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AWAKENED BY A knocking on the bedroom door, Ben groggily wiped the sleep from his eyes. It was only after he had glanced around the room did he remember where he was.
“Breakfast in half an hour,” called Creed's voice from the other side of the door.
“Okay,” Ben replied, sleepily.
“I'll leave your coffee on the table out here by the door.”
“Thanks.”
A coffee cup rattled, and Creed's footsteps faded into the distance.
Ben climbed out of bed, unlocked the door and retrieved the cup. He preferred tea, very rarely drinking coffee unless it was a frothy cappuccino. The coffee was as black as midnight and smelt awfully strong.
At least it will wake me up. Ben took a sip and grimaced. It was far too strong for his taste; he doubted he would sleep for a week if he drunk the extremely bitter brew. It also lacked any milk or sugar, which was drastic news for his sweet tooth. He went to the bathroom and tipped the vile drink down the sink.
After a quick shower to wake him up, Ben dressed and went downstairs, taking the empty coffee cup and journal with him. The aroma of fried bacon filled the hallway. When he entered the kitchen, he saw Creed busy at the stove where bacon sizzled away in one frying pan and a couple of eggs in another. Two sausages and fried tomatoes occupied each of the two plates next to the stove.
“Good morning, Creed. I didn't know the French had a fry up for breakfast.”
Creed looked around and laughed. “Morning, Ben. We don't, we normally eat something far healthier. I cook English breakfast especially for you, to make you feel at home.” He indicated a steaming coffee pot on the table set for two. “Please help yourself to coffee.”
Ben grimaced and ignored the strong brew.
“Did you sleep well?”
“Like the proverbial log, when I eventually got to bed, that is. I stayed up late reading your grandfather's journal.”
Noticing that Creed had set another one on the table, Ben placed the cup he had brought down in the sink. He sat down and saw Creed staring at him.
“Well?” said Creed. “What are your thoughts?”
“I've not read it all, but I did flick through and read some of the more interesting parts. As you said last night, the journal is in parts a shocking read. It's no wonder your grandfather was so upset by what Saunière revealed to him, especially the Gélis incident. It's said by those waiting outside the room during Saunière's deathbed confession, which included Marie Dénarnaud, who witnessed Rivière rush from the room visibly traumatized by Saunière's confession. We know from those who lived in the tiny village of Coustaussa that Gélis wasn't well liked and a miser. If he had discovered Saunière's secret, perhaps his greed turned Gélis to blackmail.”
Ben had previously read the police report and autopsy, which was very grisly reading. After reading Saunière's account of his involvement in the priest's demise, he had wondered what events had taken place to bring about the drastic action that led to such a horrific outcome...
France – 1891 – Location near Rennes-Le-Château
Breathing heavily from the long trek through the rough and hilly countryside, l'Abbé Gélis parted the branches of the bush behind which he had concealed himself and observed the lone, black-clad figure descend the steep, shrub-covered slope and disappear. Gélis moved forward into a position where he could peer over the edge and saw Saunière scramble behind a large bush growing against the side of the rocky outcrop ten meters away. Though he couldn't see it from his position, Gélis guessed Saunière had entered an opening in the rock, perhaps a cave entrance hidden by the large bush. He moved to a suitable place where his large bulk would be concealed but gave him a good view of the spot where Saunière had vanished and waited for him to reappear. When Saunière had gone, he would go and find out precisely what secret the mysterious priest had discovered.
Gélis was about to drift off to sleep when Saunière appeared a little over two hours later. Gélis rubbed the tiredness from his eyes and observed Saunière's climb up the steep slope. Whatever was in the wicker basket slung on his back weighed enough to hamper his progress. Gélis pondered the contents of the basket that had been empty previously and concealed himself farther behind the bush when Saunière paused and glanced around. His eyes briefly lingered on his hiding place before beginning his long walk back to the village of Rennes-le-Château.
Like most who knew Saunière, Gélis wondered at the source of his sudden wealth shortly after carrying out some minor renovations to his church. When his grand building scheme had begun, the rumors he had found a vast treasure had spread. With the Knights Templar once having a strong presence in the area, many believed Saunière had discovered their long-lost treasure. Gélis wasn't so sure, though he knew whatever Saunière was profiting from he deserved more than the small pittance he currently received for his silence. He would have more, or he would make sure Saunière suffered the consequences. First though, he had to find the source, the reason for his presence here today. He had spied on the priest for days, waiting for him to lead him to it. He was now certain today his efforts would be rewarded.
