In Remi’s rearview mirror, she saw the driver’s eyes go wide and mouth gape open as the metal shaft hurtled toward him. The tip struck the windshield with an audible bang, and she saw the white impact mark appear in front of the driver, the tip of the javelin stuck in the safety glass. The wind made the shaft move back and forth wildly, swinging the sharp tip around in front of the faces of the driver and his companion.

The Range Rover weaved crazily for a moment, as the driver fought for control, and then spun sideways. The truck had been following the Rover too closely to avoid it and plowed into the driver’s side near the left front wheel and spun the car around before both vehicles stopped.

Remi kept driving. The truck crossed into Reims about ten minutes later, and she parked it at the rental agency. She and Sam put their Roman weapons and armor into the rental car they had left at the agency and drove to their hotel.

Dressed in black clothes covered with dirt from the field, they carried their heavy armloads of ancient war gear into the lobby. They both had dirt smeared on their faces and hands. When Sam stopped at the front desk, the clerk looked at the ancient helmet and seemed uneasy. “Sir?” he said.

“I’m Samuel Fargo from Room 27.”

“Yes, sir. Is everything satisfactory?” He eyed the javelins and the shields.

“Oh, this? We were just at a costume party that got out of hand.”

“Yes, sir. We’ve found that any party with a Roman theme seems to be trouble.”

“I guess we should have asked before we went. Right now, I’d like to rent a second room. I’d like one on a different floor, different hallway. Is that possible?”

“That we can do.” He looked at a computer screen, produced the papers for Sam’s signature, and then the room key. “Room 315, sir.”

Sam and Remi took the Roman arms to the new room and leaned the shields and javelins against the wall.

Remi shook her head. “Too easy to find. It’s precious.”

Sam picked up the engraved shield again, opened the window, and climbed out of the gable onto the steep roof. He walked to the nearest chimney and stuck the shield between it and the slate shingles at the peak. Climbing back inside, he locked the window.

Sam said, “We’ll have to go out and look around. I think we should find the men who are trying to kill us.”

Remi said, “I’d like you to repeat that to yourself and see if it sounds like a good idea.”

“Not the men, exactly,” he said. “What I’d like to find is where they’re hiding the treasure.”

“And how do you want to do that?” she said.