Soho Slasher: Jack Is Back: A Harbinger Crossover Novel to International Hunters, Inc. by Ben Hopkin

Author:Ben Hopkin [Hopkin, Ben]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Crime, Mystery, Thriller, Suspense
Publisher: Off Our Meds MultiMedia
Published: 2014-05-22T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 10

Nicole worked to make sure her jaw wasn’t hanging open. Awestruck. That was what she was feeling. Completely gobsmacked, as the British might say.

Down on the lower levels, everything was more haphazard and crammed together. Row after row of statues, pottery, friezes… all of them placed atop white bases and squeezed in like sardines in a can.

The lighting was stark and unflattering, the floor obviously less kept up than those up above. It was as if these glorious pieces of art had been sent down below to die an ignominious death, and then be buried in a mausoleum. A crypt for antiquities. The whole floor was a complete and utter mess.

Nicole loved it.

These were exhibits that had much more limited exhibition times, and so were most often inaccessible to the public. And Nicole was being given access to them all. With a running commentary that continued to be as interesting, or more, than the pieces themselves.

Right now, Cordelia was escorting her through the Wolfson galleries, where there were huge collections of Roman and Greek sculptures. In front of her was an urn with delicate images carved in relief all along its surface. The work was exquisite in its detail.

“That’s one of my favorites,” Cordelia breathed as she leaned in beside Nicole to examine the surface of the large and ancient container. “Let everyone else stare at the Rosetta Stone. I appreciate finesse.”

Nicole could only nod as she let her eyes wander over the carvings. The figures she was examining were of two men, one clothed, the other naked. The clothed man had his arm draped over the other’s shoulder. There was no overt homoeroticism about the scene, but the musculature on the naked man’s torso was so precise that she could feel the man was on the point of stepping off the urn.

Standing back from the ancient stone work of art, Nicole breathed out her admiration. “This is… It’s amazing,” she said.

Cordelia smiled. “I haven’t taken you everywhere yet. There’s something I wanted to show you, but I wasn’t positive if you would enjoy it.”

It was five-thirty and the museum was closing. The guards were beginning to make their way toward the exits. Several made obeisance to the Lady Blackwater, but none made any move to force them to leave.

The main lights overhead went out, leaving only minimum work illumination in their absence. It was a twilight world they had entered, but Nicole thought she could still see a mischievous gleam in Cordelia’s eye. What exactly did this regal woman have in mind?

Only one way to find out.

Nicole motioned for her to lead the way. After seeing so many wonderful pieces of art here at the museum, she couldn’t imagine the older woman leading her astray even for a moment.

They moved toward a door marked “ACCESS LIMITED TO MUSEUM STAFF”. There, Cordelia brought out a collection of keys and found the one that fit the lock. As the door opened, Nicole spied a set of stairs going down.

A basement to the basement?

This was turning out to be the best day ever.

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