Part 23 (1/2)

”Yeah, I know. But we used to have a two-dollar bill, dont forget. The early nineteen hundreds, man, they were making some cool-looking money. The buffalo nickel, the Mercury dime, you know the guy with wings, and the dime was still silver back then. The quarter with Lady Liberty on it. He pulled a handful of change from his pocket and slammed it down on the desk in disgust. ”Look at this c.r.a.p. That could be Albert Lincoln who owns the Ford dealers.h.i.+p, and Greg Was.h.i.+ngton who plays forward for the New York Knicks, and I cant even tell who the guy on the dime is. Plus, aint none of them made of enough of any precious metal to actually be worth what the face value on the coin is. Always a.s.suming you can read it without a microscope.

Moses was very indignant. Bill concealed her amus.e.m.e.nt. ”But our coin was minted in 1921, didnt we figure? Thats not even a hundred years old.

”Well, I havent quite figured out how valuable it is, he admitted. ”There a lot of stuff I dont understand, like grading and l.u.s.ter and I dont know what else. He thought for a moment, and added, ”I got tangled up on an auction site and accidentally bid five hundred dollars for one, though.

”You did what!

He looked a little sheepish. ”Its okay; somebody outbid me. It went for five forty-nine.

She whistled, and he nodded. ”So I been thinking, Bill.

She matched his tone. ”What you been thinking, Moses?

”I been thinking there might have been more of those coins on that plane.

She sobered. ”I dont like the sound of that.

”Me, either, he said grimly. ”Imagine the treasure hunt a rumor like that would start.

”Its already started. She told him about the Gray gang. He swore. She looked at the monitor screen. ”Its too bad Lydia isnt still alive.

”Why?

”She knew about coins.

Moses stared at her.

”Its true. She had a collection of old American coins, old quarters and nickels and dimes and pennies, just pocket change really, that shed been saving up since she was a kid. She subscribed to a magazine, Quarters R Us Quarters R Us or something like that. I used to see it lying around the house when we were at her place for book club. She brightened. ”In fact, Id forgotten all about it, but I think she had some other, more valuable coins, too. Yeah, I remember she pulled out an alb.u.m one time, it was really cool, had all these little pockets inside it for each individual coin. She smiled. ”She was annoyed with me, because I was more interested in the alb.u.m construction than I was in the coins. Her smile faded. ”You know, now that I think of it, she might have... Her voice trailed away. or something like that. I used to see it lying around the house when we were at her place for book club. She brightened. ”In fact, Id forgotten all about it, but I think she had some other, more valuable coins, too. Yeah, I remember she pulled out an alb.u.m one time, it was really cool, had all these little pockets inside it for each individual coin. She smiled. ”She was annoyed with me, because I was more interested in the alb.u.m construction than I was in the coins. Her smile faded. ”You know, now that I think of it, she might have... Her voice trailed away.

Moses face had gone very hard. ”Might have what?

”Its silly, it couldnt possibly... She met his eyes. ”Ive got to be wrong about this, Moses.

He was inexorable. ”Wrong about what?

”Now that I think back, she might have had one of those coins in that alb.u.m. Just like the one that was in the hand.

Wy had a pickup in Ekwok she couldnt get out of, so Jo accompanied Liam to the post. They arrived at the same time as Diana, who looked as drug-out as Liam felt. He brought her up-to-date. She listened, nodding, and when he finished said, ”Makes sense to me. I just rousted Brewster Gibbons out of bed and hauled his b.u.t.t down to the bank. Karen bought her town house for cash.

”How much?

”A hundred and twenty thousand.

”Jesus. Whatd she do, write a check?

”She did, and this is the interesting part. She didnt have much left over.

”Her bank balance looks pretty good.

”Yeah, but thats the least amount its ever been. Gibbons says shes been steadily depleting her trust fund.

”What else?

”While I was at it, I checked on Lydias finances. Her house is paid off, too, although thats not quite so surprising. I checked on the other kids. All of them have very healthy cash balances, and none of them have any outstanding debts, at least not with Brewsters bank. Jerrys balance is just as healthy, its just that every check has to be cosigned by his mother.

Liam frowned at the figures shed scribbled. ”Healthy. Id call that filthy rich, myself. He picked up the phone and dialed a number in Anchorage.

It rang five times before Jim picked it up. ”Yeah.

”Jim, its Liam.

”Like I didnt know. There was a protesting female murmur in the background. ”Sorry, honey. Ill take this in the other room; I have a feeling Im going to have to get on the computer.

”Thanks, Jim.

”f.u.c.k you, Campbell. What do you want?

”I need everything you can dig up on the Tompkins family in Newenham. He gave Jim the names. ”Im particularly interested in their financial affairs. If they owe any money, if there is any money coming in. Like that.

”Gee, Jim said without enthusiasm. ”Is that all?

”And I need it in thirty minutes. Liam hung up on the resulting explosion and looked at Diana. ”Go down to the school. See if theyve still got records for who was enrolled in high school in 1941. Make it for four years either way. Since the students are in their seventies, there probably wont be any surviving teachers, but ask anyway.

”Gone. She went.

Liam looked at Jo. ”I meant to ask you. Wheres Gary?

She smiled. ”I sent him home first thing this morning.

He leaned back and gave her a long, considering look, which she met with equanimity. ”Did you, now.

”I did. That was a mean, rotten thing to do to you, Liam, and Im sorry.

He c.o.c.ked his head. ”Once more, with feeling.

She laughed. ”Look, Wys the best friend I ever had. For a few months, she was even my sister-in-law. Friends watch out for their own.

He couldnt resist. ”Like the air force.

”Even better than. The thing is, I got this idea you might be bad for her. You were, the first time around.

”No, I wasnt.

”No?

”No. For Wy, the first time around I was a f.u.c.king disaster.

”Thank you for not making me say that, she said primly, and grinned.

”So Im not a disaster this time?