The Secret of the Ancient Alchemist (36 page)

“
Really?”

“
Alejandro Ferelli. His father is Santiago
Ferelli”

“
New York
City’s mayor?”

“
Yes. My
wife and I decided to have another child when Julius left for
university. But my wife fell gravely ill and the child was adopted
by Santiago and his wife. I would like to see Alejandro. When I
spoke to Julius a couple of weeks ago he told me he had never met
him. Besides, he was too excited about the Quipus. The Inca date
really obsessed him. For his sake, please find it. The world needs
to know.”

“
I will,”
Hart said, not knowing how he would. Bentley hadn’t called and he
was beginning to worry about him. His concern was interrupted when
Radan spoke again.

“
Do you
know about La Croix’s painting, Tom?”

“
T
he
Dawning
you
mean?”

“
Yes.”

“
What do
you know about it?”

“
Julius
also told me the Inca date for the new age and La Croix’s were the
same.”

“
He did?”
Hart recalled the date he had seen on the painting.

“
And, I
know whoever killed my son knows a lot about his work. I fear
Bentley may be dead too.” Radan coughed. His voice bore the rasp of
a smoker when he spoke again. “Look, I need to say
something.”

“
Go on,”
Hart edged.

“
I know
who killed Francis La Croix.”

“
The
artist who painted,
The Dawning
?”

“
Yes,
and, I’m beginning to think it may be the same person behind my
son’s death.”

“
Who’re
you talking about?” Hart soon realized there was a lot more to
Radan than his humble façade.

“
Olsen’s
murderer isn’t Art Foster. He may not have liked my son but, he’s
not a killer.” Radan paused to gather his thoughts. “I suspect it’s
the work of Foster and the fanatical Brotherhood. They murdered La
Croix.”

Hart shot up.
“I should’ve known. They tried to kill me. I should’ve warned him!
I just didn’t for one moment think they would go after him.”

“
Don’t
blame yourself, Tom.”

“
I do. A
great guy has gone for nothing. He was so excited about his work.
He said the Q’ero people were awaiting the next Inti, the one who
transforms the earth, to usher in a new millennium. Even the Aztecs
predicted a new spirit of men will arise after one thousand and
forty-four years. The Mayans believed that, in the fifth age, men
will realize their spiritual destiny and in the sixth, men will
know God’s in them. In the seventh, Mankind will be telepathic. The
date was Olsen’s life.”

“
Let me
tell you how I know it’s them. Steffi Larsen, my son’s ex-wife,
worked at the office of
Crime International
in Basle. She had seen a file listing him
as
Indiserable Element
, an undesirable element. She had called and told me about
it. I was, of course, shocked. I asked her why this was. She told
me she had questioned Monsieur Thibault, the head of
Crime
Internationale
, about it
and he had said it was the Brotherhood but would offer no further
explanation except to say that it was they who had killed Francis
La Croix.”

“
I
see.”

“
Whatever
was bothering the Brotherhood had to be connected to Julius’s and
Bentley’s work. So, I started to examine the reason.”

“
The Inca
Quipus of course.”

“
Exactly.
There were secrets in the Inca artefacts that were beyond a
prophetic date or alien information, secrets that Foster and
LaPlotte didn’t want revealed.”

“
It’s the
claim of Andean Christianity. That’s what it is. Foster got away
last time but I’ll make sure he won’t this time. God, I blame
myself for this.”

“
Don’t!”

“
I do!
This could’ve been avoided. I’m sure Olsen was being followed, as I
was. He’s was such a good person, he told no one.”

“
Foster
believes the Inca were heretics. The Naples Document bothers him as
it did the Frenchman, LaPlotte. Valera’s claim of Christianity was
meant to create trouble and nothing more. To suggest the Inca
religion had some similarity to Christianity was too much for a man
like LaPlotte. Olsen’s death is about this and nothing
more.”

“
Foster’s
still doing evil work even though LaPlotte is dead. The Brotherhood
never imagined there’d be someone who could decipher
Quipus.”

“
Never
and I know they’re desperate to get their hands on all of Bentley’s
artefacts and Olsen’s data, if they haven’t done so
already.”

“
Olsen
kept copies of everything. I know he did, but, where? I searched
this whole house and found nothing.”

“
We have
to find it, Tom.”

“
And,
Olsen’s killer.”

Quietly, Hart
telephoned Timothy Pearce on La Joya Island.

Chapter 82

“
I went
through all of Foster’s emails. There’s nothing in them connected
to Olsen’s murder. Bentley’s dead too.”

“
No, No,”
Hart cried out. “I can’t believe all of this is
happening.”

“
Neither
can I.”

“
Are you
sure?”

“
He was
murdered while on a trip to the Venezuelan hinterland.”

“
God!
These sick-minded people really make me want to puke. Look, I can’t
find Olsen’s data anywhere. Could you run a check on the island and
see what you come up with.”

“
Sure.”
Pearce sighed. “This is all so sad. I feel awful.”

“
Believe
me, not as much as I do.”

“
Bye,
Tom.”

Pearce looked
up as Steffi came through the door of his one room apartment in the
quiet suburb of La Joya City.

“
There’s
a photo of Olsen’s on the front page,” she said throwing a
newspaper his way.

“
And, all
the TV channels too,” he replied. “I didn’t think he was so
popular.”

Steffi switched
on MSNBC. They both listened to a pre-recorded telecast from
Hart.

“
His
mission was to help this world, and, he will. I’ll make sure of
that. Whoever did this heinous crime hates us. They hate our world.
Julius Olsen was about to disclose the date of a new age, to free
us from the bondage of hell. Whoever you are out there, you are a
murderer of God, of salvation, and you are the mark of
evil.”

