At the moment, she wasnt feeling especially thrilled. Or gratified. She wished she was back at the Tar Pits.
And you want me to go out there now? Kat asked. She didnt add alone.
Logan glanced at his watch.
Yes. It could be nothing. He shrugged. And it could be something. But were talking about a dead body, and the autopsy is probably being performed as we speak.
Chicago is a big city, and Im sure they have a fine staff of medical examiners and pathologists, Kat said.
Im sure they do, too. But before too much time goes by, I want you in on it. Even the best people in their fields can miss little signs and clues, especially when theyre convinced by the circumstances that theyre looking at an accidental death.
Everyone on the Krewe had his or her technical or real world specialty.
Hers was forensic pathology.
Amun Mopat, Kat said again. In Chicago.
Logan leaned forward. As I said, this could be nothingnothing at all. Thats why I need you there first. Sean is still out in Hawaii, but hes been alerted, he said, referring to another of their team members, Sean Cameron, who had been most heavily involved in the recent occurrences. And we still have a few loose ends herethe last of the legal documents, another depositionso Im keeping Kelsey, Jane and Tyler with me. If its a tragic but simple case of drowning, therell be no need for the whole team. In that case, well meet back at headquarters. But if its something else
Kat nodded dully. There was a dead body. She was a medical examiner. The dead body, of course, wasnt an ancient Egyptian priest. It was a historian and diver.
Who had died. Searching for a sunken ship in Lake Michigan.
I dreamed I was on a ship last night, she told Logan.
Really?
And the passengers were talking about a curse.
His expression was serious. Maybe youll be able to use that, he said.
She smiled. Maybe it was to warn me I was about to head offto Chicago. And a sunken ship. And a curse.
I think in our line of work, he said, eyebrows raised, weve learned that curses are pretty much things people invent when they want to do something evil for their own gain. And you may only be there a few hours. Who knows? The situation might just be that this diver went overboard in his excitement when he should have waited for the other researchers. The entire discovery was supposed to be filmed. But, like I said, he didnt wait. His excitement might have led to carelessness, which is probably what happened. And theres always competition to salvage the treasure on a sunken trip. But because weve been helped by the documentary crew in question, I feel its important that we help out in return.
Whos doing the documentary? Kat asked.
Alan King. We barely saw him when we were in San Antonio, but he had a bad time with the documentary there, especially losing his star. Apparently the Chicago Ancient History Preservation Centerwhere our dead man workedis struggling like the rest of the world. They need funding. He studied his papers. One of the staff, Dr. Amanda Channel, sent out queries to various film people and hit upon some friends of oursyou remember Bernie Firestone, right?
Of course, Kat said.
Yes, well, hes frequently hired by Alan King, who can make films whenever he wants because he has billionsno, he didnt make his billions in film. Hes able to do documentary films because he does have billions. Bernie approached Alan, who loved the idea, and there you have it.
Sean should be available soon, Kat murmured. Hes worked with them before.
If hes needed, hell be there. Rememberwe dont know if this is anything at all. Anyway, if you do end up staying, youve at least met Alan and you know Bernie and his cameraman, Earl Candy. Right now, youll take a look at the deceased, read the autopsy report, talk with a few peopleand, if theres nothing, well all meet back in Virginia. Requests for our expertise are already piling up back at headquarters. Logan paused. But like I said, I feel were in debt on this one. Theres also the fate of a historical institute on the line, not to mention an incredible discovery.
I still say
That its ironic? Logan asked. I thought that, too, but then, not so much. Not really. When the original Sam Stone was filmed in the early forties, the sinking of the ship in Lake Michigan had occurred half a century earlier. A writer, one who was fascinated by Egyptology, would readily have seized upon a real priest for his story. I looked into it and found out that the original screenplay was by a man named Harold Conwaywho was born in Chicago. He grew up going to the Field Museum and hearing stories about the Jerry McGuen. The priests actual mummy, with the inner and outer sarcophagi, as well as other treasures, went down with the ship. So our screenwriter would definitely have known about Amun Mopat, and he was obviously interested enough in the historical character to use him in a movie.
