Spirit of the Revolution (17 page)

“Take your time. I’m in no hurry,” the man named Paul replied.

Mathias fastened his gaze on their visitor. In turn, Paul fixed his gaze on Carolyn while she covered the letter with a linen cloth. She hurried off down the hall and into her office. Paul cast a series of furtive glances down the corridor as he made his way over to the table. He lifted the cover and feasted his eyes on the letter intended for General Washington. Paul’s mouth dropped, his eyes widened, and after he shot a glance toward the hall, he turned the document over. The echo of Carolyn’s footsteps alerted all of them to her return. Paul placed everything the way he found it and scurried across the room.

“What the devil?” Sam growled.

“I’m not sure.” Mathias folded his arms against his chest and studied the man. Despite his outward amiable persona, he detected a bit of malevolence beneath his phony smile.

Carolyn handed him the box and said, “There you go. I have everything identified, logged, and documented. Ray will find everything he needs in the report I faxed over to his office this morning. If he has any questions, just have him give me a call.”

“Will do,” Paul sang out. He cocked his head toward Jacob’s letter and said, “So, what has you so busy today?”

“Oh—” Carolyn cast a brief glance downward and shrugged. “That’s just a document that belongs to a friend of mine. She asked me to preserve it before it fell into ruin. The piece is a record pertaining to her family history, that sort of thing.”

“Really,” Paul replied. He glanced down at the table and spied the printed copies of Jacob’s letter. He then placed his box atop those prints. “My keys,” he said, patting his pockets. “I don’t know what I did with my keys.”

“He’s holding his keys in his hand. What’s he trying to get away with here?” asked Sam as he stepped ever closer to Paul’s position.

“Oh, here they are, right here,” Paul said as he pretended to withdraw them from his pocket. He picked up the boxed tray along with the top most copy of the letter tucked tightly against the bottom and bid Carolyn a good afternoon.

“We cannot allow that miserable dog to have that,” Sam spat.

“No, we can’t and we’re not going to,” Mathias said. “We’re going to follow him outside and take it back.”

They trailed Paul’s footsteps as he took one final look behind him and then exited the door. The man breathed a relieved sigh once the door shut behind him, and with purposeful steps, he headed for the parking lot.

He didn’t travel far before Mathias and Sam combined forces and conjured a powerful gust of wind. The icy blast tore at Paul’s hair, his clothes, and the box he carried for Professor Brennan. During the fracas, he almost dropped his cargo. Paul gasped as he clutched the box closer to his body. Despite his grip, Sam yanked the stolen photo out of his grasp. Paul gnashed his teeth the moment the copy of Jacob’s letter flew upward and out of sight. He jerked the car door open, shoved the box inside, and cast his gaze round about, seeking the document he’d never find. Despite the futile act, the man continued his search in every possible direction, even to the point of looking underneath each car in the parking lot. Once he conceded defeat, he cursed under his breath, and shifted his gaze toward Carolyn’s office.

“Do you suppose he’s had enough?” asked Sam.

“I don’t know,” Mathias said, never once taking his eyes off the thief during the exchange. “He’s yet to get inside his car. The man is a little more determined than what I gave him credit for.”

Paul’s shoulders slumped forward. He muttered another curse just as Carolyn walked out of her office. She carried the archival boxes and leather portfolio that held Jacob Weidmann’s personal possessions.

“My goodness, Paul,” she said as she halted her footsteps. “What are you still doing here? I thought you left well over an hour ago.”

“I just ran into an old friend and we did a little bit of catching up,” Paul lied. “But I’m leaving now.”

“Well, all right then.” She smiled and waved. “I guess I’ll see you later.” Carolyn stood her ground until Paul climbed inside his car and drove away. She then withdrew her cell phone from her pocket.

“Jo? I’m all finished with your documents. Can you meet me for dinner in say, half an hour? Where? You got it. And for heaven’s sake, don’t keep me waiting.”

Mathias looked at Sam and cocked his head toward her car. “I think we better catch that ride.”

