by K C West
He gave her another hug. “That’s great news. I’m happy for you, and for your dad.”
“So what’s the big news that you couldn’t tell us about when you called?” I asked. “You know we really had to dash to get here on such short notice.”
Sandy held up his hand. “I know, and I’m sorry for that, but I didn’t want to blab everything on the phone. I was sure when you got here and saw what I’m dealing with, you’d forgive the inconvenience. It’s right up your alley, Doc. This is Amazon country, you know.”
“Amazons?” PJ’s eyes widened. “Don’t get her started on them again.”
“Okay, maybe not Amazons.” Sandy’s eyes sparkled as he spoke.
I felt a close affinity for those warrior women, despite PJ’s continued reluctance to accept my connection with them. My experiences in Arizona had revealed that my life-long search for the Lost Tribe was something I was compelled to undertake, as if it were preordained.
“It’s nice of you to invite us to join you in your discovery, Sandy, but why, if it’s that important, do you want to share it with us, or anyone else for that matter?”
He looked around, giving his mustache a few idle strokes. When he answered me his voice had dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Frankly, my motives are selfish. I need your expertise. It’s way too big for me alone. I need your years of experience.”
I wondered if PJ was falling for this flattery.
“Okay, stop buttering us up and tell us about it,” she said.
“All in good time.” He led us through the side door and out onto the tarmac. “First, let’s get your personal baggage stowed in that chopper over there.” He indicated the smaller of two blue and white helicopters standing nearby. “Your supplies and tools can go in the other one.” The larger helicopter was clearly designed to carry freight. “Afterwards, we’ll grab a cup of tea. Are you two still into Earl Grey?”
“It’s still our beverage of choice,” PJ said. “Let’s do it before I wet my pants in anticipation, okay?”
“Got it,” Sandy said. “I’ll grab my briefcase and meet you at the refreshment stand.” He nodded toward a small, white stucco building with a blue-tiled roof and several outdoor tables.
The heat of the sun was tempered a little by the Etesian wind blowing strong from the north. It seemed like a good idea to enjoy some refreshments before moving on to another location.
Sandy caught up with us just as we sat down at a small, round, wrought iron table with a glass top. “No, over there,” he said, pointing to a larger table, one that was shielded by a blue and white patio umbrella. “I have some pictures to show you, and I need more space to spread them out. It’ll be quieter over there, too.”
We moved and requested some tea and baklava.
While waiting for our order, I noticed how well the blue panels of the umbrella and the roof tiles blended with the brilliant azure of the sky. As I studied my surroundings, PJ and Sandy chattered on about trivialities, gossiping like a couple of teenagers, making me aware of the difference in our ages. Such moments were fleeting, however. I had only to make eye contact with PJ to be rewarded with a loving smile and know that we shared a bond that transcended age.
When our refreshments arrived, Sandy played the role of the perfect host by pouring our tea.
PJ took a bite of the baklava. “Mmm, delicious,” she said, smacking her lips over the honey-and-nut-filled pastry. She selected a large piece and forced it between my lips. “Try it, you’ll love it.”
When I had chewed enough to speak, I agreed with her. In fact, if Sandy hadn’t been sitting across from us right now, I’d have licked the honey off her fingers. “Must be full of calories, though.”
“Don’t worry about calories. Sandy will soon have us working off all this decadence.” PJ glanced at him. “You will, won’t you?”
“Absolutely.”
When we had consumed the last crumb and drained the final drop of tea, we pushed our plates and cups to one side to make room for Sandy’s pictures.
PJ and I shared a look. “It’s about time,” she said. “I think I’m about to burst with curiosity, but it’s no good rushing him.”
“Yes, he always was methodical in his work, but at the same time he had a flair for the theatrical.”
Sandy’s lips twitched. “Okay, I hear you. It’s time to let you in on my discovery. Before I say anything, I want you to look closely at these pictures and tell me what you think. Take time to study them before answering.” Barely able to contain his excitement, he arranged the pictures on the table, carefully keeping them in order.
