Page 24 of The Hero
“You think Ian planted the pills in your stuff after you went to sleep?” Kendric said.
“Yeah. And despite the theft ... I think I hate that part even more. I mean, there were only three Americans on the dig, and we all usually hung out together.”
“No one spoke up on your behalf?” Kendric asked.
“Ian had gone to the project leader before I even woke up, as promised—and accusedmeof attempting to steal coins. They found one of those in my tent as well. And just one could fetch hundreds of thousands from the right buyer. They searched Ian’s tent at my insistence, and of course, they found nothing. After that ... everyone just kind of turned on me. The project leader let the police take me away without another word.
“I was so shocked, I could barely speak. No one took my great work history or reputation into account. Instead, they took the word of some newbie. And I couldn’t believe Ian would betray me like that.”
“I can,” Kendric said with a small shrug. “Sounds like those coins are worth a lot of money.”
“But at the expense of my life?” she asked.
“Unfortunately, yeah. What do you think he’s going to do with the coins?”
“Sell them,” Marlowe said. “He probably has already. He was only scheduled to be on the dig for a month, and at the time of my arrest, he had less than two weeks left. It was an internship for him, part of his master’s thesis. It would’ve been fairly easy to smuggle them back to the States.”
“Is there a big market for that kind of thing? I mean, how easy would it be to find a buyer?” Kendric asked.
“If you know the right people, probably not too hard,” Marlowe admitted.
“And does he? Know the right people, I mean?”
“I have no idea. But considering his major, and the fact that he had connections enough to get on that dig to begin with, probably.”
“So he planted the pills and called in the tip to the authorities, knowing how hard Thailand has been cracking down on the sale of drugs in their country,” Kendric mused.
“I don’t know for sure, but that’s the only thing I can think of. He was frequently assigned to the evening crew, and he always seemed ... I don’t know the right word, but ... hyped up, maybe? Yaba is basically a combination of caffeine and meth. I figured taking the pills kept him awake on the job. I’m sure you know, yaba pills are super cheap and readily available, and I’m guessing locals were probably more than willing to sell to him.
“But the police weren’t interested in my side of the story. They wouldn’t listen to me, no matter how much I begged. I told them about the coins and how Ian was stealing, but it was like I wasn’t even speaking. They seemed to have no problem believing Ian when he said I was selling drugs. It was ... awful,” she finished lamely.
“We’re not going to let him get away with it,” Kendric said firmly.
Marlowe simply shook her head. “I don’t care anymore. Honestly, I just want to go home. Can I tell you something?”
“You can tell me anything.”
Maybe it was the darkness. Maybe it was how they were wrapped around each other. Maybe it was because she couldn’t forget the look in his eyes when he’d said “I do” earlier, in such a reverent and intimate way. Whatever the reason, Marlowe found herself admitting something she’d never said out loud to anyone, not even her brother.
“I don’t love being an archaeologist.”
Just saying the words felt as if a thousand-pound weight had been lifted from her shoulders.
“I kind of fell into it, was too far along in my studies to change my major without losing a ton of credits. Tony was helping pay formy college, and I didn’t want to disappoint him or cost him any more money. I also didn’t know what else I might like to do, and I loved the history aspect.” She shrugged.
“Anyway, I got my first job on a dig in Montana right after I graduated, and things just kind of steamrolled from there. I was a hard worker, minded my own business, didn’t cause any trouble, and my supervisors just kept recommending me for other jobs. I ended up going to Egypt, Jordan, China, Turkey, Korea, and of course Thailand. Tony seemed so proud. So jealous that I was getting to see the world. But I was always homesick. I love meeting new people, experiencing new cultures, but ... I honestly never really liked digging in the dirt.”
She held her breath, waiting to see what Kendric would say. What he’d think.
She was startled when he started to laugh.
“I’m sorry,” he said between chuckles. “I’m not laughingatyou. But the idea of an archaeologist who doesn’t like digging in the dirt? That’s funny as hell.”
Marlowe smiled. Her face was pressed against his neck, and he smelled so good. Like the herbal soap they’d used in the shower. And ... male. It was warm in the hole, and she could feel herself beginning to sweat. Just as Kendric was. And somehow, the combination of his own musky scent with the soap he’d used was both comforting and a turn-on.
“I know. It’s ridiculous,” she agreed with a small shrug.
“So what now? I mean, when you get home?” Kendric asked.
