The Mummy (3 page)

“So you ate? And you were going to con me into feeding you again.” Lana filled the teakettle and set it on a burner. “You'll lose your slim figure.”

Seti didn't look worried about his figure. He washed his face and then proceeded to groom his entire coat. Lana watched him as she ate an egg and drank her tea. Having a cat in the house again felt right. She had missed Muffy something awful.

Seti led the way up the stairs and back to her room, trotting as if he had an important mission today himself. Before she forgot she grabbed him and held him tightly, neatly clipping off the sharp tip of each claw with her fingernail clippers. He wiggled but put up with it. Then while she dressed carefully in black slacks and a red turtleneck, he sat in the window, looking at the birds in the big cottonwood tree. All the early snow was gone, and the sun was shining brightly.

When she was ready to leave, Lana walked over and looked out the window. Seti reached out his paw and patted the glass.

“I don't know if you can go outside. I'll be gone all day. But then you've been living outside by yourself, if you're truly a stray.” Lana didn't want to think about someone coming and claiming Seti. She had gotten attached to the sleek black cat in a very short time.

Her mother hadn't much liked it, but Lana had often let Muffy come and go through her bedroom window. The big cottonwood tree was so tempting for climbing. Lana had often scrambled to the top when she was younger.

Tugging the window up to make an opening, agile-cat size, she unhooked the old screen. There was a tear in it; but she didn't want Seti making it bigger. Quicky, Seti slipped through the open window and out the screen. He stepped onto a huge limb of the ancient tree and hunched down over his feet to watch and wait.

Grabbing a lightweight jacket, Lana set out for the museum. She lived just a few blocks away, easy walking distance. Their neighborhood was made up of old homes, most small but brick, two-story. Just a few blocks over was the posh Park Hill neighborhood, more old homes but estate size. Many of Denver's rich lived there.

Lana felt lucky that she and her mother had a house at all, since her father had died when she was very young. Fortunately, her mother was a great money-manager and had made the best of her father's insurance. She felt bad that her mother had to work today. She had counted on her being in one of the first tours.

Thinking about other things, Lana had walked two blocks when she realized that Seti was following her. “Oh, no, Seti, you can't go with me.” She glanced at her watch, scooped up the cat, and ran back. Seti complained about the bouncy ride, but she didn't care. He shouldn't be such an explorer. Thank goodness she hadn't gotten all the way to the museum before she saw him.

While she didn't have to cross Colorado Boulevard, the streets were busy enough. He wouldn't be safe roaming so far from home. Unlocking the front door, she tossed Seti inside, locked up again, and ran. So much for his dignity.

She was hot and sweaty when she reached the museum, just the bad start she needed today. Marge was in the bathroom. She laughed when Lana flew in.

“Don't tell me you overslept. You've been looking forward to today for months.”

“No, never mind. It's a long story.” Lana dabbed at her face and neck with a wet paper towel. Fortunately her eyebrows and lashes were so dark she didn't have to wear any mascara that would have run. She brushed her shiny hair and let it swing back and forth to fall in place. “No one will look at me anyway.”

“Want to bet?” Tugging on her special, ornate vest of red, black, and gold that the volunteers would wear, Marge led the way to the upstairs hall where the Egyptian exhibit had been set up. Lines were already forming, waiting for the doors to open. The guard let Marge and Lana slip into the big front room.

“Lana, hi. I wondered where you were.” A tall, dark-haired boy with brown eyes smiled at Lana.

“Rodney, hi. Can you believe that as excited as I am, I was almost late? I have a new cat, and it was his fault.”

“Sure, blame it on some innocent animal.” Rodney grinned, his picture-perfect teeth white against his tanned face. He and his family had made a return visit to Egypt in late September, so Rod's dark skin was even darker.

For years his parents had worked for the World Health Organization, and Rod had grown up in Cairo. Talk about someone who knew a lot about Egypt's history. Lana had known Rod for a couple of years, but the first time he'd been friendly to her was while they'd been in training for working at the museum. In fact, he'd been so friendly of late that Josh was jealous. Usually she ignored Josh when he had a spell of jealousy. She liked to talk to Rod and, to tell the truth, his attention flattered her. He seemed so sophisticated and worldly. How often could one say, “Well, when I was in Cairo — ”

“Have lunch with me at the T-Rex?” Rod invited. “We're on the same schedule.”