I raised an eyebrow. “These are aerial photos.”
Sandy nodded. “Right you are. I knew there was something big here, but it took aerial shots to clue me into the probable location.”
We studied the pictures for several minutes. Then we glanced at each other and back at Sandy.
“Whoa,” PJ’s eyes widened. “This is impressive. If it’s what I think, it appears to be bigger than the one on Crete.”
“Right again, and we’re almost there.” He sat back and fingered his mustache. “We’ll be breaking through any day now, and that’s why the rush to get you here.”
PJ stared at him. “Who knows about it, besides the three of us?”
“Your dad.”
“Frederick?” I asked.
PJ seemed as shocked as I was. “Why didn’t he tell us, instead of allowing us to fly out here without a clue?”
“He wanted to surprise you,” Sandy said. “And we did, didn’t we?”
I exhaled. “Surprise us? I’ll say you did.”
“Who else, besides my dad?”
“Obviously my crew knows that we’re onto something important.”
“Wow.” PJ and I looked at each other, still not absorbing all of the possibilities.
“Congratulations.” I extended my hand to him. “If this turns out to be what you believe it is, it will assure you a place in history. You know that don’t you?”
A flush colored his cheeks. “I haven’t given much thought to what happens later.”
“I would if I were you, because it will likely become your life’s work.” I looked again at the photographs. “Are you ready to devote that much time to this project?”
Sandy was silent as he seemed to contemplate the job that lay ahead of him. Then the excitement returned along with his customary modesty. “As long as I have you both to help and guide me, I’m ready.”
“Have you considered the downside?” PJ asked. “What if your interpretations are wrong, and this proves to be nothing at all?”
“Being wrong isn’t part of my plan.”
“I had to ask,” PJ said, getting up and going around the table. She kissed him on the cheek. “Congratulations, good buddy, I always knew you’d be famous someday.”
“You’ve done an amazing amount of work in a short time,” I said. “I’m proud of you.”
*
Kim stood up. “If you two will excuse me, I’m going to let Pup get some exercise.” She nodded toward a nearby park area, now practically deserted. “Do they allow dogs along there?”
“As far as I know, they do,” Sandy said.
She touched my arm in passing. “Stay and have some more tea. I’m sure you two have lots to talk about, and I won’t be gone long.”
Her hand lingered on my shoulder. I gave it a kiss before she and Pup left on their walk.
“So, how have you been, really?” Sandy asked me, waiting until Kim was far enough away to be unable to hear him.
I had a hard time meeting his gaze. It reminded me of the first time I had met him at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix in the fall of 1999. I had toyed with the idea of seducing what I thought then was a shy, young man. What a mess I was in those days, determined to screw everyone in sight. Now, I was the bashful one. “I’m working things out, but it’s been a rough few months.”
His hand slipped across the table to take mine, comforting me wi
th the warmth of his touch. He waited until I looked up and held his gaze. There was so much compassion in his expression that a lump formed in my throat, and I blinked back tears.
“I was really worried about you and Doc. That was an awful thing to happen to the two of you. Please know that I love you both. If there’s anything I can do for you, anything you need, just tell me.”
“Thank you.” I put my free hand on top of his. “Your e-mail messages said as much, but please don’t say any more, or I’ll start blubbering. I seem to do way too much of that these days.”
With a final squeeze, he released my hand. “I understand, and I’m sorry to bring back unpleasant memories.” We both watched Kim and Pup in the distance - two legged and four legged stick figures exploring the far reaches of the park. It was several seconds before he spoke again. “How is Doc taking all this? She seems quieter, more intense, and a little distant.”
