Lost and Forgotten Ch. 03

I took this time to go over the satellite footage. While the normal images were damning for poor old Wallenstein it was the thermal and ultraviolet spectrum that held some real promise. I believe I found several possible entrances where I could safely enter the tunnel and see if it was completely collapsed as everyone believed or if a portion of the old access remained.

"MMMMM... I love that feeling when you break me like the little bitch I am." Mom purred. "So, what's next on the agenda?"

"I found a few candidates as possible entrances into the tunnel."

"I knew you would. I never doubted it for a moment." She said as she sat behind me and hugged me.

"I love the feel of your tits against my back in the morning." I told her, and we laughed. "It is comforting."

"Are you waiting until the festival is over or are you going to try and enter it with all of these fans around?"

"I haven't decided. I want to spend time with you while you are here. That is more important than some old train. What does concern me is a portion of the satellite footage I keep playing repeatedly in my head. It shows heat signatures below the Old Cemetery. They are faint, but they are there." I shared with her and she shivered. "Me too."

Mom yawned after only few minutes snuggling with me on the floor. I picked her up and carried her to the bed. I lowered her onto the mattress and she grabbed ahold of my arm. I surrendered and joined her and Jynx on the bed. I even closed my eyes and feigned sleep for a time. I savored the feeling of two beautiful women sleeping so close to me. My reverie was interrupted.

'Psst!' Jacen whispered in my thoughts. 'Are you asleep?'

'You know I'm not, but I appreciate your asking. What's up?'

'I found something you might be interested in.' Jacen sent which was followed up by a blur of images and documents. 'Look those over and tell me what you think.'

'Okay.'

I pulled up the initial images and they turned out to be schematics for a spherical drone. There was a basic prototype but whoever the genius was that created this had also developed improved versions that served very specific purposes. One was either a military or police model that was armored and acted as a scout that relayed visual data back to its human operators. Another was meant as a crime scene drone that could scan, analyze, and interpret locations of various crimes ranging from bombings to murder. I liked that one quite a bit. If I could find the parts and a workshop I could tinker one together to help me explore the tunnel. The documents that followed the schematics were ideas of the various purposes the drones could be tailored for. I did notice a complete absence of whoever the corporation or inventor of these drones were. Jacen had thoroughly scrubbed that data from the files.

'Well?' Jacen asked in her newfound voice.

'I like, but I doubt I can find the materials to build even one of those.'

'Show me how you would put one together.' Jacen sent.

I was standing in a virtual cube. Hovering along the six walls of the cube were all the components I could ever want. I started with a robust power core. I added an equally impressive processor and memory. The peripherals were equally important and after a few tries I found the perfect balance between external sensors and lightweight armor. If this bad boy was going into a collapsed tunnel it would have to be sturdy.

Jacen and I took turns designing various models for different scenarios. The spy version was especially cool with its active camouflage and UV scanners to keep from being detected. There was even one armed with a pressurized air gun that fired tranquilizer darts. In the end Jacen won out by taking all my designs and creating an all-purpose drone that could cover a wide range of purposes and was armed with a plethora of scanners, cyber warfare programs, and even a holographic projector. It was all fantasy, but it kept my mind busy until the phone rang with our wakeup call from Simone.

Second Day of the Festival:

The ladies awoke and snuggled as I thanked Simone for the call. When I mentioned the call of nature they jumped to their feet and raced to be the first one to use the toilet. The three of us shared a shower and despite a long night of making love they were eager for just one more. I worked up quite the appetite and once dressed we headed down to find the dining area full. There weren't just guests enjoying breakfast with us but journalists as well. Agent Rodriguez joined us for breakfast. She looked well rested but unhappy. Mom asked her what was bothering her, but Diana remained tight lipped.

"I see." Mom said baiting her. "I understand completely."

"It is quite clear," Jynx added joining in.

"I doubt it." Diana said pouting now.

"Man troubles," Jynx declared and Diana blushed.

"Nail meet hammer," Mom said and saw the small smile form on the agent's lips.

"She didn't get her dessert." Jynx continued. "We did and went back for seconds."

