02 The Secret on Ararat (10 page)

FOURTEEN

“JUST A MINUTE THERE, Murphy!”

The harsh voice had an air of command in it, and Michael could feel a hand grabbing his shoulder and gripping hard. Turning instinctively, Murphy faced Dean Archer Fallworth. He was as tall as Murphy and had wispy blond hair, and his whitewashed face with his high eyebrows and long nose was set in a familiar scowl. You didn’t need to be a mind reader to know he wasn’t happy.

Murphy maintained a bland expression and willed himself to relax. It was a foolish and possibly dangerous thing to grab someone like Murphy from behind like that. Hundreds of hours of martial-arts practice had honed his reactions to a razor’s edge, and the whole point of the exercise was that your body would counter a threat instinctively, before your conscious mind even knew the threat was there.

Luckily for Dean Fallworth, Murphy’s sixth sense had told him that he was not about to be attacked.

At least not physically.

Realizing that he had Murphy’s attention, Fallworth cleared his throat. “Got you at last, Murphy! You can be a hard man to track down, you know. And I have better things to do than chase around the campus after one of my professors because he can’t stick to a timetable.”

Murphy smiled. “Then why don’t you go do them?”

Fallworth’s pallor paled even further. “Watch what you say, Murphy. I think I’ve had just about enough of your disrespect.”

“But you just keep coming back for more, don’t you?” Murphy teased, almost beginning to enjoy himself.

Fallworth realized he was losing control of the situation. “Listen here, Murphy. We have an important issue to discuss. We could discuss it now, or … at a departmental disciplinary meeting.” He smirked. “Up to you.”

Murphy sighed. “I have things to do too, Dean. So why don’t you just get whatever it is off your chest right here and now?”

“Fine. I hear reports that you have been lecturing about Noah’s Ark, telling the students that it’s sitting on Mount Ararat, as large as life. What next, Murphy—a seminar on Jack and the Beanstalk? Or are you going to mount an expedition to find the old lady who lived in a shoe?”

“I don’t deal in fairy stories,” Murphy said, his temper rising.

“Is that right? What would you call a tale of a big boat filled with two of every animal in the world? It certainly doesn’t sound like history to me. I believe we have an agreement,” he continued, jabbing a forefinger in Murphy’s face. “You are at liberty to present your beliefs as just that—
beliefs
. This is a reputable university, and we cannot have ridiculous Bible stories presented to impressionable young students as if they are fact. Do you understand me,
Professor
Murphy? You’ve got to stop preaching religion in the classroom. This is a place of
higher learning
, not a church!”

Murphy waited until Fallworth was finished, then started counting on his fingers. “Number one, I am not preaching. I’m giving a class lecture. Number two, many reputable scientists believe Noah’s Ark is on Mount Ararat. And number three, my students are free to question my presentations at any time. Nothing is being rammed down their throats. And besides that, you were not in attendance and have no idea what you are talking about.”

Murphy could feel his Irish temper coming on strong. Fallworth’s complexion was reddening too.

“Have you heard of the separation between church and state, Murphy?”

“Hold on, Fallworth. Where do you come up with this church and state stuff? Preston is a private university. It has nothing to do with the state.”

“It’s in the Constitution!”

Murphy made an effort to get a grip on his emotions.

“Really? Just where in the Constitution?”

“I don’t have it memorized, but it is somewhere in the First Amendment!”

“Well, Archer, that’s interesting. I do have the First Amendment memorized! It says,
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of a religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or of the right of the people to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

“See, what did I tell you? No establishment of a religion!”

“I’m not Congress, in case you hadn’t noticed. I’m not establishing a religion. I’m exercising my free speech rights. You believe in free speech rights, don’t you, Archer?”

“Certainly, but Thomas Jefferson said there is to be a separation between church and state!”

Murphy could tell that Fallworth was now just rattling off a well-worn phrase without a decent argument behind it.

“And in what context did President Jefferson make that statement?”

“He said it. That’s the important thing,” Fallworth blustered.

“Let me help you out, Archer. It was in a letter written to the Danbury Baptist Association on January 1, 1802. The Baptists were afraid that Congress might pass a law establishing a state religion. Jefferson wrote back and said there is a
wall of separation between the church and the state
. In other words, the state could not break down the wall and establish a state religion. It had nothing to do with keeping religion out of government. Most of our founding fathers were deeply religious men. If you read Jefferson’s writings you will see many places
where he encourages the free exercise of religion. It’s just the opposite of what you are saying.”

