The Sean Wyatt Series Box Set 4

by Ernest Dempsey

  “It’s good to see you, too, Mac,” she said. Her eyes gleamed, matching the grin on her face.

  Mac turned to June and embraced her tightly. “You must be June Holiday,” Mac said.

  June returned the hug and put on her happiest expression. “And you must be Mac,” she said.

  Mac let her go and took a step back, putting his hands on his hips. “I gotta say, Tommy sure has told me a lot about you.”

  Sean and Adriana glanced at each other with the same questioning look.

  “But he couldn’t do you justice. You’re prettier than he said, and he said a lot.” Mac chuckled.

  “So you told Mac about June, but not us?” Sean said, pretending to be offended.

  “I couldn’t help it. Helen bugged me so long about…” He let his voice trail off.

  “About what?” June said, her bright blue eyes staring right through him.

  “Nothing. Say, it would probably be best if we get out of plain sight here.”

  “Good call,” Mac agreed before June could continue her pursuit of the previous conversation. “Our place isn’t far from here. Just a short drive. We rented a chalet on the side of the mountain over there.” He pointed off toward a dark shadow a mile away. “If anyone decides to join us, we’ll see them coming.”

  Fifteen minutes later, the group walked into the chalet. Mac closed and locked the door behind them while his guests set their bags down on the round wooden table near the entrance.

  The chalet’s interior was almost entirely made from wood, designed to look more like a log cabin. The walls and floor were constructed out of a yellowish-amber variety, while the kitchen cabinets were deep red with gray granite countertops. The front of the chalet featured three massive central windows with one more on either side, angling out to the flat façade. The lights of the city burned in the valley below, and the moonlight rippled on the surface of the lake. Big leather couches occupied the sitting area. A fireplace crackled off to the left.

  “Figured the fire would be a nice touch,” Mac said. “I know it’s not winter, but a fire in the hearth always makes things feel a little better.”

  “Where’s Helen?” Tommy asked. “I thought she was going to meet us here.”

  “Somebody had to watch over the lot of you while you were down in the valley.” The woman’s voice came from one of the hallways that ran to the back of the chalet.

  A second later, a middle-aged woman with deep auburn hair and a tanned, freckled face appeared in the doorway next to the stairs.

  “There she is!” Sean exclaimed.

  “Almost feels like a family reunion in here,” she said with a thick Southern twang.

  Helen and Joe had been living about forty minutes north of Atlanta in the small town of Cartersville. Joe worked as a park ranger for years until he and Helen joined up with Tommy’s IAA. Helen’s past was still mired in secrecy. All anyone knew was that she worked for the government—and in a similar capacity to Sean’s job with Axis.

  No one bothered her about it, figuring some things were better left secret.

  After another round of hugs and introductions, Helen stood with her hands on her hips, staring at June. “I have to say, Tommy, she sure is pretty. And I love those freckles on your nose and cheeks.”

  June blushed. “Thanks.”

  Sean saved June further embarrassment by getting the group on task quickly. “So where’s this codex you guys found at the dig site?” he asked. “I’m interested to see what’s on it.”

  Mac’s eyes squinted. He saw Sean was trying to bail the new girl out. “Okay, Sean. Okay. We’ve got it tucked away in a safe place. Give me a minute, and I’ll bring it out.”

  Mac disappeared up the staircase to a loft and into one of two bedrooms on the upper level.

  “Would y’all like something to drink?” Helen asked. “We have some Cokes and bottles of water.”

  “Water would be great,” Tommy said. “You want one?” he asked June.

  “Sure.”

  Helen got four bottles out of the refrigerator and set them on the counter.

  Tommy took one and handed it to June.

  Mac’s boots clomped on the steps and he descended, carrying a rolled-up piece of plastic.

  “We went ahead and sealed this so it wouldn’t take any more moisture or air damage,” he explained. “This thing is definitely old, one of the older vellum pieces I’ve seen.”

