The Monkey Idol Read online

  The Land Cruiser was coming up fast. The Nissan didn’t have the power of the Land Cruiser, and Jeanette knew that they were losing ground fast. The Land Cruiser whipped into the other lane, then gunned the engine, and within seconds, they were side by side with the Nissan.

  Holly leaned over instinctively when she saw a gun pointed at them. The driver, the one with the scar, cranked the car’s steering wheel and smashed into the side of the Nissan with a vengeance. The Nissan shuddered and lurched right, but Jeanette managed to keep it from going off the road. Again, the driver of the Land Cruiser crashed into the side of their vehicle, causing Jeanette to lose control and the Nissan began to slide, then spin out, narrowly missing oncoming traffic. Their screams filled the interior of the car.

  When the car came to a stop, they ended up facing the opposite direction. What made matters worse, the car sputtered and then died. Jeanette and Holly were in a panic. Traffic horns blasted as cars were barreling toward them, forced to swing wide to miss slamming into them.

  Their pursuers swung around and came back after them. Jeanette’s heart pounded as she turned the key. There were a couple grinding sounds, but the car wouldn’t turn over. Once more, she twisted the key and pumped the gas. “Come on,” Jeanette screeched. One last crank and the engine roared. She managed to get the car turned back in the right direction, nearly hitting an oncoming car. The sound of their horn resonated in Jeanette’s ears. Sweat dripped off her brow as she shifted down and slammed the pedal to the floor. The smell of burning rubber filled their nostrils. Half a mile down the road, she whipped the Nissan down a side street and headed toward Los Angeles, the Land Cruiser still tailing her.

  Looking over her shoulder, Holly saw they were gaining on them. “Faster Jeanette,” her frantic voice blared. “They’re behind us!”

  Her car slid into the guardrail as she veered off the roadway and tried to maneuver the car onto a sharply curved ramp. The sound of shredding metal grated in their ears. The Nissan, even with the bumper dragging and the sides crushed in, miraculously kept going. If they made it through this alive, Jeanette determined she would keep the Nissan for eternity out of gratitude.

  She yanked the wheel sharply to the right, and the rear end fish-tailed but Jeanette managed to hold the Nissan to the road. Pushing the pedal still further, the Nissan picked up speed. Ahead, the light was turning red. “No!” Jeanette yelled, slapping her hand on the wheel in frustration. She knew if she stopped they would overtake them. That in mind, she punched the pedal to the floor and raced through the light barely missing a blue Impala that was pulling forward.

  A loud bang resounded, and the back window of the Nissan crumbled. Glass bits sprayed across the seat, a few slivers raking against Holly’s cheek. She raised her hand, and when she brought it back down, there were specks of blood on her fingertips. “They’re shooting at us!” Holly cried out.

  Frantic, Jeanette again torqued the wheel forcibly left, and the car spun out at the intersection where they remained, unable to go any farther. The magnitude of their situation weighed on them. As if in slow motion, they watched in awe the events that followed.

  The driver of the black Land Cruiser slammed on the brakes trying to avoid the oncoming traffic, but not soon enough. Their vehicle rammed violently into the side of a white van, and the Land Cruiser flipped into the air, then dropped with a turbulent crash, rolling three times before coming to a dead heap.

  The collision gave Jeanette enough time to gather her wits and get her vehicle back on the road. She gunned the Nissan and whipped onto a side street, a sense of relief washing over her. For a brief moment, both she and Holly cried and laughed, their emotions overwhelming them. They had survived!

  Even though they knew the Land Cruiser was beyond recovery, they made multiple turns onto back streets to make sure they were in the clear. A half hour later, they found themselves pulling into Jeanette’s driveway, and into her garage. Waves of relief crashed over them. Both were silent. They dropped their heads back against the vinyl seats with a loud sigh and closed their eyes. They took in a moment to replay everything that had transpired.

  Jeanette turned to Holly, her face pale. “You don’t think they have my license plate number, do you?”

