"You can use mine," the waitress said, hovering over Sean's shoulder.
Tommy looked up, momentarily surprised. She smiled down at him, holding a pen out.
"Thank you," Tommy said. "I appreciate it."
He took the pen and then drew a rough arc around the area to the northwest of his starting point.
"If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing with that map?" the waitress asked as she watched with keen interest.
"Looking for buried treasure," Sean said.
"Like a bunch of pirates?"
"Yeah, except without the boats," Reece added.
The woman seemed to accept the answer and walked away to tend to other customers.
Tommy was deep in thought, gazing at the map.
"You okay, buddy?" Sean asked.
Tommy's eyes blinked rapidly. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. It's just..." His voice trailed off.
"Just what?"
His finger was planted on a spot on the map just beyond the curved arc he'd drawn a moment before.
"It's Uluru," he said.
Adriana didn't understand. "What?" Adriana asked. "What's Uluru?"
"For a long time it was called Ayers Rock," Reece answered. "Though most of the locals knew it by its Aborigine name, Uluru. It and Kata Tjuta are major tourist attractions."
"Kata Tjuta?"
"Yeah. It's like the sister rock formation not far from Uluru. There are these three massive sandstone rocks the size of mountains. Each one's got a ravine separating it from the others."
"Wait," Sean stopped him. "What did you just say?"
"It's the sister rock formation?"
"No. No, the other thing—about the ravines."
"Oh. Yeah, there are three big rocks and a ravine between each one."
Sean pulled Tommy's phone close and went back to the email. He read through it again until he found what he was looking for. "The northern chasm of the three. That's what Mathews was talking about. The next place we have to go is in one of those ravines at Kata..." He struggled with the name.
"Tjuta," Reece finished the sentence for him.
"Thank you, Reece. Kata Tjuta."
"Okay," Tommy said. "I don't mean to be devil's advocate here, but let's break this down for a minute. Are we really sure that's the place to go? I mean, we're assuming someone was walking thirty-six miles a day for forty-five days. That's more than a marathon a day."
"They'd have to use horses or some other kind of pack animal," Adriana said. "Tommy's right. That kind of mileage would be nearly impossible under perfect conditions."
"And conditions are rarely perfect in the outback," Reece said.
"Hey, if you have any other ideas I'm listening." Sean finished the last few bites of his burger and took a sip from his beverage.
After a minute of consideration, Tommy put his phone away and looked hard at the map. "Right now it sounds like the only possibility. If you look around this whole area," he traced an imaginary line with his finger around a broad space, "there's nothing but wilderness and small outpost towns."
"Alice Springs isn't far from the park. Nice resort town," Reece said.
Sean dabbed his lips with a napkin and then set it on his lap. "So you're saying we're going to Uluru?"
"Yeah," Tommy said with a sigh. "We're going to Uluru."
"I knew you'd come around. I just wish there was a faster way to get there."
15
Sydney
Annie stared at the floor. She'd not slept well since being thrown into this prison, or whatever it was. The mattress on the floor was soft enough. That wasn't the problem. Who could sleep when they were being held against their will?
She heard the floor creak just outside the door. It was a sound with which she'd become familiar. The noise came every time someone arrived to give her a plate of food or ask if she needed to use the bathroom. This visit wasn't one of the regularly scheduled times, so she wondered what was happening.
The door opened a moment later, and a man in a tight navy-blue suit with an emerald-green tie walked in. Based on the attire alone, she judged him to be wealthy. Who he was, however, remained a mystery. Something about his face was vaguely familiar, but she couldn't place it.
"Who are you?" Annie asked. Her defiant tone did little to keep the man away.
He pulled up a wooden stool and sat down, resting his arms on his knees. She remained on the bed, leaning her back against the wall.
"I'm the one who is deciding your fate, Annie."
Every ounce of her being wanted to jump out of the bed and strangle him. That would do no good. There was a guard at the door who would be on her in a heartbeat. All it would do is make things worse for her. Up to this point, she'd been imprisoned, but not tortured. That could change.
"I've already told your men everything I know. I don't know where any treasure is. I'm just a museum curator." Tears welled in her eyes, and she rubbed them back with her forefinger.
"Now, now, don't cry. There's no reason to cry. I'd prefer it if I didn't have to harm you, Annie. After all, I'm no monster."
"Then why are you keeping me here?" she pleaded. "I've given you everything I know. Just let me leave, and you'll never see me again."
"Soon, Annie. I promise." He looked around the sparse room. A few clothes were strewn about. The television remote was sitting on the floor next to her. "I'm just wondering, Annie, have you watched the news today?"
She eyed him with suspicion. "No," she muttered. "I haven't watched much television since your men brought me here."
He pouted his lips and gave an understanding nod. "Well, I recommend you watch the news today. Very interesting developments going on in the city."
The visitor reached down and grabbed the television remote and hit the power button. The flatscreen hanging in the far corner flicked to life. He changed the channel to one of the local news outlets and turned up the volume.
