Chapter Nine #2
“Ha,” I said with a mouthful of food, “bot um yor Neandahfal.”
“Yes, and I’m so proud.” His disgusted eyeroll had me shoveling more in. “You’re gonna choke.”
“You won’t let me die.” He shook his head, but didn’t deny it, but I did wonder if he knew how to give the Heimlich?
“Alright, smartass, let’s get back to work.”
Four hours, not the two he mentioned at dinner, and five thousand and twelve pictures taken and sent via different emails later, we were done.
At least for tonight. The midnight hour chimed on the grandfather clock in the corner of the living room and my brain was fried.
Charlie got up, stretched, and started counting the boxes and totes we’d packed.
“Shit, twenty-seven, Alex. It’s a good thing we have a truck. I just hope whoever ends up taking them has a way to transport them because we’re not paying for shipping.”
“I’m down with that.” My back popped as I stood. “Shit, did you hear that?”
“Yeah, getting old sucks.” He laughed.
“I’ll show you old.” Running across the room, I scooped him up, tossed him over my shoulder and literally ran up the stairs with him giggling and swatting at my ass while he hung upside down.
He bounced when I dropped him on the bed, still giggling. “How’s that for old?” I asked, pulling my shirt off and tossing it in the hamper. “Shower time.” Didn’t have the balls to tell him my old ass was worn the hell out. I’d keep that one to myself.
His handsome face in the shower light, water droplets cascading down his body, the graying of his skin long since gone along with the circles under his eyes. My Charlie had fully returned.
We woke up late the next morning for our meeting with Nolan. While Charlie primped, I doctored up a couple mugs of coffee to take with along with granola bars then retrieved the watch from its hiding place. About that time, he came downstairs. His eyes locked on the box I held.
“Don’t even think about it,” I warned him. “In fact, you’re driving today so I can keep control of this.” I shook the box for effect before remembering what type of trigger was in there and quickly stilled it.
“Ha, that’s what you get.” He grabbed his keys and the coffee mugs and headed toward the truck.
Our meeting with Nolan was supposed to be at nine a.m., well before the museum opened at ten.
We still ended up running about twenty minutes late.
Nolan had rapid fire texted Charlie throughout our drive in.
I finally grabbed his phone from the drink holder and replied, letting Nolan know we were on our way so he would hopefully chill out.
When we pulled up, we weren’t at all surprised to find him waiting on the front steps for us.
“Good morning, gentleman,” he anxiously greeted us.
“Hello, Nolan, I’m Charlie DuBois, and this is my fiancé, Alex.”
I absolutely loved hearing those words, having waited so damn long for him to finally say yes. The smile across my face couldn’t be helped as I extended my hand to shake Nolan’s.
“Is that it?” he asked, wide eyed, staring at the box like a hungry predator.
“Yes, it is. Should we step inside and take care of the donation before getting to this?” I offered.
His initial reaction to the watch was unnerving.
Holding off a bit longer was the only way to get the rest of our business taken care of.
Had I given it to him now, all else would’ve likely been forgotten.
His unnatural draw he had to this inanimate object had me on high alert.
“This way, gentlemen.” He held the door open and led us through the pristine lobby, past the gift shop and up a flight of stairs to the management offices. “Please have a seat.” He gestured to the two chairs in front of his desk then took his seat on the other side.
“Jeanette,” he called out.
“Yes, Nolan?” An older, gray-haired woman appeared in the doorway.
“Could you bring in the contract for the DuBois-Travers wedding, please?”
“It’s on top of your desk, Nolan.”
“Oh yes, well, right. Thank you. Please close the door behind you.” She closed the door without making eye contact. I got the feeling he was just as high maintenance as a boss as was in gaining control of this watch.
“Here it is, gentlemen. You’ll notice we’ve allotted a three-hour time frame, and, of course, we are closed during those hours as well.
Security will be here to let you in an hour before the ceremony and will lock up after you.
Also note, that no pictures of any of the artwork here can be taken, but you are more than welcome to take your wedding photos in the courtyard that I’ll point out during our walk-through. ”
He handed Charlie the contract.
“This is pretty standard, Nolan. I’ve already made the check out to the museum for the donation, but would like a receipt for our records, please.”
“Absolutely.”
Charlie and I signed the contract then handed it back along with the check. Nolan printed our receipt and gave us a copy of it and the fully executed contract after he’d signed it.
“Now, the watch.” He rubbed his hand together like a mad scientist, his reaction did not sit well with me.
I handed him the box and watched his face while he opened it.
His reactions reminded me of the scene in Raiders of the Lost Ark.
The look that Belloq had on his face once the Ark was opened mirrored that of Nolan’s as he unboxed the watch.
“Nolan, are you aware of what this watch is capable of?” The tone in which Charlie’s question was asked said he’d felt the same way. Nolan’s reaction was neither healthy nor safe.
“Oh yes, very much so. Your father and I met on numerous occasions when he returned from his journey’s.”
“Wait, what?” Charlie gripped the arms of the leather chair. “When was the last time you saw my father?”
Nolan carefully placed the watch back inside the box and turned his attention to Charlie.
“Charlie, I have been insensitive, and I apologize for that. I know you recently lost your father, and I was sorry to hear of his passing. But to answer your question, it’s been well over a year since your father and I last had contact. ”
“Did you know what he was searching for? That he was going back in time to help my mother? Do you know where all the crap he left us with came from or anything about it?” Charlie was seething and I didn’t blame him one bit. I reached over and covered his hand with mine, hoping it would calm him.
“Whoa, whoa.” Nolan held his hands up. “I didn’t know he was going back for that.
I thought he was merely collecting artifacts.
He had um, he had many contacts seeking certain items.” Great, now we can add thief to his father’s resume.
“Sadly, that explains his obsession with the watch. I tried to get it from him more times than I can count. I saw what it was doing to him, but he wouldn’t part with it.
I felt it would be best if it were safely locked behind a secured, glass enclosure. ”
Nolan’s words seemed to appease Charlie somewhat though I didn’t believe him for a second.
Not about the locked behind glass part, at least. “I, I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to verbally attack you like that.
I’m just trying to put all the pieces together.
” Charlie squeezed my hand and smiled, letting me know he was okay.
“Just so we’re clear,” I began, “this watch is dangerous. Charlie and I nearly lost each other when we accidentally set it off, and we’re more than positive it’s the reason his father is no longer with us.”
Nolan bowed his head. “Yes, I agree with you, on both counts, and would like to thank you both for trusting me with it. I received your emails with the pictures of the other items in your possession. Many I feel should not have been removed from where he found them and need to be returned to their rightful places. I have several archeologists who are quite interested in reviewing them. If it’s all right with you, I’d like to send our technical transport team to your home this afternoon to retrieve them and bring them in for cataloging. Would three p.m. work for you?”
Charlie glanced at me and I nodded. Getting those dreaded things out of our home was more than fine by me. “Yes, that will work,” Charlie informed him.
“Excellent. Again, I’m sorry for your loss, Charlie, but I thank you both for coming in, and congratulations on your engagement.” Nolan stood, shook our hands and showed us out.
When we got inside the truck and had both doors shut, I finally voiced my concerns. “What in the holy hell was all of that about? When he first laid eyes on the watch it was like a starving man staring at a hamburger.”
“No kidding. The hair on my neck stood on end.” Charlie shivered and started the truck.
Shortly after we got home, the crew showed up to remove and safely transport the artifacts to the museum. Charlie and I breathed a sigh of relief after it was all gone. Well, I did at least.