She felt delicious tingles run through her body and her eyes twinkled. “Not in the least.”
Chapter 3
JAY
The museum was loud, with hundreds of voices competing with each other. Their echoes bounced through the corridors emanating from the cavernous space. It was a gala the city hadn’t experienced since the Tibetan exhibition six months before. So many of the elite circulated throughout the main hall, wowed by the Egyptian attraction prominently displayed at the center of the room. The painting was huge and arguably one of the largest ever discovered. It had been excavated only a year before by Arab archeologist, Kamal Bassir, who was conducting an extensive excavation of the temple of Taposiris Magna, nearly thirty miles from Alexandria. His discovery had floored both the art and historical worlds. The painting was thousands of years old, but it also possessed a singular distinction.
The painting exemplified the typical frontalism fashion, and as she examined at it, Kelsey noted the traditional six colors the Ancient Egyptians always used--red, green, blue, yellow, black and white. But what startled every person in the room who understood its significance, was the use of orange and pink to color the flowers. For three thousand years Egyptians had followed a strict code, and for them to divert their style to include new colors? Why had this been done? That was the reason for this gala and the press was going crazy for it. The reporters interviewed Bassir, who while taking it all in stride, had a distinct restlessness about him. One could practically see him itching to get back to Taposiris Magna to unearth more sacred prizes. Never one to bathe in media glory, he preferred to let his benefactors take the limelight.
Kelsey studied the painting. A few times the visitors around her stared in her direction and not at the painting, but she paid them no mind. People were forever staring at her, and she’d gotten used to it. After a few more minutes, a soft voice spoke in her ear. “Some people say the orange hue is a direct representation of the sun, while pink is procreation, but I’m not entirely convinced.”
She didn’t turn. “Really? That’s so fascinating.”
The voice leaned in closer to her ear. “You know, some people also say the Egyptians were completely without vision. For thousands of years they painted each and every painting the exact same way. It was to honor their own pharaoh at the time in order to show that each painting followed a continuing line in the royal succession. You know, most people don’t know that.”
No, most people didn’t. Of course, Kelsey wasn’t like most people. She knew each color meant something of significance. That green represented growth, life and fertility; that red symbolized power and anger; that blue was the color of the heavens. But she didn’t tell him that. She just enjoyed hearing him talk. “I had no idea you studied Egyptian art so avidly.” She turned to smile up at Desmond.
He shrugged. “One has his vices. Though I remember liking the Tantric Sex Art exhibit I saw here with you six months ago a whole lot more.”
Kelsey smirked. “Yeah, I’m sure you did, until you decided to smack me in the face.”
She felt a great sense of déjà vu in the moment. She had met Desmond when he had been stalking her for a crime initially committed in Florida. In fact, he’d had the audacity to confront her right in the middle of a Tibetan exhibit at the MET. Their conversation had been quite similar to this one, until he hit her, trying to provoke her.
And now, six months later, they were practically inseparable and he wasn’t about to cuff her and drag her down to the precinct. Kelsey turned back to the painting. It was an intricate and complicated funerary scene. The work included so much detail, all to help the deceased get his reward in the afterlife. It was quite a remarkable find, combining multiple Egyptian meanings to attain immortality. There were spells and passwords, depictions of scales, and a host of gods with human bodies and the heads of jackals and falcons.
Kelsey’s thoughts turned to Jibade, and then to his father, Armand Dupuis. What was the real reason he was in hiding and why did he think she could help him? She’d only been a child when they’d met. And what about him needing to atone to her? Her memories of him were fond. She couldn’t imagine what he had ever done to her that she would have found fault with.
Desmond spoke again, pulling her from her thoughts. “Have you noticed how much food is in this painting? I know it was customary for the Egyptians to include depictions of all the food the deceased ate in life so they could take it with them in the afterlife, but this is excessive. The man must have been obese. I’m surprised they even had a sarcophagus to fit him.”
She laughed at his joke, and then paused. “Desmond, isn’t it strange how everything always seems to revolve around the afterlife with me?”
