Chapter 28
Death Valley Junction
Jack picked Agent Sanders up at her motel and they drove to a location about eight miles from Independence California where Jack’s company was to start work soon on the foundation of a substation for the Southern California Edison company. It was after nine when they got to the site and the temperature was already nearing a hundred degrees. Jack pulled up next to a pile of sand that stood at least fifteen feet tall. They were all alone.
“So, this is your next project, huh?” Sanders asked.
“Yeah. It doesn’t look like much now but in a few months there will be a 24,000 sq. ft. foundation.”
“Hmm. Interesting. So, where’s the sample?”
Jack got a shovel out of his truck and went over to where he’d buried the brick in the sand. After a moment he held it up and then dusted off the sand. He was about to hand it to Agent Sanders when he frowned. “It’s seem different today.”
“Really? How so?”
“The crystal that ran through it yesterday has lightened and the rock seems a bit smaller.”
“That’s what happened to the sample they took to our evidence warehouse in Las Vegas.”
“I wonder what caused it,” Jack mused.
“I don’t know.”
“Maybe the microorganism that was in the rock has escaped.”
Agent Sanders swallowed hard. “Oh, Jesus. I hope that’s not true. If it is we have four sites now infected with the organism.”
“So, if they left this rock, where did they go?” Jack asked. “We better look around and see if there is any sign of them.”
They split up and thoroughly searched the site but after thirty minutes or so found nothing unusual. They were about to leave when Jack said, “Wait a minute.”
He grabbed his shovel, went back to the sand pile where he’d left the rock and started digging. After digging through the loose sand for about ten minutes he hit something hard. After digging around the hard object with this hand, he looked up at Agent Sanders and shook his head.
“What is it?” she asked warily.
“It appears to be the beginning of another crystalline wall.”
“Oh, shit! Like at Bat Mountain?”
Jack nodded. “I’m afraid so.”
Jack continued to dig and found that walls of a similar pattern to those at the Bat Mountain Site were in the beginning stages of formation.
“So, now what?” Jack asked.
“I don’t know. I guess I’ll have to report this site to my boss.”
“We better check Deputy Hanson’s place. The same thing might be happening there.”
“Right,” Agent Sanders said. “We’ll have to do that.”
“And it’s right in the middle of town, so there will be no hiding it.”
“True, so we better not report this site yet,” Agent Sanders said. “It’s the only place we can study the organism in peace.”
“True. But in a couple weeks people are going to start coming out here.”
“So, that’s two weeks we have to solve the mystery.”
Jack laughed. “Good luck with that.”
After they’d covered up the new walls with sand they drove back to Death Valley Junction. The crime scene was alive with activity so they parked back out of site.
“I guess the Army is reinvestigating the crime scenes,” Agent Sanders said. “Why don’t you go in and find out what’s going on? Take your camera so we can study the photos later.”
Jack nodded. “Okay, keep out of sight.”
Jack got out of his truck, grabbed his camera, and meandered down to the crime scene. There were several army vehicles and a TV News crew from one of the Las Vegas stations. Jack was stopped by an MP when he got too close.
“This is a crime scene, sir. You can’t go any closer.”
Jack stopped. “Right. Who’s in charge here?”
“That would be Captain Winslow, sir,” he replied pointing to an officer working inside what used to be Deputy Hanson’s kitchen.
Jack nodded. “So, I thought this crime scene had already been worked by the FBI.”
“Sorry, I can’t comment on the investigation.”
“Oh, I’m Jack Carpenter. I’m the one who stumbled on the Bat Mountain Site.”
The MP gave Jack a hard look. “Oh, Mr. Carpenter. Right, I should have recognized you. Actually, the captain does want to talk to you.”
“He does?”
“Yes, we’re re-interviewing all the witnesses.”
“Why? Didn’t the FBI do a good job?”
“Yes, I’m sure they did, but in light of some new intelligence we’ve received, we have to talk to everybody again.”
“What new evidence?”
“Why don’t you ask Captain Winslow. He knows more about it than me. I’ll go tell him you’re here.”
Jack nodded and the MP went over to the captain. While he was gone Jack began taking pictures. The MP and the Captain talked a moment and then Captain Winslow looked over at Jack and waved for him to come over. Jack walked under the tape and joined the Captain and the MP.
“Mr. Carpenter. What brings you out here?”
“I just wanted to look around again and get some pictures for my scrapbook—you know, something to show my grandchildren when I get old.”
“Right,” Captain Winslow said warily.
“So, how is the investigation going?”
“Actually, we’ve had a breakthrough. We’ve found evidence that all four victims were murdered by the same co-conspirators.”
“You did?” Jack asked, shocked at the revelation.
“Yes, but I can’t identify them at this time. We have to nail down a little more evidence before we can arrest them. As a matter of fact, I need to ask you about a few people.”
