Lila handed him a notebook.
He wrote out each code. “Someone pull up an image of the alphabet.”
Nodding, Evan shoved his laptop in front of Reid.
“A cipher is a secret way of writing a code.” His gaze traveled from the paper to the screen. “That’s it.” He lifted his head. “ROT1 is a simple letter substitution cipher. You would replace the letter with the next letter ahead.”
“Plate number one corresponds to aol. Using ROT1 would mean aol stands for bmp.” Lila shrugged. “It still makes no sense.”
“That’s because the rule for this cipher isn’t one, it’s seven,” Reid said. He wrote: “The will” on a pad of paper. At this point everyone understood. Minutes ticked by and they stared at the complete code.
Chapter 46
“The will is in the cabin floor,” Cody repeated the phrase. “Even the code has seven words.”
“We’ll get the coordinates of the two private residences on the island,” Adam said.
“Russell mentioned an island cottage in his writings.” Lila tapped the diary. “We have to get to that island. It may be our only bargaining chip to get my family back.”
Reid’s phone rang. He scooped up the device and retreated to a corner of the room as everyone got quiet. When he returned minutes later, he said, “That was Yvonne. We think Lance is in the area.”
“Do you think my family was moved to Dallas?” Lila bit her lower lip.
“No, we don’t believe so. But we have learned that Walt Talcott was murdered this morning in a hotel fifteen minutes outside Dallas. One bullet to the head.”
“Mr. Talcott is dead?” Lila scooted to the edge of her seat on the sofa. “Talcott worked for Lance. He must have done something to anger his boss. I’m not surprised. Talcott’s reaction after Jack died had been weird. I understand that partners had to be concerned about the firm, but that appeared to be the only thing he was concerned about, aside from his repeated warnings for me not to talk about Jack to anyone.” Standing, Lila trudged to the other side of the room, staring out into the expansive yard. “What about Hilary Foster? Where is she?”
Adam gave Lila a brief update on Hilary.
Lila rubbed her forehead. “The background check on Hilary when I started with HTP showed nothing, but she’s been more distant. Her disappearances from the office have been more frequent in the last few months. The talk around the firm is that she’s having an affair. Lots of speculation about the man being a celebrity or someone in politics.”
From the open kitchen Marissa divided a pitcher of strawberry smoothie into several glasses on a tray, then ambled into the living room. “Hilary’s presence on the island indicates she’s connected to someone in The Order. The question is who this Hugo Castille is, and is he the one running the show?”
“Angie and Evan are working on the Hilary and Hugo angle. I hope they’ll have something soon.” Reid accepted one of glasses from Marissa.
“If I’m pivotal to this mystery, as others have said, then this damn tattoo must provide a key to something.” Lila extended her arm.
Cody joined Lila near the window. He placed a protective arm around her.
Adam paced back and forth. “It has to be the will. But why would Ivan go through the trouble of hiding his will on an island no one knew anything about?”
“He didn’t want Lance to gain possession of the mine.” Reid moved closer to the screen. “Carson is his daughter. Maybe the will gives the mine to her.”
Carson emitted a sarcastic grunt. “My father wasn’t exactly thrilled that I had no enthusiasm for The Order. He focused on Lance to take the helm, so he would likely will my brother the mine. As far as I know, he hadn’t had a falling out with Lance prior to this death which means he wouldn’t have had time to change his will to cut my brother out.”
“But when we were inside the Colorado mine, before Ivan’s death, I saw the way he looked at Lance. Ivan didn’t have the look of a proud father.” Reid crossed his arms. “He could have suspected Lance had plans to off him.”
Lila picked up a bottle of water and twisted off the top. “Lance has access to Blue Vista, the Swiss mansion, and all the business locales. He would have had all of them searched. The one place he has no access to is the island. Even if we got the will and Ivan gave everything to Carson, Lance would be sure to contest it. We’d have to authenticate the will.” She may not be the most experienced attorney, but this legal battle could mean life or death for her and those she cared about.
