Sheba's Gambit Read online

  “Why?”

  “Her skin was a funny gray, remember? He nodded.

  “She had a funny gurgle when she laughed or coughed. She had an oxygen tank on the back of her wheel chair so I think she had emphysema or lung cancer.”

  “So maybe she was glad to die?”

  “Could be. Grandma Bentley had lung cancer. She tried to pay me to give her too many pain pills because she wanted to die.”

  “Oh.”

  “We could celebrate her life at the park. I’ll bet she loved cotton candy so we could have some for her.”

  “She could be our invisible friend and go on the rides with us.”

  “That’s a great idea, sweetie. But we’d probably shouldn’t say her name. People might think we’re nuts.”

  He laughed. “We are nuts, but that’s okay. Universal Studios, here we come! We’ve got a date with Optimus Prime!”

  He grabbed his backpack. “Let’s go.” He was at the door before she could even flip the lock the balcony door. She grabbed her pack, then hesitated.

  “Braden, I don’t feel good about leaving those books here. What if that man tries to steal them?” She hurriedly stuffed the books in her pack.

  They had just reached the shuttle stop when the shuttle pulled up. Braden practically flew up the stairs dropping into a seat in the front row. As soon as she was seated, he pulled out a sheet of paper that had a bunch of printing on it. “These are the other rides I want to go on.”

  “Don’t you want to go to Potter World?” She asked.

  “I don’t think I like Harry Potter. My mom says it has witchcraft in it.”

  Trust Theo.

  “Well it does, but it isn’t black magic. It’s a fun big kid’s book. I think you’d enjoy it.”

  “Okay. We can go on that ride, if you want to.”

  She rubbed his crew cut. “I do. You’ll like it, I promise.”

  Because they were early, it didn’t take long to get through the gate, but as they headed toward the Transformers ride, Sheba spotted a row of lockers.

  “Braden, let’s put some of this stuff in a locker. It will be easier if we don’t have to carry it on the rides. We’ll just take our lunch.”

  He groaned, but followed her to the lockers. She put her books in the locker, then she put her nearly empty back pack on.

  “Let’s go,” she said, taking his hand. When they got to the Transformer’s ride, Sheba showed their Unlimited Express ticket. They bypassed the regular line. As they walked through the rooms to the ride, Sheba was impressed with all the things for kids to see as they waited in line. The kids were treated like they were an important member of the Autobot team.

  As they exited the ride, Braden began pulling her toward the Minion ride.

  Without warning, something hit her hard in the back, driving her to her knees. Before she could move, someone grabbed her backpack. The force knocked her to the ground, her cheek scraping across the grit. She lay on the hot asphalt shocked at the assault. Finally, she could hear someone crying, their tears falling on her undamaged cheek.

  “Aunt Sheba, are you okay?” Small hands were shaking her.

  Slowly, she looked toward the sound. As her eyes began to focus, she could see Braden kneeling beside her, his freckles dark against his white face. His tears dripping on her face.

  “I’m okay, hon. don’t cry.”

  She began to struggle get to her feet when a deep voice said, “Ma’am, can you sit up if I help you?”

  She thought about that for a moment. “I don’t know. My body doesn’t seem to want to work.”

  Gently, the man eased her into a sitting position, letting her lean against him. He looked up at the crowd. “She’s okay. You can go about your business.”

  When no one moved, his partner said forcibly. “There’s nothing to see. Please go enjoy the rides.”

  The security guard whose name tag said ‘Jacobs’ said, “If I help you, do you think you can stand?”

  “I’m feeling better,” she said, as she pulled her legs in. He put his hands under her arms, lifting her to her feet. He supported her until she got her balance.

  When she could stand on her own, he said, “Can you tell me what happened?”

  “I don’t know. Someone knocked me down.”

  She felt behind her. “I guess someone grabbed my backpack. She put her hand to her scraped face. Smiling weakly she said, “It’s pretty sore.”

  Jacobs said, “I’d like to take you to the first aid station. One of our medics will clean your cheek. You don’t want to get an infection.”