“There should be a wall
both
ways.”

“You know, Archer, I gave a lecture to the Russian Archaeological Society last year in Moscow. I informed them that certain archaeological discoveries were made possible by information received from the Bible. I went on to say, ‘I know that this used to be a communist country and many of you might be atheists and do not believe in the Bible.’ The professor in charge said to me, ‘Everyone in this lecture hall has at least a master’s degree. There are twenty-two PhDs listening to your lecture. We are quite capable of hearing what you have to say and determining if it is valid for us or not. Aren’t the educators in the United States capable of doing that?’ I said, ‘Sadly, many are not.’ I think you have just proven me right.”

Beaten back by Murphy’s command of detail, Fallworth tried a different tack. “You’re always talking about the Bible and Bible discoveries. The Bible is notoriously filled with myth and legend. How could Noah possibly get two of every kind of animal on the ark anyway?”

“When I find the ark,” said Murphy with a smile, “I’ll tell you.”

FIFTEEN

MURPHY WAS DRUMMING his fingers on the table as the phone rang.

“Hello.” A tentative female voice.

“Is Isis there, please?”

“I’m sorry, there’s no one here by that name. You must have the wrong number.”

Murphy was sure he had dialed the right number.

“Look, my name is Michael Murphy and this is the number Isis gave me. She said that she was staying with her sister in Bridgeport.”

There was a pause at the other end.

“Mr. Murphy, I’m Hecate. Isis’s sister. She said you might be calling. I’m sorry for the deception. The police told us not to let anyone know Isis was here. She’s outside on the patio. Let me get her.”

Hecate
. Murphy smiled to himself. Old Dr. McDonald sure had a thing about those ancient goddesses.
What was more surprising was that Isis had never mentioned a sister before. Then again, there were plenty of things he didn’t know about Isis, and there was no reason for her to confide every detail of her personal life to him, was there? But for some reason the fact that she had kept her sister’s existence a secret made him feel a little hurt.

He tried to put the idea out of his head as he waited for Isis to come on the line. When she did, he could tell from her rapid breathing that something was making her heart beat faster.

“Michael! I’m so glad you called.”

“How are you feeling?”

“Still a bit shaken up. I feel so bad about the guards. The police said that I shouldn’t go to the funerals—it’s too dangerous—so I can’t show support for the families. They must be devastated. And I feel somehow it’s wrong I survived. It’s my fault they’re dead.”

“That’s crazy, Isis. Of course it isn’t. I got you into this. If it’s anyone’s fault, it’s mine.”

“All right, Michael,” she said with a deep sigh. “Let’s just say it’s no one’s fault. We were doing our jobs, that’s all. We didn’t invite this … this …”

“Evil,” said Murphy softly.

Murphy listened to the silence on the other end of the line. Since their adventures with the Brazen Serpent and the Golden Head of Nebuchadnezzar, Murphy had sensed a change in Isis’s views about good and evil, and about faith. He wasn’t sure exactly what she believed, or how close she was to accepting Christ into her life. But no one could go through what she had without asking themselves the big questions.

He just hoped she came up with the right answers.

But he knew pushing her would have the opposite of the intended effect. Not for the first time where Isis was concerned, he found himself tongue-tied. Luckily Isis broke the awkward silence.

“Let’s try and be positive, Michael. I’m a little battered, but I’m basically okay. And there is some good news. I got a call from the foundation. They wanted me to let you know that they are willing to fund an exploration team to search for Noah’s Ark. They want you to head it up. Isn’t that great?”

Murphy was caught off guard.

“What prompted them to make that suggestion?”

“Probably several things, I suppose. I think they want to follow the link between potassium forty and longevity. They also want to see if there are any other scientific discoveries on the ark. And there is something else.”

“What’s that?”

“They received a check from an anonymous donor to cover the entire search.”

Murphy whistled. “That’s a big chunk of change!”

“Yes. Harvey Compton, the chairman of the foundation, called me himself with the news. He said the check came from some offshore company that he’d never heard of before. The check was signed, and he cashed it, but he couldn’t read the signature. The anonymous donor sent a note stating that he wanted you to lead the discovery team.”

