Riddles that Kill

by Lois D. Brown

  “Fenn’s treasure: Our 5-day quest for $2 million hidden in the Rockies” by Zachary Crockett, updated on June 30, 2017, https://www.vox.com/a/fenn-treasure-hunt-map

  Leaving the Phoenix courtroom late in the evening, Maria took one look at Rod and knew they weren’t heading home. Bags hung low under his bloodshot eyes. Maria didn’t know whether it was the stress of the emergency plane landing, seeing his ex-wife again, or both. Regardless, Rod needed some sleep and Maria was pretty hammered herself.

  “Listen,” said Maria, “we don’t have to get home tonight. There’s no reason to kill ourselves. Let’s get some sleep and head to Kanab in the morning. Grant and Natalie are taking care of the plane, right?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I say we get some rest and leave first thing in the morning.”

  Wearily, Rod looked at her. “Do you think it’s okay? You know, with Justin and all?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Rod opened the passenger door to the rental car that Grant had gotten for them and held it open until Maria climbed inside. As he walked around the car to get into the driver seat, Maria was on her phone texting. By the time he sat in the driver’s seat, she had a plan.

  “Amy says she can put us up for the night. She’s only about twenty minutes from here.”

  “Amy who?” Rod asked.

  “Amy, you know, Brian’s wife, well ex-wife, actually?”

  Surprised, Rod looked at Maria. “I didn’t know you and Amy were still friends.”

  “Yeah, we text every so often. You weren’t Brian’s only victim. He took Amy for everything she had.”

  “Poor lady.” Rod scratched his head and slapped his cheek in an effort to stay awake. “Okay, I think it sounds good. I’m not sure I can keep my eyes open much longer.”

  The “For Sale” sign on Brian’s turreted mansion reflected the yellow light from the city street lamp. Maria wondered how much the home would sell for. She was sure Amy couldn’t wait to get rid of the albatross.

  After a quick “hello” and an invitation into the house, Amy had nothing but hugs and kind words for both Maria and Rod.

  “I’m so glad you thought to text me, Maria. It’s great to see you.”

  In the living room the furniture had been pushed to one side. Chairs were stacked up, and lamps, ceramic figures, and crystal vases littered the top of one table. The art had been removed from the walls and leaned against the couches.

  “Excuse the mess. I’m moving out at the end of the month. It’s going to feel so good to get out of this place. Nothing but bad memories here.” Amy scooted some papers off a sofa and gestured for them to sit down.

  “Oh, we’re so tired,” said Maria. “Is it okay if we just head to bed?”

  “Of course. I know you’ve had a crazy day. Head on upstairs. I made the beds in the rooms you stayed in last time. I’ll be up early, so don’t worry about waking me. Leave whenever you need to. And please tell your friend I’m praying for her little boy.”

  “I will,” said Maria. “I know everybody’s support means a lot to her.”

  Rod and Maria dragged themselves up the stairs and down the hallway. Since the relationship was over there was no longer an awkward question of where they would be sleeping. In her room, Maria didn’t bother taking her clothes off. She flopped down, curled up into the fetal position on top of the cover, tucked the memory foam pillow underneath her head, and closed her eyes.

  “No.” The voice came from the haze. “I have no more information.”

  Maria would recognize that deep-throated raspy sound anywhere. It was Ryan.

  Gradually Maria’s eyes focused and she saw Ryan in the middle of several terrorist interrogators. One hit him and he didn’t even flinch. After what he had been through, a punch was hardly something that could cause a reaction.

  For several minutes the men grilled him, occasionally roughing him up. Ryan stayed cool and collected. Even making a joke once. Maria watched like a fly on the wall.

  All at once the scene misted over and she felt a tugging in her gut. She was creeping through the hallways of the terrorist prison. She had slipped out of an interrogation room that had been left open. It was her chance to escape.

  Maria continued silently down the corridor to the courtyard. Barely opening the door, she slipped outside. The air, though polluted, was intoxicating. She felt the wind tickle her face and she briefly closed her eyes to the almost painful sensation.