****

About twenty minutes later, Carolyn entered the restaurant. Mathias and Sam followed. Each dipped their head in acknowledgment of her presence. Jo spared Sam a glance, and then settled her gaze upon Mathias. She had missed him far more than she thought she would and wanted so much to greet him. Yet, right now, she could do nothing more than return his smile as Carolyn settled into her seat.

Once the waitress disappeared with their order, Carolyn picked up the archival boxes and placed them atop the table. “These boxes hold the medical ledger as well as your family Bible. I know you’re excited, and you’re going to want to share them with your family. But please, be very careful when you handle them.” She fumbled around inside her pocket, and withdrew a handful of gloves, tossed them down on top the boxes, and with a single brow raised, pointedly wagged her head back and forth.

Jo laughed over the dramatic reminder. “Yes, yes. I know, linen gloves, and I promise, I’ll wear them before I touch anything.”

Carolyn took a sip of water from her glass and nodded. “You better. Latex works just as well. I gave you digital photos of all this stuff, too. They’re on the CD inside the portfolio. I suggest you make copies for everyone, instead of playing with the originals anyway. And, a word of caution: don’t store the originals in the attic or basement. They need to remain at room temperature. You might even want to rent a safety deposit box at the bank. That’s what I’d do if they were mine.”

Jo leaned across the table and slid the leather case Carolyn offered toward her. She opened the cover and then thoroughly examined each of the pages. “Everything looks fabulous, Kay-Kay.”

“Doesn’t it though?” Carolyn batted her eyes and pretended to bask in the glow of her compliment. “I’m only kidding—well, no, I’m really not. But, the grand finale to all of this is your letter.” She peered over the top of the book and turned to the last page. After peering in each direction, she leaned forward and whispered, “What you have here is a coded Revolutionary War message, intended for George Washington, himself.”

Jo feigned surprise as her hand traveled to her chest and then toyed with the top button on her blouse. “Really? What makes you think that?”

“Agent 711—all historians of the Revolutionary War know George Washington used that code name. I’m guessing either 797 is the code name of your grandfather or he wrote the message in behalf of someone else. I don’t know if you truly appreciate what you have here. But this document is worth a tremendous amount of money. There are several museums who would give a pretty penny to get hold of it,” she said. “This letter is a very important find, Jo, and in my professional opinion, should be shared with the world.”

“You’re probably right. But before I do anything like that, I would like to discuss it with my family,” she said.

“Well that goes without saying. And of course, such an important decision is not something you need to decide this moment. However, keep in mind; it’s not every day one finds an original letter addressed to George Washington. So while you have it in your possession, keep it under lock and key. In fact, I would suggest you guard it with your life,” she said as she sat back, thus allowing the waitress to serve their dinner.

Jo and Carolyn spent the next hour discussing the documents and a host of other things while they ate. Yet, the boys wanted to get home and share the letter with everyone else and so did she. She wanted to know if they understood its content. The whole thing seemed such a mystery. Finally, she found the opportunity to make a graceful exit and minutes later, she stood at the back of her car. She tucked the boxes inside her trunk, made her way to the door, and stuck the key inside the lock just as Carolyn honked and waved.

“I didn’t think she was ever going to get inside her car,” Sam said, as he tracked the progress of her taillights.

“Neither did I. That girl can chatter along with the best of them,” Mathias added.

Jo burst out laughing as she took in their bored expressions. “I take it you’re both ready to go home then?”

Chapter 13

“You know,” Jo said once they merged onto the highway. “I find it hard to believe you were that bored at Carolyn’s lab.”

Sam snorted and said, “Obviously you’ve never had the pleasure.”

“Can’t say that I have. I must admit, all the years Kay and I have known each other, I’ve never once stood alongside her while she worked. But then again, she has never tagged along with me to rehearsals, either. So, I guess that makes us even.”

“Well,” Mathias said, “I can assure you, there really isn’t much to see.”

“How can you say that?” she asked. “The woman takes some unrecognizable artifact buried beneath the ground for centuries. She then transforms it into a recognizable thing of beauty and great worth.”

“All well and good,” Mathias replied. “But when it comes to preserving a piece of paper, or opening a simple letter, it takes the patience of Job.”

