“The family Bible.” Jo stated the obvious as Kay simply nodded and then retrieved the remaining documents in one swoop. “The one on top is the letter I told you about, the one I want opened. Those other documents are my grandfather’s war records.”
The letter penned for George Washington lay face down, with the seal side up. Jo pointed to the seal. “I believe my grandfather wrote this note. As you can see, it has his personal seal here on the back. So, do you think you can open it for me and at the same time keep the letter intact?”
“Of course,” Carolyn said.
“Good. I really want to know what it says and share the information with all of Jacob Weidmann’s descendants,” she replied.
“I can’t wait to delve into it myself. However, it’s going to take me at least a couple of days, maybe more, depending on what I find when I begin the process. We have to get the level of hydration exact before I can open it without damaging it. But, don’t worry. I promise I’ll call you often and let you know where we stand. In the meantime, I can get the rest of this stuff in a state of preservation easily enough.”
Just then, Carolyn’s cell phone rang. She looked down at the screen and sighed. “I’m sorry, but I really need to take this call, Jo. Just give me a few minutes and I’ll be right back.”
“Sure. No problem, take your time.” Jo waited until Carolyn disappeared into her office, before shifting her gaze to Mathias and Sam. “Well, what do you think of her?”
“She seems competent enough,” Mathias said. “However, we’re really not comfortable leaving the letter here unprotected for an unknown number of days. Sam and I will stay here and watch over things until she’s finished with her work.”
“Since there are numerous locks on all of the doors and a state-of-the-art alarm system, what you truly mean to say is that you want to see the contents of the letter the minute she opens it.” Jo lifted a brow along with her chin, daring them to refute the claim.
“Jacob charged the responsibility of this letter to us, Jolena. Therefore, now that we have it, we can’t allow it to leave our possession. And—we really want to be here the minute she opens the letter.” Mathias gave her a wink.
“All right. Then I guess I’ll see you both when the job is finished.”
“You’re not coming back to watch the progress?” he asked.
“I don’t know if I can. A lot will depend on our individual scheduling,” Jo said. Yet before she could finish her sentence, the sound of Carolyn’s returning footsteps, echoed down the hallway.
Mathias traced the length of her jaw with a single finger. She drew in a breath as the contact sent a delightful shiver down her spine. “At least try to come back,” he whispered.
Unable to finish the conversation, Jo simply nodded.
“Okay, I think we can get started now,” Carolyn said. “Want to hang around and watch for a little while?”
Jo finally exhaled as she glanced down at her watch. “I wished I could, Kay, but I have to get to work myself. I’ll give you a call when I’m through for the day and see if you’re still here. If you are, I’ll stop by and see how things are going. That’s the best I can do,” she said, directing the comment more toward Mathias and Sam, then to Carolyn. They understood, and with a final nod, she exited the door.
****
Mathias and Sam passed the next few days immersed in the tedious process of document preservation. Carolyn labored over Jacob’s medical diary first and then his Bible. She placed those items in boxes marked Archival. Carolyn placed all the war documents inside an acid free leather portfolio.
However, the letter remained a mystery. Carolyn finally opened it yesterday but before either of them could read the content, she flipped it over and simultaneously, placed a heavy weight atop it. She left it to sit overnight, locked the lab, and quit the premises. Mathias shook his head in exasperation as they could do naught, but wait for her return.
The morning arrived on schedule, as did Carolyn. As the hours slipped away, she had yet to turn her attention to the letter despite Sam’s gentle nagging. He used Sam’s impatience to keep him amused while they waited.
“Either the woman is so rattled she can’t understand a word I’m saying, or she’s choosing to ignore the suggestion,” Sam said in an irritated huff.
“More likely, it’s because she knows what she’s doing and therefore will proceed as she sees fit,” Mathias replied.
“Perhaps, but the wait is naught but annoying,” Sam muttered. “And where’s Jolena? We’ve not been privy to so much as a phone call between the two of them, and I know she could hurry the girl along.”
Mathias had no answer for that. A wave of disappointment washed over him every time the door opened and someone else walked in. Disappointment ensued each time the phone rang, and he didn’t hear her voice at the other end. He missed her. Sam nudged him as Carolyn put on a fresh pair of gloves and finally approached the letter.
Anticipation swelled as she removed the weight and then with skillful precision, turned the letter over. Carolyn then placed it on something called plastic sheeting. Her eyes widened in surprise as she read the content for the first time.
“Wow. I wonder what Jo’s going to think about this?” she asked herself aloud. Then, after she slipped the sheeting under her camera, she took several photographs, downloaded those images into her computer, printed out the results, and laid them out atop the table.
Unable to see the letter under the camera lens, Mathias nodded toward the copy, and said, “Let’s go have a look.”
Then, as they stood over the printed copy of the note at long last, they fastened their gaze on Jacob Weidmann’s final letter. However, reading it quickly, proved difficult.
“The thing looks hastily written, almost as if Jacob feared someone would find him in the act of writing it,” Sam said.
“That it does,” Mathias replied. “But look at the date; he must’ve written this shortly before or after he found out about the march to New York.”
