Brady was being an ass, Amanda said mournfully.
Jon Hunt immediately looked offended, and Amanda softened her words.
An ass in the way we can all be asses. Jon, please, Im not insulting him. Id say the same thing about us. We get too excited about a discovery like this. She sighed. Brady grew up hearing his great-grandfather talk about the disappearance of the Jerry McGuen. Maybe thats when he fell in love with Egyptology. Or maybe it started with the visits to the Field Museum. And you can imagine how he felt, considering what he knew about both Egyptology and the Jerry McGuen. We cant help it. I guess were real nerdsoh, my God! Who wouldve thought that being a nerd could be dangerous? We think we know what were doing, and then
He was brilliant. Jon shook his head as if he still couldnt accept that his friend and coworker was dead.
Brilliantand, this one time, so foolish! Amanda said. Yes, I admit the rest of us hadnt totally believed in his theory. I mean, we believedwe just werent as insane about it as Brady. Thats how we work. Even when were not convinced that someone else is right, we work with them to find out. And all of Bradys calculations did make sense. We were scheduled to start looking together. If they hadnt been sound theories and calculations, we wouldnt have approached the film directorMr. Firestone. Oh, if Brady could just have waited
We would have been right with him, Jon said. He gritted his teeth. I was the one who found him, he whispered.
We found him, Amanda corrected.
Yes, well, I was the first to see himfloating there.
We have two boats, Amanda said. He took one out ahead of us. We have a small, exploratory dive boat, and then our larger vessel. It was Saturday and
Yes, Jon interrupted. If only it hadnt been a Saturday!
We were supposedly off work, but Brady called both of us that morning. He said he was going to take the boat out and use sonar, Amanda said. Seriously, finding anything actually salvageable on the McGuen was always a long shot, but Brady believed that the treasures taken from the tomb had been so carefully packed, there was a real chance. I thought we were going to start on Monday, but he called me. I called Jon, and we agreed wed go out with him, but hed already taken the smaller boat. We let him know we were on our way, but I think he ignored us because he had to prove it to himself first. He shouldnt have gone down to the wreck. He shouldnt have gone down alonehe knew that. I was furious with him. Before we found him, of course. She paused, looking at Jon and then at Will and added, I was afraid. We didnt want to lose our funding. She glanced at Jon again, as if feeling guilty about something shed done while trying to rationalize it at the same time.
We brought out our second boatthe big one, Gloryand found the Seeker at anchor. There was no sign of Brady. And it was wrong of him, because Mr. King, the producer, said from the beginning that hed finance us as long as we let him document every stepright or wrongalong the way, Amanda told Will.
I think Brady was afraid wed start work, and thered be no ship, Jon said. And if that was the case
Wed already taken money, Amanda broke in. Its also really competitive, diving for salvage. It can be confusing, too, with U.S. laws, state laws, international lawsexcept that were not in it to make a fortune. A 1987 federal law says the states own all wrecks found in their territorial waters, but theres still money in salvage. Theres another law about disturbing a grave site, but really, there cant be anything left of the people. Except if the mummy itself was properly sealed The thing is, we believe in returning antiquities. What wed earn would be a percentage of what Mr. King makes in IMAX films and the like. Of course, he gave us a hefty sum as a down payment.
I knew something was wrong when the boat was empty, and Bradys dive flag was still out, Jon said.
So, anyway, Amanda continued, Mr. Kings director, Bernie Firestone, and some of his crew came out with us, taking their boatnice and fancy, all kinds of great stuff on itand two of his underwater cameramen followed us down. Andand we found Brady. Tears welled in Amandas eyes.
Yeah. It was great. Hed found the Jerry McGuen, Jon said bitterly. And we found him.
Amanda let out a little choking sound. They both stared at Will, their eyes soulful and wet.
Amanda was thirty-two, a pretty woman, reed-thin and passionate about her work. Jon, her coworker, was a few years older. His brown hair was graying at the temples and he wore bottle-thick glasses and was also thin. He was wiry and seemed fit as the proverbial fiddle.
Their attempt to explain everything to him at once seemed to point to their clinical and obsessive pursuit of knowledge. They both spent hour upon hourday upon dayin their little cubicles or labs, painstakingly dusting or chiseling away the dirt and dust of the ages. Sometimes, they got to go on a dig or a dive, but most of the time, they were in their offices and labs.