  Holly didn’t miss the terror in Jeanette’s eyes. She shrugged. “I pray not, Jeanette. I’m so sorry that I got you involved in all of this.”

  “And what is THIS?” she stressed, her voice tight and shrill.

  Holly shook her head. “I don’t know. I only know that it has something to do with Leonard's discovery and why he was murdered. You should find somewhere to stay for a couple of weeks until I get this whole ordeal figured out. It wasn’t my intention to get you involved, but now that you are, your life is in jeopardy. We both could have been killed.”

  “What about you, Holly? What will you do?”

  “I don’t know. My hope is that some acquaintances of mine, who are archaeologists, will return my call and help me sort through all of this.” Holly looked somber. “If not, I guess I’m on my own.”

  Once they settled their frayed nerves, Jeanette motioned for Holly to follow her into the house. “Try and call your friends again. They probably have no idea how desperate this situation is. You can’t do this alone Holly. You’ve seen what they're capable of.”

  “You’re right. I need to call again. Look, Jeanette, I’ll pay for your car and the expense of a place to stay. I can’t in good conscience leave you in this mess.”

  Jeanette touched Holly’s arm and gave it a gentle squeeze. “No worries. This isn’t your doing either. I don’t know what Leonard was mixed up in but it has to be something big considering someone murdered him and now they're after you. Whatever he discovered has great significance and is worth a fortune.”

  “Do you have a place to stay?” Holly’s concern for Jeanette was apparent. After all, Jeanette was an innocent bystander, and Holly had inadvertently gotten her drawn into a beehive of danger.

  “My aunt lives south of here in San Diego. I know she would love it if I went to visit for a couple of weeks,” Jeanette told her. “You will keep in touch?”

  Shaking her head, Holly replied, “Of course I will. When I get the answers, I’ll keep you informed. It’s the least I can do. And if there’s any way I can make this right for you, please, don’t hesitate to ask.”

  “Look, it’s nearly midnight. Let’s try and get some rest—we’ll figure it out in the morning,” she comforted as she grabbed a couple of blankets from the hall closet. “Here,” she said, handing the bundle to Holly. “I’ll get you a pillow.”

  Holly stayed overnight on Jeanette’s sofa, though it was impossible for her to sleep. She jumped at every tiny noise and figured Jeanette was having the same issue. How could she sleep when her world was spinning out of control? She couldn’t stop wondering if the men had gotten Jeanette’s license number and if they had the capability of gaining access to her address?

  When they awoke, she and Jeanette discussed what their next move would be. Jeanette had secured a flight to her aunt’s house in San Diego where they both agreed she’d be safe. She’d leave the following morning. It wasn’t Jeanette they wanted after all; it was Holly.

  Thankfully, the two women were close to the same build, and Jeanette found some clothing for Holly to wear, as everything she owned was back at her house, and there was no way she would risk going back there. Presently, Holly had nowhere to go. Her only hope would be if Decker and Callie agreed to help her and find her a safe place to hide until she could figure out what she was facing.

  A crack in the curtains allowed a spear of sunlight to filter through. Holly pushed herself into a sitting position and brushed her dark hair back from her olive-colored face. Every muscle in her body rebelled. At least they had made it through the night without further incident. She had also managed to get an hour’s sleep, but her eyes were swollen, and her head was pounding.

  She shuffled off to the bathroom to brush her hair a
nd teeth. The shadows circling her dark brown eyes exposed the grief she had suffered over the past two weeks and there didn’t appear to be an end. She scarcely had time to mourn Leonard’s death. She splashed cold water on her face. It helped to refresh her somewhat.

  “Holly?”

  As Holly stepped out from the bathroom, Jeanette’s facial features relaxed. “I’m all right. You?”

  Jeanette sighed with relief. Anxiety welled up in her when she hadn’t seen Holly on the couch. “A bit stiff after our car chase, but I’ll survive. I thought you’d slipped out when I didn’t see you,” she replied feebly, rubbing her neck.

  “Nowhere to go.”

