Searching for Truth and Treasure: An Adventure into a World of Treasure and Treachery

By G. Alan Brooks

A young technology executive found the lost Inca treasure that was hidden in the Ecuadorian jungle for over 1500 years. After his remarkable discovery he became world famous, and he was recruited by the CIA who wanted to use his fame as a cover for covert operations.
Upon finishing his tough CIA training, he is assigned to infiltrate an international terrorist cabal. To maintain his treasure-hunting reputation he is also committed to finding the largest hidden treasure in North America which is the legendary Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine in the Superstition Mountains of Arizona.
Can he do both without being killed by terrorists or the dangerous mountains?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Feb 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9781669862000

G. Alan Brooks

George “Alan” Brooks was born in central Florida in 1940 into a Florida pioneer family. The Brooks families settled in central Florida around 1815 and were sustenance farmers for at least 150 years.

Book preview

Prologue

Notes by Billy Hartwell on a frayed yellow pad made from research given to him by the CIA.

I think these are the most important facts for treasure hunting in the Superstition Mountains.

1- According to a popular legend, somewhere in the rugged Superstition Mountains is a lost gold mine that has been hidden for over 170 years. It is called the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine, and nobody has found it despite thousands of attempts over almost two centuries.

2- It is an undisputed fact that the Dutchman found substantial quantities of gold and gold-rich ore somewhere in the mountains. On numerous occasions, he came to town, tossed large amounts of gold on the bar, hosted everyone, got drunk, shot up the town, threw all his money away, and went back to the mountains.

3- During the Dutchman’s lifetime, his mine location was never discovered despite many efforts to follow him when he returned to the mountains. However, on his deathbed, he left bizarre clues that treasure hunters from all over the world have used in their search for the treasure rumored to be in his secret mine.

4- For centuries, these mountains were also the sacred grounds of the Apache. The Apache believe the mountains are the home of their Thunder God, who protects a great treasure and will kill to keep it safe.

5- In 1848, in a meadow in these mountains, there was an Apache massacre of a rich Mexican mining family, Peralta, and their workers near an active and productive gold mine. Everyone was killed, except for two of the family members who managed to escape. Many old-timers believe that the Apache removed an enormous amount of gold that was being loaded for a trip to Mexico City and then hid the gold in the mine and concealed the entrance. The Apache are rumored to be protecting their treasure to this very day.

6- The Apache fought the Mexicans and then the Americans to keep this land, and it was in a secret cave in the Superstition Mountains that Geronimo was eventually found by the U.S. Cavalry in 1886. When this remarkable Apache leader and fearless warrior finally agreed to surrender, it ended forty years of Indian War.

7- Treasure hunters from all over the world continue the search to find the lost gold mine and wonder if people or gods are still there willing to kill to protect its location. It is an ongoing mystery to understand how the mine entrance was so well hidden that it has never been found.

8- These mountains are only thirty-five miles east of Phoenix, Arizona, and are now in a national park. Current park statistics show that over nine thousand people each year obtain permits to enter the dangerous mountains looking for hidden treasure and rich gold mines.

9- Over three hundred people have died trying to find the treasure. The authorities have also found over twenty dead bodies with severed heads near rock walls with a handprint, believed to be a warning. Nobody has ever found a gold mine in the Superstition Mountains.

10- Maybe there is more than one gold mine in these mountains—or none.

I expect to be in these mountains within the next six months, and I will find the gold mine if there is one.

Once trained, I will also help the CIA uncover the plans of a group of international terrorists who may be planning a massive confrontation with our country, somewhere in Arizona.

Chapter One

Billy called the King Real Estate office in Islamorada, Florida, to make an appointment to buy a home in the Florida Keys. He planned to live in the Keys for the rest of his life, and he had a clear vision of how he wanted to live. He was only thirty-six years old and still full of youthful exuberance.

Hello, my name is Sheila King. How can I help you? answered a woman with a cheerful voice.

My name is Billy Hartwell, and I’m looking for a home on the water with room for two boats that is near an inlet with easy access for fishing in both the Atlantic Ocean and the backcountry shallow water of Florida Bay, replied Billy.

I would love to help you, Mr. Hartwell, but there are very few listings with those amenities, and the few that are available are very expensive, replied Sheila.

If you have any listings at any price, I would like to see what they are. I can afford the kind of place I want, said Billy with a bit of irritation in his voice.

When would you like to start looking? asked Sheila.

