Kathlyn Trent, Marcus Burton 01 - Valley of the Shadow (15 page)

“Maybe he’s getting outside pressure.”

“From Abrahams? Dougray?”

Kathlyn thought a moment. “No,” she said slowly. “Maybe someone bigger than the two of them combined. Remember Mr. Baras?”

Marcus came to a halt. “The Israeli government?”

“That’s about as big as it gets.”

He looked at her. His heart began to ache. “All my life…,” he began, faltered, and started again. “This is all I ever wanted; glory and discovery. Now I look at you and see how petty those things are in comparison. Without you, this stuff is meaningless. It just isn’t fair.”

She sighed, taking his hands. “I know,” she said softly. “The only way I could stay here would be to quit everything and work as an independent contractor. Heck, I couldn’t even be officially on the payroll, and it’s not like I’ve got a horde of individual wealth to live off of.”

“I’ll support you.”

She smiled. “How? As your cleaning lady?”

“As my wife.”

Her smiled faded. She felt as if she had been hit in the stomach. Tears welled up in her eyes before she could stop them. “Oh, Marcus, I’ll never forgive you,” she whispered. “I’ve got to go in front of television cameras in an hour and my mascara will be all down my face.”

She squeaked and wept like a loopy cartoon character. He had to laugh, taking her in his powerful arms to console her.

“I’m sorry, sweetheart, I couldn’t help myself,” he said softly. “I couldn’t think of any other way to keep you here.”

“Why do you have to be so mean?”

“Mean? Why am I mean because I proposed to you?”

She sniffled. “Because you don’t mean it. You’re only saying that out of desperation.”

“Now, hold on,” he held her back so he could look her in the eye. “I never say anything I don’t mean. I’ve never proposed to anyone, either. It just kind of slipped out. But I’ve never felt more strongly about anything in my life. Do you or don’t you want to?”

She wiped her nose indelicately with her hand. He didn’t have tissue for her. “I don’t think I can.”

“Why not?”

“Because… well, because I’m not even sure if you love me or anything.”

He scowled. “Christ, you’re ridiculous. What the hell’s the matter with you? A man almost quits his job for you, proposes to you, and you don’t think he loves you?”

“Do you?”

He looked at her as if she was absolutely out of her mind. “Of course I do. How can you be that stupid?”

She yanked away from him. “Don’t call me stupid. And as for risking jobs for someone, I think I should be put on the top of that list. I’ve risked everything to stay here with you.”

“So what are you saying?”

She slugged him in the arm, lightly, with more irritation than anger. “That I love you, too, you big ape. But you make me so mad I could scream.”

He pulled her into his arms and began kissing her madly. “Christ, we’re a match made in Heaven.”

She put her hands up in a haphazard attempt to stop him. “Marcus, you’re messing up my lipstick. Stop it!”

He couldn’t help himself. But somewhere in his madness, he heeded her words and ended up kissing the makeup off her cheeks instead. It was a warm, wonderful delirium, unlike the one Bardwell had accused her of.

“So now what do we do?” she asked.

He kissed her lower lip and looked at her. “You never said if you were going to marry me.”

“I suppose I could. If it will make you happy.”

He cocked an eyebrow at her. “Mighty full of ourselves, aren’t we?”

She grinned, running a finger along his lips to wipe the makeup off, but mostly because they were so beautiful. “What would you say if I told you I wanted to go to Israel?”

His jaw dropped. “What? After all this? What in the hell…?”

She put a finger up against his lips. “I didn’t want to go to Israel before because I didn’t want to leave you. I was afraid if I left, I’d never see you again. But if we’re going to get married, then I’m going to have you around for the rest of my life. I can still go to Israel, do what I need to do, come back here and spend the rest of my life clearing out Ay’s tomb with you. Does that make any sense?”

It did, sort of. “If you really want to go, I’ll support you,” he said. “I won’t ever stop you from doing what you want to do.”

She sighed heavily, leaning her forehead against his chin. “I chase myths, remember?”

