by Paul Stein
When Senator Coscarelli learned that Holloway was the mastermind responsible for his daughters’ and grandson’s kidnappings, and had precipitated events culminating at Fort Knox, he ordered federal marshals to immediately take him into custody. He was arrested and held without bail despite a battery of attorneys’ best arguments to the contrary.
Holloway’s trial lasted for several months. The prosecution painstakingly linked every aspect of the crime directly to Holloway and Richard Kilmer. When all the atrocities of the case were finally exposed, the jury found Alastair Holloway guilty of conspiracy, murder, kidnapping, and a host of other felonies that netted him a life sentence without possibility of parole.
Alastair Holloway was incarcerated at Hazelton, the United States Penitentiary in Preston County West Virginia, a maximum-security prison for high-risk felons who could never be released into society. Among Hazelton guards, it became common knowledge that Holloway eventually lost his mind, shouting vile threats to anyone approaching his cell, and swearing on his mother’s grave to one day take revenge on everyone.
Months after Holloway’s incarceration, the beautiful Jurassic was sold to a prominent Hollywood producer who delightedly maintained the yacht’s crew exactly as she was constituted. Captain Suarez never relinquished command until his retirement many years after Holloway departed, enjoying Jurassic’s luxurious accommodations with a much more gracious owner.
Emil Struffeneger was also convicted for his role in aiding Holloway and Kilmer’s men in executing the Fort Knox operation. He was sentenced to thirty-years in the Kentucky State Penitentiary in Eddyville and is eligible for parole in 2019.
From Richard Kilmer’s original team, only Colt Hamil and Sully Metusack survived the extraordinary events surrounding Fort Knox, and remain at large to this day.
Lieutenant David Morris was given a hero’s welcome when he returned to California. He was widely credited for breaking the case many law enforcement agencies billed “the crime of the century”—defeating Richard Kilmer’s assault on the U.S. Depository at Fort Knox. He visited the White House, testified before Congress, and received the Medal of Honor from the California attorney general for his “unparalleled and selfless dedication” in solving the Quantum and Livermore crimes. He was offered a lucrative contract from Amazon Books for his exclusive account of the events that led from the Quantum Building in Stanford to America’s Treasury in Fort Knox, Kentucky. His close association with DOD Special Agent Jason Henry, Emerson Palmer, and Rafie Nuzam was never disclosed.
Emerson Palmer again lost track of his old partners Jason Henry and Rafie Nuzam. He returned to Washington, D.C. to resume his private detective business with his newly hired office manager, Angelina Navarro. They eventually married and the couple had their first child several years following the events at Fort Knox. A robust family, the stability of married life, and the devotion they share for each other were things neither of them ever thought possible. They maintained a close relationship with Jarrod Conrad and Sela Coscarelli, which never diminished.
The private detective hired by Senator Coscarelli made a full recovery from his injuries sustained in Stanford. The Senator graciously paid his out-of-pocket medical expenses, and doubled his customary fees for the assignment. He proudly displays the United States Senate Resolution from Alfonse Coscarelli acknowledging his bravery above and beyond the call of duty.
It was several months before Ryan Marshall recovered from the extensive wounds he received at Fort Knox. The multiple gunshot wounds he sustained were not nearly as problematic as the fractured hip and sacral vertebra he suffered jumping from the Lincoln Navigator. Months of painful physical therapy brought him back to nearly normal and he eventually returned to oversee Levitation Solutions, Inc. His first outing was to visit the Rio Grande Gorge construction site where his odyssey had begun several months earlier. Ryan was delighted to see the completed bridge that Corky had erected in his absence. It turned out just as he expected—another award-winning high-steel masterpiece by Levitation Solutions, Inc.
Ryan’s multiple legal entanglements were not so easily dismissed. He faced standing warrants in several jurisdictions, from New Mexico to California. But when the full story of his heroic effort to track down Jarrod, Sela and Jeremiah was completely revealed, the media branded him a modern-day superhero. The public demanded judicial leniency, and Ryan was sentenced to limited term probation, which restricted him from leaving the state of New Mexico. The limitations suited him however, as he had no desire to travel anywhere again without Sarah by his side. Like two plow horses, it was very rare to see either of them alone in subsequent years.
