揑t seems the archbishop is also connected to my trouble. Does your friend have a name??
揃ernat de Foix.?
He instantly connected the dots. 揑抦 familiar with him. He was involved with the restoration of the Ghent Altarpiece.?
揟hat抯 right. We were headed there today for a formal announcement on what was found. But he disappeared last night. He would not have missed that ceremony.?
揝eems we抮e both on a mission.?
揑抎 like to get back to mine.?
Fire burned in the dark ball-bearing-like eyes.
What had John Kennedy said? Necessity has made us allies.
And he might need the help.
揌ow about we head up together and let抯 see where this goes.?
Chapter 61
Vilamur kept behind the four Dominicans as they followed a defined path grooved from the rocky soil by the soles of countless feet. The singing continued, the melody almost hypnotic, drawing them ever closer like a siren. They stopped at another iron gate that led into a cemetery. Across the closely trimmed grass and various stone cairns and markers six nuns stood around an open grave.
Singing.
Fuentes motioned and the four Dominicans withdrew weapons.
揑s that necessary??Vilamur asked.
揑 assure you it is. These women are quite formidable.?
They advanced into the cemetery and headed directly to the maidens. Fuentes raised a hand and halted their advance, allowing the song to be completed. Five of the women wore gray smocks. One did not.
Who was she?
The maidens finished.
The Dominicans assumed positions to the left and right of the grave, their guns at their sides.
Fuentes stepped forward, removed his sunglasses, and pointed to the odd woman out. 揥ho are you??
揑 want to ask you the same thing. You have no business here.?
揃ut I do. Again, who are you??
揝ister Kelsey Deal.?
揧ou抮e the one who found the Just Judges,?Fuentes said.
揌ow would you know that??
揑t is part of my business here. I抳e been aware of your work for some time.?
揥ho are you??Deal asked.
Fuentes raised a finger. 揑抣l ask the questions. My prerogative since I have the men with guns.?
The other five just watched the conversation in silence.
揔eep them here,?Fuentes said to Friar Dwight, then he motioned for Vilamur to join him as he walked off into the cemetery.
揕ook for a headstone,?Fuentes whispered. 揑t would be really old. Worn. Hopefully, it is here.?
揌ow old??
揊ifteenth century.?
They fanned out separately, their eyes down on the markers. Many were crosses. Some simple slabs. Others just plain stone.
After a few minutes, Fuentes called out, 揌ere.?
And he walked over, seeing a cracked and pitted stone marker projecting about half a meter from the ground. Not limestone. Marble. Which explained why it had lasted. Little was on its face. Just a few words and a number, eroded and nearly gone, but there.
ALS ICH KAN
1441
Fuentes bent down close. 揓an van Eyck was the only fifteenth-century Dutch painter to sign his canvases. He did that with a variant of the words敆the cardinal pointed棑Als ich kan. As I Can. Or, As Best I Can. The year 1441 is when he died. No one really knows what he meant by the signature. It could be a type of modesty, where he prefaced his work with an apology for a lack of perfection. But that may be reading too much into things. It could be just a playful reference. No matter. Here it is.?
He recalled what he read in the poem. This flower shot early off this world. The one who came from Maaseik. Bruges keeps him. His life ended there. But he will live for eternity. Among the holy.
Jan van Eyck was here.
Fuentes smiled.
揥e are in the right place.?
Kelsey had never before faced down a gun, much less four. The sight of them made her legs flutter with anxiety and her body shake. She worked hard to keep her nerves under control. The stoic calm of the five other maidens helped. Isabel had made eye contact and she drew strength from the woman抯 clear resolve. Not a hint of concern or emotion swept across that face.
The maidens stood dutifully, with their hands behind their backs, on one side of the open grave, facing the four men with guns on the other. What level of training had these women endured to prepare themselves for this? Obviously, quite a bit. They seemed ready.
But for what?
揥ho are these men??she asked Isabel.
揇ominicans.?
揥ith guns??
揟hey have a long history of violence. They led the crusade that slaughtered thousands of Cathars in this region. They also killed women and children.?
Okay. Not the reassurance she was looking for. 揥hat do they want??
揟hat which we cannot give.?