‘Not all of my interest is in ogling,’ Lourds said. ‘I’m concentrating fully – well, almost fully – on the task of surviving this debacle. That young lady presents mysteries – and perhaps dangers – of her own.’
Olympia sipped her wine and gazed at Cleena. ‘Like for whom she works?’
‘Exactly.’
‘She was working for Qayin. But that’s obviously over, isn’t it?’
‘Qayin didn’t want to see her survive their first joint venture,’ Lourds replied. ‘I don’t see a future version of that partnership in the offing.’
‘Then do you suspect she’s here on her own at this juncture?’
Lourds shook his head. ‘She’s working with someone, but I don’t think it’s who she’s working for. She’s a professional. A professional wouldn’t have an investment in this. There’s too much she doesn’t know.’
‘She’d be better off getting clear of the city. And us.’
‘I agree.’
‘Then why isn’t she?’
‘Because,’ Lourds said, ‘for whatever reason, she doesn’t have a choice. An investment is there and she’s not happy about it.’ He smiled at Olympia. ‘I really think that’s one of the reasons she doesn’t like me.’
Olympia chuckled. ‘Why, Professor Lourds, I do think that you’re upset by that.’
‘No. She’s already made it quite clear that she isn’t interested.’
Tsking with feigned sympathy, Olympia trailed her fingers through his hair. ‘Oh, you poor dear. That must have hurt deeply.’
‘I’ll live. But the question remains, what do we do with her?’
Olympia drew her hand back and raised her eyebrows in surprise. ‘You’re actually thinking of letting her accompany us?’
‘Unless I can figure out everything involved with this book, us isn’t going to be going anywhere.’
‘Nonsense. You’ll figure this out. I have faith in you. That’s why I asked you to come.’
Lourds gestured at the television hanging over the bar. Scenes from the university played again, followed by still photographs of Olympia and Lourds.
‘We’re running out of clock,’ he said.
‘Personally, I think we need to ditch her. I know the kind of woman she is. She’ll only bring you – us – trouble.’
Lourds pierced her with his gaze and he spoke in a low, friendly tone. ‘I suppose it doesn’t strike you that the same could be said about you? You brought me here and immersed me in this whole fiasco, and very nearly got me killed without giving me a choice in the matter.’
Olympia’s features softened and she looked guilty. She smoothed a stray lock of hair from Lourds’ forehead. ‘I really didn’t intend for this to happen, Thomas. I thought your part in this would already be done. I had no idea anyone else knew you were coming.’
Lourds captured her hand and tenderly kissed her palm. ‘I don’t doubt that for a moment, Olympia. And I have to admit, I find this quite exhilarating. This is the kind of work I’m meant to do.’
‘Like with the Atlantis search?’
Lourds smiled. ‘I rather hope this doesn’t turn out to be that dangerous.’
‘The fate of the world,’ she reminded him.
‘I cling to the belief the case is rather overstated. After all, nearly two thousand years have passed. Surely the stakes have been exaggerated by the passage of time.’
Olympia glanced back at the bar. ‘Either way, that young woman’s going to complicate matters if she stays around.’
At the bar, Lourds saw Cleena watching their reflections in the mirror. She was talking, but he knew she wasn’t talking to herself.
‘She stays,’ he declared.
‘That may not be your decision to make,’ Olympia replied.
Lourds waited a beat. ‘If you want me working with you, Olympia, this is how we’ll do it.’
His sudden resoluteness about the subject caused her to cock her head in surprise. ‘And if I say no?’
‘Then I’ll take what I already know and continue working on my own. I’m quite hooked on this project – as you doubtless counted on.’
‘What if I turn you over to the authorities and you get deported?’
‘Then,’ Lourds said, ‘I’ll find out if news agencies are interested in this book and the story behind it. The fate of the world, and all that.’
‘You wouldn’t.’ Olympia looked shocked and pulled her hand free of his.
‘You know me. You know I would. If I talk loudly enough long enough, especially about an artefact written by John of Patmos, the Turkish government may see fit to invite me back in and give me whatever resources I need to see this project through to completion.’
‘You’ve never been a blackmailer.’
‘With you, no. And I do hope it doesn’t come to that. But there is the matter of me getting shot at and taken captive. And all the curiosity you’ve built up without quite ever telling me everything you know.’ Lourds paused. ‘At this point, I’ll do what I have to.’
‘You can’t.’
‘Because the fate of the world depends on finding the Joy Scroll?’
Olympia didn’t answer.
‘You can’t have it both ways, love. Either this document needs to be found quickly, and I’m the right man to do the job, or neither of those things is true. Which is it?’
Obviously angry, Olympia folded her arms. ‘Bringing her along is going to be dangerous.’
‘Having her dogging our trail would be dangerous as well. For her and for us. If she’s with us, we can at least keep an eye on her, and maybe find out who she’s working for. That could prove important to know while we put the rest of this puzzle together. This isn’t just you and the people you represent, or Qayin. Someone else knows about the Joy Scroll and we need to know who that is.’ He paused to sip his beer. ‘Besides that, she’s handy with weapons in a fight.’
At the bar, Cleena paid for the drinks, then turned and came back to the table. As she sat down, she looked at Lourds and Olympia. The tension between them was palpable and showed in the woman’s tense posture. Evidently things hadn’t gone as the lady professor had planned. That pleased Cleena no end.
‘Lover’s quarrel while I was gone?’ Cleena asked.
‘Not hardly.’ Lourds accepted his new beer and surreptitiously examined the surface for any signs of foreign materials.
‘Please.’ Cleena rolled her eyes. ‘I’m not that juvenile.’
‘You have acknowledged that you’re incredibly young,’ Lourds pointed out.
‘We were discussing the possibility of you coming with us,’ Olympia stated bluntly.
‘That isn’t a possibility,’ Cleena replied. ‘That’s a fact.’
Olympia smiled sweetly, as if butter wouldn’t melt in her mouth. ‘We weren’t sure if you still wanted to go after everything that’s happened.’
Calmly, Cleena met the older woman’s gaze full measure. ‘Are you thinking about dropping out of this little treasure hunt?’
‘It’s not,’ Olympia insisted through gritted teeth, ‘a treasure hunt.’
‘Whatever.’ Cleena flicked her gaze to the book in front of Lourds. ‘But I’m betting you didn’t invite the professor over for a little slap and tickle and a wild goose chase.’
Crimson briefly coloured Olympia’s cheeks before she regained her composure. ‘What Thomas and I have between us isn’t so cavalier as you propose.’
‘Please,’ Cleena protested. ‘I’m trying to keep my drink down. What you and the professor do in the sanctity of your borrowed hotel room isn’t any business of mine.’
‘Yet you were a peeping Tom.’
She has you there, Sevki said into Cleena’s ear. Cleena’s face burned for just a moment.
‘Learn anything?’ Olympia taunted.
‘Only that wine and cheese are probably the only things that get better with age.’
Oh, that’s cold, Sevki said.
Looking both irritated and discomforted, Lourds cleared his throat. ‘Ladies, perhaps we should stick to the agenda.’