Golden Templar

By George G George

I sat on the sunbed next to her, she rolled over to face me and the sunbed made a slight creaking noise. I thought I bet if it could talk it would have said, “one at time.” That thought made me smile, which she took for a friendly gesture, not that it bothered me a girl’s a girl they come in all shapes and sizes. My motto is. Animal. Vegetable. Mineral. Are merely a preference and not a necessity, as I’m sure your all well aware by now.

Once again you are challenged to solve the clues before we do?

The day starts well for me, Longshanks is pranked and I'm laughing. We are searching for the fabled treasure of the Templars. The clues are tough and widespread, I can say that I had no idea these old knights could travel so far. I meet some nice ladies, while he meets an old family member that he believed was dead. Do we succeed in our search? That's for you to find out and maybe even beat us. As the main man once said. "The games afoot."

• Language: English
• Publisher: George G George
• Release date: Feb 7, 2020
• ISBN: 9781370137558

George G George

Born Gary Richard Hagger in the East End of London in 1958 and having a standard school education, he left school and completed a three year apprenticeship in bricklaying, after which he joined the British Army, spending three years in the Royal Green Jackets 2nd Battalion, serving with Andy McNab in Armagh, Northern Ireland in 1979. After serving his time, Gary went back to bricklaying and then started running his own small company, leaving in 2000 to become a site agent for various companies, in that time he designed and built his own skis and bindings why? "simple I could not buy what I wanted so I designed and built them myself and still use them today" and at the age of 54 he retired and started writing.

Book preview

Chapter 1

9.35 am and it’s another day in paradise, that is Fuerteventura one of the Canary Islands off the west coast of Africa. A warm sunny place which is a million miles from where I used to live. Bow, London.

Well it would be paradise if Longshanks wasn’t snoring so loud, I sipped my second cup of coffee as Monica came to join me around the pool.

Is that Longshanks? Yep, I said shaking my head at the sound and then smiled as I checked my watch.

What’s the big grin for? She asked I said nothing as my smile grew bigger.

Any second now I replied trying not to snigger.

AHH…Fucking Hell…Green you Bastard. Longshanks bellowed as I laughed so much I was struggling to breathe.

What did you do? She giggled.

I set up a time-release drop shelve with a bucket of ice water above his head. My answer made me laugh all the more as his dripping head stuck out of the window.

Bollocks.

Five minutes later and he’s on a sunbed glaring at me, while I’m still finding it funny. Another strong coffee and two toasted bacon sandwich’s and he’s back to normal, I know this will come back at me but did I give a shit? NO.

As he ate I returned to my normal self and looked at her and then him in turn, they gave nothing away so I had to ask.

Right what’s this got to do with me?

You're the bloke who knows about the Templars right mate, and we don’t.

Yeah I know a little, I replied slowly choosing my words very carefully.

You know a lot more than that mate, you told me remember? You tell em Luv.

Rick, there it is again she’s used my first name. After my grand…my…father…my.

Gunter lets just call him Gunter, I said trying to give her away out.

Okay after Gunter died I became his only heir as you know and it seems he was an avid collector of, well strange artefacts and this cross is just one of his collection on the Knights Templar. There are many more items and this very old book and a journal, which seems to have codes or puzzles in. I believe they are a message and clues to the fabled treasure of the Knights Templar. He had a team that tried before to solve the clues, but failed and according to the journal which had been owned by Wilfred and Almuth Bardavitz. Who were the foremost experts of there time, and they had also been unable to find the treasure? But I know we can…with your help. She said and handed me the leather-bound book.

I turned it over in my hands as two voices screamed in my head. Put it down and walk away you fool there sucking you in…No open it and look you know you want to, besides it could fun and you love a mystery. Taking a deep breath I handed it back to her, I didn’t want to get involved in another adventure…or did I?

Not interested.

Get out of ere mate, come on just read a few pages. I know he’s trying to get me going but I’m having none of it.

Oh…okay Prof…just thought you might want to help us, do you know what the symbol on the cover means? She purred in that smooth creamy voice she had.

I glanced at the cover and on it was an Arabic symbol الذهب followed by an embossed picture of two men riding the same horse.

Okay I’ll help with the cover but nothing else got it? They both nodded at me, if they think I’m that easy to manipulate then they’ve come to the wrong house… I think.

The first part is Arabic and it means Gold, the second is the symbol for the Knights Templar. I sat back and closed my eyes somehow hoping they would be gone when I opened them, they weren’t.

