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“Yes, anything.”
“Lord Buddha teaches that even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely.”
The detective had a pained look on his face. “I meant about the dead guy.”
Wayan Bagus nodded. “He fell.”
“Some of the witnesses said you disappeared just before he was about to push you over the balcony.”
“Nobody can disappear, though, can they?” Wayan Bagus said.
EIGHT
Riley and Emerson sat side by side on a bench outside the planetarium while they waited for Vernon. Wayan Bagus had gone off in search of a quiet place where he could meditate and pray for the dead man. It was near closing time, and the museum was almost empty.
“I’m exhausted,” Riley said. “I expended a lot of adrenaline, and I’m toast.”
“I have to admit, I’m also a little toasted,” Emerson said, “but I can’t stop thinking about the attacks just now.”
“Hard to believe they were random. I think we were targeted.”
“I agree,” Emerson said. “And I think this is the result of us asking questions about the stolen island and the unexplained disappearances and deaths at the national parks.”
“I’m having a problem with that. The cause doesn’t justify the effect. Look at us. We’re ridiculous. A monk, an eccentric billionaire, a big goofy guy, and me. We barge into a couple offices, ask totally off-the-wall questions, and get shuffled out onto the street.”
“You’re assuming that the questions are off-the-wall. Maybe the questions are spot-on.”
“Even if the questions are spot-on. Someone tried to kill Wayan and me. That’s not an appropriate reaction to a spot-on question. That’s not normal.”
Emerson nodded. “True, but what if there’s something happening out there that is so huge and beyond normal that it justifies murder at the slightest provocation?”
“You have my attention. Keep going.”
“I believe that the incidents we’ve been looking at, from our missing hikers in Yellowstone to our missing island in Samoa, are all the result of something occurring at exactly the same location. The earth’s core. Imagine lines from the earth’s core to each of the death parks, plus Wayan’s island.”
“And?”
“That’s the connection.”
“That’s all you’ve got?”
“It’s not sufficient?” Emerson asked.
“It’s nothing,” Riley said. “You’ve got nothing but an idea. It’s not even an idea that makes any sense. I can draw lines from the center of the earth to anything. Anybody can. Even Vernon.”
Emerson thought for a beat. “There are a few blanks to get filled in. Albert Einstein famously said if at first an idea is not absurd, there’s no hope for it.”
“You got me there,” Riley said.
“So we’re all on board,” Emerson said.
“No.”
“Partially on board?”
“Maybe.”
“Good enough,” Emerson said. “We’re going to Yellowstone to find the missing newlyweds.”
