Free Buccaneer (Dane Maddock Adventures) by David Wood

heart raced. So Kidd’s story was true. She ’ d never doubted it, but this was the closest thing to definitive proof they ’ d found.
    “ I know it isn ’ t the news you hoped for, but at least we have a path to follow. ”
    “ Who took it? ” An overwhelming rage filled her, and she wanted nothing more in the world than to have the responsible party right there in front of her, where she could put her hands around his neck and choke the answer out of him.
    “ I don ’ t know yet. ” How could Locke remain so calm? “ But the chest was donated by a man called Hunter Maddock. He told the museum he believed it belonged to Blackbeard. ”
    “ A cover story, ” Morgan spat.
    “ Possibly. Or, he truly did not know what he had, and was ignorant of the compartment. ”
    “ In which case, whatever was hidden inside could have been removed by someone at the museum. ” The wheels of Morgan ’ s mind were turning at a rapid clip.
    “ Or it was removed before the chest came into Maddock ’ s possession. ” Locke completed her thought, as he often did.
    “ Pursue all angles. ” Morgan ’ s flare of anger was settling into a cold fury. “ Investigate the museum. Acquire it if you must. Our New York branch could stand to expand its reach. ”
    “ Yes, Ma ’ am. The budget for this acquisition? ”
    “ At your discretion. ” She would not have given anyone other than Locke such a free rein. “ Find this Hunter Maddock and wring the truth out of him. I don ’ t care how you do it. If he doesn ’ t have the clue, find out from whom he obtained the chest. ”
    “ He is deceased, with only one living relative. A son, a military type and a bit of an odd bird. ”
    “ How so? ”
    “ He is a treasure hunter of sorts and his name is associated with some sensational rumors. It also seems that someone at a high level of the American government has worked very hard to hide information about him, though I can find no evidence that he has worked in any official capacity since he left their military. I know he is well-trained and keeps company with similar men. He would be difficult to kill or capture. ” He paused. Two eternal seconds of silence dragged past.
    “ What is it? ” Morgan snapped. Locke knew better than to waste time.
    “ I can ’ t be certain, but it appears he is on Herrschaft ’ s list. ”
    That was a surprise. What were the odds that an American civilian would have run afoul of the German sect of the Dominion? Morgan frowned, considering this new detail.
    “ In that case, perhaps an arrangement can be reached, ” she mused. “ The enemy of my enemy, as they say. ”
    “ I will consider all angles. ”
    “ Is there anything else? ”
    “ There is yet another treasure hunting expedition underway on Oak Island. Probably the same sort of misguided buffoons as always. Should we investigate? ”
    “ Yes. As you say, it is not likely to amount to anything, but if it does, take control in any way you see fit. ” Morgan ended the call, pocketed her phone, and walked to the window.
    Modron was her personal retreat. Built in the style of a medieval castle, it stood atop a lonely tor in Bodmin Moor. It was well off the beaten path, surrounded by a dense wood planted two centuries ago by her many- great s grandmother and cultivated by later generations, providing her the solitude she craved and the privacy she required.
    She looked down onto the grounds, where a tidy formal garden gave way to acres of forest. The vast grounds were protected by a variety of security measures designed to keep intruders out... and other things in.
    She espied movement among the trees, a brief glimpse of gold and green, and then it was gone. She smiled at the sight. She would have enjoyed a walk in the forest right now, but she s h ould not keep Jacob waiting. The exercise would be a satisfying release after Locke ’ s call.
    From her private study, she descended a narrow, winding stone staircase. There was no light