Storming the Kingdom (11 page)

Hawk raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Seriously?”

“I didn’t mean killer in the real killer sense.” Shep blushed. “I’m sorry, poor choice of adjectives.”

“Kiran Roberts was an ex-girlfriend.” Renner started to recall.

Hawk stopped him. “She was not a girlfriend.”

“Sorry.” Renner nodded. “I got that impression from the case file. My bad… she was someone involved in attempting to take control of the company from you. She was involved in kidnapping Juliette Keaton and apparently disappeared a few years ago…and hasn’t been seen or heard of since. She is a part of that group headed up by Reginald Cambridge who had conspired against you. Reginald is currently serving his sentence and not up for parole for quite some time. Just so you know, we spoke to Cambridge this morning. He says he knows nothing of the attempt on your life or the shooting of Rales and Colmes. That probably doesn’t surprise you.” Renner slowed, thought for a moment, and summarized. “Kiran Roberts is a part of that group that conspired against you that we never found.”

“That would be her.” Hawk shook his head. “I was looking out my window and saw her—if it was her—staring up at my window, and there was something familiar about her eyes.”

“How far away was she when you saw her?” Renner was now taking notes.

“Too far away to be sure…maybe too far away to know for sure her eyes were even green. Maybe I just thought they were. She just looked familiar.” Hawk shook his head. “Maybe I’m just being paranoid.”

“Maybe…you might be.” Renner kept writing. “But a little bit of paranoia for you is understandable and might just be what you need to keep yourself alive.”

“I don’t know.” Hawk now was second-guessing himself. “I think I overreacted.”

“But we were chasing somebody,” Shep interjected. “And she was trying to get away from you.”

“Did you get a good look at her?” Renner asked Shep.

“No, I was just following Hawk’s lead,” Shep admitted. “I saw a dark-haired woman, wearing a ball cap, dressed in athletic apparel, running in front of us. But I didn’t get a good look.”

Hawk glanced around and momentarily allowed his gaze to fall on the back of the restaurant they had taken shelter behind. As Renner continued to talk with Shep, their voices disappeared into a hollow echo of background noise as Hawk’s mind tried to determine whether he had really seen Kiran Roberts or it was just someone who resembled her enough to cause him to react. He had a gnawing sense of dread that all of his experiences over the past few years and each of the moments when he had been able to turn back this group of enemies hadn’t been as successful as he had believed. With an intensity and vengeance, they had unleashed a new attack on him and his friends. He didn’t have the luxury of overreacting or being paranoid. He needed to be sharp, smart, and wise.

Then his mind shifted out of the moment of self-reflection and again zeroed in on their surroundings as Renner addressed him.

“Hawk, I think it would be best if we could keep you out of sight as we have talked about. Out of crowds would be good.”

Hawk turned toward Renner. “Let’s do what it takes to figure this out. I have an event tomorrow that I promised to be at, but beyond that, I’ve cleared my schedule.” He nodded at Shep. “How about some lunch in a few hours? I think I can get us some reservations and some privacy in a restaurant.”

Shep wrinkled his forehead. “Sure, that’s fine.”

Renner watched the exchange between the two skeptically. “I will make sure you have protection, if you don’t mind.”

“Thanks.” Hawk smiled. “That would be perfect.”

Hawk knew Renner was worried he was going to get in the way of the investigation, get hurt, or get one of the people chosen to protect him hurt. However, Hawk appreciated Renner’s willingness to give him some breathing room. He assumed it was because of what he discovered about the elaborate attempts to wrest control of Disney away from Hawk in the past, or because Al Gann had run enough interference to get him some room to operate, or because Renner was counting on the information he was trying to find as essential in bringing an end to this chaos. No matter the reason, it made what he was trying to do easier.

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Five Days Ago
Lunchtime

T
he white-columned Liberty Tree Tavern is a popular restaurant nestled in Liberty Square just yards away from a replica of the Liberty Bell, which was made from the original mold, and the Liberty Tree itself. Reservations are the best way to get a table at the colonial-themed dining stop where guests might be seated in one of the six themed dining rooms. Each room is dedicated to an individual who history recounts as foundational in the birth of America. The George Washington room, the Thomas Jefferson room, the John Paul Jones room, the Betsy Ross room, the Benjamin Franklin room, or even the Paul Revere room—complete with lanterns—would be filled throughout the day once the doors were opened.

Hawk had arranged a reservation just prior to the lunchtime opening and had secured one of the rooms for a private dining experience. His inspiration to dine here had come at the end of his unexpected morning dash down Main Street U.S.A. Stepping inside the lobby and away from the crowds of the theme park, Hawk took a deep breath and watched as Disney security personnel took their positions by the front door. As they did, Hawk saw Juliette and Shep arrive to join him. Waiting for the security detail to let them in and close the door, Hawk motioned for them to follow him.

“Where’s Jonathan?” Hawk asked as they navigated the restaurant.

