For archivists college professors and park rangers Forgive me for taking liberties with your professions
Chapter One When the woman from Redd’s television show turned up at the police station clutching clutching a black three-ring binder and looking deeply uncomfortable and slightly jumpy Michelle Grey didn’t even bother to ask She just took a moment to remember the woman’s name from the first time they’d met Bethy Bradlaw if she remembered correctly and then waved her over to the desk where Robin Redd was sitting with his head buried in his hands next to the Kingsolver cousins and the McRae girl and her father Then Michelle went back 5
to tracking down a boat using the impression of a key left in plaster But she didn’t forget they were there A very long career in law enforcement had given Michelle an excellent ability to pay attention to what was happening happening behind her and the loss of one eye hadn’t hindered that skill So when Redd skimmed three papers and stopped dead on the fourth Michelle didn’t even bother to put the phone down she was on hold with the second-largest boat store in Archer’s Grove before she said That had better not be one more clue to that ridiculous treasure Redd froze Bethy bit her lip guiltily and McRae who had been trying to read what Redd was reading reading over his shoulder stifled a hysterical laugh Michelle sighed Then the blasted Starside Marina finally answered their phone how many calls did a boat shop regularly get on a weekday morning anyway so she didn’t quite catch the furious conference conference that went on while an apologetic woman at the marina explained that they didn’t carry a line 6
that would correspond to that key She hung up just as Bethy Bradlaw said Well I’m not lying to the Federal Bureau of Investigation Lying about what Michelle asked Err Redd said It’s Bethy Bradlaw started and then trailed off To be honest I don’t know what any of this means I just don’t think it’s any good She offered a single sheet of vellum paper to Michelle who took it and frowned at a page of ornate but mostly legible handwriting It was in Latin which Michelle could vaguely recognize from a handful of church hymns but couldn’t actually read It’s a page from the journal of the missionary priest who built the Santa Maria Estrella del Mar Redd said And that means He writes on this page about the sinking of the San Telmo Redd explained Against the high cliffs where the mussels grow so thickly This is this is enough proof of where the San Telmo ended 7