Right now. I’m in your parking lot, and I’m anxious to see what you have. I’ve just arrived back in the country after a multi-year business assignment in Brazil, and I want to get settled in the Keys as quickly as possible, said Billy.

Well, that is perfect because I just had a cancellation and was going for a cup of coffee. I’ll be right out, and we can start touring, Sheila said eagerly.

Billy got out of his Range Rover and introduced himself to Sheila, and they got into her Mercedes convertible. She had several brochures and her laptop, which she tossed onto the back seat.

You caught me at the perfect time, plus I’ve a new listing with an owner who is anxious to sell. I think it might be the perfect spot for you. It is only fifty yards from the Snake Creek Canal with room for two boats, and it gives quick access to either the ocean or the bay, Sheila said as they pulled out of her driveway and headed south.

How large is the house? I need at least three bedrooms, and I would like a swimming pool. If I had some room in the backyard, that would be even better because I’ve two small beagles, replied Billy.

The house has four bedrooms and five bathrooms. It has a total space inside of three thousand square feet. It has absolutely beautiful flooring throughout, high ceilings, and impressive arches leading to an overhanging patio and swimming pool with a chickee hut next to it, answered Sheila.

That sounds too good to be true. If it has all those features, I don’t think I’ll need to look any further. What is the asking price? asked Billy.

She is asking $3,200,000, and I think she would accept an offer near that price. Her husband just died, and she wants to move to Miami to be near her kids, answered Sheila.

That is just the price range I had in mind, said Billy.

When they arrived at the home, Billy could not believe his eyes. It looked just like the Keys house he had envisioned, and when Sheila gave him the inside tour, he knew this was just what he wanted. Outside, it had a boat lift for the small flats boat he planned to buy for fishing in the shallow waters of Florida Bay. Plus, it had room for a fifty-foot ocean boat that he planned to buy to hunt for game fish in the Atlantic Ocean. It was perfect.

I like it exactly the way it is. I don’t have anyone to help me decorate, so I’ll pay her asking price if she’ll include the furniture and leave the Boston Whaler that’s out on the lift. I could use it to explore the area. When I have time to buy a new boat, I’ll give her a check for whatever I get for the Whaler, offered Billy.

Sheila laughed. Wow, you are an impulsive buyer! You are the first person in a long time who bought so quickly and without any haggling over price. I’ll draw up a contract when we get back to the office.

Billy had been so focused on buying a house that he had not noticed until the ride back to her office just how attractive, well-groomed, and professional Sheila appeared. She was petite and tan, and her muscles were well toned. She was wearing a pale-yellow cotton pantsuit that highlighted her blue eyes and blond ponytail. He also noticed she was not wearing a wedding ring.

Let’s get the contract put together and email it to Barbara. I think she will be happy. How do you plan to pay for the house? asked Sheila.

I’ve a lot of recently collected funds, so I’ll pay cash immediately if she accepts. I don’t need an inspection. If there are any problems, I’ll fix them at my expense. I’d like to move in next week, if possible, said Billy.

I don’t know if she can move out that fast, but I’ll ask her. Why are you in such a rush? asked Sheila.

I’m staying at the Cheeca Lodge, and my dogs are in a nearby kennel. I hate putting them in a strange place. So the quicker I get a new home, the better for all of us, he said.

Great. I’ll put all these requests in the contract. It will take me about thirty minutes to put it all together. It is almost dinnertime. Do you have plans for dinner? I would like to take you to one of my favorite places to thank you for the purchase, said Sheila.

I’ve nothing planned for tonight. Why don’t you put the contract together? I’ll visit my dogs for a while and meet you at your choice of restaurants in two hours, said Billy.

That will be perfect. I want to take you to a restaurant called Marker 88. It has great food and an amazing view of the setting sun. You’ll be blown away by the wide array of colors that seem to change every sixty seconds, and the whole bay is aglow with reflections of the setting sun, she said.

Sheila wondered what this handsome man who looked to be in his mid- to late thirties did for a living. He clearly had no concern for money and was more worried about his dogs than any problems that might exist in the house. He must come from a wealthy background, she thought.

They met at Marker 88 thirty minutes before sunset. Sheila had reserved a table near the water’s edge without anyone between them and the setting sun. It was perfect, just as she had described.

How can you afford to live in such a beautiful house and not worry about the costs? asked Sheila, a little embarrassed to be so inquisitive.