“I remember. A swashbuckling, mountain climbing, Tarzan-swinging archaeologist.”

She laughed. “I think I’ve found my greatest adventure yet, in you.”

He cocked an eyebrow. “Lady, you have no idea.”

CHAPTER TWELVE

The press conference went off without a hitch. Kathlyn performed beautifully and the media ate it up.

Marcus watched her work the crowd, mesmerized as they all were by her charm, and realized just how crazy he was about her. It was a scary, exciting thought. He took over at one point, answering specific questions about the tomb, about Ay, and anything else they could throw at them. He handled himself very well but it was apparent that the news throng was cautious of his gruff demeanor. After the light of Trent's presentation, it was like facing off with the Devil. Nevertheless, Bardwell and McGrath were puffed up like proud fathers. When all was said and done, the press club hurriedly disbanded to file their stories and Kathlyn, Marcus and the rest of them returned to the camp.

Dr. Ronald Abrahams was waiting for her. He and Gary Crawford had met up in Cairo and had flown in a private plane down to Luxor which also happened to be the same air stop for Walter Dougray.  The men had met at the airport and had chatted amiably on the dusty ride to the Valley of the Kings.  They had arrived late, just as the press conference was breaking up, and decided to go on ahead to the camp and meet everyone there.

Kathlyn returned to base camp to find the neat little group waiting for her. She recognized Abraham's auburn head, as well as a couple of others that were familiar. She emerged from the jeep with Juliana and Mark behind her, eyeing the assemblage in the distance.

“Well, well. What have we here?” she muttered.

Juliana and Mark recognized most of the gathering. “Abrahams and Crawford,” Mark grumbled. “Who’s that other guy?”

“Who?”

“The African-American?”

“Walter Dougray,” Juliana said. “Don’t you look at the inside cover of your World Geography Magazines?”

Mark couldn’t help his surprise. “The big man himself.” He looked at Kathlyn as she walked by him. “Jesus, you’ve got the whole damn world out here beating down your door.”

Marcus climbed out of the driver’s seat of the Jeep. “That’s not the only thing that’s going to be beaten down around here if they don’t give her some space,” he growled. “Maybe I should have a talk with Dr. Abrahams.”

Kathlyn stopped him. “No, don’t. I know how you are when you first meet people. I don’t want their first impression of you to be pain and injury.”

Marcus looked at her as if she had grievously insulted him. But she was right. “If you want to deal with them, I won’t stop you,” he said. “But if you want me to run them off, give the word.”

Behind them, Bardwell and McGrath pulled up in another Jeep.  “Dougray!” Bardwell called out to him. “Good to see you! Welcome to our little home away from home!”

“Christ,” Marcus groaned. “Bardwell’s the welcoming committee now.”

As if had heard him, Bardwell cast Burton a long glance. “Behave yourself, doctor. Dr. Trent can handle herself just fine.”

Kathlyn smirked at him, following Bardwell’s lead. Marcus hung behind, looking completely baffled. “Why does everyone think I’m going to run amuck?” he wondered aloud.

Juliana grabbed his arm and pulled him forward with the rest of the group. “Because you just might.”

“Not you, too.”

Juliana laughed. She moved up beside Kathlyn and Mark while Lynn came up to stand beside Marcus. They stood back and watched Kathlyn greet her old boss, her new boss, and Dr. Crawford. Gary Crawford was a handsome guy, a couple of years older than Kathlyn, with sort of a blond Errol Flynn look about him. He was very friendly with Kathlyn and Marcus tried hard, once again, not show his jealousy. He couldn’t fault the guy his good taste. Besides, he figured he’d better get used to men drooling all over her sooner or later.

“This is bad, Marcus, bad,” Lynn muttered.

“Why do you say that?”

“We’re outnumbered. With Dennis gone, it’s just you and me against the rest of them.”

Marcus crossed his arms, studying the chatty group. “Kathlyn’s not ‘them’, she’s ‘us’. So are Juliana and Mark and the rest of the team. As for Bardwell and McGrath, they’re definitely in the ‘them’ category. So are Abrahams and Crawford.”