“Couldn’t make it,” Shep said. “I think Sally is pretty wigged out. He’s staying close to home.”

“Good…” Hawk was well aware how risky what they were doing was. They had been through it before. Sally, Jonathan’s wife, didn’t ever say it directly to him, but he sensed that she wished her husband would not get involved in the dangerous adventures that always seemed to take place around him.

“So you really saw Kiran this morning?” Juliette had been given a recap of the morning by Shep and now wanted to hear it from Hawk.

“You know, I’m not sure.” Hawk stopped and turned toward his friends. “If you would have asked me when I saw her out of the apartment window, I would have told you for certain it was her.” He motioned for them to continue following. “But by the time I had chased her down the street, I wasn’t quite so sure.”

“But whoever it was…” Juliette paused thoughtfully. “Whoever it was didn’t want you to catch her. So there was a reason.”

“That’s what I was thinking,” Shep offered.

The three of them stepped into the Jefferson room. The gleaming white walls almost looked like porcelain as they reflected the faux period lighting coming from the lamps throughout the dining area. The walls were adorned with painted images capturing Jefferson throughout various ages of his life. There were framed documents capturing some of his contributions to the founding of the nation. A fireplace, a grandfather clock, a bust of the forefather, and other decor surrounded the empty tables. Their footsteps echoed on the hardwood floor.

“Thomas Jefferson?” Shep stopped and took in the themed tribute.

“See where you go when Walt’s curiosity persists.” Hawk stated the clue that had brought them to this place.

“Yes!” Juliette snapped her fingers. “On the film, Walt was curious about something on the microphone and he told the governor it was the seal of Virginia. Thomas Jefferson was from Virginia.”

“Yes, from a place called Shadwell,” Hawk added to her line of thinking.

“Shadwell?” Shep placed his hands on his hips. “What kind of Disney trivia caused you to know that?”

“Actually . . .” Hawk laughed. “I paid attention in U.S. history classes in school. I had to do a term paper once on Jefferson. I just remember some of the details.”

“Of course you do.” Shep nodded.

“Jefferson…He was a draftsman of the Declaration of Independence, the nation’s first secretary of state, a vice-president, and the third president. He was the architect of the Louisiana Purchase.” Hawk’s list of facts was running out, so he stopped. “I paid attention to what I was writing.”

“And Jefferson died on the same day as John Adams, on the fourth of July.” Juliette smiled as she contributed to the history. “So he was born, lived, and died in the state he loved…Virginia.”

“And that is why we are here.” Hawk opened up the electronic tablet he had been carrying and walked the room, exploring as it powered up. He went to the fireplace, where the name
Jefferson
was emblazoned on a red metal plaque above the mantel. Placing his hand on the mantel, he let it slide toward the middle of the heavy beam, where a flower arrangement had been positioned in a blue and white vase. The flower arrangement hung over the lip of the vase. He lifted up the greenery, revealing the word
Virginia
lettered in blue.

“How did you know that was there?” Shep asked, as he and Juliette moved to join Hawk by the fireplace.

“I didn’t. I was just guessing there had to be some Virginia references in the room.” He looked down at the glowing screen on the pad. “But like Juliette said, he loved Virginia. It was a part of who he was. I knew the Imagineers had to work that into the theme of the room.”

A soft chime emanated from the device, and once again the golden key icon had a red dot indicating there was an update. That, of course, meant he had guessed correctly and there was another clue. He motioned for them to take a seat at the table next to the fireplace and placed the real key on the screen, aligning it with the electronic key as he had done before. They sat in silence as they watched for the update to complete and then as a video window opened on the screen.

Hawk tapped it with his finger and it began to play. The image of Farren Rales appeared, standing inside the room where they were seated. Smiling, he placed an arm on the mantel where Hawk had found the clue that brought them to this moment. On the screen, Farren looked toward the flower vase, then back at the camera as he began to speak.

“Hawk, you are good. Since you are watching this, I know you are on track and you will get this all figured out. You still have no idea what you are looking for, but you understand how serious and important it is that you find it. Walt once said, “A man should never neglect his family for business,” and he lived that way. Of course, he was in the family business and now you are as well. So to figure out the next clue, you are going to have remember something about Walt and his family…ready?

“Walt gave Lillian a gift that is forever remembered on film. Open the gift, put it in place, then take it to Osh. Recapture the magic or the results could be tragic.

“I know, the last part sounds very dramatic . . .”
Rales grinned impishly. “
But hey, it rhymed so I went with it.
” Then his expression grew serious. “
However, if you don’t get to the end of this story, the results will be far worse than tragic.
”

The screen went dark and again the icon flashed at Hawk, asking him to either replay the video or delete it. Once again, without hesitation, he deleted it. The screen went blank.

“Excuse me.” The voice startled the three of them, and instantly they turned to see a hostess standing in the doorway. Noticing she had startled them and already nervous knowing who these special guests were, she apologetically continued, “I didn’t mean to interrupt. But I was told I would be serving you lunch and the Jefferson room would be yours exclusively until you released it.”

