” Her green eyes looked innocent.
“We have to find Tommy,” he replied plainly.
“How are we going to do that?”
“Whatever it was that Tommy was working on, he must have been using Dr. Borringer for some part of it. That’s the only connection I can make.”
“Do you know what he was doing?”
“Only that it was part of his ongoing search for an ancient Native American treasure called the Golden Chambers. He told me about it a few times, but I never really took much interest. Seemed like another El Dorado story to me.”
“So, where are we going?” The shock of the day’s events seemed to melt away into a firm resolve.
This girl was tougher than she looked.
“Dr. Borringer’s house. If Tommy had been working with Frank on something, maybe his wife will know about it.”
The gray sedan veered onto another street and crossed the interstate toward west Atlanta.
Chapter 11
Tommy struggled to free himself from the wooden chair, bound by tightly wound twine. He was in a study, which overlooked what seemed to be a fairly substantial estate. A large yard area surrounding the building ended abruptly into a thick, rolling forest. The room where he was constrained must have been at least four stories up. If it was a home, it was certainly large by any standard.
Twisting his head around, he took a better inventory of the room around him. The dark walnut floor led to an open, arched doorway. It was difficult to see beyond the corner, but he assumed it led into a hall. On either side of him were shelves of books that went all the way up to where the ceiling angled into a kind of conical shaped glass sunroof. To access the highly shelved books, a library ladder was in place. A large square window sat before him, framed by cream colored drapes. The window loomed enormously, allowing for an amazing view of the property and beyond.
Scooting the chair of bondage around, he found himself behind a large desk that matched the dark, rich cocoa of the floor. Whoever he was, this villain certainly had good taste. On top of desk a computer LCD widescreen displayed a screensaver of pictures from some random European towns. Directly next to him, a much more comfortable looking high-backed, leather desk chair mocked his less than desirable seating arrangement. Two smaller guest chairs sat opposite on the other side of the desk, giving the appearance that the study was more of an office in some ways.
Wrenching his body around again to get a better perspective of where he was, Tommy inched closer toward the window.
“I trust you like the view, Thomas.” The foreign accent came unexpectedly from the direction of the open doorway.
“I would like it a lot more if I wasn’t tied down to this uncomfortable chair.” Even in a dire situation, Tommy hadn’t lost his sense of humor. “I would have much preferred you tie me up to that bad boy right there,” he continued, motioning with his head to the much more comfortable leather option.
“My apologies,” the blonde bowed slightly. “It is a regrettable scenario, having to hold you captive like this. Unfortunately, it is necessary.”
“And why is that?”
“You have spent the better part of the last decade looking for something. Though, several times you have found clues, nothing has pointed so directly to the answers you seek as what you discovered a few weeks ago.”
“I have no idea what you are talking about,” Tommy figured the guy knew about the stone disc. He was glad it was not in his possession.
Blondie had been standing politely, hands folded behind his back, wearing a very Euro trendy suit. His vibrant tie looked like it was about three decades behind the current fashion, which, oddly enough, must have made it the current fashion.
“There is no need to play coy with me,” he began. “We are aware of the stone disc. I also know that you were in contact with Dr. Borringer at the University in Kennesaw. You sent him something you could not decipher.”
So far, this guy seemed to be right on the money. “Frank and I are colleagues. I use him as a point of reference all the time with my work. But I’m not sure what stone disc you are talking about.” He lied.
“Still in denial.” The stranger shook his head, making a clicking sound with his mouth, and took a few steps toward the desk. Leaning over and placing both hands palms down on the top, he stared directly into Tommy’s eyes. “Thomas, it would be better for you if you would just tell us where the stone is. As soon as we have it, I will let you go. We will also need the translations Dr. Borringer gave you.”
Tommy sincerely had no clue if Frank had even started working on those documents, much less finished translating them. He started to relay that information, then decided to keep that to himself, “It would be better for you if you wouldn’t wear such brightly colored ties.”
The blonde captor was thrown off slightly by the comment, glancing down at the fabric. Then, standing he resumed his icy façade. “You think you are funny?”
“I’m better in a bar.”
“Well, Thomas, I wonder if you think this is funny.” Reaching over to the corner of the desk, he grabbed a remote control and switched on a 20 inch flat panel LCD TV that was mounted to the wall at a corner of the cone-shaped ceiling.
The screen flicked onto a feed from a closed circuit security camera. Tommy’s heart nearly stopped. They were looking at an image of Sean’s parents’ home. “You son of a …”
“Now, now,” the blonde said before he could finish, “The Wyatts will be fine. All you need to do is help me find what I want.”
Tommy struggled against the ropes. Unfortunately, whoever did the tying must have been one heck of a boy scout. He could barely move. “You better not touch them.”
“Oh, we won’t touch them, Thomas. They will simply be victims of an unfortunate accident. Many innocent people have died over the centuries during times of conflict. Millions have given up their lives during religious wars. Our mission is a new crusade. It has been blessed by God.” He cocked his head as if talking to an elementary school child. “If sacrifices are necessary, who are we to deny them?”
The tone in which he was speaking told of a great religious conviction inside the shell of a madman. That was a very dangerous thing, and the smile on his face was even more disturbing.
“I’ve heard this speech before,” Tommy spat out. “The world has seen dozens of lunatics like you. Usually, they end up taking the easy way out when justice catches up with them.”
The young blonde man paused in mid stride. A sinister smile crept across his face. “You would compare me to the Hitlers and Napoleons of history?” Leaning close, his voice lowered to a near whisper. “If those men possessed what it is we seek, the world may well have been a different place.” He stood straight again before continuing. “All the more proof that they were not meant to have it.”
“The Wyatts are good people and have nothing to do with this,” Tommy said, thinking a change of subject might help the situation.