Methuselah! What was he up to now?

Murphy knew Methuselah had to be wealthy to finance his elaborate games, but if his guess was right,
now he seemed to be willing to put all his resources into finding the ark. Why?

“There’s even enough money to get a totally upgraded computer system. My old computer seems to have given up the ghost after I went flying across my desk. Frankly, I’d be happier to go back to just using pen and paper. And pens with proper ink, at that …”

Murphy was hearing Isis but his attention was already miles away, on the treacherous, icy slopes of Mount Ararat. Then suddenly he had an idea.

“Would you like to go?” he interrupted.

“What?”

“Would you like to be part of the discovery team searching for the ark?”

Isis was momentarily stunned. Murphy had seemed genuinely distraught about the attack. He even felt personally responsible. For the first time she was beginning to think he actually cared about her.

And now he was inviting her to go on an expedition to one of the world’s most inhospitable if not downright dangerous places. All for the sake of a biblical artifact. Which, of course, made perfect sense. Because biblical artifacts were all he
really
cared about.

How could she have been such a fool?

“What do you say, Isis? If the ark really does have more secrets, we might well need someone with your linguistic skills to decipher the ancient texts.”

Isis didn’t need any more time to think about it. She’d show Michael Murphy that she wasn’t some softhearted female at the beck and call of her emotions. Blast him!

“Count me in. Apart from the skills you mentioned,
you might need an experienced mountaineer along for the ride. My father and I used to spend every vacation in the Highlands, I’ll have you know.”

“Great. But you might need to start getting in serious shape once you’re feeling better. We’re going to be at high altitude in difficult conditions.”

“Don’t worry about me,” Isis said sharply. “I’ve climbed more mountains than you’ve had hot dinners. Anyway, you’ve got some organizing to do. I’ll let you get on with it.”

Murphy grinned as he put the phone down, then let out a sigh of relief.

Mount Ararat might be a dangerous place, but at least if Isis came on the expedition, he’d be there to protect her.

They might find the ark. They might not. Ultimately it was in God’s hands. But he was determined that he wasn’t going to lose Isis.

SIXTEEN

IT WAS 6:00
A.M.
when Murphy walked through the doors of the Raleigh Health and Fitness Gym. He liked to get an early-morning workout three days a week if he could, not just to stay in shape, but because physical activity gave him the space in which to think. A step machine was one of the few sanctuaries he knew where no student was likely to ask him about an assignment.

He changed and selected a machine. After forty-five minutes he’d built up a sweat and could feel his mind beginning to let go of the immediate concerns of the day. He stepped off and ambled over to the free-weights area to begin his routine.

He was working on the bench press when he heard a voice behind him.

“Would you like me to spot for you?”

Murphy looked up as he pushed the two hundred pounds above his chest and let out some air. Hank
Baines was standing behind his bench, dressed in baggy gray sweats that masked his muscular physique.

“Sure,” he said as the bar came down and went up again.

Murphy finished his set and then sat up. He took a few breaths and turned and shook Baines’s hand.

“I haven’t seen you here before,” said Murphy.

“To be honest, this is a little early for me,” Baines admitted. “But I thought I might run into you. I was hoping we could talk.”

“No problem. But you’re going to have to wait until I get through my routine. It’s kind of hard to talk when you’re pushing a couple hundred pounds over your head.”

Baines laughed. “Okay,” he said. “Let’s get to it.”

Half an hour later, the two men were sitting on a workout bench, catching their breath between sets. “You really like to make it hard for yourself, don’t you,” Baines said.

“You’ve got to be kidding. I was just trying to keep up with you.” Murphy grinned. “So what’s on your mind? How’s Tiffany doing?”

Baines smiled. “Great. Just great. I wanted to say thanks for the advice you gave me. I’ve tried my best to be less critical. To look for ways to say positive things, and, well, it seems to be having an effect. Going to church seems to have calmed her down. And whatever your friend Shari said to Tiffany, it’s really changed her attitude. She actually apologized to me for her wild behavior.” He shook his head, smiling. “That I thought I’d never see.”

“That’s great. You two obviously care for each other.
You just needed to realize it.” Murphy looked at Baines, and he could see he was still troubled. “And how’s Jennifer doing?”