Sheila, I’m the world’s most famous treasure hunter. I found the Inca treasures that were hidden for over five hundred years in the Ecuadorian jungle. Then I found gold near the Lost City of Gold in the Brazilian Amazon that might be over one thousand years old, bragged Billy.

Oh my god! I knew your name sounded familiar. Everyone in the world knows about your treasure hunting successes, especially those of us in South Florida. We know you grew up in Miami and you love to fish. I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you because you have been on every television and newspaper headline for several years, said Sheila excitedly as she thought, This could be interesting.

I hope to enjoy some time kicking back in the Keys before my next treasure hunting challenge. I have several targets under consideration, but right now, I’m tired and plan to just relax and fish for the next year, said Billy.

Billy, the Keys community will be thrilled that you are making this place your new home. Let me be the first to welcome you, said Sheila as she raised her glass and smiled.

Chapter Two

Billy and Sheila enjoyed the sunset and the food, and they lingered over dessert, chatting about life in the Florida Keys.

Sheila King was thirty-one. She was a moderately successful real estate broker who had recently left a larger firm to venture out on her own. She graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in business administration, and she joined a large international real estate agency upon graduation. She had been the primary breadwinner during most of her marriage.

She had only been married five years when her husband was killed. He died without any life insurance, and she struggled financially for several years, but finally, now, her new firm was beginning to work out well for her.

What do you do when you are not working? Do you ever go fishing? asked Billy.

Billy, I’m a hardworking agent who needs to be available whenever I have potential clients. If your contract goes through, it will be the largest commission I’ve ever earned. If I had not been in the office when you drove up, you probably would have driven to the next office, and I would have lost my biggest sale ever, said Sheila.

Billy laughed. Are you working Saturday night? There will be a full moon, and I’ve a fun idea, queried Billy suddenly.

No. What do you have in mind? she asked.

I want to take the little Boston Whaler on the lift behind the house for a ride with you. I was hoping you would show me around the area while we explored the canals and Snake Creek. Then we can look for a waterfront restaurant with a Keys vibe and some reggae music, he said.

Let’s do it. I’ll get the okay from Barbara to use the boat, she said with a big smile.

After a boat ride, they looked in the area for restaurants and bars with docks to accept boats for dining and drinking. They took a table at the Water’s Edge, a local spot Sheila loved for its stone crabs and outside reggae music. The band was made up of native Jamaican musicians who sounded so much like Bob Marley that you could believe he was still alive and playing just for you.

Billy, good news. I just got an email from Barbara accepting your offer, and you can move in next weekend, said Sheila with the biggest smile she had felt in several years.

Well then, let’s dance to the music, said Billy as he took her hand and lifted her from the chair and moved her to the small dance floor next to the band.

He was not the best dancer, but he did his best as he twirled her around to the beat and laughed along with steel guitars playing the beloved and famous Bob Marley song Don’t Worry Be Happy.

They put the boat back on the lift and started walking back to the car when Billy said, Wait. Why don’t we take a swim in my new pool?

Billy, you must be crazy or half drunk. There are neighbors on both sides of your new house, plus I don’t have a swimsuit, and I’m not ready to get nude for you. She laughed.

Well, it was just a fantasy that might go along with my vision of a house in the Keys, he said with a devious smile.

That is one part of your vision that will need to wait for another night. Your house in the Keys is not going anywhere, but I’m going home. It has been a wonderful night, and I’m so excited for you to get a new home and for me to get a big commission. I plan to use the money to start looking for a new house myself, she said as she went to her car, which she had parked in the driveway earlier.

Billy went back to the Cheeca Lodge and fell asleep quickly with visions of his new home and Sheila in the pool without her swimsuit. He was so happy to be thinking about pleasant things after his terrifying near-death experience in the Amazon.

Chapter Three

Billy moved into his new house the following Saturday. Finally, he could fish and live the laid-back life of the Florida Keys! His past six years had been hell. He had worked hard as president of South American operations for Microcorp and as a treasure hunter in the most dangerous jungles in the world. He needed to relax.

He picked up Butch and Baker, his two beagles, from the kennel where they had been staying for the last ten days. That was the longest time he had ever left them in a kennel, and he knew they did not like it.

Hey, boys. We have a new home. You are going to love it. It has plenty of space for you to run around, and I’ve a boat that we can use to go treasure hunting in the Everglades, which are less than an hour away, said Billy to his dogs. He often talked to Butch and Baker when nobody else was around.

