The Grotto's Secret: A Historical Conspiracy Mystery Thriller (4 page)

11

An hour later Jimmy pranced into Kelby’s office with a cat-that-got-the-cream expression on his face. ‘The cops will be here any minute.’

Still deeply engrossed in a financial spreadsheet, Kelby looked up.

‘And you wanted to see the leopard.’ He waved at Zelda to enter.

While Jimmy hovered nervously, Kelby watched Zelda saunter into her office. Before the girl had a chance to spread her effervescence around the room, Kelby said, ‘I have something special for you to do today.’

‘Okay, Kelby.’

‘Jimmy will give you an office credit card and I want you to go to Hamleys and buy the best toys for Down Syndrome kids.’

Jimmy and Zelda’s jaws dropped.

‘Act as though you’re a kid again and find the most exciting ones, okay?’

‘Sure, that sounds fun. How much do I spend?’

‘A couple of hundred or so will be fine.’ Kelby turned to Jimmy and held out her hand, ‘Card please?’

Still puzzled, Jimmy dug in his wallet and handed her the company credit card and she passed it to Zelda.

‘And another thing, I have a pile of designer dresses I want to get rid of.’

‘Ooh, sounds fun!’

‘Don’t get too excited. The studio tends to dress me in frilly sleeves that get in the way and long skirts I keep tripping over.’

Zelda giggled.

‘Anyway, can you find the best way for me to get rid of them without the studio getting offended?’

Zelda threw her arms in the air and exclaimed, ‘Why not give them to a charity? They can sell them and make money. You’ll get oodles of PR. And …’ she drew out her final comment, ‘the studio will think you’re a saint.’

It was Kelby’s turn for her jaw to drop. She stared at Zelda and gave Jimmy a smug glance. ‘What a brilliant idea!’

Zelda spun around in a pirouette. ‘Ta-dah! Everyone happy.’

‘Can you handle it, please?’

‘Oh, Kelby, I’d kill if anyone else took on the job! I’ll get right on it when I’m back from Hamleys. Any particular charity?’

‘Actually, there is. Help For Heroes.
And the National Eczema Society — split it between them.’

‘Yuck, I know the one. The scaly red patches that make them look like lepers.’

Kelby flinched.

As Zelda clomped out of Kelby’s office in her high-heels, Jimmy called after her, ‘And buy everyone a round of sarnies.’

Zelda shot Kelby a questioning glance.

‘Sure.’ Kelby smiled and waved her off.

Within seconds, Zelda’s head popped back around the door. ‘Own up. Who did it?’

‘What?’ Jimmy started towards the door.

Zelda whispered, ‘The pigs are here!’

12

Kelby watched as Jimmy led the two policemen into her office. She indicated the soft seating in the corner. ‘Please take a seat.’

Young Police Constable Pike resembled a string-bean, thin and gaunt like a marathon runner. PC Gardenia, turkey-necked and cagey, allowed his less-seasoned colleague to take charge and stood silently while PC Pike said, ‘Great show, it’s very popular. I believe you’re currently filming the next series.’ His eyes betrayed the tension inside him and Kelby wondered if he was being supervised by Turkey-neck.

Sitting opposite them, Kelby explained how she had to maintain a social media presence, but some dimwit had started trolling her.

PC Pike scribbled notes, flipping back and forth between pages to check what he’d written. Beside him, PC Gardenia stared over his shoulder in silence.

She finished by handing PC Pike her phone. ‘You can see the messages in there.’

The young officer took his time scrolling through the threats she had received earlier, nodding now and then.

Biting back impatience, Kelby pushed her glasses on top of her head and blinked to focus on PC Pike. ‘What are you going to do about it?’

‘What do you expect us to do, Miss Wade?’ PC Gardenia appeared suddenly energised. ‘This sort of thing is to be expected when you’re in the spotlight.’

Kelby bristled. ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t accept that. People don’t need to behave this way to anyone, even to someone
in the spotlight.
’

‘Well, most people don’t bother the police with such everyday matters.’

‘Can’t you hunt him down and stop him before he gets it in his stupid head to act on any of those threats.’

