Colton Banyon Mysteries 1-3: Colton Banyon Mysteries (Colton Banyon Mystery Book 20)

by Gerald J Kubicki

  “But I would have to perform sexual pleasures for him, right? I’d still be a sexual slave.”

  “No, it would not be that way.”

  “Don’t lie to me, Professor. I’m not naive.”

  “My friend is also a professor. He could find you better work. It would be work that would not require your sexual favors. Things are not perfect in America either, but the opportunities would be much better for you there.”

  “I don’t believe you. You want something from me. Every man does.”

  “As soon as I return home, I’ll send you the documents and a letter with money. I promise.” Wesley couldn’t understand the reason for his words, but he felt compelled to say them.

  “I’ll never hear from you,” she sobbed.

  “Yes you will. But I will need your name.” He laughed.

  “Mary. Mary Beth York.”

  ***

  They talked for another hour. Wesley found himself trying to convince Mary to take him seriously. She kept up a skeptical facade. He finally gave her his name and address in Virginia and told her to do some research, saying his friend was a gentleman and he would welcome her and treat her as a lady. Wesley knew she would find his actual picture and realize he was not Professor Wayne, but he would be long gone back to Virginia by then. He hoped she would be convinced. When he brought up the topic of her brother, she said he was actually only a half-brother, different mothers, and would not go. Wesley now had mixed emotions about Harold, but he decided Harold was in different shoes. Wesley chose not to judge him, but he decided he must help Harold’s daughter.

  Suddenly she asked him if he would need her services again during his visit. This made Wesley very angry. He yelled at her, “Don’t you understand? I…want you to have a better life. I’ll see you again, but not here. You’ll see me in Virginia.”

  Her eyes lit up like a Christmas tree. “You will come to Virginia, just to see me?”

  “I will be there before you arrive. I promise.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Mary finally left around midnight. Wesley really didn’t want her to go, but he had other tasks to attend to that evening. He needed to check his hidden compartment and make ready for the ceremony the next night. His satchel sat in the corner by the door, just where he had left it. He grabbed it and headed to the privacy of the bathroom. Mary had told him that there were no peek holes in there. Once inside and confident there were no prying eyes, he began to empty the bag and then removed the false bottom.

  Shock immediately registered on his face, while he felt a shutter transverse his body. Something was very wrong. His passport in his real name and other papers had been moved. A letter in a plain white envelope had been placed on top of the documents. The diamond was gone. The pouch lay open in the bottom of the satchel.

  Wesley lost control and slipped to the floor in such a complete collapse that he banged his head on the back wall of the tiny bathroom. He lay there for several minutes. Everything seemed so surreal. Had he come this far to fail? Who took the diamond? Was it the slave girl? Was she part of a conspiracy against him?

  It took Wesley several minutes to recover his composure. He finally reached inside the satchel and removed the letter. The envelope had no markings, and the only writing was the word “Adam.” Although stunned, his mind now raced. Who knows my real name? he wondered. Why is there a letter in his secret hiding place? Where is the diamond? He was in such emotional trauma that it didn’t occur to him to open the letter. He held it in his hand and began to do a more detailed search of the satchel, ripping the lining and banging the case upside down. He started to lose rationality. He knew someone was to blame. He was sure Mary had taken the diamond. He convinced himself that she was a gifted seducer and probably had drugged him. She was also a thief. He would track her down like an animal. He would make her pay. After all, she was nothing to him. He owed her nothing. She was worth nothing. He would get even, somehow. No wonder many hated these black people. They were not to be trusted.

  He stood transfixed and stared into the mirror now. The face that looked back at him was scary. His hair was a mess, his eyes shallow. His lips were pale. Hatred seethed from his body like stream from a kettle. He raised his fist in anger but suddenly noticed the letter in his hand. He ripped it open and began to read.

  Dear Adam,

  Please don’t hate me. I do what I must do. I have read your documents and now know your real name. I want you to know that the time we spent together was real to me and always will be precious. Everything I told you about me is true. There were no lies, only an omission.

