Page 28 of The Last Kingdom

“I have no idea. Nothing like this has ever happened before.”

Except that it contained both a book and an envelope, two things someone else knew all about. He checked his watch.

Time to go.

“Where is the restroom?” he asked.

And he was directed to a set of doors beyond the museum, out in the palace’s main entry foyer. He thanked the man and drifted away from the knot of people, toward the doors. Thankfully, the administrator, tour guide, and the other few palace employees were occupied with the situation.

Which made it easy to leave.

Unnoticed.

Cotton walked back to the dock.

The half-mile trek from the palace through the dark had taken nearly thirty minutes. Across the water he caught the flashing blue lights of a police boat headed toward the island. Thankfully, he’d be long gone by the time it arrived, andcleverly, he’d managed not to mention his name to anyone. He’d also left the desk just as he found it so no one would know there was anything else to find.

Which begged a question.

Were the two with Luke after one, or both, compartments? Their entire attention had been on the right side of the desk. But had he just not allowed them enough time to explore both sides? If so, then Luke would need the envelope.

Which reminded him to read what was init.

He stood on the dock under one of the pole lights and felt in his pocket for the old envelope, removing a single sheet of brittle paper.

Upon it was writing. In German.

Wo Matthias Die Saiten Streichelt

Edelwei Über Schwarzwald

Kein Wasser Kalt

Predigtstuhl Kruz u. Kranz

Nordost Die Krone

Enden der Tanz

HLNESRNTANME

He silently translated, as he was fluent in German.

Where Matthias Strokes the Strings

Edelweiss Over Black Forest

No Water Cold

Pulpit, Cross, and Garland

Northeast the Crown

Ends of the Dance

HLNESRNTANME

A puzzle.

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