The dogs wagged their tails and snuggled close to Billy for a rub or two. They were trained not to jump on him, but they loved to be next to him for his caresses. Although they had always had their own room, he found them in his bed each morning.

He ordered the same automatic feeding and watering system that the dogs used in Sao Paulo. It kept them fed and watered during his long treasure hunting expeditions when he couldn’t bring them along. The dogs could take care of themselves for over one month by using the special doorway and the automatic feeding system. Even so, he hated to leave them for extended periods because they despised kennels, and he preferred keeping them in their own house.

Sheila, I want you to come over and meet my dogs. They are the cutest dogs you have ever seen. I’m sure you will agree, said Billy as he hung up the phone after leaving a voicemail for Sheila.

Butch and Baker were specially trained dogs, and they were one of the reasons he was so successful in finding treasure that others had never been able to find.

Over the last five hundred years, many men had died trying to find the gold and silver that Billy discovered. There had been hundreds of well-financed expeditions and countless articles and movies made about the hidden and lost gold in the jungles of South America. When Billy discovered the treasure in two different legendary locations, he became world famous.

Billy loved the fame and the money. He was confident that he could find lost precious metals anywhere they existed with his skill and the help of his little beagles.

They are the cutest dogs ever, said Sheila as she sat on the couch with Butch on one side of her and Baker on the other.

Billy was feeling very comfortable with Sheila and thought maybe it was time to invite her to stay over a few nights. He decided that he would do it soon.

That afternoon, Sheila had a business appointment and left early. Billy was all alone with the dogs, which was a special time he really valued. Butch and Baker were so loving and content to just lie beside Billy that sometimes it seemed that the whole world had to be at peace. Billy desperately wanted to take a year to be with the dogs, spend time on the water fishing, and enjoy the beauty the Keys had to offer, but he had obligations that he knew needed his attention.

He needed to tear himself away from notions of contentment and idleness and make some decisions that would determine how he spent the next six months. He was a professional treasure hunter, at the height of his career, and if he let too much time elapse without publicity, his lucrative endorsements would dry up. To keep the media and his followers engaged, he needed to make some expeditions and get full media coverage of his plans and discovery results (hopefully).

In addition, Billy had learned the hard way how dangerous his fame had become when treacherous men learned of his plans. Men were frequently looking to rob or kill him to steal any treasure he found. His team needed to always carry enough weapons to defend against thieves and murderers. He would need to buy some small weapons that were easily concealed.

Another pressing issue that created a conflict between his desire to simply enjoy the Keys and the reality of his life was the CIA. The CIA had met with him in Sao Paulo, Brazil, shortly after he found the Inca gold. They believed that his treasure hunting activity could be used as a cover for some significant global covert activities.

Billy could still remember the exact words of the CIA recruiter.

Billy, I am with the CIA, and we need your help. You will not be an employee of the CIA, but you will be part of our human intelligence (HUMINT) assets. This program allows us to recruit individuals because of their job or reputation who can give us access to valuable intelligence. Your Microcorp experience, along with your treasure hunting reputation, can be very valuable to us. Please join us as a part-time CIA resource, the CIA man had pleaded.

Several days after his initial discussion with the CIA man, while still in Brazil, he got another unexpected visit at his apartment.

Billy, even before your training, we want you to begin research on a lost gold mine legend in the Arizona Superstition Mountains. We may need you out there. There is supposed to be a big treasure hidden in the mountains, and it will be a great cover for you. We are not sure, but there may be an international terrorist organization planning something big and bad in that area, the recruiter requested as he handed Billy a large folder with papers and images of the area.

If there is a big hidden treasure in Arizona, I am all in. I have been thinking about where to search next, and to do it in the U.S. would be a lot of fun, Billy responded as he took the information packet.

After the two conversations, he had promised to take a six-months training course on how to become an effective covert agent. He was not sure how this would play out, but he would give it a chance after spending at least six months in Florida buying a new house and just relaxing and fishing.

Unfortunately, he had received a call from a CIA manager last week that upset his plans and caused him to worry about how he could manage everything that was on his plate.

Billy, you need to postpone any fishing and relaxing activities and give us your training start date immediately. We have an urgent need for you to infiltrate an international white supremacist organization that is making some plans for a big event. Your treasure hunting reputation and your Aryan good looks are perfect cover for this assignment. Several of the white extremists are devoted treasure hunters who hope to find the treasure to fund their expansion. We need to know their plans and their target date, and time is of the essence, said the CIA manager, Rudy, who was assigned to Billy, now that he was back in the U.S.