‘They are only tweets at the moment —’

PC Pike interrupted his colleague, ‘Twitter should sort this out for you by closing the offender’s account.’

‘But can’t you get someone to watch my house in case this idiot tries to break in?’

The Turkey-neck’s excess skin flapped about his throat as he shook his head. ‘If he comes around, then call 999 and we’ll come straight round. But for now, we are very understaffed due to the budget cuts and very busy with real threats.’

His monotone voice made it hard for Kelby to concentrate. There were too many things whistling through her head.

Opposite her, PC Pike fidgeted uncomfortably and added, ‘Miss Wade, we can’t put surveillance on you just like that, but we —’

PC Gardenia butted in, ‘Listen, many celebrities face this kind of thing, and they get private security firms to guard them.’

The younger officer seemed bent on trying to help and said, ‘We’ll discuss it with our supervisory officer, but we have to manage your expectations.’

She slumped back in her seat and narrowed her eyes. ‘You can’t
do
anything
?’

‘As I said, we’ll speak to our super —’

‘Yes, yes, I know.’ Kelby jumped to her feet, ‘you have to manage my expectations.’ She marched to the door. ‘If that’s all, officers, I’ll take it from here.’

As PC Pike reached the door, he turned to her, took her hand and wished her well.

When they were gone Kelby spotted a cloud drifting past the window forming into a one-eyed gargoyle that scowled at her. Maybe Jimmy was right. Even if Twitter closed his account, he’d rise again with another account, a new obnoxious user name and the same abusive torch. How could she ever hope to win if she didn’t play their game?

She spun around and marched to the door linking her and Jimmy’s office. ‘Jimmy, please get Jon Thompson on the line.’

‘Sure, anything I need to prep before you speak to him?’

‘No thanks. The cops won’t help. As executive producer, Jon should handle this.’ She sighed. He wasn’t the show’s only producer, but he was certainly the most difficult.

‘Will do.’ At the door, Jimmy stopped. ‘Ah, I nearly forgot. Your herbs are sitting in the boardroom.’

For a moment Kelby didn’t understand, then it dawned on her. As she readied to meet the new mentee, she recalled the cryptic note. Could it be linked to this sudden and urgent meeting?

Intrigue spiked into her, and she hurried towards the boardroom. She couldn’t wait to find out the ancient secret. And what made it deadly.

13

Before she entered the boardroom something prickled at Kelby’s neck. She jiggled her shoulders to stop the tingle taking control of her whole body.

Then, it dawned on her. He was close by again and now she was imagining he was in her office.

Oh, my God! He was!

The Pewter Fox sat right there in front of her, his finely carved fingers draped over a petite woman’s arm. Her nerves went into overdrive. Firstly, at the sight of him, and secondly at seeing him so intimate with another woman.

Get a life, Kelby!

She moved to the boardroom table and as she took his outstretched hand, a sensual current sizzled through her.

The Pewter Fox said, ‘Hello, Miss Wade. Thank you for seeing us at such short notice. I’m Doctor Roy Robson.’ He shook his head, ‘I know how that sounds. Rob Roy and all that.’ He smiled. ‘Mum loves history.’ As his hand clutched hers, she tried to release herself from his grip. He suddenly let go as though he had been jolted by a spark. ‘Sorry.’

Kelby smiled. She sank into a chair opposite him, thankful to be off her wobbly feet and stared at the attractive Spanish woman sitting in front of her.

‘And this is my sister, Marina Peña.’

Marina’s face appeared as though someone had painted it with its sultry stare, its arched, thick eyebrows and pouting lips.

Kelby’s mind was spinning as she muttered, ‘This morning …’ She couldn’t think of how to ask if he’d been following her. That was stupid; he was simply another businessman on a flight. But she couldn’t help blurting out, ‘Were you follo—’

The doctor interrupted, ‘We just happened to be on the same flight.’

Marina’s eyes lit up. ‘Roy was visiting medical colleagues in Dublin to help me find the right home for my discovery. That’s why the big rush to see you today, Miss Wade.’

‘Please call me Kelby; formalities give me a headache.’

