Brian Sadler Archaeological Mysteries BoxSet

by Bill Thompson

  “You look wonderful,” he said, admiring her white sleeveless blouse and shorts. “It’s a short ride. We’re only going to Love Field.”

  That was the smaller of the Dallas airport from which mostly short-haul flights departed. She was surprised.

  “Since you’re going to New York I figured we were headed to DFW.”

  “I am going there but I’m flying private today. I’m leaving from the business jet terminal. And I must confess that I had an ulterior motive for asking you to come along today.”

  She looked at him quizzically as he continued. “Your reputation is unmatched and I’ve come to respect your work very much in the few days I’ve been with you. I want to retain you not only to be my primary attorney but also I want to hire you. I want you to be my consigliere, my confidential advisor and counselor from now on in virtually every aspect of what I do. You would continue your blossoming career with Randall Carter’s firm and you would of course represent other clients but my work would be the primary focus of your time. I think you have a brilliant mind and I want you on my team.”

  Her skin grew suddenly clammy and cold. Holy shit. What’s this all about?

  “John, I’m flattered that a person of your stature and business acumen would even consider me for such a position. But I’m quite happy doing what I do and I’m not qualified to serve as an advisor to a corporate kingpin like you. Although I appreciate your interest in me, I have to pass. I don’t think Randall Carter would allow me to split my time; he’s got big plans for me and so do I, frankly!” She laughed a little more nervously than she would have liked.

  “Don’t sell yourself short. I can teach you everything you need to know. I can be a really persuasive man, Nicole. You’ll earn at least half a million dollars a year more than you do now, tax free and well insulated from the U.S. government if you’d like it that way. You’ll see places and do things you have only imagined. And leave Randall Carter to me. I guarantee he will be very satisfied with this arrangement. It will be profitable for him as well as you. That will not be an issue.”

  She laughed. “I’m certain any person acting as consigliere to you would experience a world unlike the mundane one the rest of us live in. But really, I’m happy doing what I do. Thank you so much for the offer but I have to decline.”

  His voice turned hard and she instinctively leaned away. “You force me to play all my cards. I had hoped to convince you on my own that my offer was something you would enjoy.” He pulled a small black device from his inside jacket pocket, turned it on and handed it to her.

  Shivers of fear coursed through her body as she looked at the screen, seeing herself lying on her bed in her underwear. “John Spedino, take off my panties. Get on top. I want you inside of me.” She saw herself doing things to him of which she had absolutely no recollection – things only she and Brian had ever done together.

  She screamed, “You damned bastard! You drugged me! My God, I should have listened to Brian. You’re totally evil. Are you crazy? You can’t get away with this!”

  “Please don’t be naïve. Please don’t tell me you’ve never had a fling before – a one-night stand. It meant nothing. To anyone but Brian, that is. And I don’t intend for another soul to ever see this recording. It was just my way of creating a lasting memory of a beautiful girl who was willing to perform for me.

  “Now I’m going to ask you once again to reconsider my proposal. This tape is one thing if it’s just between you and me. To the outside world, on the other hand, it shows a woman who lacks good judgment, one who can be compromised. In short, it could suddenly and completely end the career of one of the top legal minds in Dallas. That would be both unfortunate and unnecessary.”

  “What…what do you want?” she said in a small voice. “Why do you want to hurt me?”

  “I have no desire to hurt you. In fact I want you and Brian to continue to be the two closest lovebirds in the world. Frankly, his career is more interesting to me than yours because of what I want. You see, I want everything. The harder something is to have, the more I seem to want it. It’s a personality flaw, I suppose.” He laughed the cruel laugh she’d heard before.

  “Remember the Bethlehem Scroll? That was the most important artifact in the entire world. I had to have it. And then I wanted you. Look how well that worked out. From now on, you’ll do whatever I ask. Anything. You’ll do whatever I want. Won’t you?”

  The driver lowered the partition between the front and back seats as the car slowed. “We’re at the hangar, Mr. Spedino.”

