Page 51 of After 5

She leaned close to decipher the next word. “Why would he do that?”

“To make sure no one would ever read the sword. I don’t think he expected Mortas.”

“Do you think this word is key?” Gertie asked.

“The word looks longer than key. See how the letter starts here.” I pointed to the letter of the first word. It was scratched beyond recognition. My heart sank when I read the rest of the words.

“At something burg.” I looked at Gertie.

“Could be Vicksburg, or Williamsburg. Even Sharpsburg, but it looks longer than that one.” She tucked her bottom lip under her front teeth and inspected the words.

“Could be Gettysburg,” I said.

“Jen, you can’t go there. Didn’t you see the pictures in the book?”

“Gertie, it’s my job. If that’s where Caiyan goes, I need to go there, too.”

“What’s the rest of this? 1st something, and this here spells RW.”

“Who do ya think wrote the message on the sword?”

“I don’t know, but I’m going to find out.”

“How?” Gertie cocked a suspicious eyebrow at me.

“I know where he’s going to be, I just need the date.”

“Are you crazy? You can’t go to the wedding. Don’t you remember what happened the last time you showed up at a Mafuso wedding?”

“Yes, I saved your life.”

“Well, there was that, but you almost got killed doing it, and Marco got shot.”

“Gertie, I deserve an answer. I only have to get him away from the bitch from hell for a few minutes.”

“According to Brodie, there’s a buzz Satan’s bitch is insisting on a big wedding and reception at the house.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked.

“I didn’t want to upset you.”

I frowned at her. “I need to get the details, and I know just the guy to ask.”

My first call was to Jake. I had to inform him I had the sword.

There was no way I could laterally transport the sword to Gitmo. I plopped down in the overstuffed chair in my bedroom, pulled out my phone, and thumbed through to Jake’s number.

Gertie laid across my bed with a magnifying glass, trying to read the words on the blade.

I wondered how Caiyan had moved the sword to my house if his company’s private jet was under surveillance from both the WTF and the Mafusos. He must have chartered a plane. I doubted he flew commercial with a sword in tow, but Caiyan never ceased to amaze me.

“McCoy,” Jake answered hastily on the fourth ring.

“I found it,” I said. “I found the sword. It was in my closet this entire time.”

“Your closet?”

“Yep, in my boot box.”

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