Gélis climbed to his knees and stared in the direction Saunière had taken but saw no sign of him. Confident the man had gone, he slipped down the steep slope and scrambled through the thick undergrowth until he arrived at the bush behind which Saunière had previously disappeared. He pulled back a branch and stared at the dark opening of a cave entrance. To not alert Saunière someone other than he had entered, he squeezed his bulk behind the bush, watchful not to break any branches. He stood in the entrance and peered into its dark interior, but due to the bush blocking most of the sunlight it was too dark to see more than a short distance. He wondered what Saunière had used as a light source. A glance around the entrance revealed a pile of dirt-soiled clothes, a candle holder with a three-inch stub of candle, and a box of matches placed on a rock. He picked up both, lit the candle and entered the cave to discover Saunière's secret.
When he emerged thirty minutes later, his clothes were stained with red earth and his expression a mixture of fear and excitement. Dragging his stout body through the small tunnel hadn't been pleasant, but the reward made the discomfort worthwhile. It had led to a chamber that Saunière had almost completely ransacked of valuables. What remained were the objects too large or too dangerous for the priest to steal and sell. The most shocking of all stood in the center of the chamber. Though once covered by a shroud, time had turned it to tatters, exposing an ancient corpse. It was a tomb. Gélis had nervously moved closer to see if there were any clues to the corpse's identity. It wasn't the sight of the dead that caused him concern―he saw many in his profession―it was the foreboding atmosphere inside the tomb he found hard to explain. He thought back to what he had seen.
A chilling cold draft entered through the tunnel behind him, threatening to extinguish the unsteady yellow flame of the candle gripped tightly in his shaking hand, his only real sanctuary in the oppressing darkness of the tomb. Although his senses attempted to persuade him to leave immediately, the sight of the ancient corpse had struck a balance between his fear and curiosity to make him linger a while longer.
He stared down at the face, surprised that even though the tightly stretched skin had deformed the features, he could still perceive the face of a woman. Long black hair hung down onto the rose marble slab she had, it seemed, been laid reverently upon. An impression swept over him that she was once quite beautiful. He stepped back, shocked at the image that had popped suddenly into his head. It was as if he had seen the woman when she was alive.
He directed the candle over the large chunk of marble that was slightly longer than the body and briefly wondering how it had been transported to this place. He noticed a dark area almost hidden by a draped piece of tattered shroud. He lifted the cloth. Beneath was a dark hollow space. The marble wasn't solid; it was a sarcophagus! Saunière must have slid the top aside slightly to see what lay within. He directed the candlelight into the dark opening and stared at the neck of the corpse; the head was missing and had been replaced by one of glass. He stared at the head in puzzlement. He slid the top aside to increase the gap so he could view more of the preserved body. What he saw made him stumble away in shock. He fell, almost dropping the candle when he struck the ground. He lay there for a few moments staring at the sarcophagus. It could not be so.
He glanced up at the body resting on its top and guessed her identity and the reason why she was here. He climbed to his feet and rushed from the chamber too shocked to grab any of the gold coins or jewelry spilling from one of the decayed wooden chests.
He would never return.
Though he found it difficult to believe what he'd just seen, Gélis sensed it was true. For better or worse, he now knew Saunière's secret. He arrived back at the entrance and dropped the candle to the floor. Then, making no attempt to hide his presence, he shoved his large body through the bush, snapping two branches that snagged on his robe in the process. The climb back up the steep slope was difficult. He only succeeded by using the tough shrubs growing there to pull himself up to the top. Exhausted and sweating profusely from the exertion, he flopped down onto his back as soon as he reached level ground. While he lay there recovering, he considered what he'd just witnessed and what his next move should be. He had two options, and though both had their risks, both could prove profitable.
Unaware that the choice he was about to make would bring about his demise, Gélis decided to try option one first. If that didn't prove financially rewarding, he would move onto the second.
Saunière had spent the past few months emptying the tomb of its valuable contents, some of which he had stashed in secret locations nearer to his village so he could dip into them when his funds grew low. On his last visit to the tomb, he discovered signs that someone had been there. To safeguard the secret, he had removed some of the remaining objects and backfilled the tunnel.
He had confided in his brother, Alfred, about the treasure in the tomb, but not its location or the bodies inside. With Alfred's help, many of the objects from the tomb were sold to a man they'd found in Toulouse. They didn't receive market value, but considering the circumstances of how they were obtained, it was as much as they could expect. It had been this man who had put Alfred in contact with the two men Saunière was about to meet in Coustaussa. Although he had concerns about what he was about to put into motion, because of recent circumstances, it was a step he had no choice but to take or risk losing everything.