“Okay.”
“Do you know Paul Barnes?”
“The principal at the high school?”
“Yes.”
“Sure. My son’s in high school so I’ve talked to Paul at school functions. But I’ve known him for years. I do concrete work for the school district.”
“Have you seen him out at the Bat Mountain Site?”
Jack thought for a moment. “Sure, I think I have seen him with Reverend Little.”
“How about on the day of Colonel Martin’s murder.”
“No. I wasn’t there that day.”
“What kind of relationship does he have with the Reverend?”
“Administrative. He handles the church’s finances. I know that because I did a parking lot for the church and Paul handled the contract and paid the bills.”
“So, they are close, then?”
“Sure. Paul’s a religious person. He’s a good man as far as I know. I couldn’t imagine him being involved in murder.”
“Well, you know zealots. They will do anything in the name of God.”
Jack shrugged. “I guess that’s been historically true, still—”
“Do you know if the Reverend does any hiking or camping up on Bat Mountain?”
Jack thought a moment. “Well, now that you mention it, I’ve heard that his youth group has a camp up in Echo Canyon at the hot springs.”
“Do you know where it is?”
“Not exactly, but it’s probably on a local map. You can get them at the grocery store in town.”
“Good. . . .Well, you’ve been very helpful.”
“Sure, then I’ll let you get back to your investigation. If there is anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“I will.”
“Hey, can I get a picture with you?” Jack asked.
Captain Winslow frowned. “Well, I guess.”
Jack gave the camera to the MP and then got next to the captain. The MP got in position in front of the two men and took the shot. Jack took back the camera, took a few more shots, and then started to walk back to his truck. He was interrupted by a TV reporter.
“Mr. Carpenter?” the TV reporter asked.
>
“Yes.”
“You were the one who discovered the Bat Mountain Site, weren’t you?”
“Yes, that’s correct.”
“So, why are you here today?”
“Oh, I just stopped by to take a few photographs for my scrapbook and Captain Winslow wanted to ask me a few questions.”
“About what?”
“They have some new leads on the three murders, apparently.”
“Do you know who they are looking at for the murders?”
“No, sorry.”
“Mr. Carpenter, you’ve been at the center of this Bat Mountain situation from the beginning, what do you think is happening out there?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t think there is any person or persons responsible.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it’s the uplift or the cathedral itself that we have to be worried about. There is something within the rock that is causing it to grow and, obviously, it’s something quite novel. Whether it poses a threat to us—well, there have been three bizarre and inexplicable murders. You can draw your own conclusion.”
“Thank you,” the reporter said and turned to look into the camera. “So, that was Jack Carpenter, the man who first stumbled on the Bat Mountain Site. And you heard him say he believes there is something within the walls of the cathedral that is novel and quite sinister. What he didn’t say, but could be read between the lines, is that he’s not satisfied with the government’s response to date.”
Jack smiled as he walked back to his truck to fill Agent Sanders in on what he’d learned from Captain Winslow and said to the TV reporter.
“So, they still think Reverend Little is behind this?” Agent Sanders mused.
“It looks that way. I got the impression that they’ve gathered some evidence against him.”
“It’s a cover-up, obviously. The government wants to put an end to the public’s interest in the Bat Mountain Site.
“I don’t think it will work since there’s going to be at least two more sites rising to the heavens soon.”
“You saw signs of a cathedral growing here too?” Agent Sanders asked.
“Yes, I’m sure that’s why they were here—to cover it up.”
She laughed. “That’s going to be hard to do right here in a residential neighborhood, particularly after what you told that TV reporter.”
“What I’m worried about is how the phenomenon is spreading. What are its intentions?”
“That’s a good question.”
“It’s almost like it’s a giant ant hill. You know how they spring up and then branch out in a field.”
“Right, but the scientists haven’t detected any insects or animals within the cathedrals and there aren’t any underground tunnels connecting the sites.”
“Maybe they haven’t hatched yet,” Jack suggested. “The tunnels could come later.”
Agent Sanders gave Jack a hard look. “You think?”
Jack shrugged. “Just a thought.”
“Crap! Wouldn’t that be a kick in the ass if thousands of giant bugs came swarming out of their fifty-foot nests.”
“What do you think the government is going to do about these new ones. So far, it seems like they are protecting them.”
“Protecting them? Why do you say that?”
Jack sighed. “Well, I think the normal response of the military when you have a potential threat is to crush it, while it’s small and manageable. But here they seem content to watch and study it.”
“That’s true. Maybe they don’t know how to crush them. Blowing them up might make matters worse. If the explosion didn’t kill the organisms within the rock, each piece of debris that landed could start a new nest.”
“Are you saying our government is acting responsible for once?” Jack said. “That’s a novel idea.”
“You’re right. That can’t be it.”