  “Fine. Pull inside and park until I’m ready. Now raise the partition. Miss Farber and I have a little last minute work to do.” He looked at her. “Your first job, consigliere, is to handle a little problem I have, right here. As he began to unbuckle his belt a tear trickled down her cheek.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  The $30 million jet streaked through the morning skies. Instead of flying north toward New York the pilot followed the flight plan he had filed yesterday. Heading south at nearly 550 miles per hour, the plane was over the Gulf of Mexico in thirty minutes and would land at La Aurora Airport in Guatemala City in just over two hours.

  Shoes kicked off, Spedino was comfortably settled in his seat reading the Sunday New York Times and sipping a cup of coffee. Although the jet could seat sixteen this one had been configured with only six passenger seats, a galley and seating area for a hostess, a restroom and an aft bedroom and master bath complete with shower. John Spedino could go anywhere he wanted, anytime he chose.

  The attendant who sat in the galley read a book until she saw a small light come on. She walked to her sole passenger and said, “May I get you something, Mr. Spedino?”

  “What do we have for breakfast?”

  “We have cereal and fruit or I can whip up an omelet with ham, sir. Which would you like?”

  He chose the fruit and settled back. Life was good and it was soon going to get even better. He needed to find out exactly what was going on with Jorge Arocha and why he chose the course of action he did. Spedino would leave Guatemala with the information he wanted. He always got what he was after.

  Half an hour out the co-pilot stepped into the cabin and told his passenger they would be landing soon. They taxied to Athos Charters and the pilot disembarked. Soon a customs man walked with the pilot to the aircraft, glanced inside and said, “Mr. Spedino, welcome to Guatemala. You’re cleared to disembark, sir.”

  The pilot escorted him to an armored SUV nearby. Within thirty minutes the vehicle pulled into an industrial area in central Guatemala City. “I was told to drop you here,” the driver said in broken English. In flawless Spanish Spedino replied, “Wait here until I return. I don’t know how long it will be.”

  He walked through a metal door in a large building. A dark, empty warehouse loomed before him, half a city block long and equally as wide. Standing just inside was a swarthy man who said, “Buenos tardes, Senor Spedino.”

  “Rafael. Good to see you again.” They walked to an office on the far side of the building, its lights blazing through an open doorway. Sitting behind a desk was a swarthy man dressed in fatigues flanked by a pair of bodyguards.

  The man behind the desk stood and extended his hand. “John, welcome to my country. To what do I owe the great honor of your visit?”

  Spedino ignored the outstretched hand. “Jorge, I would enjoy the pleasantries of a conversation with you but my time is very valuable and I know yours is as well. So let’s get to business. A few months ago I did you a favor. You called me and told me you had a man who owed you money – a great deal of money. His only means of payment was to find some gold sheets that the Maya had hidden hundreds of years ago. It was a crazy story, you must admit.”

  “Of course, but when people become enamored with the products I sell they often end up in big trouble. The crazy tales sometimes are true. I checked out Arthur Borland meticulously. You know me. I do nothing halfway. His father was lost while searching in this country fo
r the very gold that may save Arthur from becoming lost as well. Even now as we speak Arthur is making things worse and worse for himself. He is a sick man.” Jorge Arocha grinned maliciously.

  “Sick because of the drugs your people sold him.”

  “No one forced him. You used to dabble in that business as well. Forgive me if I retain my peasant background and rely on the coca leaves for my income. I know you have become much more civilized. Look at you. A big businessman.” His lips curled into a mocking smile.

  Spedino’s jaw tightened but his voice remained completely calm. “When you called me I gave you the name of a man – Brian Sadler – whom I thought might be able to help Arthur Borland find his gold. I was doing you a favor, Jorge. Brian Sadler is important to me. He is an antiquities dealer from New York and he is on an expedition at this very moment. But he has encountered many problems since I gave you his name. A man impersonating him in New York attacked a worker at his gallery. Then his lady friend was kidnapped and held prisoner in the jungle. Finally a man called Tomas Rodriguez took Brian and his party hostage. I’m here to find out what this is all about. Tell me right now exactly what you think you’re doing.”

