“A little like that, yes,”Kellingadmitted.
“So what happens if the seal breaks?”
“You don’t want to know,” the man replied ominously.
Brielle laughed. The man took his job too seriously at times. However, the professordidn’t find it to be a laughing matter.
“This is no joke, Brielle Van de Camp. Take extra caution with that figurine. Lock it up inside my personal vault. I’ll deal with it when I get back to the States.”
“When do you expect to be back?”
“Two weeks from next Friday.”
“Is Arnie orIrminecoming with you?”
“No. They’re staying here to see to the excavation of that one big idol we’ve yetto recover from the ruins. Because it’s taking more time than we’d expected, Arnie has to file another extension for the digs with theprovincial government.”
“I thought you already had all that paperwork taken care of,” Brielle said.
“We did,” her boss conceded. “But finding these new relics, especially that one figurine, has brought about some unexpected complications.”
“You mean theirsuperstitions have put a wrinkle in your plans.”
“Call it what you will, Brielle,” the man almost growled. “Many faiths have been built on superstitions, until actual truth either destroyed or supported those beliefs. Do I have to go back and repeat some of my previous lectures to you?”
This time she did back off slightly. The man was acting a bit stranger than usual, and for the professorof Egyptology, it was as telling as a flashing sign. The man was worried. He had been spooked, and she didn’t have to guess why. “No, sir. Don’t worry. I’ll place the statuette in your personal vault as soon as we hang up.”
She could hear his sigh of relief. “Thank you, Brie. That’s why I had it sent over first. You’re the only person I trust to keep it under wraps until I return. Well, I needto head over to the ministry to meet with MonsieurLeBec. I’ll have Arnie fax you copies of the extension so you can file them with my records. He’ll also email the topography of the dig so you can begin working on the report. Did you get the GPR reports?”
“Yes, and the photos.”
“Good. Oh, and, Brielle? Whether you believe the stories or not, treat the seal with respect.”
“I promise.”
“Thanks. Talk to you when I get back.”
The professor signed off, leaving Brielle to stare at the receiver. After a minute of thinking over what the man had told her, she hung up and called out to the woman in the next room.
“Hey, Cass? Bring me that ugly ass statuette, would you?”
