“No, no. I know what it says. What I’m asking is why did you write this riddle?”
“Why write a riddle? For the fun of it.” Steven’s face registered a look that said, “Ask a stupid question, and get a stupid answer.”
“You never had any intentions to use it as a part of the kidnapping?”
“Heavens no.”
“You can’t actually believe Steven has anything to do with the kidnapping of the young boy?” asked Nathan. “He wrote the riddle years ago—even before he hid the treasure. People have been looking for it a long time. We have absolutely no idea why the Veil riddle was brought into this horrible situation.”
Steven Veil shook his head. “Horrible.”
“And you have received no indication that your riddle has ever been solved by anyone?”
“None whatsoever,” answered Nathan.
“And you, Steven?” Agent Carter stared down at the old man.
“None at all.”
“Do you believe there is any possibility, even remotely, that someone found the treasure and is now using that hiding spot to hold a young boy captive?”
Steven shook his head. “No one has found the treasure.”
“Okay.” Agent Carter cleared his throat. “I’m going to stop beating around the bush. I want you to tell me where the treasure is located. The FBI can go there ourselves and check. We will keep your secret from the media.”
“Absolutely no media,” Steven’s face grew concerned.
“I promise. No media. Where is the treasure, Steven?”
“I can’t tell you.”
In a stronger voice than he had been using, Agent Carter said, “Don’t mess around with the FBI. You need to give us the exact location of the treasure.”
“I can’t do that,” said Steven, his mouth set in defiance. For an old geezer, he had a backbone.
“Sir,” said Nathan Porter, the assistant. “we’ve checked our rights on this issue and Steven knows he doesn’t have to divulge the location to you—at least not without an awful lot of paperwork that hasn’t been done and a trial. The riddle is literally the culmination of Steven’s life. We are absolutely sure no one has found the treasure. The boy isn’t being kept there. We are not trying to obstruct this kidnapping investigation. We want to be as helpful as we can.”
“You say that but you won’t tell me the location of the treasure even though it’s implicated in the kidnapping of a young boy. And you say you’re being helpful?”
It was all Maria could do to keep her mouth shut.
Mr. Porter cleared his throat. “We came directly to Kanab as soon as we got word you were looking for us. We can tell you that no one has found the treasure. Steven knows it for a fact.”
“How?” questioned Agent Carter. “How do you know that?”
The assistant looked at Steven with his eyebrows raised as if asking Steven what he should or shouldn’t say. The two exchanged a look and Mr. Porter continued, “Along with the treasure is an electronic device. We can’t tell you what kind or how it works, only that Steven paid quite a bit of money to have it made. That device tells Steven if the treasure has been moved. During the last eight years, the signal has stayed strong. No one has moved the treasure.”
“Can you prove this to me?” asked Agent Carter.
“Yes, but only if a judge forces us to do so, and again, that will take time. You’ll have to take our word for it. The treasure is untouched. No one has been in the area. The boy is not being hidden there.”
“So you must know where the treasure is?” Agent Carter asked Mr. Porter.
“No, but I know where the electronic signal comes from, though I’m not sure of the technology behind it. But I have been sworn to secrecy even over divulging the location of the signal.”
Agent Carter slapped the table loudly, making everyone jump. “Stop this nonsense. Just give me the location of the treasure.”
Steven Veil glared at the FBI agent and clamped his lips shut. Nathan shook his head. “No.”
“Listen, we’ve started the paperwork. You will eventually have to reveal the location to us. Let’s avoid the headache and stop messing around. Give me the location, now!”
Steven clenched his fists and turned his head, refusing to look at the FBI agent. “Absolutely not.”
Nathan continued to recite Veil’s legal rights in the matter. Banter went back-and-forth, on and on, until Maria was literally shaking. “We already know the treasure is in Jarbidge, Nevada,” she blurted out. “Give us the specific details and we’ll let you out of here.”