“Funny you should ask. As a father I seem to be doing better. As a husband, not so good. Now that Tiffany and I have stopped shouting at each other, I can really hear the silences between Jennifer and me.”

Baines picked up some dumbbells and began a set of curls. Murphy joined him.

“You find it difficult to talk to each other?”

Baines shook his head. “Jennifer doesn’t like any kind of conflict and just clams up and won’t talk.”

“What does her clamming up do to you?”

“It drives me nuts. I get so frustrated when she won’t even yell and shout at me if she’s mad, I just leave the house and slam the door.”

“What happens when she does talk?” asked Murphy as he set the weights down.

“We’ll be discussing a problem and I’ll explain to her why her way won’t work and why we should do it differently. I try to be real patient, to show her how she hasn’t thought it through completely.”

“Sounds like you might not be giving her a chance to disagree with you. Maybe that’s why she withdraws,” said Murphy with a firm smile.

Baines said nothing. Murphy could tell that he might have struck a nerve.

“How long has this been going on?”

“About a year.”

Murphy made a calculated guess as he looked Baines in the eye.

“Are you seeing anyone else?”

Baines tensed and the color drained from his face. His nod was almost imperceptible.

“It’s a little difficult trying to make two relationships work, isn’t it?”

Baines’s lips tightened and again he nodded his head slowly.

“You know, Hank, it’s been my experience that people who have gone through a divorce end up with a lot of regrets. The biggest one usually is they didn’t try harder to make it work. The excitement of an affair is only a fantasy. One day you wake up to the fact that the new person has just as many hang-ups and problems as your present spouse. Believe it or not, you can have communication problems with them too. Besides having to carry a load of guilt. It’s just not worth the price.”

Murphy could tell Baines needed to think about what he’d just said. “Come on, let’s cool down with a jog in the park.”

About fifteen minutes into the jog they began to walk. Baines still hadn’t responded to Murphy’s plea for marital fidelity, but Murphy felt he was receptive.

“Tell me something, Hank. What do you do when you come home after a day at work?”

“I usually change my clothes and sit down and read the newspaper or watch some TV before dinner.”

“I used to do that when Laura was alive too. Then one day I realized that we weren’t communicating. She wanted to talk at night and I wanted to go to sleep. I decided that instead of putting my feet up when I got home, I would spend that time focusing my attention on the most important person in my life. When do you and Jennifer usually have your talks about heavy issues?”

“Well, I haven’t really thought about it. I guess it’s usually late at night after Tiffany has gone to bed. Why do you ask?”

“You might think this sounds crazy, but studies show that marital discussions after 9:00 P.M. usually have a tendency to go downhill. Maybe it would be good to choose a different time, when you’re both not so tired.”

“Sounds like very practical advice. Now can I ask you a question?” said Baines.

“Sure.”

“Did you and Laura ever have any big fights?”

“I guess we had our share. Being a Christian doesn’t mean that you’re perfect. But you have spiritual resources to draw upon, like I mentioned before. In the Bible.”

“For example.”

“There’s a verse I committed to memory, because I wanted to be the best husband I could. It says,
And you husbands must love your wives and never treat them harshly
. There were times that I have to admit I treated Laura harshly.”

Baines could sense the genuine regret in Murphy’s voice. He wasn’t just trying to make him feel better about his own behavior.

“I found that there were five things that were helpful during those times. The first was to learn to say ‘I’m sorry.’ That was hard for me, but the second thing was even harder. It was to admit I was wrong. That meant I had to swallow my pride. That was hard.”

“Yeah. That’s really hard for a perfectionist like me who always has to prove that I’m right.”

“The third thing was to ask for forgiveness. That was
hard too. There were times when I didn’t feel like it. But then I followed it up with two more things. Those were to say ‘I love you’ and that we would try and wipe the slate clean with the words
let’s try again.”

“That all makes sense. But getting past your own pride, that’s the hardest part.”

“That’s where being a Christian comes in. I couldn’t have done all of that without the help of God. He gives us the strength when we turn our lives over to Him.”

They walked back to the gym together.

“Hank, you mentioned that you thought that church was helping your daughter. Maybe you should consider that it could help you.”

Baines looked doubtful. “Maybe.”

Murphy left it there. He’d planted a seed. Now it was up to Baines.