It hadn't been long before the visitor to the tomb had made himself known. Gélis had been blackmailing him for a few months now, but lately, his demands had increased and so had his threats of exposure if Saunière didn't double the payments. This would come in the form of a letter Gélis had written, detailing what Saunière had discovered and its location. If he sent it to Rome, as Gélis had threatened to do, once the secret was disclosed to the Vatican, they would assuredly take steps to ensure it was never revealed. Saunière was under no illusions that one of those steps would bring about his death. Hence Gélis’s actions had forced him to hire two men to ensure the letter would never be sent and the priest would never try anything like this again.
While he waited in the shadows of the ancient Château ruins cast by the half-moon, Saunière glanced down at the small village. The shuttered windows of the houses and deserted streets gave the impression it was abandoned. The only sign of life was hinted at by a single light piercing the darkness from a presbytery window. Gélis was awake and awaiting his visitor.
Saunière turned toward the sounds of approaching footsteps. It was the two men he recognized from Alfred's descriptions. He observed them for a few moments before stepping forward to greet them. When he had finished explaining their mission, he glanced at the two men. Their causal expressions were evidence that a crime of this nature wasn’t a stranger to them.
“You understand what you have to do?” he confirmed. “Gélis is not to be harmed. Your unexpected presence alone should be enough to frighten him, so he doesn't attempt anything like this again and to reveal the whereabouts of the letter.”
The two men ensured him they understood.
“But what if he won't tell us, can we hit him a bit until he does?”
Saunière stared at the man, wondering what level his ‘a bit’ entailed. “Only if there's no other recourse, but don’ be too rough. As I explained, I expect he will talk readily enough after the shock of seeing you two at his door. He's expecting me to visit him tonight and you'll need to give a password before he grants you access. It is Viva Angelina.”
One of the men took a packet of cigarette papers from his pocket and used a pencil to scrawl the password onto one of them. “Viva Angelina,” he repeated.
Saunière, being of a collective nature and interested in such things―he had an extensive collection of books and postcards―noticed the cigarette papers were a Russian brand, Le Tsar.
“When you have the letter, meet me back here so I can pay you and get the letter and then you must leave the area immediately.” Saunière pointed down at the quiet village below. “The house with the light in the window is the presbytery. Knock softly on the door, give the password and Gélis will let you in.”
Gélis was in the cellar when someone knocked on the front door. He smiled greedily. It was Saunière with his monthly payment. He finished stashing the gold coins, a previous payment from Saunière, in an old length of pipe and placed it amongst the pile of firewood. He grabbed the lamp and climbed the cellar steps. Caution momentarily held his greed in check, and he paused at the door. “Who is it?”
“Viva Angelina,” was the muffled reply.
Satisfied with the password, Gélis drew back the two bolts, turned the key in the lock and opened the door to his murderers. It had hardly opened a crack when it slammed into him and knocked him to the ground. He struck his head on the stairs when he landed. A look of fear spread across his face when two men entered. He reached for his stout wooden cane to defend off the intruders but was stopped when one of the men stamped on his chest, smashing his pocket watch in the process. The time, now frozen on the timepiece, would indicate the time of the intruders' entry: 12.15 AM.
While one man closed and locked the door, the other man kicked him and ordered him to his feet. Gélis stood shakily and was roughly ushered into the kitchen where he was forced to sit in an armchair.
Gélis looked fearfully at the two men who he believed were robbers after the gold coins he had stashed in various places around the house. “What do you want?”
One of the men placed a hand on each arm of the chair and leaned forward until his face almost touched the priest's. “We want the letter,” he snarled, forcing the priest to breathe in his tobacco-stained breath.
It then dawned on Gélis who had sent them, Saunière! He feigned ignorance. “What letter?”
The man smiled cruelly. “Good, I was hoping I would get the chance to play.” He backed away from the chair and glanced around the room. He spied a suitable object for his intentions and snatched up the nearby fire tongs. Without warning, he lashed out, striking Gélis on the arm and eliciting a groan of pain from the helpless priest.
“Please, I have no idea what letter you...”
The man struck him a savage blow around the head. The tongs split skin.
Dazed by the painful blow, Gélis screeched in pain.
“Be careful, hit him too hard and you'll kill him,” warned the other man.
The interrogator glanced back at his accomplice. “Go see if you can find the letter.”
The man left the kitchen.