“Not everything makes sense though.” Cody crossed the room and studied the photo of Palmarius Island.
“Cody is right. Let’s back up a minute.” Reid tapped his fingers together. “A lot has happened, and it all seems connected but there are holes in the story. Start with Lila finding Jack Struthers near death.”
Lila tapped her fingers together. “He told me to find the documents and not to trust anyone. The documents were the suppressed evidence that could have put Lance away for life. The documents led me to Garvin Jennings, but Morris Beak and Willa Dickerson sought me out. Each gave me emeralds and were instructed to do so in a letter from Hugo Castille. Now, they’re all dead, including Jennings’ wife.”
“Lance killed Willa but that was to put pressure on Lila. Why would he risk killing Beak and Jennings so soon if they had information that could help him find the mine? Hugo could be a messenger but he’s key to this mystery.” Justin stood, stretched, and took one of his wife’s smoothies.
“This morning I ventured back to the dark web and managed to get a little intel on Stonegate,” Cody said. “I don’t have much but it’s a small company formed out of Delaware four years ago.”
“Why Delaware?” Carson asked.
“Many companies, even Fortune 500 ones, incorporate out of Delaware because of the attractive business and tax laws,” Lila said.
“Exactly.” Cody took a sip of water. “I haven’t been able to find anything on the corporate structure, other than a list board of directors’ titles with no names. There’s lots of buzz about Stonegate’s desire to buy Veridian but not much else.”
“Just before Steve’s death, he mentioned something about people being too powerful. HTP is already involved in this but they could be more intertwined than I first thought.” Lila rubbed her forehead as her mind whirled back to the events of the last few weeks. “I need to go to the island. It’s the only way.”
Cody shook his head. “It’s too dangerous.”
“The lives of all of us and our families are at stake. Reid, you said yourself if Lance gets ahold of the mine and purchases Veridian, he will be more powerful than anyone can imagine. This has to end, and we have to be the ones to end it.”
“I hate to agree with you because you’re talking about an extremely dangerous mission, but you’re right. We need to get to that island,” Adam said.
“I’m going with you.” Cody took her hand. “But how do we get on the island without being seen?”
Reid tapped the computer screen. “I think I have a way. The mining operation runs in shifts. A ferry from the mainland to the island arrives at certain points during the day to drop off and pick up workers. Unfortunately, it’s too dangerous for all of us to go.”
“Can you get us on that ferry?” Lila’s heart pounded with the idea of finally doing something to bring down Lance and get her family back. “Then, enact Operation Chaos. I know it’s a risk with Lance having my family, but at the same time this move will put us on the offense. This way if something happens to my family everyone will know who’s responsible.”
Chapter 47
The ferry slowed and pulled up to the wharf. Workers gathered their belongings and headed toward the exits. Lila pulled her hood lower across her face, adjusted her backpack, and merged into the crowd with Cody next to her. The mild steady rain had been a lucky break. Many of the workers wore hooded windbreakers so Lila and Cody blended in well.
They made their way onto the gangplank, fo
llowing the workers to a low, one-story building.
“I hope these IDs work,” Lila whispered. She considered the main building looming and the expectation that all workers clock in. She gripped the fake ID and suppressed an inappropriate giggle. She’d never been one of those teenagers who got ahold of a fake ID in order to get into the bars or buy beer, but here she was sneaking into an emerald mine with one. The Alliance had spent hours discussing the best way onto the island and everyone agreed that slipping in with the miners and workers on the island would be the best way to avoid detection. But only if their IDs worked.
“Angie assured me they would.” Cody swept a glance at Lila before shifting his gaze ahead.
Lila lifted her hand to adjust her communication earpiece hidden by her hair then thought better. She and Cody both were fitted the earpieces to maintain contact with the rest of the Alliance members currently running the operation from a boat off the coast of Palmarius Island. Gabe, Holly, Marissa, and Jeb had returned. They’d spoken with Delphine about the urgency to get away from Lance. She’d been resistant at first, but in the end Holly and Marissa appeared to have convinced Delphine of the danger she might find herself in. However, so far Delphine still remained reluctant to leave.
