All of this changed when Lunt and Murder decided to go there and free the beast. Now Jack-In-Irons was back and was seeking out its progeny, monsters that had inspired the folklore in Yorkshire.
Lazarus became aware that he wasn’t alone and he turned his head to see Eun standing there. The young Korean bore the same scrapes and bruises that they all did but he remained an impressively handsome man. Dressed now in a tight-fitting shirt and slacks, he looked like he should be attending college instead of risking his life as a member of Assistance Unlimited.
“Sorry to bother you, Chief, but I thought you should know that Miss Emerson is here to see you.”
“Thanks, Eun. Is she in my office?”
“Yes. Morgan got her a drink and she’s looking through today’s copy of The Sovereign Gazette.”
Lazarus put the book back on the shelf and strode past Eun, giving him a pat on the shoulder as he passed. He had barely seen Kelly since they’d returned from China. She’d been so busy handling publicity for their finds and planning a second trip to the Xian Caves that she hadn’t answered any of his calls. When he stepped into the office, he caught sight of her long legs and noticed that she was wearing a skirt and heels. Realizing that she must have just come from work, he said, “How goes the museum world?”
“Busy,” Kelly said, uncrossing her legs and standing up. She embraced Lazarus and gave him a quick peck on the cheek. “Samantha called and told me that Lunt is dead. Is it true?”
Lazarus nodded slowly. “Yes. But I have to caution you: I saw him die once before and he was resurrected.”
“Do you think that could happen again?”
“It’s not likely,” Lazarus admitted. “The first time, his body was intact. This go-around… he ended up in pieces.”
Kelly’s eyes shone with emotion and her words came out in a clipped, angry tone. “Good. I hope he suffered.”
Lazarus took a seat on his desktop, looking away with critical eyes. “You didn’t come here just to ask about Lunt, did you?”
“It was a big reason for the visit,” Kelly answered. “But not the only one. Dad told me that he got an invitation to join a secret society. There’s supposed to be a meeting in Salem, Massachusetts tomorrow night. He’s excited about it because several of his old friends are; it turns out, already in the club. The whole thing’s so secretive that he wasn’t even supposed to tell me about it.”
“You’re uncomfortable with this?”
Kelly knelt and pulled her purse out from under the chair she’d been sitting in. She retrieved a small envelope and passed it to Lazarus. “Look it over and see what you think.”
The small card inside the envelope was printed on heavy stock and was cream-colored. The black embossed letters on its surface shone in the lights:
You are invited to join a private society of like-minded individuals. We will be meet on Thursday at 7:00 pm at 115 Breaker Street in Salem, Massachusetts. Please RSVP and keep the details to you and you alone.
Lazarus stared at the quotation for a long moment before he handed the card back to Kelly. “You’re right to be concerned. That’s an invitation to join one of the outer branches of The Illuminati.”
“But why would they be interested in Daddy?”
“He’s at the top of his field and controls a major institution. He’s also the father of my former lover, which means that he may be a way of striking at me.”
“That’s what I was afraid of.” Kelly took the card back and frowned. “I know you’re probably busy with other things but could you help with this? Daddy thinks I’m being silly with my concerns and that his friends wouldn’t be involved in anything like The Illuminati.”
Pausing for a moment, Lazarus considered his options. He couldn’t turn down Kelly’s request for help but he also didn’t want to waste any time in tracking down Jack-In-Irons and Professor Murder. Not for the first time, he was glad to be part of a team: splitting up was the only way to accomplish both tasks.
“Let me speak to the rest of the group,” he said at last. “You’re right about us being involved in something already but I don’t think it will take long to handle this situation in Salem.”
“You’ll go with Daddy, then?”
“I will.” He reached out and squeezed her hand. “No harm will come to him.”
Kelly studied his face for a moment and Lazarus found his heart beginning to beat a little faster. He thought for a moment that she was going to kiss him but in the end, she simply squeezed his hand and stepped away. “Thank you. It means a lot to me.”
She left without another word and Lazarus found himself standing alone, lost in his thoughts.
The members of Assistance Unlimited were seated around the dining room table, enjoying a meal of green beans, white potatoes and steak. Leslie Chartaris, a retired lunchroom lady who now lived on the group’s payroll, had prepared it. She stopped by once a day, normally just before dinner but sometimes for lunch on the weekends. She prepared a home cooked meal for the team and they were all appropriately grateful for her time and skill.
Morgan took a sip of water and sat back in his chair. He always ate faster than the rest of the team, a lingering habit from his days in the mob. Back then, you had to eat quickly and get back to work, lest you end up with a bullet in the back of your skull. “I understand the Yorkshire connection, Chief, but why are you sending us to some Abbey?”
Lazarus cut a corner of his steak and glanced up at the oldest member of the group. “The Abbey of St. Mary has been the site of numerous Jack-In-Irons sightings over the years. And there are reports that in 1217, there were fiery figures that fell from the sky over a three-day period. I believe that’s when Jack-In-Irons’ progeny fell to Earth.”
“But no one uses the place now?”
“No. It’s a ruined Benedictine abbey in what’s now the Yorkshire Museum Gardens, to the west of York Minster. The original abbey on the site was erected in 1055 and it was re-founded in 1088. The current ruins date back the late 1200s.”
Samantha thoughtfully chewed a bite of potato and then asked, “But I’ve heard of St. Mary’s in relation to hauntings, I believe. Some sort of monk who wanders the grounds or something?”
Lazarus nodded, pleased but not completely surprised by Samantha’s breadth of knowledge. “You’re right. The ruins are supposedly the home of a spirit known locally as the Black Abbot. He’s apparently condemned to wander the area but he rarely bothers anyone. The Black Abbot is only seen at night and the sounds of coins being dropped into a metal box are frequently reported.”
“Sounds unrelated to the Jack-In-Irons,” Morgan said.
“Still something we should keep an eye out for,” Samantha countered. “Is Sporrenberg coming with us?”
Eun grunted but said nothing.
“I don’t think so. He’s anxious to return to Locust Mountain so he can disassemble Die Glocke.”
“And you trust him to do that?” Eun asked in shock. “What’s to stop him from hauling all the important bits back to Germany for his precious Fuhrer?”