“Bullshit.”
“Okay, then it will put an end to this nightmare. This standoff with Aldo could last for years if we don't do something.” She turned to Eve. “Help me.”
Eve stared at her and then slowly shook her head. “Don't push me. This whole idea scares the hell out of me. I need time.” She rose to her feet. “Come on, Joe. Let's take a walk by the lake and talk.”
“Eve . . .”
“I said you'll have to wait.” Eve shook her head ruefully. “In some ways you're so grown up, but you still have the impatience of youth. Nothing you say is going to change my mind. Joe and I will set the pace and do what we think is right.” She headed for the door Joe was holding open for her. “We'll let you know.”
Jane's hands clenched into fists as she watched them go down the steps. “Why can't they see it's the right thing to do?” she muttered. “It's so clear to me.”
Trevor smiled. “God, they're right. You are still a kid. I'm profoundly glad for this moment of revelation. I needed it.”
“What?”
“Never mind. It's clear to me, too. It's a good plan and we can keep you safe if we work at it. So they should come around to our way of thinking.” He opened the door. “Let's go out on the porch and wait for them.”
Okay, it's a go,” Joe said when he and Eve came up the steps an hour later. “But you don't do anything, go anywhere, without consulting with us first. It's a team effort or we pull the plug.”
Relief surged through her. “I've no intention of going off on a tangent by myself,” she said. “The whole basis of the plan is that it will take cooperation from all of us.”
“And that's why we're agreeing to do it,” Eve said. “It's the only way we can be sure that you won't strike out on your own.”
“Very perceptive,” Trevor murmured.
“You know I wouldn't want to do that,” Jane said.
“But you're not saying it's not a possibility.” Eve shook her head. “I know you. Do you think I couldn't see it coming?”
“I wouldn't do it willingly.” Jane shrugged. “Anyway, it's a moot point now.” She turned to Trevor. “How do we start?”
“Slowly.” He smiled as Jane gave him a frustrated glance. “Patience is golden.”
“Patience sucks.” She scowled. “And I'm getting sick and tired of everyone thinking that dragging your heels is a sign of maturity.”
He chuckled. “I was waiting for that.” He turned to Joe and Eve. “I'll need some information from both of you. I've put on a pot of coffee. Let's have a powwow.” He opened the door and gestured. “I've had a few thoughts while we've been standing around here waiting for you. I want to get started.” He glanced at Jane. “And maybe I'm a little impatient myself.”
Jane could see that in his expression. Impatient and eager and excited. She could almost forgive him for being patronizing.
Almost.
“How very immature of you.” She sailed ahead of him into the house.
Eve didn't wait for Jane to finish pouring the coffee before she was questioning Trevor. “Let's have it. What do you need to know?”
“Do you have any contacts with any of the forensic departments in Italy?”
“No. I've done some work with the forensic team in Dublin but not anywhere else in Europe.”
“Any work on ancient skulls?”
“I was sent an Egyptian skull that was believed to be Nefertiti's.”
“Was it?”
“Forensics said that she was probably related but the reconstruction didn't look like the statue.”
“But the job still furnishes you with the necessary qualifications. Nefertiti . . . That's very good.” Trevor took the cup Jane handed him. “Who requested your help? The museum? The government?”
She shook her head. “The archaeologist in charge of the dig. He was an American and I'd done some work on a skull he'd found in a Navajo site in Arizona.”
“What's his name?”
“Ted Carpenter.”
“Where is he now?”
“I have no idea. But I doubt if he's in Herculaneum.”
“So do I. That would be too lucky. But archaeologists are a rare breed and they're pretty close-knit. It's possible you could persuade him to contact one of the archaeologists who are doing work at Herculaneum.”
“And?”
“A little truth for the big lie?” Jane sat down on the arm of the couch.
Trevor nodded. “Aldo is bound to check up on any story that has to do with Cira. If we announce that an archaeologist has made the find and is inviting Eve to do the reconstruction, we have to be able to make sure he'll substantiate the story.”
“And how are we going to make this announcement?” Joe asked.
“Carefully. Over a period of weeks.”
“How many weeks?” Jane asked.
“Whatever it takes.”
“Estimate.”
“Three . . . maybe. If everything falls into place.” He turned to Joe. “I'll have to take off for Herculaneum today to pave the way. There are all kinds of problems lurking in Jane's neat little scenario. For one thing, excavation around the theater is controlled by the Italian government. Can I count on you to keep me out of jail if the Italians get too interested in my poking around?”
“I'll work on it,” Joe said. “Though a few days in jail might do you good.”
“But it won't do Jane good. She wants things to happen in a hurry.”
“What else?” Joe asked.
“I'm going to start dropping one-liners in the newspapers on Aldo's favorite sites.”
“You're actually going to change the text?” Jane asked. “How can you do that?”
“It's not easy. I'll not only have to break into the site but I may have to reformat the pages.”
“Without the newspaper knowing?”
“The papers are proofread before they're put on the Web and then scanned after they're on. If I wait five or six hours after they're posted, it's doubtful that anyone will notice the changes. After all, I'm not changing a story, I'm adding. They'll catch on eventually but we may have days before that happens.”
“And when they do?” Joe asked.
“Then it's up to you.” Trevor smiled. “Use influence, muscle, or appeal to their greed. Hell, promise them an exclusive.”
“To all three newspapers?”
“I would. It would be a difficult balancing act but that's what makes life interesting.”
“And criminal,” Joe said dryly. “This will take constant monitoring and we're not sure he even still reads those newspapers.”
“It only takes one. If he sees anything about Cira in one newspaper, the chances are he'll go back to the others for verification.” He frowned thoughtfully. “But Archaeology Journal is a different kettle of fish. I'm not going to be able to pull the wool over their eyes for long. It's an esoteric professional magazine and they're going to care about their reputation.”
“So what are you going to do? Skip them?”
He shook his head. “We need them. It would be a tip-off if the magazine ignored a find like this.” He shrugged. “I'll figure it out.” He put his cup down. “And I'd better get started on the newspapers right away.”