Will liked everything hed read about the Chicago Ancient History Preservation Center. Hed always been intrigued by history himself, especially by the way many societiesincluding the ancient Egyptiansused mysticism and magic.
As Amanda had said, the center kept none of the antiquities it discovered or worked on; its sole purpose was to preserve historical artifacts, delve into their secrets and pass them on to their homelands or an institution worthy of guarding and displaying them. It had been founded in the latter part of the nineteenth century by Jonas Shelby, an avid Egyptologist. In the years since, grants and private donations had added to Shelbys legacy, and while the treasures came directly from ancient Egypt, they might also have been discovered in a Chicago backyard.
Amanda suddenly frowned at Will. Im not really sure why youre here, Agent Chan, she said. Its fine, but
We brought Brady right up. He was dead by then. Obviously dead. Jon grimaced. When I radioed in the emergency the guy kept telling me to give him artificial respiration. I wouldve done anything for himbut Brady was dead when we brought him up. Like Amanda said, the filmmakers followed us down, so theres actually footage he broke off footage of us finding Brady. The film crew has it. And the police have a copy, too.
Will listened gravely. He knew that already. Hed spent yesterday with Alan King, Bernie Firestone and Earl Candy. Alan didnt dive, but Bernie and Earl did. Alan was deeply worried about his future in film; it was not a good thing if people kept dying on the films he produced. Will had seen the footage of the two divers coming upon their dead coworker. Luckily, neither of the men was the kind of person to leak such footage to YouTube or any other site.
He didnt tell Jon or Amanda that hed seen the film. He wanted to hear their version of everything that had happened.
And he was taken rightright to the morgue, Amanda said. She appeared stricken, as if shed begin crying again. He drowned down there, and its tragic. To us more than anyone else, but
He drowned, Jon said flatly. Why is the FBI investigating?
Your filmmaker. Will smiled and leaned across the conference table to pick up a copy of the Sunday paper, lying there. The headline read Historian Dies Tragically During Greatest DiscoveryAccident or Victim of Ancient Curse?
Your filmmaker. Will smiled and leaned across the conference table to pick up a copy of the Sunday paper, lying there. The headline read Historian Dies Tragically During Greatest DiscoveryAccident or Victim of Ancient Curse?
Oh, please! Amanda said. Seriously, oh, please! Thats just a reporter scrambling for headlines. I saw Brady. He drowned! She sighed. Listen, I loved him like a brother. But we have to keep going on this, and quickly. Weve gotten the rights to dive her first and salvage what we can. And Brady was absolutely correct. The precious cargo down there was carefullycarefully!wrapped and stowed. Wed dishonor Bradys memory if we didnt complete his mission!
Okay, back up for me, please. You have the rights of salvage? Didnt you need to find the ship first? Will asked.
Amanda flushed. Our paperwork is all on file. We have a maritime attorney on hand who has us all ready to go with recovery.
But if another person or enterprise had found her first.
Well, I suppose someone else could have filed for the rights, as well, Amanda said. But no one else had Bradyor studied the effect of storms on the lake like he did.
Will doubted that a competing group would care how someone had determined the location of a treasure. They would just want the bottom line. Who else has been searching for the Jerry McGuen? he asked.
Through the decades? Jon shrugged. Anyone with a ship, sonar or a dive suit.
Will smiled. Recently. Do you know of anyone or any other enterprise searching for her?
A year ago there was an article about a company called Landry Salvage that was interested. Their CEO was quoted in a local TV piece on the wreck, Amanda said.
Jon was thoughtful, drumming his fingers on the conference table for a moment before speaking. Theres also a company called Simontons Sea Search that was interviewed briefly for the same piece. It was one of those little five-minute news segments, you know?
It never occurred to you that since the treasure on the ship is worth a fortune, someone else might be eager to acquire that fortune? Will asked.
Its not like anyone could just keep everything, or that a salvage effort on the lake wouldnt be spotted! Amanda insisted.
Yes, but whether the treasures were returned to Egypt or turned over to our government, Will said, the finders fee or percentages could be staggering. Though Im not seeing a legitimate bid as something thats likely to supersede yours. The black market is where the real money would be.