Any idea what it is? He asked in a very nice way, in fact, he’d asked to nicely.

Yeah. I replied and slipped into the pool, Golden Templar…whatever that means? BUT.

I took three quick breaths and then one long breath before sinking below the surface, I needed some time alone. My watch said I’d been under for 3.57 minutes, I slowly surfaced and looked at the two sad faces that stared back at me.

Okay…I’m in when do we start?

FUCKING YES. He yelled and threw himself at me in the pool, I looked sternly at him as what was left of his toasted bacon sandwich floated across the surface of my clean pool. He followed my stare and then grabbed the crumbling bread and ate it, she shook her head at him. What? He replied with a mouth full of soggy bread.

And the BUT Prof? She asked as our eyes met and she smiled as I said.

Jagernauts Assemble. The truth was I was going to help them from the start.

Chapter 2

The BUT is the reason none have found anything using the clues and codes in your book, I said and sank back under the surface. I could see they were both eagerly waiting for me to answer, a few seconds more won’t kill them and besides it makes me feel great. Taking a towel I wiped myself down and before answering the two waiting faces staring up at me.

The Templar symbol is wrong…they are both sitting facing backwards on the horse.

They both looked at the book cover and slowly nodded in agreement. So I’m guessing it could mean the clues are also going to be found by small or slight differences in certain things and to prove this we need to find one. With that, I’m grinning so broadly that my ultra smug face was in danger of splitting in two, and leaping into the air I landed in the centre of my hammock.

Whereupon I went straight through and hit the tiled floor with a thud, the little shit had slashed my hammock while I was underwater. The sound of him laughing so much he couldn’t talk and her on the sunbed holding her ribs crying with laughter just finished me off. Still, it was a good one I had to admit that, I sat down and waited for them to finish.

Can we continue? I asked like a school teacher scolding his class.

I still had to wait for another minute before they were ready, we opened the book together and looked for anything to prove my theory.

I’d have made a great Knights Templar, Longshanks said while pretending to slash with a sword.

Yeah, we’re all tough, mean, strong and good honest men. Yep, a proper knight I would have been.

Well you have one thing in common pal, they didn’t believe in washing and neither do you. I chuckled.

Bollocks. He replied and then stood trying to make himself as tall as he could.

Yep me and Richard the Lion Heart together charging on our steeds with lances at the enemy.

Where do you get that shit from pal, if he’s Richard the Lion Heart. Then you must Sir Longshanks the Skunks Arse. She laughed and I really think she’s into our humour now.

Bollocks.

I decided we need a break and we went to Waikiki beach, it's a nice place with bars and surfboard hire shops, all the while the sun was burning hot. Taking a dip and a swim was the only way to cool down, as per normal anything with him turned in to a race. WHY? Considering he couldn’t swim a year ago he was pretty fast, not that I’d let him win oh no.

We relaxed on the sand, I mean it's not like we’re in any hurry this time. I took them paddle boarding and had a great time, as I can do it very well and they fell in a lot especially him.

Sir Skunks Arse…you’ve lost your steed. I said laughing as he fell in for the umpteenth time.

Monica was gently chuckling at him so I nudged her board with my paddle and she joined him in the drink. Bollocks. She said as she surfaced spluttering. Me I just paddled off laughing towards Lobos Island, I could hear them both cursing me as I left them in my wake.

The day seemed to fly by and we were soon back at my place, she’d gotten showered and we sat by the pool. From a briefcase she took out the gold cross and the old book plus a few small items for me to look at, some are clearly Templar artefacts. I studied them for a while and then went back to the book, I wanted to see if my idea was correct.

Longshanks was out drinking and she went to bed, me I sat going through the book as there had to be something. An hour later and I’d had enough for now as my eyes were hurting, and went for a cooling skinny dip, but something was tugging at my brain. The start of the book had coats of arms from the nine knights who started the Templars, plus one other and I’d seen this one many times, what English man hadn’t. The tenth coat of arms belonged to Richard the Lion Heart, he was known to have been a Knights Templar in all but name.

Hugues de Payens. Godfrey de Saint-Omer. Payen de Montdidier. Archambaud de St Amand. Agnan. Andre de Montbard. Geoffrey Bison. Rossal and Gondamer.

As I looked at them I wondered if I had a coat of arms, and made wild images in my head of what it would have on it. With my back to the entrance and being so wrapped up in my coat of arms, I never heard her slip into the water and almost shit myself when she said. BOO.