Three more blows rained down on Gélis's head. All were designed to bring pain and suffering, but hold death at bay, for now.
“I'll ask you one more time, where's the fucking letter?”
Gélis glanced around the room. Now they were alone it might be his only chance to escape. He gazed up at the man standing menacingly over him. “Saunière sent you.”
“That's none of your concern but telling me the whereabouts of the letter is.” He raised the tongs to strike again.
“Stop, please stop! I'll tell you.”
A look of disappointment spread across the man's face. “So soon?”
Gélis indicated behind him with a nod of his head. “Above the fireplace, there's a loose brick. The letter's hidden behind it.”
The man's eyes searched the fireplace until they spied a small gap around one of the bricks. He walked over, laid the tongs on the hearth, gripped the block and wiggled it as he pulled it out. In the small space behind was a piece of folded paper. He pulled it out and examined the writing. Though he couldn't read very well, he recognized it as a list of some kind and not the letter he was hired to find. He was about to confront the priest when something slammed into him. As he tumbled to the floor, he glimpsed the priest rush as fast as his rotund frame would allow, for the door. He'd been tricked. The man threw the brick.
Briefly, Gélis experienced hope. He was almost at the door leading to the hallway. If he hurried, he could dash along the hall, unlock the front door, run onto the street and raise the alarm before he was caught. His optimism was dashed when the brick struck the back of his head. He gripped both sides of the door frame to steady himself. Though dazed, he heard the faint rush of footsteps. The second intruder appeared at the bottom of the stairs and stood between him and the front door, blocking his dash for freedom. The priest backed into the room when the man approached.
The first blow knocked him to his knees, the second to the floor. The third and fourth were unnecessary.
“Stop it you fool. You'll kill him,” said the second man.
The man gripping the raised axe stepped back. “He attacked me.”
The second man knelt and examined the priest. There was a lot of blood. He stood. “He's not dead yet, but it won't be long coming.”
The thug lowered the axe. “Did you find the letter?”
The second man shook his head. “No.” He glanced down at the priest. “Did he tell you anything?”
“Not anything helpful.” He also looked at the dying priest. “If I weren't going to hell before this, I am now,” he smirked.
“He's in no condition to tell us anything now, and we can't linger here after this. If we get caught, it's a murder charge. Let's go tell the other priest what happened.”
They left the kitchen.
“You think we'll still get paid?”
“The first man raised the axe he still held. “Oh, I'm sure of it.”
They quietly slipped unseen out of the house and along the street towards the ruins.
A short while later, carnage greeted Saunière when he entered the presbytery. Sickened by the gruesome sight, he stared down at Gélis' body for a few moments. He knelt, careful to avoid the blood pooling on the floor around the dying man. A quick examination revealed Gélis was still alive, but only just. He placed a wooden shoe under his shoulder to prevent him from drowning in his own blood.
Gélis opened his eyes and looked at him. “I guess your secret's safe, now.”
“You should not have done what you did my friend. I didn't want your death.”
“And yet here I am, dying because of you.”
“It's something I will always deeply regret. Where is the letter?”
Gélis smiled. “You will have to ask Jesus,” he replied cryptically. “You will go to Hell for your actions here tonight.”
Saunière knew the dying priest was right. “That's as may be, but to ensure you do not, if you agree, I will administer extreme unction.”
“You've left me no choice, do it.”
Gélis died a few minutes later.
After Saunière had laid Gélis out formally, he said a prayer and then searched the house. He eventually found the letter wedged behind a painting of the crucifixion, explaining the dying priest's cryptic words.
He left the house and slipped into the night.
It was on the 1st November 1897, the day following All Saints Day when news of the grisly murder shook the small village of Coustaussa situated across the valley from Rennes-le-Château.
Saunière was one of the priests that attended the funeral.
The guilt he felt from his involvement in the death of Gélis would weigh heavily on his conscience until his dying day.
“I find it unbelievable that Saunière, though he didn't undertake the actual killing, was directly responsible for the horrific murder of a fellow priest, who was also his friend, just to keep his secret safe,” replied Creed, dishing up the cooked breakfast.
“During my investigations into the mystery I came across the rumor that Saunière may have been responsible for Gélis's death, but to see it in black and white from his own lips, so to speak, is still a shock.”
Creed placed the plate of food in front of Ben. “An English breakfast for an Englishman.”
Ben stared hungrily at the food. “Thank you. It's just what I need.” He waited until Creed sat opposite and they ate in silence for a while, enjoying the meal.