  He laid the rolled-up plastic out onto the table and flattened it, holding it down on four corners with books he’d left nearby.

  “You laminated it?” June asked.

  Mac grinned. “No, ma’am. You don’t want to do that with something like this. No, we heat sealed it around the edges of the plastic, but kept the heat away from the vellum. That way we don’t hurt it. The trick is making sure you get all the air out of the plastic before you seal it. That takes a bit of work.”

  “Nearly drove him crazy doing it,” Helen remarked from behind the kitchen counter.

  “It’s a painstaking task, okay. And I’m not the most patient person in the world.”

  “You can say that again.”

  “Anyway,” Mac got back on topic, “this piece is really interesting. You can see these designs are definitely from the medieval period.” He hovered his finger over a flower, a cross, and three intertwined circles like the ones Sean and his companions had seen in Cologne. “I think they were added later. Everything about this document suggests it’s older than the medieval era.”

  “See that, Schultzie?” Sean asked.

  “Yep. Exactly like what we saw at the Cologne rathaus.”

  Mac nodded even though he wasn’t sure what they were talking about. “What’s really fascinating, though, is what’s written here.”

  “Latin,” Adriana said.

  “Indeed,” Mac confirmed. He leaned over the sheet and ran his finger along the plastic surface. “It says here that whoever seeks the keys to the kingdom must first seek the symbols in the land where Arthur sleeps.”

  Sean and Tommy exchanged a knowing glance.

  “Glastonbury Abbey,” Tommy said.

  Mac nodded. “Possibly. It goes on to say that he who seeks the keys and finds the symbols the lady hides on high will uncover the trophies of the fallen that illuminate the way to the sword bearer’s altar.”

  “Trophies of the fallen?” June asked. “What’s that mean?”

  “We have no idea,” Helen said. “Been trying to figure that out.”

  “Trophies of the fallen,” Sean repeated. “I wonder if that means some kind of loot that was taken after a war.”

  “To the victors go the spoils,” Tommy said. “It’s one of the oldest traditions in history. Winning armies take all kinds of plunder with them when they conquer another country.”

  “Yeah, but which army and which country?”

  “Maybe we have to visit Glastonbury to figure that out,” Adriana offered. “It sure seems like the riddle is left for the next piece of the journey.”

  “Right,” Mac said. “Problem is, Glastonbury is one possible place where King Arthur is buried. It’s possible his tomb is at Tintagel.”

  “True,” Tommy said. “He makes a good point. It’s long been believed that what may have been the birthplace of Arthur is also where he’s buried.”

  “Except for the fact that—according to legend—Tintagel has no connection to the sword.”

  Mac stood up straight and ran a thumb and forefinger through his beard. “I still can’t believe y’all are looking for Excalibur. I mean, it’s an ambitious thing to take on. That’s for sure. Just not sure how much of this stuff you can take as legend and how much is real, concrete evidence.”

  The four guests fell silent for a long moment, causing Mac to feel like he’d said something inappropriate. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend. It’s just that the whole King Arthur thing, Excalibur, the Camelot story…seems like it’s half history and half fairy tale.”

  “The North
Koreans don’t seem to think so,” Sean said. “That’s who came after you earlier tonight. They’re trying to find the sword, too.”

  Helen padded around the counter and leaned up against it with her side, placing an elbow on top. “North Korea? What do they want with that sword? And since when did they take an interest in historical artifacts?”

  “I asked the same exact question,” Tommy said. His voice drifted, like he was floating in a void. “It seems that they have some prisoners who know about the sword. Those prisoners have been feeding them information for the last few decades, giving them leads, always keeping away the most vital of details.”

  “Prisoners?” Mac said. “How’d you know about that?”

  “It’s a long story. But we have strong reason to believe that they are holding…that my parents are in North Korea.”

  He may as well have hit Mac and Helen upside the head with an iron skillet.

  “What?” Mac said in disbelief. “Your parents?”

  Tommy nodded slowly. “Seems that way.”

  “How did you find this out?” Helen asked.

