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

by Gerald J Kubicki

  “How did he do this?” he roared into the phone in anger. This scared Olga even more.

  “He has become a religious prophet to the monarchy. He now screens all who seek an audience with the czar and czarina. He has told them the Orthodox Church needs a stronger presence in the government. He saw our names on the list to visit the country. He then denied us visas and even placed an order that we are never to enter the country. Adam, I can never go there and visit my family.” With that, she began to cry uncontrollably, while Wesley sat in stunned silence, clutching the phone to his ear.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Everything Olga had said turned out to be true. For three months, Wesley collected information. Newspaper reports started coming out from St. Petersburg about a dashing monk who had captured the confidence of the monarchy. The Russian Orthodox Church was making a strong bid to shape the future of the country. Many accounts told of the monk’s great wisdom and belief in faith healing for the people.

  Olga continued to receive letters from her Auntie, but they were censored, and there was never a mention of anything about Rasputin. Wesley seethed with almost uncontrolled hatred for the monk. He constantly plotted and planned, but he could find no way to access the monk. He vowed to himself that he would find a way.

  Then suddenly one day in the fall the first letter came. This one came from a small town in Germany and was uncensored. Wesley had collected the note from his mailbox, but had not opened it for a week. That was because the name on the return address was Anna Van Kleef”. She was the same Anna Van Kleef who had taken the diamond from his bag on the trip to South Africa. The letter had actually traveled to his cottage in Virginia and had been forwarded to him in New York. It was a month old when he received it.

  Wesley sat at his desk and stared at the letter. What could she want with him? She had been a wonderful companion on the trip to South Africa, but it had all been a sham to get close enough to steal the diamond. She almost cost me my life, he considered. Why would I want to read anything she would write? Why has she contacted me? In the end, his curiosity won out. He tore open the envelope and extracted the faintly scented pages. He was immediately engulfed in memories of her blond silhouetted shadow.

  Dearest Adam,

  I know you hate me, but maybe we can still help each other. That is why I am writing you this letter. The monk, Rasputin, has arrived in St. Petersburg and is now a fixture in the monarchy and has been made a court official by Nicholas. I know the diamond you were seeking is in his possession. He flashes it at ceremonies and uses it to hypnotize many people. They all seem to like him, but I see the underside.

  I am still the protector of the crown jewels and have some standing with the court. The monk does not seem to care that I exist, except to attempt to seduce me. You must not have told him that I was the one who stole the Black Diamond. The czarist is also my aunt, and she has told me about the troublemakers from America, you and Olga. I was shocked to hear your name, but understand why you are after Rasputin. I think I can help. He has changed much of the culture of the Russian people. Many of us don’t like it. I’m going to steal the diamond from him, but I will need you to tell me what to expect from the powers. I promise that this time I will leave you with the diamond that you desire.

  Things are becoming critical here. I’m sure you’ve read the now-censored Russian papers. They don’t report the problems the Mad Monk has caused here in St. Petersburg. He has often offended the elite and has ties with people who want to throw out the monarchy. He also seems to have an unworldly appetite for sex. He often entertains several women in his apartment, and it has been rumored that he has raped a number of women, including a nun. Somehow, no one has arrested him. He must be stopped. I will stop him.

  Please consider meeting me somewhere in Europe to set a plan. Just send me a letter with the place and time. Reply to this address—as you can see, it is in Germany. It will get through the censors, who are becoming more critical every day.

  With great love,

  Anna

  Wesley was astonished by what he had just read. He had hated, vilified, and craved revenge for what Anna had done to him. Now she had offered to be his ally. She wanted to help him reach his goal. Should he trust her? He slowly reread the letter, dissecting every last word and smelling the paper. She was a clever girl, he remembered. Her scent quickly brought back sexual memories of their love episodes aboard the ship. Was this pure enticement, or was she really willing to help?

  He then reasoned that she had more to lose then he did. Her country was at great risk. Rasputin wanted to change everything. He only needed to possess the Black Diamond. Their needs were mutual. He decided to help her steal the diamond. He also needed to warn her. Rasputin might know of her. Wesley had said her name when they were on the docks. He knew she was the protector of the czarist’s jewels.

  Chapter Thirty-Seven

  Wesley found himself once again at a railing. This railing was at the very top of the world’s tallest structure, the Eiffel Tower in Paris. It was late in the year of 1906. He had considered his choice very carefully. He knew she would find him there, and if he wanted to leave in a hurry, there were several stairs. The open environment also allowed him to see any people she might bring. He was willing to trust her, but not too much.

  He had made copies of his most important notes on the Black Diamond and carried them in his ever-present satchel. He had planned everything perfectly and even had backup plans for the transfer of the diamond. He was very confident she could steal the diamond—she had stolen it once before, from him.

  A rustle of clothing told him someone was near. He turned his head and spied beautiful strawberry blond hair. She was right next to him. He recognized the scent. His knees all but buckled from her aura. She radiated with allure, her long locks blowing in the breeze. There was a smile on her sensuous lips.