Maria had hoped for more of a reaction between the two men. As it was, Nathan’s eyes slightly widened—perhaps merely surprised at the fact that she’d spoken. Steven Veil remained as poker-faced as ever.
Agent Carter, however, did turn and glare at her, annoyed with her interruption.
“We hold firm to our rights in this matter.” Nathan set his jaw and began to scoot his chair out. “As I said, we can guarantee the treasure hasn’t been found. Now, that doesn’t mean some crackpot out there hasn’t decided he thinks he knows where the treasure is and has hidden Justin there. That is where I would focus my efforts if I were you.”
Agent Carter grunted. “Of course we’ve been looking into that possibility as well. But there are quite a few chat boards that discuss the riddle. We’ve been trying to locate those individuals who seem the most unstable and likely to commit a crime like kidnapping. But it would be more helpful if you would tell us where the riddle points to.”
Nathan had stood up and was gently helping Steven from his chair. “Then we’ll see you in court.”
Steven Veil didn’t say a word as he left the room, but shuffled defiantly out the door.
After the two men had left, Agent Carter turned to Maria. “You were supposed to keep quiet.”
“Sorry, I couldn’t take it.”
“No matter.” Agent Carter typed a text into his phone. “I’ve just requested a subpoena to have Mr. Veil appear in court to reveal the location of the treasure.”
“And how long will that take?” asked Maria.
“A couple weeks.”
“But,” she began. Her voice then faltered.
Justin did not have a couple of weeks. He didn’t even have a couple of days.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
The search for this hidden treasure has become a hobby for some, an obsession for others, and for one recent searcher — a fatal pursuit.
“SEEKING ADVENTURE AND GOLD? CRACK THIS POEM AND HEAD OUTDOORS” NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO, AIRED MARCH 13, 2016. HTTP://WWW.NPR.ORG/2016/03/13/ 469852983/SEEKING-ADVENTURE-AND-GOLD-CRACK-THIS-POEM-AND-HEAD-OUTDOORS
The song playing on the car radio abruptly stopped and was replaced with crackly static, which Maria ignored. The meeting with Steven Veil and Nathan Porter had been completely useless, and time was something Maria had little of to waste.
Ms. Tuttle had called this morning. The women had played all night yet they still had had no major breakthroughs about where the Riddle pointed to specifically in Jarbidge. The most promising references were still something about Scotland, the bullet card, and a Devil’s Coup, but that was about it. Nothing conclusive. Nothing strong enough for Maria to fly off to Scotland. Or to the devil.
Maria crossed Main and drove down a side street to her home. She reached out to fix the radio when a strange ring tone filled her car.
“What on earth?” Maria looked around, lifted up some papers on her passenger seat, and saw an unfamiliar phone there.
Where had that come from?
Maria pulled over to the side of the road and answered the phone, which showed that an “unknown” number was calling it.
“Hello?” said Maria.
A raspy, digitally altered voice said, “You’re taking too much time.”
“Excuse me?” Maria’s heart sped up. Was the kidnapper was making contact at last?
“You’re taking too much time to solve the riddle I left.”
“Did you kidnap Justin?” Maria forced her voice to stay steady.
“You must solve the riddle if you ever want to find the boy. Show me how smart you are.”
“I’m not that smart.”
“Then use your gift. Solve the riddle.”
“I have no gift.”
“Do you want to see Justin again?”
“Let me talk with him. Is he with you?”
The digitized voice paused. “If I let you talk with Justin, you will not tell the FBI about this call. You must solve the riddle by yourself. Quickly.”
“The FBI constantly watches what I do. They think the riddle is a distraction. I need more time.”
“You haven’t even tried to solve it and it’s been five days. No more time!” The voice turned angry.
“I’ll do what I can, but my hands are tied by the FBI who is investigating the case. Is there something else you want from me? I’ll do anything.”
“No. You have two days to solve the riddle. After that, the boy dies. We’re following you.”