Amanda shook her head. Thats why we needed to find it. Stop the black market activity. And we still need to get down there fast, althoughthanks to Brady, our papers have been filed.
Will lowered his head, hiding his expression. The world did go on. Theyd found Bradys body in the shipand theyd made sure their legal work was done, probably as soon as Brady Laurie was on his way to the morgue.
The mission wont be stoppedwill it? I mean, I know theres competition out there, but Brady drowned. I saw him. Amandas eyes were anxious as she looked at Will. Poor Bradybut he must have died happy. He did find the Jerry McGuen.
Will doubted that Brady had died happy. Drowning was a horrendous death.
The salvage is not being stopped, Will said. And, so far, the medical examiners conclusions are that Brady Laurie died as a result of forgetting his deep-water time because of his excitement.
Sowhy the FBI? Amanda asked, obviously still puzzled.
The director of the documentary is an old friend of Sean CameronsSeans an agent in one of our special unitsand the producer, Mr. King, is anxious about whats happened. Not to mention all these rumors about the curse. Because of their association with us and their concern that the salvage and the documentary go well, they came to the agency. And because our most senior officer, Adam Harrison, has great relationships with state governments, we were invited in. Were not sensationalists. Were here to disprove a curse, as much as anything else and, hopefully, make sure there are no more accidents.
Oh! Amanda said, blinking away tears again. Well, as long as our work isnt stopped. Bradyoh, God, I miss him, I loved him, but he was acting like a cowboy. He just had to get down there before we were really ready. He knew not to dive alone. I mean, come on, an experienced diver knows never to dive alone. Anywhere. Not even in shallow reefs in the Keys, much less here. He just thought he was better than anyone and We are diving the wreck tomorrow? An exploratory dive before we start with the salvage? she asked anxiously.
Yes, Will assured her. Everything will go ahead as planned. Just one change, he told her pleasantly. Ill be joining you, and so will another member of my unit.
What? Amanda was obviously dismayed. More people down there? You dont understand how careful you have to be with artifacts. You dont
Ill do my best, Dr. Channel, he said. My colleague and I will meet you at the dock tomorrow morning. He rose to signal that he was leavingand that hed be back.
Yes, but Amanda started her protest and then frowned. I could probably answer any other questions you might have right now. Where are you going?
Im afraid I have another meeting, he informed her, but Ill see you tomorrow.
He smiled politely and exited the room, and then the Preservation Center.
It was situated near the aquarium, on South Lake Shore Drive, and when he stepped out the front door, he saw Lake Michigan. The water glittered in the sun, and he wished he could get out on a boat in a dive suit right away, but he had a meeting with a member of Logan Raintrees crew.
And with a dead man.
He turned away from the lake and headed for his rental car.
2
More than eighteen thousand deaths were reported to the Cook County office of the medical examiner yearly. Of those, some six thousand received an autopsy.
The office handled investigations for a large part of the state; in January 2011, thered been such a backup due to the number of bodies and the holidays, they were stacked one on top of the other. The morgue had been overcrowded due to what the press had dubbed the killing season, when gang violence had erupted on the South Side.
Kat knew these things because shed done nothing but read since shed boarded her plane for Chicagos OHare International Airport.
Cook County wasnt different from any other large metropolitan area. People died. Thankfully most of them died naturally.
But some did not. Some died because of gang violence, and sometimes they died in police custody or in jail. Some died because of domestic violence, and some were simply and pathetically in the wrong place at the wrong timevictims of random crime. Some died suspiciously or without apparent explanation.
Despite the fact that she wasnt in Chicago because she wanted to be, she wasnt disturbed by her particular assignment here. While many people feared a medical examiners office as a frightening and gruesome place, Kat had always found that an autopsythough invasivewas a service that man had come to do for man. It was an effort to let the dead speak for themselves, to seek justice, find a killer or, conversely, prove accidental death when no other human was at fault. Autopsy helped the living, too; some medical advances would have never come about without autopsies determining the cause of death. In medical school, she hadnt started out feeling that shed rather work with the dead than the living. It had been during her residency that shed discovered she had a penchant for unspoken truthsand that, even when silent, the dead could sometimes tell their tales.