“We haven’t seen Crawford in a while.”

“Not for a couple of years when he was down here visiting Abu Simbel in relation to the paper he published on Ramses II. I read it in The Journal of Modern Archaeology and it was good. I’ve never worked with him, though.”

“This should be interesting.”

“You got that right.”

Kathlyn turned to Marcus and Lynn, suggesting by her expression that they ought to join the group. Marcus was stiffly cordial to Abrahams and Dougray, but seemed to loosen up with Crawford. Gary was an amiable guy but Marcus would only let the friendliness go so far. He had a long standing reputation of being a cold person, something that wasn’t in danger of dying this afternoon.

Bardwell and McGrath pulled them all into the mess tent for some refreshments, but Marcus begged off. The Marines wouldn’t let anyone into the tomb with his direct approval and supervision, and the SCA had a legion of workers on their payroll that were milling about doing nothing. Work had to continue, press conference or not, so Marcus and Lynn left the group to return to the tomb.

After changing into his heavy Levi’s, Marcus was in his tent pulling on his work boots when Kathlyn strolled through the opening without knocking. She was dressed in jeans and a tank top that fitted her form to perfection, and her hair was pulled back into its customary ponytail. She had her pack slung over her shoulder and looked at him through the dark lenses of her Lennon sunglasses. The woman was ready to rock.

“Come on, slowpoke,” she said. “Crawford and I ditched the old guys. He’s chomping at the bit to see our tomb.”

He finished the tie on his shoe and stood up, towering over her. There was a good ten inches in height difference between them. “What does Abrahams have say? He flew a long way to talk to you."

She shrugged. "He tried to talk to me but I'm not ready to deal with him yet. He wants me back at SCU and I'm not sure I want to go. Besides, he's got Dougray here to deal with now. Maybe I'll start a bidding war for my services."

"Playing hard to get, are you?" He stroked his chin, his gaze falling on her shapely torso. "Hey, what’s the story on Crawford?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, at the risk of sounding like a jealous idiot, do you two have any history I should know about?”

She frowned. “You don’t sound like a jealous idiot, you sound like an insecure jerk.  Gary is married and has three kids. Anything else you want to know?”

He looked sheepish. “Sorry. I tend to be kind of jealous, so you might as well know.”

“Do you trust me?”

“With my life.”

“Then trust me when I tell you that there isn’t anyone in the wings, nor has there been for quite some time. I don’t have some long lost love somewhere that I still pine over, and the last guy I slept with was about two years ago, and he had been my boyfriend for quite some time.  You are the only man in my life now and you are the only one that matters.  I don’t cheat. Is that clear enough for you?”

“More than clear.”

“Then you have no reason to be jealous.”

“No, I guess I don’t.”

He took her hand and they walked out of his tent. “So this old boyfriend; who is he and what does he do?”

She rolled her eyes. “Oh, no, not this,” she took a deep breath. “His name is Tom. He is a Marine.”

Marcus looked at her in alarm. “Christ, don’t tell me he’s….”

She laughed, enjoying his distress. “Last I heard, he got married and was stationed in Tokyo. No, he’s not here protecting the dig site.”

Marcus put a hand over his heart. “Don’t scare me like that again.”

“Serves you right for asking such questions.”

“I’ve learned my lesson, I swear.”

She doubted it.

***

Gary was awestruck by what he saw. As meticulous as he was, he poured over everything he could get close to with a magnifying glass and a horse-bristle brush. In the interest of cooperation, Marcus explained every detail he could think of as they passed through the shaft, Chamber A, the stairwell, Corridor C, Chamber D and Chamber E.  The chamber with the scattered mummified bodies had been designated Antechamber F and the main sarcophagi room was Burial Chamber G.

  Gary was as horrified by the partially fleshed skeletons in Antechamber F as they had all been. In fact, he spent most of his time in that room, inspecting the state of the bodies. Marcus wasn't too proud to ask him what his take was on all of it.