“
Will you
be completing the job of finding his date, Dr. Hart?” a reporter
asked.

“
It’ll be
my honour.”

The
News of the Day
reporter continued speaking as the broadcast ended. “The
Times has a photo of little Olsen. He’s causing quite sensation
around the world. People are clamouring to have him. Tell
us…”

Steffi shut the
set off. “Hart needs the date, Tim.”

“
I didn’t
find a third number in Bentley’s email.”

“
You
didn’t find the missing number?”

“
No.
Seems Olsen didn’t send it to him. Hart says he moved his data out
of his house. There’s a chance it may be on this
island.”

“
What’re
you going to do?” Steffi looked as sharp as ever in her blue cotton
shirt and black fitted jeans but she didn’t feel that bright.
Truly, she didn’t want to get involved in anything but Pearce was
maniacal about the Inca date. She stopped for a moment noticing for
the first time his sun burnt face. Glancing down, she saw that his
sneakers were covered in mud. “Where did you go?”

“
I went
to the Delta Amacuro in search of Bentley. That’s where he did a
lot of his work.”

“
And?”

“
I met
someone called Salazar. He told me Bentley was dead. He believes
some guy called Ernesto killed him. Ernesto was paid by Foster to
do it. Look Steffi, I need you to pay a visit to Mary
Findley.”

“
Bentley’s lover? Why?”

“
I
suspect she may know of Olsen’s data.”

“
How
come?”

“
Marin told me that Olsen had disappeared for a while just
prior to his death. He thinks he came to La Joya to speak to
Bentley. I know Bentley kept some of his important stuff at Findley
Estate. I’m sure Findley can help us find Olsen’s data.

A chorus of
birds broke the silence in the expanse of rolling plains that was
Findley Estate. A strong wind blew cold and damp signalling the
onset of rain. Steffi looked at the grand house standing in the
centre of the abandoned estate. Built by Scottish and Italian
craftsmen, the building was worn and old. Gone were the intricate
weaves of its main balcony and the tower that once carried a
foreign flag. The patterned window panes were mossy and cracked
from heat and rain. The crafted front door seemed to house
termites. Even the marble patio was dirty and stained.

Mary Findley
was at the front steps when she got out her car. This wasn’t a
first encounter. They had met before at La Joya’s National Museum.
Mary was a person few got to know. If there was ever was a stoic,
she was it. But, at fort-nine, she had finally found true love and
her torrid sessions with Bentley at her secluded property were now
the talk of the town.

“
Hello,”
she said in a voice that was weak. “Come on in.” She led Steffi to
the veranda and sat in a lounge chair facing her.

“
You’re
alone, Mary?”

“
Yes,
why?”

“
It’s
nothing.”

“
You
think it’s too lonely here don’t you?”

“
It sure
looks like it.”

“
I have
neighbours. They come by a lot.”

Mary’s life was
much too isolated, Steffi thought. She had few friends, something
that came with the isolation but, it was mainly her aloofness and
intolerance of others that kept people away. A loner, Mary cared
for little else than her own work and, of course, Bentley. Yet, to
some, she was fascinating, intriguing and alluring.

“
When did
you last see Dr. Bentley, Mary?”

“
I saw
him a week ago at the museum. Last time we spoke, he was headed
here.”

“
Bentley
left his house in La Joya City at 2PM in his silver Range Rover.
You’re saying he didn’t come here?”

“
No. He
was supposed to but he didn’t and he’s not answering his phone.”
Mary got up and walked a few feet away. The bright sun exposed her
pain and anguish. Her voice was cracking. “Arthur came here with a
man once, someone called Ernesto. He’s a specimen collector for
SARDS, where Arthur does his research work.”

“
And?”

“
I
believe this man has done something to Arthur.”

“
Why
would you think that?”

“
I guess
I shouldn’t have said it. I don’t have any proof.”

From the tone
in Mary’s voice, there was good reason to believe she knew that
Bentley was dead. But, Steffi guessed Findley couldn’t bring
herself to say it.

“
Do you
know anything at all about Olsen’s data, Mary?”

“
He took
his stuff to SARDS in Colombia.”

“
Are you
sure?”

The question
was unanswered. Mary Findley gazed as if searching for something
from nowhere. She sat in her chair saying nothing more. In the
distance, thunder rolled. To Steffi, it was an ominous sign. She
could see kerosene lamps flickering in the wooden houses nearby.
Dusk was starting to set on the village of San Jose, the village
that Mary loved. She couldn’t help but feel Mary was hiding
something. With a deeply worried mind, she got up.

“
Look
Mary, sure you don’t want to come and spend some time with me? Get
out of here for a bit.”

“
Thanks,
but I’m fine.” Tears welled in Mary’s eyes as she
answered.

Hours later,
Steffi dropped her weight on Pearce’s worn armchair feeling the
strain of her long journey. She looked up at him as he handed her a
cup of tea.

“
Thanks,
love.”

“
Whad’you
find out?”

“
Olsen
took his data to SARDS. Mary doesn’t have the missing number for
the Inca date.”

“
I think
she’s lying.”

“
How can
you say that?”

“
She’s a
strange woman, that’s why.”

”
Maybe,
you should speak to Hart. He may know something of Olsen’s visit to
SARDS.”

“
I should.” Pearce dialled Hart’s number. Soon, he shut his
phone. “Hart’s line is busy.”

Chapter 84

“
It’s
good to hear from you, Hart.” Avery Lengard was speaking in the
palaeography room of the British Museum. “You must be getting
anxious about the pages, especially the ones on matter.”

“
I know
these things take time.”

“
They do,
I’m afraid.”