Kathlyn Trent, Marcus Burton 01 - Valley of the Shadow (14 page)

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Kathlyn stood at the door to her tent, watching the helicopters up in the sky. It was mid-morning, one day after the find of the new millennia, and a press conference to reveal the find to the world scheduled for noon. Dr. Kathlyn Trent of the World Geography Institute, formerly of Southern California University, was slated to be the lead-off speaker and the press was going crazy trying to find a good position from which to film her.  She was always a media treat and they looked forward to her flash and brilliance.

News people from every corner of the globe were congregated at Hatshepsut's  Mortuary Temple at Deir el-Bahri, the perfect setting from which to conduct a press conference. It was a huge open forum and the Egyptian Army had been called in to help control the chaos. There was, of course, always the threat of terrorism, considering it was an American project, but the Egyptian government had assured the American government that they were taking all necessary precautions.  Just to be safe, the American Embassy had increased the number of Marines from eighteen to an even forty.

"Good Lord," Kathlyn turned away from the opening. She wandered over to a canvas chair and sat down. "I've never seen so much media. And I've seen a lot."

Juliana pulled up her pantyhose. "It sounds like we’re under attack from all of those helicopters."

"Looks like it, too. It's a zoo out there."

Juliana and Debra Jo were finishing getting dressed. Kathlyn had beat them to the punch by a half hour; she was dressed in a simple but stylish black suit, black hose, and four inch black Prada pumps. Her long hair was washed and styled, cascading down her back in graceful curls. She had a very sexy-yet-professional look, her skirt ending a couple of inches above her knee and showing off her great legs. The woman could literally stop traffic.

But she had met her match in Juliana; the two had always shared a supportive, competitive type of relationship. Juliana was dressed in a dusky blue suit, equally stylish and not to be outdone by her counterpart. Debra Jo didn't go in for the glamour that the other two did and wore a nice, conservative twill skirt and jacket. Juliana had a stash of McGrath's champagne that she had stolen from his party and shared a couple of glasses with Kathlyn and Debra Jo before their big production. It was like the quiet before the storm.

"Hello?" Marcus' voice came from outside the tent. “Anybody home?”

Juliana gulped down the last of her champagne so he wouldn't see it. "Not by the hair of your chinny-chin-chin."

He tossed back the tent flap faster than they could blink an eye. "You’d better be decent because I'm coming in."

He stalked in, followed by Lynn, Mark, Ed and Otis. They immediately smelled the liquor and within minutes whatever was remaining in the bottle was drained.  They were all dressed in the best clothing they had available, which in Ed's case was a pair of old Dockers and a faded dress shirt. Marcus wore a pair of khaki-colored jeans and a long sleeved, button-down white shirt with the sleeves rolled partially up and the top two buttons undone. He looked fabulous.

With the booze gone, they turned to the women. Marcus stood over Kathlyn, hands on his hips. "Dr. Trent," he said reproachfully.  "You're wearing black."

She smiled sweetly at him, filing her short, broken nails. "I always wear black."

"That skirt is about a foot too short."

"It's just short enough."

"Your legs are hanging out."

"All the better to kick you with, my dear."

He looked at Lynn, pointing a finger at Kathlyn. "See? What did I tell you?"

Lynn ran an eye over Kathlyn's shapely legs. "Keep me out of this. You won't like what I have to say."

"I already don't like what you have to say, you traitor," Marcus growled. He turned back to Kathlyn; truth was, he liked the suit very much. She was absolutely stunning in it. "You realize, of course, that your nice black suit is going to turn brown with dust before we get over to the conference. And those shoes are toast."

She batted her eyelashes at him. "Not if you carry me."

He rolled his eyes as if she had just made the most ridiculous statement he had ever heard. "This coming from a woman who swings like an apeman over scorpion pits, climbs gorges in search of arks, and crawls around in catacombs in search of Mongolian mummies." He reached down and pulled her to her feet. "Let's get going, my delicate little flower. Bardwell is over in McGrath's tent and he's dying to meet you."