They both laughed.
“We better get up to the college,” Jack said. “George and Cindy will be wondering what happened to us.”
They started the truck and took off, but didn’t notice the black Chevrolet Impala following behind them at a distance. They drove to Mona’s Café to eat lunch and pick up Dolly. She had the morning shift and needed to make arrangements to get some time off. She joined them at the table once they were seated.
“Mona wasn’t happy but she gave me two weeks off.”
“Good. We’ve had an interesting morning,” Jack said.
The two men in the black Chevrolet came in and took seats at the counter. Jack glanced at them but didn’t recognize either one of them, so his attention turned back to the conversation. They told her about their morning.
“Hmm. Did you hear about the healings up at the Bat Mountain sites?” Dolly asked.
“No,” Agent Sanders said. “What happened?”
“A crippled woman got up and walked. Claimed she’d been crippled for thirteen years from a car wreck.”
“Wow!” Jack said.
“Some other folks claimed to have been healed of various ailments too.”
“I wonder how much Reverend Little paid her for that,” Agent Sanders mused.
Jack laughed. “You really think he’d do something like that?”
“Yes, that I could believe. Murder, not so much.”
“Captain Winslow was asking me about Paul Barnes. Apparently they think he’s involved too.”
“Well, if the Reverend was involved so was Barnes,” Dolly replied. “They’ve been best buds since grammar school. And, of course, you know Reverend Little’s secretary sleeps with him at night.”
“Seriously?” Agent Sanders asked.
“Oh, yes. They’ve been caught by some of their flock in a lip-lock a few times,” Dolly said.
“Well, that’s not a crime, I guess,” Jack said. “Everybody needs love.”
“Right. Except, I’ve heard the Reverend has a wife and kiddos back in Texas.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that.”
“Yes, when he left his Daddy’s church a few years back, his wife didn’t want to leave the comforts of Dallas for a down-and-out church in the desert.”
After they’d eaten they paid the bill and left. As they pulled back onto the road the black Chevrolet followed them a few cars back. An hour into the drive Jack looked over and saw that Dolly and Agent Sanders were asleep. He smiled wishing he could get a little shut eye himself. He hadn’t been sleeping well since the intrusion at their Las Vegas suite. As they were climbing through a mountain pass, the road narrowed and Jack noticed the black Chevrolet in his rearview mirror gaining on him. He slowed a little to let them pass, but instead of passing they came up even with him and opened the passenger side window.
Jack ducked when he saw the gun. “Shit!’ he screamed as it shattered his window.
Agent Sanders woke up and reached for her weapon. Jack’s face was covered in blood. “Oh, my God!”
The car swerved to the right and the tires thudded angrily as they hit the shoulder. Jack yanked the wheel to the left and slammed on the brakes. Agent Sanders jumped out of the car ready to open fire if the Chevrolet came back at them, but it kept going. Dolly leaned over the seat to examine Jack’s face.
“Are you alright?” she asked worriedly.
Sanders opened the driver’s side door and put her hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Where were you hit?”
“All over,” he replied. “I think the bleeding is just from the glass. The bullet must have missed or I wouldn’t be talking to you.”
“Thank God for that,” Dolly said tears streaming down her face.
They both went to work wiping the blood off Jack’s cheeks and forehead. They finally counted over a dozen small cuts on the left side of his face.
“We better get you to a hospital,” Agent Sanders said. “Some of these cuts need to be sutured.
“We’re almost to Lone Pine. There is a medical clinic there.”
While Jack was being attend
ed to at the medical clinic Agent Sanders called Joe at FBI headquarters in Las Vegas to check-in.
“They tried to kill you?” Joe asked angrily.
“Yeah, one of us. I’m not sure they knew I was in the truck. I think Jack was the target. He’d just given a TV interview to a crew at Hanson’s place in Death Valley Junction that probably didn’t sit too well with the Army.”
“So you think the Army was behind it?” Joe asked.
“The Army or the CIA maybe,” she replied. “It definitely was a professional hit. Only by the grace of God did the bullet miss or you would have been scraping us off the mountainside.”
“You guys better lay low for a while?” Joe said.
“No, we can’t afford to back off. We’ll just have to watch are back a little closer. No one will catch us off guard again.”
“Alright. Call me tomorrow.”
Agent Sanders hung up and then called George. He and Cindy were there at the clinic ten minutes later. She filled them in on the days’ events.
“I’m going to make sure they beef up security at the college. I’ll tell them I have received death threats. Nobody needs to know that Jack or you are here.”
“Okay,” Agent Sanders said, “but we probably won’t be hanging around a lot. We have a lot to do if we are ever going to figure this thing out.”
As they were sitting in the waiting room a TV news report came on. This is Walt Jeffers with the five o’clock news.
