what I’m having trouble saying?” Zara laughed and followed

  her out when they were done. “I want my sister to be happy.”

  “I wasn’t finished. My grandfather wanted her here

  because she’s a kindred spirit. Yasmine’s as comfortable

  walking in the past as in the now.” She waved to a few

  professors she recognized and glanced over at Zara.

  “I think maybe you don’t understand what I’m trying very

  poorly to say.”

  “You want Yasmine to open up to who she could be. That

  isn’t a woman who simply teaches and finds happiness in only

  that.” She stopped talking and Zara nodded. “We’re both still

  dancing around what we’re trying to say, but that’s the best I

  have without spelling it out. I don’t want to upset you or her

  by making assumptions I have no business making.” They

  entered the building where the history department was located,

  but Levi stopped them at the vending machine. “Yasmine

  needs to take a step from the wings, and you’ll get your wish.

  But only Yasmine can decide to do that.”

  “It’s like you’re talking in parables and I’m having trouble

  keeping up.” Zara laughed and accepted the soft drink Levi

  offered her.

  “Think of a play,” Levi said, pointing in the direction of

  the lecture hall. “There are those who face an audience and put

  it all out there for the world to see. Then there are those who

  stand in the wings. They’re just as important because without

  them the play couldn’t go on, but they simply look on and

  never step into the spotlight.”

  “You could’ve been a philosopher.” Zara put her hand in

  the bend of Levi’s elbow and smiled up at her. “That’s exactly

  true, but not totally accurate.”

  “It has to be one or the other.” Levi laughed and led her to

  the seats for special university guests near the top of the hall.

  “It can’t be both.”

  “She does step onto the stage and shines like no one I’ve

  ever seen, almost every day. Here in the classroom she can

  slay dragons, but it’s in the rest of her life she stands in the

  wings, as you say.”

  The place was starting to fill up, so they lowered their

  voices. “What do you think I can do? I’m not sure how much

  about last night she told you, but she doesn’t seem…

  comfortable…with me.”

  “Tell me you don’t scare that easily.” Zara’s smile was coy,

  as only one side of her mouth came up. “New things can be

  scary, but it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do them. Yasmine

  needs to learn that.”

  “I do want to work with her, but believe me, I’m going to

  behave. Last night was innocent, and I almost sent her

  screaming across the street.”

  “I doubt that, and she didn’t talk about last night much.

  Thanks for telling me at least a little so that I can understand

  her mood this morning.” Zara crossed her legs and rested her

  can on her knee.

  “Can you explain that to non-Yasmine experts, then?”

  Levi’s question made them both laugh, causing a few people to

  turn and stare at them.

  “My sister only gets quiet when she’s either trying to think

  of a way to avoid something or when she’s thinking in general.

  You might fall into the general category of thinking.” She

  tilted her head. “Or avoiding, maybe.”

  The room filled without either of them noticing, but they

  turned their attention to the bottom when Yasmine walked in

  and placed her bag down. “Good afternoon, everyone.”

  Yasmine started lecturing, and Levi sat back and let the

  sound of her voice make pictures in her head as the lecture

  went on. Her litmus test for any professor or teacher in her

  academic career was if the person could energize her

  imagination. Yasmine could do that without a problem. She

  noticed when Yasmine looked up in the direction they were

  sitting, and she smiled on the off chance Yasmine could see

  them.

  “Thank you all for coming, and I’ll see you all Monday.”

  Yasmine answered questions for another hour after the class

  officially ended, and Levi was happy for her. That college

  students cared enough to wait that long to speak to a teacher

  spoke volumes for her talent in the classroom. “I hope you two

  didn’t mind waiting, but I hate putting them off if I can help

  it.”

  “You’re not done,” Levi said, sitting on the first row. “I

  have plenty of questions.”

  “You can save them for dinner.” Yasmine glanced at her

  watch, but Levi knew it was still too early to head over to the

  restaurant.

  “I can, and I know it’s early, so how about a little more

  work before we head over? That way we can change and start

  on the scrolls.”

  “That sounds like a good idea,” Zara said, but Yasmine

  stayed quiet.

  They followed her into the house, and she opened the

  secret room. When she was working on the Sonnac file she

  usually left the room open, but what had happened with

  George made her more cautious. The scrolls were sitting on

  the desk, and Yasmine seemed drawn to them.

  “Do you mind?” Yasmine asked.

  “Please, that’s why I asked you over.” She and Zara took

  the chairs in front of the wall and split the pictures of the

  stones. “Use a Sharpie and trace over whatever you see. We

  can always make more copies, so don’t hold back.”

