F. Wilson - Secret Histories

Jack realized whoever had been in her room could have used the front door as wel . He wondered if maybe it wasn’t such a good thing that most folks

in Johnson never locked their doors at night, or even when they went away for a weekend. On hot nights they’d leave al the doors and windows open to let

the air through.

“Yeah, but—”

“Wouldn’t even have to be him. Could have been someone else from the Lodge.”

“The Lodge?”

“Yeah. The Lodge. Every time I turn around lately it’s

the-Lodge-the-Lodge-the-Lodge. Mister Sumter and the other two dead guys were Lodge

members, and the body we found right next to the cube was another. Mister Brussard’s a Lodger— and he can open the cube. So as far as I can see, the

Lodge is definitely involved.”

“Oh, wow.” Her eyes were wide. “Do you think whoever kil ed that man buried the cube with him? Maybe both were supposed to stay buried, but we

found them.” She looked at Jack with even wider eyes. “We could have had a kil er in our bedrooms!”

Jack had been thinking the same thing, but hadn’t wanted to mention it. The thought of any stranger in his room gave him a major case of the wil ies. But a kil er …

He kept up a calm front for Weezy.

“Wel , whoever it was, they didn’t come to harm us, just take back what was theirs.”

Weezy grabbed his arm and squeezed. “The Xeroxes! Do you have them?”

He nodded. “Safely hidden away.”

“You’re sure?” Her eyes bored into his. “When was the last time you saw them?” “Um, last night.”

Her grip tightened. “Last night! Then the copies could be gone too! Go check.” “Weez …”

She was squeezing hard now. “Please, Jack. I’ve got to know. I mean, what if

that whole operation we saw last night was just a ruse to get us out of our rooms?”

Jack shook his head. She was getting way far out now.

“I can’t see them going to al that expense and taking al that time just to get hold

of our little cube.”

“Maybe, maybe not. But you heard that cop say they could have come by

another route, from the south, but no, they flew right over Johnson. Why would they do that, hmmm?”

“Just coincidence.”

“And weren’t we wondering why they locked us in the car instead of shooing us

home?” She was on a rol now. “Maybe they wanted to give their

operatives back here enough time to get the job done.”

“‘Operatives’? Weez, do you hear yourself?”

Her tone turned angry. “Yeah, I hear myself. Now you hear this: The cube is

gone, Jack. And since I didn’t lose it or misplace it, that means someone took it.”

“Okay, okay. But that doesn’t mean the helicopters and the excavating had

anything to do with the cube disappearing. Someone may have been

watching your house, spotted you leaving, saw his chance, and took it.” “Just check for me, Jack. Please?”

He didn’t feel like going back into the house, but had to admit that whoever had

stolen from Weezy’s room while they were out could just as easily

—more easily, since he was on the ground floor—have stolen from his. Plus he found it hard to refuse that pleading look in her eyes.

“Okay. Be right back.”

“If they’re there, don’t bring them with you. Don’t let anyone know you have

them.”

Wondering at the bizarre turns of events since he’d dug into that mound, Jack

hurried inside. He passed Mom on his way through the living room. She was giving him a funny look.

“Is anything wrong?”

“Weezy lost something—that little cube I showed you the other night. She thinks

someone stole it. That’s why she’s upset.”

“She should report it to Tim.”

On his way out of the living room, he said, “She’l probably do that.” But as he

headed down the hal , he thought, Then again, she probably won’t.

If Jack were betting on it, he’d go with not. Tim worked for the county sheriff’s

department, which routinely traded information with the state police. And the state police often wound up working with the federal government—the

“feds,” as they said on TV. And the feds worked with the CIA, which was part of a network of global organizations.

In Weezy’s world they al had secret agendas. Not that she didn’t trust them to

do their jobs; she did—as long as those jobs didn’t interfere with their

secret agendas. And number one on their list of agendas was guarding the

secret history of the world, which included the secret history of America, which in turn involved the secret history of the Pine Barrens.

No, Weezy would expect no help from the authorities.

Jack had always laughed off her theories as wacky. After the events of this past

week he was finding that a lot harder to do.

Once in his room, he closed the door, then lowered the shades, thinking, I don’t

believe I’m doing this.

Then he pul ed out the bottom drawer of his bureau and checked the space

below. Two sheets of paper lay there. He pul ed them out and checked them in the dim light.

Yep. Weezy’s copies, safe and sound.

He replaced them, slipped the drawer back into place, raised his shades, then

returned to the sidewalk.

“Right where I left them,” he said as he reached Weezy. “Want me to make

copies for you?”

“No-no-no!” she said. “Someone might have copiers staked out. Just leave them

right where they are.”

They stood in silence, looking around. Jack was beginning to wonder if whatever

Weezy had was catching.

“Wel ,” he said final y, “at least they didn’t get the pyramid too.” She slapped her forehead. “Ohmygod! I’ve been so crazy about the box I forgot

about the pyramid. We’ve got to get it back!”

“So it can be stolen too? At least we know it’s safe down at the Smithsonian.” “Don’t be so sure. I want it back. I’l have my mother rent a safety deposit box

and keep it there.”

Jack smiled and nudged her. “What about the international banking conspiracy?

Won’t they be able to get into the box?”

She frowned. “I never thought of that.”

“Weez, I’m kidding.”

“I’m not.”

Jack shook his head, then closed his eyes and pressed his fingers against his

temples.

“I see a visit to Professor Nakamura in the near future.”

Weez gave his arm a gentle slap. “Not ‘near’—immediate. Get your bike.”

A Japanese woman Jack assumed was Mrs. Nakamura answered the door.

“Ohayogozaimasu,” Weezy said, al sweetness and light as she made a quick little bow from the waist. “Would you please tel the professor that Jack and Louise wish to speak to him about the pyramid? He wil understand.” The woman smiled and bowed back. “Dozoyoroshiku. Wait here. I’l tel him.”

“Arigato.”

Jack made a conscious effort to close his dropped jaw as he stared at Weezy. She noticed. “What?”

“Since when do you know Japanese?”

“Since forever. I’m fluent in it.”

“No, real y.”

She smiled. “Okay, after we met the professor I started thinking about it, so I

picked up a Japanese phrase book at the library.”

“What did you say to her?”

“‘Good morning’ and ‘Thank you.’”

“And what did she say?”

She frowned. “Not sure. It came out so fast. But I think she said, ‘Pleased to

meet you.’”

The woman was back at the door, but no longer smiling.

“The professor is out at the moment. In fact, he is away for the weekend. He wil