When he had finished eating, Creed poured himself a coffee and offered it to Ben, “So, what do you think about what Saunière described in the Tomb?”
Ben quickly shook his head. “No thanks, I don't really drink coffee. I don't suppose you have tea; I normally bring my own when I travel abroad, but I left in such a hurry that I forgot to pack any.”
Creed searched the cupboards and found some Earl Grey tea bags that he held up. “Will these do?”
Ben nodded. “Just about, they're a bit weak. Can you stick a couple in a cup of hot water?”
After Creed had made the tea, he sat back down at the table and sipped his strong coffee. “So, back to the tomb.”
Ben looked at Creed. “If anyone should believe what Saunière said is in the tomb, it should be me as you wouldn't believe some of the things I've found on my travels, but...I'm not entirely convinced. If it's true, then I can understand why your grandfather and maybe even your father wanted it kept a secret, but why do you? You don't seem a particularly religious man. Why not just reveal it? Let the authorities excavate the tomb and then you wouldn't be in any danger from the Rex Deus or any other fanatical organizations. Times have changed. Religion, to many, is not as important as it used to be and I'm sure the Catholic Church will weather this revelation as they have done other setbacks many times previously.”
“You are an atheist, yes?”
Ben shrugged. “I'm not really sure what I am. I believe there probably was a man called Jesus, who preached a good story of harmonious righteous living, even that this man was persecuted and crucified, but something that he staged to be at a time so he would only be on the cross for a short while. But I don't believe he was the son of God or that God exists. Like most people, I would like death not to be the end, but it won't be the Heaven or Hell described in the bible. Perhaps our consciousness lives on in some shape or form, or maybe not. I'll only know for certain when I'm dead.”
“Interesting thoughts. I'm also not of a religious persuasion. But we have to imagine how those who have spent their whole lives believing in something would react if they suddenly found out it has all been a lie?” Creed clicked his fingers. “Your belief; taken away just like that!”
Ben finished eating and thought about the question. “I think if what I believed in was a lie, I would rather know the truth.”
“I knew you would find it hard to understand. I'm not sure what would happen if this secret became public knowledge, but if it destroyed the Catholic Church, perhaps thousands will die as a result. Apart from the fighting between religious groups proclaiming their religion is the one true faith to fill the void left by the Church's collapse, there's also the possibility that many people might be so distraught they will choose death rather than live without their faith. In a worst-case scenario, it could bring about an epidemic of suicides. Could you live with that on your conscience, Ben, honestly?”
“Of course not, but you're only guessing what might happen, it doesn't mean it will. I'm not so sure it will be as bad as you think; this is the 21st century after all.”
“Let's just say I'm not prepared to take the risk, but it seems you are.”
The two men stared at each other.
Ben shrugged his shoulders. “This could all be irrelevant. We don't know for certain what's in the tomb. We only have Saunière's word for that. He could be mistaken or lying.”
“Why would he confess his guilt and involvement with Gélis's death, and then tell such a lie on his deathbed during his last chance at salvation. It doesn't make sense.”
“And everything else does? I find it easier to believe Saunière was mistaken. Just because the body has the marks of crucifixion, it doesn't mean it's Jesus. Many thousands were crucified during the Roman occupation of Jerusalem. Perhaps the Templars found the body of a crucified man and used it to persuade the Pope to grant them the favors and privileges that we know he did.”
Creed pointed a fork at Ben. “You say thousands were crucified, but how many bodies showing marks of crucifixion have been discovered?”
“I see your point. I only know of one and that, if my memory serves me well, was just a large nail through a foot. However, even if there are the remains of a crucified man in the Tomb, there's still no possible way you could prove that anybody bearing the marks of the crucifixion is actually the Jesus mentioned in the Bible. Something the Vatican is sure to proclaim if the body was ever revealed. They'll find a way to work around it and survive as they have in the past.”
“Okay. Let's not argue...I see only one solution.”
“And that is?”
“I think we both need to see exactly what's in the Tomb.”
Ben looked at Creed skeptically. “And how do you propose we achieve that?”
“We will have to enter the Tomb of course. Come on, you must have thought about it? My father did, and so have I.”
“Of course I've thought about it, but there's no way in, I've searched the area. We might have to dig up half the hillside to find an entrance.”