He swung her up into his arms effortlessly. She smelled so good that he nuzzled her cheek, almost forgetting about the others. Lynn gave him a shove on the shoulder.

"Not here, Marcus," he said. "We don't want to watch that stuff."

"God, they're sick," Mark mumbled.

"Jealous," Marcus threw back at them as he stepped out into the sun.

Dr. Bardwell had arrived in camp late the night before. He and McGrath had been hold up in McGrath's tent, plotting the schedule of the press conference among other things. Representatives from World Geography Magazine were also flying in for the occasion. Although they had not arrived at the site yet, Kathlyn had been told that they were delayed on the flight from Cairo to Luxor due to engine trouble with their private plane.

They all went over to McGrath's tent. Marcus set her down at the threshold so she could straighten her skirt and enter the tent with a moderate amount of dignity. Dr. Virgil Bardwell was a round man in his late sixties with a full head of silver hair. He greeted Kathlyn happily as Marcus stood back and tried to fight down his sense of jealousy. The old man was drooling all over her and she handled it with tremendous grace. Marcus was glad, because it would not have been good for him to snap his boss' neck. It was a quick way to end his career. Juliana, Debra Jo and Mark were introduced as well, as was Ed. Bardwell was polite, but his attention was definitely on Kathlyn.

Funny how everyone wanted to know about her exploits the moment they met her. McGrath had done it, now Bardwell was doing it. He wanted to know about the Ahora Gorge and Xochitlmatcl immediately. Kathlyn was exceptionally polite, as always, and Marcus watched her give a brief overview of her stories through new eyes. When he had heard her in the mess tent talking to McGrath on the first day they had met, he thought she had been an outrageous display of conceit.  He couldn't stand to hear her. Now he found himself admiring her tremendously for all she had done. Why the woman wanted to stay here and dig with him, when she had the entire archeological world at her feet, was beyond him. He felt extremely lucky.

  "I must say, Dr. Trent, that we are incredibly honored to have you here with us," Bardwell said. "I feel as if we have warranted something of a blessing."

"Dr. Bardwell, you give me far too much credit," Kathlyn passed a long glance at Marcus. "Dr. Burton is the driving force behind all of this. It is his name that will go in the history books, and rightly so."

Bardwell laughed his deep belly-roll laugh. "You're too modest. I know how difficult it was to keep you here, considering Dr. Burton's maliciousness. It must have been very difficult for you."

Kathlyn was a little stunned by the statement but she recovered nicely. "Dr. Burton has been completely helpful and pleasant. It's always difficult when another archaeological team invades your dig site. It's a very personal thing."

“Nevertheless, I would thank you personally for helping us. We’ll be very sorry to lose you, indeed.”

Kathlyn faltered. “I’m sorry? Lose me?”

Bardwell reached out and touched her hand. “Please don’t think I’m being too personal, but it is my understanding that you haven’t been at all well. Walter Dougray and I….”

“Dougray?” Kathlyn interrupted. “From World Geography?”

“Exactly,” Bardwell continued. “We have been discussing these bouts of delirium you have apparently suffered out here and we have decided that it is more than likely in your best interest to move on to your next assignment. Jerusalem, I think he said.”

Kathlyn struggled with her composure, but she couldn’t help it. Her mouth fell open. “Where did you hear such crazy stories about delirium?”

“Please don’t be offended. In the position we are in, it is imperative that we know about the health and welfare of the people under our supervision. I’ve heard more than one story about you hurting yourself, or passing out. Apparently you’re suffering from some bout of illness that….”

Kathlyn shot up from her chair. “I’m not suffering from anything, Dr. Bardwell. I can assure you that I am perfectly healthy. Who told you all of this? Abrahams?”

Bardwell shook his head. “Not at all, though I understand he is flying to Cairo as we speak. It doesn’t really matter who told me, but the fact remains that it is apparently true. McGrath has confirmed it.”

All eyes turned to McGrath, who was visibly uncomfortable. “It’s not as bad as it seems, Virgil,” he said quietly. “You asked if she had been well. I said that she has been, for the most part.”