While Carolyn busied herself elsewhere, Mathias turned the letter on an angle, slid it closer to the edge of the table, and deciphered the contents.
June 15, 1778
Sir;
It has come to my attention this eve, the erc’s have captured and executed thsmcgre one week past. It remains unknown if the said erc’s gleaned any pertinent information about the condition or whereabouts of tinker’s toy. We therefore find it prudent to change the location of the said contraption with all haste. Consequently, you must cancel scheduled convoy. Updated information and location will follow shortly hereafter.
797
Just as they finished reading the note, the door to Carolyn’s lab opened. Mathias turned his attention away from the letter in the hope he’d find Jolena standing there. He wanted so much to share this moment with her.
“Oh, hello, Paul, I didn’t expect to see you quite this early.” Carolyn glanced down at her watch as she moved Jacob’s letter from the camera to the table. “I have the tray for Professor Brennan in the back. I’ll go get it boxed up if you’ll give me just a minute.”
“Take your time. I’m in no hurry,” the man named Paul replied.
Mathias fastened his gaze on their visitor. In turn, Paul fixed his gaze on Carolyn while she covered the letter with a linen cloth. She hurried off down the hall and into her office. Paul cast a series of furtive glances down the corridor as he made his way over to the table. He lifted the cover and feasted his eyes on the letter intended for General Washington. Paul’s mouth dropped, his eyes widened, and after he shot a glance toward the hall, he turned the document over. The echo of Carolyn’s footsteps alerted all of them to her return. Paul placed everything the way he found it and scurried across the room.
“What the devil?” Sam growled.
“I’m not sure.” Mathias folded his arms against his chest and studied the man. Despite his outward amiable persona, he detected a bit of malevolence beneath his phony smile.
&nbs
p; Carolyn handed him the box and said, “There you go. I have everything identified, logged, and documented. Ray will find everything he needs in the report I faxed over to his office this morning. If he has any questions, just have him give me a call.”
“Will do,” Paul sang out. He cocked his head toward Jacob’s letter and said, “So, what has you so busy today?”
“Oh—” Carolyn cast a brief glance downward and shrugged. “That’s just a document that belongs to a friend of mine. She asked me to preserve it before it fell into ruin. The piece is a record pertaining to her family history, that sort of thing.”
“Really,” Paul replied. He glanced down at the table and spied the printed copies of Jacob’s letter. He then placed his box atop those prints. “My keys,” he said, patting his pockets. “I don’t know what I did with my keys.”
“He’s holding his keys in his hand. What’s he trying to get away with here?” asked Sam as he stepped ever closer to Paul’s position.
“Oh, here they are, right here,” Paul said as he pretended to withdraw them from his pocket. He picked up the boxed tray along with the top most copy of the letter tucked tightly against the bottom and bid Carolyn a good afternoon.
“We cannot allow that miserable dog to have that,” Sam spat.
“No, we can’t and we’re not going to,” Mathias said. “We’re going to follow him outside and take it back.”
They trailed Paul’s footsteps as he took one final look behind him and then exited the door. The man breathed a relieved sigh once the door shut behind him, and with purposeful steps, he headed for the parking lot.
He didn’t travel far before Mathias and Sam combined forces and conjured a powerful gust of wind. The icy blast tore at Paul’s hair, his clothes, and the box he carried for Professor Brennan. During the fracas, he almost dropped his cargo. Paul gasped as he clutched the box closer to his body. Despite his grip, Sam yanked the stolen photo out of his grasp. Paul gnashed his teeth the moment the copy of Jacob’s letter flew upward and out of sight. He jerked the car door open, shoved the box inside, and cast his gaze round about, seeking the document he’d never find. Despite the futile act, the man continued his search in every possible direction, even to the point of looking underneath each car in the parking lot. Once he conceded defeat, he cursed under his breath, and shifted his gaze toward Carolyn’s office.
“Do you suppose he’s had enough?” asked Sam.
“I don’t know,” Mathias said, never once taking his eyes off the thief during the exchange. “He’s yet to get inside his car. The man is a little more determined than what I gave him credit for.”
Paul’s shoulders slumped forward. He muttered another curse just as Carolyn walked out of her office. She carried the archival boxes and leather portfolio that held Jacob Weidmann’s personal possessions.
“My goodness, Paul,” she said as she halted her footsteps. “What are you still doing here? I thought you left well over an hour ago.”
“I just ran into an old friend and we did a little bit of catching up,” Paul lied. “But I’m leaving now.”
“Well, all right then.” She smiled and waved. “I guess I’ll see you later.” Carolyn stood her ground until Paul climbed inside his car and drove away. She then withdrew her cell phone from her pocket.
“Jo? I’m all finished with your documents. Can you meet me for dinner in say, half an hour? Where? You got it. And for heaven’s sake, don’t keep me waiting.”
Mathias looked at Sam and cocked his head toward her car. “I think we better catch that ride.”
****
About twenty minutes later, Carolyn entered the restaurant. Mathias and Sam followed. Each dipped their head in acknowledgment of her presence. Jo spared Sam a glance, and then settled her gaze upon Mathias. She had missed him far more than she thought she would and wanted so much to greet him. Yet, right now, she could do nothing more than return his smile as Carolyn settled into her seat.
