Quest

Chapter 12

Tam rapped twice on Salvatore’s door. She was the only person whom he permitted to do so, because he knew she would only interrupt him if it was important.

“Come!” he called.

“Boss, we have a problem. Two men fitting the description of the bumbling idiots Kennedy sent to London are wanted for questioning.” She laid a folder in front of him and went on. “It seems they confronted Maddock and Bonebrake at the Royal Institute of Navigation. Cy was caught on a security camera getting his ass handed to him by Maddock. Jay apparently didn’t make out any better with Bonebrake. Jay, at least, had the good sense to get out of there, but Cy stormed inside, threatened the staff, and told them he had a gun and would kill everyone if he had to.”

“I would love to ask if this is a joke, but I know better.” Salvatore closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. “Tell me, what do we know about Maddock and Bonebrake?”

“Ex Navy SEALS. Now they find shipwrecks, search for sunken treasure, that sort of thing.”

“Why did Maxwell reach out to them in particular?”

“There’s a history there. Her father was their commanding officer at one time. She and Maddock also had a relationship a few years back.”

“Interesting. She asks her old boyfriend to help her find her new boyfriend. What else can you tell me?”

“About Maddock and Bonebrake? Not a great deal, except for rumors. Sketchy stuff related to archaeological finds. Nothing firm.” She wasn’t sure what to make of what she had heard about them.

“Anything else?”

“I think Cy lost his wallet. It appears Kennedy had to scramble to secure new identification and a passport for him, as well as a credit card. Now I.T. tells me someone hacked into the personnel files looking for information on…”

“Cyrus Wallace.” Salvatore slammed his fist down on the table. “Get Kennedy on the phone. I want Cy on the next plane back here. I’ll flay that idiot.” He stood and walked to the window. “The hacker, how far did he penetrate?”

“Not very deep, as far as we can tell. Just the basic personnel files.”

“How did he get past the firewall?”

“The techies are working on that as we speak. They understand it means their jobs if they don’t find that breach and seal it. I took the liberty of suggesting it might mean their balls, too.”

Salvatore didn’t smile, but Tam thought she saw a hint of a twinkle in his eyes. “Did they back trace him?”

“Couldn’t. Whoever it is, he or she is good. We’ll keep trying, of course.”

“I know you will. Now, get Kennedy in here.”

Kennedy frowned when he saw Tam seated at the conference table. He took a seat across from her and waited for Salvatore to speak.

“I want a full report on Cy and Jay.” Salvatore’s voice was ice.

“Of course.” As always, Kennedy was unflappable. “They acquired Fawcett’s copy of The Lost World, but there was nothing in it, except for an inscription from the author to Fawcett. I’m having it checked for invisible ink, and the inscription reviewed for any irregularities that might suggest a code of some sort, but nothing so far. They almost got themselves into trouble with the authorities, but we got them out of England, and they’re now following up on a possible lead.” He glanced at Salvatore’s face and didn’t wait for a follow-up question. “I’ve sent them to South Georgia Island to check out Shackletons’ burial site. Cy thinks there might be a connection there.”

Salvatore grunted a subdued, mirthless laugh. “Good. That will get them out of the way for a while, at least. So, you are telling me that England was a complete failure?”

“Perhaps not.” Kennedy grinned and opened his briefcase.

Tam kept the surprise from her face. What had Kennedy found that he had kept so well hidden?

“Dane Maddock was reading this book.” Kennedy made a funny face as he said Maddock’s name. He placed an aged volume on the table. “It makes reference to a voyage on which Fawcett embarked prior to planning his final expedition. The ship he was traveling on sank and Fawcett lost something important. We don’t know what it was, but it’s not inconceivable that it’s connected to our situation. I think we should find the site of this sunken ship and see what, if anything, is there.”

Sal looked at Tam. “What do you think?”

“It’s thin,” she said, “but it’s a possibility, which is all we have right now. I haven’t yet read the passage, since Kennedy has kept this to himself.” She paused, hoping Kennedy was at least squirming on the inside, since he never showed anything on the surface. “I don’t, however, see any harm in following up on it. We have the resources to get the help we need.” She thought for a moment. “If Kennedy isn’t mistaken, which is possible, since his information comes from Cy, Dane Maddock will probably be coming for whatever is inside this wreck. Do we want to go for it ourselves, or simply wait for him to get it, and take it away from him?”

“I don’t like waiting around for anything,” Salvatore said. “Kennedy, I want you moving on this immediately. We have to assume that we’re in a race with Maddock; a race you will win, or we shall have a conversation.” He dismissed Kennedy with a flick of his finger.

Kennedy rose, nodded to Sal, and spared a steely glance at Tam before striding out, his phone already to his ear. He would not soon forget that Tam had questioned him in front of Sal. That did not matter now. The two of them would have it out one day, and he had no idea what he was up against. Some people resented being underestimated, but Tam found it a useful tool in her arsenal.

“I’m going to roll the dice here,” Sal said, his eyes boring into hers. “We need to go after Thornton, and quick. Assemble a team and be ready to move on my command. You have your choice of the agents. If Kennedy finds something, that is well and good. If not, use what information we have about Thornton and about Fawcett, and begin the search. We can’t put this off any longer.”

“Sir, are you saying…” She didn’t dare let herself believe it could be true.

“I’m putting you in charge. You might not have Kennedy’s experience, but you’re a hell of a lot smarter than him, and you haven’t screwed up… yet. Choose your agents, outfit your team, get down to Brazil, and await my instructions.”

Heart pounding, and dizzy with triumph, Tam stood and gravely nodded her head. “I won’t let you down, Salvatore.”

He rose to his full height, and looked down at her with a ghost of a smile on his lips. “I know you won’t, figlia mia.”