Ryan and Sarah Marshall were remarried in a storybook wedding that was attended by the New Mexico governor, various heads of state, law enforcement dignitaries, academicians, and his beloved construction crew. Jarrod was his best man, and Sela and Angel were bridesmaids. Jeremiah, Jason Henry, Emerson Palmer, and David Morris were also in the wedding party. Senator Coscarelli gave his daughter away for the second time to the same man. Their wedding made national news coverage and the cover of People magazine the following spring.
Jeremiah Marshall suffered no long-term effects from the burn he sustained at Wildcat Farm, but several rounds of plastic surgery were necessary to cover the terrible scar that resulted. He graduated with an engineering degree from New Mexico State and became the CEO of Levitation Solutions, Inc. He helped his father realize his long standing dream when they designed the first frictionless crane using Jarrod’s antigravity technology. He and Ryan still love to fish in the Pecos wilderness, spending quiet time together. They never again exchanged a cross word following their ordeal in Kentucky. Jer lives alone in Bernalillo, New Mexico, and actively participates in the community theater company. Sarah remains hopeful that he will one day find the love of his life.
Ryan and Jarrod likewise never again spoke of their past animosity or even acknowledged that they had once been estranged. They each believe that through Jer’s extraordinary efforts, they had somehow been miraculously healed that night in Stanford. Each of the events that transpired following their reconciliation cemented their relationship in a manner identical to the unshakable bond their grandfather Amerigo had with his brother, Tulio. They would never again forsake their common ancestry, blessed by an unwavering faith in one another. They each finally understood the profound meaning of their grandfather’s learned saying: ‘The hardest steel passes through the hottest fire.’
THE END
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There are many people to thank for their generous help in bringing this book to reality. I am especially indebted to Bryce Stein, who along with my long time friends Richard and Cynthia Reynolds, encouraged me to write this first novel. Thanks for believing in me when I didn’t.
I wish to thank my first editor, Joy Roberts who patiently corrected my earliest abysmal attempts to put words to paper, and who skillfully helped me to find my voice. Your gentle guidance and suggestions were greatly appreciated.
Thanks also to those hearty souls who slogged through various drafts, each making expert recommendations, which ultimately made the final product so much easier to read. To Sarah Lunsford, Sheryl Carey, Drinda Pennini, and Bryce Stein: thank you from the bottom of my heart for your patience, stamina, and editing acumen in reviewing my manuscript.
To my readers, I can only hope you enjoy the story as much as I have in drawing it forth. I was urged from an early age to ‘follow my passion and success would follow.’ So I have finally put this sage wisdom to the test, trusting that time will reflect the merit of my effort.
Table of Contents
TITLE PAGE
COPYRIGHT PAGE
AUGUST THIRD
ONE
TWO
THREE
AUGUST FOURTH
FOUR
FIVE
SIX
SEVEN
EIGHT
NINE
TEN
ELEVEN
TWELVE
THIRTEEN
FOURTEEN
FIFTEEN
SIXTEEN
SEVENTEEN
EIGHTEEN
NINETEEN
TWENTY
TWENTY-ONE
TWENTY-TWO
TWENTY-THREE
AUGUST FIFTH
TWENTY-FOUR
TWENTY-FIVE
TWENTY-SIX
TWENTY-SEVEN
TWENTY-EIGHT
TWENTY-NINE
THIRTY
AUGUST SIXTH
THIRTY-ONE
THIRTY-TWO
THIRTY-THREE
THIRTY-FOUR
THIRTY-FIVE
THIRTY-SIX
THIRTY-SEVEN
THIRTY-EIGHT
THIRTY-NINE
FORTY
FORTY-ONE
FORTY-TWO
FORTY-THREE
FORTY-FOUR
FORTY-FIVE
FORTY-SIX
FORTY-SEVEN
FORTY-EIGHT
FORTY-NINE
FIFTY
FIFTY-ONE
AUGUST SEVENTH
FIFTY-TWO
FIFTY-THREE
FIFTY-FOUR
FIFTY-FIVE
FIFTY-SIX
FIFTY-SEVEN
FIFTY-EIGHT
FIFTY-NINE
SIXTY
SIXTY-ONE
SIXTY-TWO
SIXTY-THREE
SIXTY-FOUR
AUGUST EIGHTH
SIXTY-FIVE
SIXTY-SIX
SIXTY-SEVEN
SIXTY-EIGHT
SIXTY-NINE
EPILOGUE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
