Page 28 of Ancient Obsession

Oliver sat in the student union before class, waiting for Robin to show up with their usual two lattes. Glancing out the window, he saw Dr. Brennan walking fast across the quad toward the doors to the union. Two police officers trailed behind her, trying to keep up. These weren’t campus security, they were actual Glenmont PD.

Dr. Brennan yanked open the door and strode inside. Students hustled to get out of her way, moving even faster when they saw the officers behind her. Brennan stood, fists on hips, slowly turning her head to scan the room. When her eyes landed on Oliver, she jabbed a finger at him.

“There he is!”

Chair legs scraped on tile as students around him retreated. Phones came up to record everything. Oliver laid his hands in full view on the table, palms down. His heart pounded. Sweat coated his body.

“Mr. Berridge?” The officer was a woman, and her name badge read P. Keaton.

“Yes.”

“Were you with Dr. Brennan and her team last night in the Earth Sciences building?”

“Where is it?” Dr. Brennan demanded. She’d come up behind them, peering over the female officer’s shoulder.

“Where’s what?” Oliver said, shaking his head.

“Where did you take it?” Dr. Brennan snapped.

“Ma’am, please let us handle this,” said the male officer. He’d turned sideways to keep an eye on both of them, and Oliver couldn’t see his name tag.

“Take what?” Oliver’s thoughts were a jumble. “What are you talking about?”

Then he remembered touching the mummy. The cloth stiff under his fingertips. Hard press of bone beneath the bandages. Had his touch disrupted whatever preservation techniques had kept Amenmose intact for all these years? Had the body disintegrated simply because he’d touched it?

“Amenmose!” The word echoed around the high-ceiled space. “He’s gone, and you and Robin were the only outsiders. Where is he?”

“Ma’am, please.” Keaton’s voice was louder and firmer. “Step back and quiet down.”

Dr. Brennan retreated slightly, her lips pressed tight and her chest heaving. Her eyes bored into Oliver.

“I don’t know what she’s talking about.” Oliver’s voice shook slightly. “Robin and I left a short time after the coffin had been opened. I drove them back to their sister’s house in Thorndale and then I went home.”

“Where’s home?” The man faced him now and Oliver saw his name tag: E. Montroig.

“Parson’s Hollow.”

“Oh, yeah?” Officer Montroig smiled. “You know Deputy Lucia Durant?”

Oliver blinked. What was going on? “Um, yeah. Pretty well, actually.”

“Troublemaker.” Dr. Brennan snarled and pointed at him again. “He admits it. He’s probably got numerous offenses against him.”

“What? No, I don’t!”

Keaton faced Dr. Brennan. “All right, that’s enough, Dr. Brennan.”

“How about you come down to the station with us, and we can sort it all out,” Montroig said.

“I’m missing class right now,” Oliver said, but it was a weak protest.

“We’ll write you a note,” Keaton said over her shoulder. “Come on. We’ve got Robin Moreau at the station already.”

Oliver’s gut clenched. Robin was being questioned too? He stood and grabbed his messenger bag. Face burning, he avoided making eye contact with anyone in the crowd as he followed the officers outside. As they crossed the quad, more people stopped to stare, phones up and recording. Montroig waved for him to get into the back of a patrol car. It smelled like old farts and some kind of spicy roast beef.

Dr. Brennan got into the back of Keaton’s patrol car, and he hoped it smelled even worse. As Montroig pulled out of the parking lot, Oliver clutched his bag to his chest and tried to slow his pounding heart. What the hell was he being accused of? Stealing a mummy? That was crazy. Where would he even store a mummy?

CHAPTER EIGHT