“Here’s Max’s translation. ‘The King of Upper and Lower Egypt, Nebkheperure, gifts this sanctuary to the priests of Faras. His Majesty reflects on the good of the Faras priests and their curative powers with the plant of Shahat. The sacred apium, taken by Princess Meritaten and thence distributed to the relief of the Habiru slaves, is recognized for its bountiful power. His Majesty directs the priests, in thanks, to pursue all avenues to restore the apium for the health of the Royal Family, in beloved veneration of Amun.’”
“Well,” Dirk said, leaning forward. “That was revealing.”
Summer read it again with eyes wide. “I can’t believe it, another reference to Princess Meritaten.”
“It confirms what we saw in the mural. The apium was indeed acquired by Meritaten—and apparently led to her exile.”
“It also gives us a clue about the plant, evidently from a place called Shahat. Perhaps we can now solve the mystery. But who is this King Nebkheperure?”
Summer shrugged and tried an internet search. She nodded at the result. “I should have guessed. It was the throne name for Tutankhamun. He was, of course, the younger brother of Meritaten, as well as the son and successor of Akhenaten.”
“There was a family that left their mark,” Dirk said, shaking his head. “It sounds like they didn’t realize what they had with this apium until Meritaten came along.”
“She seems to have provided the slaves with the apium against the epidemic. Maybe there was a shortage, and that caused the strife.”
Dirk looked out on the lake. “The tablet you found indicated that Akhenaten himself may have died of the epidemic. Maybe Meritaten took the blame—or was resented for helping others when her father died.”
“Tutankhamun seems to indicate,” Summer said, “they hadn’t realized the power of the apium. Perhaps the Pharaoh shunned it against Meritaten’s better judgment, then she was caught up in a power struggle after his death. Maybe there is something real to this apium. It could be it’s what the gunmen are after.” She took another sip of her drink. “One thing still bothers me. The gunmen at Amarna who stole the mummy.”
“I’ve been wondering about that, too,” Dirk said. “Why didn’t they kill us in the tomb when they had the chance?”
“Maybe they didn’t realize what we knew, or were to find out,” she said. “That’s not what’s bothering me. When they came into the tomb, Rod said he glimpsed one of them wearing a surgical mask and rubber gloves.”
“Both the mural and the stela mention an epidemic.”
“Yes, but the gunmen hadn’t seen either one. It’s no secret that an epidemic had struck Amarna, yet those precautions seem odd for some ordinary grave robbers.”
“Unless,” Dirk said, “they were specifically aware of the disease and had targeted the tomb for that reason.”
“Exactly my point.”
“You know, Riki told me something interesting. A few years ago they discovered another child’s tomb in Thebes. She said how furious Dr. Stanley had been when they returned to the site and found it had been ransacked.”
“Strange he’s had two mummies of children stolen from under him. Someone’s been watching his fieldwork with a close eye.”
“There are no mummies to be had in Faras.”
“True. Only the stela”—Summer tapped the screen—“and the Apium of Faras.”
“Both relate to Meritaten,” Dirk said. “Maybe someone doesn’t want her, or the apium, to be discovered.”
“The Egyptians didn’t exactly leave us the recipe. But, we do know Meritaten took it with her when she fled.”
“Then there’s only one way to discover the apium,” Dirk said. He finished his drink in a gulp and gave his sister a willful smile. “We find Meritaten’s grave.”
PART III
SECRETS OF THE LOCH
32
The shoes,” said a voice on the phone in the measured tone of a robot. “Where did you say they came from?”
“A reservoir called Cerrón Grande in El Salvador,” Rudi Gunn replied. “A U.S. aid worker named Elise Aguilar wore them into the water there.”
The voice on the phone paused. “Wasn’t that where that dam broke?”
Dr. Susan Montgomery’s methodical nature suited her occupation as a research epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta.
“Yes,” Gunn said. “That’s what made acquiring a sample so difficult.”
“I never did receive the samples from Dr. Nakamura. I can’t believe he’s gone.”
“His water samples were destroyed, that’s why we sent the shoes. We have reason to believe the samples may have had something to do with his death.”