I poked at a sticky drop of honey on the table, focusing all my attention on it. “It was hard on her. We’re both going through therapy to come to terms with everything.” I managed to look up at him. “Her issues are different. After she and the police rescued me and I was out of the hospital, she came close to killing Terry. I think she would have if Dad hadn’t intervened. I know it scared her, but she won’t talk to me about it.” I took my napkin and rubbed the sticky spot. “We’re not quite at the stage where we can discuss it comfortably.”
The waiter brought a fresh pot of tea, so we busied ourselves with refills and more snacks. Before long, I heard Pup panting up the path behind me. I lowered my hand and he nudged it with his nose, gliding his tongue across my knuckles. “Hey, guy, where’s my best girl, huh?” I scratched behind his ear. “Did you chase her away?”
“Almost,” Kim said, breathlessly. “We must have checked out every bush, flower, and tree - some more than once.” She poured water into a saucer and put it down beside Pup who lapped it up with gusto.
I stood and stretched. “Now it’s my turn for exercise. You two stay here and catch up on old times. I have to find the loo.”
“Loo?” Sandy looked puzzled.
“That’s British for powder room,” Kim said.
“Oh, right.”
“When I finish that, I’ll check on the cargo loading.”
Sandy stood and protested that his crew would attend to that.
I pushed him back into his chair and kissed him on the cheek. “I need to say good bye to our air crew, too, so you guys stay put. I’ll be back in a bit. And thanks, cowboy, for the tea and sympathy.”
*
“What is it, Kim?” Sandy must have noticed my silent and bemused expression.
“I’m not sure what to make of that bushy fuzz growing under your nose.”
His hand flew to his mustache with unconcealed pride. “You don’t like it? I thought it made me look older, more distinguished.” “I guess,” I said, not very convincingly.
“PJ said it tickled when I kissed her at the terminal.”
“Yeah, I noticed you two locking lips. I wondered if I’d need a crowbar to pry you apart.”
He looked at me. “You’re kidding, right?”
“I am.”
“Good. Then I can tell you that she’s a mighty pretty lady, in case you haven’t noticed.” We both watched her walk into the terminal.
“Oh, I’ve noticed. Just don’t forget she’s my pretty lady.”
He looked back at me, throwing his hands up in surrender. “I hear you, Doc. You don’t have to worry. I loved her; still do, but the best man… er, person won.”
I took a sip of tea and peered at him over the rim of my cup.
“You two look good together. I can tell how much you care for each other, and I wish you both a ton of happiness.”
“Thank you.”
We finished our refreshments, Sandy paid our bill, and we walked toward the helicopters. They stood in awkward silence, their rotor blades in a perpetual pout position. Most of the supplies were already loaded into the larger of the two. A helicopter on the ground is an ungainly thing, I thought, lacking the sleek appearance of a jet or the look of what it often is in flight - a life-saving craft racing toward an accident scene.
“I’m a bit worried, Doc.”
I forgot about the pouting helicopters. “Oh?”
“PJ looks kind of tired… and way too serious.”
“She hasn’t been sleeping well. Neither of us has, but we’re getting the help we need. We’ll work it out. Just give us some time.”
He kept his eyes on the door to the terminal.
“This will help, you know. Our being part of your project, getting back to work again.”
“Good.” He turned to me, putting his hand on my arm. “If there’s anything I can do, anything at all…”
“You’re a good friend. Don’t think you’re not appreciated.”
“Then, I hope that when you guys know all the facts, you’ll want to be part of the team.”
“After you called, we talked of little else. We had to see for ourselves what had you so excited. We can’t wait now, after viewing your pictures, to be fully briefed on the project.”
For a moment, he looked like a little boy who had stashed a pet frog in his pocket.
“But there’s more than that, isn’t there? There’s a gleam in those blue eyes.” I watched a flush come to his cheeks. “Uh-huh. If I didn’t know better, I’d say maybe you’re in love. Again.”
His head bobbed. “Urn, there’s this girl. Her name is Irini and she’s Greek. You’ll meet her soon enough.”
“Congratulations.”