“You confirmed that she had suffered fainting spells,” Bardwell turned on him. “You also said she had hardly slept or ate. Did you or did you not confirm this to me?”

McGrath was in a corner. He could see that Burton was close to wringing his neck, but he had no choice but to be truthful. “It’s not as bad as you make it sound.”

Kathlyn was livid. “Let me reiterate that my health is fine,” she said. “I have no intention of leaving this dig site. I found it. It’s half mine.”

Bardwell tried to get her to sit down again. “My dear, I’m sure you’re feeling well enough now. Certainly you look well. But Mr. Dougray and I feel that you have served your purpose here and it’s best to move you on for your own sake.”

She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Of all people, Bardwell had always been her strongest supporter for remaining on Burton’s dig. Now he wanted her to go. Not knowing what else to say, she simply sat back down and struggled to regroup. Marcus, his big body tense, took over her defense.

“I’m not sure where all this talk about her failing health got started, but I’m going to put an end to it,” he rumbled. “Meaning no disrespect to either one of you, I’m about to be very candid. Dr. Trent was the last thing I wanted on my dig. I tried everything I could to upset her enough so that she’d leave. But she didn’t; she stayed, and she did what you hired her to do. I’ve seen her take risks that even I wouldn’t take, all in the name of science and discovery. She’s a true archaeologist, not just one of these idiots that dig on a few potsherds for their entire career. She’s willing to go above and beyond, and that more than anything is a quality I admire. So what if she has a few headaches. For what she has contributed to this dig, it should be her name above mine in the history books in great big bold letters. And now you want to run her off this dig like a piece of discarded trash? It’s appalling.”

McGrath almost laughed at him. He’d never seen Burton so passionate about anything, except getting Trent off his dig the first day she arrived. He was rightfully impressed. But Bardwell wasn’t.

“Marcus, I know why you’re saying these things and I understand. But it doesn’t erase the fact that Dr. Trent’s job here is done, and also the fact that her new sponsor wants her elsewhere. She cannot stay.”

“If she goes, I go.”

One could almost hear a collective gasp go up. Kathlyn put her hand on his arm. “Marcus, don’t. It’s not worth it.”

He didn’t look at her, nor did he respond. The battle was between him and Bardwell.

“Marcus, you don’t mean it,” the old man said. “You’re upset, my boy. I don’t blame you. But I’m not making this decision arbitrarily; it’s simply the right thing for Dr. Trent. World Geography needs her elsewhere, and this dig hasn’t been good for her. Surely you can see that.”

“She doesn’t need World Geography. She can terminate her sponsorship with them just like she left SCU. Then she can stay here under my supervision.”

Kathlyn leapt in before Bardwell could respond. “Dr. Bardwell, I think I can see where this is going. The bottom line is that if I discard World Geography’s sponsorship, you more than likely won’t take me on under the wing of UCPR. Therefore, having no sponsorship, I have no choice but to do as I’m told.”

Bardwell nodded. “That is about the gist of it, yes.”

Kathlyn looked at Marcus. He was so angry that he was white. She knew that her own control was imperative, otherwise he would explode. Very calmly, she grasped him by the arm.

“I’d like a moment with Dr. Burton, if you don’t mind.”

Bardwell waved her off politely. McGrath just sat there, looking ill. Kathlyn pulled Marcus out of the tent and forced him to take a walk.

“Calm down, Marcus,” she said, looping her hand through the crook of his elbow. “Just calm down and walk with me.”

“I am calm,” he said through clenched teeth. “You should see me when I’m really upset.”

“I think I’m about to,” she laid her cheek on his bicep. “We can both see the writing on the wall. There’s no use fighting it now and I won’t let you ruin your career because you’re angry. I need you to be strong about this, otherwise I won’t be able to do it gracefully. I just won’t.”

He was grinding his teeth. She could hear him. “I can’t believe this bullshit,” he growled. “It’s all crap, every damn word. And for Bardwell to buy into it… it just doesn’t make any sense. He wanted you here more than anybody.”