  Sheba looked down at Braden who still had his backpack. “Why would someone want to steal my backpack? Our tickets and money are in my pocket,” she said patting her cargo pants pocket. “I don’t even know why I put it on.”

  He looked over at his partner. “You’d better see if you can find it.”

  “It’s probably a lost cause,” he said. “Even if we do find the back pack, the contents will be gone.”

  A freckle faced girl with carrot red hair tapped Jacobs on the arm. “This was in the trash can over there,” she said pointing across the street. “I saw the man take it. He looked inside. Then he threw it in the trash.”

  Jacobs said, “You saw what happened.”

  She nodded vigorously. “A big, bald man was leaning against the wall.” She pointed to a souvenir shop. “When he saw her, he shoved her hard then he snatched her pack. She pointed. “I saw him throw the back pack in the trash so I got it.”

  Sheba reached for the pack, but Jacobs took it. Handling it carefully, he said, “There’s no way we can get fingerprints from that material. It’s too rough. You can take it.”

  Braden said, “What did the bad guy look like?”

  She screwed up her face. “His eyes looked like this. He was bald.”

  “Can you remember what he was wearing?” Jacobs asked.

  She thought for a moment. He was wearing a black t-shirt. He had a tattoo.”

  “Could you see what the tattoo was?”

  She shook her head. “No. He ran too fast.”

  Chapter 3

  Nathan Bainbridge threw down his pen and angrily shoved his chair away from his desk. Getting to his feet, he began to pace across the big room. Normally, the library calmed his soul. Today the books seemed to mock him, to laugh at him. “You’ll never find Sheba. You’ll never be able to prove that the Queen who visited King Solomon was your great, great grandmother.

  He pounded his fist into his palm. All my life, I’ve been second class because my mother was a second wife of an Earl. All my life, I’ve had to put up with my bacon-brained half-brother being the Earl of Olney while I had to settle for a mere Honorable. I’ve made more money from my mother’s modest fortune than the ‘Earl’ inherited.

  His thoughts were interrupted when the phone rang. He picked up the receiver. “Yes?”

  “The woman’s dead. There was a girl and a kid at the house. The woman gave her the books. She ran when I shot the woman.

  “Why didn’t you shoot her and the kid? I know you could have taken all of them with three bullets.”

  “I owed her.” He said abruptly.

  “What do you mean, ‘you owed her’?” Bainbridge snapped hoarsely, his anger rising.

  “They saved your wife’s life. The handle came off Russell’s harness in front of Sea World. Helen got disoriented and walked into the road. The woman risked her life to rescue her.”

  Bainbridge said, “If Russell let her touch him, she must have some kind of gift.”

  Slater growled. “I doubt it. Anyway, I shot at her but missed on purpose. Now I don’t owe her anything. I’ll get the books even if I have to take out the two of them. No witnesses that way.”

  “No.” Nathan said sharply. “Find out who she is. She might be more helpful than the books, but get them if you can.”

  Slater snarled, “You’re making this harder than it needs to be.”

  “She saved my wife’
s life. Helen is your sister, too. I would think you’d be a little grateful that we won’t be having a funeral this week.”

  There was a pause. Nathan could almost feel Slater’s anger. “All right. I’ll get the books. I did get a map. I don’t know if it’s something that will help you, though.”

  He continued, “I know where she is staying. I tracked them to Universal Studios. I thought she might have taken the books with her but when I heisted her backpack it was empty.”

  “I want those books,” Bainbridge said roughly. “Get them without hurting her or the kid.”

  “I’ll check the brat’s back pack next. If it isn’t there, I’ll search their rooms. I’ll get them for you.”

  “You’d better. Let me know when you have them.”

  “Will do.” The line went dead.

  Angrily, Bainbridge sat down at his desk. He pulled out some detailed topographical maps of Yemen. The maps had been handled so much that they were beginning to split down the folds. Grabbing a magnifying glass, he began studying the maps. The mines of Sheba can’t be in Yemen, no matter what their traditions are.