  “Hello, Adam,” she said. “Adam Wesley, that is your real name, isn’t it?” The words flew to his ears like a beautiful ballet.

  “Good to see you after so long a time,” he replied coolly.

  “Don’t be mad at me for doing my job and trying to protect the monarchy,” she argued. “In my position, what would you have done?”

  “Before we talk, you need to answer one question for me, Anna. It is something that has bothered me for all this time.”

  “What’s that?” She tilted her head, and long blond hair spilled over the railing.

  “How did you know I had the diamond and was on that ship?”

  “We’ve had a spy in Rasputin’s camp since he first turned up in St. Petersburg. It was a year before he took his pilgrimage to the holy city.

  “Who?”

  “The monk, Ivan, has been reporting to me regularly. His family has many political ties and do not believe in the Mad Monk.”

  “But Ivan is his right hand man,” Wesley noted.

  “We needed someone who we could control. We’ve fed him information that has helped Rasputin and made Ivan indispensable to him.”

  Softening a bit, Wesley spoke. “That actually explains a lot.”

  “You deserve to know,” she said softly.

  “Okay, where do we go from here?”

  “I have a room near here. Why don’t we go there and get re-acquainted before we discuss our business?” Her voice was husky and low, all but a whisper. At that point, Wesley lost his questioning demeanor and grabbed her hand.

  As had been their tradition, they didn’t leave the bedroom for a full day. Anna had become more experienced during their long absence, but she still possessed the hunger to learn from Wesley. He tried his best to meet her needs. Eventually they had to replenish their strength with food and left the room. They wandered the street and settled in the outdoor patio of a small bistro two blocks from the hotel. Wesley ordered in French, impressing the lady. Wesley was the first to speak of the mission.

  “Can I really trust you? This diamond is very powerful. There is more at stake then you an
d me.”

  “Adam,” she replied as she flipped her hair over her shoulder, “I am committed to stopping the Mad Monk. That is my concern. Mother Russia needs my help—it is for my people that I will do this. If I don’t act soon, all will be lost, and my family will be ousted from their legacy. Rasputin must be stopped. Once I have possession of the diamond, there are many people who are more than willing to eliminate him, saving the monarchy.”

  “But this could be very dangerous. I’ll give you all I know about the diamond, but Rasputin has had it for several years. No one knows what additional powers he’s gained. It is even rumored he has psychic powers. What if he can read your mind?”

  “My mind will not be my weapon.”

  Suddenly concerned, Wesley asked, “What do you mean?”

  She stood up and placed a delicate leg on the chair, then began to pull up her dress until her inner thigh flashed into view. Every man in the bistro was now staring at her weapon.

  “I can seduce anyone here,” she announced. “Rasputin is a womanizer and has noticed me. If I give him a little help, he will be putty in my hands. Don’t you think?” She gave him a weak smile. Wesley wondered if she was scared.

  “Anna, he is known to be brutal and aggressive. He will hurt you. I can’t let you do this.”

  Returning to her seat, she grimly replied, “It is a small price to pay to rid my people of this monster. I am prepared to accept all he can muster.”

  The purest in Wesley screamed. “It is unacceptable. He knows who you are. What if he knows it was you who took the diamond? I forbid you to do this. There must be another way.”

  “I’ll just use that to my advantage. You can forbid me all you want, but you can’t stop me,” she vehemently shot back. There was fire in her eyes, and her small clutched fists displayed her determination.

  Wesley was taken aback by her steely resolve. To him, she was cunning, yet soft and dainty. He now realized she could not be put off. He needed to prepare her as best he could. She would seduce Rasputin to steal the Black Diamond.

  “Besides,” she interjected. “No one can replace you.”

  They spent the rest of the week discussing strategies. Wesley explained everything he knew about the powers of the diamond. He repeatedly asked her how she would steal it, but all he got was simple answers like, “I’ll take it when he is sleeping.” This was a great worry.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  Wesley sat at his antique desk in his New York apartment. It had been over a year since Wesley had plotted with Anna in Europe. She had taken his notes, vowed revenge, and disappeared. He had tried to contact her several times. No response to his letters ever came back. He often sat at his desk staring at the few things that she had left at the hotel—a lipstick case, a pen, and also the letter. Had she duped him again?

  The news from Russia rarely spoke of any conflict or dissention in the court of the czar. News was confined to the growth of industry, communications, and transportation. Little was said of any economic or military changes. But Wesley knew things were happening in the world that would affect Russia.

  As a professor of Balkan history, he constantly studied the news from the troubled Balkan area. Conflict was always close at hand there. The area had been controlled by the Turkish Empire for centuries, but many small countries had broken away, much to the disappointment of the militarily weak Turks. The Turks were not the only losers. The Turkish Empire had an ally—the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They had also lost territory in the area and the empire wanted it back. The two empires soon began planning, but didn’t realize the monumental impact their desires would have on the entire world.

