The Secret of the Stones (22 page)

“What
is that?
 
Why is it so important?”

“Because
there aren’t really any other glyphs that look like it for starters.
 
But the other thing you notice when I
start arranging the photos around this double circle is that a pattern begins
developing.
 
See?”
 
As Tommy placed the different pictures
in the order he believed they were meant to be in, Ulrich started noticing the
trend.
 
The drawings of the animals
and human footprints began spiraling outward, alternating every three
spots.
 

After
all the photographs had been arranged on the screen, the entire scene made
sense.
 
The double circle was in
the center of everything and the subsequent forms followed after, working their
way further and further from the middle.
 
He tapped the center of the spiral with his fingernail.
 
“This is where we have to go next.”

“And
where, exactly, is that?”
 
Ulrich
was still not convinced.

Tommy
responded with a question of his own, “When you look at any map, country,
state, etc., what is the thing that stands out the most?”

The
two foreigners looked at each other dubiously.

“Ugh.
 
Do I have to do all the work
here?”
 
Sighing again, Schultz
continued.
    

“I
know when I look at a map the thing that always jumps out at me is the capital
of a country or state.
 
Right?”

A
nod told him that they were following along so far.

“Right.
 
Usually it is marked with a star or
sometimes it even looks like a dot within a circle, similar to what you are
seeing right here.”

“So,
you are saying that this symbol represents the capital of what?
 
Georgia?”
 
At least Jens was trying.

“Not
the capital of Georgia,” Tommy corrected.
 
“The state of Georgia wasn’t formed until the late 1700s.
 
These petroglyphs are
pre-Columbian.
 
I’d say even
further back, more like pre-Babylonian.”

“Egyptian?”

“Sort
of.
 
Probably several decades
removed from the original settlers but yes, a crude form of it.
 
That would explain why no one has been
able to determine what it all means.”
 

He
went on, “At any rate, the place I was talking about is called Red Clay.
 
It was the capital of the Cherokee
Nation until the council was dissolved completely in 1838.”

Ulrich
was interested.
 
“Where is this
‘Red Clay’ you speak of?”
 

“It’s
close to Chattanooga, Tennessee.”

“What
are we looking for when we get there?”
 

Tommy
smiled.
 
“Probably for something
with very similar markings on it.
 
I’d say there must be something at the council grounds that will point
us to the next marker.
 
It could be
another stone, a piece of pottery, I really don’t know for sure.”

“And
how will you know what this next ‘marker’ is saying?”
 
Ulrich was still doubtful.

“I
think I can manage,” Tommy replied with a sarcastic grin.
 
“We’ve made it this far.”

Two
figures stood by the damaged guardrail, staring into the gorge at the
wreckage below.
 
One of them, a
tall, brunette woman in a black, ankle-length jacket, was holding a cell phone
to her ear.
 
Her shoulder-length
cocoa hair was pulled back into a pony tail.

“Yes
sir.
 
I’m certain they are dead,”
she spoke with no emotion.
 
“No.
 
They left.
 
We know where they are going, though.”

She
paused a moment, listening to the voice on the other line, then nodded.
 
A moment later she had finished her
conversation with an “Understood,” then closed the phone and slid it into a
jacket pocket.

“What
did he say?”
 
The man accompanying
her was dressed similarly, but his appearance was strong, like a rugby player,
and he had short brown hair.
 
He
had been examining the debris of the crash site with binoculars.

“He
wants to move ahead.”
 

“What
about them?”
 
The man turned his
head back down toward the destroyed car at the foot of the mountain.

“Leave
them.”
 
She regarded them with a
flick of the head.
 
“Only a matter
of time until someone sees this mess and calls the authorities.
 
I’d rather not be around for that.”

He
nodded in agreement and the two slipped back into their black sedan and sped up
the mountain road.

Chapter
34

Blue
Ridge Mountains

The
red Silverado looked like it had been on a mission through Afghanistan.
 
Bullet holes were scattered across the
back window, and a few more were dotting the windshield.

Sean
looked at Allyson with a quizzical face from the back seat.
 
“So when were you planning on telling
us about this little gem of information?”
 

She
returned the glare with a smile.
 
“I already told you, I was just following orders.
 