  It was nice that they could all work in silence, and Yasmine

  looked up at her when she stood. “Are you leaving?” Yasmine

  asked.

  “I was going to make us a cup of coffee. Sometimes I need

  the boost when I’m slogging through stuff like this, but I can

  get you something else.”

  “I’ll come with you,” Yasmine said, but Zara barely moved

  her head. She was still working on her pictures, and they left

  her to it. “I don’t know if I mentioned it, but you have a

  beautiful home.”

  “My family was lucky being able to buy so many places on

  the same street.”

  “Do you have siblings?” Yasmine took mugs out of the

  cupboard as if she already knew the layout of Levi’s kitchen.

  “My father and I are both only children. Seeing you with

  Zara makes me a little jealous, but my grandparents and

  parents have filled my life with all the family I’ve ever

  needed.” She steamed milk as she waited for the espresso.

  “My mom’s parents live in London, so I spent a lot of

  summers exploring places in Europe as well as the States. My

  grandfather Percy teaches history as well but spends some of

  his time in the field on different digs happening in England. Is

  it just you and Zara?”

  “Just the two of us, and I’m the first in my family who

  decided on the teaching route. My father is in charge of the

  public water system in Marrakech, and my mother has never

  worked.” The way Yasmine said it sounded as if that would be

  the worst thing that could happen to her. “Her job has always

  been to take care of my father and us, and no matter how old

  we get, she’s still at it.”

  “My mother’s still the same way, but I’m glad someone

  worries about me.” She poured the coffee into three mugs and

  carefully followed with the milk, making a foam leaf on top of

  every cup.

  “She sounds like a lovely woman.” It was as if the wind

  had disappeared from Yasmine’s sails.

  “How about a family dinner this weekend so you can meet

  her? The table in here is big enough, and I can have something

  brought in.” It wasn’t probably what Yasmine wanted, but it

  would give Levi an excuse to spend more time with her.

  “A family dinner can’t be called a family dinner if you

  have someone else make it.” Yasmine added sugar to two of

  the cups and shook her head. “You should know that.”

  “It’s also not usually built around peanut butter

  sandwiches, but that’s what I know how to make.” She made

  Yasmine laugh, and it felt like a major achievement.

  “I see another trip to the store. Zara and I will make

  dinner.”

  “I can’t ask you to do that.”

  “You didn’t,” Yasmine said, smiling. “I offered, and you’re

  not getting out of helping. The best chefs always have backup,

  and that’s what you’ll be. Your first assignment is to sharpen

  your best knives and get ready to work.”

  “It’s the least I can do,” she teased. “Thank you, and I’m

  sure my mother will love not having to do it. My grandparents

  will be thrilled as well, since my mother is a terrible cook.

  And it sounds like you didn’t finish your debate on the

  Templars with my grandfather.” Yasmine laughed again, and it

  lightened something in Levi she didn’t realize was dark.

  “Your grandfather isn’t a man you’d want as an enemy, I’m

  thinking,” Yasmine said, picking up the other cup. “I’m glad

  he’s my friend.”

  “We all are, and that’s always a lifetime commitment for

  us.”

  “That’s a long time.” Yasmine stopped and stared at her.

  “Remember, the only way I’ll leave you alone is if you

  send me away. Only you have the power to do that.” Levi’s

  hope was that Yasmine wouldn’t ever think about exercising it.

  There was something about her, something that called to her in

  a way no other woman had. It was scary, and confusing, but

  there was no way she wouldn’t take a chance and explore it if

  the opportunity arose.

  ✥ ✥ ✥

  Ransley listened to Baggio and Donnie and wanted to beat

  both of them until they bled and cried for mercy.

  Incompetence on this level was unacceptable, and they’d never

  get to where they absolutely needed to be if he had to rely on

  them. There were already five cardinals who were on board

  with their plans, and something like this could make them

  reconsider.

  “How exactly did this happen?” Ransley asked. He was

  glad neither man took the liberty of sitting. If he had his way

  they wouldn’t be staying long at all.

  “We were about to open the safe when we heard a shout.

  The guy had a gun, and he shot when our guy threw a knife. I

  ran when the man called for help.”

  “Your stupidity has brought the police to my door. They

  came because the rooms were all booked by Baggio but paid

  for through my company. The New Orleans police are

  demanding you be sent back to the States for questioning, and

  I’m seriously thinking about it.” He took a breath knowing that

  he could never do that. Both of these idiots would break in less

  than a day if the police got hold of them. “According to the

  police, it was Levi Montbard who suggested they talk to you

  two.”

  “Why?” Baggio asked as if he hadn’t heard any of the

  conversation so far.