  “Let me cook us up something to eat. I know you probably aren’t thinking about food, but it’ll help get you through the rest of the day. I have some eggs and toast if you like.”

  Holly nodded. Jeanette was right, the last thing on her mind was food, but she hadn’t eaten since the day before, and she wasn’t sure where she’d find herself for the next few days. Eating breakfast and getting a cup of coffee down made Holly feel a little better and she appreciated that Jeanette was so kind to her after she’d drawn her into her mess of a life.

  “What time is your flight?”

  “Not until tomorrow morning,” Jeanette informed her. The look of disappointment was etched on her face. Understandably, Jeanette wanted to fly out much earlier than that. “I’m worried about you, Holly,” she added.

  “I’ll be all right. Really,” she declared. “Again, if there’s anything I can do financially or otherwise, please let me know. You literally saved my life last night, Jeanette.”

  Jeanette answered with a smile. “Stay safe. That’s payment enough.”

  Holly drew her into a warm hug. “Thank you so much. You’ve been an amazing friend.”

  “Now, go call your archaeologist friends!”

  Chapter 2

  Callie Hayden walked across the wooden deck, set her glass of ice water on the end table, and shrugged off her royal-blue swimsuit cover. She stretched out over the chase lounge, a bottle of suntan lotion in her hand and liberally rubbed it over her arms and legs. A slight breeze ruffled the strands of golden hair that had fallen loose from the confines of her one of a kind, emerald-studded barrette. The decorative comb was an early birthday gift from her husband, Decker, who had purchased it for her a few weeks prior to their return home from France.

  The gentle lapping waves kissed the hull of the Jade, their 70-foot Hatteras yacht which Decker had named after the color of Callie’s eyes. For the first time in several weeks, she could feel her muscles relaxing.

  She rubbed a spot of lotion on her face, feeling the sun’s rays beginning to burn her cheeks, then slid on her gold colored sunglasses. Once more, she settled back on the lounge, taking a sip of ice water with a slice of lemon to cool her parched throat. The edges of her lips turned up as she soaked in the warm, intoxicating sea breeze. This is exactly what I needed, she sighed aloud, her eyes slowly closing.

  The rustle of clothes made her eyes flutter open. She pushed herself onto her elbow, slid her glasses to the tip of her nose and peered over the rim. It was Jeoffrey Stainton, their butler, a tray balanced on the palm of his hand.

  “More ice water, Mrs. Hayden?” he asked, with his usual stiff, British accent.

  “I’m fine, thank you, Mr. Stainton,” Callie said.

  “Very well,” he replied. “Mr. Hayden called a moment ago. He’ll be returning to the yacht shortly.”

  “Not soon enough,” she answered. She and Decker had spent little time together without the distraction of work getting in the way. They had returned from an exhausting trip which had been a whirlwind of activity, consisting of lectures, tours, appointments, and briefings.

  Callie flipped through a barrage of memories from when they’d gone to France two years earlier. They’d been invited to tour the Lascaux cave, discovered by four teenagers in 1979. The cave was located in the Vézѐre Valley, an incredibly beautiful vale surrounded by mountains and the Vézѐre River snaking through it. The landscape was an artist’s canvas with its lush carpets of green grass and brilliant colored flowers that lined the embankments.

  The cave was one of a chain of caves found in the Dordogne region of southwestern France. The complex of caves was placed on the World Heritage site by NESCE (National Educational Scientific and Cultural Establishment), in order to preserve the vulnerable sites by securing them from looters and treasure seekers.

  The limestone-walled cave revealed a wonderful story to archaeologists and scientists, with its polychrome art paintings of various animals, along with geometric patterns throughout its interior. It also offered a wide reserve of impressive artifacts.

  While there, Decker and Callie determined to take advantage of the outdoor playground. To whet their sense of adventure they rented two kayaks to paddle the pristine river. As they scudded along the lazy watercourse for more than an hour, Decker caught a glimpse of what appeared to be a cave, tucked behind thick underbrush, approximately twenty kilometers from Lascaux Cave. Curiosity drove them to the river bank, and, pulling the kayaks out to explore, they began to scale a rather steep embankment.

