Ancient Echoes

CHAPTER 48



New York City

“MR. LI,” JENNIFER Vandenburg said as she held out her hand and welcomed Jianjun to her office. The large windows and magnificent view stunned him. “Your call intrigued me,” she said as she stepped behind her ebony and chrome desk and offered Jianjun a seat.

“Thank you for seeing me.” He sat in the black leather arm chair facing her and then told his carefully made-up story. “It has come to Dr. Michael Rempart’s attention that you were his brother’s benefactress for his Idaho trip. He needs to learn as much as possible about the trip to help him find Lionel.”

A flicker of what seemed like anger showed for an instant before she regained her composure. “If I had, I wouldn’t be keeping it from the authorities, would I?” Vandenburg smiled sweetly.

“Except that you don’t want the public to know about your interest in alchemy.”

“Alchemy? I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“But you do,” Jianjun said coolly. “It’s why you sent Lionel Rempart to Idaho.”

She stood, arms folded, and walked to the window. Jianjun noticed her cell phone on her desk. He scooted his chair as close as possible. He palmed his own phone and punched in the spy monitor access code. The system would locate her phone and lock onto it, accessing her future usage. “Professor Rempart,” she said, “was quite interested in following Lewis and Clark. Many people, I’m sure, contributed to his investigation. PLP donates to many educational causes.”

“We know about The Book of Abraham the Jew,” Jianjun said.

She faced him with a cold smile. “And you aren’t laughing? I am. I know Lionel Rempart went off on a tangent about that book and alchemy, but I never believed such a book existed, let alone was lost in Idaho! If that was the real reason for Professor Rempart’s expedition, I’m sorry I authorized one penny to him. The last thing I expected was for him to drag along a bunch of students and then get lost. It’s a horrible tragedy. I pray every day for their safe return.”

“How did you, or PLP, become involved with Lionel Rempart?” Jianjun asked. He leaned back in the chair and casually slid his hand and cell phone in his pocket.

She studied him for a long moment before she answered. “The professor sent us a proposal asking for assistance to find the site where a secret expedition that followed Lewis and Clark lived and died. I found it interesting. Nothing more.”

“I understand many unique and useful drugs have been discovered by studying ancient herbs and medicines,” Jianjun said.

Vandenburg frowned. “If you think we were expecting to find medicine used by those adventurers, you are completely mistaken. Besides, drugs today are mostly synthetic, produced after decades of research and experimentation.”

He stood. “I’m sorry to have bothered you.”

She walked to the door. “Yes, well, I’m sure PLP is one of many who contributed to Professor Rempart. Considering the terrible turn this has taken, I do not expect my name or that of PLP to be associated in any way with Rempart, his disappearance, or his strange pursuits. Do I make myself clear?”

Jianjun nodded and left.