“As far as his being responsible for access, he’s correct. But no one is going to blame him for that. This is five years after the fact, and I did produce the definitive work on Saint Peter’s tomb, which was the reason the access was granted originally. It’s the Vatican’s fault that the access has remained on the books. As far as signing for the crate, he did that entirely on his own accord. I didn’t trick him. Personally, I suspect he believed he was getting a gift, a decision made entirely on his own. I never said anything about the crate containing a gift.”

“Well, I’m not going to get between you two guys,” Jack said, not wishing to take sides. “You’re going to have to work it out yourselves. I just wanted you to know his mind-set.”

“Thanks for warning me,” Shawn said with a grumble.

“I have a question for you,” Jack said, wishing to go on to another issue.

“Ask away.”

“When do you want to start?”

“As soon as possible.”

“How about tomorrow around eight? I have to meet you to usher you through some details.”

“Fine with me, but let me give Sana a quick call, if you don’t mind waiting.”

“Not at all,” Jack said, and meant it. As usual, he was reluctant to go home for fear of what he’d find. Of course, he didn’t like the feeling and didn’t like himself for feeling it.

Shawn reached Sana at the medical school. She’d gone in that day to try to salvage some of the ongoing studies her graduate-school assistants were trying to keep afloat. It sounded as if things had not gone well in her absence. Even Jack could hear the stridency of her voice as Shawn held the receiver away from his ear. Shawn finally got a word in and told Sana the plan.

He listened intently and soon held up his thumb for Jack’s benefit.

“All right!” Shawn said, hanging up. “Eight it is. Where will we meet you?”

“In the lobby of the DNA building,” Jack said. “What about the ossuary?”

“Sana and I will stop at the residence and pick it up on the way.”

“I have to admit,” Jack said, “I’m wildly curious to see what is in the ossuary. You really think there are bones and documents in there?”

“Very confident,” Shawn said. “And if you think you are curious, you cannot imagine how curious I feel. My wife had to literally talk me out of opening it the moment we got it back to the hotel in Rome.”

“What about the letter? Do you have it here?”

“Absolutely. Would you like to see it?”

“I would,” Jack said.

Shawn retrieved a large volume from the bookcase and placed it on the central library table.