“Apparently she and her boyfriend had gone missing from an archaeological team staying at Tell Afar. This was in April. A sandstorm hit the area, a big one apparently. After the storm cleared they searched for them. They found Hanna first, bound to a post. It was so brutal. She’d been stoned. One of the team members was quoted as saying her face was no longer recognizable.”
I felt sick listening to this. “Lord, that’s terrible. Did they catch who did it?”
“Her boyfriend’s body was recovered too, not much farther away. He’s suspected. His knee was damaged but they assumed he killed her and then got caught in the storm. Apparently they’d been fighting about something back at the camp.”
“Are you still there?”
“Yes. Just thinking.”
“John, I don’t want to pry into your business but this is really horrific stuff. Are you all right?”
“I’m being careful.”
“I hope so. I’ve dug out some other information too. It’s not much but maybe it will help. That woman—Eris Haines. Her real name is Eris Hansen and she wasn’t fired. She was a specialist in trans-humanism and left the DOD in good standing.”
“Trans-humanism. What does that mean?”
“Technologies to enhance the physical or mental abilities of humans. Think the bionic man or woman.”
Haines had said she’d attended MIT, so that fit. “Corinne, thanks for all this. You’ve really helped.”
“Not a problem. Keep in touch. Don’t be a stranger, okay?” “You’ve got my promise.”
After I hung up I thought about the trans-humanism angle and wondered whether it had anything to do with the motherlode Nahum’s engraving led to. I’d assumed transmutation meant converting base metals into gold, since that was the most common application of the word. But it could refer to any form of change, even evolution. When I’d researched the word I’d learned that Darwin had initially been called a transmutationist. Hal’s play on words: from human flesh to a diamond. From the human animal to an entirely new form of being. Was this the supernatural element Tomas had hinted at? These questions led nowhere and left me as much in the dark as ever.
I had to make it back to Sheridan Square, the last place I’d seen a ring. Before I left the library I checked my email, hoping to hear from Tomas. There was nothing from him, but my lawyer had responded:
John,
First off, what happened with Reznick? I set you up with one of the best criminal lawyers in town and you didn’t bother to show up for your appointment. Reznick is totally po’d and I’m not too happy either. As far as the condo’s concerned, a New York firm acted for the purchaser so I got in touch. The sale has been executed and is final. Nothing can be done on that end. I explained your situation and they’re willing to let you stay until August 26th. Under the circumstances, this is generous. All your possessions have to be cleared out by then or they’ll be forfeited. That’s the best I could get out of them. I’ll send you a confirmation letter along with my invoice.
My last shred of hope died like a rained-out fire. I could scare up some money by selling off Samuel’s collection, something I hated to even think about. Otherwise, I was bankrupt, hunted, and completely alone.
Part Two
THE SECRET OF NAHUM
Upon the eleventh day,
When Lucifer had dimmed the lofty multitude of stars,
[The King] and Selenius went from there,
Joyful together to the Lydian lands.
There [the King] put Silenius carefully,
Under the care of his beloved foster-child,
Young Bacchus, he with great delight,
Because he had his foster father once again,
Allowed [the King] to choose his own reward.
—OVID,
XI:85–146
Twenty-five
Andy’s note made my next call ten times harder. The situation was out of control and I could no longer cope on my own. I would have to tell the police about Laurel, but I needed someone with me they’d believe. I dialed his private line and he answered right away.
“Reznick here.”
“It’s John Madison calling.”
“Well. You’re only a day late. There’s a long line of people wanting my help, Madison. I’d bumped you up strictly as a favor to Andy.”
“Look, I really apologize for missing our appointment. A friend of mine is in serious trouble. She’s—”
“Legal trouble?”
“In a way.”
“If she wants an appointment I hope she has better manners than you.”
“It hasn’t actually reached the legal stage yet. She’s been threatened and now she’s missing.”
“Don’t tell me you want to go to the police on her behalf?” “Yes, that’s what I was thinking.”
“Ever been in the Tombs?”
“No.”
“You soon may be and I’ll tell you, they’ll eat you for break fast in there. I warned you last time we talked not to contact the police voluntarily for any reason, and that was before I got the new information.”
An alarm went off in my brain. “What new information?”
“A warrant will soon be out for your arrest.”
“Why?” I could feel my heart sinking.
“Apparently a neighbor of Hal Vanderlin’s found some drug paraphernalia thrown over his fence. A silver spoon. The police have it. It has traces of heroin on it and your fingerprints.”
He took my silence for an admission of guilt. “I’m willing to offer you another chance. Come into my office to give me a full statement and I’ll accompany you to the station. You’ll be charged and probably have to spend a day or so in the lockup, but I’ll get you—”
“I can’t do that. You don’t know the whole—”
“Then I’m not able help you anymore, Mr. Madison. Goodbye.” I felt like I was caught in the middle of eight lanes of expressway traffic. All my potential moves had just been cut off. Every cop I passed by now would be a threat. Once I had the engraving, I’d have to find some way to negotiate with Eris and her crew entirely on my own.
Gip greeted me when I entered the lobby of Laurel’s building. “Good morning, John. Nice to see the weather’s cleared up. You’re here for Laurel, I assume. Is she okay? I understand she took ill last night.”
“Turned out to be just a bad migraine. She’s fine now but not at home. She’s meeting with Hal’s lawyers and needs a document she forgot, so I’ve come to get it for her. Is that okay with you?”
Concern darkened his expression. “I hate to tell you, but the board is strict about these things. She should have called me to authorize it. Can you get hold of her now?”