"And thirds." Mom added coaxing a laugh from the dusky skinned woman.

"I like dessert early in the morning." Simone said as she set a piece of peach cobbler in front of me. "Eat up, you are going to need all of your strength."

Simone continued her rounds to all the tables making sure everyone was happy. She returned a short while later and warned me that the journalists were looking for me. They had learned about the letter from the dead guy after watching a video that had gone viral. The Vlog had done better than hoped for and now I was an internet sensation. Yeah me. We ate in what would prove to be the last bit of relative peace and quiet I would know for a while.

"When do you leave?" I asked Diana.

"A few days at most. The bureau is sending in a senior agent to deal with things here. He or she will possess the skills that fit the needs of this case. I am here on data collection. Once that is done I will be reassigned." She said her voice struggling to remain composed.

"You said when we met that you were Special Agent Rodriguez." I reminded her. "Why bring in someone else when they have a skilled person already here?" I asked and damned if she didn't look guilty. "You are a junior agent. Cool. I just finished my first year of teaching. It only gets better from here. Find out why there is a mansion built next to a lake that no one has ever heard of."

"How the hell do you know about that?" Diana scowled as she leaned in close.

"I got a message from GunDancer. It showed satellite footage of the house and the lake. The only straight path to the lake is through the Old Man's property. He's removed all of the others." I explained but she appeared unconvinced. "I have a hundred-year-old survey map that shows this entire mountain range. I memorized it."

"That last bit I believe. Why help me?" She asked as I asked for the map Jynx had gotten earlier. "What is that for?"

"I just remembered a second path that should get you to the lake. I could..." I offered but one look told me she wanted to do this on her own. "Here." I took a pen and drew out the path for her. "Good luck."

"I will have my dessert tonight." Diana promised me with a wink. "I will see what I can find out. Thanks."

"Good luck..." I began and stopped when I saw three men approaching. "So, it begins."

I ignore them and picked up my fork to attack the delicious pie in front of me. Mom intercepted the journalists. She said I would be willing to have an impromptu Q and A on the condition that I could finish my breakfast and not be hounded. That held them off long enough for me to enjoy the cobbler. I spoke with Simone and she was gracious enough to let me use the same room the panel had been held in. I didn't want to do this more than once. There had to be a way of getting the word out and one name came to mind. I took out my phone and pulled up his number and hit dial.

"Dworkin. I need a favor."

The room that had been used for the opening ceremony was packed, with journalists getting the seats closest to the stage. We did a sound check and once things were set I strode to the center of the stage. Missouri Smith fans cheered and clapped while the reporters waited eagerly for me to address them.

"The first thing I'd like to do is thank Dworkin for making this so much easier and getting the word out." I began, and he took a quick bow. "I have it on good authority that members of the press wanted to interview me regarding the now infamous Missouri Smith letter. It isn't often the living receive a letter from a man dead for decades. The law firm that delivered the letter has confirmed the authenticity of the letter. If there were any questions about that I saved you some time and energy. People questioned me when I received the letter how I knew it was a genuine Missouri Smith document. I am quite familiar with his handwriting. I have in my possession three diaries and several field guides written by Smith. It was those items that led me here. It is no secret that I plan on researching the history behind the loss of the Flying Scotsman. I..." I continued but was interrupted when I received a text message. I was about to ignore it when Jacen told me who it was from. "Hold on one moment please." I said and checked the message. "I'll be damned. It appears the news of the letter has reached Missouri Smith's family. They have given me permission to speak about something that occurred several months ago. The remains of Missouri Smith have been recovered from where he died. A private ceremony was performed, and his mortal remains laid to rest. I was the one that recovered those remains."

The roar from those assembled was deafening. I waited for them to calm down and began answering their questions. I pointed to the oldest journalist and he began the question portion of this event.

"Where did you find him? How did he die?"

"I have promised not to reveal where Missouri died but I can reveal that he was injured during one of his investigations. That injury proved fatal. He bled out and died alone. I used clues left in his last diary to find him." I said and pointed to another journalist.

