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He guided Brophy to the passenger seat Su more than strawberries, pie tins, and sh the smoke and flames, onto the lawn

The Killarney fire department arrived a moment later They attached hoses to a nearby hydrant and doused the library Paramedics checked the trio for sen Friar Tho the firemen

“Thank the Good Lord you’re all right I swore I left the door unlocked, with the key in it I’m so sorry you became trapped How did the fire start?”

“Arson,” Brophy said “Soe Molotov cocktail and locked us in with it”

The friar’s face turned pale “Arson? You can’t be serious Did you see who it was?” He gazed around, studying the faces gathered at the scene

Brophy shook his head “We had our backs turned to the door”

“It ypt while pursuing the same line of research They must have tracked us here” She turned to Dirk, and he nodded in affirmation

“Who would try to kill you over some dusty old books?” Friar Thomas asked “And why?”

“We don’t knoho they are,” Dirk said, “but they sent a pretty clear e For reasons unknown, they don’t want us to find Meritaten”

Suer, Professor Dirk and I can carry on from here”

Brophy stood and began pacing “Why, those cowards are not going to deter et I dare them to stop us”

Summer smiled, and Brophy turned to her and winked “Besides, they were a bit too late We’ve already got the key to the princess’s whereabouts Skellig Michael”

The firemen finally shut off their hoses Friar Tho his head The walls and roof had survived, the interior was a mess A black mass of charred debris filled the front of the room Miraculously, the shelves at the back of the roo only light water dae

Summer joined him at the door “I’m so sorry the library has been destroyed”

“The rare books in the collection look to have survived,” Tho at the intact rear shelves “I think only the ital files” He gazed upward in reflection “We thank the Lord It could have been much worse We could have lost all of you”