“Not necessarily. According to my father, his research led him to believe the Templars, through their network of spies, discovered the French king was constructing plans to arrest them. Forewarned, they decided on a plan to hide their most sacred possessions. Believing it would only be for a brief time and too risky to move them by ship in case they ended up at the bottom of the ocean, they elected to hide them on land. They found a perfect place near Rennes-le-Château, a suitable cave or tunnel, perhaps enlarging it for their purpose. Given the location of the tomb, I would imagine the original entrance was next to the river; perhaps partially or fully submerged. They could have dammed the river, temporally changing its course, excavated a tunnel leading into the side of the hill until they reached a natural cavern, as the tomb chamber seems to be from your film and photographs, which they then used to store their most precious objects. After they had placed everything inside, they backfilled the tunnel with earth and rocks, destroyed the dam and the river flowed again to hide the entrance. I assume they dug the tunnel at a rising angle so the water wouldn't enter the cavern.”
“I agree it's a likely scenario,” Ben said. “As Saunière makes no mention of damming a river, which we know is still there, he must have found another way in and, from the journal, we know his entrance was inside the cave above the tomb.”
“Exactly, he must have dug a tunnel, and that's how we'll enter the Tomb, the same way Saunière did if we can find his entrance.”
“It won't be easy. The cave covers a wide area, and I saw no hint of any entrance while I was there and believe me, I had a good look.” Ben suddenly remembered something. “I could be wrong, but I think Saunière may have left us a clue in his church to point to the location of his tunnel entrance.”
“That would be great if he has, what's the clue?”
“It will be easier to show you as it's in the altar bas-relief in Saunière's Mary Magdalene church. We must go to Rennes-le-Château so I can check if I'm right and you can see it for yourself.”
“Now you have me worried. If Saunière left clues to find his tunnel, others might also find them.”
“As far as I'm aware they haven't so far. I've only just realized because I read parts of the journal and I know the actual location.” Ben glanced at the wall clock. “We have about an hour until the church opens.”
“Okay, we'd better get a move on as I want to call into the bank on the way to put the journal back into safe keeping. I wanted you to see and read it, so you knew it was genuine and hopefully persuade you to do what's right.”
“I appreciate the gesture.”
Within ten minutes they were ready to leave. To save time searching for a parking space, they drove in Ben's hired car so he could wait outside the bank while Creed went inside. They arrived at Rennes-le-Château with a few minutes to spare.
After a wait of a couple of minutes, the jangling of keys signaled the approach of the museum's curator. A stern-faced woman appeared and used a large iron key to unlock the church door. She stepped inside its gloomy interior, switched on the lights and stood sentry just inside the entrance.
Ben and Creed went inside the church and like all who entered, were greeted by the sight of the demon—not the woman standing by the door—the Asmodeus statue. Although after a brief comparison of the two, the demon's face seemed more welcoming than the woman's—standing guard lest they attempted to vandalize the church as others had done in the past. Ben hoped Creed felt guilty.
Ben knew from past visits that if she were true to form, after assessing them to ensure they weren't about to damage anything, she would return to the museum office. They walked around the church, acting like the hundreds of tourists that visited each year. A few minutes later, she left.
Ben nipped outside and was back within a few seconds. “She's in the museum shop unpacking some boxes of books, so she'll be busy for a while.”
They walked the length of the black and white checkered tiled floor leading to the altar, stepped over the low wrought iron gate and knelt to examine the bas-relief on the altar front. It portrayed Mary Magdalene kneeling in a cave with the opening behind her. Out through the entrance were some buildings, perhaps ruins, atop a hill, and a mountain. A small sapling, fashioned into a living cross, grew out of the cave floor and an open book and a skull were next to Mary.
Ben pointed to Mary's hands. “Look at her fingers, what do you see?”
Creed leaned closer. “Well, her fingers are entwined.”
“Correct, or even crossed! Now look at the book, what do you see?”
“It's open and has some unreadable words on the pages and at the top two crosses.”
Ben pointed to Mary Magdalene's face. “Now look at her eyes, where is she looking?”
“Apart from that patch of new plaster on the wall you mean?” replied Creed, as he examined the picture. “She looks directly at the wooden cross sprouting from the cave floor.”
Ben ran a finger over the cross at the point from Mary's sightline. “To be more precise, she stares at the top of the cross.”
Creed shrugged. “So there are many references to the cross in this scene. It's a religious picture after all?”
“But this is the only decoration in the church Saunière thought important enough to paint himself. If it was important to him, then it's as equally important to us as the priest did nothing without a purpose. There are so many crosses in the picture because I now believe he wanted to draw our attention to them. What is a cross if you turn it slightly?” Ben made a cross shape with two fingers and then turned them.
Creed stared at Ben's fingers, suddenly realizing what he was getting at. “An X!”
