“No...” the old man hesitated. “It seems unlikely she’ll be moved again during the next few months. We have more urgent business at hand.”
The change of direction took the cowboy by surprise. “Sir?”
“You need to prepare for a trip overseas.”
“So your boy’s ready to hit the road, is he?” Leroy assumed that Somebody would be interested in that bit of news as well. No doubt, the word would trickle down to Miss Cassie and Company that it was time for them to saddle up too.
“How quickly can you get back here?”
“I maybe could catch a plane early tomorrow. This airport don’t have but one flight a day that’ll get me back to Chicago.”
“Very well. Plan on leaving for India in two days. I’ll send a courier to your apartment with your instructions.”
“OK, boss. I’ll be ready.”
The line went dead.
Leroy realized he would have to hustle if he was going to fly back in time to make his travel connections. He almost welcomed the distraction of the relic hunt since his alternative was spending days in front of a computer trying to crack one shell corporation after another. The fact that he would jump at the chance to take an overseas trip with hangdog Daniel proved one thing. He’d go to any length to avoid paperwork.
Chapter 37—Doubleheader
Cassie yawned and rubbed her eyes. She raised the shade covering her airplane window and gazed out at the landscape below. They appeared to be flying over a wide valley now. “Kathmandu,” she murmured.
“What was that?” Griffin glanced up from the book he’d been reading.
“Kathmandu. I never get tired of saying it. I love the sound of that word.”
The scrivener peered at her. “We aren’t going to have an unfortunate repeat of the Psychro Cave episode, are we? As I recall, it took six months to dislodge that word from your head.”
“It could be eight months this time,” she replied impishly. “I’m getting really attached to it—Kathmandu.” She glanced out the window at the plateau of the same name. “And speaking of Kathmandu, I think it’s directly below us. We should be landing pretty soon.”
“Right then.” Griffin locked his tray table and stowed his book. “Our contacts will be meeting us at the terminal exit.”
“This all feels weird to me.” Cassie turned toward him earnestly. “Doesn’t it feel weird to you?”
“Any change in routine is bound to cause a feeling of disorientation,” he agreed cautiously.
“It was always the three of us. Like a waltz. One, two, three. One, two, three. And now the timing is off. It’s one, two, stumble. One, two, trip. One, two, crash.” She gave him a bleak smile.
He patted her arm consolingly. “Never fear. It will get better. We’re bound to establish a new cadence with Erik’s replacements.”
She sighed dubiously and leaned back. “I hope he’s alright.”
“I’m sure he’s fine though I don’t expect he’s sparing a thought for your welfare.” His voice held the slightest note of sarcasm.
“Why are guys so weird when they fall in love?”
“I beg your pardon.” Griffin stared at her sideways.
She swiveled around to face him. “Why is it when a girl falls in love, she acts like she just won the lottery? When a guy falls in love, he acts like he just slipped in a pile of cow manure.”
Griffin chuckled at her observation. “I say, that’s rather hard on us fellows, don’t you think? Not all men treat love as something to be avoided. Certainly, a man of Erik’s temperament might react as you’ve described. But I can assure you that if I were in love with someone who returned my affection, I would give an excellent impression of a bloke who’d just won a sweepstakes prize.”
“I take it you don’t buy the theory that all guys are alike?” Cassie’s tone was skeptical.
“Most assuredly not!” Griffin protested.
“That’s good to know. There might be hope for your kind after all.” She sank back in her seat and switched her attention to the scenery.
“Do you love him?” The scrivener’s question was barely audible.
“What?”
“You said when a girl falls in love. I assume you meant yourself. Forgive me for asking such a personal question but are you in love with Erik?”
“That’s a tough one.” Cassie folded her arms and paused to consider. “Right after he left, I convinced myself I was in love with him. You’d think I would be, right? I mean, he’s got the hair and the eyes and the muscles and...” She gave a dreamy smile. “He’s the total package. But—”
“But?” Griffin rejoined alertly.
“But if you’re asking me if he’s The One, I honestly don’t know. Now that I’ve gotten a little perspective on the situation, there’s something...” She scowled, searching to pinpoint the source of her reservation. “It’s just that... Well, he’s sort of...” She shrugged helplessly. “The truth is that I don’t know how I feel about him.”
Griffin seemed to brighten at her reply. “I didn’t mean to put you on the spot. There’s no need to rush to a hasty conclusion.” He settled back and lapsed into silence.
Cassie studied the gently rolling hills which seemed to be rushing upward to meet the airplane. “It’s so green here,” she remarked in amazement. “We’re in the Himalayas. I expected snow. Lots of snow.”
“Kathmandu is located in a valley surrounded and protected by mountains. Consequently, the climate is much more temperate than one might expect. It doesn’t snow in the valley at all, except every half century or so.”
At that moment, the captain came on speaker to announce their final descent and to inform the passengers that the local temperature was a balmy eighty degrees.
Cassie gave a short laugh. “We’re up in the highest mountain range in the world, and the weather in Kathmandu is still better than Chicago.”
“Apparently,” Griffin agreed.
“So, Erik was lying about snow in October around these parts?”
“Not precisely though I am convinced he did exaggerate the risk. Kathmandu is only a mile above sea level. Mount
