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
up that you could get a dive crew together and they wouldn’t all think you were crazy I see Michelle said What she was actually seeing was a terrible vision of all the subjects of interest in her investigation disappearing on another treasure hunt only to get attacked by the still-at-large still-at-large Griffin somewhere with no witnesses That man had the most irritating habit of finding the Kingsolvers when nobody expected him to and an equally bad habit of disappearing before the police could get there It was well irritating If Griffin would just once try his shenanigans when the police or the FBI were in the area wait There was an old saying about how if the mountain mountain won’t come to Muhammad then he’d just have to go to the mountain Detective Hermann had been following up on some leads that had evaporated evaporated in light of the key Redd and McRae had found which meant he was free right now Catching his eye and hopefully conveying Forgive me for volunteering you but I think they’ll accept you faster 8
than me with her gaze Michelle turned to McRae and made a decision If you do decide to go off looking for that boat a second time I’m going to insist that you bring Detective Hermann along with you she said and McRae blinked once slowly then turned to Redd and shrugged It’s not going to bother me Dr McRae said but I don’t have a boat Oh I can get a boat Redd said cheerfully And a scuba diver since I have one in my address books Is this a reliable person or someone who bought a certificate off the internet McRae and Bradlaw asked in unison Then they turned startled gazes on each other while Redd folded his arms and declared that she may have been certified in Ohio but she had taken all the necessary tests and classes It might mean fewer people try to shoot me Chris Kingsolver suggested to his cousin Carrie and Maddison Dr McRae’s daughter Chris was sitting 9