I almost dropped a floater, don’t do that I hate surprises. She shrugged her shoulders. What you looking at?

This coat of arms the three gold lions on a red background is Richard the Lion Hearts, but it somehow doesn’t seem right. You know when you see something and straight away you know its wrong, but you don’t know what it is? Well, this is like that.

Have you thought of googling the coat of arms and getting a comparison? Have you thought of googling it and getting a comparison she says?

No I haven’t.

Monica climbed out and went to get her tablet, it was then that I realized she was naked and you know who came out to play. As she climbed out I was thinking that her legs seemed to go on forever, and what great legs they are. And then it hit me. Leg the claw on the leg of the top lion, that’s it…its one of the claws on the coat of arms that is wrong, I grabbed the book and stared at the shield as she returned…Dressed. Spoil sport.

It’s the claw on the top lion…that’s what’s different.

How?

Look the front leg on the top lion there are five claws instead of three, can you see it or is it just me?

Yes but what can it mean?

Chapter 3

Sitting in a bar in Bangkok, the only western person there is staring in to space while running a sharpening stone along the blade of a large knife attached to his wrist. The locals were the few people who ever entered the place, the odd times a some tourists had walked in they soon left after looking at the man dressed in rags and sporting a scruffy beard and long straggly hair. His hard eye and badly scared face while constantly sharpening of the blade on his wrist, quite simply put them off from staying. No one said anything as he was the owner and gave away more drinks than they paid for, especially when he was drunk and that was most of the time. He rarely washed and would stare in to open space for hours, while the girls working his bar brought him drinks. He could often be found crying as he held a photo of an old woman, and was inconsolable. Once the local mobster wanted protection money from him and threatened a good beating if he didn’t pay him.

They found the mobster cut into ten small pieces, and nailed to his head was a note say. ‘Don’t ever threaten me if you want to live.’ And since then he had been left alone even when he was so drunk he could hardly stand, let alone defended himself. Until today.

Hey piss head…yes you piss head, you owe me money. Snarled a Chinese man in broken English thick with an Asian accent. He is the same man who supplied his bar. His two bodyguards laughed at the stinking pile of rags on the floor in the corner.

Fuck off slant eyes you’ve been paid. came from the pile of rags in the shadows.

Price has doubled…you pay me. He replied and laughed as he took out his cock and started to piss on the man in rags, while his two guards joined him laughing.

From somewhere inside the rags, a blade flashed and the laughing Chinese man’s cock fell on the floor as blood spurted everywhere. He screamed and ran out holding his groin area, with his two guards right behind him.

And don’t come back you prick less wanker. The pile of rags shouted after him.

Chapter 4

We sat scratching our heads which frustrated the life out of me, having proved my idea I found I’d hit a wall. Why five claws. I wondered, the clue would have to wait as sleep was screaming for me and her. Not together though, shame.

The morning is hot and it's only 7.30. I am already sweating, to my amazement Longshanks is up before me. He may not have been in the best of shape, but he was up and looking pretty good for a hung dog man.

Find anything in the book of interest Prof mate?

Yes we did, she said as she walked into the kitchen, and continued. Any idea what five claws mean Longshanks?

Ming. He replied instantly and went out to the pool.

What is it with you two? Can you not just give me a complete answer. She moaned. Nope. Was all I said and followed him, she tagged along clearly sulking.

Okay Sir Skunks arse…Ming and? Monica chuckled having calmed down.

5 clawed dragon…First Ming Emperor Zhu Yuanzhang: 1368-1398. only the Emperors dragons had 5 claws, but what’s he got to do with Simon’s mob?

Who the fuck is Simon Pal?

Simon Templar…numb nuts.

Templar is his name you knob head and nothing to do with this.

I showed him the book and he glanced at the shield before diving in to the pool, I swear he’ll grow fins if he spends any more time in the water. Still its a start and while he swam and she made coffee, I started to read the Bardavitz journal.

Soon he was out of the pool and sitting on a sunbed as she returned with coffee, I put the journal down and blew across my hot mug.

Find anything Prof? She asked smiling.

They made a big deal about the Grand Master's abacus, which is evidence for the connection between the Templars and Freemasons. This staff is a symbol representing Aaron's rod, mentioned in the Bible. A walking stick that sprouted leaves. Its head is in the form of a temple, and along the length of its body is carved measurements. But having speed read it looking anything about China, I found nothing.

You mean a stick like the one in that Indiana Jones film mate?