  Once they had cleared the brush aside, they were ecstatic to discover a large Paleolithic cave similar to that of Lascaux. It was nearly fifty feet in width and had a ceiling height of approximately eighteen-feet. An archaeologist’s dream for sure.

  Several of the artifacts they uncovered were handed over to the Musée d’ Archéologie Nationale, France’s National Archaeological Museum, located in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. The museum was a restored medieval castle and displayed Stone Age to eleventh-century artifacts throughout its many rooms.

  Thirteen months later, Jason Aldrich, editor of Archeology Today Magazine, contracted them to write an article about their discovery and wondered if they would be willing to return to France to attend a worldwide symposium. He asked if they would include photographs of the cave as well as exhibit some of the artifacts. Jason assured them that he’d schedule all the meetings at the Lecture Hall. All they had to do was show up. How could they not?

  The various lectures and magazine features brought them financial security, which allowed them the opportunity to pick up and go as they pleased. They had also acquired a small fortune from other archaeological discoveries along the way and had become well known in archaeological circles.

  Significantly adding to their wealth was the unfortunate death of Callie’s parents. They had died in a car accident soon after Decker and Callie had married. Her parents were independently wealthy from the purchase of several corporations, and high-yield stock investments. Callie, being the only child, had inherited over seventy million dollars. Because her parents had financed a myriad of archaeological institutions, she and Decker felt it would be a tribute to them if they continued to support those investments by continuing their work in the field.

  Even though their home was in Malibu, California, Miami had become their get-away place—a place to reconnect. The Jade stayed docked in Miami most of the year, though sometimes, Decker and Callie would take her out when they went on digs to Central and South America and leave her anchored off shore as a base for supplies and communications.

  The sound of a motor drew her back from her thoughts. In the distance, she saw the yacht’s dinghy slicing a path through the green water in her direction. Her heart fluttered. Even after their five years of marriage, Decker stirred her.

  They had met at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut. Both had gained their master’s degree in archeology. They left that area to go on digs throughout the world. Because they worked so closely together, it eventually brought them into a relationship and then marriage. Their life had been an adventure from the beginning. She could not imagine a day when they would not be actively involved in archeology.

  She slipped on her bathing suit cover and strolled across the deck. Her lithe body pressed against the railing and she waved. She was greeted wi
th a wide smile from Decker. His white teeth looked striking, in contrast to his richly tanned face. Like a flag, his Hawaiian shirt popped from the force of the wind. Amusement crossed her face. Decker was known for wearing Hawaiian shirts on most occasions. Today was no different.

  Once he’d tied off the dinghy at the stern, he climbed the ladder to greet her topside. “Good morning,” he said cheerfully and strode up beside her. His strong arms encircled her slender waist. “You look gorgeous as ever.”

  “Thank you, Decker.”

  “I made a reservation for tonight at one of the dinner houses. I thought I might dance your pretty little feet off.”

  “That sounds like fun.”

  Taking his hand, she led him across the deck to sit at a small, table portside. The umbrella overhead was welcoming after an hour of intense sun.

  Callie’s cell phone chimed. There was a fleeting moment when she considered not answering it. All she wanted was to shut the world off for the next week. However, when she realized it was her father-in-law, she reconsidered.

  “Good morning, Garrett,” she greeted.

  “I’ve tried Decker’s phone all morning and was unable to get hold of him. I thought I’d check in with you and make sure you’re both all right.” His deep voice was infused with both concern and relief that she had answered.

  Callie winked at Decker and then put Garrett on speaker phone. She saw the corners of Decker’s mouth curl upward, and his indigo colored eyes flash with amusement.

  “Hi Dad, we’re good. You needn’t worry about us.”

  “Hard not to, Son. Seems like you get yourself into rather…” he grappled for the right words, “life-challenging situations. Actually, I was calling because there’s a woman trying to locate you named Holly Romero.”