That information was on a need to know
basis.”

“Heck,”
Joe cut in, “it might be handy to have another gun around.
 
Seems like she’s pretty good with it.”

Allyson
raised an eyebrow and grinned at the driver.
 
“Thank you, Mac.”

“It’s
not that I mind you helping out,” Sean explained.
 
“I just don’t like surprises.
 
Better to know what I’m dealing with.
 
You know?”

“I
understand,” she replied.
 
“Don’t
worry.
 
No more surprises.”

“You
sure about that?”
 
He looked
dubious.

“Pretty
sure.”
 
She squinted her eyes at
him.

Sean
averted his eyes to the passing countryside for a moment before returning to
the conversation.
 
“How long have
you been with Axis?”

She
turned around and faced forward while she answered him. “I’ve only been working
there for two years.
 
They
recruited me just before I finished college.
 
It sounded like a good opportunity.
 
It’s fast-paced with a lot of travel
and student loan forgiveness.”

“One
that can become very dangerous,” he added.
 
“It’s a gig that can get you killed.”

“I’m
aware of the dangers, Sean.
 
But I
do appreciate the concern,” Allyson twisted her head back around to face
him.
 
“I’m a big girl, and a well-trained
girl at that.
 
I can take care of
myself.”

His
face blushed a bright red. “I’m sure you can.
 
But it’s a fine line that you walk all the time when you’re
an agent.”

“Is
that why you quit?”

“Mostly,”
he replied.
 
“I got tired of
looking over my shoulder, wondering if there was a barrel aimed at me from the
shadows.
 
Sleeping was almost
impossible.
 
Every little noise
made me pop up with my gun drawn.”
 
He paused.
 
“I don’t miss
those days.”

“I
never have trouble sleeping,” she said defiantly.

Sean
let out a laugh and turned his head back to the window.
 
“Give it time, you will.”

The
next few minutes passed in silence.
 
Trees blurred by as Joe guided the truck trough the twisting
highway.
 
“It’s just up ahead,” he
finally broke the silence.
 
“I doubt
anyone is here at this time of day, except for the ranger.”

As
the truck rounded a curve going up a slight hill, a black Hummer H2 came into
view.
 
A stumpy-looking man in a
black trench coat and a flat top haircut was standing in front of the grill.

With
quiet calm Sean said, “Mac, they’re here.”

“What?”
 
Joe’s demeanor was not as composed.

“Take
it easy.
 
Just drive by and don’t
do anything brash.
 
Let’s just keep
going, like we’re going to the visitor center.”
 

Understanding
the situation, Joe continued on past the black SUV.
 
The man standing in front of it had noticed them, but once
they had passed, he paid them no mind.

After
the pickup rounded the next curve, Sean again spoke evenly, “Tommy’s back there
with two other guys.
 
They’re
looking at the stones.
 
Looks like
they brought some backup.”

“What
should we do?”
 
Allyson and Joe
thought out loud, simultaneously.

“Turn
around up there,” Sean directed, pointing at a gravel turnoff next to the
road.
 

Joe
did what his friend asked and pulled the truck off to the side of the little
street.
 

“Okay,”
he continued as he loaded another clip into his Ruger.
 
We’re only going to have one chance at
this.
 
Mac, here’s what I want you
to do….”

Chapter
35

Cartersville,
Georgia

The
police issue Charger came to a crunching halt on the gravel driveway in front
of the log cabin.
 
Trent looked
through the windshield, trying to detect if there was any movement inside the
dwelling.
 
His partner, Will, had
met up with him at the exit off of Interstate 75 and followed the road from
there into the National Forest a few miles from Cartersville.
 
He pulled his unmarked vehicle into a
spot next to Trent.

Will
rolled his window down and asked, “You think anyone’s here?”

A
silver Nissan Maxima sat off to the side of the house near a carport.
 
Under the outdoor roofing, a white
Subaru wagon was parked next to the wooden dwelling.
 
Trent motioned over to the two empty cars, “Not sure, but
we’re going to find out,” he said.

After
taking a brief look around the back of the house, the two detectives marched up
the front steps and knocked on the door.
 
From inside, a dog howled the long, bellowing barks of a hound.
 
A few moments later they heard a
woman’s voice call from inside, “Just a minute.”

