The Shut Mouth Society (The Best Thrillers Book 1)

by Unknown

  Benjamin Greene, on the other hand, had started to revive, but his eyes said he wasn’t quite aware of his surroundings. Evarts pulled over an ottoman and sat directly in front of Greene so that their knees touched. Then he slapped him. Hard. When he saw his eyes show some recognition, he said in a gentle voice, “Tell me about the union.”

  “I know little.” He struggled only momentarily against his bounds.

  “Tell me what you do know.”

  Greene still looked disoriented and didn’t even throw his wife a glance. “They were formed during the Grant administration. At least, that was when they were formally organized along lines similar to today. They actually extend back to before the Civil War, but prior to Grant, they were just people connected because of money interests in the antebellum South: for the most part, New York financiers and big plantation owners.”

  He finally looked over at his spouse. “What’s wrong with my wife?” he asked in a most matter-of-fact tone.

  “She’s dead. How long have you worked for the union?”

  “Pity. She ran the inn fairly well.” His eyes grew steadier. “Why should I tell you anything?”

  “Because you’d just as soon avoid pain. You’re narcissistic, are you not?”

  “Unrepentantly so, but I don’t believe you’ll harm me.”

  Without preamble, Evarts threw a cushion onto Greene’s lap, pulled out his gun, and using the cushion as a muffle, shot the old man in the fleshy part of the thigh. Before his scream left his throat, Evarts used his hand to cover his mouth and force his head back uncomfortably. “I thought you said you knew all about me.”

  After the old man appeared to regain some control, Evarts grabbed the duct tape and made a crude tourniquet. He sat back on the ottoman and stared at Benjamin Greene.

  Breathing hard, Greene wheezed, “Perhaps I underestimated some of your more brutal traits.”

  “That was warm-up. If you’re not going to use that mouth to tell me what I want to know, then I’ll duct tape it and introduce you to serious pain.” When he didn’t respond, Evarts added, “Do you believe me?”

  Greene seemed to contemplate the question. Wilting under Evarts’s silence, he said, “I’ve been feeding information to the union for over two years.”

  “How?”

  “Email. I’ve never met anyone in person.”

  “Why?”

  He winced. “In the beginning, because they promised to make room for us in the Mute Circle.”

  “Meaning they would murder the Baldwins?”

  “I prefer to think of it as just arranging their death a bit prematurely. We’d not only be elevated to the Mute Circle but also become the Keepers.”

  Evarts had interrogated dozens of men and women in both the army and the police force. Greene had broken faster than most, but Evarts had only used such drastic tactics once before. That time, the lives of his infiltration team depended on immediate answers. This time, his own life and that of Patricia Baldwin depended on truthful answers, and again he didn’t have time to waste. The preliminary questions confirmed that Greene had broken, so he proceeded to his most urgent question. “How long before the union arrives?”

  Greene looked at a clock on the opposite wall, which partly answered Evarts’s question. “They land in forty-seven minutes.”

  “How long from the airport?”

  “Fifteen minutes. Maybe another fifteen to deplane and exit the airport.”

  Evarts looked at Baldwin. When he turned back, he caught Greene wiping a smirk off his face. “How long will she be out?”

  “Hours. She drank most of her wine.”

  Evarts knew how to accelerate her recovery from the drug, but if he turned his attention to her, he wouldn’t get all the answers he wanted from Greene. He decided to spend fifteen minutes with the old man and then try to revive Baldwin. He calculated that it would be close, but the union men would either be unarmed or delayed because they stopped to pick up weapons en route … unless someone met them at the airport terminal with weapons at the ready. Damn. He had to hurry.

  Evarts decided that Greene needed a reminder, so he smacked his wound with the butt of his gun. He made no attempt to stifle Greene’s scream. Evarts relied on their description of the floor as nearly empty and on the industrial sounding between the lofts. Mostly, he wanted Greene to see him as desperate and crazed.

  When Greene recovered some composure, Evarts asked again, “Who was the fourth member of the Mute Circle?”

  “Jennifer Hathaway.”

  “Dead?”

  “Yes. Virginia.”

  “How did the union expect to find the documents if they killed everybody?”

  “The Baldwins were the only ones that knew the hiding place. The union didn’t kill them. It was a real accident.”

  He remembered that Baldwin said her parents always traveled separately but evidently not by car. That had proved to be a mistake. Evarts put his hand lightly on the wounded leg. He saw the fear in Greene’s eyes. “Tell me what the union is after.”

  “Your great grandfather’s documents. The ones the Keeper protects.”

  “Where are they?”

  The old man shook his head back and forth, and his fear became terror, confirming for Evarts that he didn’t know. He squeezed the leg ever so slightly. “What are they?”

  Relief suffused Greene’s face and the words tumbled out. “Evidence. Proof that the union plundered the South after the Civil War. They stole millions, tens of millions. Shut Mouth estimated it could have been as much as sixty to a hundred million. Now, nearly a hundred and fifty years later, we estimate their assets at over two hundred billion dollars. Your great grandfather put some of the evidence together during the Johnson impeachment. He wanted to use it against the Radical Republicans. He collected more when Johnson made him attorney general. The Keepers have it all: criminal investigations, affidavits, and confessions from bribed officials.”

