TAYLOR HAD BEEN CHECKING THE EMAIL THEY’D SET UP EVERY five minutes, but the only responses they had received so far were generic-sounding ones with questions about the type of coins and their dollar value. She was beginning to worry that the ad had been a half-baked idea.
A ping sounded and Taylor clicked the email. “Another one.” She read it aloud. “Interested in coins. Who was original owner?”
“That could be him,” Jeremy said.
“What should we write back?” Jack asked.
Jeremy thought for a moment. “How about Betrayer of the Son of Man?”
Jack’s forehead wrinkled. “Why not just say Judas?”
“He’ll appreciate the biblical reference. Remember this is supposed to be coming from someone in the church,” Jeremy answered. “But don’t send it right away. We don’t want him to know we’re waiting by the computer. It might make him suspicious.”
“OK,” Jack said. “On a different note, now that you’ve analyzed the tox reports, what do you think?”
“It’s definitely more than methamphetamine and ecstasy,” Jeremy told him. “Those two in combination can ramp up violent tendencies in a user, but I’m convinced that he’s created some sort of accelerant that makes the effect much more potent. A multiplier of sorts. But there’s no way for me to confirm this from the reports. It’s probably a chemical that the labs can’t identify because it’s new.”
“That sounds pretty bad.”
“It was likely a long time in the making,” Jeremy said. “He had a lot going on at the Institute. And you know Friedrich worked under Mengele, so who knows what kinds of experiments they did over the years?”
“Even more reason to find Crosse,” Taylor answered. “If he’s the one behind this, we have a chance to stop it before it goes any further. We have to make him believe our story. In order for someone to have been able to get the coins they have to be pretty high-ranking in the church, right?” Taylor asked.
Jeremy nodded. “Either that or working for someone who is.”
“It’s always best to stick as close to the truth as possible,” Jack interjected. “Even though we’re talking about the coins Eva guarded, we know another ten are at a Greek church in Pittsburgh. So let’s pretend we’re selling those. Who would know about them?”
Taylor hesitated. “I would think they’d keep the information close to the vest, considering the risks. The archbishop who’s coming to bless the church likely knows. He’s supposed to get those coins to the patriarch.”
Jeremy nodded. “I spoke to Father Basil last night. He and the archbishop are the only ones who know.”
Taylor’s heartbeat quickened. “Was he able to find out anything more about my mother?”
Jeremy gave her a sympathetic look. “Not yet. The lawyer we met with has been trying to get answers but they keep stonewalling him. Father Basil promised to call as soon as he learns anything.”
Taylor released a pent-up breath. Until she saw her mother’s body with her own eyes, she wouldn’t believe she was really dead. She’d been fooled all these years. She wasn’t about to be fooled again.
Jack squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry you’re going through this.”
She inhaled deeply. She couldn’t dwell on it right now. Instead, she turned back to Jeremy.
“I’ve been thinking about it,” Taylor said. “What if we have Crosse meet us at a Greek church? We lure him with the coins and then have Scotty cuff him and bring him in.”
“Why don’t we just have Scotty arrest him as soon as they’re in the church? Do we really even need to bring the coins?” Jack asked.
Jeremy shook his head. “There’s a lot we don’t know about the coins. He may bring his and they may indicate somehow whether more are in the vicinity. It’s better to isolate him, make sure he’s alone and thinks it’s on the level. While he’s checking them out his guard will be down.”
“I agree,” Taylor said. “And he’s not going to think he has anything to fear from a priest. You’ve said yourself that his arrogance is his undoing.”
“Nothing is simple where Crosse is concerned. I still think you need to have backup. There’s no telling what he might do,” Jeremy cautioned.
“If Scotty brings in other agents, we have no way of knowing if they’re compromised. It has to just be us,” Jack replied.
“I think you’re right,” Taylor said.
“We’ll have to find a church in New York, close to the archdiocese, to meet him,” Jack said. “And we need to clear it with the clergy there.” He chewed his lip. “Maybe Scotty can just tell them it’s some sort of FBI sting.”
“The Greek churches are usually locked in the evenings. Maybe Father Basil can find one that we can use late at night,” Taylor mused. “Okay for me to answer the email now?”
They both nodded, and she hit send on the response Jeremy had suggested earlier. “We’ve got to make sure we’re really emailing Crosse. It could be anyone answering.”
“If it’s a random person, when we tell them we want five million for them, they’ll be out,” Jeremy said.
Seconds later, her email pinged again.