I’m sorry, but I just bought a house, and I want to do some fishing. I am not ready to start with my CIA training, responded Billy.

We require that you get up here to Camp Peary as soon as you can arrange for someone to help take care of your new home and your dogs, said Rudy in a voice that did not leave room for disagreement.

Most of his life, Billy tried hard to present a laid-back, easygoing personality, but in truth, he was a highly skilled technology executive and treasure hunter, and he knew that he had also committed to becoming a CIA operative.

So to Billy’s disappointment, there would be limited time to relax in the next few weeks, and he was worried about what to do with the dogs while he was in training. Maybe Sheila would live in the house while he was gone and take care of Butch and Baker.

In addition to everything else, Billy had been booked as a guest speaker at an international treasure hunting convention on Miami Beach over the weekend. It was a great opportunity for him to maintain his fame and to continue to receive over $2 million in annual payments from his sponsors.

Even if he did not find treasure for a while, his endorsements would pay for his lifestyle if he kept his reputation and treasure hunting activities in the media. He already had over four million followers on social media thanks to a topflight public relations firm that represented him. He planned to announce his next treasure hunting location at this convention and create a new buzz in the treasure hunting world.

Chapter Four

Billy left the Keys early Saturday morning to attend the treasure hunting event in Miami. The theme of the convention was Hidden Treasures in North America. There were over one thousand attendees from all over the world who came to network and learn about possible places to search for hidden treasures.

His PR firm guesstimated that there were over ten million amateur treasure hunters who spent time and money hoping to find one of the world’s treasures that remained hidden. Countless movies, books, and legends stimulated their belief that these treasures were there to be found by clever hunters.

Billy had made the most outstanding discoveries in the last century, and he planned to capitalize on his success for as long as possible. He was honored to speak, and he was also interested to learn as much as he could about treasures in North America because most of his research and experience had been on South American treasures in the Brazilian Amazon basin and the Ecuadorian paramo.

Welcome, Mr. Hartwell. We are so delighted you have joined us for tonight’s program. You will be the last speaker after we have heard from three experts on treasures in Arizona, Texas, and New Mexico. Then we hope you will explain how you found the Inca gold and the City of Gold in the jungles of South America. We have the largest turnout our organization has ever had because you are here, said the event organizer.

I’m delighted to be here, and I’ll speak to some of the important techniques that I developed while searching for those treasures, but I can’t promise any quick-fix solutions, said Billy.

There was a cocktail party and a buffet dinner before the talks began. Billy never drank much before a talk, and he was sipping a Diet Coke when he felt a tap on his shoulder.

Are you Billy Hartwell? said a soft muscular voice.

Yes. I am. Can I help you? asked Billy.

My name is Terrell Williams. My brother Devon was your partner in finding the South American treasures, he said.

Wow, you look just like Devon! I’m so glad to meet you. He told me about you on many occasions. I know you are two years younger and that you joined the navy right out of high school. He always bragged that you were stronger and beat him all the time in your family wrestling matches, joked Billy.

Billy, I want you to tell me what happened to Devon, snapped Terrell.

I don’t know what happened to him. He left our apartment in Sao Paulo and didn’t tell us where he was going. I helped him take some heavy bags to the taxi, and all he said then was he would not be back and he would no longer need his room and didn’t plan to pay any more rent, said Billy, surprised at the anger in Terrell’s voice. Terrell’s anger made Billy wonder if somehow Terrell had an idea about what had really happened to Devon.

Why didn’t you care where he was going? He helped you become rich and famous, and all you could do was help take his bags to a taxi, said Terrell with growing irritation.

Devon was changing from a treasure hunter to a man obsessed with finding a way of life with the wild indigenous people. At that time, he showed no interest in going with me to the media events that celebrated our discoveries. He had a girlfriend, Adella, who wanted to find her ancestors, and she shared his desire to live without any contact with civilization. We think he went with her to find her ancient tribal people in the Brazilian indigenous territories. But we are not sure, Billy said.

Why haven’t you tried to find out more about him? asked Terrell with increasing anger.

I don’t know where to start looking for him. He left no messages, and he never contacted me again. Devon made his intentions of dropping off the grid clear to me. I’m not going to those dangerous tribal areas where they will kill anyone from the outside who enters their compounds, said Billy.