“Exactly! And on a treasure map, an X always marks the spot where you must dig. It's standard iconography.” Ben pointed at the cross in the picture. “This cross is our X.” He ran a finger down the length of the living cross and stopped at its base where it disappeared into the ground. “I believe this is where we'll find the entrance to Saunière's tunnel. It's all here in this picture; the open book is a symbol meaning that a secret is revealed here. The skull, also a symbol, tells us a body will be found, and as it's a skull, the body has been there a long time, probably a skeleton. And look where it's been placed in the picture, at the base of the cross. The rock forming the cave entrance here matches, more or less exactly, the rocks forming the entrance to the mountain cave.” Ben stood as Creed continued to stare at the details in the picture.
After a few moments, Creed looked at Ben and smiled. “You really are good at this sort of thing.”
Ben returned the smile. “Yes, I really am.”
“You have me convinced, but it seems so obvious.”
“Yes, but like I said before, only when you have found the cave does it all become obvious. Though I have no idea whether this X clue leads to Saunière's entrance to the tomb, I'm certain it leads to something hidden under the cave floor. As I said, the rocks forming the entrance to the cave, or grotto, above the tomb match exactly the entrance of the cave seen behind Mary Magdalene here, so using them as a reference it'll be easy to find the X position. There are clues all around us if you know how to read them.” Ben was about to explain further when footsteps entered the church. They turned to see the woman curator glaring at them with her arms folded. She raised one arm to point at the exit. A group of German tourists wandered in, chattering excitedly. They briefly glanced at the two men climbing over the wrought iron gate before they turned their attention to studying the church decorations.
As they had finished what they came here to see, Ben and Creed exited the church, closely followed by the severe-faced curator. Creed suddenly grabbed Ben's arm and dragged him into the presbytery courtyard.
“What the...”
“Shush! We have company,” Creed whispered urgently, as he peered around the side of the wall.
Ben felt eyes upon him. He turned. The curator, who had returned to the museum shop, stared at them through the large glass window. She probably wondered what mischief they were about to get up to now.
Creed looked over his shoulder at Ben. “Go buy two tickets for the museum, I'll explain in a minute, but hurry.”
Ben glanced at the po-faced woman staring at them. Thanks, Creed. He entered the shop and purchased two tickets. The woman inside didn't say one word. She just glared. When he returned outside, Creed still peered around the stone wall. “I got them.”
Creed glanced at the tickets in Ben's hand. “Follow me,” he ordered and headed for the museum entrance.
Ben followed Creed through the open doorway and up the stairs. They rushed past exhibits connected to the mystery, which included one of the original pillars that once supported the original stone altar, and the knights stone that Saunière had found face down in his church until they arrived in the garden. A man at the controls of a mini excavator was busy demolishing a building in the corner that had once been a café bistro. Ben had eaten breakfast and dinner there once when he had stayed in the Villa Bethania―one of Saunière's extravagant constructions―when it had been a hotel and before it became an integral part of the museum. The workman's tools were in an old wheelbarrow that had a length of orange tape tied to one handle, the other end fixed to the rail of the fence opposite, to cordon off the area where he worked.
Ben followed Creed into the room under the curved walkway where once a film on continuous loop informed visitors about the mystery that had brought them here, but now it was empty, except for a man varnishing a display case that would eventually house more exhibits in the museum. The man glanced briefly at the intruders with disinterest and carried on with his work.
Creed's eyes scanned the room. He ignored the landscape vistas out through the arched windows dynamited into the wall by one of the domain's previous owners; he looked for an escape route, but seeing none, he rushed back out into the garden. They raced up the steps onto the curved battlements that led to the Magdala Tower to the left, and to the right, a replica of the tower made in glass, the Orangery.
Creed peered over the edge. It was a long drop to the ground. No escape that way. “Go inside the tower, I'll be back in a minute.” Creed sprinted across the garden without further explanation.
Willing to follow Creed's lead, for now, Ben entered the Magdala Tower that was once home to Saunière's collection of books, stamps, and postcards, and waited for him to return. He gazed through one of the windows, shivering involuntarily at the sight of the cobwebs around its frame; where there were cobwebs, there were spiders. Though he didn't see any eight-legged fiends, he did see Creed grab something from the workman's wheelbarrow and run back toward the tower. What's he up to now? A movement caught his eye. Two men dressed in dark suits exited the museum and watched Creed rush along the terrace and into the tower.
Ben glanced at the rope Creed held. “Those two men saw you come in here.”
