“You knew when we first talked that the tablets were not in the mine.”
“I’m afraid I did.”
“Then why did you send me on this wild quest?”
“We know where the tablets are, not where they were. The ancient writings say that a Navigator will show the way to Ophir. When we heard about the attempted theft of the Navigator statue and the discovery of the Artichoke file, we feared that someone would track down the mine and that would lead them to the tablets.”
“We, meaning the Artichoke Society.”
“That’s correct. We learned of your role in the hijacking, heard about your team’s reputation, and thought you’d be best qualified for the job.”
“You owe me an introduction to these Artichokes, Mr. Nickerson.”
“Yes, I’m afraid I do.”
He reached for a telephone. After a short conversation, Nickerson said. “How soon can you assemble your team?”
“Almost immediately. Where shall I tell them to meet?”
Nickerson smiled. “A little place called Monticello.”
LATER THAT DAY, Austin, Zavala, and the Trouts, with Angela, walked between the columns at the entrance to the Jefferson mansion. Emerson and Nickerson were waiting to greet them and ushered them over the threshold.
Emerson waited for a tour group to pass. “I apologize for being devious about this matter,” he said.
“Apology accepted,” Gamay said. “If you fill in the blanks.”
Emerson nodded. “You were close. Meriwether Lewis had come across the missing half of the mine map in his travels. He had assumed that it was for a western location. He realized his mistake, and was trying to get it to Jefferson when he was murdered by those who wished to keep the mine a secret. Zeb carried the missing piece to Monticello. With the full map in his possession, Jefferson found the mine, and the tablets. He left the map in the mine. Like Solomon, he decided the tablets were best kept out of sight, and formed an organization to ensure this was the case.”
“The Artichoke Society you said didn’t exist?” Angela said.
“As a member of the society, I’m sworn to secrecy. The original Artichokes consisted of some of the country’s founders. As they aged, they recruited new members to take their place. You might be surprised at the names of current members.”
Austin gave a shake of his head. “I’m not surprised at anything having to do with the subject,” he said. “What happened to the tablets?”
“Jefferson formed a work party that included my ancestor Zeb,” Emerson said. “They found the mine and brought the tablets back here.”
“To Monticello?” Angela said. She glanced around as if the tablets were in plain sight.
Emerson tapped the floor with his shoe. “Under our feet. Preserved in a secret room.”
There was a stunned silence, broken when Trout asked, “Do you think the world will ever be made aware of their existence?”
“That’s up to the Artichokes,” Emerson said. “Maybe future members of the society will decide the time is ripe.”
Nickerson said, “We’re always looking for new members. Anyone on your team would be welcome.”
“Thanks, but we’re away a lot,” Austin said. “But I know someone who would bring youth and intelligence to your group.”
He glanced at Angela, who had wandered off, and was staring at the floor as if she could see through it.
A smile crossed Nickerson’s face.
“Yes. Thank you for the suggestion. And for all your help. I hope it wasn’t inconvenient.”
Austin glanced around at the members of his team. “Not at all. We enjoyed ourselves, didn’t we?”
Paul Trout blinked his eyes a few times. Keeping a poker face, he said, “I can’t wait to write ‘What I Did on My Vacation.’”
Epilogue
AUSTIN HAULED IN THE MAINSHEET on his catboat, keeping the big sail tight to the wind, while Carina handled the tiller. She pointed the wide bow toward a turquoise research vessel anchored near a Chesapeake Bay island. As the sailboat came up on the vessel, she made a quick turn into the wind, and the sailboat plowed to a stop.
“Nicely done!” Austin said.
“Thanks. I owe it to my teacher.”
Anthony Saxon leaned over the rail of the NUMA vessel. He cupped his hands to his mouth. “Come aboard. We’ve got lots to show you.”
They dropped anchor and got into the catboat’s dinghy. Austin rowed them over to the turquoise vessel, a smaller version of NUMA’s giant research ships used mainly for shallow-water and coastal projects.
As they were going aboard, Zavala surfaced and climbed onto a dive platform attached to the boat. He saw Austin and Carina, slipped his scuba gear off, and came aboard to greet his friends.
“Good morning,” Zavala said. “Here to do some wreck diving?”
“Not today,” Austin said. “We came by to see what you’ve found.”
“Wonderful things,” Saxon said.
He led them to a tank where at least a dozen amphorae were submerged in water to preserve them. “We’ve done preliminary X-rays. These jars are loaded with scrolls. This is bound to be a treasure trove of information. The Phoenicians sailed all over the world. I’m hoping we’ll find charts showing where they traded and descriptions of their voyages.”
“Sounds as if we’re going to have to rewrite the history books,” Austin said.
“We’ve only scratched the surface, Kurt,” Zavala said. “The wreck is loaded with artifacts.”
Austin glanced at the water. “How’s Mrs. Hutchins taking all this commotion?” he said.
“When we told Thelma about the salvage, she admitted that Hutch might be getting waterlogged,” Zavala said. “She agreed to have his remains transported to land, where she could be closer to the old guy.”
Austin offered his congratulations all around. Then he and Carina rowed back to the catboat. As they hauled anchor and set sail, Saxon called out: “See you Saturday, Carina.”
She waved in acknowledgment, and minutes later the sailboat was gliding across the bay under the influence of a steady southwest breeze. They stopped for lunch in a quiet cove. Austin went into the cabin and came back out holding a bottle of champagne and two glasses. He poured out the bubbly, and they clinked glasses.
“I’ve got something to tell you,” Carina said.
“I gathered that from Saxon’s comment.”
“Saxon has found new clues to Sheba’s tomb in Yemen. He wants me to help him search for it. I still can’t believe I’m Sheba’s descendant, but I’d love to find her resting place. She was a remarkable woman. I said yes.”
“I’ll miss you, but it sounds like a fine adventure,” Austin said. “When will you be leaving?”
“We fly out three days from now.”
“Any suggestions how I should treat Your Royal Highness in the meantime?”
“You’ve got seventy-two hours to find out,” Carina said with an intriguing smile. “That should give you more than enough time.”
Austin set his champagne down and took her glass from her fingers. He gestured toward the cabin.
“No time like the present,” Austin said.