The Last Templar

Chapter 29

"The autopsy confirms Waldron was also murdered," Reilly stated as he looked around at the others seated at the table in the Bureau's viewing room. The only outsider present was Monsignor De Angelis. "We found traces of Lidocaine in his blood. It's an anesthetic, and it wasn't administered by anyone looking after him at the hospital. The high dose triggered his heart failure.

The interesting part is that there are also needle marks on his neck. The drug was used to numb his vocal chords, so he couldn't call for help."

The monsignor stiffened a little at Reilly's report, seeming equally appalled. Also there were the main players in the METRAID investigation: Jansson, Buchinski, Amelia Gaines, Aparo, Blackburn, and two of his ASACs, as well as a young techie who was manning the A/V commands.

The report wasn't particularly reassuring.

"We also found freeze-branding equipment at the stables," Reilly continued, "which Petrovic could have used to disguise the markings on the horses they used in the raid. All of which means one of two things. Either whoever's behind this is having his foot soldiers wiped out, or one of the gang's decided to keep it all for himself. Either way, we've got one, and potentially two, more

horsemen looking like possible targets. And whoever's doing this isn't exactly a slacker."

De Angelis turned to Reilly. "You didn't recover any of our missing pieces from the stables?"

"I'm afraid not, Father. They're being murdered because of them."

De Angelis took off his glasses and cleaned the lenses with his sleeve. "And what about those extremist groups you were interested in? Have you had any luck with your inquiries there?"

"Not as yet. We're looking at a couple of them in particular, groups that have recently voiced anger at the Church for the way it's been critical of them. They're both in the Midwest, so our field offices there are pursuing it. They don't have a conclusive link yet, just a lot of threats."

De Angelis put on his glasses again, frowning. His disquiet was obvious, but he tried not to show it.

"I suppose we just have to wait and see."

Reilly looked around the table. He knew they weren't making any great progress in getting to the bottom of the case. So far, they were reacting to events, rather than initiating them.

"You want to mention that Templar thing?" Aparo asked.

De Angelis turned to Aparo, whose gaze led him to Reilly. "Templars?"

Reilly hadn't expected his partner to bring it up. He tried to downplay it as best he could. "It's just a thread we're following."

De Angelis's quizzical look prodded him on.

"One of the witnesses at the Met, an archaeologist . . . she felt there may be a link between the Templars and the raid."

"Because of the red crosses on the knights' mantles?"

At least it's not that far off the chart, Reilly thought. "Yes, that and other details. The knight who took the encoder said something in Latin which is apparently a marking on a Templar castle in France."

De Angelis studied Reilly with the hint of a bemused smile. "And this archaeologist, she thinks the raid on the museum was the work of a religious order that ceased to exist almost seven hundred years ago?"

Reilly felt all the eyes in the room boring into him. "Not exactly. It's just that given their history and their cult status, the Templars could conceivably be the inspiration for a bunch of religious fanatics who idolize them and who may be acting out some kind of revenge or revival fantasy."

De Angelis nodded to himself, pensively. He seemed rather disappointed as he stood up and gathered his papers. "Yes, well, that sounds very promising. I wish you continued luck with your investigation, Agent Reilly. Gentlemen, Agent Gaines," he said as he glanced at Jansson before leaving the room quietly, leaving Reilly with the uncomfortable feeling that the Templars' lunatic stigma didn't only apply to academics.