They
adjusted their stance and tried to look professional, removing their wallets to
show their identification.
 
There
was a sound of a deadbolt turning before the door opened to a short, pretty
woman who looked to be in her upper forties.
 
Her hair was brown with a few streaks of gray.
 
Her clothes were simple: blue jeans and
a snug fitting t-shirt that accentuated her slim physique.
 
She smiled at the two strangers and
held back the hound that seemed to be a little on edge with the unexpected
visitors.
 
“What can I do for ya,
fellas?”

Trent
spoke first, “Hello.
 
I’m Detective
Morris and this is Detective Will Anderson.
 
We are with the Atlanta Police Department.”
 
The two men raised their badges
simultaneously while he talked.
 
“We were wondering if you could help us.”

Her
face curled in confusion.
 
“What’s
this about?
 
You boys are a little
far from home for Atlanta police, don’t you think?”
 
She spoke with a thick, Southern accent.
 

Will
answered politely, “We just need to ask you a few questions, Ma’am.”
 
He put his wallet back into a jacket
pocket.
 
“Your husband home, too?”

She
eyed them suspiciously.
 
“He’s out
of town today.
 
Should be back
later tonight, though.”

Morris
continued, “You happen to know where he went?”

“Didn’t
say.
 
Just told me that he would be
back tonight.
 

“Does
he go off like this a lot?”
 
Trent
scoped out the surroundings while he talked.

“Just
depends.
 
He might have gone
huntin’.
 
I assumed that was what
he was doin’.
 
I stayed at my
mother’s last night about thirty minutes from here.
 
His truck was gone when I got back this mornin’.”
 
She waved a hand carelessly towards the
carport.
 
“Ya’ll can come on in and
have a seat if you want to.
 
I was
just about to have a cup of coffee.”

They
nodded and followed her into the living room of the enormous cabin.
 
She directed them to some deep couches
in the center of the room while closing the door behind them.
 
The rustic feel of the interior meshed
well with the natural surroundings of the woods.
 
“Would either of ya’ll like a cup of coffee?”

Morris
raised his hand and shook his head politely, “No, thank you, Ma’am.
 
I appreciate it, though.”

Will
shook his head, “I’m good.”

“So
your husband does a lot of hunting, Mrs. McElroy?”
 
Trent asked as she sat down in a soft-looking, dark brown
seat.

“Depends
on the time of year, but he doesn’t really go very often,” she took a sip of
her coffee.
 
“But you boys didn’t
drive all the way up here from Atlanta just to talk about my husband’s hobbies.
 
Why don’t you just cut through the bull
and ask me what you came here to ask me?”
 

Trent
smiled at her frankness.
 
“Fair
enough, Mrs. McElroy.
 
Are you
familiar with this man?”
 
He
produced a picture from his jacket pocket and handed it to her across the
coffee table.
 

She
smiled, “Of course.
 
That’s Sean
Wyatt.
 
He’s been a friend of ours
for years.
 
Joe’s known him since
they were boys.
 
Sean’s about eight
years younger, but they have always had a good friendship.
 
I suppose it’s on account of their
families bein’ so close for so long.”

“Their
families?”
 
Will interrupted.

“Yep.
 
They’ve known each other for decades,
going all the way back to their grandparents.
 
Joe’s parents got married at an early age and started having
kids shortly thereafter.
 
Sean’s
parents wanted to travel the world and see everything before they had children
so that’s why the boys are so many years apart.”

“Have
you seen Sean recently?”
 
Will
continued.

“Nope.
 
Can’t say that I have.
 
He was up here a month or so ago, but
he’s always so busy with work and all.”
 
There was a pause before she said, “Now that you mention it, I guess
it’s time he get his butt up here to say hello.”
 

Trent
pressed her, “So, he hasn’t called or anything in the last couple of days?”

She
looked at him like he had just asked a stupid question.
 
“I just told you I ain’t heard from him
for nearly a month.”
 
Looking from
Trent to Will and back she asked, “What does the Atlanta PD want to do with
Sean Wyatt anyway?
 
He ain’t never
done anything wrong.
 
One of the
nicest guys I’ve ever met.”

The
two cops looked at each other as if to ask permission to tell her.
 
