Page 31 of Ancient Obsession

“Like a demon?”

Dave glared at him as he accepted the call. “Hey babe, I was just talking about you.”

“Dave, I’m in trouble.” Oliver’s voice shook, and in the background, Dave could hear multiple people talking and phones ringing.

“What’s wrong? Where are you?”

Across the table, Dave saw Cody sit upright and reach for his wallet.

“I’m in the Glenmont police station. I’ve been arrested.”

At the station, Montroig turned him over to a detective. He was a big man, tall and broad, but going soft after years behind a desk. The detective tossed a case file onto a pile of others, sighed, and pointed to a chair beside his desk. He introduced himself as Detective Carter and, after a quick search of Oliver’s bag, allowed him to keep it. Carter also allowed him a phone call. Hearing Dave’s voice helped steady him. Dave’s simple, “I’m on my way,” helped even more.

Dr. Brennan sat with another detective a few desks away. He caught snippets of her interview.

“It had to be him, I trust my team implicitly.”

“This is a priceless artifact, the body of an Egyptian scribe.”

“I don’t know where he might have taken it, ask him!”

She paused now and then to throw an icy glare across the room.

“All right,” Carter said, locking his desk drawers with a small key on a crowded ring. “Let’s have a chat.”

“What? Where? We can’t talk here at your desk?”

“Not with her shouting and shooting daggers across the room.” Carter stood and gestured for him to follow. “Come on. You can bring your belongings.”

Oliver followed the detective to a hallway lined with heavy metal doors. Were these cells? Was he going to be locked up? Ice cold fireworks boomed inside his brain. Dazzling sparks danced across his vision. His breathing was shallow and fast.

Carter stopped outside a door and opened it. Oliver was slightly relieved to see it was only an interview room. He sat on the side of the table facing the door. The room was smaller than in movies, and when Detective Carter entered and closed the door, it seemed to shrink even more. The man wore some kind of super masculine cologne or deodorant that was doing its best to cover up the smell of sweat, but he was apparently quite the accomplished sweater.

“Okay,” Carter said with a sigh. “Tell me what happened.”

“Nothing happened!” Oliver paused to draw a deep breath. “I’m sorry. I swear I didn’t do anything.”

“Uh huh. Walk me through it from the beginning.”

After collecting his thoughts, Oliver started with when he met Robin in class. His explanation took longer than he’d anticipated because every so often Detective Carter would interrupt with a clarifying question. Oliver finished up with dropping Robin off at their sister’s house before going back home.

“And your roommate Dave can corroborate this?”

“He’s my fiancé, but, yes. He’s on his way here now.”

“All right. Give me a minute.”

Carter pushed his chair back and opened the door. Air from the hallway rushed in, fresh as the first hint of spring.

“Someone actually stole Amenmose’s body?” Oliver asked.

Carter paused in the doorway. “Seems that way. I’m going to speak to the other detective. Do you need water or coffee?”

“Water, please.”

Carter left and returned with a small bottle of water, barely chilled. Oliver sipped it as he waited. Had they already questioned and released Robin? Who would steal a mummy? How would they go about it? Did they just throw it over their shoulder and walk out? Had the other members of Dr. Brennan’s team been brought in for questioning as well?

He unlocked his phone, not surprised to find the signal blocked. Opening the Photos app, he scrolled through pictures, taking comfort from the memories.