  “We were apprehended by a secret society who call themselves the Brotherhood of the Sword. They believe it’s their mission to protect the location of the sword and keep it secret for all time.”

  “And this…Brotherhood,” Mac said, “they told you the North Koreans had your parents?”

  “Yeah. They showed us pictures. Said my parents contacted them through an encrypted message.”

  No one said anything for a long minute. Tommy stared at the vellum sheet spread out on the table. “You know, this hunt for the sword was just another adventure to find the hidden treasure, to bring something of historical importance back to humanity. Now, though, it’s personal.” He locked eyes with Mac. “We have to go to Glastonbury and find the symbols this codex mentioned. It’s the only chance I have of saving my parents.”

  “And these men…this Brotherhood,” Helen interrupted, “you think you can trust them?”

  “They’re well funded,” Sean said. “Said they’re actually priests trained in the arts of hand-to-hand combat, among other things, I’m sure. If they wanted us dead, they’d have done it already. I think they’re going after the North Koreans. The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”

  Mac and Helen exchanged a knowing glance.

  “What can we do to help?” she asked.

  Sean crossed his arms. He had a mischievous look on his face, the one he had when he was up to something. “I don’t know how they’re doing it, but the Brotherhood has been keeping tabs on us. It’s a good bet that they’ll have tracked you guys here, to Thonon-les-Bains. Unless I miss my guess, they’re probably headed here as we speak.”

  “So you want us to throw them off course, tell them you went to South America or something?”

  “Their deal with us,” Tommy cut in, “was that we drop the pursuit of Excalibur and leave.”

  “Leave?” Mac said. “You mean, like leave and never come back?”

  “No, nothing like that. They just wanted us out of the way for the time being.”

  “Okay, so we tell them you were never here.”

  Sean shook his head. “Actually, no.”

  “No?”

  Sean and Tommy flashed a quick look at each other.

  “No. We want you to tell them exactly where we’re going.”

  21

  Thonon-les-Bains

  Helen and Mac sat next to the fireplace, sipping hot toddies as the flames licked the bottom of the hearth. Occasionally, a piece of wood crackled or popped, sending sparks flashing into the protective screen.

  They heard the footsteps outside on the wraparound porch before the door opened. Sean and the others had suggested the men in the Brotherhood were dangerous, but in a strange way allies. They wouldn’t hurt the two Americans, at least that was Sean’s read on the situation.

  Of course, he’d been wrong before, which was why Mac and Helen both had their sidearms concealed under the blanket.

  “They’re not very quiet, are they?” Helen whispered into her husband’s ear, pretending to nuzzle him for show.

  “Like a greased pig in Mama’s kitchen.”

  “Did you just make that one up?” Impressed, she pulled back and looked at him.

  “Probably the toddy talking,” he said with a wink and took another sip from the steaming cup.

  A draft of cool air wafted through the living room, causing the hairs on Mac’s neck to stand up.

  Mac turned around and found four men standing in the doorway. They were all dressed in black cargo pants and snug-fitting black jackets. The one in front—a tall blond with a strong jaw—was the one Sean had mentioned before leaving.

  “You must be Baldwin,” Mac said, turning back around to face the fire. “Come on in and have a drink. Plenty of tea left over there in the kettle. And if you want to give it a little kick, the whiskey is in the pantry by the fridge.”

  The man closest to the door slammed it shut, startling the couple.

  “Easy,” Helen said. “You don’t have to go around slamming doors like that. Startles people.”

  “Please forgive the intrusion,” Baldwin said. “We’re not here to drink. And we’d prefer to not have any trouble.”

  “Oh, good,” Mac said. “We don’t want any trouble either. We’re here on vacation. Pretty country they got here by the lake. I gotta say, I love the South, but this is one nice spot.”

  Baldwin took a step forward, keeping the menacing expression on his face.

  “You and I both know you’re not here on vacation, Joe. You work for Tommy Schultz. Tommy said you found something, something that we need.”

