Simple Genius

“And the song title was the big clue: ‘Shenandoah,’ ” Michelle added. “That’s right,” Sean agreed.

“What did the decoded song say?” Michelle asked.

“It described some of the things Monk Turing saw at Camp Peary. It was enough to make Valerie order Alicia to take Viggie.”

“Alicia kidnapped her?” Michelle exclaimed.

He nodded. “I know it probably doesn’t mean much after all she did, but Alicia helped me and Champ get Viggie onto that plane. I believe she really did care about the girl because it was a big risk, her doing it.”

“It might mean a little bit,” Sean admitted.

“Ian, how can you continue to work for a place that’s dealing in drugs!” Michelle exclaimed.

Whitfield shrugged. “You need poppy seeds to make opium and you need opium to make heroin. And right now in Afghanistan, the poppy crop is the only thing keeping the economy going. And if we don’t buy it terrorists will and use the enormous profits from dealing the drugs to attack us. Lesser of two evils; sometimes it’s the only choice we have.”

“It’s still wrong,” Michelle persisted. “And what Valerie did was criminal.”

“Valerie was a rogue clear and simple. As crazy as it sounds I believe she was going to kill you both after the torture was done, and she probably believed she’d get away with it. The role of the CIA she had in mind is not the same one I have, and never will be so long as I have anything to say about it.”

“Ian, you have to tell us one thing: How did Monk Turing get across the river?” Sean asked.

Whitfield hesitated. “I guess I owe you that. It was an under-water propulsion device. We found it.”

Sean looked at Michelle. He said, “No, that was-”

Whitfield cut in: “We found two of them, actually. One on the night all hell broke loose.” He eyed them both. “Know anything about that?”

Sean smiled. “Great minds do think alike.”

The limo slowed and then stopped.

“We’re here,” Whitfield said, opening the door. “Take your time, I’ll wait outside.”

CHAPTER 93

WHEN THE WOMAN OPENED THE DOOR, Michelle saw that Viggie Turing had indeed taken after her mother.

She’d been expecting them, the woman said, and ushered the pair inside.

“You’re Viggie’s mother?” Michelle said.

“No, I’m her aunt. My poor sister died years ago. But people have always said that we looked a lot alike.” She led them into the living room. As soon as Viggie saw Michelle she started playing the piano. Michelle sat down next to Viggie and hugged her.

Viggie’s aunt, whose name was Helen, said, “I didn’t even know they were in Virginia. And I certainly didn’t know anything had happened to Monk. And then Viggie just appeared one day. I nearly fainted.”

“So Monk had custody of her?”

Helen lowered her voice so Viggie couldn’t hear. “My sister had a very troubled life. Drugs, mental illness; we believe that she even physically abused Viggie. Monk finally got her away but maybe I should have tried to intervene more. But I have a way to make it up to her. I’m going to adopt Viggie.”

“That’s great, Helen,” Michelle said out of Viggie’s earshot. “She’s a very special girl.”

“I know that she needs counseling and other treatment. At first I was worried because the help it seems she needs is very expensive. But then very recently I’ve come to understand that Monk died a rich man. Viggie will have more than enough money for anything.”

Sean said, “If you need a good psychologist, I have a name for you. And he’s already seen Viggie.”

Viggie pulled Michelle to the window and pointed outside at a nearby lake. “Can we go on the water again?”

“You think you’re up to it? Remember last time.”

“That’s because I went alone. If I go with you everything will be okay, right?”

“Right.”

As they were walking back to the limo later Michelle said, “It really was generous you giving the treasure away, considering you found it.”

“Heinrich Fuchs really figured it out. But finding the treasure cleared up something else that had been bugging me.”

“What?” Michelle asked.

“Remember Monk had those red stains on his hands?”

“Right, rust stains from climbing the chain link fence.”

“No. That chain link was brand-new, it had no rust stains. I saw that when I was cutting through the fence. Monk got the stains from scraping at the bricks to get to the treasure, just like I did.” Sean shook his head. “Codes and blood. I was wrong. It had nothing to do with Alan Turning and bloodlines. Monk was being literal. His hands looked bloody because of digging through the brick for the treasure.”

“How many times do you think Monk infiltrated Camp Peary?” she asked.

“At least once too many. He obviously witnessed what we saw too. Only he didn’t get away. The fact that he left a coded message in those musical notes about what he’d seen makes me believe he started out a treasure hunter and ended up trying to bust what he saw as illegal activity at Camp Peary.”

“But how was he going to get the treasure out? Gold isn’t easy to move.”

“Maybe Monk just did it for the challenge of finding the treasure. But the guy was a genius. Maybe he was just pla

“And when Monk said to Len Rivest that it was ironic-” Michelle began.

“Right, it was ironic that the greatest secret-keeping organization in the world was clueless about a secret treasure right under its nose.”

When they got back in the limo, Whitfield said, “We need to finish the deal.”

“The copies of the video?” Sean said and Whitfield nodded.

Sean told the limo driver where to go. Sean had gotten the copies from Horatio and hidden them in various safe places. After they collected the copies, he handed them to Whitfield. The man looked at them and handed one back to Sean.

Sean said, “Ian, they’re expecting five. If you only deliver four you could be having an accident in China too, not to mention what’ll happen to us.”

“I’ll make another copy from one of these four. You didn’t hear it from me but when dealing with CIA it’s always best to keep an ace up the sleeve. I’ll emphasize that we have no way of knowing if you made other copies. That should keep you both safe.”

The limo took them back to their apartment and they got out of the car. Sean turned back. “Look, I know we probably won’t be seeing you again, but if you ever need help, you’ve got a couple of friends in Virginia.”

Whitfield shook both their hands. “If I’ve learned anything in this business it’s that real friends are damn hard to come by.”

CHAPTER 94

IT WAS A CHILLY DAY in early November when Sean drove Michelle to Horatio’s office.

“I don’t want to do this, Sean. I really don’t.”

“Hey, you came back from Camp Peary alive. And if I know one thing about you, you never go back on a deal.”

“Thanks for your support,” Michelle said bitterly.

Horatio was waiting for them.

Sean started to leave but Michelle gripped his hand. “Please stay with me.”

Sean looked at Horatio. “That’s not a good idea,” the psychologist said.

“But I want him to.”

“You’re just going to have to trust me on that, Michelle. Sean can’t stay.”

After Sean left the room it didn’t take long to perform the hypnosis.

Horatio spent a few minutes getting Michelle back to the age of six. And he took another few minutes placing her in that night in Te