The Prophecy

62

Surprised by the comment, Payne stared at Keller from across the room. The bewilderment in his eyes told Payne everything he needed to know. The guy was telling the truth.

‘What about the text message?’ Payne demanded.

Keller’s gaze shifted to Payne, who was standing near the door. ‘What text message? What are you people talking about?’

Payne moved closer. ‘You didn’t send her a letter or a text message?’

‘I didn’t send anything to anyone! How could I? I don’t even know your names!’

Jones straightened in his seat. ‘And we’re going to keep it that way.’

Keller stood from his chair. ‘That’s fine with me. In fact, I’d prefer it. Now that I’ve completed my task I want to wash my hands of this nonsense and get on with my life. For the first time in thirty-two years, I can finally move on.’

‘Wait!’ Megan blurted. ‘How can you be done? You haven’t told us anything yet! What are we supposed to do now?’

Noticing the emotion in her voice, Keller felt pangs of empathy. He was familiar with the confusion and the hopelessness she was displaying. He had suffered the same maladies over the years. ‘I’m sorry, but I don’t know what to tell you. The instructions from Nostradamus were short but explicit. The letter said four strangers would show up at my door, precisely two weeks after I opened the box. It asked me to describe the events of December the first, starting with my vault at the bank, and then I should explain how the puzzle box worked. After that, I was to give you the box and bid you adieu.’

‘Nothing else?’ Jones asked.

‘Actually, there was one more thing, but it doesn’t pertain to you. I was told to sell the letter for a tidy profit. The money would be my reward for faithful service.’

‘Have you done that already?’ Ulster asked, hoping to see the letter.

Keller shook his head. ‘Not yet. But I gave it to a friend of mine at the university. He is currently getting it appraised. Once we have confirmed its worth, I will hold an auction at Sotheby’s.’

Jones laughed at the coincidence. ‘You might want to rethink your plan. I heard Sotheby’s was a wreck.’

‘Really? I’ve heard nothing but good things.’

‘Trust me on this one. The hotel needs some major work.’

‘Anyway,’ Payne said, trying to cut things short, ‘just give us the box, and we’ll leave you alone. We’ve got a flight to London later tonight, so we need to get going.’

‘Just give me a moment,’ Keller said, hustling towards his steps. ‘I hid the box upstairs.’

Megan waited until he was gone before she spoke. ‘We’re going to London?’

Payne shook his head and whispered. ‘Nah, I’m just throwing him off the scent in case someone comes looking for us. Better safe than sorry.’

‘Then what are we going to do?’

He shrugged. ‘I don’t know. We’ll figure it out on the road.’

Zürich, the largest city in Switzerland, was less than a three-hour drive from Lausanne and had everything that Payne and Jones were looking for: a major airport, dozens of hotels, and a diverse populace to hide among. Ulster recommended the Baur au Lac Hotel, located in its own scenic park on the shore of Lake Zürich. Not only was it near the Paradeplatz, the city’s bustling financial district, but it was adjacent to the Bahnhofstrasse, one of the most expensive shopping districts in the world. The exclusivity of the area guaranteed round the clock security and special attention from the city’s police force, which made it safer for them.

Using false identification and cash, Payne booked the River Suite at the hotel. With a living room, kitchen, and multiple bathrooms, it allowed the foursome to spend the night comfortably together. While Ulster ordered room service for the group, Payne hopped in the shower, desperate to wash off the bloody water that had dried on him in Geneva. Afterwards, he felt like a new man: wide awake and ready to plot their next step.

Wearing a plush hotel robe and shorts, he strolled into the living room where Jones, Megan, and Ulster had gathered round a mahogany coffee table. Sitting in its centre was the puzzle box. Measuring just under a foot in height, width, and depth, the exquisitely carved box had been crafted out of light-brown linden wood. Its lid, decorated with astrological patterns that helped to conceal the corner knobs, was currently locked in place.

‘Did you open it yet?’ Payne asked.

Megan shook her head. ‘We were just about to.’

‘You didn’t have to wait for me.’

‘Don’t worry, we didn’t,’ Jones assured him. ‘Keller stored this thing in so much bubble wrap it took us an hour to break through. In addition, a certain historian who shall remain nameless refused to use a blade of any kind for fear of damaging the box.’

Ulster defended his caution. ‘If this artefact was actually built by Nostradamus, I can’t begin to fathom how valuable it might be. In the world of antiquities, there are very few names that create a bigger buzz than his. It seems everyone wants a glimpse of the future.’

Payne plopped down in a nearby chair. Now that he was clean, his stomach was growling for attention. ‘Do you think the box is Megan’s fortune?’

‘Possibly,’ Ulster said, ‘especially when you consider how long it’s been hidden. According to Louis Keller, his family had this box in their possession for a hundred years. That leaves more than three hundred years unaccounted for. How many people guarded the box before them? And how many people were asked to contact Megan?’

Payne had broached the topic during the drive to Zürich, but the group hadn’t reached a consensus of any kind. ‘At least one, maybe more.’

Jones counted them off. ‘The text message was sent from a French cell phone, so that’s one. The letter was mailed from Asia, so that’s two — unless the same person did both.’

‘Or,’ Payne suggested, ‘the letter could have bounced from country to country beforehand, offering layers of insulation along the way. If that’s the case, there’s no way of knowing who leaked word of Megan’s letter to François.’

‘Guys,’ she said anxiously, ‘I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, but if it’s okay with you, can we play with the box now? I want to see how this thing works.’

Payne laughed. ‘It’s your box. Play away.’

‘But gently!’ Ulster urged. ‘We don’t want to break it.’

Megan smiled and slid the box towards her. As she did, her heart rate quickened. She still didn’t understand how she fitted into everything, but she realized she was part of something special. Even if their search had ended in Lausanne, she had been given a puzzle box that might be worth a small fortune, certainly more than a hostess from South Philly could make in a lifetime. ‘I’m nervous,’ she admitted.

Ulster patted her knee. ‘Don’t be, my dear. I’m sure the box will hold up fine. I doubt Nostradamus would have left it to you if he foresaw you breaking it.’

‘You know, that’s a very good point.’

She took a deep breath and then turned the knobs to twelve, one, twenty, and nine. When the final knob clicked into place, the lid popped open as Keller had described. The sides of the box housed a complicated series of pins and latches that held the ten-inch square in place. With the latches released, the inner lid simply popped up from the centre of the box top. Pushing the lid flush against the surface and turning any of the knobs to an incorrect number would once again seal the device. Viewed from the side, the box appeared solid. Viewed from the top, the intricately carved designs concealed the seam between the lid and the outer edge.

Megan pulled the lid off and handed it to Ulster for safekeeping.

‘Thank you,’ he said as he examined the underbelly of the lid. Unlike its outer surface, it had no carvings or patterns of any kind. It was unadorned linden wood with four slots for the latches. Unimpressed, he quickly put it aside and focused his attention on the box.

Much to everyone’s disappointment, the interior of the box was just as plain. It consisted of a small storage compartment that was cramped because of the locking mechanism in the box’s walls. The space was large enough to hold a few trinkets — or a folded letter — but it certainly couldn’t hold anything larger than a Rubik’s Cube.

Jones peeked inside. He was less than impressed. ‘Wow, nice box. I hope you kept the receipt. Maybe you can return it for something useful, like, a box filled with… stuff.’

Payne rolled his eyes. ‘On that note, I think all of us should take a break. It’s been a very long day, and we have a lot to work out — including our next move. Once we get some food and rest, I’m sure the big picture will make a lot more sense.’