seventeen… something. I don’t remember. They disappeared in 1908. After they were stolen, the papers started calling them the Irish Crown Jewels.”
“Jesus.” Kelly gaped at Nick. “Is there any obscure piece of history that you don’t know off the top of your head? Seriously!”
“Actually, it was 1907,” Julian said. “But I had to look up the information, so I’m impressed with your knowledge, Detective.”
Nick rolled his fingers through the air. “Get to the important part.”
“The order was created in 1783. You’ll notice the proximity to the end of your country’s Revolution.”
Nick closed his eyes and nodded impatiently. He was still waiting for any of this to connect to anything they’d found.
“The jewels, however, were not made until 1831 to replace the original rather plain ones worn by the Order.”
“How about you skip to the end, huh?” Nick demanded.
Julian glared for a moment, then he shook himself and nodded. “Fine. There is a theory that the payroll supposedly stolen from the Continentals at the beginning of the American Revolution was actually not a payroll at all, but rather a small trove of Masonic belongings, including one golden cross.”
“Masons,” Nick said, gritting his teeth. “You’re coming at us with Masons?”
“No.”
“Wait, what does this cross have to do with the Irish family jewels?” Kelly asked.
“
Crown
jewels,” Nick grunted.
“If you would let me finish before you get your knickers in a twist, this would be easier.”
Nick held up both hands and sat with a huff, gesturing for Julian to go on.
“The Masons were actually an offshoot of a much older society called the Rosicrucians,” Julian continued. Nick felt Kelly’s eyes on him, and he glanced at his lover questioningly. Julian continued, oblivious to their silent communication. “They inspired the Masonic Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross. It’s part of the Scottish Rites, extremely secretive stuff. Many believe there was an
actual
golden and rosy cross created by the Rosicrucians in the early part of the seventeenth century that was handed down into Masonic hands.”
“And people believe it was part of the Continental treasure?” Nick asked.
“Some, yes.”
“What’s so important about this cross?” Kelly asked. “Besides being really old?”
“It was quite large, purported to have been wrapped in hundreds of layers of gold foil, and encrusted in rare pink diamonds. It would literally be priceless.”
Nick found himself nodding. He could understand even the rumor of a treasure like that inspiring a certain type of individual. “Okay. I follow. But what does that have to do with the Irish Crown Jewels? Why are they after those instead of this cross?”
“The main piece in the Irish collection was the Diamond Star of the Grand Master,” Julian said. He laid his paper out and pointed to one of the pieces. “Four square inches of pure white diamond, with a ruby cross and an emerald trefoil in the forefront. Itself worth millions in today’s market, but nothing compared to the value of the golden and rosy cross, if it exists.”
“Right. But the Irish Crown Jewels were stolen a hundred years ago, and the Continental treasure and this pink cross disappeared over a hundred years before that. So I say again, where’s the connection?” Nick asked.
Julian tapped the photo of the Irish Crown Jewels. “This is a map.”
“The brooch?” Kelly asked.
“Star. Technically.”
“Yeah, well I say ‘star’ and it gets all confusing.”
Julian scoffed. “Are you trying to say you’re not confused already?”
“This is a map to the missing Continental treasure?” Nick asked, tapping the grainy picture.
“I mean are we talking about the Big Dipper or are we talking about jewelry?” Kelly asked. “It’s a fucking brooch.”
“Your entire Recon team must be insufferable,” Julian muttered to Nick.
Nick just nodded. “Okay, so the star thingy is a
“Jesus.” Kelly gaped at Nick. “Is there any obscure piece of history that you don’t know off the top of your head? Seriously!”
“Actually, it was 1907,” Julian said. “But I had to look up the information, so I’m impressed with your knowledge, Detective.”
Nick rolled his fingers through the air. “Get to the important part.”
“The order was created in 1783. You’ll notice the proximity to the end of your country’s Revolution.”
Nick closed his eyes and nodded impatiently. He was still waiting for any of this to connect to anything they’d found.
“The jewels, however, were not made until 1831 to replace the original rather plain ones worn by the Order.”
“How about you skip to the end, huh?” Nick demanded.
Julian glared for a moment, then he shook himself and nodded. “Fine. There is a theory that the payroll supposedly stolen from the Continentals at the beginning of the American Revolution was actually not a payroll at all, but rather a small trove of Masonic belongings, including one golden cross.”
“Masons,” Nick said, gritting his teeth. “You’re coming at us with Masons?”
“No.”
“Wait, what does this cross have to do with the Irish family jewels?” Kelly asked.
“
Crown
jewels,” Nick grunted.
“If you would let me finish before you get your knickers in a twist, this would be easier.”
Nick held up both hands and sat with a huff, gesturing for Julian to go on.
“The Masons were actually an offshoot of a much older society called the Rosicrucians,” Julian continued. Nick felt Kelly’s eyes on him, and he glanced at his lover questioningly. Julian continued, oblivious to their silent communication. “They inspired the Masonic Order of the Golden and Rosy Cross. It’s part of the Scottish Rites, extremely secretive stuff. Many believe there was an
actual
golden and rosy cross created by the Rosicrucians in the early part of the seventeenth century that was handed down into Masonic hands.”
“And people believe it was part of the Continental treasure?” Nick asked.
“Some, yes.”
“What’s so important about this cross?” Kelly asked. “Besides being really old?”
“It was quite large, purported to have been wrapped in hundreds of layers of gold foil, and encrusted in rare pink diamonds. It would literally be priceless.”
Nick found himself nodding. He could understand even the rumor of a treasure like that inspiring a certain type of individual. “Okay. I follow. But what does that have to do with the Irish Crown Jewels? Why are they after those instead of this cross?”
“The main piece in the Irish collection was the Diamond Star of the Grand Master,” Julian said. He laid his paper out and pointed to one of the pieces. “Four square inches of pure white diamond, with a ruby cross and an emerald trefoil in the forefront. Itself worth millions in today’s market, but nothing compared to the value of the golden and rosy cross, if it exists.”
“Right. But the Irish Crown Jewels were stolen a hundred years ago, and the Continental treasure and this pink cross disappeared over a hundred years before that. So I say again, where’s the connection?” Nick asked.
Julian tapped the photo of the Irish Crown Jewels. “This is a map.”
“The brooch?” Kelly asked.
“Star. Technically.”
“Yeah, well I say ‘star’ and it gets all confusing.”
Julian scoffed. “Are you trying to say you’re not confused already?”
“This is a map to the missing Continental treasure?” Nick asked, tapping the grainy picture.
“I mean are we talking about the Big Dipper or are we talking about jewelry?” Kelly asked. “It’s a fucking brooch.”
“Your entire Recon team must be insufferable,” Julian muttered to Nick.
Nick just nodded. “Okay, so the star thingy is a
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