From Pharaoh's Hand Read Online Free Page A

to come up too soon this year.’”
                  “Ok. So you were listening. Anything good in the paper this morning?”
                                “The King Tut exhibit got robbed last night in Memphis. They got away with several pieces. I can’t imagine who would want them. Wouldn’t it be hard to sell artifacts?”
                  “Maybe they want them for themselves.”
                                “Or maybe the thieves were paid a pretty penny to obtain them for someone’s collection. You can bet they won’t surface any time soon. Unless the cops get a break on the case pretty quick. Would you get me some more coffee?”
                  “Does it say how they did it?”
                                “Actually, it’s quite the mystery. There were guards on duty all night. No one saw or heard anything. The curator of the exhibit found the display case empty this morning and reported the theft.”
                                “May be an inside job then,” Carolyn answered as she set his steaming cup before him.
                  “Someone must have wanted them awful bad.”
                                “What were they worth?”
                  “I’m guessing no one really knows. Quite priceless I’m sure--five solid gold rings with royal insignias embossed on them inside a small treasure chest and a five-pound golden idol.” John remarked as he passed Angel a sausage link.
    “ Says here that one of the rings was actually found on King Tut’s mummy, on the middle finger of his left hand. ‘The bezel is engraved with a figure of the king kneeling and holding in his outstretched hands an image of the goddess Maat, who is seated overshadowed by a protecting falcon,’” he read. “And then it goes on to describe the other items.”
                  “That’s interesting.  Maybe we should go see that exhibit, that is, if they keep it open after this.”
         “ Yeah, we’ll plan that up.  What do you have on your mind for today? The house is so quiet without Beth here.”
                  “Just gonna putter around the house a bit. Thought we might take in a movie tonight at the new theater if she’s not too tired from her slumber party.”
         “ Bet she will go straight to bed. But I wouldn’t mind seeing “Rumor Has It.”
                  “Chick flick.”
                  The doorbell interrupted Carolyn before she could defend her choice. They looked at each other in surprise. It was only 9:30 a.m., and  Saturdays in the Merriweather household were generally subdued.  Carolyn did her grocery shopping in the afternoons or browsed the bookstores and Bed Bath and Beyond for bargains. John liked to check out the power tools at Home Depot or prowl around at Buck & Bass. Most often, he liked to stay at home and play with his woodworking tools in the garage.  Beth would sleep until noon, then go out with her friends, or get her nails done at the mall.  Rarely did they entertain even the neighbors before 11 a.m. on Saturdays, unless John was going hunting.
                  “You get it honey. I need to finish here.”
                                John laughed. “Yes, but your hair sure is pretty, don’t you want to show it off?” he teased.  “It’s probably just the paper boy collecting.”
                  John was only a bit surprised to find that it was Chris. He was dressed in jeans, a white t-shirt, and his football jacket.
                  “I’m sorry, Mr. John, did I wake you?”
         “ Oh no, not at all. We’re just a bit lazy on Saturdays, Chris. Beth’s not here. She spent the night at Crystal’s.”
                  “Oh. Well, ok. She