Chapter 8

Now is she gonna stay or what! Linda just smiled. I took both hands on her cheeks and gave her a kiss that she wouldn’t forget. Hope Steve was right. She just slid into the chair. I said take care of Jill and we will talk later and left “WOW”. I called Steve to find him in the vault checking last batch of coins and jewels and joined him. The jewelry was different but wasn’t sure until we found an egg, we knew it was Russian, a missing one or one not logged. It didn’t matter, Priceless! This was a different box from the rest due to different countries in it. A picture and a note to put these together and follow up. Now we were both curious to who could have known this. Steve called Mike, told him he needed an easel 24ft high and 30ft wide. It must be light; Mike said how about the old garage and was told it must be secure. I called Arron next. “Secure the old barn inside and out and I will explain later,” I called Linda she was okay now but curious, Steve said to come down to the vault. When she got there we showed her the note. So I guess we are not done yet. On the way out I was attacked by Jill thanking me, told Steve I’d tell him later why. I found Marty and asked if he knew anything and he knew nothing. Having all of the GPS’s covered, this didn’t make any sense. Maybe just a map of where we were and the travels we did to get all this done. Probably not.

Mike ordered what was needed and had it delivered that afternoon late. The Surface (LUAN) and 1”x3”s for rear supports. also hinges to take down and put up if necessary. Steve brought in Stanford and MIT and within 25 minutes fired Stanford and sent him packing. He wanted too much info that he didn’t need yet. MIT agreed. So another MIT was brought in. No more problems and the three of them started to number the backs of lids and they worked for a couple more hours, snacked and went to bed. The board will be complete in the morning, and all would be here to help.

Mike and the crew came in early and finished up the build of the boards. The crew left, Mike was asked to stay, with the boards face down Mike started hanging them, after 3 rows we were shocked to find more of a map with Latitude and Longitude on it instead of GPS locations. Also, this was mostly on land in the United States and North America. I looked at Marty, Steve, and Linda and said maybe just artifacts and not treasure. Like Ghost Island, possible but still the game was still on and we were no closer to finding out who was behind this. Once it was laid out we photographed the map number one and then the rest then took the boards down for now. Arron and I wanted to see the first one but the coin people were coming. Did they take new coins? Carol had early soup and sandwiches to serve due to guests coming.

When they got here I asked her on her expertise on Russian Jewels she said very well but if not I could find out in minutes with the program online. Steve put out 4 or 5 what he said was hard and she got all but one and found it in 2 minutes. Pretty good but how about this one and laid out the egg. “That does not exist,” she said. “I had heard only rumors of it and the exquisite multicolor - rose, yellow, white, and blue, gold-trimmed in brown diamonds. But it was never made.”

“Really,” I said.

She asked to touch it upon opening it came out a note about the day, date, time and made by whom, Fabergé himself. She just sat and cried saying, “No one will have enough to buy that egg and now with the note from himself NO ONE!”

I said, “Help us put the egg away and start going through some of the rest.”

After about 4 minutes she stopped and asked where we got these items, “Some have been gone for four hundred years and never in one spot. You have hundreds of millions of stuff here already and I’m less than half done.”

I asked if she has seen the display in New York. and she said Yes. I told her the value is over 1/2 billion there. She just looked at us and got quiet. I asked if she worked for someone else. She said yes and I asked her if she thought about a change? I pulled Marty aside and said we may be able to use her.

If there are items like before we are going to need someone trustworthy to handle it we already know her and did business with her. Marty said good thinking! She froze holding another piece. “This is the Kings Ring and this is one of the Czars Rings, 400 years old, Maybe we need to talk, I don’t have the funds for ¼ of this and never will.”

“Keep logging the items and we will talk after. Call your boss and tell him that we want too much for what we have. See what he says, if he gives you a hard time photo the egg and tell him the starting bid is 27 billion dollars. With a bid that just may do it. Is he part of the coins too. Yes. Okay I have one that’s valued at 11 Billion. Do you have account access in the banks? Get with Linda and transfer it all. Is the last shipment sold yet or is it still coins? And coins were in Boston. Arron came in and went with him and got our coins back. All was done in 1 hour. The man didn’t know what hit him! While they were gone we transferred the stock to the vault which she couldn’t fathom what we still had. A phone call was made to the broker not to contact us any more. Artimus followed up with call and story that scared him. He lost both employees and we hired them. She asked Linda what her job was going to be like. And what was told that at the moment she was to sign some papers, we are getting ready to start something new and didn’t know which way it was going to go! We needed her to verify that what we have is the real thing and possible description and value.

She looked at Linda and asked what am I to do next week. Steve walked in and I think answered her question. He said to her that his program was good, which she agreed, but still has not identified and he hit the big screen, 27,423 items. She didn’t know that the only thing in the vault was jewelry and coins The gems were bagged by size, type, weight, only not by who’s or from what. Missing stones on kings’ staffs. Next was the broaches, rings, bracelets, table settings, chains, Steve stopped for a moment and asked her a name to put with a face. She said, Vickie. She looked at Steve and said 27,000. He said she must be really good to be done in a week. She had no idea what was in that vault. Please don’t guess if you’re not sure, tag it and we will go to work on them. She looked at Linda and asked if she could get a few helpers. They must pass security but sure! Vickie said, “I will need an airtight case for the egg with laser alarm.” For now just tell Tom after your settled just order it or have it made. Arron came in with multiple carts and our broker shaking. He said to Steve that boy doesn’t fool around. Steve said no. Just a minor mishap, Hate to see a large one, Steve said you have “Bosnia” the coins were put back in the vault. Linda told him about the paperwork and asked his name and was told it was Tim. Tim and Vickie were back upstairs and eating soon after! Sleep was next and was taken back to the hotel!