  Forward. She had to keep moving forward.

  Maria eyed the electric fence that surrounded the facility. Seeing no break in it, she hugged close to the wall of the building and began making her way to the other side.

  Turning the corner, she saw a man with a bag over his head. His hands were tied behind his back. A shorter man gripped under the prisoner’s arm and walked at his side. Another guard followed, poking his bayonet into the back of the hooded figure.

  The clothing was familiar. American. It was what Ryan wore the day her black ops team was captured.

  A hangman’s noose hung from a makeshift gallows in the center of the yard.

  Maria barely stopped herself from screaming and revealing her location to the guards. A heaviness in her stomach grew until it was a dense clot of dread.

  What should she do?

  The terrorists were going to hang Ryan. Should she scream? Attack? Run?

  Maybe Maria could take his place. What a blessing that would be. The torture would be over.

  Maria’s feet felt like lead weights. She couldn’t seem to move them.

  Ryan was forced onto the platform.

  Maria’s hands twisted around each other.

  Ryan was told to bend over. His head was shoved into the opening of the noose. He cried out just once. He said a name. Maria didn’t recognize it. Perhaps it was the name of his mother. Or a grandmother. Or of lover no one knew about but Ryan. It certainly wasn’t her name. She was the one who had let them all down. Hers wasn’t a name the damned would call for saving.

  Maria tried again to move. This time she was able to overcome the fear and dislodge her feet. Her body moved quickly, footsteps thudding on the hardened dirt.

  A guard turned her direction and hollered.

  Several yards still separated Maria from where Ryan stood on the gallows.

  She had no plan. She only knew she couldn’t watch them kill Ryan.

  “Ryan, it’s Maria. I’m so sorry.”

  The smaller of the two guards grabbed at Maria’s tattered clothing but she yanked herself out of his grip.

  Another foot or two and she would be close enough to touch her former team member.

  “Maria?”Ryan’s voice was confused.

  “It’s me.” She thrust her hand upward and touched the feeble leg of her friend who was positioned on the edge of the wooden plank.

  Someone pushed Maria from behind, and she fell to the ground. Three new guards surrounded her. She aimlessly kicked at their bodies, doing little damage the few times her foot connected.

  “Get her back to her cell.”

  They dragged her from the courtyard, kicking and screaming. “No! Ryan! No!”

  Why couldn’t it have been her?

  Sweating and out of breath, Maria sat up on the bed, wide awake after her dream about Ryan. Even though the room was dark, Maria made out the shape of a shadowy man in the corner. Not a real man. It was the same strange apparition she’d seen in the detaining cell of the Kanab police station.

  Ghosts didn’t scare her anymore. Her dreams were much worse.

  Maria stood up, ready to see what the shadow needed to move on. It wasn’t that she was scared. More like she was bothered. This was the last thing she wanted to deal with right now.

  Once Maria was on her feet, she noted that the shadow was about the same height as Ryan. And even the same build, she thought. It was hard to remember what exactly Ryan had looked like. She’d tried so hard to suppress those memories. Could it be her former team member come back to hau
nt her?

  Just like in the Kanab detaining cell, the figure faded in and out of reality.

  “Who are you?” Maria asked. The figure turned his head. If Maria could have seen his eyes she was sure he would have been looking at her. As it was, however, the silhouetted man raised his hand at the exact moment the door to Maria’s bedroom burst open.

  “Are you okay?” asked Rod.

  Maria stepped back in shock. “Uh, what?”

  “I heard you scream.” Rod flipped on the hall light behind him. “I wanted to make sure everything was all right.” He took a few steps into the room and stopped. He gasped and began to rub his arms back and forth. “Why is it so freaking cold in here?”

  Rod was dressed in a thin white t-shirt. Still, there was no reason for him to be acting like he was in the middle of the Antarctic.

  “Cold?” asked Maria.

  “It’s seriously frigid. How can you stand it? There must be something wrong with the air conditioner.”