  “Who comprised the union?”

  “Prior to the Civil War, New York City business interests had loaned over two hundred million dollars to the South, a good part of it collateralized with slaves. Lincoln never won an election in New York, and moneyed interests in the city never supported the war because of their investments in the South. After the war, a few New York titans teamed up with some members of the Southern plantation class to recover their money. They took everything not nailed down.” The old man chuckled. “At the time, one of the robber barons actually said that whatever is not nailed down is mine, and whatever I can pry loose is not nailed down.”

  Shock seemed to have alleviated Greene’s pain, but Evarts got him a glass of water and four aspirin. When he sat back down, he said, “And they continue to exist to this day?”

  “In an altered state. At first, it was only about money, but somehow the Southerners grabbed control. Since then it’s been about empire.”

  “Why didn’t Evarts stop them with his documentation?”

  “Remember—they were all Republicans, but the Radical Republicans controlled Congress and much of the media. The Radical Republicans, as they were called in their day, wanted the South treated as conquered territory, and they wanted enfranchisement of the freed slaves. Several influential Radicals conspired with the men who eventually became the union. Exposure of the scandal would’ve ruined not just the Radical Republicans, but all Republicans, so Evarts cut a deal with them during the Johnson administration: The plunderers would cease and desist, and he would destroy the evidence. They reneged, of course, and went underground.”

  “Evarts evidently reneged as well.”

  “The man was no fool.”

  “When he saw they continued to plunder, why didn’t he bring forward his evidence?”

  “At about that time, Hoyt Sherman left the capital for Des Moines, and Evarts gave the documents to him for safekeeping. When the looting accelerated under Grant, Hoyt refused to return the evidence. His older brothers, especially General Sherman, remained unquestionably
loyal to Grant and didn’t want to embarrass him. When Grant left office, Hoyt returned the documents, and after a family reconciliation of sorts, the key principals recommitted themselves to opposing the union. It was during that period that the Shut Mouth Society was formed to use and protect the documents. They managed to get Reconstruction under control, and the Sherman Anti-Trust Act put manacles on the New York robber barons.”

  “Is that when the leadership transitioned to Southerners?”

  “That would be my guess.”

  “Why the assault on the Shut Mouth Society now? What’s changed?”

  “The union is about to gain control of the government of Mexico.”

  Chapter 35

  Evarts glanced at his watch as he undressed Baldwin. He only had about a half hour to revive her, maybe a little more if he abandoned a safety margin. Earlier, he had thoroughly washed the coffee pot and brewed an extra-strong new batch. Once he had her undressed, he stripped himself, and then carried her to the bathroom.

  Consistent with the rest of the trendy condominium, the shower had five showerheads pointing in every direction. He turned on the cold water, lifted her under both arms, and walked her into the freezing maelstrom of sprays. He recoiled when the water hit him, but she initially remained lifeless. Finally, she made a soft yelp and wrapped her own arms around her body. Evarts gently took her head and leaned it forward until the main spray hit her full force in the back of the neck. He turned her to face him, but when her eyes opened, he saw little recognition.

  After about three minutes, he turned on the hot water tap and leaned her against the shower stall wall. Reaching out, he grabbed a biscuit he had found in the kitchen and forced her to eat. After two more soggy biscuits, he turned the water on full cold again. She started to revive but remained groggy.

  When he helped her out of the shower, her entire body shivered spasmodically. Good. He needed her body’s survival instincts to kick in. Soaking wet, he walked her back and forth in the small bathroom for about five minutes and then led her back into the cold shower, which he had not turned off. Gratefully, he heard her curse in anger this time. When he took her out to walk again, she needed him only to guide her, not support her. After he determined that she had enough control, he held the coffee in front of her mouth. At first, she sipped gingerly and then greedily drank the hot liquid. He looked at his watch. Less than ten minutes. Damn.

  Just as he considered leaving her alone to set a trap for the union men, she spoke her first words. “Can I have a towel?”

  He handed her a towel and helped her dry off. Then he sat her on the edge of the tub with more coffee and raced into the living area. In a moment, he returned with her clothing. “Can you dress?”

  “I think so. What’s happened?”

  “Not now. We’re in danger. Try to dress.”

  Instead of helping, Evarts watched to see how much control she had of her body. She staggered when she first stood but managed to stay on her feet and step into her panties.

  “How’s your head?” he asked.

  “Pounding. They drugged us, didn’t they?”

  Evarts took it as a good sign that she had started to regain cognitive capabilities. “Yes, and people are on their way to kill us.” He handed her aspirin and a glass of water. “I’m sorry, but we need to move.”

  “You’re naked.”

  Shit. He ran into the great room and threw on his clothes. After a quick check of the monitor, he raced back into the bathroom to find Baldwin dressed but slumped against the tub holding the coffee cup with both palms. “Gotta go. Can you make it?”

  “Have to.” She stood, a bit less wobbly, and walked toward Evarts. He helped her out of the bathroom and toward the front door. She saw the Greenes. “What did you do?”

  “What was necessary.”

