“Just the one next door that Niel punched unconscious. Want to help me take him upstairs? We have a lot of questions he could answer.”
He nodded. “Oh, yes. I have lots of questions, too.” And with that enigmatic response, he led the way back in through the broken window.
Eighteen
Estelle followed Barak, Nahum, Olivia, Lucien, and Harlan into Jenkins’s office, somewhere in the labyrinthine passages of the British Museum.
He was a tall, rangy man who looked like he’d spent most of his life outdoors. He was, Estelle estimated, in his sixties, with tanned, weather-beaten skin and dark blue eyes surrounded by wrinkles. He had greeted all of them as if they were superstars, and they probably were to the museum community. Well, Harlan and Nahum perhaps, seeing as they had actually found the Templar treasure. Estelle was happy to soak it all up, amused by the excitement the find had provoked.
Before the appointment with Jenkins, they had all eaten a long, celebratory lunch, saying little about Belial, seeing as Theo was with them. However, once he had left them, Barak and Estelle had told them of their meeting, and the others had asked to join them. Fortunately, Jenkins seemed happy to entertain them all, dragging chairs from other offices to accommodate the group.
After some excited questions about the treasure, he said, “I understand, though, that you are interested in another type of treasure? Sumerian digs? Assyrian, perhaps?”
Barak took the lead. “I wouldn’t know what age to categorise it, actually, but it is more Biblical in nature. It’s regarding finds that have angelic symbols, or perhaps ancient jewellery—clasps, bracelets, rings of gold and silver, and other precious metals and gemstones. They would probably have been in a well-preserved state. Or maybe there was a horn? Something that you would use to call troops to battle. Potentially there would have been quite a hoard of jewellery, and it might have been found in the Middle East.” He paused, glancing at Nahum, as if wondering how much to say. “Perhaps they would have had strange properties.”
Nahum nodded. “Yes, as if they were cursed, like with Egyptian finds.”
Jenkins leaned on the table, his hand stroking his chin as he considered their questions. “Well, as you know, Tutankhamun’s tomb was considered cursed. I presume you refer to something like that?” They all nodded enthusiastically, but Jenkins frowned. “Are you on another treasure hunt?”
Barak smiled. “It’s related to another case we’re working. We’re trying to find the source of a problem.”
Jenkins cast Harlan a tight-lipped look. “Not planning on stealing antiquities, I hope? I know of The Orphic Guild’s reputation.”
Harlan sat back, affronted. “We delivered you Templar treasure! That’s hardly justified.”
“In this instance. I’m sure we both know there are others when you haven’t been so forthcoming.”
“That’s unfair,” Olivia said, glaring at Jenkins. “You have no idea what we do! Most things we find for clients are not significant enough for museums. And besides, you have so much stuff in your basement alone that will never be seen! Talk about hoarding treasure! Especially that which belongs to other countries.”
Estelle winced. Wading in on the Elgin Marbles debate was not the distraction they needed right now.
Barak intervened, shooting Harlan and Olivia venomous looks. “We just want to know what has already been found, and what might be on display. You would know, I’m sure. A man of your vast knowledge and connections.”
Jenkins rolled his eyes. “Flattery. You must be desperate.” Estelle wondered if she needed to cast some glamour, something to oil his tongue, but Jenkins seemed to shrug off his issues with Harlan and Olivia, his interest piqued. He leaned forward. “There was a find many years ago that included just such treasures as you mention, and the dig was indeed believed to be cursed. It sends shivers through our community even now, over one hundred years later.”
Estelle felt a stir of excitement, and leaned forward, too.
Jenkins continued. “The men on that dig ended up dead, all except for one, who disappeared.”
Barak frowned. “They were murdered?”
“They went mad—or that was the theory, anyway, at the time. Some killed themselves, some killed each other. This find was in early 1800s. 1833, if I remember correctly. So, in the infancy of archaeology, when the profession was happy to trample over antiquities and raid other countries’ culture.” He shot Harlan and Olivia a narrowed glare as if daring them to contradict him. Fortunately, both remained mute. “It began when a rich Italian was touring the area and heard of an unusual cave that had intriguing markings on the walls. He hired a guide and went to visit it. Apparently, he was so excited by what he found that he harassed The Geographical Society, was given funding that he supplemented with his own money, and headed up there. He hired a group of men to dig. Not locals, you understand. They wouldn’t touch it. A few reports were sent back, saying they had found a vast treasure of jewels. It mentioned a horn that was decorated with gold and silver leaf and had curious engravings on it. And then no one heard a thing. The Geographical Society contacted another group in the area—Turkey, actually—and they were sent to find them. It took weeks, of course, to get there. No planes and trains, like now.”
“Where was the dig?” Nahum asked.
“Sorry! Didn’t I say? The mountains of northern Iran. I can’t remember exactly where. I could find out. Persia, of course, it was called back then. Anyway, when the expedition arrived and finally found the site, the team were all dead. The bodies picked at by vultures, and half rotted at that point. But it was obvious there had been a fight, and that some had killed themselves. One man appeared to have scratched his own eyes out. Evidence of the dig was still there—tools, implements, tents… And yes, there were indeed unusual markings on the walls of the cave. It went back quite a way. An ancient text no one could understand was inscribed on the walls. But there was no treasure, and the Italian man had vanished.”
“How could they be sure?” Barak asked, exchanging a worried glance with Estelle. “Surely, decomposition would have confused things.”
“Many of those there were Middle Eastern. It was obvious from their clothes. There were a couple of Europeans who had gone with the Italian man, but the Italian was older, and it was clear he was not amongst the dead. His body was never found.”
Estelle’s pulse pounded in her ears, and she was sure everyone had the same questions she did. “What was his name?”
“Beneventi. He never returned home, either. Well, at least no one admitted that he did.” Jenkins threw his hands wide. “He had vanished. Poof!”
The group all looked at each other, their expressions saying everything. This had to be the source of Belial’s jewels and his power. Beneventi must have opted to steal the treasure for himself, but the Italian name was unfamiliar.
“The horn had vanished too, I presume?” Barak asked.
“No, that was still there. Probably because of its size.”
Harlan frowned. “How big was it?”
Jenkins held his hand apart. “A good two feet, and made of solid bone, mixed with ivory, pearl inlay, with gold and silver flourishes. It was filthy at the time! It had been covered by dirt for centuries. It took a lot of cleaning.”
Estelle, aware her mouth was gaping open, quickly shut it. “It’s on display somewhere?”
“Heavens no! It was taken to Turkey. That’s where the team was heading back to. They already had an arrangement with a museum there. They hung around only to have the bodies moved, and then the locals sealed the cave.”
It sounded exactly like the dig where the Igigi’s underground home was discovered and the entrance was destroyed, but by the Igigi themselves to preserve their privacy. There, too, the locals had run in fear.
“Surely,” Nahum asked, “The Geographical Society would have records?”
“I dare say they have, but with no one to report the actual events, I doubt that you would learn much,” Jenkins qualified. “Anyway, the museum staff who cleaned the horn reported bad dreams. In the end, it was shoved in a box and packed away. No one wanted to touch it. Rumours were that it belonged to an angel.” He forced himself to laugh. “A little far-fetched, of course.”
The group was mute, fixed on Jenkins with rapt silence. It had to be Belial’s horn. Estelle’s mouth felt dry.
Nahum, however, was the quickest to gather himself. “Where is it now?”