Goodbyes completed, we get back in the SUV and put the Diablo Country Club into the GPS.
“Dad, it looks like there is a middle school right down the road from the golf course, we can probably park there and sneak in and check out the 9th hole.”
“Great idea, it is 9:30 now and a half hour to get back there, so we should arrive about 10 PM. It should be dark enough that we won’t be noticed sneaking around the course.”
“Right, I just checked and the PFL is still going strong, so we should have enough light to search around.”
“Perfect, do we dare listen to the radio or do you want to tell me more about how wonderful Stewart is?”
“Dad,” complete with eye roll.
“Radio it is.”
“Hombre secreto” by The Plugz comes on.
“Dad, was that just ‘Secret Agent Man’ in Spanish?”
“Yes, yes I do believe was.’”
“So that was weird.”
“I still prefer the Devo version.”
“Hey look, I see the Los Cerros Middle School”
“Great, I’ll park and we can find the 9th hole.”
We park the SUV and make sure we have the PFL and head East toward the golf course. We enter the course at the 10th hole in a break in the shrubbery surrounding the course. Luckily they have scorecards in a box and we can see the layout. About fifty yards away I can see the flag for the 9th hole.
“Nancy, check out over there, I think that is the flag for the ninth hole.”
“How can you tell?”
“There is a 9 on the flag.”
“Dad, looks like there is plenty of tree cover from hole to hole.”
“That’s good, I wouldn’t want us to be seen sneaking around the golf course at night.”
“Good point.”
We creep tree to tree until we are on the 9th green. Getting on our knees, we inspect the cup and flag and find nothing.
Frustrated, “Dad, I don’t see anything, no pressure plates, switches or anything.”
“Yeah, I’m not sure, everything pointed to here, I wonder where we went wrong?”
“Let’s take a look at the deciphered cipher again.”
HILL TO CLIMB
THE SPANISH DEVIL
SOLVE THE RHYME
OUR DESIGNER NEVILLE
HOLE THE NINE
SEEK THE KETTLE
“Nancy, I think it is still here. It has to be, but maybe not the actual hole. What is the kettle?”
“I just thought it was poetic license as the author wanted something to rhyme with Neville. What else could be a kettle?”
“A vat is a synonym of kettle and a vat is a large container, as in a tub or tank, used for storing or holding liquids: ie a wine vat. Also, in Chemistry it is a preparation containing an insoluble dye converted by reduction into a soluble leuco base. Also, a vessel containing such a preparation.”
“I am sure there is not a sign with that on it like when you knew all the stuff about trees.”
“It is true, I am chocked full of useless knowledge, but in this case, maybe not so useless. It looks like the water station here at the 9th hole is sitting on top of an overturned wine vat. Let’s investigate.”
“Dad, sometimes you are truly brilliant.”
“Well thank you, but let’s not get too excited, I could just as easily be totally off base.”
We investigate the overturned wine vat looking for pressure plates, switches or anything.
“Dad, it looks like on this side there is a depression that does not quite match with the rest of the vat coloring. And, it vaguely resembles the shape of a duck.”
“Seriously?”
“Yes, this time not kidding it actually looks like a duck.”
“Can you press it?”
“I’ll try.”
We hear a small click and a door 12 inches across by 6 inches high opens inwards on invisible hinges. Just as Nancy reaches inside and pulls out an 9 by 12 padded envelope, we hear someone shout.
“Get them, they found something.”
Not waiting around to see what it is that wants to get us, Nancy grabs the envelope and I grab Nancy’s hand as we run off across hole 10 to near the break in the shrubbery. Abruptly we change course as we see that the man and woman who were chasing us at the Coliseum BART station are blocking the way.
“Run, make for the club house, we can circle back around to the SUV.”
“Right dad.”
We make it to the club house and instead of heading back around to the SUV, Nancy heads North towards Mount Diablo. Not sure why, but trusting Nancy’s instincts, I follow as fast as I can. In the dark we quickly lose our pursuers. After five more minutes, Nancy slows to a walk and takes cover behind a large Black Oak. I tuck in behind the same oak.
“So, what happened to circling back around to the SUV?”
“Dad, how did they know we were here, did they follow us? Were they waiting for us at the BART station the whole time? Or, did they put some sort of tracker on the SUV?”
“We should have thought of that. The SUV sat there all afternoon and they had plenty of time to put a bug on it.”
“So what do we do now?”
“I think they are waiting for us to head back to the SUV, let’s head a bit higher up into the Mount Diablo State Park and we can find a place to camp out for the night and then see about getting back to the stables in the morning.”
“And see Stewart!”
“Yes, maybe he can help us out again.”
“Dad, that is the best idea ever.”
We hike for another hour and find a nice copse of trees that will provides us shelter as well as shield us from prying eyes.
“Nancy, let’s stop here, this copse of trees is as good a place as any to catch some rest before morning.”
“Sounds good dad, and then we can open the envelope and hopefully figure out why we are being chased and everything.”