I want to find him, and I expect you to help me, said Terrell insistently.

Terrell, I don’t know you, but I’m not going back into those jungles. I am done with that life for now. I want to kick back in the Florida Keys and search for treasure in the USA. I’m done with the incredibly tough and dangerous areas where Devon and I searched for treasure. If he went deeper into the jungle to find a primitive tribe and live with them, then I’m going to abide by his wishes. He clearly wants us to leave him alone and let him live his life, Billy said.

I don’t think you heard me right. I expect you to help me, and that is what you are going to do whether you like it or not, said Terrell with his rage building.

At that moment, the event coordinator arrived to take Billy to speak with some of the sponsors who had donated big money to fund tonight’s gala affair.

Oh, Mr. Hartwell, please come with me. I have some people over here who are dying to meet you. Just so that you know, each of them gave $10,000 to help us tonight. And if you don’t mind, please be extra nice to them, she whispered and winked.

Billy was good at mixing and mingling, and he knew the importance of event sponsors. He told a few of his well-rehearsed adventure stories, and they were pleased with the time he spent with them.

After the buffet dinner concluded, the three speakers each took twenty minutes to tell of their adventures searching in the Southwestern States for gold and silver. Their tales were interesting, but it was clear that the audience was most anxious to hear from Billy Hartwell.

Billy had made countless speeches since his discoveries, and tonight was no different. His speech was flawless. His PowerPoint presentation showed Google maps, topographical maps, and photos of rivers, lakes, lagoons, plant life, animals, and, of course, the treasures.

His overriding suggestions to achieve success were simple: endless research and preparation for long expeditions, not just weekend trips but full immersion. He pointed out his dogs, Butch and Baker, on several slides and told how much comfort he got from having them along on his expeditions. When he finished, he received a standing ovation.

He had agreed to answer some questions, and the audience responded with many questions before one asked the question he had been waiting for the most: Billy, where are you going to look next?

He knew his answer would set the treasure hunting world on fire. I have decided to search for the Lost Dutchman’s Gold Mine in the Superstition Mountains. It is among the top fifteen most valuable treasures believed to be hidden anywhere in the world, and it is right here in the U.S. I know most of you are familiar with the legend, and I feel confident that I and my team will be successful, he answered.

The crowd went wild, and there was another standing ovation, foot stomping, and hand clapping while Billy smiled from ear to ear. The event coordinator thanked him profusely and gave him an honorary membership into their local chapter.

Billy loved the attention he received at these events, and he was glowing with enjoyment when he received another tap on the shoulder.

We did not finish our conversation. You are going to help me find Devon, said Terrell aggressively.

Terrell, I must ask you to leave me alone. I’ve tried to be nice to you, but Devon made it clear that he wanted to be left alone. That is what I’m going to do. Now please stop corralling me, said Billy as he started to walk away.

It will not end like this. You are rich, but Devon did not leave any money to any of us. Not one penny. Not to his parents, not to his sister, and not to me. Did you steal his money? asked Terrell with real menace in his voice for the first time.

Hey, give me a break. Devon was my close friend for years. So don’t go accusing me of such a thing. The treasure money was sent from the government officials in both countries to each of our separate accounts. You can check that out. I never saw any of his money, and I’ve no idea what he did with it, said Billy.

You knew his girlfriend, Tiffany, didn’t you? Terrell asked.

Of course. We spent many hours together fishing and partying in Miami before we went to Brazil. I never saw her again after we moved to Sao Paulo, said Billy.

Well, her sister said she went to visit Devon in Bogota, Colombia. Devon was trying to meet with some FARC rebels to learn something about revolution. She tried to talk Tiffany out of going, but she went anyway. Her sister got one postcard, and then Tiffany disappeared too, continued Terrell.

I know nothing about what happened to Devon, but once again, I’m telling you that he changed from treasure hunter and software executive to somebody I didn’t know. I think he may have also been obsessed with addressing the gross inequality in Brazil, Billy said, hoping his lie was not obvious to Terrell.

Billy did know what happened to Devon. He had watched wild Amazonian Indians kill Devon and Tiffany on the orders of a brave female indigenous Brazilian intelligence spy. They were killed after they led a group of revolutionaries who had kidnapped Billy and tried to kill him and his treasure hunting team.

Billy had promised the Brazilian Intelligence Agency