Lana noticed that he'd taken time to check. That made her feel good, too. “Sure, that would be fun.” She smiled at Rod and then took off since she felt her face getting red. How silly. Rod just wanted to be friends, and that was all she wanted. Why was she getting silly about having lunch with him?

Today she was stationed near the case that held the famous necklace. There were other artifacts in the case, but what people wanted to see were the beautiful emeralds that Prince Nefra had given to the princess Urbena for a wedding present. Had she gotten to wear them or had she waited until after the wedding, which never took place?

Lana stared at the necklace while the first tourists were heading her way. She imagined the collar of jewels around her own neck. She could feel the weight, how proud she would have been to wear it.

Her heart went out to Nefra, to Urbena. Their tragedy was one like Romeo and Juliet's. She hoped, in some other life, they would get back together.

Near the jewelry display case were the mummies. Lana found it interesting to see how people reacted when they saw Nefra. Some stepped back in horror. Some leaned closer with curiosity. She heard bits and pieces of Rod's spiel about preparing a body for burial. He knew all the details. And he hadn't learned it in the last month from reading. Not only had he visited all the pyramids and tombs in Egypt, but he had taken some classes at the museum in Cairo. His research had been firsthand. Once she glanced up to see him staring at her. She waved. He waved back and smiled. His handsome face, his dark eyes on her, sent goose bumps up and down her arms.

“This necklace was Prince Nefra's wedding present for his bride.” She started her talk for people standing near the case so she could forget Rod. “Each of the emeralds is perfect. They were probably mined in Zimbabwe or India.”

“How much is the necklace worth?” a woman asked.

“Perfect emeralds are as costly as diamonds. I'd have to say it's priceless, since the piece is one of a kind and irreplaceable.”

Lana lost herself in telling museum guests about the artifacts. Soon she forgot Rod.

But once, during a slack in the lines of people enjoying the opening day of the exhibit, she noticed that Rod had taken a break. Quickly she slipped over to visit Nefra, who had been tugging at her mind — and her heart — all morning. She wouldn't admit it to anyone else, but she was halfway in love with the image of this young king-to-be.

She was also far enough from her scare last night to look the case over carefully for anything suspicious. Could someone have been playing a trick on her? While someone could have accidentally turned the lights off, thinking everyone had left, the voices she was certain she had heard were not accidental.

There were a myriad of closets and storage bins in the walls around the room. Someone could have hidden and come out into the darkness.

Bending, she checked all around the sides of the coffin. She knelt and looked underneath. If anyone caught her, she'd pretend she'd dropped something. She even ran her hands along the bottom of the coffin, looking for a wire or a microphone. She had no idea why anyone would play such a trick on her, but the more she thought about it, the more she was convinced that the voice calling to her was a childish prank.

She found nothing suspicious. She stood, meaning to take her own break. But before she left the room, she glanced at Nefra once more.

She blinked her eyes. Squinted them together and blinked again. This was impossible. She had memorized this mummy. She was absolutely certain that he lay on his back with one hand over his chest. That was standard mummy posture for a prince.

She stared. Nefra's hand was no longer wrapped and crossed over his chest. Both hands rested alongside his body, one on either side.

Chapter 4

Icy fingers clutched Lana's chest as she stared at Nefra. She struggled to breathe. This couldn't happen. A mummy
moving
wasn't possible. Her mind reeled in a swirl of confusion, then thoughts stalled as if wrapped in cobwebs. One hand was crossed over his chest before, wasn't it? She tried to bring up an image of Nefra when she first saw him. She had looked at him a dozen times. She couldn't remember.

Forcing her eyes from the mummy, she glanced quickly around the museum. Where was Rod? Why was he taking so long with his break? He'd remember. He'd love to tell her she was crazy.