  He began pacing the room again. “Unless the mines are hidden by the sand.” He went back to look at the map again.

  There was a gentle knock at the door. His butler, Hawthorne, stepped into the room. “Mr. Caldwell has arrived,” he said.

  Nathan looked up. Finally. Now maybe I’ll get some answers. “Bring him in. You can bring the coffee tray.”

  “You don’t want me to bring in the regular tray?” Hawthorne asked, shocked.

  “No. I want my geologist sober. I’ve got a lot of questions for him.”

  “Yes, sir.” He left the room, returning a few seconds later, ushering in a tall, thin man. “Mr. Miles Caldwell, sir.”

  Bainbridge walked across the room, his hand held out. Caldwell shook it firmly. Nathan saw a man who looked like a geologist. He was tall with a wind-burned face. His hair was blond his eyes a pale blue with heavy wrinkles at the corners. His hands were firm with callouses on the palms.

  Caldwell saw a man almost as tall as he was. Nathan was perfectly groomed, his dark hair blown in the latest fashion, his fingernails manicured, but there was a hardness about him that made Caldwell a little nervous. Here was a ruthless man who wouldn’t take no for an answer.

  “Mr. Caldwell, I want to hire you to help me find the Kingdom of Sheba.” Bainbridge said, bluntly.

  Caldwell fingered his chin. “That’s a mighty big order since the Bible has only one or two verses about it,” he drawled, emphasizing his Texas accent.

  “I have other sources,” Bainbridge said slowly.

  “It will take time and money, a lot of money.”

  “I have both time and money, but I’m not a patient man.” The threat was barely veiled.

  “Why do you need me, if you have sources?” Caldwell had caught the threat.

  “My sources have their limits. I need a geologist who knows the Middle East. I’m told you’re the best man for the job.”

  “You know my background.”

  “I know that you’ve been blackballed because you sold information to your company’s competitor for mega bucks. I know that you are the best in your field and that you specialize in oil and minerals.”

  Bainbridge paused to look at Caldwell. “I know that you have expensive habits, but those habits will not be tolerated. I also know that if someone offers you more money than I do, you’ll stab me in the back.” He smiled, but his eyes were hard. “That would be a very dumb move.”

  “If I choose not to work for you?”

  “Let’s just say that’s not a smart option.” Breckenridge’s eyes were merciless, his tone menacing. “You don’t need to worry about your salary.” He shoved a pad with a figure written on it across to Caldwell who caught his breath. “Plus there will be a bonus for finding the mine. The shorter the time it takes, the bigger the bonus. I have other projects that fit your talents.”

  Caldwell pulled a flask out of his pocket, removed the lid and took a swallow. He put the lid back on, tightening it. “So I have the choice between becoming a millionaire and becoming a dead man, right?

  “Correct.”

  “If Sheba honestly can’t be found?”

  “Oh, anything that’s been lost can be found. It might take ingenuity. I think you have that. You’ve found oil and minerals on every continent but Antarctica, haven’t you?”

  “Yes, but it has taken time. Time is something you don’t want to spend.” Caldwell threw down the gauntlet.”

  “I am willing to spend time as needed, but I’m not willing to waste time.” Bainbridge ignored the gauntlet.”

  “You’ve just bought yourself a geologist,” Caldwell said with a slight smile. He slid his flask into his pocket. “I’ll need a week to wind up a couple of things I’m committed to.”

  “You have three days,” Bainbridge said drily.

  “I can’t do it in three days. If you want my full attention, I need a week. I don’t pad times. If I tell you it needs a week, then it needs a week. If I tell you a week or a month or a day or a minute, that’s what it will take.”

  “All right,” Bainbridge sneered, “But if you sell me out, you won’t live to enjoy the money.”