Great, Kat muttered.
Hey, it could be an M.E.s dream, he said.
A mummy? An anthropologists dream, not mine, she retorted. Butall right, so Im to examine the body and try to discern if he died by natural means, or
She let her voice trail off.
They dealt with the unknown, the world that lay beyond the veil. Their sixth sense.
But Logan had a point. In her experience, and in that of the others, theyd never come across a ghost or a curse that killed.
It was human beings who killed other human beings.
Theyre not expecting to find much left of the people who went down with the ship, Logan was saying. According to the records, there were no survivors, and no bodies rose to the surfaceor none that were found or recognized. But Ive read that time would have destroyed even their skeletons by now. Is that true?
Kat nodded. Unless someone was caught in a sealed area, its unlikely that thered be any remains. Time and sea creatures take their toll. They may find skeletal remnants, but only once theyre into the bowels of the ship.
So, it really is one big watery grave.
It does seem respectful to salvage what might be important to history and the living, and then let the ship itself stay where it sank, a memorial to those who were lost.
I believe thats the eventual plan. Logan flipped a page in the file that lay before him on the table. You wont be alone, he told her, grinning as if hed read her mind. She wasnt afraid of being alone, nor was she unaccustomed to the strange and unusual.
Oh?
A member of the original Krewe is out there now. He happened to be visiting an old buddy in Chicago when this came down. Youll meet up with him. His name is Will Chan. Hell stop by to see Alan, Bernie and Earl this afternoon, and he has an appointment with the people at the Preservation Center bright and early tomorrow morning. Hell meet you at the morgue at 10:00 a.m.
Okay, but do I need to reach him first?
No. Head straight to the morgue. Wills going to catch up with you there. Logan handed her the folder. His contact information is in here. Between the two of you, well have a good sense of whats going on, be it too much enthusiasm by a diving historianor a predator with an enthusiasm for murder. Oh, and Alan King has hired private security to guard the dive site.
Okay, but do I need to reach him first?
No. Head straight to the morgue. Wills going to catch up with you there. Logan handed her the folder. His contact information is in here. Between the two of you, well have a good sense of whats going on, be it too much enthusiasm by a diving historianor a predator with an enthusiasm for murder. Oh, and Alan King has hired private security to guard the dive site.
You can guard a dive site?
I thought you were a diver?
Yes, but I dive because I love it, not because Im looking for lost treasures. Kat offered him a wry smile. Ive seen salvage from the Titanic and the Atocha in museums. I never went looking for them. And I usually dive in nice warm water in the Caribbean or the Gulf.
Salvage rights are complicated. Federal law says that all wrecks belong to the state that claims the waters. Depending on whats found, ownership of artifacts and the wreck itself may wind up in court for years. But the Preservation Center did file papers for the right to dive and work on the wreck. However, its not the legal aspect that people worry about as much as the black market.
Other divers stripping the site and selling salvage illegally? Kat asked.
You cant begin to imagine what can be bought and sold on the black market.
Stillits got to be tricky, raiding a dive site.
Yes, but its been done. Hence, the security.
I guess so.
You have gone diving in cold water, right? he asked next.
Well, yes.
Make sure you pack a good dive suit. I understand the water temperature ranges between fifty and sixty at this time of year, and I believe thats kind of cold when youre down there.
Ive never been in Lake Michigan. Kat frowned. And Ive never been involved with the discovery of a wreck.
See, youre all excited now.
Excited. WellIm not sure thats the best word to describe how Im feeling, not after we nearly lost Madison Darvil to Amun Mopator his look-alike!
We knew that Amun Mopat wasnt the killer. And we know that mummy isnt swimming around planning to kill anyone who discovers the ship.
We dont know that anyone is killing people at all yet, Kat said. Weve probably been asked in because Alan King is feeling a little worriedsince his luck with documentaries hasnt been so good lately.
Logan looked up at the skylight. Then he looked back at her. No, we wont know anything until you examine the body and get more information. Since Alan has hired private security near the site, hopefully no one else will be exploring the area and ending up dead while the situation is investigated. Youre booked on a 5:40 p.m. flight out of Burbank. You should be in a nice cozy room by midnight, and then tomorrow Ill be waiting to hear what you have to say.