Cody and Lila inched forward until their turn came to walk through the metal detector then they would slide the ID through the card reader. Lila pasted on a bored expression and stepped through the scanner. They didn’t have weapons on them because they’d expected this type of scrutiny, yet her body stiffened.
The guard stared at her, his gaze traveling the length of her body. “You must be new.”
She bobbed her head. Even though she brushed up on her Spanish on the flight over, Lila didn’t want to engage in a long, detailed conversation. Remaining silent was her best option. When the light turned green, she released the breath she’d been holding in measured beats, cognizant of appearing too relieved. Next, she slid the card through the reader and once again held her breath. Seconds elapsed like years. If she was caught, she had no idea what the officials would do to her. A bell buzzed, and the red light lit green. Relief burst through her like water erupting from a geyser. She stepped through, praying Cody would breeze across, too. Seconds later, he stood next to her.
“We made it over one hump.” He leaned in. “Stay close.”
Lila gave him a slight nod, pressure already building again. Between Reid and Angie, they were able to get the schematics for the island. Although, the document was a few years old, it was all they had.
A massive sign in Spanish and English loomed ahead, Welcome to the Stonegate Mine. Lila slowed and stared at the wooden greeting. Even though they’d discovered the name of the mine prior to arriving, the words displayed in large letters gave her pause. Her great-grandfather founded The Order that had started this entire deadly thirst for power. This emerald mine was their latest find, but what other secrets lay hidden?
“Are you sure your leg is okay for this?” Cody’s eyes were full of concern.
Lila tore her gaze from the sign. “Too late for that. Let’s go.”
They weaved into a group trekking down the hall, following them down a staircase to the ground floor. The group headed to cafeteria buzzing with change-of-shift conversations while Lila and Cody moved past the large room. Spicy meat and the aroma of fried food wafted from the cafeteria. On any other day Lila would have been interested in testing the local cuisine but in the wake of her family’s disappearance, food didn’t rate high on her list. At a swift pace, they moved through the corridor, passing photos of the mining operation process along the way. They stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall.
Cody pushed open the door and they entered a loading dock area. He pulled her behind a tall stack of crates so they could survey the area.
Lila eyed the crates labeled as bottled water, granola bars, and fruit among other items. Based on the schematics she’d studied, she knew the mining supplies were stored at another location closer to the actual operation.
Lila spotted two men on the other side of the dock. They scooped up a few boxes and disappeared through another door into the main building.
“How’s it look?” Cody said into the hidden earpiece.
Reid’s voice echoed in Lila’s own earpiece. “Surveillance is down. You have three minutes.”
“Where’s our contact?” As soon as Lila whispered the words a lone Columbian man appeared in the dock area carrying two black backpacks.
Cody stood and took her hand. They approached the man.
“Plátanos,” Cody said.
“Plátanos, amigo. Vamos!” The man shoved the backpacks at Cody, waved them away, and raced out of a side door.
Yvonne and Reid used their FBI resources to find a contact at the mining facility. They’d settled on the code word bananas, plátanos in Spanish, in case someone overheard them. The interaction would appear as if they were hungry employees.
Cody and Lila strapped on their new backpacks, crouched low, and ducked out of a back door. They darted into the dense forest.
Once they were about a football field from the facility, Cody stopped. He opened his backpack and pulled out a gun and a can of bug repellent. “We’ll need this. We also have a lightweight tent, a GPS tracker, maps, food, and a phone. The GPS tracker will remain off most of the time and phone is only used if necessary.”
“Understood.” Lila, breathless from their sprint, swung her backpack around and drew out her gun. She shoved the weapon into the backpack’s side pouch. After covering herself in bug repellent, she slid on a wide-brimmed hat and sunglasses.