"How does a history teacher come across such valuable items? Where did you find them?"

"This may sound like something out of one Missouri's adventures, but I came across them by accident at one of the places he was renting. I discovered a hidden room and that is where I found the diaries and other items."

"Other items, what kind of other items?" Another reporter asked.

"This for example," I said holding up the lighter. "I am not comfortable to share the other items at this time. I am thinking about seeking funding to create a Missouri Smith museum. The proceeds from the museum would go to maintaining it as well as helping Missouri's family with their blessing of course."

"Are you married?" A female reporter asked.

"Um... no." I said and glanced at mom and Jynx.

It spiraled downhill from there. I called an end to it and I left the stage. We snuck out a side door and quietly joined the fans roaming the streets of Nightshade. I made sure mom got a chance to meet some of the more colorful characters that I had found interesting. Top of my list was the effervescent and perpetually cheerful Dr. Warlock. He was wearing a navy-blue suit and he seemed almost reserved this morning. I introduced Meghan to him and he asked how my research was going. I filled him in on everything that had occurred so far leaving out Jacen and any mention of GunDancer. He did seem quite interested in Diana and the mountain lake.

"It was just a matter of time." Warlock declared. "I told that old fart all those years ago. You can't hide an entire lake from the public. He took it as a kind of challenge. It became his lake and then that poor girl drowned."

"Now it all makes sense." I exclaimed remembering the drowned girl they had found on the mountainside. "Do you think Wallenstein was involved?"

"Who knows. That was a long time ago. If he did it, it is a moot point." Warlock said frowning. "He wasn't always this way. It was his dad's death that changed him. Being the oldest he inherited everything. That kind of money and power change people. We were pretty tight once." The older man said and shivered. "His kids are monsters. They never visit and wait for him to die. His oldest son, Malcolm, he is the worst. He can't wait to lord it over his siblings. I take it back. There is one out of the lot that isn't so bad. Ariel, she's the youngest, she has her own business and doesn't want anything to do with the others. She visits when she can. She stops by and sees me when she is in town. I expect she'll show up any day now. I hope it isn't too late."

"He's dying, isn't he?" Mom asked.

"Yep. Terminal cancer... it hit his lymph nodes six months ago. He just keeps on going as if nothing is wrong. This story about him paying off the sheriff will only lead to more sorrow. He's taking a liking to you." Warlock said to me. "Go talk to Theresa Whitacre, she lives on the edge of town. Ask her about the girl on the mountain. She has the inside story. Be patient, she's an old lady."

We took Warlock's directions and enjoyed the weather and the quiet of being away from downtown. The Whitacre home was a small two-bedroom house at the very edge of town. Beyond her place was farmland, orchards, and the famed vineyard. I knocked on the door and a silvery haired lady answered. I introduced myself as well as Mom and Jynx. She informed us that Warlock had called ahead and let us in. I guessed that Ms. Whitacre was in her late sixties but was in good health and coherent.

"Ms. Whitacre..." I began but the woman laughed and shook her head.

"I'm not the lady of the house. She is sunning herself out in her garden. Follow me through, would you like something to drink? I was about to fix some ice tea."

"That would be nice," Mom replied for us.

We followed Jane Goddard to the rear of the house and out to the backyard. The garden was strangely diverse, and I had to admit she had a eye for color and composition. The indomitable Theresa Whitacre sat in her wheelchair but there was a blazing vitality in her eyes. She gripped the wheels of her chair and turned to face us. Her eyes met mine and I swear there was a moment of recognition in her eyes but then it faded.

"I'm sorry." I said and that pissed her off.

"Never apologize if you haven't done anything wrong young man." Theresa snarled. "You come off as weak and a pussy. Sit down and tell me what brought you here."

"I was apologizing for not being whoever it was that you mistook me for." I fired back as I sat down. "You have a lovely garden. Some of these plants have travelled a long way to get here."

"Horseshit," Theresa growled. "Look at your hands. You've never worked in a garden a day in your life."

"That is true, but I know my plants." I said holding my ground as I listed off where the more exotic plants had been taken from. "You knew him."

