The Mojave Heathen, Robert F. Clifton [beginner reading books for adults .TXT] 📗

and Ben sat in a pew and with William Ross listened to the eulogy given by the priest to the now deceased, George Bingham.

After the service the three stood on the sidewalk talking.

“I have a question”, said Ben.

“What?,” asked Ross.

“What are the signs of radiation poisoning?”

“ In beginning, nausea and vomiting.”

“Then, that is the same complaint the Chester Hopkins wrote about in his journal. As I recall it was when he was writing about the small piece of metal he had found. Metal that he said, glowed in the dark. He thought his being sick was from food poisoning,” said Ben.

“As I recall he wrote that in 1849. At that time I suspect that no one or not too many people knew about radiation.” Ross replied.

“Then, Hopkins was being hit with radiation from that piece of metal,” said Edith.

“Possibly. They’re searching Binghams home now trying to locate and determine a source of radioactive material,” Ross answered.

“Well, there’s no doubt in my mind that he found something on that dig. Instead of turning it in he kept it.

Whatever it was ended up killing him,” said Ben.

Steven Bennett answered his ringing cell phone. “Yes sir?

“Report.”

“Surveillance now included listening devices placed in the home of Edith Shipley. I have reason now to believe that we will have the information of what we are looking for very soon.”

“Keep me advised.”

CLICK.

In one of the bedrooms in the house used by Bennett and his agents one agent sat at a table. On the table was a tape recorder that was plugged into a receiver. The agent listened using earphones. “They’re coming into the house,” said the agent.

Bennett walked quickly to the bedroom. “What are they saying,” he asked.

“Mostly about George. Cortland is saying what a pain in the ass Bingham was. Now, the woman is saying that Cortland shouldn’t speak bad about the dead.”

“Anything else?”, asked Bennett.

“No. Right now it’s quiet. Answered the agent.

“Let me know if you hear anything worth while,” said Bennett.

Ben walked into the living room. “Well that takes care of your friend George. I knew damn well he took something from that dig. Whatever it was killed him,” he said.

“I think like you, that he might have found a piece of metal or something else he wanted as a souvenir,” Edith replied.

“Well, we’re lucky he didn’t find the alien. Imagine loosing it from being introduced and studied by the scientific community by someone who lacked the knowledge of what to do?”

“You’re right of course, but here we are knowledgeable in our respected fields, in possession of an extraterrestrial being and we can’t do anything with it except hide it from the government,” said Edith.

“A government that would either hide it and it’s existence

from the world or destroy it,” said Ben.

“Speaking of hiding it. Aren’t you afraid that that agent, what was his name?”, asked Edith.

“Bennett, Steven Bennett,”said Ben.

“Yes, aren’t you afraid that he’ll return with a search warrant?”, she asked.

“Of course. I think the best thing to do is turn what we found over to the university. That way ts safe. It can then be studied much more than we can. The results can be then given to the world. We get the professional recognition for finding it. At the same time the government can not take on a scientific university which could be viewed by the public as a tyrannical move to keep secrets from the people,” said Ben.

“Then let’s do it,” Edith responded.

Steven Bennett listened carefully to the taped conversation. Then left the room and after walking into the living room used his cell phone. It rang three times be fore he heard the word, “Report”.

“The situation here is changing.” said Bennett.

“How so?”

“It seems that Shipley and Cortland have decided to

turn the alien over to the university.”

“We can’t have that.”

“I know sir.”

“You are on the scene. What do you suggest?”

“If possible. Have the two of them picked up by the police and questioned about George Bingham. Have the police keep them for at least three hours. That should give me enough time to located what we want and remove it.”

“What happens when they come home?”

“I’ll take care of that Sir.”

“Very well.”

Click.

On hour later Steven Bennett stood behind the blinds in the living room and watched Edith Shipley and Benjamin Cortland enter and sit in the rear of a maked police car.

When it pulled out of sight Bennett turned to his agents and said, “Alright, go. You have maybe two or three hours. Find it and bring it back here. Terica will open the doors and place the device.”

“You must be Doctor Edith Shipley. And you Doctor

Benjamin Cortland. I am Detective Homer Burns. I hope that I’m not inconveniencing you. However, you see we are investigating the death of George Bingham. In doing so we learned that he recently spent time with the both of you in the Mojave desert. Death Valley, to be correct.”

“That’s correct,” said Edith.

“For what purpose, may I ask”, said Burns.

“Doctor Cortland, myself, and four students from the university were there for the purpose of attempting to find the remains of both Caucasians and Native Americans who lived and worked in Death Valley”, Edith explained.

“I see and what was your connection with Mr. Bingham, since he was not a scientist like yourselves?”

“Actually, Mr. Burns was an excellent, self taught, amateur, archeologist. Be that as it may, his main purpose was the financing of the expedition,” added Edith.

“I’m sure that both of you know by now, that George Bingham died from radiation poisoning. Can either of you think of if he obtained anything radioactive while there?”, asked the detective.

“No,” Edith answered.

“What about you, Doctor Cortland?”

“Nothing that I know that was radio active,” Ben answered.

“Yet, we have information that you and Bingham had a disagreement at the site. Is that correct, doctor Cortland.

“We had two disagreements that I can recall. The first was when he found a lid to a tobacco jar. He wanted to keep it. We had a slight disagreement. The next time was when I found evidence that he had entered my research site,” said Ben.

“It’s been said that you threatened him with bodily harm.

Is that correct?”

“Absolutely. But, you already told me of what caused his death and it wasn’t the ass kicking I promised him.”

“This site of yours. Did you find anything radioactive?”

“Not that I know of. However, we never checked for radiation. We had no Geiger counters with us at the time.”

“Did you find anything else?”

“Nothing that would interest you,” said Ben.

Burns looked at his wrist watch an noted the time.”Well, thank you for coming in and answering my questions. If we need anything else we’ll let you know,” said Burns.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chapter Ten

Final Solution

 

Steven Bennett using the red telephone on his desk dialed three numbers. He waited, then heard the voice. “Report!”

“Everything has been taken care of sir,” said Bennett.

“I’m listening.”

“With your permission I’d like to read from the university press release if I may,”

“Go a head.”

“The scientific community on Thursday lost three of its

functional professors. Doctor Edith Shipley, archeologist and professor of archeology at this institution and her associate,

Doctor Benjamin Cortland, noted anthropologist famous for finding evidence of the Devonian’s in the mountains of Russia were both died from carbon monoxide posioning at he home of Doctor Shipley.

Investigators are attempting to find the cause of the carbon monoxide. Ironically, Doctor William Ross was struck and killed while crossing Page Mill Road. A lone witness stated to police that the vehicle that struck Doctor Ross sped away. The vehicle wanted for Hit And Run and vehicular homicide is according to the witness, a 2011 or 2012 Ford pick up truck, color, green. There should be damage to the left front fender and the grill. Police are investigating.”

“Anything else?”

“No sir.”

“The truck?”

“Destroyed. Cut into small pieces and dumped in the Pacific Ocean.”

“Good. Now, the alien.”

“We got it.”

“Excellent, put it with the others.”

“Yes sir, It will be on a plane this evening.”

CLICK!

 

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Publication Date: 12-13-2016

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