It would seem so pal…But that didn’t work for them, not that we should totally disregard it and there’s no mention of Ming at all. We were stumped this was nothing like a crossword, so I went for a walk and returned a few hours later.

They were sunning themselves while I took the journal and looked at the sketch of there Aaron’s rod, it had a head that was the image of a classic Masonic tower. It's then that I had a light bulb moment as I stared at there sketch, tipping out the few small parts, she’d shown me and the gold cross and went to work. I’d spotted that some of the images on the cross were the same as the small parts, this was right up my ally.

Its a Jig Saw…look can you see it?

No not really. She said straining her eyes.

Yeah I noticed that earlier mate.

Bollocks did yer. I replied shaking my head, you're full of shit sometimes Pal. No your always full of shit. I laughed.

Now be quiet and let the master work his magic.

Chapter 5

The first thing was to lay out what we had and see what if any are missing, there are 9 markings on the cross. One for each knight I guessed and we had only 3 because some of the small bits weren’t part of this jigsaw. Next I got some paper and a pen and drew the missing images, then I cut them out and in a few moments had them put together. It was very clear that the Bardavitz hadn’t worked this out either, still they given us the start point.

Can you two see what we have?

Nope, mate.

Not sure Prof, can you explain.

I smiled smugly as they didn’t have a clue, and to be fair I had no idea what the staff head is for either. Best not tell them that.

Are you sitting, Longshanks cut me off.

Just get on with it mate and none of your long-winded dribble.

Up yours short arse.

Can we continue children. Monica said shaking her head at the two supposedly adults.

I poked my tongue out at him and he pulled a face at me. Right let me explain…the paper parts are what’s missing and we will need them to complete the staff’s head. My guess is that clues are somewhere in this old book, but where I don’t know…Yet.

So you think they are hidden in this book? Didn’t I just say that? In that case, may I suggest we all read it from cover to cover and make notes. Later we can compare them and see if we have struck gold, I’ll go first and then you Longshanks. Prof, you can be last as you have part read it already. Agreed?

We all nodded, and as I was last I went for a beer at Flintstones a local bar. This turned in to a session as one of my mates Mental Mick was going back to the UK for good, and we wanted to see him off. To cut a long story short I was pissed by the time I got back, and they weren’t happy. Did I give a shit. NO. Crashing on the sunbed in the shade, I was probably asleep before my head hit the pillow. I woke some hours later feeling hung dog and very hot, and found I was in the direct sunshine, while he and she were giggling at me. Not a good sign, but I was still too hungover to realize yet.

Okay what is it? I asked in between gulping loads of water, and it wasn’t till I turned over that the pain hit me. My bum was on fire and as the mist cleared in my head, I saw that he’d not only dragged me into the sun but he’d cut away my shorts and covered the rest of me with towels.

My bum was burnt redraw and was stinging like I’d been whipped with a cat of nine tails.

You bastard…I could get skin cancer. I ranted more because he’d done me than the pain.

Just arsing about mate, no harm done is there. He said trying not to laugh.

We have a saying in Germany. Red arse at night shepherds delight. Red arse in morning shepherds warning. They both rolled around laughing while I got up and stormed into the bathroom.

Its SKY not ARSE…you morons. I shouted as I walked away, while there gut ripping laughter was ringing in my ears and followed me inside.

Chapter 6

The pile of rags put down the bottle he was drinking and glared drunkenly at the phone in is hand, no one but a very few had this number. The text symbol was flashing at him, but he didn’t want to read it. He knew it was his cousin Bill’s mum she had tried a few times to reach him and he’d not answered her, she was the last family member he had on his mum's side. Doreen was his mum’s identical twin sister and even had the same hairstyle as she’d had. The last thing he wanted right now was to talk to her, let alone see her. Doreen would want to know how her Billy died and why didn’t he stop it, him the great killer of many. But the text symbol would not give up, he took a long draw on the bottle until it was empty and threw it across the bar smashing it on the wall. One of his girls came and cleaned it up and brought another, Ing liked him even though he was always drunk. She stroked his head and held him as he tried to pull away, he stopped resisting and let her continue.

Misser Black let me read you? She said in her Tai English.

NO…no Ing just leave it. he slurred.

It may be important Misser Black, she replied and gently eased the phone from his hands as he passed out.

The text read. ‘Stanley can you please call me it’s very very urgent. Your dad’s brother Steve has turned up and says your mum’s house is his and I have to leave. Please Stanley, please help me.’

Ing wrote the text down and switched off his