It was more than the fact that these were the only things that showed what Cleopatra looked like. It was that these coins being found underwater in the sunken ruins of the ancient city of Alexandria were the first artifacts she’d ever seen that had a direct link to Cleopatra.
If the coins could be found, if these massive statues could be found, who was to say that Cleopatra’s tomb couldn’t be found?
As Dallas stood there, the hairs on the back of her neck stood up. But it had nothing to do with the exhibit. It was something else.
Dallas felt him before she saw him out of the corner of her eye.
A man was standing behind her. He was about her height but stooped, as if he was shrinking into himself. He had longish brown hair that looked like it hadn’t been washed or brushed for quite some time. His bushy eyebrows were lowered over penetrating dark eyes. He wasn’t looking at the coins. He was staring at her.
Dallas’s first impression, after unease, was that the man had a little bit of a mad scientist air about him. It could be the messy hair and wild look in his eyes.
Self-consciously, Dallas reached for her ankh necklace, but it was tucked into her T-shirt. His eyes followed her gesture. His attention made her uncomfortable and she started to move past him when he reached out and placed his hand on her arm.
She jerked away. “I don’t let strangers touch me.” Her voice was cold, strong, firm.
He followed her as she headed into the small theater that was part of the exhibit. A film on the ancient history of Alexandria was slated to start in five minutes.
He ignored her words and the angry set of her jaw and got in front of her.
“You look a little like her,” he said, his eyes scanning her face. His voice held an accent she couldn’t place.
She scoffed. “Does anyone really know what she looks like.”
As she made a move to leave, he said, “I wasn’t talking about Cleopatra.”
She froze.
“I was talking about your mother.”
Dallas’s heart leaped into her throat.
“What?”
Just then Colton appeared at her side.
“Everything okay here?” Colton asked.
The man stepped back a space.
Dallas’s mouth was dry, as if all the moisture had been sucked out of it, and she couldn’t speak for a second.
“This man says I look like my mother,” her voice was shaking.
“You do. A little,” the man cocked his head, examining her.
“Excuse me,” Colton said. “Do you know each other.”
Dallas shook her head, feeling bewildered. “I’ve never seen him before in my life.”
“What the hell is going on here?” Colton said.
Finally, Dallas regained her composure. “How did you know my mother?”
“I didn’t,” the man said.
Dallas’s eyes narrowed. “Then how do you know I look like her? Who are you? I think you have explaining to do.”
Colton crossed his arms across his chest. He gave Dallas a look that said everything. She nodded at him that it was okay.
The man’s eyes darted around wildly, not meeting her gaze.
“I’ve seen pictures of her.”
Dallas felt a wave of irritation. She was losing her patience. “Spit it out. Quit being so cryptic.”
“I worked with your father.”
Dallas raised an eyebrow. “Are you a photographer?”
“Not exactly,” he said and bit his inner lip.
“Keep talking.”
“I saw a picture of your mother once.”
Dallas noticed how he still hadn’t explained who he was.
At that moment, an announcement was made, people poured into the small theater area, the lights dimmed and the film began. When she turned back, the man had slipped away.
Colton was gone too.
Dallas pushed through the crowd to the door at the back of the small room and opened it, stepping into the light, blinking. Colton was standing there examining a headless statue.
When Colton saw her, he was frowning. “I tried to find that guy, but he disappeared. Kind of odd him showing up here and approaching you. I don’t like it.”
“It was strange, but he seemed harmless,” she said.
“Maybe,” Colton said. “Do you think he made all that up just to hit on you?”
Dallas shrugged.
“Want to go check out the jewelry and pottery?” he asked.
She nodded, but couldn’t help but feel uneasy about the man’s words and his sudden disappearance.
Later, as they were going down the stairs to the main floor to leave, Dallas felt a trickle of dread and looked around to see what might have caused it. Three stories up by the railing overlooking the stairway and main floor she saw him.
At first, she hadn’t seen him because he blended into mannequins of the mid-century fashion exhibit but then he stepped forward slightly. It was definitely the same man who had been in the theater. He backed away from the railing and was gone.
She paused. Her instinct was to go after him and ask what the hell his deal was, but by the time she went back up two stories, he’d be long gone.
Colton noticed she was no longer behind him and stopped at the foot of the stairs.
She cast one last glance upward and then went down to meet Colton.
“Want to grab a drink?” he asked.
Dallas made a face. “I wish. I have a hot date with a bunch of midterm exams that need grading.”
“Fun times.”
As she drove back to her place, Dallas thought about the man standing there watching her. It was so strange. It was almost as if he’d wanted her to see him.
Two
For a second, sitting at her desk in the front her classroom, Dallas tried to stifle her yawn, but then realized nobody was paying attention anyway.
A night spent grading papers had meant only four hours of sleep. That was about eight less than she normally needed. At least it was the last day of the term. She’d make up for her lack of sleep during the break.
All of Dallas’s students had their heads down, either on their phones, laptops or iPads. She’d given them the rest of the
