Wraiths of Time Read Online Free Page A

snowstorm of littered pages, books, magazines. The office was in such wild confusion that she halted just within the door and gasped. It could look no worse, she believed, if a small hurricane had gone to work here.
    â€œWhat—what happened?”
    Dr. Joe’s jaw was set. “That’s what we are trying to find out, Tallahassee. Someone was undoubtedly hunting something; to the best of my knowledge there was nothing here worth this effort.”
    â€œNo?” That supercilious voice came from the corner. Dr. Carey sat on a chair, looking about him with a satisfaction he could not hide from Tallahassee’s narrowed eyes. “Ask this Miss Mitford of yours what she and her boyfriend so conveniently locked in your safe tonight.”
    Dr. Joe did not even look at him. “Tallahassee, if you have any explanation at all of this, I would be grateful for it.”
    Tallahassee made her account brief. “I was called to the airport this afternoon, late. Jason sent for me. They had found something queer in one of the lockers there and wanted an identification. I—well, I thought the artifact looked a little like the rod of office in the Brooke Collection. So the head man—by the way,” she turned now to Dr. Carey, “did you call that number he sent? He could have explained it all—”
    â€œWhat number?” Dr. Joe looked puzzled.
    â€œI told this Mr. Nye that Dr. Carey was coming to evaluate the Brooke Collection. He wrote a number on a card and asked for him to get in touch as soon as possible.”
    â€œCarey?” Dr. Joe turned his head.
    The other showed no sign of discomfiture. “I did not know the man. If he wanted my services he need only approach me directly—which he did not. No, I did not call.”
    Why, wondered Tallahassee? The man seemed almost to take the suggestion as an insult.
    â€œBut you put this artifact in the safe?” Dr. Joe asked.
    â€œYes. It was in a lead-lined case—which is why Jason brought it up for me.”
    â€œLead-lined?” Dr. Joe was plainly bewildered.
    â€œThey said that the artifact gave off some unidentified type of radiation. They were taking every precaution.”
    â€œIt was African—a real artifact?”
    â€œLook and see.” Tallahassee, shaken as she had been by the sight of the office, now felt a rising irritation.
    She put her hand to the safe dial, and then remembered the night alarms. But Dr. Joe had already anticipated her request and was on the phone to call Hawes and have those cut off. When the door opened, she brought out the case which was heavy enough that she needed both hands to swing it to the top of the desk. Flicking open the catch she lifted the cover. There the box lay as Dr. Joe went forward eagerly.
    Tallahassee took the tongs at the top and lifted out the find with care. To her surprise, Dr. Carey did not join them by the desk. She glanced at him once and saw that he only sat there calmly, a faint, satirical smile on his thin lips, watching them as if they were edging into some trouble that he had no intention of warning them against. His attitude was stranger than ever, strange enough to awaken Tallahassee’s feeling of something lurking here, waiting …
    Dr. Joe had taken the tongs from her eagerly, was moving the box slowly around.
    â€œYes, yes! But, what? The style is a mixture—old, though, undoubtedly very old. And just left in a locker! We must run a test on it. Carey, what do you think it is—what culture?”
    Dr. Carey got up. He moved swiftly, oddly. His eyes were now fastened avidly on the box and the malicious look was gone. With two strides he reached the desk, elbowing Tallahassee roughly to one side. Reaching forward before either of the other two could prevent it, for they were not prepared for his sudden move, he put one hand at either side of the box.
    There was no sound, but when Dr. Carey lifted his hands, half the box came