Trent spoke up, “Mrs. McElroy, we have
reason to believe that Sean Wyatt was involved in the murder of Frank Borringer
two days ago.
 
There is also
suspicion that he murdered two police officers at the residence of Thomas
Schultz yesterday.”

If
they had slapped her across the face with an iron skillet she could not have
been more surprised.
 
“Are you two
out of your mind?”
 
Her voice
raised.
 
“The idea that Sean Wyatt
could be implicated in a murder, much less three of ‘em, is the most ridiculous
thing I have ever heard.
 
What
would make you think something crazy like that?”

“Wyatt
is our only suspect at this time.
 
We have reason to believe that he is somehow involved.
 
That’s all I can tell you at this
time.”
 
Trent tried not to be
insulted.

The
stare she gave him could have melted steel.
 
“You have reason?”
 

These
guys were just doing their jobs, but the idea that Sean had murdered someone
was overwhelming.
 
After taking a
second to calm herself down she spoke again, “Gentlemen, I am sure that you
have got something that is making you think that Sean was the one who did these
things.
 
But I can tell you right
now, you’re wrong about it.
 
Now, I
haven’t seen or heard from him in nearly a month, like I told you.
 
But I will say this, if my husband is
helping him, then I don’t blame him.
 
I’d a done the same.”

It
was Will’s turn to speak again, “Would you help him if he had betrayed his best
friend?”

She
looked at them both, not sure what the younger detective was talking about.

“You
see, ma’am,” Will explained, “Tommy Schultz was kidnapped a few days ago, just
before a press conference he had scheduled at the Georgia Historical
Center.
 
Apparently, he had found a
new artifact that was going to be put on display at the center, but he
disappeared a few hours before it took place.”

At
this, she stood up.
 
“Now I know
you two are crazy.
 
You’re
insinuating that Sean killed three men and kidnapped his best friend who, by
the way, he’s known since childhood?”
 
Her head shook violently.
 
“I’ve heard enough of this.”
 
She waved a dismissive hand.

“Mrs.
McElroy, we just need to know where your husband is,” Morris pleaded.
 
“I promise, if Sean is innocent we will
clear his name and let him go.
 
We
just need to know where they might have headed.”

For
the last thirty seconds, she’d been pacing back and forth behind the sofa.
 
The dog stared at her with big, droopy
eyes, wondering what was going on.
 
After another few steps, she stopped.
 
“I don’t know where he is,” her face was one of resigned
honesty.
 
“But I do know this, if I
did know, I wouldn’t tell you.
 
My
husband hasn’t done anything wrong and neither has Sean Wyatt.”

“Your
husband is aiding a fugitive of justice and ….”
 
Will started in more angry than Trent had ever seen.
 

“Mrs.
McElroy,” Morris cut off his partner, “we thank you for your time.
 
If you do find out where your husband
might be and you change your mind, please let us know.”
 
He produced a business card from his
wallet.
 
“Just call my cell phone
if you need anything.
 
We’re just
trying to figure this out.
 
Okay?”
 
Will slinked back a
little, understanding Trent was pulling rank.

This
seemed to settle her down a little; she took the card and nodded.
 

“Thank
you.
 
We’ll leave you alone,
Ma’am.
 
We really would appreciate
any help you can give us.”

The
two men stood and walked toward the door.
 
As Will opened it and walked across the threshold, she stopped
them.
 
“Officers,” her voice was
firm, but had become pleasant again, “I didn’t mean to be rude.
 
It’s just that, we’ve known Sean a long
time.
 
And I know that he wouldn’t
do anything like what you’re sayin’.
 
But if I had to guess, knowin’ him, I’d bet Sean was tryin’ to find his
friend.”

The
two detectives looked at each other, then Trent said, “You mean trying to find
Schultz?”

She
gave a quick nod.
 
“Those two have
been like peas in a pod since the day they met.
 
If something happened to one of ‘em, it happened to both.
 
Know what I’m sayin’?”

Trent
acknowledged the statement with an understanding smile as the two of them
turned and ambled back down the steps to their cars.
 
Mrs. McElroy stood in the doorway to the cabin with the
floppy-eared dog standing by her side watching the men as they got in their
cars and took off down the driveway.