  Chapter 4

  The park doctor gently felt Sheba’s skull. “I don’t see any signs of a concussion, but if you start to feel dizzy or if you start vomiting, you’ll need to go to the emergency room.” He cleaned the scrape on Sheba’s face. I don’t think you want me to put a gauze pad on your cheek, so I’m going to give you this antibiotic ointment. Put on every few hours to keep it moist. You don’t want it to crack. Take it easy for the next couple of hours, but other than that, I think you’re good to go.”

  “Thank you, doctor,” Sheba said as she slid off the table.

  Braden looked up at him. “Can my aunt go on the rides?”

  The doctor said, “I’d avoid any rides that jerk you around.”

  Braden face broke into a huge grin and he whooped with joy, “Yay! I was afraid that we’d have to go home.”

  When Sheba and Braden walked out of the medical station, the two guards were waiting. Wallis handed them hats that said, ‘Security Volunteers’. Jacobs handed Sheba a card that gave them express pass to all the rides. “The park management want you to have this pass to make up for the unpleasantness you’ve suffered today. The pass is good for a week.”

  Braden immediately gave Jacobs a hung. “Thanks. That’s super.”

  Sheba smiled. “Yes, thanks to both of you. I’m sure our express passes have expired by now.”

  As the group began to walk back toward the park, the little red haired girl ran up to them. Grabbing Jacob’s hand, she said, “I saw the man that took her backpack. He’s over there.”

  “Show us,” Jacobs said, as he grabbed her hand. Sheba and Braden hurried after them.

  The little girl pointed to a man wearing a black jacket, black jeans and a black baseball hat. He was leaning against a wall watching the people walking by. But when he saw the two security men followed by Sheba and Braden, he began walking quickly away from them. Jacobs dropped the little girl’s hand and began running, but the man ran like an Olympic runner. He vaulted an empty turnstile, disappearing into the crowded parking lot.

  Jacobs stopped at the turnstile as the others caught up. “That man knows how to run,” he said breathlessly.

  “Well, hopefully, he won’t bother us anymore,” Sheba said. She swung Braden’s arm. “Let’s go, kiddo. “The Despicable Me ride is waiting for us.”

  “Yay! I want to ride the Transformers ride again. With the fast pass we could ride it a hundred times!”

  --------

  That evening, Sheba and Braden got out of the taxi at their condo. “That was so fun, Aunt Sheba,” Braden said. “That express pass thing they gave us was the best. We didn’t have to wait at all. Everyone was so nice.”

  Sheba smiled as she paid the taxi driver. “I do
n’t know about you, but I’m ready for supper, a shower and bed.”

  “Aunt Sheba, where are we going tomorrow?”

  “I don’t know,” she said softly as she looked around. “We’ll have to decide when we get back to our room.” She shifted her shoulders uneasily. She felt like they were being watched. It made her cheek hurt to think about it.

  The man in black had exited his rental car just before the entrance to the Resort. He had stayed hidden for hours waiting for them to leave the park. Then he’d followed them, noting that she carried a sack the looked like it contained books.

  He stood back in the bushes watching them walk toward their building in the resort.

  Chapter 5

  Slater walked boldly up to the registration desk. “A woman with dark red hair dropped this book. He had a young boy with her. I think he would be about eight or nine. I would like to return it to her. Could you please give me her room number?”

  The pretty blond said, “I’m sorry sir. We’re not allowed to give out that information without permission. I can call. She may want you to come up.”

  `Please do that,” he requested. He leaned over the desk as she dialed. He noticed what number she dialed was the floor and the room number. So she was in 4407.

  “I’m sorry sir, no one answers.”

  He shrugged. “No problem. You can give it to her when she comes down. Thanks for your help.” He set the book on the counter, turning toward the door.

  “Sir, don’t you want to leave your name?” Pretending not to have heard her, he walked outside, sliding into in the shadows.

  As the night grew silent, the lights were either lowered or turned off. There were still too many lights for what he needed to do, but he gradually worked his way toward her building. He couldn’t go up the outside stairs. The risk that he’d be spotted was too high. He found a wall that was covered in vines. When it was clear, he leaped for the wall. Grabbing tendrils of vine, he pulled himself up to the top. He swung his leg over.