  I took the diamond. It never belonged to the villainous Rasputin. He should not have given it to you. I work for Czar Nicholas of Russia. I am not a spy but rather the protector of the Crown Jewels. Rasputin has a power over the czarina. She gave him the diamond; now I must take it back. Those are my orders. I know this puts you in a difficult position, but I also know you are very resourceful. Someday, I hope to meet again and make it up to you. I do love you.

  Please forgive me.

  Love, Anna

  ***

  Shock registered in the mirror. It was Anna who had taken the diamond, not Mary. Wesley felt a measure of emotional stress drop away. He knew he was still in deep trouble, but at least Mary was not a part of the problem. He realized that for a few seconds he had considered that white supremacy was acceptable. Shame spread through him like wildfire.

  His mind suddenly cleared, and he set about the task of still accomplishing his goal. But now he wondered about Rasputin as well. Should he tell Rasputin about the traitorous Anna? He figured he had time to think about that, but first he had to get the Black Diamond.

  He spent the rest of the night thinking. He realized the simplest plan was always the best, but he needed to be brazen again. He also decided he was up to the task. As dawn broke, he had put together a plan.

  He found a bar of soap that was approximately the same length as the diamond. He took out his knife and began scraping and fashioning the soap. Once done, he went to his trunk and found his shoe polish. It was black. After several layers, he was satisfied with the color and needed only to let it dry. By the time Harold brought him breakfast, he was done. His hands were black, so he set about polishing his shoes to cover up his devious plan.

  “I can polish them for you,” Harold offered.

  “That’s okay,” replied a disinterested Wesley. “I rather enjoy the busy work. It gives me something to do.”

  “Uh, about my daughter….” Harold started.

  Wesley interrupted. “I will help her, just as I promised.” He didn’t look up from his work. Wesley wasn’t sure how he felt about Harold.

  “If you do help her get to America, you will be the noblest man I have ever met,” the butler blurted out.

  “I always live up to my promises.”

  “Then I will forever be in your debt. I, too, am honorable and must help you if you ever need my help,” the butler stood at attention.

  “I’m not sure when that will ever happen,” an uninterested Wesley replied.

  “You may need my help tonight,” the butler persisted.

  “Why do you say that?” Wesley asked as he wondered how much Harold knew about his business.

  Harold responded in a sheepish manner. “I know you must survive the night. You know The Major is insane, people that attend his ceremonies sometimes do not return. You could be in serious trouble.”

  “I’m not concerned,” Wesley forced out a reply.

  “Nonetheless, just in case you survive and they come looking for you here,” Harold reasoned, “I will direct them to the old church you visited yesterday. That should give you a head start of about an hour.”

  Wesley suddenly looked up. “Why would you do this?”

  “Mary is my jewel, but she has no future here. I want her to go to America. You promised to help her. Therefore, I will help you if I can.”

  Wesley stood up and offered Harold his hand.
“Thanks,” he said with genuine sincerity.

  Harold suddenly produced a small note from his suit pocket. “Chances are The Major will have many friends at the seaport. You should not go there. If you are on foot, you must head northeast into the jungle. It will be harder for them to track you there, and about ten kilometers into the forest you will find a small village.”

  “Why go there?”

  “Mary’s mother lives there. She will aid you.” He handed Wesley the note and a small map. “Show anyone you meet the note. It will protect you. It is written in the native language used in the area.”

  Chapter Nineteen

  With everything at the ready, Wesley managed to nap most of the afternoon. He had many dreams and continuously awoke in a sweat. His dreams were of demons and frightful events. Ancient Celtic ceremonies filled his thoughts. The word occult bounced around his head. Sacrifices, ritual bleedings, and gore were common in the Old World rituals. He wondered about the insane Majors’ version.

