Found Money - James Grippando [136]
“Sorry. If all goes well tonight, you’ll never hear another thing about this. That’s my goal, to put this behind me forever.”
“And if the shit hits the fan?”
“Then you’ll probably read about it in the newspapers.”
“Let’s hope it’s not the obituaries,” said Norm, grumbling.
“Let’s hope,” said Ryan. “You ready, Norm?”
Norm nodded reluctantly.
Ryan grabbed his ballistic jacket and started toward the door. “Let’s do it.”
64
They rode with the headlights off, invisible in the night, shrouded in a virtual tunnel of Douglas firs that lined the steep and narrow road to Cheesman Dam. Jeb’s van climbed slowly toward the summit, zigzagging up the switchbacks in the road. Scattered clouds dimmed the light from the waxing crescent moon. Clusters of bright stars filled the pockets of night sky that weren’t hidden by the clouds.
Cheesman was the oldest reservoir of Denver’s water system, some sixty miles south-southwest of the city. Built at the turn of the century, it was for many years virtually inaccessible to the public, situated in a scarcely populated government forest reserve and surrounded by mountains that soared from 9,000 to 13,000 feet. The archmasonry dam was the first of its type in the country, faced with squared granite blocks that were quarried upstream by Italian stonemasons, floated to the site on platforms, and hoisted into place with a gas-powered pulley. It linked the steep canyon walls in dramatic fashion, like a huge V-shaped fan, barely twenty-five feet across at the narrow base and nearly thirty times wider at the crest. Rising 221 feet from the streambed below, it had been the world’s highest dam at the time of construction. It was no longer the highest but was still the tightest in the entire water system.
Amy’s ears popped as the van climbed to an elevation of over 6,800 feet, the high-water mark for the reservoir. She sat quietly in the backseat with the surveillance equipment. Marilyn rode in the captain’s chair on the passenger side.
“When the moon is right,” said Jeb, “this is the most beautiful canyon you’ll ever see at night.”
Amy glanced out the window. Beyond the guardrail was a sheer granite drop. Up ahead, beyond the dam, the gentle light of the moon reflected on the dark reservoir surface, flickering like quiet glowing embers on the plain. No argument from her.
Jeb said, “Back in the old days, guys used to come here with their sweeties to watch the submarine races. If you know what I mean,” he added with a wink.
Marilyn glanced at Amy, then said, “Yeah, I know all too well what you mean.”
Jeb steered into a turnout along the side of the road. The van came to rest at about a twenty-degree angle, slightly steeper than the road grade. Jeb applied the parking brake, then turned to talk business.
“The dam is less than a five-minute walk from here, straight up the road. If we get any closer, the engine noise will surely give us away.”
“This is close enough,” said Marilyn. “I definitely don’t want them to know I came here with anyone. Especially you.”
Jeb climbed out of the seat and maneuvered to the back of the van. A radio control panel with a recorder was mounted into the wall. On the seat beside Amy rested a medium-sized trunk. Jeb opened it and removed a tangle of wires and microphones. He spoke as he sorted the equipment. “We’ll be as good as with you the whole time you’re up there, Marilyn. Your radio has two-way communication. Amy and I will be able to hear everything back here at the van as it feeds into the recorder.”
“How will you talk to me?”
“Earpiece. We’ll have to work the wire into your hair to hide it. Should work fine.”
“All right,” said Marilyn. “How about a panic button or something like that?”
“Just scream. I’ll keep the motor running. We can be there in thirty seconds.”
Marilyn checked her watch. 1:30 A.M. Thirty minutes before the designated meeting time. “Let’s get me wired,” she said. “I need to get going if I’m going to