  Maria looked at her hands. They were slightly blue. “Weird.”

  Had the shadow figure brought the cold with it? And if it was Ryan, was that supposed to tell her something?

  “I’ll see what’s up with the thermostat.” Maria rubbed the last bit of sleep from her eyes. “Thanks for checking on me, Rod. Go back to bed and get some more sleep.”

  “You sure?” Rod looked at her questioningly.

  “Positive. See you in the morning.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Fenn won’t say how much the treasure is worth because the price of gold fluctuates. Some insiders have said it’s worth much more than one million dollars.

  “Well Over $1 Million in Buried Treasure: Find it!” by Margie Goldsmith, HuffPost, Feb 18, 2011.

  Despite her nightmare, Maria awoke at sunrise refreshed and ready to get back to Kanab to find Justin. A quick shower didn’t take long. By 6 a.m. she was headed down the stairs. To her surprise, Amy and Rod were both already up chatting in the kitchen.

  “I know.” Amy cracked an egg into a frying pan. “It’s like waking up one day and finding out you’ve been living a real life Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.”

  “It sure takes you for a spin.” Rod took a long drink from a tall glass of orange juice.

  Maria set down her bag in the hallway and walked into the kitchen. “Sounds like you two are getting along.”

  “Just exchanging horror stories of spouses gone bad.” Rod gave a little grunt.

  “Well,” said Maria, “You two can certainly relate.”

  In the early morning light, the kitchen looked more in disarray than it had when they arrived late last night. There were only two kitchen chairs left. No décor on the walls. And the table was heaped with an odd assortment of exotic looking food.

  “You have been working hard to get this place cleaned out, haven’t you?” Maria walked over to Amy to see if she could help with breakfast.

  “I cannot believe how much stuff we had.” Amy put the lid on the frying pan to steam the eggs. “Of course, not much of it was actually mine. When I moved into this house, Brian already had it full of useless, expensive crap.”

  “Seriously, “said Maria, “I’ve never seen food like this before. Wasp crackers? Canned monkey brains? Maca chips? I mean, come on. Did he really eat it?”

  “Brian prided himself on owning one of everything. He did, however, like the weird food. For example, he said the Maca chips from Peru increased his stamina. I don’t know, though. He basically liked anything expensive.”

  “Since he was probably using other people’s money to buy it.” Rod growled under his breath, and Maria decided it was time to move on. “How are those eggs?”

  “Done,” said Amy. “Grab a plate.”

  Not bothering to sit, even if there had been a chair, Rod and Maria downed their eggs standing up. Amy offered to take their plates and handed them a plastic grocery sack out of the pantry. “I’m trying to give away as much of this stuff as I can.” She pointed to Brian’s obsession lying on the kitchen table. “Please take anything that looks palatable to you. You can eat it on the drive home so you don’t have to stop.”

  “I don’t think I’d like any of this kind of food, but at least it will make me feel better that I took something of Brian’s for a change.” Rod grabbed a box of Norwegian pretzels.

  Scanning the items quickly, Maria took a couple of the more normal items—a box of chocolates from South Africa and a bottle of hot and spicy pickles from Kentucky. “This should last me. It’s just five hours.”

  As they walked toward the front door, Amy followed. “Please,” she said, “if either of you are in Phoenix again, shoot me a text. You’re welcome anytime. When you go through something like we all have, it makes you understand one another.”

  “Will do,” said Rod.

  Maria gave Amy a quick hug and she and Rod were on their way.

  Within minutes, Rod and Maria were out of the suburbs and getting onto the freeway. In the passenger seat, Maria was checking her texts. “Pete says the FBI brought Karen Stone in for more questioning. It’s public news.”

  “Karen Stone?” Rod stared ahead, keeping his speed as fast as possible without getting a ticket.

  “Yeah, apparently she’s got a criminal record that I didn’t know of.” Maria hated to admit that fact. “This text makes it sound like the FBI found something incriminating on her computer. I don’t know if they’ll give me more information or not when I get back.”