  A dinner invitation arrived at four in the afternoon. It was slipped under his door. Wesley soon began preparing for the ceremony and a possible forced escape. He packed his satchel with his books and decided to pin his documents inside his clothes, just in case. He hoped everything would go according to plan. He reasoned that Gabriel would blow up the barn, and everyone would rush out of the cellar. He would have already switched the diamond, and they would leave the fake diamond on the altar. When the farmhouse blew up, it would take several days to dig out the cellar. Wesley would be long gone. He had a ticket on a ship that was set to sail in a week. It was under his real name. He had planned to lie low and eventually catch the boat, but he knew if they found the fake diamond, the Boers would hunt him down. Wesley was well aware that plans didn’t always work as designed, but at least he had an option.

  When he entered The Majors’ suite, he found four additional men with the host. When Wesley went to greet them, none of the men offered their names. Wesley soon noticed that their mannerisms and manners of speech were more cultured then the oppressive Boers. The Boers stood in the corner and watched all of them. Wesley was soon drawn into conversations and discovered three men held positions in the government. He calculated that the men probably received a donation from the cause to attend the function. They were the run-of-the-mill corrupt politicians.

  During dinner, conversations were boring, inane, and bordering on drivel. They discussed the price of sheep, the next year’s wine harvest, the cost of security, and not one word of a ceremony. Wesley considered the leadership of the Society of White South Africa was truly out of touch with the world. He began to feel numb. Thankfully, the dinner ended at seven-thirty.

  They all gathered in three carriages and drove off to the farmhouse for the ceremony. Jan, the Boer, had insisted he carry Wesley’s satchel. Wesley declined, but Jan grabbed it and peered into the opening several times. Wesley finally said, “Just my books for the ceremony. I couldn’t help The Major without them.”

  “Where is the derringer?” Jan croaked.

  “In my pocket,” Wesley said. “That is where it will stay.”

  “Give it to me,” he ordered.

  “No,” Wesley spoke in an irritated voice. “I may need it.”

  “The Major doesn’t allow any weapons in the ceremony.”

  “Then I shall leave it just outside the entrance to the ceremony, so I know where it is and you don’t.”

  Good conversation was not on the agenda during the short ride. Wesley’s companion for the ride over to the farmhouse didn’t say a single word.

  The Major was in the first carriage. One of the guests was with him. He spoke. “This Professor Wayne seems like a nice chap. Do you trust him? I mean, this is one of the most secret societies in South Africa. I wouldn’t want just anyone to attend.”

  “What does it matter? After the ceremony, when I am a supreme being, he’ll have an accident. All is arranged.”

  The man moved his hand up under his chin. “So, you actually believe the Black Diamond will make you powerful?”

  “There is too much evidence to ignore. I will gain immense powers that will supercharge the cause.”

  “So why can’t the rest of us share the power? I mean having one supreme being is one thing, but several supreme beings is an army.”

  The Major now felt the constriction of paranoia. He tried to adjust his seat to give himself time to think. These men, the board of the Society were nothing more than power hungry enemies to the cause, he decided. They just wanted to take what he alone possessed.

  “Think of the cause. We would be all-powerful.”

  “I always think of the cause,” The Major replied.

  The Major suddenly knew he would have to dispose of all of them. He was the rightful owner of the diamond. He alone had the conviction and the courage to lead the cause. They would use their powers to gain wealth, not to create the society The Major and Cecil envisioned.

  “Eh…. only one person can gain the power at each ceremony,” he lied. “You will have the honor at our next meeting.”

  The Major decided to have a word with Jan before the meeting. The others members of the board would disappear, just like Wesley. He would no longer need them. The Major would be invincible, the cause would be unstoppable.

  Chapter Twenty

  What The Major didn’t know was that Jan and the other Boers had met the night before. During the impromptu meeting, they had discussed The Major and the future of apartheid in South Africa. Jan was the main speaker, but everyone contributed. It took place in a small bar just a few blocks from the mansion. There were five Boers in attendance.

  “I’m getting sick of our friend, The Major,” Jan slammed his fist on the wooded table to make his point.

  “We’re making a good living from his plans,” another Boer pointed out.

