Excerpt: The Cortez Obsidian

Whatever it was, though, it and the evening occupied her thoughts all the way home, so she was distracted as she approached the house. She didn’t notice the dark, almost elegant, official looking car sitting across the street from her house as she pulled into the driveway. She hit the control on the garage door opener, then grumbled as nothing happened. “I forgot, again!” she muttered to herself. The battery had gone out last week, and it was one of those thumbnail abtteries. She’d get a new one next trip to the store, but she’d meant to before now. One more day of the car in the driveway, that’s all it was. She turned the car off and slipped out from behind the wheel, keys in her hand, glad she’d left the porch light on. Just as she inserted the key in the door, she heard the car across the street open its door, and as she glanced over, a man walked to the foot of the driveway.

“Dr Martinez? Carla Martinez?”

She turned, whirled really, putting her back to the door, her cell phone quickly in her hand. “Who are you? What do you want?” Her voice was tense, her eyes darting to the quickest possible means of escape, left hand already opening the cell phone.

“Please, don’t be alarmed.” He opened a wallet and flashed a badge, approaching very slowly. My name is Edwin King. I’m with the FBI. I’d like to ask you a few questions, if you don’t mind?”

“What about?” What could the FBI want with me, she thought, and in the same instant Nathan’s treasure hunt came to her. But that isn’t illegal! It’s historical research! “Is something wrong?”

“You could say so, Dr Martinez.” The agent paused. May I ask where you were tonight? And where you were this afternoon, between three and four?”

She thought a moment. “Just now I’m returning from a date. This afternoon I was finishing in my office, and having a drink on the way home. Why?”

“Were you with anyone?”

She looked at him more levelly, a bit suspiciously, badge or not. “No closer, please. Yes, I was; I was with a friend. And this is starting to sound formal. What’s going on?”

He took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, Doctor. We’ll check out your story of course, though I for one believe you. But I had to ask. You see, this evening, Dr Nathan Blackburne was found dead, in Los Angeles. He was murdered, Dr Martinez.”