Before he could answer, Jay entered the exhibit. He’d changed his clothing and wore a white T-shirt, scuffed blue jeans and tan work boots. He took a handkerchief from his front pocket and wiped his brow. She wasn’t surprised to see that he appeared annoyed. That seemed to be his typical demeanor.
That strange feeling squirmed in her gut again and her stomach became queasy. She popped an antacid tablet she carried in her purse, but it didn’t go away.
Jay caught Kelsey’s eye and strode across the room towards her. Women gave him an appreciative glance as he passed by them. He wasn’t immune to their attentions and brazenly smiled back, adding a saunter to his step.
As he moved closer, she noticed a tattoo of an Ankh peeking out from under the arm cuff of his T-shirt. That surprised her. She had a small tattoo of an Ankh on her own left leg, right above her ankle. His was larger and gave him an exotic allure. She could see why women were drawn to him.
Until, of course, he opened his mouth.
He strolled up to Kelsey, gave her the once-over and then cocked his head at Desmond. “Who’s the old guy? Your dad? ” He wiped his brow. “Merde, it’s hot in here.”
Desmond sucked in his breath.
Kelsey wrinkled her nose. He’s calling him old at just thirty-three? “This, Jay, is Detective Desmond Gisborne. My boyfriend.”
“Your boyfriend?” He stared at Desmond, who had a good three inches on him. “Great, another person to get in my way.” Challenge was written in his expression. “What, are you rich or something? Is that why she’s hanging around with you? I mean, it’s not like she has a job or anything I could find out, so I guess a sugar daddy cop would be just the ticket. Like I thought, cliché American chick.”
Kelsey glared at him and quickly realized not everything said with a French accent sounded sexy.
Desmond’s retort was at the tip of his tongue when Kelsey smacked her hands together. “Why don’t we get out of here? There’s a coffee shop around the corner where we can talk.”
And with that, Kelsey ushered the three of them out of the Egyptian exhibit before they made a scene.
#
The coffee shop was a few blocks away. While Jay and Kelsey got a booth, Desmond got in line to get drinks.
Jay called out to him. “Mr. Gisborne, could you get me a double espresso, pretty please?”
Kelsey leaned towards him. “You need to stop that right now.”
Jay leaned towards her as well, until their faces were only inches apart. He smelled like a mix of expensive cologne and laundry detergent. “What, stop being polite? What’ll the big bad cop do, arrest me?”
She didn’t pull away. “No, he’ll hit you and I won’t stop him.”
He gazed into her eyes. “Yeah, like I’m worried about him.” Jay finally leaned back and stared at her chest unabashedly. “You’re very beautiful, you know that? You could walk the runway with the models in Paris if you wanted, though you’re a little short and your breasts are too big. Just lose the red lipstick and the heavy eyeliner. That’s so last year.”
She sucked in her breath. Judgmental nit. Fine, you want to play this game? I’ll bite. Kelsey languidly leaned back in her seat and spread her arms wide, resting both her arms across the back of the booth and arched her back. It appeare
d as if she were simply stretching but she was teasingly making her breasts stand out. A few of the guys around her gave her an appreciative glance.
Jay stared at her.
You want to be a jerk? Well so can I. You have no idea who you’re dealing with, buddy, because I don’t give a rat’s ass about what you think of me. She glared at him, and even though he was annoying the hell out of her, she realized he didn’t look well. Perspiration dotted his brow and he breathed heavily. She remembered Armand’s letter about Jibade’s health. “What’s wrong with you? Are you sick?”
Jay scowled. “Honestly, I think it’s you. Every time I’ve been next to you it’s like the temperature jumps ten degrees. You’re hot, but not that hot. One of the reasons I haven’t suggested you ditch your old man and come back to my hotel with me is you’re looking a little green around the edges yourself.”
She leaned forwards, glaring. “Let me make this perfectly clear, Jay. I have no intention of sleeping with you. Ever. And I’m fine. Just nauseous, but that’s not too surprising considering the company I’m keeping. You obviously have that effect on women.”