  “This is more like a business with him. He wants this land because it is good for growing wheat. This land because it has diamonds. That land because of the wood. Don’t you get it? At this rate it will take us a hundred years to achieve our goal of getting rid of the blacks.”

  “What do you propose?” Another Boer asked this as he downed his seventh ale.

  “We need to get more men and attack,” Jan shouted.

  “Sounds like revolution. We tried that once and lost. Do you not remember the Boer Wars?” the drunken Boer exclaimed as he ordered another pint.

  “Until we throw off the yoke of the imperialist British, we will never be free to push out the blacks from our homeland,” Jan raised his fist to the ceiling.

  “But we are few, and The Major has the money. Why change now?”

  “I have been listening to everything,” Jan confided. “The new ceremony is about this Black Diamond they have somehow grabbed. The diamond has supernatural powers, powers we can use to take all the land. If The Major completes the ceremony and becomes as powerful as he thinks he will, we’ll never be able to stop him. I say let’s take the Black Diamond tonight. We will also ensure new leadership of the WSA. Are you in, boys?”

  Chapter Twenty-One

  Upon entering the farmhouse, Wesley was escorted into a small bedroom off of a center chamber. On the bed was a black robe with a hood. A bronze mask that would cover his whole face was also present. Wesley slipped the robe over his suit and affixed the mask. Grabbing his satchel, he returned to the center room. There were four others in costume waiting for him.

  “Follow me,” The Major spoke in an octave lower than usual. “Our ceremony is steeped in tradition. You must obey the laws of the occult. I will lead you.”

  With that, he banged on a large wooden door. Then he bellowed, “Let us in. We are the masters of the known world. We come to worship before you.”

  Jan then pulled the door open and they entered a hallway shrouded in darkness. They were led down a shadowed stone stairwell. Another door soon blocked the way. The Major bellowed again and then produced a key. The door creaked as it was slowly pushed open. The
Boers reluctantly remained outside as The Major closed the door and locked it with the same key. The Boers’ plan was to crash The Major’s little party as soon as they were sure the diamond was there. It would be when the female screamed.

  Meanwhile, Wesley was considering his options since a locked door was now in play. This might be a problem, thought Wesley, but he continued to follow the leader in single file. The passage led to a round room built in the soft earth. It measured about fifteen feet in diameter. Large timbers supported the plank ceiling. The walls were covered with dark boards to prevent cave-ins. It was meant to look like a rock cave. A big, round, flat stone sat on a pedestal in the middle of the crowded chamber. It was roughly five feet across and was ringed with six candles.

  As Wesley’s eyes adjusted to the dark, he noticed there were many symbols drawn on the boards on both the walls and the ceiling, and there were several carvings in the stone altar. He recognized many of the symbols as being Celtic. The dark brown color of each character suggested they had been written in blood. Was it animal or human? The carving on the altar looked like a star with six points. Each man stood directly in front of a point.

  The Major suddenly produced the pouch which contained the diamond from under his robe. He removed it from the pouch and placed it in the center of the star. He then raised his arms and began chanting in a language Wesley didn’t understand. The others followed his actions and chanted in the same Old World language. Wesley thought it must be Celtic. The Major leaned forward and extracted a knife that had been thrust into a slot on the table. It was vicious looking and apparently very sharp because without hesitation, he ran it across his right pinky. The pinky was now bathed in blood. It began to drip onto the stone altar. The Major now passed the knife to his right. The next person cut his own pinky. When it came to Wesley, he followed suit. The blood that slipped to the altar filled several carvings, and each produced a different symbol. As Wesley watched, each individual went to an open space on the wall and duplicated the symbol, drawing in human blood. Wesley recreated a symbol that was like an “X,” with shorter lines that ran perpendicular at the four ends. When he was finished, he returned to his original position. The men continued to chant, but louder now. The noise was deafening, and Wesley was beginning to become unhinged. Suddenly the chant stopped, and the men slammed their hands on the stone.