  The car was silent for a few minutes and then Rod shook his head. “I can’t believe Justin’s been gone two days. It feels like a lot longer. I can only imagine what it feels like for Beth and her husband.”

  “It must be awful.” Maria had thought two days in solitary confinement was bad. She was sure it couldn’t compare to having one of your children taken. “I really do think the FBI is the best one to handle the case. But it’s so hard just to sit back and watch. I keep thinking there’s more I should be doing.”

  “I know exactly how you feel.” Rod reached into the backseat, trying to grab whatever kind of snack he could find. “When I get stressed I get hungry.”

  “Doesn’t everyone? “Maria turned and chose the large box of exotic chocolate. She opened it and downed a couple of dark morsels that tasted slightly bitter and tangy. Honestly, she would have preferred a Hershey’s bar, but this would have to do. She handed the chocolate box to Rod who eagerly accepted it, popped a few pieces in his mouth, and handed the box back.

  “Weird,” he concluded after chewing and swallowing. “A little too earthy for me.”

  “Agreed,” Maria said, “but it does kind of make my mouth tingle.”

  “I wonder how much Brian paid for this stuff.”

  “I wonder too. But knowing it’s his and we have it makes me want to eat the whole box.”

  “Definitely. Hand me some more.”

  Mile after mile, Maria and Rod ate Brian’s chocolate. And mile after mile their conversation grew louder, more boisterous, and slightly off-color.

  Maria didn’t notice her lightheadedness at first, but when her fingers started to feel numb she worried she might be allergic to something in the chocolate. She was going to mention it to Rod but decided not to. It really didn’t matter.

  In fact, nothing much mattered except eating another piece of chocolate.

  The last time Maria’s head hurt as badly as it did at that moment was after a five-hour interrogation by one of the terrorists they called “The Head Banger.” Without opening her eyes, Maria reached up to make sure all her parts were still attached.

  Jaw.

  Check.

  Ears.

  Check.

  Forehead.

  Check.

  Nothing seemed to have been permanently removed. Why then did it feel like she had been mauled by a semi-truck?

  “Ahhhhh.” The forlorn groan from somewhere to her right finally convinced Maria to open her eyes.

  Light streamed through the w
indows of what appeared to be some kind of an entryway. Across the room was Rod. His man body was half falling off a cheap, fake velvet-wrapped bench. His arms were wrapped around his head like a turban.

  “Ahhhhh.” Whether he was conscious or not, Rod was most definitely the source of the questionable noise.

  “Where are we?” asked Maria, finally daring to sit up. As she did, she realized the contents of her head—which at some point in her past might have been brains—had turned to unset Jell-O that wobbled and sloshed about.

  “Holy Schinke’s!” She put her hands on both sides of her face to hold her head perfectly still to help the swirling inside stop. “I think I have the worst hangover of my life.”

  As she spoke, her words sounded so loud it was as if they were being broadcast over a loud speaker in the stinky lobby.

  “Is that really my voice?” Maria whispered. Still screaming. Maybe the problem was with her ears.

  “Ahhhhh.”

  Rod seriously had to stop making that racket.

  “Hey,” said Maria. “Hey you. On the bench.”

  Slowly Rod lowered his arms that cradled his head. His eyes were mere slits. “Are you talking to me?”

  “Yes. You’re being noisy.”

  Rod scowled. “You’re the one shouting.”

  “Oh yeah, and what did you just do?” Maria stuck her tongue out at him. Why had she done that? Her brain hadn’t given her the command.

  “That was a wh-wh-whisper.” Rod opened his eyes fully and gurgled. “Your hair is funny.”

  Maria reached up to where she thought her hair should be. It was there. Ratted and crazy. “So what. At least I have hair. Yours is so short. You should grow it out a little. That way I could run my fingers through it easier.”

  What!

  Maria’s hand flew to her mouth and clamped over it. Why was she saying such odd things? What had happened to her?

  Just then a SLAM made both Rod and Maria nearly fall off their respective benches they’d been using as beds.