  “Ah John, you Americans are so adept at skipping the formalities which are important in another country and so eager to impose your abrupt behavior on everyone else.” The man again smiled broadly but without feeling. “You should always be polite. Would you care for a cup of coffee?”

  John Spedino looked him in the eyes. “I didn’t come here for a lesson in etiquette. I asked you a question. Answer me. Now.”

  The Guatemalan’s eyes turned hard and steely. “Oh, you want an answer, do you, Mr. Important Man. Well here is your answer. I have no idea what you’re talking about, cabron. Get out of here. Who the hell do you think you are speaking to me in that tone of voice?”

  “You call me a cabron? A bastard? You have one minute to live unless you start talking.” Spedino gave a brief nod to Rafael, the man who had met him inside the building, and a .45 automatic appeared in the man’s hand. The guards behind Arocha reached inside their coats but Spedino said in Spanish, “No, gentlemen.” The men withdrew their hands and held their arms at their sides.

  “John, John,” Jorge Arocha said confidently, “I hope you aren’t offended. I became upset with your harsh behavior because I am accustomed to our Latin way of doing things. Forgive me if I’ve misspoken.” His cold eyes belied his kind words.

  “I want answers. Who is this man Tomas Rodriguez?”

  “I don’t know that name.”

  “What name do you know him by? I have much at stake in this situation. I won’t tolerate you much longer.”

  Unaccustomed to being spoken to in such a manner, the Guatemalan drug lord became livid. He stood and raised his voice. “You think you can scare me, John? You think YOU are the godfather here? No. You are in my country. I call the shot.”

  Spedino said calmly, “Although it is too late for you to learn, I am going to give you a lesson anyway. I am the godfather here. I am the godfather everywhere. And you knew that until you decided you were smarter than I am. But you must be wary. You must trust no one. You should always respect your superiors for they can wield unbelievable power over you in seconds. Now, men.” Spedino nodded to the goons standing on either side of Arocha and they grabbed his arms, pushing him down into his chair.

  “Your men work for me, Jorge. They always have. You are nothing, you son of a farmer. You stupid man – you’re no better and no smarter than a cocaine addict standing on a street corner in Harlem. And you want to challenge me? Now you will talk. You will tell me everything I ask you or I will kill you myself. Do you understand?” John Spedino stood two feet from Jorge’s face, seething with fury.

  For the first time today, fear overwhelmed the Guatemalan. “Yes. I understand,” he said, his voice meek now.

  “Why did you have Brian Sadler’s associate beaten at his gallery?”

  “Arthur Borland promised to give us two gold sheets as partial payment for the drug and gambling debts he owed. Instead he handed them over to Brian Sadler. We anticipated the possibility of a problem so I had hired a man who bore a striking resemblance to Sadler. I had Sadler followed from his club but everything happened too quickly. Sadler’s double arrived after the associate had locked the gold into a vault. She wouldn’t open the safe so he beat her but still she refused.”

  “Why didn’t you just take Borland himself?”

  “Because Borland was the key to finding the rest of the gold that his father had searched for in Guatemala many times before. This time it appeared the stories might really be true. He had tried and failed once. I checked out Brian Sadler myself. For a novice he has had great success and is a well-known personality. He had the means and the brains to find it if anyone could. I thought if I kidnapped Arthur Borland then Brian wouldn’t go into the jungle. He needed to believe everything was fine.”

  “And why on earth, Jorge, did you kidnap Nicole Farber?”

  He shouted, “I didn’t kidnap her! You must believe me. I used an associate of mine, Enrique Costa. I told him to do whatever he needed to motivate Sadler to find the gold quickly. I gave him free rein and that is what he chose to do.”

  “So Enrique Costa is Tomas Rodriguez – the kidnapper of both Nicole and Brian.”

  “Yes, yes. That’s him. And by the way you may think you know that woman, but she’s crazy. Did you know she killed one of my men during her escape?”

  Spedino laughed harshly. “I’m not surprised. She’s a spunky woman. And yes, I know that woman. I know her very well.” His face turned hard again. “Tell me the rest.”