The sports anchor was showing Australian football highlights. When he finished, the screen displayed the score for a moment and then switched to one of the main anchors. The white text in the top corner of the screen displayed the words Murder at the Museum.
"In our top local story, it has just been confirmed that Wilbur Kurt—director of Sydney's Metropolitan Museum of Art—was found dead this morning in the basement of the museum. Authorities have confirmed that this is a homicide investigation. It appears Kurt died from multiple gunshot wounds. Police believe it was an execution-style murder and could have been carried out by someone he trusted."
Annie covered her mouth with her fingers. Her wide eyes filled with horror. A low screech escaped her lips.
The news anchor continued. "For most of the day, there were no suspects in the case, and security cameras seem to have failed. We now know, however, the authorities have a released the name of a suspect: Annie Guildford—longtime friend and colleague of Kurt—is being dubbed the prime murder suspect. Police have searched Guildford's home, but have not been able to locate her. No motive has been established at this time. If you see Guildford or know anything concerning her whereabouts, please contact the New South Wales Police. She is likely armed and extremely dangerous."
"What?" Annie said in disbelief. "I didn't...how did..."
"How did you kill your longtime friend and colleague?"
"No!" she shouted. "You're a monster!" Annie jumped out of the bed and rushed him.
He stood quickly and punched her in the gut before she could block it. She doubled over and fell to the floor in a sobbing heap.
"Why?" she moaned amid a flood of tears. "Why did you kill him?"
"I'd be more concerned with why the police think you did it, Annie. Wilbur wasn't a good person. I paid him. After all, he's the reason you're here right now."
She clutched her abdomen with both hands and remained in a fetal position for another minute before she rolled over onto her other side. It took one more minute before she sat up.
"What are you talking about?" she said t
hrough clenched teeth.
"Wilbur worked for me. I paid him to let me know if anyone ever found anything by Mathews."
Disbelief flowed from her eyes. It covered her entire face. How was that possible? She'd known Wilbur for decades. Now he was dead, and he'd taken money from this man to betray her?
"I know it's a lot to take in, Annie. I didn't want things to have to go this way, but you see, I always get what I want."
Annie grimaced as she pushed herself up from the floor. A fresh surge of pain ripped through her gut. "All this time I've been locked in this room, no one has told me what it is you want. Your men have come to see me over and over again, asking me questions, seeking answers I don't have. Not one time has anyone even mentioned to me what all this is about. So, whoever you are, would you please just do me the honor of telling me what is going on and exactly what it is you're looking for? I mean, who knows, maybe I can help you."
She sounded beyond desperate. Her hands hung loose at her sides. She spoke the truth. Annie just wanted some answers. If she couldn't escape or wasn't going to get out of this alive, the least she could do was learn what was going on.
The man considered her plea for a moment and then answered. "You may call me Bernard. And I am looking for a treasure of incredible value."
"Yes, I know," she said. "I got that much out of your men. But what treasure? What could be so valuable to someone like you that you have to kidnap an innocent woman and murder an innocent man?"
He raised a finger. "Ah, but Wilbur was not innocent. Remember?"
Annie still wasn't sure she believed what Bernard said about Wilbur betraying her, but for the moment she went with it. "Fine."
"As to the treasure, it will be one of the greatest finds of all time."
She put her hands on her hips. "Is that what all this is about? Your ego? You want to strut around with some treasure you found so you can get attention from the world?"
"Hardly." He almost laughed at the notion.
"Then what is it?" she begged. "You obviously don't need the money."
Bernard thought for another minute before responding. What could it hurt? When Jack found the treasure, Annie would be taken into the outback where she'd be bitten by a venomous snake. The press would have a field day with it. He could see the headlines now. Murder suspect killed by poisonous snake while trying to evade police. Of course, they wouldn't find the body for weeks, not until an anonymous tip from a camper came along.
"Very well, Annie. If it will help you get some sleep—which you obviously need—I'll tell you what it is I'm looking for.
"In the many Aborigine creation myths, there is one that stands above all others: the story of Baiame."
She thought fast to keep up. Baiame? That was the name she'd seen on the Mathews document.
Bernard kept going. "Baiame was the greatest of the deities, the creator of all things."
"You don't strike me as the religious type."
He smirked. "Oh, I'm not. But in this case, I'm willing to go on a little faith. Anyway, this Baiame character was revered by the Aborigines. Some still worship him to this day."
She wanted to ask where this whole story was going, but she decided against it. She'd already felt his wrath once.
"One of the myths surrounding Baiame refers to his great boomerang, a powerful weapon, but also one of the tools he used for creation. It is said that all boomerangs were designed from the great boomerang of Baiame."
Bernard paused for a moment to let the climax of his story build. "This boomerang can be seen on a cave ceiling in Milbrodale. It's been a historical attraction for a great many years. I'd heard stories, of course, about the great boomerang—how it was made of gold and could create life or destroy entire civilizations. For a long time, I didn't give the legends much credence. That is, until you stumbled upon the Mathews document."
Annie slumped back onto the edge of her mattress. "Are you telling me that all of this is about a mythical golden boomerang? That's it?"
