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“Coain, and he led me once more to the G section “You are finished with Giotto?” I handed him the tome, and he tucked it into its slot on the shelf, but not before sliding out an adjacent volunon” in the book’s title — an encouraging sign “See,” Philippe said, shbor on the bookshelf” He translated the title for non”

“Sounds perfect I’ll take it”

I returned to mynook on the es showed frescoes in the papal palace — frescoes I hadn’t seen, since my forays had been confined to the subtreasury and the dark staircases leading to it Giovanetti and his apprentices had painted three chapels in the palace, as well as the pope’s private study Unlike the religious murals in the chapels, those in the pope’s private study showed scenes of French country life: a stag hunt, the deer portrayed at the very ular pool where entlee of nearly seven centuries — and obvious signs of dae — the frescoes remained vibrant But were they the work of the same hand that had created the Shroud? I studied the faces, looking for sie on the Shroud itself, the harder I looked, the less I could see with certainty

Immersed in art and uncertainty, I was slow to notice the electronic warble reverberating through the cavernous stone cha, I scanned the balcony and the reading room for the culprit; that’s when I noticed several faces frowning at me I was the culprit Embarrassed, I scurried to the staircase and checked the display; it read Tennessee Bureau of Investigation “Hello, this is Bill Brockton,” I said in a low voice that I hoped would carry through the phone but not throughout the stone building

“Dr Brockton? Is that you? I can barely hear you”

“Yes, it’smy hand around the phone to muffle the sound, which tended to echo in the stone stairwell

“Doc, it’s Steve Morgan at the TBI”

“Steve How are you? I hope you’re calling to say that the TBI and the DEA have rounded up that whole drug ring I know Rocky was hot on the heels of one of them in Amsterdam” The phone fell silent “Steve? Did I lose you?”

“No No, I’ot bad news, Doc”

“What’s wrong? Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’ht, Doc”

“What?”

“In Auy Rocky tracked to Amsterdam? He and Rocky shot each other Both dead”

I sat down on the stairs “Oh, God,” I said “You’re sure?”

“Yeah I’ve got photos from the scene”

“Damn it Damn it Does his wife know yet?”

“I just left the house She’s hty torn up”

“Oh, dear God Bless her heart And those two kids I…” My head irling with grief and guilt “Steve, he went to A to make sure I was safe”

“He was doing his job, Doc The DEA was running a dangerous operation, and it got compromised He couldn’t trust anybody else You’re not the only reason he went He had people working undercover in Amsterdam, and he needed to reel them in It’s not your fault”

“I wish I could believe that”