For the first time since Justin was taken, Maria’s gut feeling that he was okay faded. The voice—or more accurately the person behind the voice—had evil intentions. Had those intentions changed from the beginning, or was the person on the phone different than the person who left the note? Whatever it was, a new sick feeling spread through Maria until she was quite sure she was going to vomit.
“I promise I won’t tell the FBI about this call. Let me talk to Justin, please.” Maria didn’t know if sounding desperate would help or hinder her cause. Regardless, the new dread that filled her was terrifying.
“How do I know you won’t tell them?” the voice asked.
“You have my word. Just don’t hurt the boy.”
“And you will do everything I say?”
Maria was being manipulated. It was Tehran all over again. People she loved were being used against her. In Tehran she’d stayed tough. She’d followed her training. She’d refused to cooperate and she’d lost her entire team. This time would be different.
“I will do whatever you tell me to,” Maria said resolutely. “Let me talk with Justin.”
Call it the Sight or just good old-fashioned police instinct, but Maria knew one thing for sure. The rules of the game had just changed.
“Use your gift to solve the riddle,” the voice commanded.
“I will. I’ll use the gift.”
The phone went silent.
“Hello? Are you still there?” Maria’s thoughts raced. Was the kidnapper with Justin or was Justin going to be patched in electronically? Had he been fed? Was he given a bed?
“Hi?” A child’s voice echoed over the phone connection.
“Justin?” Hearing him only made Maria’s panic grow tenfold. How could anyone take a child from his parents? “How ya doin’ bud? You okay?”
Calm. Keep your voice calm.
“Yeah, Chief. I’m okay. I watch a lot of T.V. My mom would be mad.”
To hear Justin call her “Chief” about did Maria in. She didn’t feel worthy of the nickname. “No, honey, your mom wouldn’t be mad. She loves you so much. If watching T.V. helps you feel better then watch all you want.”
A muffled cry. Justin was trying so hard to be tough. “I just wanna go home. Can you come get me? I miss everyone.”
Heart. Tearing. Apart.
“Yes,” Maria lied. “I’m coming to get you. I’ll be there soon. Can you hang on another day or two? I’m trying to find something very important and then I’ll come and bring you home.”
“I can hang on. If I know you’re coming, I can hang on.”
“Justin, I need you to be—”
“He’s off the line—” said the electronic voice. “You heard he is okay and he is counting on you. Find the answer to the riddle and you’ll get him back.”
“How do I contact you?” asked Maria desperately.
“You don’t contact me. You solve the riddle, by yourself. I’ll be following you. I’m being serious. Don’t tell anyone about this call or take anyone with you to solve the riddle. If you do, we kill the boy.”
The line went dead. Maria had hoped Justin might be able to give her some clue about his captors or his location. But, in reality, he was an eight year-old frightened boy who was just hoping for some comfort and a promise of hope. A promise of being with his family again.
One word spun around and around in Maria’s head.
Jarbidge.
As amazing as Ms. Tuttle was, Maria couldn’t wait for the librarian to figure out the rest of the Veil riddle. Maria had a location. To search one hundred thousand acres was better than an entire continent. She had to go there and try.
Maria set down the burner phone and picked up her own. She searched the internet for the phone number for private tours over the Grand Canyon. Finding a number, she called it and asked how much to book a private flight to Jarbidge.
Ten minutes later, after maxing out three of her credit cards, Maria had passage to Murphy Hot Springs Airport in Idaho. After landing, she would have an hour drive on a dirt road to get to the not-so-thriving town of Jarbidge, total population less than two hundred.
The location of the soon-to-be-found Veil treasure.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
A treasure hunter who disappeared this year while searching for a cache of gold and jewels in the New Mexico wilderness was confirmed dead after his remains were discovered west of Santa Fe. Bilyeu disappeared in early January while searching for antiquities dealer and writer Forrest Fenn’s $2m hoard of gold and jewels in northern New Mexico.
“TREASURE HUNTER WHO WENT LOOKING FOR $2M IN GOLD FOUND DEAD IN NEW MEXICO,” THE GUARDIAN, JULY 26, 2016.