"You found the room." She laughed. "You got his eyes. He had mismatched eyes too. All those photos are in black and white and don't show off those amazing eyes that cut right through you." Theresa said before continuing. "Gods he could fuck like a beast. I'm sorry. He was a rather passionate lover. I forget myself. So what do you want to know?"

"The girl they found on the side of the mountain." Jynx asked as I dealt with the fact that Missouri and I both had heterochromia.

"She was the only saving grace that evil bastard ever had in his life. He chewed up women and spat them out back in his day. She was different." Theresa said her face softening. "I was his nurse you see. Old Doc Malloy was the only doctor in town back then. He made house calls and knew everyone's dirty little secrets. She was Wallenstein's. That girl cut through to that black heart of his and got it beating again. It was the son that killed her. She told us before she passed."

"Tea is up." Theresa's nurse announced. "I hope she isn't boring you."

"Piss off goldilocks," Theresa fired off. "Treats me like a child. I'm only ninety-nine." She announced as she took her tea and sipped it. "Where was I? Oh yes, the baby... she was so weak after giving birth to her daughter. It was too much for her poor thing. She had already lost so much blood from the attack. It was a miracle really."

"What happened to the baby?" Mom asked but I suspected already.

"Ask him," Theresa said. "He knows. You have his look. When Missouri figured something out he had that expression. Tell them."

"Ariel." I said and then I remembered the letter. "I got a letter from him."

"Of course, you did dear," Theresa replied with a smile.

"Did he really find the Last Miskatonic?" I asked.

"Before I answer that did you find the 'other' message?" She asked, and I nodded.

"You mean the coded watermark." Jynx jumped in and Theresa seemed surprised that I had shared that little secret. "What a tragedy. All those people killed by trained dogs." Theresa started laughing and looked at me.

"Is that what he told you it said?" The old crone cackled. "What a load of horseshit!"

"You lied to me?!" Mom growled. "Why?"

"To protect Smith's reputation. I couldn't share with all those people what was really written on that letter. You know don't you." I said, and Theresa acknowledged my suspicion. "It is so far out there that I can't believe it."

"I don't blame you." The old woman agreed. "I helped him destroy the records. I read them beforehand of course. He was so angry with me when he learned I had broken that promise. It was those records that sent him away. He was so determined to make a difference. He went home to seek out a secret in his backyard. Something terrible was happening but he refused to share it with me. He seemed broken when he left. It was as if his will to live had been snuffed out."

"Is this his ring?" Mom asked grabbing my wrist and showing the platinum ring to Theresa.

"It looks like the one he won in a card game. That was the same night he left Nightshade. The man he won the ring from told him something to cover his final bet. Whatever he said caused that change in Missouri. The only thing I ever got out of him was a single word. Foreshadow."

I looked at mom and she looked equally alarmed. We couldn't hide our surprise. That effectively ended the conversation. We finished our tea and Theresa's nurse showed us out. I had quite a bit to process and needed some quiet time. Mom and Jynx took that to mean making love. We took a roundabout path back to the hotel. Once we were out on the street mom asked me about the significance of the flowers. I told her that they corresponded to drawing in Missouri Smith's field notes. A few of them came from an uncharted tropical island. Smith brought back samples as a memento of his journey there. I felt it proved her intimate connection to Smith.

"If she is to be believed," Jynx said as she peered into a clothing shop. "Smith also had heterochromia. That is odd, I mean what are the fucking odds. How rare is it?"

"Not very," I said. "Many people have a mild case of it and it is barely noticeable. There are two types of course. One is where two eyes are different colors. For most the shade is only slightly different and has little effect on the person. In my case the color is drastically different from one eye to the other. There are other cases where the outer part of the eye is one color while the inner half in different. I studied it when I was younger. Let's go shopping. I need time to think."

"You lied to us." Mom said not letting that drop. "I understand why but you are keeping it to yourself."

"I liked the story about the crazy trapper." Jynx admitted. "But I think the real story would be more interesting."

"My treat." I offered ignoring their pleas to know what really happened. "I'm not sure I believe what he wrote down to be honest."