“Did our delivery boy arrive?” Adam’s voice came through their earpieces.
“Affirmative,” Cody replied as he applied the repellent and put on his baseball hat and sunglasses. “We’re outside the facility. We’re signing off for a few hours until we get closer.”
“Be careful, guys.” Marissa’s voice came over the line.
“We will.” Lila stared up at the massive trees. The light rain trickled like a soothing fountain across the leaves and large palm tree fronds. A humid earthy aroma replaced the greasy cafeteria scents.
Cody checked his watch. “The cabin is five miles from here. We should be able to get there in less than two hours, but we may be slowed by terrain and the weather. First, we stay together. But, if for some reason, we get separated, I want you to stay put, if possible. Call for help using the communication link but if it isn’t working turn the on phone or use your compass GPS tracker. Don’t chance going to cabin alone. It’s too dangerous.” He handed her a map and a compass. “Don’t lose this.” He moved close and placed his hands on her hips. “Promise me you’ll adhere to this?”
Concern emanated from his brown eyes. Nothing could happen. Right? Frightening scenarios ripped through her mind, but she pushed each one away. Positive thinking. “I promise but I’m confident we’ll both make it to the house, find the document, and then get out. Everyone has been through enough.” She checked her shoelaces, which evoked images of her family tied up and afraid.
They took off at a brisk pace side by side.
Lila inhaled the earthy scent of the rain-soaked vegetation as they slowed before tackling a hill. She estimated they’d covered a couple miles, but the rough terrain and rain slowed their progress. They crested the hill, and Lila’s breath caught. In front of them was a huge waterfall cascading into a rocky stream. In addition to the rain, the steamy spray peppered them.
Cody pulled out a canteen and gulped down the water. “If we weren’t on a mission, this would be an ideal place to camp out.” He squinted. “According to the map, there should be a land bridge nearby.”
Lila glanced around. “There.” She pointed to a mossy strip of land a football field away. She raced forward, ready to cross the bridge. As she took her first step, she stumbled as the ground below her crumbled. She screamed as she scratched at vines and rocks to gain a foothold. A glance downward had her heart tumbling into her
stomach. That same waterway she thought was so beautiful minutes earlier now threatened to consume her body in its rocky waters.
Then Cody’s hand clamped around hers. “I’ve got you.” He yanked her up and they both landed in a heap.
Blowing deep breaths, Lila stared into Cody’s eyes. His arms remained around her and she clung to his chest.
“Are you okay?” Cody asked.
“I,..I…y-yes.”
“Damn it, Lila. You could have died. You can’t take these kinds of chances. You don’t know this territory. I don’t know this territory.” His brown eyes blazed, and his jaw tightened.
She expelled another breath. “You’re right. I’m so focused on getting this document and bringing down Lance that I’ve been careless. I’m sorry—running on adrenaline. All this death and I’m afraid we won’t find my family in time…” She shook her head.”
“I know but we both need to be careful.” He pushed a strand of hair away from her eyes. “I don’t want to lose you.”
This time her heart skipped a beat for another reason. “It would have sucked to fall to my death.” She rose up on her elbows and kissed him.
He returned the kiss, then pulled back. “As much as I’d like to stay here like this, we need to get you cleaned up and press on.” He stood and held out a hand to her.
“Cleaned up?” She took his hand and stood.
“You have a small cut on your arm.” He lowered his backpack and in seconds unpacked a first aid kit. He cleaned the cut, applied antibiotic cream, and then covered the wound with a bandage. “All set. Let’s go.”
After hiking to the stream, they climbed up the banks. When they reached the other side, they noticed the rain and fog had settled in. Even though Lila considered herself in good shape, she huffed along as the hike proved challenging.
Cody grinned and wiped rain from his face. “Hiking isn’t for the weak. Normally, I’d suggest hiking poles, but we don’t need the extra equipment.”
Order of Truth Page 32