Jay smirked. “Maybe you’re pregnant.”
Kelsey bristled. “Listen, you jerk. You know nothing about me. You can’t go around just assuming things.”
Jay grinned lasciviously. “Oh, feisty too. Yeah, you’ll be fun to play around with.”
Before she could say anything further, Desmond returned with their drinks. He glanced at both of them questioningly and then sat down. He handed Kelsey her iced latte and then took a sip of his own coffee. He hadn’t brought anything back for Jay. “Sorry, did you want something, Jibade?” he asked innocently. “An apple juice box, maybe? Or, a cookie?”
Jay grunted and without another word he rose to get in line, but not before he blatantly gave Kelsey the once over again and brushed his hip against hers on his way out of the booth.
“I don’t like him.” Desmond stared after the kid, his voice tight with barely controlled anger.
Kelsey squeezed his hand. “You have nothing to worry about. I don’t like him either.” Her stomach roiled and she remembered what Jay had just said. Pregnant? No, I can’t be. It feels too much like the stomach aches I had as a kid.
Desmond exhaled loudly. “Look, I don’t want to get into a fight again, but this guy is different than most of the others. He can’t stop staring at your chest and he’s not shy about it, either.”
Well, it’s not like D-Cups are so easy to hide. “I’ll make sure I cover up more.”
Desmond cocked his head, unconvinced. “Oh really, since when?” Her cleavage peeked through the V-Neck on her skin tight t-shirt. “On second thought, don’t cover up. I’ll live with it.”
Jay came back and eased into the booth. He took a sip of his coffee and grimaced. “This tastes like, how do you Americans say… crap?” He took another sip and put it down. “So, have you decided to help my father or not?”
Kelsey let him squirm for a moment before she finally answered him. “Yes, I’m going to.”
Jay nodded towards Desmond. “Is your babysitter going with you?”
“No, but he would if I asked him.” Kelsey squeezed Desmond’s hand, because he was about to smack the condescending look off Jay’s face. She turned back to Jay. “You know, he does have a job. Most people in this country do.”
He snorted. “Good, because I’m going with you and I’d rather he not get in the way.” His anger was back, simmering just below the surface. Jay coughed and took a shuddery breath.
Just what I need, a hothead asthmatic with a sweating problem to watch over. “Your dad said he’d prefer you stay home. He’s concerned about your health.”
Jay’s eyes blazed. “Stay home? What, because I have asthma? Thanks for your concern, but I already have a mother. I’ll be fine.” Jay took another sip of his coffee. “And my job is going to school. I’m in my last year at Boston University studying archaeology. Not like you, who seems to have no occupation to speak of or anyone to report to. What do you do all day? Go to the gym and get your nails done?”
“That’s none of your damned business,” Kelsey snarled.
Desmond came to her defense. “For your information, she just got her master’s in Forensics at NYU two months ago, if you must know.”
She squeezed Desmond’s hand. That was true. After she returned from Tibet, while Desmond immersed himself in his paintings, she’d jumped back into her master’s program to finish that semester. Except for the trip to Tibet, her life had revolved around graduate school, Desmond, and enjoying her newfound lease on life.
There was an awkward silence. Finally, Desmond spoke up. “So, do you even know what your father has been working on?”
Jay scoffed. “Of course I do. It’s all about the empty tombs dotting Egypt. It’s been his lifelong obsession for years.”
Desmond squinted. “Empty, how?”
Jay rolled his eyes and exhaled loudly. “You haven’t heard of this before?” His voice oozed with condescension and he glared at Kelsey. “This is what you get when you deal with cops versus academia.” He began addressing Desmond as if he were a child. “You know, empty, which means nothing in it. No mummies, gold, or treasures. Zero, zilch, nada. Sometimes even the sarcophagus is the only thing in the tomb, and there’s nothing inside of it. A sarcophagus is a Greek word for coffin, if you didn’t know.”
