Chapter 40

Janey’s assessment of Dr Giovanelli had been accurate, giving me the inkling of an idea. But I had to speak up now, or any chance of getting my coin back could be lost forever. I steeled myself to talk to Dr Giovanelli, praying I wouldn’t embarrass myself. I felt my throat closing and started to panic.

Janey realised what was happening and took a firm grip of my right hand, stabbing her fingernails firmly and painfully into the back. Just what I needed. I forced myself to relax and took a deep breath. It felt like minutes must have passed since Dr Giovanelli had spoken, but in reality it could only have been seconds.

“Dr Giovanelli, I’m Jon, the person who found the coin on the moors using a metal detector,” I said, with a confidence I didn’t feel. “Would you be prepared to help me steal the coin back?”

“Yes, if I could do so without risk. But as I explained, that is impossible.”

“Wait,” said Richard Masson, getting to his feet. “I’m a lawyer. If you’re about to discuss performing a criminal act, I am ethically bound to leave the room so I don’t have to report it.”

“Me too,” said Carlie Edgeway.

“For the reputation of the museum, I had better leave too,” said Dr Wells. “Let me know when you have finished so I can say goodbye to Dr Giovanelli and shut down the video conferencing equipment.”

“Jon, I’m a lawyer too but I’m also your mother,” said Mum. “I’ll stay if you wish and accept the consequences.”

“I don’t want you to lose your job, Mum. I think you’d better go. But I’d like Dad to stay to provide a responsible adult.”

That seemed to be a good thing to say because Mum and Dad smiled at each other before Mum followed the others out of the room.

While the rest of us were waiting for them to leaving, I quickly ran through the scenario I envisaged, trying to think of the the issues I might face. I noticed Janey staring at me with a bemused expression on her face. I realised Janey might not know all the details of my sleepwalking. “Sorry, Squeak, I’ll explain later,” I whispered.

We three remaining turned our attention back to the big screen.

“Sorry about the interruption,” I apologised. “I don’t want anyone to lose their job because of this.”

Janey loosened her grip on my hand.

“That is fine,” said Dr Giovanelli. “But I do not understand. How am I supposed to get the coin out of the laboratory without setting off the metal detector?”

“It’s probably best if you don’t know the mechanics until it’s a fait accompli,” I said. “That way you’ve got plausible deniability.”

Dr Giovanelli’s silent stare wasn’t exactly encouraging.

“May I ask you some questions?” I continued.

“But of course.”

“How much access do you have to the coin?” I asked “Can you actually hold it?”

“Now that the coin has been thoroughly cleaned, it is protocol to always wear gloves while handling it because skin acids might taint the surface. But yes, I have free rein to access the coin whenever I wish,” Dr Giovanelli replied.

“Does anyone else have access to the laboratory and the coin?”

“I share the laboratory with several other researchers but there is no security other than at the entrance to the building. Anyone who works in the building could potentially access the coin as it is kept in an unlocked display cabinet when not being examined.”

“So there is no audit trail of who accessed the coin and when?” I asked.

“No,” replied Dr Giovanelli. “Several co-workers have come into the laboratory to peruse such a significant artefact. All the researchers who work in the building have experience with ancient artefacts and know the importance of wearing gloves so it is not a problem.”

“How would the disappearance of the coin affect you personally? Would you still have a job?”

Dr Giovanelli thought for several moments. “I believe I have all the physical data I need from the coin, and it has been extensively photographed. The remaining research necessary for me to produce a paper on the coin lies in our document archives, searching for more information on the Senator. I think I would be allowed to continue, even without the coin, until the paper is published. If not, my university is patiently awaiting the availability of my expertise before beginning excavation of a recently discovered site of Roman historical interest here in Italy.”