She'd get someone else. Someone very familiar with the relics. It took all her strength to move away from the coffin, as if the air around her had turned to syrup. Placing both hands in front of her, she clawed it away until she escaped. Then she flew to the front door of the exhibit.

“Antef, please, you must come with me.” She grabbed the arm of the young man who had traveled from Egypt and across the United States with this collection. He would know.

Antef stared at Lana, a question on his face. “What's wrong, Lana? Your face is as white as my galabiya.”

Antef Raam often dressed totally in white. When Lana met him, her first impression was that he was vain and enjoyed getting attention. His face was classic Egyptian. His flawless skin was a smooth medium brown. His eyes dark brown, almost black. He smiled a great deal, but that expression seemed for show, as if he wanted to please everyone, not out of genuine friendliness but for his own gain.

Despite this front he put up, Lana liked the man. She suspected that underneath he was naive and a bit overwhelmed by the United States. He was really very young for the responsiblity he carried. Perhaps he got the job through relatives or knowing someone high up in Egyptian archaeological circles.

He seemed genuinely worried right now. Lana didn't answer him, but took his arm and tugged him back to Nefra's coffin.

“His hands — ” She looked at the mummy.

One hand was crossed over his chest, just as she remembered from the first time she'd seen him. A cold breeze swirled around the body as she reached out as if to touch him.

Antef took her arm. “Not a good example for the tourists, Lana. If you want to touch Nefra, it is permitted, but only in private, after museum hours.”

Lana didn't want to touch the gauzy linen wrappings. Her hand had moved in disbelief. She backed away, feeling terribly foolish.

“What's wrong, Lana?” Antef repeated. “Why did you come for me? You would like to accompany me to lunch in your strangely named cafe?” He grinned at her and his black eyes teased.

Lana shook her head to clear her thoughts. “I — I — you're going to think me one more crazy American, Antef, but — ” Maybe she shouldn't try to explain. She should make up some problem that now seemed solved. But how could her eyes play such tricks on her? “Promise me you won't laugh, Antef, but I'm absolutely sure — well, Nefra's hands and arms were alongside his body a few minutes ago. And I was sure
this
was the way he was when he came in, with one hand crossed over his chest.” She pointed to Nefra, looking at the mummy again.

Antef didn't laugh. In fact, he looked a bit frightened. He stared at the mummy, too. “I think you have been in this room too long, Lana. It is time for your coffee break. It will be my honor to treat you. I would like some refreshment, too, even though American coffee is too — too tame for me.”

Lana smiled, trying to change her mood. Antef spoke with a slight accent, his English often formal, and occasionally amusing. “I think you mean weak. Tame is for animals. Let's get you an espresso at the T-Rex.” She took Antef's arm again and steered him out of the exhibit.

“I am sorry my English is inadequate.”

“Antef, your English is wonderful. Do you hear
me
speaking Arabic?” Lana admired anyone who spoke two languages. She had been told that Antef spoke four.

He was small-boned and two inches shorter than she. For a moment she felt she was with a child playing dress-up. Then Antef flashed her a smile that was truly male, truly grownup, and she felt her face heat up. He was no child.

The smell of Antef's aftershave wafted around them. As usual, Antef had put on too much. Lana could no longer resist mentioning it.

“What aftershave are you wearing, Antef?” She knew the answer. Josh had tried it once.

“It is the Brut.” Antef smiled. “It is much cheaper to get here. You like it?”

Lana decided to be honest. “I'd like a little less, Antef. With scents, less is better. Be subtle, use just a hint of the smell.”

“Oh, I am glad to know. I will remember.” Again the sexy smile.

Antef probably wasn't trying to take Lana's mind off her foolish fright, but he was doing a good job anyway.

They made their way through the crowded exhibit and out into the third-floor hall of the museum. Now she spotted Rod. She had dropped Antef's arm, but he had taken hers.

“Rod, where've you been? I left a lot of things unguarded.”

“I know, Lana, I'm sorry. I was delayed. And I can't have lunch. Another day.” Rod offered no excuse for his overly long break or canceling their lunch date, but jogged off to return to the exhibit.