Desmond’s nostrils flared and Kelsey could tell he was inflamed by the kid’s arrogance. Jay had no idea Desmond had minored in Asian studies at Harvard and was well versed on a myriad of other topics. She couldn’t stand when people pre-judged others. It showed a serious lack of intellect in her opinion, and not the book smart kind.
“They could be empty because they were robbed. Your dad must have thought of that.” Kelsey’s drink churned in her stomach. She scoffed at the idea of being pregnant. She wasn’t even late. Wait, was she? She started counting days.
Jay peered over their shoulder. His expression had a faraway look as he seemed to be remembering something. “My dad always thought there was another reason they were empty, and not knowing what it was bothered him greatly. I remember one time we were on a dig. I was thirteen, and he let me come to his archaeological site for a week over my school’s spring break. The first day of the dig, he and his team discovered a passage no one had excavated yet. It traveled in only one direction, and at the end was a small chamber with just a single wooden sarcophagus containing a poorly preserved mummy. It was odd. The mummy hadn’t been prepared in the usual way and the body had deteriorated under the bandages. But the sarcophagus was unique, because the inside surface of the lid was decorated with star clocks.” He turned to Desmond, his expression and tone once again disdainful. “That’s how the Egyptians created their calendars, if you didn’t know. They used the stars in the night sky to assess the hours in a day and the days in the year.”
Desmond’s expression was dark. “I’m aware of this.”
Jay dismissed him, and his eyes misted again as he remembered. “My father spent days in there, just staring into the coffin. Something about that mummy and that star chart plagued him. I don’t think I saw him for more than a few hours that entire week.” The bitterness in his voice was apparent.
“Did he find out anything?” Kelsey asked. Three days. Holy crap, she was three days late.
Jay finished his drink and threw his cup in the receptacle. “If he did, he didn’t tell me. It didn’t help that every time I went into the damned tomb with him, I had an asthma attack. The medic said it was caused by the heat. After the third time, my father refused to let me come in again. I told him it wasn’t the heat. I just felt strange when I was in there. He didn’t believe me, of course. He never believes me. He made some excuse that it was a mix of claustrophobia and the stifling temperatures inside the tomb. Regardless, I got to spend the rest of the trip holed up with a stinking eighty-year old babysitter he hired to keep me company. Couldn’t even get me a cute Egyptian girl,
could he?”
“Sounds like he was just trying to help you.” Kelsey paused, while Jay brooded. “So when did you find out all the recent stuff going on with your dad?”
“Four days ago. My father had returned from a site. We were planning to spend a week together before my classes started in two weeks; go hiking, fishing, you know, father-son stuff. Or, so I’ve been told. I’ve never actually done any of those things with my dad.
“But by the time I arrived in Paris, my father had already left and my mother was frantic. She told me she heard my father speaking to the priest at our local church and the next thing she knew, he said he had to leave immediately. He started throwing his things into a carry-all. When my mother begged him to tell her what was going on, all he said was “I have to leave. It’s for your and Jibade’s protection.” Jay shook his head. “My protection. All my life he’s been trying to protect me. And why? Because of this?” He took the inhaler out of his pocket and shook it at them. “He never felt I could amount to anything because of this. Apparently, I had my first big attack when I was five, which landed me in the hospital. Ever since then he’s forbid me doing anything with any sort of physical exertion because he’s afraid it will hurt me. And it’s not like I have attacks all the time. Maybe a few times a year I just get overheated, I feel funny, and it comes on. I haven’t even had an issue in at least a year. Just the past two days it’s been acting up, actually.” He stared at Kelsey accusingly and then jammed the inhaler back in his pocket.
Yeah, because I’m also causing your asthma attack. I’m that powerful. Maybe you’re also causing my stomach aches too, you ass. “Again, it sounds like he was just trying to protect you,” Kelsey said.
Jay shot her a look. “Yeah, he protected me so much he pushed me away. All I know is that right before he left, he took the time to write a letter to you. Not to me, his son, but to you, and I was bidden to be his piss-boy and deliver it back to America, unread. As if I wouldn’t read it. Let’s get out of here.”
The Quest of the Empty Tomb Page 3
