The Minoan Cipher

CHAPTER SIXTY-SEVEN

Six thousand miles to the west of Cadiz, Molly Sutherland sat in front of the glowing computer screen surrounded by empty diet soda cans, half a cold pizza and various empty snack bags.

She had spent hours going through Salazar’s off-the-books list of corporations. Her head was spinning. Her butt was numb from sitting. Her stomach was queasy from junk food. She felt like a lone lumberjack trying to hack his way through a forest of redwood trees. The extent of the Auroch holdings was mind-boggling.

Most of the businesses had to do with energy, mining and related industries, which is the reason she raised an eyebrow when she came across the media subsidiary known as the Hidden History channel listed under Auroch ownership.

She Googled Hidden History and concluded that the show was the broadcasting equivalent of the junk food that was making her sick. A number of files referred to Lily Porter. She called up a photo. Porter was pretty in a dippy kind of way. Had she seen the name before? Oh yeah. Hawkins had been sending her short updates on where he was and what he was doing. She went back and read where he had met Lily Porter in a hotel. She was Kalliste’s producer. Molly’s mind must have been as bloated as her stomach. She didn’t catch the significance of the recollection at first. When she did, it was like being hit with a hammer. Lily Porter worked for Hidden History, which was owned by Auroch, which was run by Salazar.

It only took minutes to do a quick people search using a biography program that could reach back to the gleam in a father’s eye. Porter’s biography was brief. She had been born in Stockton, California, went to U-Cal and the Columbia School of Journalism. After graduation, she went to work for Hidden History and in a short time as a reporter, became its producer. Molly ran a check of the Stockton birth records. No mention of Lily Porter. Lily just seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

Her long eyelashes went into full blink mode. She typed a quick text.

Matt. Call me now.

When Matt didn’t reply she called him directly.

No answer. She tried again and left a message on his voicemail saying she had urgent news.

Damn, Matt. Where are you?

Molly started to hyperventilate in her panic. With a trembling finger she punched in a number on her contact list. As she listened to the unanswered ring, she was filled with a sense of foreboding.

Abby heard the phone chirping but she finished helping Calvin stow the raft in the helicopter before she answered the call.

“Abby, do you know where Matt is? I can’t reach him. Tried texting and calling.”

Molly’s excited voice was high-pitched, but Abby recognized the West Virginia drawl.

“He’s on his way to a meeting with a TV producer named Lily Porter.”

“Darn. Matt could be in danger,” Molly said. “Lily Porter works for Auroch.”

Abby was stunned by the revelation, but her Navy training took control. “Thanks, Molly. I’ll stop him. Talk later. Bye.”

She hung up and called Matt’s number. She got his voice mail and left a quick message, “Matt, it’s Abby. Don’t meet with Lily Porter.”

Calvin walked over, brushing his palms to signify a job well done. “Why shouldn’t Matt meet with Lily?” he said.

“That was Molly. She found a connection between Salazar and Lily. I knew there was something slimy about that over-made-up dame.”

Calvin swore. “Whole thing was a set-up. You get through to Matt?”

“Just his voice mail. Texting is out, too. His phone is off.”

Calvin reached into his pocket and pulled out his own phone.

“Damn it, Calvin, I just called. You’re wasting valuable time.”

“Maybe not,” Calvin said with a maddening calmness.

He showed her the phone screen which displayed a map of Cadiz. A pulsating blue dot was moving slowly through the city.

“You’ve got a locator?” Abby said.

“Matt and I installed the program on our phones. Seemed like a good idea if we got separated.”

Abby’s elation faded as quickly as it had appeared. Matt was getting closer to danger. Even if they drove out of the airport now, they could never arrive in time. She stared at the screen. She had never felt so helpless.