“Because you two argue like a couple that’s been together forever. Nobody will look at you twice.”
“Chicks always look at me twice, sometimes more,” Bones said.
“I don’t know why karma has it in for me.” Kasey sighed and took his hand. “Come on, you big ape. If we’re going to do this, let’s do it right.”
“You know something? You and my sister would get along.”
“You have a sister?” Kasey winced. “Give me her address. I want to send her a sympathy card.”
The interior of the museum provided an odd juxtaposition of modern architecture and displays of artifacts from primitive cultures. Sinuous, shoulder-high partition walls snaked across the floor, and many of the exhibits were encased in glass on all sides, giving visitors an oddly distorted view of people and objects in the distance.
“Pretty creepy.” Bones looked around at the primitive displays. “I didn’t expect such funky stuff in a snooty place like Paris.”
“Their subject matter is interesting. That’s for sure.” Kasey paused to inspect a sculpture of a Maya warrior. “This guy is imposing.”
“Looks a lot like my grandmother, except she had a beard.”
“Let’s just find the crystal skull.” Kasey sighed and resumed walking. They wandered through the exhibits, feigning interest in the items on display. They moved a little slower than Bones would have liked, but they didn’t want to draw attention to themselves.
They reach the crystal skull display and stopped short.
“Lovely. Can’t say I’m surprised.” Kasey shook her head.
The pedestal where the skull normally stood was now bare, save for a sign reading, in French and in English, THIS EXHIBIT IS TEMPORARILY OFF DISPLAY. Kasey pressed a finger to her ear and spoke softly. “Greg, are you there?”
“I’m here. What have you got?” Greg sounded as if he were standing right next to them. Kasey told him about the skull. “Okay. I’m working on getting into their server right now. You two wander around and keep your eyes open. Be ready to move when I give the word.”
“I don’t know about all this cloak and dagger stuff,” Bones said. “Normally, I’d just look around for a sign that reads Do Not Enter, and walk on through.”
“It might come to that, but let’s see what Greg can learn before you go blundering into a bad situation.”
“We’re in a museum, and one full of Frenchmen at that. How bad a situation could we possibly get into? I guess they could throw wine and cheese at us.”
“You know, the more time I spend with you, the better I understand why Tam calls you a dummy.” Though she stood a foot shorter than he, Kasey somehow managed to look down her nose at him. “Have you forgotten who else wants the skull?”
“Oh yeah.” Bones scratched his head. “I actually had kind of forgotten. The company of a beautiful woman does that to me.”
Just then, Greg’s voice sounded in his ear. “Could you two turn off your mics when you start in on each other? You’re giving me a headache.” Kasey shot a dirty glance his way and Bones shrugged. “You guys need to make your way to the southwest corner of the museum. When you get there, look for a door with a sign that reads Do Not Enter.”
“See? Told you.”
Kasey pointedly ignored his gloating smile. Despite his longer legs, he was forced to quicken his pace in order to keep up with her as she strode through the museum, not slowing down until they reached the corner of the museum. She paused in front of a display of primitive musical instruments, turned, and jabbed a finger against his chest.
“I want you to follow my lead when we get in there. You understand?”
“Yeah, but I have to warn you, I’m only good at following orders up to a point. Sometimes instinct kicks in and then…” He made a wry face.
She exhaled, long and slow. “Well, do the best you can.” As she walked away, he heard her mutter something about Tam and choosing her own partners from now on.
Bones grinned and followed along behind her. Keeping an eye on the few visitors wandering the exhibit, they slipped around a display and out of sight. Kasey took one last look to make sure no one was watching, gave him a warning frown, opened the door, and stepped through. Give her time, he thought. Sooner or later, she’d come to appreciate him.
Chapter 12
The waters of Guanahacabibes off of the western tip of Cuba sparkled in the morning sun. Dane sucked in a deep breath of the damp, salty sea air and smiled. Being out on the water felt like a reunion with an old friend. He never tired of it.
"So, this is supposed to be a sunken Atlantean city? I've never heard of it."
Sofia leaned against the rail and looked out over the water, her brown eyes glassy. She perked up at the sound of his voice.
"No one has really taken the theory seriously. About ten years ago, a research crew made sonar scans of the area, revealing what looked like roads, walls, buildings, even pyramids. Another researcher used remotely-operated video equipment to collect footage of the site, but all she got were some poor quality images of stone blocks and some formations that might be man-made structures. When she couldn't produce more definitive proof, skeptics concluded there was nothing to get excited about. The mild interest the discovery stirred quickly died down, and now the place is all but forgotten.
"The so-called experts don't like theories and discoveries that run contrary to their beliefs. Most of them have a lot more in common with religious fundamentalists than they'd like to admit."
Sofia raised her eyebrows and cocked her head. "You surprise me. You don't find many people who think that way. Except, of course, on the internet forums where the loonies congregate."
"Bones' second home." Dane grinned. "I've seen some things over the past few years that have opened my eyes. I'm still a skeptic at heart, but I no longer dismiss theories out of hand just because they seem unlikely. There’s more to this world than the average person would ever suspect."
Sofia nodded. "That's one of the reasons I haven't shared my findings from the dig site. All I have are photos and the codex, and the scientific community would point out that either could be fakes. When it's safe, and if the Spanish government will let me, I'll go back some day and re-excavate. Hell, I might live-stream the dig so everyone will know it's real." She spoke the last sentence with bitterness in her voice.
"You don't think the government would let you come back?"
"Who knows? I tried for months to get a dig permit and they stonewalled me. It took Bishop Hadel, or Mister Bishop as I knew him, getting involved to make it happen. When he killed my crew, he had a police officer with him. Somebody he bought off, I expect. Clearly, he's got connections at more than one level of government." She looked down at the blue-green water rushing by, and her eyes fell. "Governments can be weird, in any case. Look at how much trouble people have researching Noah's Ark."
"That's one I have trouble buying into. I have enough trouble spending a few days cooped on a boat with Bones. Add a wife, kids, daughters in-law, and a ton of animals to the mix? No way.”
"Don't be so sure." She nudged him with her elbow and smiled. "What did you just tell me about dismissing the improbable?"
"I'm not dismissing it. I'm just skeptical."
"Fair enough." Sofia's voice took on a tone of forced casualness. "Speaking of improbable, how is a handsome guy like you still single? No wedding band, no tan line where a ring should be. What's your deal?"
"I was married a long time ago, but she died." He left it at that. Melissa's death no longer haunted him, but he'd never feel comfortable talking about it.