Alex Kava Bundle - Alex Kava [620]
There were supposed to be a dozen of them, three girls and nine boys. Gibson had stolen a peek at the roster on Sister Kate’s desk. He already knew that he was the only one from Our Lady of Sorrow. His mom had been thrilled, like it was some big honor. There was no talking her out of it even when she discovered there was a five-hundred-dollar tuition fee to cover their field trips. She shrugged and said she’d get Grandma McCutty to pay it. Gibson complained that the three weeks would totally ruin his summer, but he knew he had already lost the argument. He overheard his mom on the phone telling Grandma McCutty what a privilege it was for Gibson to make the program, if only she could contribute the thousand-dollar tuition fee, then Gibson wouldn’t have to turn down such an honor. So there was the real reason his mom was so excited—not that he had qualified. Not that he would get out of the house and do something all summer other than play computer games. No, it was just one more opportunity to scam Grandma McCutty.
“What do you suppose this is?” a small kid with freckles and reddish-blond hair asked.
Gibson hadn’t even noticed the kid come up beside him. He was pointing to one of Gibson’s favorites, not daring to touch what at first glance looked like some kind of primitive chalice.
“It’s called a skullcup,” Gibson told him and picked it up carefully, watching the kid’s blue eyes widen as if Gibson had done something forbidden, but Gibson knew Sister Kate wouldn’t mind. The items she left on the counters were to be handled, carefully, of course, and examined. He turned it over to show the new kid where the base adhered to the top of a human skull.
“In Tibet, priests use these for ceremonies and stuff. See, they cut a human skull in half and use the top for the cup part. They attach all this decorative crap.” He pointed out the jewels and polished stones and his stomach hardly hurt anymore. “It’s supposed to symbolize consuming the mind of the dead guy. Or something like that.”
The kid was looking at him as if Gibson was not just cool but brilliant. Gibson pretended it was no big deal, yet he started thinking maybe this wouldn’t be so bad. Maybe it wouldn’t ruin his summer after all.
CHAPTER 34
Reagan National Airport
Washington, D.C.
Gwen Patterson snapped her cell phone shut and dropped it into her pocket.
“Still no answer?” Maggie asked as the two of them made their way through the Monday-morning travel crowd.
“Dena came in on Saturday, her day off, so I don’t mind her coming in late today. I just wish she would have let me know.”
“You don’t have to stick around here with me if you need to get to the office. This place is a zoo today.”
“I don’t mind. How long will Harvey be okay in the car?”
“It’s cool this morning. With the window cracked, he’ll be fine.”
They found a place to sit, not far from the security checkpoint. Maggie tucked and zipped her wallet in the side pocket of her carry-on, an oversize computer case. She stashed the airline ticket in her jacket pocket then began removing her watch and a bracelet, slipping them into another side pocket. She had already relinquished her firearm along with the side holster she wore under her jacket. All the necessary procedures of getting through security in order to fly the friendly skies.
Despite Gwen’s calm exterior she felt her insides were screaming at her to tell Maggie she couldn’t leave. Not now. She would be getting the results from Benny Hassert’s lab sometime today. Then she could hand everything over to Maggie. But now Maggie would be hundreds of miles away in Nebraska. She wanted to tell her now. She didn’t want to wait. Twice this morning she had come very close to mentioning the single gold earring he had left for her on