Marina started to open a folder, thick with documents, but Kelby stopped her. ‘Wait, I have very little time now. Give me the nuts and bolts. Sum up your pitch in one sentence.’

Marina opened her mouth to speak, but Doctor Robson jumped in first. ‘We’ve stumbled on an ancient secret. Something incredible. But there’s a problem …’ His voice dropped as he fixed his eyes on Kelby, ‘It could be deadly if it falls into the wrong hands. We’re hoping you’ll help us stop that from happening.’

Kelby gasped.

14

Kelby stared at the doctor, ‘So it
was
you who left the note.’

His mouth twisted into a sheepish grin.

‘Good pitch.’ She grinned. ‘Tell me more.’

‘Aside from being extremely rare, Marina’s herb has extraordinary healing powers.’ He turned to his sister. ‘Will you tell Kelby how this started?’

Marina explained, ‘My husband and I live in a rural part of Andalusia. Inland of Malaga. It’s in the middle of nowhere. You wouldn’t believe what we’ve found!’

‘What?’ Kelby tried to focus on Marina, but her brother butted in before she could continue.

‘Marina’s home has been in her father’s family for generations. They own thousands of acres of land. There are some ruins Marina wanted to develop.’

‘My husband, Pepe, he thinks it is good for me to keep busy.’ An elaborate shrug showed her amusement. ‘At first I thought of renovating the ruin as a yoga retreat, but I changed my mind.’

‘Why?’

‘
¡Dios!

‘I found a skeleton in the ruins.’

Kelby pulled a face.

‘I found it in a cellar. Buried underground. I think they used to store preserved food in there. Once they heard about it, archaeologists got excited. They’ve started a dig to discover fourteenth century farm life. It appears the ruined
finca,
um, that’s a small farm with lots of buildings. Now they’re digging up spoonful’s of soil at a time to see how medieval farms worked.’

‘The thing is, Kelby,’ Doctor Robson drew Kelby’s attention back to him, ‘is that this discovery wasn’t just the ruins —’

Marina interrupted, ‘I also found a book and a pile of old documents.’

‘The important thing, Kelby, is that Marina has not revealed the true find to the archaeologists.’

Kelby loved the way he said her name. Once again, she felt the thread that had connected them briefly on the plane. She glanced from brother to sister. ‘I’m not with you.’

‘The
real
find is a journal.’ Doctor Robson sounded impatient to get to the point. ‘Marina
also
found a leather bound book hidden in a clay pot. It dates back to medieval times.’

Before she could stop herself, Kelby blurted out, ‘Medieval? Most people come to me with modern gadgets or futuristic inventions.’ She raised her eyebrows. ‘First time I’ve had something medieval in here.’

Doctor Robson said, ‘Here, Marina will show you.’

Marina’s tiny hands slipped something out of her folder. With careful movements she unwrapped a layer of mottled mocha and buff leather. ‘It’s a medieval girdle book. I think it was handmade by this author.’

Kelby leaned closer to the leather clad book.

‘Look,’ Roy flipped back a long flap of leather with a knot on the end, ‘the book is bound with two pieces of wood covered with leather.’

Kelby noticed the leather had been pasted to the boards with an extension of leather knotted at the end.

‘
¡Mira!
’ Marina held the knot up in the air so the book hung upside down. ‘See, when you lift it up to read it, the book’s the right way up.’

Kelby raised her eyebrows and nodded. ‘Clever idea.’

‘They would slip the knot under their belt to carry on their bodies.’ In a gentle motion, Marina placed the book back onto the table between them. ‘Here, take a look.’

The book had a symbol etched on the cover.

Kelby gasped and held a hand across her chest. ‘I
know
this. I see it every day.’

‘What?’ Marina glanced from Kelby to Roy, her frown darkening her golden glow. ‘You’ve seen this book before?’

‘No. Never.’ Slowly, Kelby reached into her blouse, keeping her eyes on Roy’s face. His eyes widened.

Kelby pulled out a chain with a pendant hanging from it and said, ‘My brother Gary gave me this before he died.’

In the middle of her palm lay a pendant with a large, curved X inside it. The symbol was an exact replica of the image on the book.