What if I cant find the answer in the autopsy? Kat asked him. Or in anything else were able to examine?
Then well join youand figure out where the answer does lie.
Kat nodded and sipped her coffee. The sun seemed to come out again and stream through the skylight overhead.
You have information on the ship, the sinking, the discovery of the tomball kinds of stuffin the folder, Logan said. Along with info on all the principle players working on the discovery and preservation of Egyptian antiquities.
Anything else?
He grinned. Be glad its not the dead of winter?
* * *
There was no keeping down a true scholar.
Will Chan hadnt come for a lesson in Egyptology, but it seemed to be part of the interview.
Senior researcher Jon Hunt grew animated as he spoke, saying, Amun Mopat lived and died during the reign of RamsesRamses II, the most powerful ruler of the New Kingdom and the nineteenth dynasty and perhaps the most powerful of all the great pharaohs or god-kings of Egypt. Ramses ruled from 1279 BC to 1213 BC, and it appears that Mopat, reputed to be a shady character, was born in the same year and the same month, which seemed to be a great oracle to people at the time. Ramses was first drawn to him, believing in the power of sorcery. Amun Mopat lived a life of luxury, respected and consulted on most important matters of state. Ramses, youll remember, was a warrior king. Hes the one with Moses in all the moviesthe villain, you know.
Except, Amanda Channelalso a senior researcherinterjected, historians have argued constantly over the true factual dates of the time of Moses. And whether or not he eventually expelled the Hebrews from Egypt, Ramses II was a builder and a soldier and a peacekeeper. In short, a remarkable ruler. Living in a world with a totally different belief system, of course. Must have been nice to be a god, huh?
Will sat in a conference room at the offices of the Chicago Ancient History Preservation Center as he spoke withor, more accurately, listened toJon Hunt and Amanda Channel. Both of them were trying to explain everything at once, or so it seemed. More than three thousand years of ancient Egyptian history, Brady Lauries tragic death and the story behind the Jerry McGuen.
Apparently neither of them needed to take a breath very often. And they switched from Egyptian history to Brady and then to the Jerry McGuen with record speed.
But then, Egyptian history, Brady and the ship were now joined for all eternity.
Brady loved anything that had to do with ancient Egypt, Jon said. He could rattle off every pharaoh in every dynasty in the Old Kingdom, the Middle Kingdom and the New Kingdom more quickly than your average high school kid could come up with all fifty states.
Will wasnt sure most high school kids could rattle off all fifty states.
But, Amanda jumped in, her voice almost a fluid continuation of Jons thoughts, Brady especially loved the New Kingdom, and everything thats been learned from excavations in the Valley of the Kings.
Howard Carters discovery of King Tuts tomb happened after the discovery of Amun Mopats. Since the treasures of Mopats tomba good portion of them, anywaywent down with the Jerry McGuen, a lot of important artifacts and information were lost to history, Jon explained. And Amun Mopat, much as he wanted to be a god, was only a priest. Tut had been a pharaoh.
He actually paused for breath and Amanda remained silent. Will took the opportunity to survey the conference room; there was an excellent bust of Nefertiti on a counter that stretched out from the back wall. Next to her were a dozen or so canopic jars, all copies, according to Amanda and Jon.
He assumed they were telling the truth. Next to the canopic jars was a large coffee urn, and the usual collection of paper cups, sugar, creamer and whatever else one might desire for a cup of coffee. Nothing truly valuable would have been kept so casually and haphazardly where coffee could spill at any time.
Hed only had a quick glimpse of one of the workrooms. It was sterile in appearance except for a piece Amanda had been working on, a funerary statue that had been dug out of a pit in the cityproperty of someone whod lost everything in the Great Chicago Fire. The fire had occurred in 1871, before the sinking of the Jerry McGuen, but collectors had been avid about ancient Egyptian pieces for a hundred years by then, and thered been those whod coveted Egyptian art even before Napoleons soldier had cracked the code in 1799 and translated the Rosetta Stone.