  He checked the monitor and his watch. He didn’t feel confident she could handle the stairs, so he decided to chance the elevator. If they showed up in the next few minutes, they would be unarmed, unless someone had met them at the airport. The lift ride seemed to take forever, but he used the time to walk Baldwin back and forth across the oversized freight elevator.

  When they reached the ground floor, Evarts leaned Baldwin in the corner and kept a hand on his gun as he pulled the strap to open the horizontal wood doors. The lobby looked clear.

  He raced her out of the building and across the street. Now what? He had parked the car four blocks away, and Baldwin’s breath already came in sharp bursts. He didn’t want to be caught on the street and had no idea from which direction someone would come from the airport. He spotted a deli with high chairs facing a counter that ran along the front window. He glanced at the sky. Another hour until dark. He decided.

  He helped her onto a tall chair in the corner of the deli facing the window and then went to the counter to get food. Evarts realized he felt much better. The cold shower had helped him as well. He returned with turkey club sandwiches, chips, and steaming coffee. Baldwin immediately opened the sandwich and started eating the turkey and cheese with gusto. Evarts took a bite and peered out the window. “Did you happen to see anyone enter the building?”

  “No … and I watched. What are we doing here?”

  “We’ll wait until they enter the building and then make our break. Feeling better?”

  “A little. I can make it to the car.”

  “Good.” He took another bite and washed it down with coffee. “You know, this is the third time we’ve had to run.”

  “One time we might not make our escape.”

  “Exactly.”

  She looked at him. “Meaning?”

  “We need to go on the offensive.”

  Her expression changed from confused to anxious. “What are you thinking?”

  “Taking these guys.”

  “Greg!”

  “I’ll only do it if it looks like I have an advantage.”

  “What did you do to the Greenes?”

  “Later. After we’re out of here.”

  “How did you know about them?”

  “No one else knew we were on the East Coast. They knew about the Omaha safe house, and I guessed they knew about the one in Boston. Besides, her running away when she saw us at the Roger Sherman Inn made no sense.”

  “They were my parents’ friends.”

  “No, they weren’t.”

  He saw two cars pull up in front of the building and discharge four men before the drivers pulled away. Evarts sensed they were armed. He realized the drug had addled his brain. After Boston, they wouldn’t waltz in unprepared despite any assurances from Benjamin Greene. Time to go.

  Evarts took Baldwin by the elbow and led her to the back of the deli. Earlier he had spotted a back door that probably led to an alley. He found it unlocked, and they ran stiffly through the alley to the street and then walked as fast as possible without drawing attention. The extra time and food helped, and they reached the car without incident. After paying the parking fee, he drove in the opposite direction from the condominium. He had no idea where he was heading.

  He found Interstate 80 but drove under it to remain on surface streets and continued to head north.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I’m on the ‘away from here’ agenda again.”

  She sat quiet and rubbed her forehead for a while. “The cops are looking for us in California and Massachusetts. When they find the Greenes, they’ll be after us in Nebraska. I’m beginning to feel like Bonnie and Clyde.”

  “They won’t find the Greenes. Those men will remove the bodies.”

  “Bodies? You mean you killed them? Why?”

  “I killed her by accident. I left him alive, but he won’t be for long.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “Because I left a note on the kitchen counter. It read, ‘He told us everything.’”

  Chapter 36

  As they drove north into South Dakota, Evarts told Baldwin everything that had happened with the Greenes and e
verything he had learned.

  After he relayed all the new information, she seemed to puzzle over it awhile and then said, “It makes sense. The real conflict after the Civil War revolved around whether to treat the South as conquered territory, with all the spoils that entailed, or as recalcitrant states that should be blended back into the Union with restrained retribution.”

  “Lincoln favored the second approach, right?”

  “Yes. After they conquered some of the western states, he implemented a policy of allowing them back into the Union after only ten percent of the voters signed a loyalty pledge—with full representation in the House and Senate. Congress balked, but while the war raged, they couldn’t override him. He wanted the same policy after the war for the Deep South.”

  “Johnson?”

  “At first, he appeared to endorse Lincoln’s leniency, but the Radical Republicans soon saw that he actually leaned heavily toward the South.” She rubbed her forehead again.

  “Still hurts?”

  “Not as much as the Greenes’ disloyalty. Do you believe my parents’ death was an accident?”

  “Yes, but I suspect they were being chased. The union needed information from them.”

  “Damn the Greenes. How could my parents have been so wrong?”

  When he told her he had accidentally killed Nancy Greene, she had shown no emotion. Perhaps death had become commonplace for her. Evarts hated that prissy bastard with the smug expression, but he felt bad about the woman. The union had forced him to do things that his parents had tried to protect him against, and the sudden deaths, relentless running, and unanswered questions made him feel sick at heart and fatigued beyond endurance. He was ready to stop for the night and began to look for a motel.

  Baldwin turned from the side window that had seemingly held her attention for miles. “I’m beginning to think that the Lincoln assassination, Johnson’s impeachment, and the Grant election are all related. In each case, the Radicals benefited.”

  Evarts sighed. He could see nothing but empty road in front of him. Partly to pass the time he asked, “What were the grounds for Johnson’s impeachment?”