  “Enrique has worked for me for many years. He is one of my top people in Guatemala. He took Brian, a Belizean guide and Brian’s friend, the hotel owner from San Ignacio, to a remote camp in the mountains and sent them off to find the lost city of the Mayas. They say there are books there, codices of the Maya, John. It could be a discovery worth millions without even taking into account the gold that is also supposed to be hidden there. Brian will do whatever Enrique says – he thinks Nicole is still held captive. And Enrique gets regular reports from one of the people on the expedition. The latest news is that they may have discovered the Temple of the Sanctuary, the one Captain Jack was searching for.”

  “You are an incredible fool if you underestimate Brian Sadler. I am certain he knows by now that Nicole is no longer a hostage. Where is Arthur Borland now?”

  “He’s at the Cardinale Casino on the island of Bonaire. A friend of mine manages the place and I’ve instructed him to give Borland everything it takes for him to remain quiet and happy. So far he has purchased a lot of cocaine and lost nearly $200,000. But his credit remains good so long as I guarantee it.”

  “Now I am going to give you your reward for being honest with me.” Spedino looked at the others in the room. “Rafael, take these two men outside and wait until I come out. Senor Arocha and I are going to have a little talk.”

  Shortly Spedino came out and said to Rafael, “I’m finished with him. Take care of it.”

  -----

  Tomas Rodriguez, whose real name was Enrique Costa, stood under the portico outside the Westin Hotel in Guatemala City. He was following instructions texted earlier by his boss, Jorge Arocha. His eyes searched arriving vehicles until he spotted the armored SUV he was looking for. The driver hopped out and opened the back door for Costa. It was dark and hard to see as he climbed inside. He said, “Godfather Jorge, what’s this all about?”

  “It’s not Jorge,” John Spedino said tersely. “Close the door.”

  Enrique was afraid. He had never been in the presence of John Spedino before but knew exactly who the man was. There was also another man riding in the passenger seat up front, a man he didn’t recognize.

  “Ah, Godfather,” Costa said, his eyes showing his fear. He bowed his head. “What a pleasant surprise.”

  Spedino turned to the driver and said, “Go.” Then he rais
ed a privacy partition between him and the driver.

  “First things first. Jorge Arocha is not the godfather. Why do you use that title to address him?”

  “Because he insists upon it, Godfather. He is my boss – my jefe. I must respect him.”

  Spedino’s voice rose. “You know who is the Godfather. Say it!”

  “You are the Godfather, Senor Spedino.” He lowered his eyes.

  “Your boss left on a trip today. A very long trip. You will see him again before long, I’m sure. When you arrive in hell.”

  Costa shuddered and put his head in his hands. “I am your servant, Godfather. I will do everything you ask.”

  “That is correct. You will do everything I ask. Tell me what you know about Brian Sadler and Nicole Farber. I want to hear everything. I want to know exactly what you were told to do with each of them and why.”

  “Jorge told me to hold Nicole secure so that Senor Sadler would do his bidding. I suppose you know that the English lord is the one who’s behind this all. He owes Jorge a lot of money and Jorge was determined to get it back any way he could.”

  Costa told Spedino that he and an associate captured Nicole and later Sadler and his friends. Spedino asked the name of Costa’s associate. Committing it to memory, he continued his questions.

  “So Jorge told you to kidnap Nicole, strip her naked, tie her to a table in the jungle and leave some illiterate fools to guard her from whatever could have befallen her?”

  “Ah, sir, not exactly. He said that I should do whatever I thought best. I was trying to ensure her cooperation and that of Senor Sadler as well.”

  “But it didn’t work, did it? Despite all that effort she got away and killed one of Jorge’s men when she escaped. Then you tried to capture her again at the border. Is that correct?”

  “Yes, Senor, but she had…”

  “Enough excuses!” Spedino shouted. “You sent Brian Sadler and five other people to the top of a mountain and you didn’t even have enough common sense to go with them. Instead you left and came back to the comforts of city life. Are you an idiot? Any one of those people on the expedition, even the workmen from Belize, is smarter than you are, ‘Tomas Rodriguez’.”