  In the summer of 1908, the Austro-Hungarian Empire re-annexed the breakaway country of Bosnia. However, the Bosnians were considered Slavs by Russia, another Slavic nation. Russia felt a cultural and economic tie to the country, but Wesley knew what the Russians really wanted was a warm water port for their navy. Bosnia had such a port. It was important enough to fight over.

  The Bosnians, of course, wanted to be free from everyone, including Russia. Russia began to ramp up their military and also sought help from the French. France had no love for the Austro-Hungarian Empire and became an ally with Russia. A third ally was dragged into the conflict. Britain was an ally of France and therefore an ally of Russia. Germany was an ally of the Austro-Hungarians and pledged to support the weak monarchy. Wesley understood that this would lead to a major war soon. The battle lines had already been drawn—France, Britain, and Russia against the Austro-Hungarian Empire, Germany, and the Turks. The conflict would be based on the egos of the various monarchs involved.

  He began to wonder about America. America had many ties to Europe and especially Britain. However, America was in a period of isolation and did not want to be involved in any war. As Wesley wrestled with the long-term consequences of the Balkan situation, he played out several possible scenarios in his head. He believed that eventually America would have to enter the conflict. But when would this happen?

  Chapter Thirty-Nine

  Wesley routinely went to the post office to check for any mail from Anna. Once again, there was none. He still had contact with the now somewhat hostile Olga, who blamed him for her loss of privileges with her family in Russia. They would meet at the usual coffee shop, but now it was only once a month or so. Olga was proud that Russia was standing up to the hated Germans and their allies. She often talked about the spirit of her people and how they would succeed. Wesley thought she had a little too much faith. She said little about Rasputin other than to say he had become a fixture in the Russian court.

  Out of habit, Wesley opened his mail and read it at a desk located in the post office. There were the usual letters from students and a note from his estate manager in Virginia. There was nothing out of the ordinary. He was about to leave when his eye suddenly caught sight of a poster on the wall. It was a recruitment poster for the army. It said an army recruiter would be taking applications for enlistment today. He would be stationed in front of the post office.

  This sent Wesley’s mind spinning. Should he join? He reasoned that if America entered the coming war, he would be able to travel to Europe and could find a way to enter Russia. He could then hunt the evil Rasputin. This all made good sense to him. On the spot, he decided to join the army.

  The recruiter was tall, handsome, and had many medals on his tunic. He spoke from a small platform on the steps and had several female assistants handing out applications to the considerable crowd. His name was Reynolds, and he was a captain. He said he had been recruited into the army over twenty years ago and had served in the Spanish–American War. He went on about how America needed to protect itself. Wesley stopped listening as soon as the captain said travel abroad was a certainty. He grabbed an application from an assistant and returned to the desk inside the post office to complete the form. Upon handing it to an assistant, he was told that someone would contact him, but he might be too old for the army.

  “I’m only thirty-four,” he exclaimed.

  “I understand,” she replied. “But the army is very strict about the rules. Do you have any special skills we can use?”

  “Read my application. I am a professor of history and languages. I speak most European languages and read them fluently. Surely there must be something I can contribute.”

  “I’m not sure, but I’ll take your application and pass it on to the brass.” She offered a seductive wink to help assure him. Wesley felt she only wanted to get rid of him and return to enticing younger men.

  “Thanks,” he mustered and started his trek back to his apartment, his head down and swimming in rejection.

  Part Five

  The Spy

  Chapter Forty

  Wesley spent the time after his application submission studying the American military. He now knew the history and all the divisions and departments of the war machine. He believed he would be a good signal corpsman and could probably excel as a scout. He wanted to be abl
e to properly search for the Black Diamond and felt the many skills he would obtain through army training would greatly help in his pursuit. That was if he could overcome the enlistment age problem.

  One evening at eight o’clock, he heard a knock at his apartment door. When he opened it, a tall, gaunt man greeted him. The man was so thin and angled that he appeared to have been chiseled from granite. He was dressed in a dark gray suit. His wire-rimmed glasses protected piercing gray eyes that darted everywhere as he spoke.

  “Good evening,” he said in a deep cultured baritone voice. “I would like to speak with Professor Adam Wesley, if I may.”

  “I’m Adam Wesley. Who are you?”

  The man handed Wesley a card. The card simply said ‘Office of the ONI.’ His name was William Reed. “May I come in?” he inquired.

  “What’s this about?” a suddenly nervous Wesley asked.

  “It’s about your application to the army.”

  Wesley thought he knew all the departments of the military, but was not familiar with the ONI. He let the man in and ushered him to the couch. Wesley planted himself across the coffee table on a wingback chair.

  Reed did not make small talk. “Dr. Wesley, your application has crossed my desk. I’m here to interview you.”

  “I would think you would be in a uniform,” Wesley stated. “What branch of the army do you represent?”

  “Oh…I’m not with the army.” A thin smile crossed his stone-like face. “And this is my uniform.”

  “I’m afraid I don’t understand,” Wesley said with complete bewilderment, especially since he recognized the man sitting across from him. His name wasn’t Reed.

  “Please understand. I deal with extreme secrecy. My work often has an impact on many lives, both ours and theirs.”