“Only with you,” James said. “We always get into an argument over dinner. I’m not blaming you, I’m just as guilty, and even if I go as a civilian, someone always recognizes me. I don’t need that type of publicity. Let me talk again with Jack!”

“He wants to talk with you,” Shawn said, with frustration.

“What is it?” Jack asked with a tired voice. He had a premonition of what was coming, meaning the refereeing was already beginning.

“Jack, Shawn’s planning a celebration dinner tonight at their home. You’ve got to be there.”

“I haven’t actually been officially asked, and besides, I have to get home to help Laurie with JJ, our son.”

“Jack, I need your help, as I made clear yesterday. If you’ll come to this impromptu dinner party, I’ll do the same, but I’m going to need a buffer with Shawn, especially with the current high he is on. I need to know more about what he’s found and what he’s thinking, but you know it’ll be torture.”

“So I’ll play referee once again,” Jack said grudgingly. He’d never liked the role.

“Jack, please!”

“All right, if it’s not going to be late.”

“It won’t be late. I have to say Mass in the cathedral early in the morning. On top of that I slept poorly last night. Believe me, it is not going to be a late night. Listen, I’ll bring my car, and I’ll drive you home.”

“Okay, I’ll come,” Jack said, “but I have to check with Laurie.”

“Fair enough,” James said. “Put Shawn back on.”

James told Shawn what had been decided and asked what time.

Shawn shrugged. “Let’s say seven. I think I’d be speaking for Sana if I say we’ll want to get an early start in the lab tomorrow. We’ll want to break up on the early side.”

“I couldn’t agree more.”

Chapter 22

22

10:40 A.M., SATURDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2008
NEW YORK CITY

Only a little more than ten minutes after the conversation with James, Alex Jaszek, the anthropologist, arrived. During the brief interim Shawn and Sana continued to whisper epithets back and forth. Despite their earlier joy over their discovery, they had begun arguing about the evening’s plans until Sana, in disgust, had disappeared into the laboratory to check out the equipment.

Alex looked young for a seasoned Ph.D., with a skimpy beard on his youthful face. He was built like the quintessential high-school football player, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist. He wore khaki pants and an old-fashioned flannel shirt.

“Is this the way the bones looked when you got the top off?” Alex asked, peering into the ossuary.