Clive Cussler - Pirate

“I have to agree with you. Except…”

“Except what?” Sam asked.

“He did mention the four caverns and Celtic carvings. That fits right in with the four chambers that Lazlo mentioned and the Celtic knot on the cipher wheel. Which means he knows what he’s talking about.”

“When he remembers what he’s talking about.”

“It seemed to me he has more of a problem with his short-term memory. Since the caves are something he’s been visiting since he was a boy…”

“It’s not so much that, Remi. We came here for a map and got a tour of a wine cellar. What if something else happens to him and we end up on another wild-goose chase? Bad enough we’ve gotten Nigel mixed up in all this. And, right now, our priority is to rescue him — never mind Percy has no idea of the danger. Which brings me back to my original concern.”

“I didn’t think of it that way. Let’s hope Professor Aldridge gets in touch with this other expert.”

Aldridge stepped outside of the shop to make the call, then returned shortly after. “Sorry, but Swift’s wife said he’s not due back until later this afternoon. Business trip. She’ll call me as soon as he gets in. But I do think you’ll be fine using Percy. He’d want to do this. Especially if there was a chance that it led to something of historical significance.”

If they were on a simple expedition, sure. Sam looked at his watch. Just past noon. It was looking like they didn’t have a choice. Nigel was out there, and Percy was their only option. If he couldn’t find this map, then maybe he could remember the location and point them to it. Sam explained everything to Aldridge, including why he didn’t want the police involved.

“That certainly changes things,” Aldridge said. “Let me see if I can settle him down long enough to figure out where this chart is. I’m fairly certain he keeps it in the shop, which is probably why he led us here to begin with. He does get distracted by the caverns.”

“Thanks,” Sam said. “We appreciate your help.”

Sam and Remi waited outside while Aldridge spoke with Percy.

They looked in through the window, discussing what to do if Percy couldn’t find the chart. “Maybe,” Remi said, “he’ll remember the general vicinity of the four caverns. We could have Aldridge drive him there while we follow. He won’t even have to get out of the car. Just point to the location, then Aldridge could take him home.”

“That might be our only option,” he said as Aldridge called them back inside.

“Good news,” Aldridge said. “Percy and I had a little chat about those caverns.”

Percy was holding a cardboard tube. “My friend tells me you’re interested in the Nottingham caves. Some of my favorites. Been visiting them since I was a boy.”

Aldridge tapped Percy on the shoulder. “Show them the map, Percy.”

“Right.” He walked over to the table and pulled the top off the tube. Tipping it over, he slid out a large printed map of Nottingham, which he spread out on the counter. Thick red pencil lines were drawn all over it, with notations scrawled in various places. “Been mapping the things as long as I can remember. These are my favorite,” he said, tapping the spot where they were now standing.

Sam eyed the map, noting a cloverleaf pattern drawn near the grounds of Nottingham Castle and the notation Four Caverns written above it. “Tell us about this place,” he said.

It’s the four caverns,” Percy said. “Dangerous place, that. Lots of twists and turns. Some of the chambers drop right down. Too easy to fall. These, though,” he pointed toward the tailor’s shop again. “Much easier to get in. First ones I ever went into. Used to be wine cellars.”

Remi put her hand on Percy’s shoulder. “Definitely my favorite. But these,” she said, pointing to the clover, indicating the four caverns. “Where do we find them?”

“Behind the ivy. Lot of those caves were hidden when the houses were built. There’s an ancient stone wall in the park. The ivy grows right over it. See the X?”

Sam leaned in close and saw the entrance was actually marked. “Would you mind if I took a photograph?”

“Not at all,” Percy said.

Sam took a few photos with his phone while Remi asked, “When’s the last time you were there?”

“Years ago. Used to take some of my students on tours down there. It’s still there. You came with me, remember?” he said to Aldridge.

“Vaguely. We’ve traipsed through a lot of caves.”

Percy nodded. “This one I like because it’s right there, but no one even knows. Through the ivy. That’s how a lot of them are. Lost. But right there in their own backyards.”

Sam and Remi left for Nottingham Park, a neighborhood that had once been the deer park for Nottingham Castle. The area they were looking for — from what Percy had described to them — had a greenbelt running between some of the grand houses set on large parcels. Unfortunately, what he didn’t have was an exact address, and as Sam drove around, they realized the description fit several areas.

It wasn’t until Selma called with a piece of information that allowed them to fit a puzzle piece into place. He pulled over. “Can you repeat that?” Sam said as he put her on speakerphone. “I want to make sure we heard you right.”

“Grace Herbert-Miller’s cousin,” Selma said. “The one who inherited the estate in Nottingham?”

“Something McGregor, wasn’t it?” Sam said.

“Henry McGregor. I did some checking. This estate he inherited is in that very neighborhood.” She read off the address. “The property’s up for sale, and nobody’s living there at the moment. But we called and Mr. McGregor said you’re welcome to go anywhere on the property that you want.”

Remi plugged it into the GPS on her phone. When it came up, she and Sam compared it to the map that Percy had given them. Almost in the middle of his red clover marking the four caverns he’d talked about.

“X marks the spot,” she said.

Sam dug out his backpack, pulling out what they needed for their initial foray into the cave — should they be lucky enough to find it. He and Remi each took a compact Stinger flashlight and case, a four-inch Buck Knife, and a magnetic compass. Sam carried his gun in the hidden holster of his fishing vest and his knife in its case on his belt. Remi wore a pancake holster with her P938 nine-millimeter, pushing it toward the small of her back so it wouldn’t be readily visible.

They drove to the address given for the McGregor property. Other than the sign out front listing the estate for sale, there was nothing to indicate that there was anything unusual about the place. It was Remi who pointed out that the property lines could’ve changed over the centuries. “Who knows if the Herbert or McGregor ancestors parceled any of this out, way back when. The entrance might be on someone else’s property by now. Never mind that there’s no ivy here. Percy mentioned something about ivy.”

Sam let his foot off the gas as he looked at the McGregor property.

“Now what?” she asked.

“Drive around and see if we can’t find some ivy.” He glanced in his rearview mirror and saw a car pull onto the street behind.

“There!” Remi pointed to the right of the McGregor estate. “A lot of ivy in that park.”

Not quite a park, it was a greenbelt running between the two homes with a graveled footpath. Right now, though, Sam was more worried about the car behind him — until he saw it pull into the drive at the corner and caught a glimpse of the woman driving and the young boy sitting in the front passenger seat.