The look on Lily Rose’s face as she headed Martha’s direction didnotbode well.
Taking a deep breath, she met her companion. “You don’t appear to have good news.”
“Your mother received a telegram this morning.” Martha stiffened. “The powers that be are doing all they can to keep it out of the papers, but that probably won’t happen. Thankfully, she knows people, and they informed her. She doesn’t want this hurting you....” It had been a long time since she’d used her stalling tactic.
It wasn’t working. “Spit it out. Whatever it is, it can’t be that bad.” Although, if the feelings in the pit of her stomach were any indication, she was in trouble.
“A number of bones have disappeared. From digs in Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, and some even from Montana. As in—they are being stolen as they are shipped to their respective museums or universities. The officials have no idea who is stealing them or how.”
“How many isa number?” Martha swallowed. Everything in her stomach threatened to creep up her throat. If Mother had been alerted, it had to be a large amount since she and Father still invested heavily in paleontological digs.
“Train cars full. Over twenty train cars full.”
“What?”This was no doubt a result of the feud between Cope and Marsh. Why was this atrocity allowed to continue? “How can this be happening? It doesn’t make sense—”
Her companion’s huff stopped her. “It’s happened over the past five years. With correspondence being so slow back and forth from here to the East, it has taken time for all of it to come to light. Especially since everyone has wanted to keep a low profile and not let anyone else know what they have found until they put it on display.”
Another reason to blame those two for all the grief they’d caused the paleontological community. Anytime those two men came to mind, her anger built. “Have they found the bones that were stolen?”
“No. That’s the thing. They’ve never found any of them. They’ve probably been sold to private collectors.” Lily Rose’s face hardened. “No surprise, the wealthy always do whatever they want.”
The comment stunned Martha. Was that bitterness in the older woman’s voice? She’d never heard her speak in such a manner.
“Don’t forget it is a wealthy family who pays yourgeneroussalary,” Martha snapped. Goodness. She sounded exactly like Mother.
Lily Rose’s jaw tightened, but she gave a short nod. “My apologies, Martha. I am out of sorts today.”
Martha gave her a sharp nod, her thoughts going back to the stolen bones. If they were with private collectors, they might never be found. A year or so down the road, someone could claim to have dug up a specimen and use the bones they purchased to claim the find and get their name out there. Or the rich collectors could simply keep the bones in their homes as a prize. A medal of honor. Is that what her scientific field was coming to? The richest of the rich hoarding—poaching essentially—whatever they wanted so they could put it on display. It disgusted her.
She shouldn’t be surprised. It had been happening with jewels and art and archaeological artifacts for centuries ... why not with dinosaur bones? It was a commodity that wasn’t available anymore. Whatever was in the fossil record wasit. No more. The simple matter that they were rare and scarce made them desirable.
She almost lost her lunch with the thought. Maybe she should switch to studying something else. It’s not like they had the resources in their community of scientists to double-check where each specimen came from to stop the thievery. And she was sick and tired of all this mess. If she ever had the chance to speak to Mr. Othniel Marsh or Mr. Edward Cope, she would give them an earful.
“Um ... Martha, you’re about to shred that paper.”
Lily Rose’s gentle tone, so opposite her earlier derision, stopped her. “Hm?” She looked down. While she’d been thinking, her hands had made a mess of her notes from this morning. “Oh, heavens.” Working to smooth the papers back out, she did her best not to smudge them any more than she already had. “There are days I simply want to give up.”
“You don’t mean that.”
Lily Rose’s scolding look was almost comical. It seemedwhatever was bothering her companion before had passed. Martha shrugged. “You’re right, I don’t mean it. But sometimes I have to say it anyway.” She chewed on the inside of her cheek. “To get away with those thefts, people would not only have to know who is digging what where, but they’d have to know the exact time bones were loaded and transported and then know the train schedules inside and out.”
Lily Rose grimaced. “It would take someone clever to figure all of that out.”
“And someone with lots of money. Let’s not forget that. The financial cost of mounting such a ring of organized theft is beyond my imagination.” That kind of wealth wasn’t unheard of out here in Colorado, though rare. Perhaps someone on the East Coast was behind it all, hoarding the earth’s treasures for their own pleasure, rather than sharing it with the world. Or offering it for view at an exorbitant price.
She shook her head. What was she doing? She was giving the crooks exactly what they wanted. Her own lack of focus on her project—the worry and conjecture—could give them the openings they needed. Whoevertheywere. “No matter. It’s not worth my time and energy to even think about. My bones will not be delivered by train. I’ll hand deliver them if that’s what it takes to keep them secure.”
“Good.” Lily Rose nodded. “What would you like me to help you with today?”
“Would you check on each of the men and their quadrants? I’d like to be updated on the progress morning and afternoon. Even when I’m out digging myself.”
“I’ll bewithyou when you’re digging, Martha. Let’s not forget that. You know it’s imperative to protect your reputation. Your parents insist.”
“Yes, yes. I know.” Lily Rose was a wonderful companion, but sometimes it would be nice if Martha could delegate moreto her instead of always needing the hovering of a mother hen. The more hands they had, the better.
The older woman sent her a knowing smile. “Still. What your parents don’t know can’t hurt them. I shall start a check on your quadrants and catch up to you at your dig site. Does that sound fair?”
Martha kept her surprise in check. “I appreciate a bit of freedom today, Lily Rose. Thank you.” She waved goodbye as her companion walked southeast.
