Kathy Reichs - Seizure

“This folio was originally part of the Irish Book of Kells.”

Kit’s face went pink. I continued before he could interrupt.

“There might be ownership issues, and the Irish government will take a strong position, but Dr. Andrews estimates these pages are worth eight or nine figures. Minimally.”

The pink moved toward plum.

“You found a lost folio from the Book of Kells?” Kit’s voice was unsteady. “You dug it from the ground?”

“It was under a flagstone. In a box.”

“Tory, a father isn’t supposed to fear his fourteen-year-old daughter. That being said, you terrify me.”

“Don’t be silly.”

“Is that everything?” Kit demanded. “Is there anything else you’ve held back?”

“No, sir. You’ve got the full story.”

The lie knotted my gut. I ignored the guilt. Some things I just couldn’t share.

“I do have a plan,” I ventured cautiously.

“Of course you do.” Kit’s eyes rolled to the heavens, then dropped to me. “Let’s hear it.”

“The boys and I have agreed to give up the folio in order to save Loggerhead Island.”

“Give it up?” Kit’s Adam’s apple rose and fell. “You’d do that for the institute?”

“For the animals.” I reached out and cupped his chin with one hand. “But first, you have to make me a promise.”

“Go on.” The corners of Kit’s lips tucked up ever so slightly.

“Promise we won’t move. Promise we can stay here on Morris Island. As a family.”

“That I can do.” Kit sighed in relief. “Somehow, I’ll make it work. Whitney’s going to flip. And you will finish cotillion.”

Blargh . “Fine.”

“To think that ten little pages can change everything.” I ran a fingertip over the manuscript’s protective case. “We need to thank my great-great-great pirate grandma.”

Kit’s eyebrows shot up. “Your what?”

“Nothing. Just kidding.”

Maybe .

THE CEREMONY WAS about to begin.

Hi and I hurried to chairs marked with our names on white index cards. Shelton was already seated, and was absently scrolling his new iPad.

“Ya’ll are late,” he said. “Ben went looking for you.”

“I brought Coop out for a visit,” I said. “He hasn’t seen his mother in weeks.”

“I’ll shoot Ben a text,” Hi said. “He’s probably lost.”

Shelton glanced at Hi, then started giggling. “Sorry man, but you look ridiculous .”

“The word you seek is fly ,” Hi replied. “Diamond stud earrings are the bombtrack. This is high-quality bling.”

“For the ladies, maybe. For you? Not so much.”

“I can’t wait until your mom sees that ear,” I said. “Please call me when that happens.”

A large platform had been erected in the center of the LIRI courtyard. The entire staff was present, decked out in their finest. The mood was festive, energetic. Smiles were everywhere.

“Too bad school starts tomorrow.” Hi fiddled with his newly implanted gem. “I was getting used to being liked for a change.”

“Who knows?” Shelton closed out his email and dropped the iPad to his lap. “Maybe the Bolton kids will accept us now. Some must’ve heard what we did.”

“Yeah. Maybe.” I didn’t want to talk about school.

I hadn’t spoken to Jason since blasting him at the country club, when he’d asked to escort me to the debutante ball. Since then I’d completely blown him off, mainly because I didn’t know my answer. And I still had no plan for dealing with Madison. I’d be dodging landmines all next semester.

Problems for another day.

Two weeks had passed since I’d shown Kit the manuscript. Events had unfolded quickly, and as well as could be hoped.

Dr. Andrews’s team of experts had authenticated our folio as a missing chapter of the Book of Kells. The discovery ran as breaking news on CNN. The art world was still frothing with excitement.

The Irish government had gone ballistic, demanded the immediate return of the pages. Kit had hired an attorney. After days of negotiations, a deal had been struck.

No one would talk numbers, but rumors ran wild.

I spotted Ben hurrying up the aisle.

“How’d you sneak by me?” He slipped into his seat and elbowed Hi. “Nice sparkler, Snooki. When’s your debut?”

“Philistines.” Hi rubbed his rib cage. “You guys wouldn’t know class if it died in your bathroom.”

“Maybe you got distracted by all of Sewee’s new gear,” I teased Ben. “She’s looking awfully tricked out these days.”

“You should talk.” Ben adjusted his tie and ear-tucked his hair. “I saw about a dozen packages on your doorstep. How much camping gear did you buy?”

I waved away the comment. “Your eyes deceive, sir.”

“Shelton’s hoarding car catalogs,” Hi said.

“My license is right around the corner,” Shelton replied. “Always be prepared. Isn’t that the Boy Scouts’ motto?”

“Any chance I can score another gold coin?” Hi asked. “I was thinking Gucci for school this year.”

“You spent your allowance,” I said. “Everything left is for outfitting the bunker. I have big plans.”

We never mentioned the gold coins. Not to anyone. The ancient manuscript had been more than enough to preserve Loggerhead Island.

The Virals deserved a reward. We’d solved the riddles and dodged the bullets. We deserved something for our troubles.

“How’d it go with the old geezer?” Ben asked me.

“Splendidly,” I said.

After much debate, we’d given Rodney Brincefield a few doubloons. It just felt right. Without his brother’s stone disk, we wouldn’t have made it through the tunnels. A debt was paid.

“It was nice to see his surprise,” I added. “He really is harmless.”

“Crazy harmless,” Shelton said.

“Why does Chance get a share?” Hi whined. “He’s already filthy rich.”

“We wouldn’t have found the treasure without him. Fair is fair.”

I could have also added “massive guilt,” but didn’t want to be that honest. My debt to Chance was larger than a few gold coins. I intended to make up for playing head games on him. Just don’t ask me how.

The dignitaries began taking their chairs. Kit sat behind a long table at center stage, looking extremely uncomfortable.

“Tell me how this works again?” Hi asked.

“It’s a rededication ceremony,” I said. “There’ll be speeches and backslapping, that kind of thing. Later there’s a buffet.”

“No, I mean the deal your father struck to keep LIRI running.”

“First, Kit created a nonprofit trust and donated the manuscript,” I explained. “The cotrustees are the new Loggerhead Island Foundation, of which Kit is the director, and Trinity College in Dublin, keeper of the Book of Kells. Then the newly created trust secured a loan from the Bank of Ireland. Very nice terms.”

All three boys opened their mouths.

“Don’t ask,” I said. “But the answer is, a lot. A whole lot.”

“So the trust bought Loggerhead Island?” Ben asked.

“Correct. And not just the real estate. The trust now owns LIRI and all of Morris Island as well. The institute is no longer subject to CU’s fickle budget.”

Kit had insisted on the purchase of both islands. The State of South Carolina had agreed, with one stipulation. Loggerhead and Morris would forever remain nature preserves. Neither could be commercially developed. Kit had been happy to agree.

Everyone viewed the deal as a win-win.