“Yes.” Hawk recovered quickly from the interruption and noticed her name tag. “Maria, this is Shep, Juliette, and I’m Hawk.”

“It’s very nice to meet you, but I know who you are.” Maria smiled. “I didn’t know if I was supposed to tell you when we were getting ready to open the rest of the restaurant or not. Then, when I got here, you were busy talking together and watching something on your little screen there.” She paused and then waved her hand in front of her. “I wasn’t eavesdropping or anything like that. I stepped back and waited until you seemed like you were done. Then I came back in . . .”

“It’s OK.” Hawk motioned Shep and Juliette toward the door with a slight tilt of his head. “We’re done here. You can have this room for our guests again.”

“You mean”—disappointment filled Maria’s voice—“you aren’t staying for lunch?”

“No, I want you to be able to use this room to serve our guests.” Hawk followed his friends, who were already headed toward the main entrance area. “Another time, thanks.”

The three moved back through the Liberty Tree Tavern toward the door where Disney security was waiting for them. Hawk pushed through the doors and whispered to one of them, who waited for the three to step onto the porch of the restaurant where guests were waiting to enter. Some of the crowd applauded as Hawk and friends emerged. Someone yelled, “Glad you are alright.” A guest reached out and patted Hawk on the back. The noise of the crowd continued to get louder as the small band made its way around the corner to Ye Olde Christmas Shoppe. “You were lucky,” a voice from the crowd called, causing Hawk to turn toward the direction of the noise. Looking back at him was a gathering crowd of smiling faces. Some aimed cameras, trying to get a picture of the CCA of the Disney Company. His eyes explored the crowd for the source of the last comment, but he failed to recognize any particular face. The noise of the crowd got louder as others reacted to the statement. “He doesn’t believe in luck,” a female voice echoed above the increasing volume of the crowd. This statement stopped Hawk in his tracks, and he scanned the crowd with more intensity.

“Hey.” Juliette stepped in next to Hawk and placed a hand on his arm. Her fingers tightened on his forearm, and she gently pulled him forward to get him moving again. “What are you doing? Who are you looking for?”

“We really need to keep moving, Hawk,” one of the security detail said as they stepped toward an unmarked door that would take them down into the Magic Kingdom tunnel system. They would make their exit through the famous Utilidor.

The door clicked shut behind them, one security team member remaining on the other side. The rest of the security team led them down the stairs into the safety of the cavernous underground concrete tunnels that gave cast members access to the entire theme park.

“Did I hear someone say you were lucky?” Juliette confirmed what Hawk had heard.

“That’s what I heard.” Hawk heard the worry in his own voice echo off the concrete surrounding them.

“What else did you hear?” Juliette asked.

“Nothing.”

“Is that why you stopped and looked like you were getting ready to jump into the crowd of people that were following you?” Juliette raised an eyebrow, and he knew she was not buying that he wasn’t reacting to something else.

“Probably just some crackpot.” Shep tried to sound reassuring but failed miserably.

As they turned toward the right to navigate the tunnels, Hawk turned to the security team with them. “I think we’re going to be safe here. I’ll take this back toward my apartment.”

“If you don’t mind, we would like to make sure you get there,” Cayden, the blond security team member, said resolutely.

“Sure, that would be great, Cayden. Thanks.” Hawk motioned around them. “But you can give us a little space down here. We’re safe.”

With a nod, Cayden allowed the three to move ahead of him through the tunnel. The security detailed lagged behind but remained close enough to react to a crisis if needed.

“Do you think Maria back in the Liberty Tree Tavern heard the clue?” Juliette whispered.

“Maybe, but she wouldn’t know what she was listening to,” Hawk whispered back.

“I agree,” Shep added to the whispered voices. “But she seemed very nervous. Call me crazy, but I think we should be wary of anything.”

“OK, Crazy.” Hawk tried to make a joke of what he had just said.

“I hate it when I agree with Crazy.” Juliette smiled toward Shep. “But he’s right. This is way out of control. And speaking of out of control, you should have cancelled your charity appearance tomorrow.”

“No, I shouldn’t.” Hawk forgot to whisper. “It’ll be fine.”

“Not to change the subject, but I think we should worry about some other important things like the clue and like lunch.” Shep leaned in closer as they continued to walk. “I thought we were going to eat, and while we did, you would tell us what the clue meant.”

“We were in the wrong restaurant.” Hawk winked at them.

“You understood the clue?” Juliette’s voice hinted at amazement at how quickly her boss had figured it out.

“No, but I know where to start. If we get to the right restaurant, we can find the right answers.

“That’s great, I’m starving.” Shep clapped his hands together one time in anticipation.

“No.” Hawk placed his arm around Shep’s shoulder. “You get lunch on your own. We’ll visit the other restaurant later tonight. Very late, as a matter of fact.”