Part 15 (1/2)

”It has its ups and downs,” said Diane. ”On the whole, it has turned out to be a good deal for us.”

From there they went to the conservation lab. Diane introduced him to Korey, who helped Diane lay out all the questionable artifacts and the doc.u.mentation.

”This item”-Diane pointed to the girdle-”turned up on NSAF as stolen from the Cairo Museum in 1957.”

Jacobs took a pair of gla.s.ses out of his pocket and looked at the piece. ”I believe you're right. They will be glad it finally turned up. I wonder where it's been.” He looked over at Diane. ”You're aware that Golden Antiquities burned and Randal Cunningham was killed.”

”I had heard. Was it the elder Cunningham or his son?” asked Diane.

”The son,” said Jacobs. ”There was never any suspicion surrounding Golden Antiquities while the old man ran things. Since he turned it over to his son . . . well, it's one of the places I watch.”

Jacobs pulled up a nearby stool and took a pair of white gloves out of his pocket and slipped them on. He looked at the pectoral and opened the doc.u.ment that was supposed to be its provenance.

”Okay, the doc.u.mentation is of a pectoral showing a vulture G.o.ddess with wings surrounded by lotus flowers. The doc.u.ments say it's lapis lazuli, gold, turquoise, carnelian, and amethyst. Very nice. The artifact we have here is Maat in a boat. You know Maat is the G.o.ddess of truth, balance, order. Hope we find some truth here, eh?” Jacobs seemed to like to talk as he worked. Diane and Korey stood by and listened.

”The stone pieces here”-he pointed to the stone bust and face-”they are Ramses II, nineteenth dynasty. The doc.u.ments are for similar items, but of Senwosret III, which would have gone nicely with your sandstone amulet with Senwosret III's name inscribed on it. You say these were at the Pearle?”

”Yes,” said Diane. ”We had hoped to purchase them directly from the Pearle, but . . .” She let the sentence trail off as he went to another item.

”The canopic jar is also from the nineteenth dynasty,” he muttered as if talking only to himself.

He got up and walked over to the sphinx, still in the crate. ”Again, the doc.u.ments say Senwosret III- this is Amenemhat III. He's of the twelfth dynasty too, however. Nice piece. All of them are.” He stood up and took off his gloves.

”Other than the Mereret girdle, I don't recognize any of the pieces as being in our database. That doesn't mean they weren't recently looted or stolen. You won't mind if I confiscate them until we can sort this out?” he said almost guiltily.

”No. They aren't ours,” said Diane. ”But we would like to have the items we ordered, if they weren't destroyed in the fire. Failing that, we would like to get our money back. We have an arrangement with our dealers that we pay a quarter of the price up front and the rest after we receive the items and they are verified. That quarter is a substantial sum for us. And”- Diane waved an arm, encompa.s.sing the artifacts-”this has damaged our reputation. We would like that back too. We didn't do this. If you would like to look at our books, I'll have Andie take you to Accounting.”

Jacobs smiled. ”Ross said you would be cooperative. He thinks very highly of you and the museum.”

Diane smiled back, grateful that Ross Kingsley had spoken to Jacobs. ”We've worked a couple of cases together,” said Diane. ”I appreciate him giving us a good reference.”

”When he's up and about he said he will get back in touch with you.”

”Up and about?” said Diane.

”You didn't know? Last night on the way home from . . . actually from here, he fell asleep at the wheel and wrecked his car.”

Chapter 25.

”Fell asleep at the wheel?” repeated Diane. ”Is he all right?”

”Fine. Banged up a little-treated at the hospital and released. He seemed rather embarra.s.sed by it. He said he'd never done anything like that before.” Agent Jacobs paused a moment. ”What?” he said as Diane stared at him.

It happened here, she thought. ”Did you and he talk about his latest case?” said Diane. ”Clymene O'Riley?” she thought. ”Did you and he talk about his latest case?” said Diane. ”Clymene O'Riley?”

”A little. Actually he wanted me to tell you something. He mentioned the name Clymene Clymene and I, in my usual pedantic mode, mentioned that in Greek mythology Clymene was a girl whose father sold her into slavery.” Jacobs stopped and pointed at Diane's face and grinned. ”Ross had the same expression.” and I, in my usual pedantic mode, mentioned that in Greek mythology Clymene was a girl whose father sold her into slavery.” Jacobs stopped and pointed at Diane's face and grinned. ”Ross had the same expression.”

”That may explain a lot about our Clymene,” said Diane. ”She can't have chosen that name by chance.”

”That's just what Ross said,” Jacobs replied.

Diane grabbed her cell. ”I need to speak with Kingsley,” she said. ”Korey can show you the way back to either my or Jonas' office. I'll catch up to you in a little bit.”

”That information must be really important,” said Jacobs.

”Both things are,” called Diane as she went out the door.

Before she was out of hearing range, she heard Korey telling Jacobs, ”It's like that here all the time.”

Diane retraced her steps to the geology section and to Mike's office and knocked.

”Doc,” said Mike when he opened the door. ”Nice surprise. What can I do for you?”

”I'd like to borrow your office for a minute,” she said.

”Sure. Come in. Shall I leave?” he asked.

”I hate to throw you out of your office, but would you mind?” Diane asked.

”No. I have some things to do in the lab. Take all the time you need.”

”Mike, thanks,” said Diane as he was leaving.

He lingered at the door a moment. ”Sure, Doc. You know you can always count on me.” He closed the door.

Diane wanted a private place to talk with Kingsley, and Mike's was the closest office. She looked up his number on her cell.

”Diane,” Kingsley said, answering. ”I'm relieved to hear your voice. I was just reading about you. Are you all right?”

”Yes, I'm fine. I haven't seen the paper; what does it say?”

”Not much, really. Something about a home invasion and an unknown a.s.sailant who might be injured or dead. What happened?” he asked.

Good ol' Garnett, thought Diane. He had a knack for totally confusing a news story. thought Diane. He had a knack for totally confusing a news story.

”A lot more than in the papers. How are you?”

”I guess Shane told you about my accident. Asleep at the wheel...I-”

”I think you may have been drugged,” interrupted Diane.

Kingsley was silent for a moment.

”Drugged?” he said. ”What do you mean? How? You mean at the museum?”

”Do you have a bruise or-I know this is going to sound a little appalling-but do you have any clothes with your blood on them from the accident?” said Diane.