Once the waitress disappeared with their order, Carolyn picked up the archival boxes and placed them atop the table. “These boxes hold the medical ledger as well as your family Bible. I know you’re excited, and you’re going to want to share them with your family. But please, be very careful when you handle them.” She fumbled around inside her pocket, and withdrew a handful of gloves, tossed them down on top the boxes, and with a single brow raised, pointedly wagged her head back and forth.
Jo laughed over the dramatic reminder. “Yes, yes. I know, linen gloves, and I promise, I’ll wear them before I touch anything.”
Carolyn took a sip of water from her glass and nodded. “You better. Latex works just as well. I gave you digital photos of all this stuff, too. They’re on the CD inside the portfolio. I suggest you make copies for everyone, instead of playing with the originals anyway. And, a word of caution: don’t store the originals in the attic or basement. They need to remain at room temperature. You might even want to rent a safety deposit box at the bank. That’s what I’d do if they were mine.”
Jo leaned across the table and slid the leather case Carolyn offered toward her. She opened the cover and then thoroughly examined each of the pages. “Everything looks fabulous, Kay-Kay.”
“Doesn’t it though?” Carolyn batted her eyes and pretended to bask in the glow of her compliment. “I’m only kidding—well, no, I’m really not. But, the grand finale to all of this is your letter.” She peered over the top of the book and turned to the last page. After peering in each direction, she leaned forward and whispered, “What you have here is a coded Revolutionary War message, intended for George Washington, himself.”
Jo feigned surprise as her hand traveled to her chest and then toyed with the top button on her blouse. “Really? What makes you think that?”
“Agent 711—all historians of the Revolutionary War know George Washington used that code name. I’m guessing either 797 is the code name of your grandfather or he wrote the message in behalf of someone else. I don’t know if you truly appreciate what you have here. But this document is worth a tremendous amount of money. There are several museums who would give a pretty penny to get hold of it,” she said. “This letter is a very important find, Jo, and in my professional opinion, should be shared with the world.”
“You’re probably right. But before I do anything like that, I would like to discuss it with my family,” she said.
“Well that goes without saying. And of course, such an important decision is not something you need to decide this moment. However, keep in mind; it’s not every day one finds an original letter addressed to George Washington. So while you have it in your possession, keep it under lock and key. In fact, I would suggest you guard it with your life,” she said as she sat back, thus allowing the waitress to serve their dinner.
Jo and Carolyn spent the next hour discussing the documents and a host of other things while they ate. Yet, the boys wanted to get home and share the letter with everyone else and so did she. She wanted to know if they understood its content. The whole thing seemed such a mystery. Finally, she found the opportunity to make a graceful exit and minutes later, she stood at the back of her car. She tucked the boxes inside her trunk, made her way to the door, and stuck the key inside the lock just as Carolyn honked and waved.
“I didn’t think she was ever going to get inside her car,” Sam said, as he tracked the progress of her taillights.
“Neither did I. That girl can chatter along with the best of them,” Mathias added.
Jo burst out laughing as she took in their bored expressions. “I take it you’re both ready to go home then?”
Chapter 13
“You know,” Jo said once they merged onto the highway. “I find it hard to believe you were that bored at Carolyn’s lab.”
Sam snorted and said, “Obviously you’ve never had the pleasure.”
“Can’t say that I have. I must admit, all the years Kay and I have known each other, I’ve never once stood alongside her while she worked. But then agai
n, she has never tagged along with me to rehearsals, either. So, I guess that makes us even.”
“Well,” Mathias said, “I can assure you, there really isn’t much to see.”
“How can you say that?” she asked. “The woman takes some unrecognizable artifact buried beneath the ground for centuries. She then transforms it into a recognizable thing of beauty and great worth.”
“All well and good,” Mathias replied. “But when it comes to preserving a piece of paper, or opening a simple letter, it takes the patience of Job.”
Jo shrugged over the dour comments. “I imagine so. But, to tell you the truth, I was a little disappointed when she showed me the content of Jacob’s letter. Nothing it says makes any sense to me.”
“The message isn’t supposed to make sense,” Mathias replied. “Such a letter should only be understood by those involved. Should anyone else get their hands on it, the secrets remain protected.”
Jo pounced on the comment. Now that she held Mathias captive, he might feel inclined to provide some answers to her many questions. She wasted no time in asking them.
During the remainder of the drive home, Mathias and Sam shared some of the covert activities John Clark assigned them. Some of those missions would’ve left her quaking in her boots if she had participated. Yet, they took each assignment in stride. Once again, she found herself marveling over the courage and tenacity of Mathias and his team of Rangers. No wonder they left over half the English platoon dead inside that forest before they died themselves.
A twinge of regret swept over her as she crested the hill. And just as she assumed, all the exciting stories abruptly ended once they spied the house in the distance. A few minutes later, she turned into the driveway, turned off the engine, and stepped out of the car.
“I wonder if the lads will have any thoughts or insights concerning Jacob’s message,” Sam said as they headed for the doorway.
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