“Not yet.” His entire face reddened. “I’ve been thinking of popping the question, but I haven’t gathered the courage.”
“So it’s serious.”
“Yeah,” Sandy said, pulling on his mustache, “I guess so.”
PJ returned, and any further discussion on the subject was curtailed as we boarded the helicopter for the ride to the west side of the island. Once underway, I could see the landscape changing. The vineyards and olive groves disappeared, and we found ourselves flying over an arid landscape dotted with volcanic rock.
I wondered if PJ’s heart was pounding as much as mine at the thought of this new adventure.
Chapter 4
“Here we are,” Sandy said, speaking through his headset, his face beaming with pride.
I stared at him in disbelief, and then at PJ who was sitting beside me, her eyes glued to the view unfolding beneath the helicopter.
Four or five acres - approximately twelve hectares of open ground - had been turned into a bustling tent city.
“Sandy, when… how did all this happen?”
“It was fast, Doc. When I got those aerial pictures back and worked up some charts, I flew to Boston. My purpose was to talk to you guys, but Frederick said you were away on a fishing holiday. I briefed him a little on what I thought I’d discovered and told him that I wanted you and PJ to join me, if that was at all possible.” He fingered his mustache. “After looking over the pictures and charts, he asked me if I had done anything about funding for the project. I told him, truthfully, that I hadn’t gotten that far along yet. The next thing I knew, he was wining and dining me in true Curtis fashion.”
I knew how persuasive her father could be and was not surprised to hear PJ laughing.
“My dad didn’t amass his wealth by making bad decisions,” she said. “So, if he’s backing your project, he must think it’s worth the risk.”
The chopper made a circular descent in preparation for landing, so I saved further questions for later and took another look out of the window. The tent city was right beneath us as we dropped slowly toward the ground and a large X marking the spot of the landing pad. I glimpsed the Aegean in the distance, just before the helicopter’s rotors raised a swirling mass of dust and small debris into the air and cut off our visibility. We remained in our seats, keeping Pup in his crate until the motors were shut down and the dust sett
led. When we stepped outside, a light, warm breeze and the unmistakable scent of the not-too-distant sea greeted us.
“What do you make of all this?” PJ asked quietly.
“For the moment, I’m stunned.”
“Come on,” Sandy said, “let me take you to your tent and get you settled. We can meet later to go over the charts, and I’ll bring you up to speed.”
A delicious aroma drifted from the cooking tent.
“We have two of the best chefs in Greece to make sure we’re well nourished,” Sandy said, looking pleased with himself.
He showed us into a spacious blue tent furnished with a double bed mattress and two brand new sleeping bags still wrapped in plastic. I figured we’d zip those together in no time. When I glanced at PJ, she nodded her head, as if she’d arrived at the same solution.
In addition to the sleeping arrangements, the tent contained a large folding table for computers and such, and a small table with a single burner and a teakettle. Half a dozen boxes of Earl Grey tea were stacked beside the kettle, tied with a festive red ribbon. In another corner of the tent, a small refrigerator was stocked with soft drinks and snacks.
“You’ve thought of everything,” PJ said to Sandy. “The ribbon was a nice touch.”
His expression revealed a complex picture of the shy young man and the seasoned scientist.
We placed our laptops on the table and our personal baggage on the mattress. Sandy had assured us that our tools and research materials would be deposited in one corner once the cargo chopper was unloaded. “We have electricity, at least, for the computers,” I said, flipping the switch and watching the table-mounted surge protector power up.
“Yep,” Sandy said, “that trailer by the helipad generates all the power we need, and if that’s not enough, later on, when we really get down to business, we have another one on stand-by.”
“What about showers and other necessities?” PJ asked, looking around.
“Over there, in that building.” He pointed across the compound. “Showers and toilets. Men on the left and women on the right. By the way, as you may have already discovered, Grecian plumbing is temperamental. Small diameter pipes and low flushing pressure. Throw all your paper into the receptacle provided.”