Bernard put his hands behind his back and raised up on his tiptoes. He lowered himself back down and then drew in a deep breath through his nostrils. "As you mentioned before, Annie, I don't need the money. Even at its most outrageous sum, the golden boomerang of Baiame would be a drop in the bucket for someone like me."
"Then why?"
"Some men in my position are passionate about attention. They would seek to find something like this for no other reason than to elevate their egos, as you also suggested. I, however, am not doing it for that reason, either."
She shook her head as she stared at the far wall. "For what, then? What could be worth murdering innocent people?"
"I suppose it takes a little imagination, Annie. I doubt your line of work lends itself much to that sort of thing. As far as my plans for the boomerang, I'll keep those to myself for now. When things begin to unfold, you'll be one of the first to know."
He turned his back to her and started walking out of the room.
"You can't get away with this!" she shouted.
"Get away with it?" The man cocked his head to the side and looked over his shoulder. He shot her an expression like she was crazy. "Annie, I most certainly will get away with it. Who will stop me?"
16
Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, Northern Territory
Australia
"Well, that was awful," Sean said as he stepped out of the car. He stretched his arms up as far as he could to the night sky. "Next time, we definitely hire a plane."
"I'll second that," Reece said. "Was wondering why you didn't get us a plane. Don't you guys do that all the time?"
"With everything going on back home, I thought it might be best if we stayed on the ground while we're here," Tommy said.
The drive to Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park took them close to thirty hours, and that was driving in shifts—almost nonstop.
En route, Tommy called a hotel in Alice Springs and arranged for rooms. They still had three or four hours of daylight when they arrived, but after a long trip—a quarter of which was at night—they'd need a soft bed and some good rest.
The sun beat down from the western sky. The hottest part of the day had passed, and things would start to cool significantly as dusk set in. Reece had warned the others they'd need to leave the park before it got dark because they were unprepared for the conditions, which could be chilly at times.
Uluru rose from the plains, challenging the sun as it dipped lower in the sky. Sean had always wanted to visit the famed Ayers Rock, but this was as close as he'd get on this trip. They had to figure out what Mathews had hidden at Kata Tjuta. After all, a woman's life possibly hung in the balance.
"The trail's over here," Reece said, pointing beyond a wooden fence and a sign that warned people not to take photos.
"What's with the no-camera rule?" Adriana asked.
"It's a sacred Aboriginal place, this. We're lucky to still be allowed to visit it. Aborigines believe that rock formations are ancestors or even deities."
A reverent silence overtook the group for a moment.
Reece looked around at everyone. "I didn't say we shouldn't go in. Come on. We're burning daylight here."
He traipsed ahead and onto the path. The Americans shared a short chuckle and then followed after.
The trail wound through the flats surrounding the massive rock formations, bending around brush and small boulders. After several minutes, it straightened out and grew wider the closer it got to Kata Tjuta.
"You have to be careful out here," Reece warned as the group neared the three big rocks. "Nasty snakes and spiders in this part of the country." His comment seemed directed at Adriana.
"You don't have to worry about me," she said. "It's these two you need to warn. They'll freak out at the first sight of anything slithery or creepy."
Reece boomed a laugh that echoed off the sandstone monoliths.
"Not true," Sean said. "So long as the spiders and snakes are a good distance away—"
"And dead," Tommy finished.
"Right. Then we're okay."
"I'd be more worried about Sean climbing that rock right there." Tommy pointed at the giant stone to the left.
Sean stopped in mid-stride. "Wait a minute," he said. "The riddle claimed the clue was at the bottom of the chasm. Not at the top. We won't be doing any climbing today...I hope." He muttered the last two words to himself.
Sean's fear of heights had been well documented over the years. He wasn't sure where it had started, but it was something that had dogged him his entire life. Whenever he found himself somewhere more than twenty or thirty feet up, his muscles froze, and he could barely find the courage to move.
"I doubt we'll have to climb," Adriana said, coming to his anxiety's rescue. "Like you said, the riddle is very clear about the location of whatever it is we're supposed to find."
"Maybe we should go ahead and hike to the top anyway," Tommy prodded. "You know, for the exercise? Or maybe the view is worth the climb. I bet you can see hundreds of miles up there."
"Okay, I get it, Tommy. Let's all poke fun at the guy who's afraid of heights. Be careful what you ask for. If we have to hike to the top of that thing, guess who's going to pass out on the way up."
"Here we go again. I'll have you know, I've been going to the gym a lot more lately."
"Taking a spin class?"
"Yes...no!" He tried to correct himself, but it was too late.
Reece stopped and looked back at Tommy. "A spin class? You take a spin class?"
Tommy sighed. "Yes, okay. It's good exercise, and I'm trying to get in shape."
"So you pay someone to tell you how to ride a bicycle that isn't going anywhere?"
"Yes, now can we please just keep going? We need to hurry if we're going to get back by nightfall."
"All right, Tom. Relax. We've got plenty of time."
The Sean Wyatt Series Box Set 4 Page 11