theft.”
I stopped pacing and turned to Peter.
“I don’t believe Jack would, or could do something like this. You know as well as I do the Egyptians micromanage the crew. I’m sure the government inspector hovered over Jack every chance he could get. There had to be at least twenty people on site from grad students to local workers. I’m surprised the Egyptians let a find like this out of the country.”
“It was in the contract they have with the university, which will be in jeopardy—”
“That’s Jack’s fault?” Heat bubbled. “Where’s the evidence that he stole the artifact?”
“Jack had the key and access to the artifact storage area.”
“That’s not evidence. I still don’t believe the heart scarab is a forgery. It looks authentic.” I picked up the photo of the heart scarab on Peter’s desk. “The inscription lines show wear and aren’t white like they’d be if it was recently inscribed.”
“I wish I were wrong, but read the report for yourself.” He slid the file to me.
I scanned Peter’s findings on the soil found on the scarab. His soil analysis didn’t match the dirt from the excavation site. Of course there could be a dozen reasons why the soils didn’t match. Maybe the sample from the field was labeled wrong or got contaminated.
“There’s no record of further testing in this report.” I slid it to Peter. “Even an undergrad knows enough to run a micromorphology test. There’s no conclusive evidence the artifact is a forgery.”
“I planned on doing the test today, but Henderson refused to give me the keys to his precious lab and then, well, he couldn’t.” He studied the photo.
“I’m sure the secretary has a spare key. Let’s go down right now. I’ll go with you.”
“Mari, I know how you’re feeling—”
“How can you possibly know how I’m feeling? It’s just not true.”
“That’s what I thought when I first learned about Susan and Henderson’s affair.” Peter’s jaw tensed.
But this was different. “Jack had nothing to do with this.” I slapped the file down. “Let’s say it’s a fake. Why would he steal it? It makes no sense. Last time we emailed Jack mentioned a big find. I had no idea how big, but he wanted Henderson to test it right away. It was the break he was hoping for in his career. Why would he steal it, have it forged, then want it tested?”
“At first, I didn’t believe it either. But I’ve been over it a hundred times. He had opportunity.”
“Do you hear yourself?” I pointed to the photo on Peter’s desk. The one of him and Jack, arm and arm after winning the eighteen-hole golf scramble tournament at the country club. “This is Jack we’re talking about. You’ve been friends for years.”
Peter squirmed in his seat and shook his head, reaching for the phone. “I’m sorry, but I have to do what’s right regardless of my history with Jack. I thought you of all people would understand.”
“No, I don’t understand. Sure, Jack is ambitious and self-centered. I knew that when I married him, but I was willing to live with it. But to ruin his reputation on conjecture and take away his future?” Take away my children’s father? I slammed my palms on his desk. “No, I won’t let you do it. Jack couldn’t have done this. And I’m going to prove it.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
5:13 p.m.
TREMORS SHOOK MY HANDS as I stomped to my office. I thought I was done caring for Jack. That I was over feeling like a helpless child. That nothing could ever hurt me again. I thought I had buried all those emotions, but the knot in my stomach held on like cancer.
Gulping in a breath, I pushed up my sleeves. I wasn’t a scared little girl anymore cowering in the corner, fearful of my father’s drunken rampage. I wasn’t powerless. I couldn’t protect my mother then, but I could help my children’s father now. I didn’t know how, but I would put aside my personal feelings and prove his innocence. For Ben and Hattie. And
I stopped pacing and turned to Peter.
“I don’t believe Jack would, or could do something like this. You know as well as I do the Egyptians micromanage the crew. I’m sure the government inspector hovered over Jack every chance he could get. There had to be at least twenty people on site from grad students to local workers. I’m surprised the Egyptians let a find like this out of the country.”
“It was in the contract they have with the university, which will be in jeopardy—”
“That’s Jack’s fault?” Heat bubbled. “Where’s the evidence that he stole the artifact?”
“Jack had the key and access to the artifact storage area.”
“That’s not evidence. I still don’t believe the heart scarab is a forgery. It looks authentic.” I picked up the photo of the heart scarab on Peter’s desk. “The inscription lines show wear and aren’t white like they’d be if it was recently inscribed.”
“I wish I were wrong, but read the report for yourself.” He slid the file to me.
I scanned Peter’s findings on the soil found on the scarab. His soil analysis didn’t match the dirt from the excavation site. Of course there could be a dozen reasons why the soils didn’t match. Maybe the sample from the field was labeled wrong or got contaminated.
“There’s no record of further testing in this report.” I slid it to Peter. “Even an undergrad knows enough to run a micromorphology test. There’s no conclusive evidence the artifact is a forgery.”
“I planned on doing the test today, but Henderson refused to give me the keys to his precious lab and then, well, he couldn’t.” He studied the photo.
“I’m sure the secretary has a spare key. Let’s go down right now. I’ll go with you.”
“Mari, I know how you’re feeling—”
“How can you possibly know how I’m feeling? It’s just not true.”
“That’s what I thought when I first learned about Susan and Henderson’s affair.” Peter’s jaw tensed.
But this was different. “Jack had nothing to do with this.” I slapped the file down. “Let’s say it’s a fake. Why would he steal it? It makes no sense. Last time we emailed Jack mentioned a big find. I had no idea how big, but he wanted Henderson to test it right away. It was the break he was hoping for in his career. Why would he steal it, have it forged, then want it tested?”
“At first, I didn’t believe it either. But I’ve been over it a hundred times. He had opportunity.”
“Do you hear yourself?” I pointed to the photo on Peter’s desk. The one of him and Jack, arm and arm after winning the eighteen-hole golf scramble tournament at the country club. “This is Jack we’re talking about. You’ve been friends for years.”
Peter squirmed in his seat and shook his head, reaching for the phone. “I’m sorry, but I have to do what’s right regardless of my history with Jack. I thought you of all people would understand.”
“No, I don’t understand. Sure, Jack is ambitious and self-centered. I knew that when I married him, but I was willing to live with it. But to ruin his reputation on conjecture and take away his future?” Take away my children’s father? I slammed my palms on his desk. “No, I won’t let you do it. Jack couldn’t have done this. And I’m going to prove it.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
5:13 p.m.
TREMORS SHOOK MY HANDS as I stomped to my office. I thought I was done caring for Jack. That I was over feeling like a helpless child. That nothing could ever hurt me again. I thought I had buried all those emotions, but the knot in my stomach held on like cancer.
Gulping in a breath, I pushed up my sleeves. I wasn’t a scared little girl anymore cowering in the corner, fearful of my father’s drunken rampage. I wasn’t powerless. I couldn’t protect my mother then, but I could help my children’s father now. I didn’t know how, but I would put aside my personal feelings and prove his innocence. For Ben and Hattie. And
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