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Jordyn and her father standing on a beach filled the
screen. Nice wallpaper. Are you wearing a wetsuit?
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That s how I spend my summers. My dad tried to
teach me to surf. I sucked, but I totally miss it.
Totally, dude.
Emerson, are you mocking me?
Yes, Quig. I am." He smirked as best he could
without re-opening the gash on his lip. "It's dark in here.
I should turn on some lights. Will pulled the chain on
the lamp. Now we can . . . he paused, staring at Jordyn.
Your eyes.
Oh, no! Jordyn's hands flew up to cover her face.
My lenses were bothering me. I didn t put them back
in.
Wow, your eyes are really not brown.
Jordyn lowered her hands. I know, she said.
They re . . .
Jade green.
And?
Always a gamer around until you need one." She
sighed. "Serendipity green. My dad gave her my eyes.
Oh." Will pulled a wood TV tray from behind the
study door. He opened it in front of Jordyn. "For your
computer."
Jordyn set her laptop on the small table. "Thanks."
"I think they're much better on you, said Will.
"Thanks, Emerson." Jordyn stretched and pulled
Will's book off the chair. "Sit." She looked at the cover
of the book, cocked her head, then looked at Will.
"Ancient Cult Objects. Interesting." She leafed through.
A manila folder fell to the floor. "What s that?
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Nothing." Will grabbed the file, folded it in his
arms, and sat. "Just something I was working on.
Do you always work on things marked
confidential?
Well, it s not really mine. It s my father s. He
investigates missing artifacts for insurance companies.
He specializes in cult objects.
Cult? You're starting to creep me out a little,
Emerson."
Um, sorry, 'cult' is archaeologist for religious stuff
like icons, fertility figurines, grave goods, really anything
to do with belief systems.
So, what s so 'cult' about this one? asked Jordyn.
Maybe nothing. It s just a book. The clasp has a
sapphire. That s probably why the insurance company
wants to find it," said Will.
But, you don t think that s it.
Did I say that?
You still have the file."
Yeah. I guess I do." Will pulled out the photo of
the book and handed it to Jordyn. "The book was in a
museum in a small town. There was a storm. It ripped up
the main street and took out some houses. It was pretty
bad. Anyway, the collection was being appraised at the
time and the only thing missing . . .
. . . was the book, Jordyn finished his sentence.
"Yeah."
"And that bothers you."
"That, and someone assigned it to my father for a
reason."
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"So, what do you think it is?
If it is what I think, then we shouldn t be messing
with it." Will looked at the front of the file. "I should put
it away. There really isn t anything to do. My father s
note says the case is closed. Act of God , see?" He
pointed to the note on the front of the file. "Anyway, I m
not even supposed to have it.
Jordyn sat forward on the edge of her chair. She
studied the photo under the lamplight. "Look at this. Is
this writing?" She pointed to the stick-like figures etched
into the metal ring around the stone.
"Probably." Will took the photo from Jordyn and
tucked it back into the file.
Don t you want to find out if you re right?
"It s not mine, said Will.
"You can t just leave it at that. It would kill me not
to know.
I can see that. Will thought for a moment. There
is one person who may be able to help."
I'm game. When do we go?"
"It'll have to wait. We're off next week for Veteran's
Day. We can go then, in the morning. It's not far from
school."
"Meet me at my house. We ll go together."
Will nodded. "We should get back to your paper.
Can I have my book?" Jordyn handed it to him. He
tucked the file back into its pages, closed it, and laid it on
the floor next to his chair.
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CHAPTER FOURTEEN
THE KEY
Will sat on the el headed south. The Veteran s Day
holiday left the train mostly empty, even during the
morning rush. He pulled Iain Pritchard s book out of his
backpack and opened it on the vacant seat next to him, the
file still in place.
He skimmed chapter twelve until he came to the
paragraph he sought. He vaguely mouthed the words as
he read, "Even today, people continue to rely on the
spiritual. For instance, reprints of the Sefer Raziel
HaMalach, also known as The Book of Raziel, are kept in
many homes as a talisman against fire. The modern book
is said to have been transcribed from the ancient text
which was, as legend tells us, written on a sapphire."
The train began to slow. "Next stop, Fullerton.
Fullerton is next."
Will closed the book and jammed it back into his
backpack. The doors opened. He jogged down the stairs
and exited the station. He stood on the sidewalk below
the tracks and dug Jordyn's directions out of his pocket.
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