“Is the Living Desert Cathedral actually God’s work or the Devil’s. There seems to be a difference of opinion on that score. Yesterday we carried the remarks of Reverend Little during a tour of the site.”
The image of Reverend Little came on the screen. “Today you are all bearing witness not only to the building of this holy cathedral but also to its great healing power. Just a few moments ago I witnessed a woman who had been crippled in a terrible auto accident over thirteen years ago. Her feet had withered away and she was confined to a wheel chair, yet after simply touching the wall of God’s desert cathedral, she was healed and cast aside her wheelchair forever .”
“And there have been others whose afflictions have been cured here today and there will be many more as God’s power is limitless. All you have to do is believe in Him and the power of the cathedral he is building here for us mortals to herald the Second Coming of Christ.”
The scene shifted to the Death Valley Site where the camera showed Army intelligence officers combing the wreckage of Deputy Hanson’s home. An image of Jack Carpenter came on. ““Mr. Carpenter, you’ve been at the center of this Bat Mountain situation from the outset, what do you think is happening out there?”
“I don’t know, but I don’t think there is any person or persons responsible.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it’s the uplift or the cathedral itself that we have to be worried about. There is something within the rock that is causing it to grow and, obviously, it’s something quite novel. Whether it poses a threat to us—well, there have been three bizarre and inexplicable murders. You can draw your own conclusion.”
The screen flipped back to the local news anchor. “So, there you have it. Reverend Little believes God has created the Living Desert Cathedral, but Jack Carpenter thinks there is something sinister in the cathedral’s walls already responsible for three murders. The only thing these two men agree upon is the government is on the wrong track in trying to solve these murders.”
A TV producer came over to the anchor and handed him a typed piece of paper. He gave it a quick look. “Alright. We have breaking news out of Lone Pine. Apparently there has been an assassination attempt on the life of Jack Carpenter. Witnesses at the Walter’s Medical Clinic say he was seen being escorted into the clinic by his girlfriend and an, as yet, unidentified woman. The witnesses also report that the drivers’ side window has been shattered. Speculation is that the window was shattered by one or more bullets. We’ve called the clinic but a spokesman there has declined to comment other than to say Jack Carpenter doesn’t appear to be seriously injured.
“So, it appears somebody doesn’t like Jack Carpenter’s theory about what’s going on at the Bat Mountain site where an ongoing investigation continues into the death of Colonel Ben Martin, Park Ranger Randy Perkins and Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Hanson and his wife.”
“In other news—”
“I better sneak out the back door,” Agent Sanders said. “Can you all wait for Jack.”
“Sure, George said digging into his pocket. “Take my car. I parked around the corner. Just go to my office. My secretary is expecting you. She’ll show you to your new office.”
“Thanks,” she said taking the keys. “Tell Jack I’m sorry I had to leave.”
“It’s no problem. He’ll understand.”
Agent Sanders went quickly to the car making sure no one saw her. She fumbled with the keys, her nerves shot from the excitement of the day. In all the years she’d been in the FBI she hadn’t been shot at before. She climbed in behind the wheel and cursed. It was a stick shift. She’d driven a stick shift when she was in college, but hated it. And how many years ago had that been? She took a deep breath trying to remember how to do it. She looked to her left and saw a reporter coming her way.
“Shit!” she said cranking the engine. It turned over on the first try and she pushed in the clutch then eased it out only jerking a couple of times in the process. She saw the reporter in her rear view mirror watching her drive off. She wondered if he’d seen her. When she got to the college campus she drove around until she found the Geology Building. After parking in the back lot as George had told her to do, she went inside and found his office. A middle-aged woman with thick-rimmed glasses was sitting at a desk transcribing dictation. She took off her headset when Agent Sanders walked in.
“Hi.”
“Hi. I’m Melanie Sanders.”
“Oh, the new temp. Yeah. Professor Palmer said you might come by.”
“Well, I made it.”
The girl opened her middle drawer, pulled out some keys and handed them to her. “Second door on the right. The break room is at the end of the hall next to the ladies room,” she advised.
Agent Sanders nodded and walked down to her new office. She unlocked the door, opened it and stepped inside. It was dark, so she switched on the light. It was small, barely eight by ten feet but it had all the essentials—desk, chair, telephone, office supplies and an old Royal typewriter. There was even a TV set. What else could a girl want.
She flopped down in her new chair and closed her eyes. What if the bullet had hit Jack or her. She wondered where the bullet had hit the window. How close they had come to succeeding in killing him? She hadn’t had time to track its trajectory since her primary concern was getting Jack to a hospital. How was she going to protect Jack in the future, or her, for that matter? She considered who might have been the shooter and decided it was either the Army or the CIA. But what secret was so important as to warrant a government sanctioned murder? Did the President know what was going on? Did the President order the hit? There were too many questions and she was afraid to get the answers.