  “Oh, you guys know Tommy?” Mac turned slung one arm over the back of the couch, careful to keep his weapon in his lap. “How long you known him?”

  “Don’t play coy with me, Joe. Where is the codex? And where are Tommy Schultz and Sean Wyatt?”

  “Coy? That’s a tad insulting.”

  Baldwin stopped short of the couch and crossed his arms. “We know they were here. Where are they now?”

  “First of all,” Helen said, “I don’t care much for your tone, young man. You need to treat your elders with respect. Second, if you’re so good at tracking Sean and them, how come you need us to tell you where they went? Sounds to me like you put some kind of tracking beacon on them and now you’ve lost it.”

  Baldwin’s right eye twitched. She’d hit the chink in his armor. “So your friends found the homing device we planted. I see. Well, that would explain why the signal is still here.”

  He pivoted to the right and walked casually over to the big front window. Looking out over the scene below, he paused for a moment to consider his next move.

  Mac and Helen waited patiently. Up until now, the script had gone according to Sean’s plan.

  “Perhaps Sean told you that we aren’t dangerous, that we won’t do terrible things to people like you to get what we want.”

  “And what is it you want?” Mac asked in as innocent a tone as he could muster.

  “Tell us where they went. I’m warning you. Don’t try to lie to us. Because if you do, we will find you.”

  “Well now, seems like finding people is the very problem you’re having right now. So I’m sorry if we don’t appear threatened by that little warning,” Helen said.

  Mac nearly did a spit take with his toddy, forcing his lips to stay closed to keep the liquid in his mouth.

  Baldwin reached into his jacket and produced a pistol. The two Americans immediately recognized the suppressor on the end.

  Helen clenched her pistol under the blanket. Mac had turned around to keep an eye on the blond guy, and as he did, slipped his hand back under the covers as well to get hold of his weapon.

  “You know, up here we’re so far away from everyone, you probably don’t need that thing on the end. No sense in losing accuracy to keep something quiet when there’s no one to hear it.”

  “Thank
you for the advice,” Baldwin sneered. Drops of spit shot out of his mouth. “Now tell me where they went.”

  “Okay, okay. Hold your horses,” Mac said. He slid his pistol over into Helen’s lap and got up from the couch, holding his cup and his free hand in the air to show the intruders he meant no harm. “Sean said you’d be coming by. Told me to give you something.”

  Baldwin’s anger turned to curiosity. “Give me something?”

  “Yeah,” Mac said as he wandered over to the kitchen counter. “Wrote down some nonsense from the codex we found. Sorry, but they took it with them. Said if you wanted it, you could come get it.”

  He picked up a piece of paper from the counter and set it on the opposite counter above the island sink. “Here you go.”

  Baldwin motioned to a guy with a bandage on his head, who immediately stepped over to the island and picked up the paper. He took it over to Baldwin.

  “What happened to your head?” Mac asked, with a slight slur.

  The man’s eyes narrowed, full of malice, but he said nothing.

  “Just asking.”

  Baldwin finished reading the note and then crumpled it. “This says they’re going to Glastonbury Abbey in England. You think I’m going to believe that?”

  Mac shrugged. “Honestly, son, I don’t care what you believe. I don’t know if that’s where they went or not. That’s just what they told me to give you. They said that nine of you would be coming by shortly and to give you that note.” He did a quick count. “Although there’s only four of you. Anyway, Sean said you wouldn’t believe it. Not sure why.”

  “Why?” Baldwin snarled. “Do you honestly think that if there were any clues as to the whereabouts of the sword, our ancestors would have been so foolish as to leave them at the abbey where Arthur was buried?”

  “Don’t tell me you buy into that whole King Arthur and Knights of the Round Table fairy tale. It’s just a story.”

  Baldwin remained silent, perhaps feeling as though he’d already said too much.

  A calm silence washed over the room. Helen pursed her lips after a moment. “You know, sometimes the best place to keep a secret is right where everyone can see it.”