  “Why? Perhaps because you tried to throw a bunch of

  money at her in Paris, then she saw you in New Orleans. You

  follow that up by breaking into her house. It doesn’t take the

  skills of Sherlock Holmes to track them to my door.” He took

  another deep breath, but his anger was only ratcheting up.

  “I was doing what you asked me to do. If you think I’m

  some sort of clairvoyant who can predict that some armed

  imbecile was going to be waiting on us, then you’re mistaken.

  In the future, do it yourself if you think it’s so easy,” Donnie

  shouted.

  “Get out of here and don’t come back. You botched this

  job, so your payment is me getting you out of harm’s way.” He

  opened his desk drawer enough to be able to reach inside. The

  man in Montbard’s house wasn’t the only one who was armed.

  “You’re going to regret this, and when it comes back to

  drown you, you can bugger off.”

  Baggio had a hint of a smile as Donnie slammed his way

  out. “If you’d like me to leave as well, I’d be happy to. Placing

  so much faith in someone like that won’t serve our interests at

  all.”

  “Baggio, you do realize the only way you’re leaving is in a

  box? You might want to keep the snide comments to yourself,

  since this was your mess-up as well.” He pointed to an empty

  chair and turned his own toward the window. It was raining

  again, but not even that could calm him. “What do you know

  about the area where these scrolls were found?”

  “Two weeks ago, you’d never heard of these scrolls. A few

  days ago, you acted as if you couldn’t care less if these things

  were out in the world. At least that’s the story you told me.

  What’s changed? Lie and I walk.”

  “The climate in the Church under this new pope has

  changed. Our old guard who’ve held the sacred beliefs of our

  Lord the way they were originally written is being forced out.

  In order to recruit the next generation of priests who will tamp

  down rebellion in their parishes, we must have our generals

  lead by example.” He ran his hands up and down his thighs to

  rid himself of the sensation of something crawling out of his

  skin.

  “I understand all that, but it doesn’t explain the scrolls.”

  Baggio hardly ever raised his voice, and he admired him for

  that. Passions for someone who’d taken vows of celibacy and

  of the priesthood usually centered around books and the

  gospels. Real men let their emotions range from calm to

  murderous because they understood human nature much

  better.

  “It wasn’t until after the auction that something came to

  light about these scrolls. I can’t tell you exactly what it was,

  but Cardinal Chadwick passed it along, and it was a mistake

  on my part not acquiring them. They might have something to

  do with Pope Clement V.” He closed his eyes and tried to

  center himself. “He foolishly allowed others to dictate what

  should be done when it came to the Knights Templar because

  greedy men wanted the treasures they supposedly had.

  Clement realized too late what happens when you attempt to

  do a job and leave it undone.”

  “God’s army killed by the Vicar of Christ,” Baggio said. “I

  never understood his reasoning.”

  “It was King Philip of France. The idiot was in debt, and

  the Templar vaults were the easiest way out of his piss-poor

  decisions. Think of the power the Church would have now if

  the Templars still existed.”

  “Mistakes were made, but again, what does it have to do

  with the scrolls?”

  “The Templars found something in the Holy Land under

  King Solomon’s Temple. It was explosive enough to keep the

  Church at bay for hundreds of years, and Clement thought,

  with the help of the French king, that he had the power to take

  it and bury it.” He shook his head and sighed. “I understand

  his reasoning, but the secrets the Templars had were

  swallowed by time and have waited all these years to blow up

  in our faces.”

  “And the scrolls have something to do with that? I was

  fascinated by books of the Templars and their hidden treasures

  in my childhood, but I doubt any of it still exists. All those

  caches of gold have been dug up and plundered by people who

  didn’t realize what it was.”

  “Gold can make a man rich, Baggio, but information can

  make a man powerful. That kind of power can bring down

  empires. It’s our responsibility to find this information before

  the throne of Saint Peter is destroyed along with the rest of the

  Vatican. These scrolls might have the power to unlock age-old

  secrets that would be better left to the fires that should destroy

  them.” He pressed his hands together, trying not to get ahead

  of himself. “These scrolls might be the key to what secrets the

  Templars left behind. The cardinal tells me Montbard has

  found plenty already, but she can’t be allowed to find any

  more.”

  “My fear is that with Donnie’s mistake and my initial offer,

  Montbard has buried those scrolls in a hole so deep we’ll never

  find them.”

  “We must, my friend, we must.”

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  Yasmine slipped on the summer dress that was dressier than

  anything else she’d packed and studied herself in the mirror.

  At home she never wore anything sleeveless, and never

  showed her legs. She’d left her hair down tonight, and she

  pushed it behind her shoulders for now. It felt strange out of