Stones of Fire

11

‘Since its creation some thirty-five hundred years ago, the Stones of Fire has cost the lives of countless individuals.’

‘Including Jonathan Padgham,’ Edie pointedly remarked.

‘Sadly, I am inclined to agree with you.’

‘Well, it’s about time. Most people, if you tell them that their life is in danger, are willing to give you the benefit of the doubt.’

His red brows drew together. ‘And why is my life in danger? I understand why this masked killer would be searching for you since you did, after all, witness Padge’s murder. But I have no involvement whatsoever in this nefarious plot.’

‘Think again, C.Aisquith at lycos.com. The killer mistakenly believes that Dr Padgham emailed you photos of the relic.’ Edie jutted her chin at the camera still clutched in his hand.

Cædmon studied the camera for several seconds, a thoughtful look on his face. ‘That can only mean one thing. The thieves don’t want anyone to know of the relic’s existence. Since the discovery of the Stones of Fire would have made international headlines and set biblical scholars a-twitter, we must assume that the relic came to be at the Hopkins museum via the back door.’ Wearing a pensive expression, he slowly shook his head. ‘ “The perfect treasure of his eyesight lost”.’

‘Are you saying what I think you’re saying — that the relic was smuggled out of its country of origin and sold on the black market?’ When he nodded, Edie said, ‘Well, that would explain why the breastplate isn’t listed in the museum’s permanent collection. Since I’m archiving the collection, I have the master list of every ancient whatnot owned by the Hopkins. The breastplate was most definitely not on the list. Why is it called the Stones of Fire?’ she abruptly asked, beginning to suspect that he knew more than he’d so far let on.

Cædmon Aisquith removed his gaze from the digital photo. ‘The name was first coined by the Old Testament prophet Ezra. Actually, the relic has been known by quite a few names. The ancient Hebrews called it the Urim and Thummim. There are also several biblical references to the Breastplate of Judgement or the Jewels of Gold.’

‘The Stones of Fire. The Urim and Thummim. These names tell me nothing. I feel like the elevator doors just opened on the ground floor of the Tower of Babel.’

‘Perhaps I should retrace my steps.’ Cædmon pushed his empty coffee cup to the side and positioned the camera in the middle of the table, enabling her to clearly see the photo of the jewel-studded gold breastplate. ‘Bearing in mind that everything I am about to say is mere speculation, I believe that this relic,’ he pointed to the image on the camera, ‘or askema as it is known in Hebrew, may have been the actual breastplate worn by the Levite high priest when he performed the sacred temple rituals. What makes the breastplate utterly priceless is the fact that it was created by Moses himself as directed by God. So while not his actual handiwork, the breastplate is nevertheless the design of God.’

Edie, who had been silent up until this point, stubbornly shook her head. ‘But I saw it with my own eyes. It was just… just an old breastplate. You don’t really believe that that was designed by God?’ She tapped the camera display.

‘Who am I to dispute the Old Testament prophets? The Bible is inundated with naysayers struck down by the wrath of God.’ This droll remark left Edie in some doubt as to what Cædmon Aisquith actually believed.

‘Since all that remains of the original breastplate are twelve stones and few bits and pieces of gold, how can you be so sure it’s the real deal?’

‘The relic would be easy enough to authenticate given the detailed description in the Book of Exodus. Conceived as a square, it originally comprised laced pieces of gold linen inlaid with twelve stones set in four rows of three.’ Grabbing the same sheet of paper she’d earlier used to draw the Jerusalem cross, Cædmon sketched out a design. ‘Based on the account in Exodus, I believe the breastplate would have looked something like this.’ He turned the sketch in her direction.

‘As you can see, my artistic gifts are rudimentary at best. Be that as it may, each of the twelve gemstones possessed a divine power. In the first row there was a sardius, a topaz and a carbuncle…’ As he spoke, Cædmon carefully wrote the name of each gemstone. ‘In the second row an emerald, sapphire and diamond; in the third a ligure, an agate and an amethyst; and finally, in the fourth row, beryl, onyx and jasper. Rather gemmy, don’t you think?’ He smiled slightly, making Edie realize that he was a handsome man. She didn’t usually go for redheads but there was something uniquely appealing about the man sitting across from her. And of course the accent didn’t hurt.

She glanced back and forth between the digital photo and penned sketch, suddenly able to see how beautiful the relic must have been aeons ago. ‘Is there any significance to the fact there are twelve stones?’

‘It’s highly significant,’ Cædmon replied. ‘The number twelve symbolizes the completion of the sacred cycle. In the Torah, the first five books of the Old Testament, it’s written that the twelve stones represented the twelve tribes of Israel. Just as each tribe had a unique function, the Levites being of the priestly caste, for instance, so too each of the twelve stones symbolized a hidden truth or virtue.’

‘Since emeralds are my birthstone, I know that they symbolize immortality.’

‘Rather ironic, what with the relic mysteriously appearing after so many centuries of being hidden away, supposedly lost forever.’ The awestruck expression that Edie had seen when Cædmon first looked at the photo returned. ‘If the relic can be authenticated, it would be a truly astounding discovery, the Stones of Fire having disappeared from the pages of the Bible several thousand years ago.’

She sat silent. Somewhere in the café Chinese food was being served. Edie could smell stir-fried vegetables and soy sauce. She swallowed a queasy lump in her throat.

‘According to biblical scholars, the breastplate disappeared during the Babylonian — Are you all right?’

‘No, I feel —’ About to tell a lie, she instead said, ‘I’m scared, hungry and exhausted. Take your pick.’

‘Would you like something to eat?’ He gestured to the pastries and desserts on the Espresso Bar.

‘I’ll pass on the desserts. But if you wouldn’t mind getting me another cappuccino…’

‘I’d be only too happy.’

Excusing himself, Cædmon got up from the table, Edie following him with her gaze. Although he spoke with a proper English accent and possessed a proper English name, albeit an antiquated one, Cædmon Aisquith’s red hair, blue eyes and height screamed a Scot in the woodpile. A really smart Scot, the man standing at the Espresso Bar a one-man brains trust. That intelligence was admittedly a turn-on, the mind being the sexiest organ a man could possess. Had she and the strangely named Brit met under different circumstances, she could easily envision herself asking him out on a dinner date.

When Cædmon returned, setting a steaming cup of cappuccino in front of her, Edie smiled her thanks.

‘Tell me, when you gazed upon the Stones of Fire, did you notice anything extraordinary, strange or even mystical?’

She gave the question a moment’s consideration. ‘No. Should I have noticed something out of the ordinary?’

‘Difficult to say. Some biblical scholars believe that, once garbed with the breastplate, the high priest could foresee the future, as though the hand of God momentarily pulled back the curtain of time.’

‘So the breastplate was used as some sort of divination tool?’

‘Only secondarily. The primary function was that of a conduit between the high priest and God.’ Cædmon paused a moment, letting the factoid sink in. Or maybe he was considering how much more he should divulge. Decision evidently reached, he continued: ‘Specifically, the high priest used the breastplate to control and harness the divine fire contained within the Ark.’

About to take a sip of her cappuccino, Edie lowered her cup to the table.

‘The Ark? As in the Ark of the Covenant?’

‘None other.’