Cooking the Books by Bonnie S. Calhoun

Author:Bonnie S. Calhoun [Calhoun, Bonnie S.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Mystery & Detective, Humorous, Suspense, General, Christian
ISBN: 9781426733888
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Published: 2012-04-01T05:00:00+00:00

20

DR. CARLTON MABRY MUTTERED TO HIMSELF AS HE CROSSED THE COLLEGE courtyard to his office. He ambled along the sand-colored cement of the quadrant, weaving in and out of the pockets of heat where the cement was not shaded by the overhanging trees. Heat. Cool. Heat. Cool. Sweat dribbled down his temples. He tugged on the bow tie attached to his shirt collar.

"Professor Mabry!"

He continued walking, appearing deep in thought.

"Professor Mabry!"

Mabry's head flashed up as he turned to face the voice. Reggie Hatland, his research assistant, lumbered across the quadrant, all two hundred pounds of him. Mabry held up a hand. "Stop running in this heat. You're going to have a heart attack. I've told you before, boy, you need to lose some weight."

Reggie ignored the comment and huffed, puffing out his cheeks as he staggered to a halt. "Professor . . . you need to see . . ." He bent over and put his hands on his knees to steady his breathing.

"For heaven's sake, how do you think you're going to join me on a dig if you can't even navigate the width of this courtyard?"

"That's why I was trying to find you." He inhaled deeply and pushed out the long breath, steadying himself. "Your second team in Egypt just reported in. They found the reliquary."

Mabry grinned broadly. "Outstanding." He'd beaten his brother to the punch on finding the first key of the cipher. Now all we need to do is gain control of the book."

Reggie pushed up the right side of his mouth in a smirk, then winked. "I think I've created a solid plan to do just that." His cell phone rang. He fumbled with the folders in his hand and reached in his pocket to retrieve the phone.

"Hello, Professor Mabry's office. . . . Yes. . . . One moment." He pushed the mute button and turned to Mabry. "Lucius wants to talk to you."

Mabry waved a hand to dismiss him and continued walking toward the building.

Reggie trotted behind him through the lobby doors. "Professor, please! What should I tell him?" He held out the phone.

Mabry pushed out a sigh, snatched the phone from Reggie's hand, and jammed it against his ear. "What do you want, Barlow?"

Lucius Barlow laughed into the phone. "I guess I know that you're having issues with me trying to buy the book."

"How can you tell?" Mabry spit out the words as he marched into his office, dropped his briefcase on the desk, and lowered himself into the swivel desk chair.

"You called me Barlow. You always fall back on the discrepancy in our patriarchal lineage when you're annoyed with me."

"Well even though our mother was not monogamous, I'm still older, and it will always be that way." Mabry leaned back in his chair.

"That can be remedied."

"What! Like the accident to my work crew in the Sinai last year?"

"You know good and well that I had nothing to do with those deaths. You're just angry about that young wife of yours. How is she, by the way?"

Mabry sat up poker straight.

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