Jo shrugged over the dour comments. “I imagine so. But, to tell you the truth, I was a little disappointed when she showed me the content of Jacob’s letter. Nothing it says makes any sense to me.”

“The message isn’t supposed to make sense,” Mathias replied. “Such a letter should only be understood by those involved. Should anyone else get their hands on it, the secrets remain protected.”

Jo pounced on the comment. Now that she held Mathias captive, he might feel inclined to provide some answers to her many questions. She wasted no time in asking them.

During the remainder of the drive home, Mathias and Sam shared some of the covert activities John Clark assigned them. Some of those missions would’ve left her quaking in her boots if she had participated. Yet, they took each assignment in stride. Once again, she found herself marveling over the courage and tenacity of Mathias and his team of Rangers. No wonder they left over half the English platoon dead inside that forest before they died themselves.

A twinge of regret swept over her as she crested the hill. And just as she assumed, all the exciting stories abruptly ended once they spied the house in the distance. A few minutes later, she turned into the driveway, turned off the engine, and stepped out of the car.

“I wonder if the lads will have any thoughts or insights concerning Jacob’s message,” Sam said as they headed for the doorway.

“I don’t know. But, I’m sure we can come up with something if we all put our heads together,” Mathias replied. “We usually do.”

“Hang on just a minute,” Jo said as she turned back toward the car. “I forgot to get my stuff. We can’t show them the letter unless we have it with us.”

Mathias and Sam continued their conversation near the front door as she rounded the back of her vehicle. Then, just as she lifted the lid to her trunk, the sound of rushing footsteps approached. Before she could turn around, someone grabbed her from behind. The assailant placed one arm around her neck and squeezed her throat so tight she couldn’t catch her breath or even manage a scream. Terror shot through her as she struggled to free herself. The hot breath against her ear sickened her. His garbled demands carried a harsh and gritty tone.

Just as the man grabbed her, Mathias rushed toward the car. The intensity of his rage sent Jolena’s assailant staggering backward. He and Sam exchanged a disgusted glance and then, as if they had discussed it, they lifted the man off his feet and flung his body toward the massive trunk of the oak tree. The impact rendered him unconscious, and he slumped to the ground. Mathias returned to her side in the same moment William and Jed burst through the door, ready for battle.

****

“Did he hurt you?” asked Mathias as he tilted her chin upward and turned it from side to side, checking for any sign of injury to her neck.

After she took a deep breath, she shook her head and said, “No…I’m fine…really. It happened so fast and then you just…” She dropped her gaze and stared at the man’s unconscious form while trembling fingers covered her mouth. A shiver coursed throughout her body. She turned toward him, seeking comfort. Mathias sorely wished he could take her into his arms and give her the comfort she sought. He cursed the fates that prevented it. Nonetheless, he gathered her as close to his form as he could manage.

“What happened out here?” asked William.

Sam jerked a thumb in Paul’s direction. The expression he wore denoted complete intolerance. “That worthless cur had the audacity to assault Jolena. He intended to forcibly take the things she collected from Carolyn just a few hours ago.”

Jolena parted her lips as her eyes widened.

“How do you know?” she asked as she massaged her neck.

“Because this same man visited Carolyn’s lab earlier today and pilfered a copy of the letter she had on the table. We made sure he didn’t abscond with it, but apparently he doesn’t give up his quest easily,” Sam raged. “He must’ve followed us.”

“And now he knows where you live,” Mathias ground out. “We must remain diligent from this point forward, lads. He’ll not touch her again.”

“You got that right,” Sam said, with a firm nod of his head.

“Why don’t we just have Jolena call the sheriff? They could lock this nasty piece of work away for a good long while, I’m sure,” said Jedediah as he circled the man.

Jolena shook her head over the suggestion. “How would I explain he’s the one who’s lying there unconscious, Jedediah, and the only witnesses to his deed are ghosts?”

“You know, she’s probably right about that,” Alex replied.

“All right,” said Mathias. “I’m going to take Jolena inside. I think she’s had enough for tonight. I’ll give the rest of you the pleasure of escorting Paul off the premises.”