“It wasn’t in the window,” Shawn said with a smile, “and he didn’t just bring it out. We’d talked awhile, and I guess he decided I was an okay risk. It is seriously illegal to sell such a relic in Egypt.”

“Did you know it was authentic right away?”

“Absolutely.”

“Was it expensive?”

“I certainly overpaid, but I was dying to get the codex back to the hotel room to see what texts it contained.”

“Was the letter part of a text or just inserted into the codex?”

“Neither. It was sandwiched in between the leather covers to stiffen it, along with other scraps of paper. At first I was disappointed, because all I found in the codex were copies of texts that had been in previous codices. Then I remembered to check inside the cover. Bingo, I found the Saturninus letter.”

“So the letter not only explains that the ossuary contains Mary’s bones but also exactly where to locate it.”

“It does indeed. I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but my last professional publication was called Saint Peter’s Burial Complex and Environs. Did you happen to read it?”

“I didn’t get a chance to read it,” Jack commented. “I thought I’d wait for the movie.”

“Okay, wise guy!” Shawn laughed. “It wasn’t meant to be a bestseller, but it was meant to be the definitive work on a very complicated structure that had been under almost continual renovation for two millennia. Currently I’m probably the most knowledgeable person on the complexities of Saint Peter’s tomb. From Saturninus’s letter, I had a good idea of where the ossuary would be in relation to one of the tunnels dug during the tomb’s last excavations.

“So, the tunnel was reasonably accessible?”

“Very much so. I knew the tunnel had not been filled in from my work at the site. My only mistake was that the ossuary was in the wall and not in the ceiling.”

“It’s an amazing story,” Jack said. “Is it your intention to open the ossuary tomorrow?”

“You bet your life! Thanks to your arranging access to a modern lab facility.”

“Would you mind if I stuck around to watch after I get you and your wife settled in the lab?”

“Not at all. We’d love to have you. In fact, if we find what we hope to find, we’ll have to have a celebration tomorrow night at our house in the West Village, and you’ll be invited. We’ll even pressure His Holiness into joining us. It will be the Three Musketeers all over again.”

“If you find what you want to find, I’m not sure James will be in the mood to celebrate,” Jack said, shaking Shawn’s hand in preparation of leaving.