If there was one thing Maria knew how to do, it was pack light. Years of being on the go had taught her that. And even though she still had eight hours until her flight to Jarbidge that evening, she wanted to be ready. The pilot had only agreed to the trip because she was willing to go after hours. If she’d had her way, she’d be leaving this minute. Justin’s kidnapper wanted her in Jarbidge, so that is where she would go. No resistance. No push back. She would do whatever it took. The FBI had all but failed to this point. She was taking matters into her own hands.
Maria took off the holster and gun she wore when dressed in her police uniform and set it on the top of her dresser. She would be traveling incognito, which meant using her concealed Glock. Next, she grabbed an extra shirt and pair of pants out of the drawer and put them on top of the dresser as well. Not having any idea how long she would be in Jarbidge, Maria headed to the bathroom to grab her overnight toiletry bag.
As she opened the door, she heard something rustle behind her. As she turned around something heavy smacked into her head, and she crumpled to the floor.
Maria had tried to wake herself for several minutes, but the process had been long and arduous. Her nosed itched and a rancid smell invaded her nostrils.
What time was it and why is my bed so uncomfortable?
“Hello?” A man’s voice jarred her from her grogginess.
Slowly, details of what had happened formed in her mind. She wasn’t in bed. Someone had hit her in the head. Who, she didn’t know.
Forcing her eyes to open, Maria saw a blurry figure of Karl Fossum propped up on his elbows, lying on her bed.
“Hello there, Chief.” The mocking tone was obvious.
Disoriented, Maria tried to stand up and nearly knocked the chair over to which her ankles and wrists were tied. “W-what do you want?” Her words slurred. She grunted as she pulled at the ropes holding her tightly.
“I used to be a Boy Scout, Chief. I even got my knot tying merit badge. Those ropes ain’t going nowhere.” His sick laughter filled the room.
The way he spoke made Maria feel just as woozy as did the hit to her head. He was the kind of person who thought he was so clever but who, every time he opened his mouth, was insulting.
“Boy Scouts? What are you talking about?”
Thoughts were forming more clearly now as the haze lifted from her mind. She recalled packing for her trip to Jarbidge before heading for the bathroom to get some items.
“Wanna know something crazy?” asked Karl. He turned sideways and rested his head on her pillow. A horrid odor emanated from his direction. The sight of him on her bedding made her want to burn it. “After I gave my Vegas buddies the slip, I came back here to give you what you deserved. Imagine how surprised I was when I heard one of the brats you had with you at the creek had been taken.”
Hearing the man call Justin a brat sparked a flame of anger that helped Maria shake the rest of her fatigue. No longer were her eyes droopy. Wide awake, she was more and more aware of her predicament—Karl Fossum was in her bedroom and she was tied to a chair!
“Talk about bad timing. I arrive in town and … wham … the town’s full of busybodies puttin’ up flyers with my picture sayin’ I kidnapped the kid. Now, that’s a lie.”
“Why did you come back to Kanab if it wasn’t to kidnap Justin?” Maria continued to tug at the ropes binding her wrists.
“I came back so you and I could have a little talk. I needed to teach you a lesson about not stickin’ your nose in other people’s business. But it’s been rough finding a time you and I could chat. Just the two of us.” He winked at her.
Maria’s mouth curled in distaste.
“But I didn’t come back to take any kid. So, you can go ahead and let the feds know to leave me alone.” Karl turned onto his back and crossed his ankles, gazing up at the ceiling.
Maria was definitely going to throw her bedding away after this. “Karl, I’m not an idiot. You took Justin to get back at me. It was … understandable.” She forced herself to try and befriend him. “But you’re getting in deeper than you want to be. Kidnapping is a bad business. Perpetrators get long, long prison sentences. But if you told the FBI this very minute where Justin is, your sentence would be a lot shorter. It would go a long way in court. But if you continue keeping him hidden, no judge in Utah or Nevada is going to go light on you.”
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