“I agree, but I am also confident of his strong sense of ethics, despite his questionable sense of morality. Among other issues, he and I have argued endlessly about sex, which he believes is a gift to humanity in exchange for the burden of having to anticipate our death. He believes sex should be enjoyed, and he’s angry at the Church for its propensity to label as sin any aspect of sex beyond a narrow interpretation of its procreative role. But he knows right from wrong in every other arena, which is why I’m confident he will realize that he cannot prove any bones inside the ossuary are those of the Virgin Mary. Saturninus’s letter is certainly suggestive, but as we’ve discussed, it all rests on Simon Magus. Did Simon tell Saturninus the truth? No one knows, and no one will be able to know.”

“What about the Gospel of Simon that Shawn expects to find in the ossuary?”

“What about it?” James asked hesitantly.

“What if it talks about this specific issue?”

“I hadn’t really thought of that,” James confessed. “I suppose it is a possibility. That would complicate things.” There was a moment of silence. “You are supposed to be helping me, not vice versa,” he added with a nervous laugh.

“Sorry,” Jack said. “But consider this. Saturninus said something about Simon being disappointed that the bones didn’t convey to him the healing power by themselves. That means that Simon was convinced the relics were real.”

“Okay, that’s enough!” James pleaded. “At this point, you’re just making me feel less secure in my thinking. Even if what you say is true, there’s still the issue of hearsay.”

“You are reaching for a technicality when you say something like that. The ossuary will be opened tomorrow. Let’s wait and see what’s in it. It could be cow bones and a scroll that’s pure fictional grandiosity.”

“You’re right,” James said. “My anxiety has me envisioning the worst.”

“I’ve asked Shawn if he would mind if I observed, and he said I was welcome. I also asked if he would like to take advantage of the OCME’s new anthropology department, and he said he would, provided that no one was told the identity of the individual.”

“Does that mean the bones will be able to be identified as human, and the gender determined right away?”

“If an anthropologist sees them, absolutely.”

“If you are there, will you call me as soon as you can?”

“Of course! And I hope I’ll be able to put your mind at rest.”

“Oh, glory days! I will pray that such will be the case.”

After appropriate good-byes, Jack hung up. He opened the bathroom door. JJ was still crying, more insistently than before. Once again it was going to be fast food, and a painful evening.

Chapter 20

20

7:15 A.M., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2008
NEW YORK CITY