It had worked out well for him and Sandy. He moved to London in January, and except for a couple weeklong classes at BC, he taught at City College of London. He had two investigative assignments from the Professor. Both which he would classify as archeological research. Reviews of previous digs and their findings. He didn’t know what happened to the information he summarized and provided.
There continued to be fallout from the arrests made last October. George was serving life in Israel, though it had been reduced to thirty years. Still, at his age, that was almost life. There was no chance for time off for good behavior. He was a foreigner who killed a rabbi.
Boyer was sentenced to two twenty-year terms served concurrently for conspiracy and accessory to murder. Doc’s murder.
After a two-month trial, Haskin was convicted of illegal possession and movement of antiquities. Italy was coming down hard on this crime and Haskin got the full ten-year sentence. There was no evidence to link him to any of the murders committed or ordered by Boyer. He had been careful.
There was enough evidence, however, for U.S. authorities to get a warrant to search Haskin’s home. They found a considerable number of artifacts in his display room to be returned to their original countries, some of which began prosecution in absentia. His companies took a beating in the market, particularly when the U.S. government pulled all of its contracts. Haskin was facing more time in somebody’s jail after his ten years in Italy.
Biskell was convicted along with Haskin in Italy. He was sentenced to ten years and then extradited to England. His trial began last week for conspiracy to commit the murder of Alan Evers.
Bones was convicted to five years in an Italian jail for his role in the smuggling. Scotland Yard only had the conversation in the warehouse to implicate him in the murder of DI Alan Evers. Biskell wouldn’t give up his hit man. Boston PD wanted to get hold of Bones as well to question him on the disappearance of Patti Bertram and Harold ‘Slick’ Jones. They had witnesses that put Bones at Patti’s apartment.
The publicity that Biskell received had nearly bankrupted his auto empire.
Julie was elected to Congress in November, but not by the margin she expected. It was late breaking campaign news about the connections of super-PAC donors to Haskin. Chad finally explained it all to her and apologized for using her. She was angry at first but softened when she read the book Chad had written about her father. The book had been through the final editing and would be published this summer.
The Dean at BC, was pleased Chad was being published and doubly pleased to advertise Chad’s assistance to Interpol in the smuggling case. It created a mystique for him that increased enrollment in archeology, and particularly in his Forensic History classes.
The Guardians brought Juan Ramirez and his family back from where they were hiding. Radcliff Feigel, the rabbi’s brother was also returned to his normal life. Though, he really was in a spa losing weight.
None of this was on Chad’s mind as he reached the end of his run and began his cool down walk. What was on his mind was the coming summer, just a couple months away. Once again he faced the decision to dig or not-to-dig. He needed to do something. He looked skyward. “What?” he asked.
His cell rang.
“Archer, here.”
“Dr. Archer, this is Adrien Tellier. Wonder if you could spare us some time. We have a puzzle that needs solving.”
Was this an answer to his question?
“What kind of puzzle?”
“A string of random art and artifact thefts from museums in Europe.”
Yes, he thought.
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Afterword
Torah: Exodus Chapter 19:3,5
3 Then Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain and said, “This is what you are to say to the descendants of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel:
5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession.”
Qur’an (Translated by Dr. Rashad Khalifa) Surah 2:53,63 7:42
53 Recall that we gave Moses scripture and the statute book, that you may be guided.
63 We made a covenant with you, as we raised Mount Sinai above you: "You shall uphold what we have given you strongly, and remember its contents, that you may be saved."
42 As for those who believe and lead a righteous life - we never burden any soul beyond its means - these will be the dwellers of Paradise. They abide in it forever.
New Testament Matthew 5:19
19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
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