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“I know.” Jasmine’s lips pressed together. “Especially since we know Demopoulos wants it.”
Fearghas’s brow creased. “And he owns the city.”
“And he’s probably pissed that we took it,” Ace said. “Why did you bring us back to Athens?”
Fearghas shrugged. “Demopoulos doesn’t own everyone in the city. I have some contacts that could get us out should the need arise. And it can be easier to hide in a city of over three million people than in the country where everyone knows when strangers pass through.”
Jasmine turned to Ace. “Christos mentioned his father became interested in ancient Egyptian artifacts when he went with a friend on an archeological dig in a king’s tomb. Apparently, the king had hidden a treasure. He dispersed clues in the form of gifts to leaders in different locations throughout his kingdom. One of those gifts was a mosaic with an image of Horace giving the king a scroll. That scroll was passed to a priest who lived near the Dead Sea. He was tasked with preserving the scroll.”
“You think the scroll was one of the gifts?” Ace asked.
Fearghas’s brow twisted. “The Dead Sea scrolls?”
Jasmine’s lips pressed together. “The Dead Sea scrolls are said to contain messages about treasures. The copper scroll dates back to 65 AD,” Jasmine said. “The king’s tomb dates back almost a thousand years earlier.”
“If the priest was tasked with preserving the scroll, he could’ve passed that task down to his successors,” Ace said.
“Scrolls fade,” Jasmine said.
“The successors could have transcribed the messages, thus preserving them,” Fearghas offered.
Jasmine nodded. “And the copper scroll could’ve been the medium they chose to ensure the preservation of the messages.”
“Tis all supposition,” Fearghas said. “It would help if we could ask Athanasios why he needed the copper scroll.”
Jasmine snorted. “That’s not an option.”
“Did Christos mention the name of his father’s friend?” Ace asked.
Jasmine’s gaze met Ace’s. “If we could find that friend, he might be able to shed light on Demopoulos’s need for the scroll. He might also know who would’ve taken my son.”
Ace’s hands curled into fists. “He might be the one who took your son.”
Jasmine pressed a palm to her chest. “It would be too obvious, but I had the same thought. Christos said the name of that friend was Louis...” Her brow furrowed. “Bertolli or Bertolini. I was too busy looking for the scroll. I should’ve remembered.”
“That might be enough of a name for Hank’s computer guy to look him up,” Ace said.
“This Louis Bertolli and Athanasios Demopoulos could be in competition to get to the treasure first,” Fearghas said. “Which puts you and the scroll in the middle of it.”
Jasmine nodded.
Ace pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “Maybe Swede can figure that out.”
“In the meantime, Demopoulos will be eager to get that scroll back,” Fearghas said.
“If he knows who coerced me into stealing it in the first place, he’ll know where that man lives.” Jasmine’s face paled. “He has one step up on us.”
Ace nodded. “Demopoulos might be on his way to that person to take the scroll from him or to intercept you before you can make that trade for your son.”
“Tell your friend Swede to hurry,” Jasmine said.
Ace selected the number and pressed the phone to his ear.
Swede answered on the second ring. “Dude, I assume you made it out of the compound all right.”
“Thanks to Hank for sending backup.”
Swede chuckled. “I assume you met Gordon?”