Creed glanced out at the two men staring at the tower. “Good, now all they have to do is follow us inside.”
A worried frown creased Ben’s forehead as he observed the two men. “Are they Rex Deus?”
Creed shrugged. “I'm not sure, but they were watching my house last night and must have again this morning and followed us here. They are learning as normally I spot them easily.”
“Why are we running from them? Surely they won't do anything in such a public place.”
“You're probably right, but I don't want to take the risk with you here. Anyway, we'll have to give them the slip before we go to the Tomb.”
Ben again glanced at the rope Creed held. “I assume you have a plan to accomplish this?”
Creed smiled. “I do. But first, we have to wait for them to come into the tower. In the meantime, perhaps you can tell me how you found the tomb cave using Saunière's clues.”
“It's easy really. In the altar bas-relief, did you notice the unusual formations out through the entrance of the grotto Mary Magdalene kneels in? They look like ‘J' and ‘M,' perhaps Jesus and Mary's initials.”
“Yes, I noticed them.”
“I believe they could also be ‘T' and ‘M' to stand for this tower, the Tour Magdala. The second part of the clue is the grotto Mary kneels in. All I did was draw a line on a map of the area from this tower; from the small side tower that contains twenty-two steps to be exact. July 22nd is Mary Magdalene's feast day when she is celebrated and remembered. I extended the line through the grotto Saunière built in his garden, which once held a statue of Mary Magdalene, and into the landscape. The line ran through a rock formation on a nearby hill, and to another rock formation shaped liked two Ms. It's clearly visible on a map of the area.”
“Mary Magdalene,” said Creed with interest.
“Believing this couldn't be a coincidence, and Saunière was pointing to something important, I went to this rock formation below the two Ms rock and found a cave—or grotto– hidden behind a bush. It matches the image of a priest standing beside a bush in the large Fleury tableau above the confessional. That's how I found the cave, which I've named the M Cave. A search and some digging revealed the small shaft I lowered a video camera down to film the hidden tomb below.
Creed was impressed. That's amazing and seems so simple when it's explained like that, yet no one else seems to have deciphered the clues to find it.”
Ben shrugged. “Maybe it's too simple, and researchers dismiss it.” He looked out at the two men. They hadn't moved from their position by the Villa Bethania. “Maybe they won't come in here, they seem to be waiting for us to come out.”
“They'll come,” stated Creed, with certainty.
But David and Doyle made no attempt to approach the tower. They were probably content to wait them out as the only exit was back through the museum and they had that covered.
While they all waited for each other to make a move, the German tourists continuing their tour of Saunière’s domain, entered the garden and eventually arrived at the Tour Magdala. They stared at Ben and Creed as they crossed the small square room and climbed the narrow, winding stairs onto the battlements. After ten minutes spent admiring, photographing and filming the panoramic views, they descended the staircase and, in single file, exited the tower. Ben and Creed watched their progress through the garden and into the Villa Bethania.
One of the men glanced at his watch and said something to his partner as they looked over at the tower, no doubt wondering what they were doing in there for so long. Finally, they came to a decision and headed for the tower.
“Creed, they're coming.”
Creed peered out of the window and smiled. “Good, now it's time to put my plan into action. Come with me.” Ben followed Creed up the narrow stairs to the flat roof. “Keep low, so they don't see you,” Creed advised when they reached the metal door that led onto the top of the tower. Crouching below the level of the crenels, Creed laid the rope on the roof and pushed the door closed, its rusty hinges squealed loudly. “Give me a hand with the ladder.”
Together they picked up the long, rusty metal ladder, used for access to the tall round tower that rose up in one corner and overlooked the side of the hill the village was built on. When Creed placed his end against the door, Ben realized part of the Frenchman's plan and wedged his end against the opposite side of the tower. Creed tested the door. Firmly jammed shut by the ladder, it didn't budge.
Voices drifted up to them when the two men paused at the entrance to the tower below. Ben and Creed remained silent and tried to eavesdrop on what was being said, but they spoke too quietly. Creed peered cautiously over the top and watched the men entered the tower. He quickly looped the rope around one of the crenels and let both ends drop to the ground. “Climb down after me,” he whispered.
Creed climbed onto the top of the wall and slid down the rope onto the walkway. Ben followed him down. Creed peered around the side of the open door into the tower. The two men were looking up the spiral steps.
“They must be on the roof as there's nowhere else to go,” said David.
“Maybe they jumped off,” suggested Doyle.
“Don't be so damned stupid.” David then thought about it. “Come on, we had better take a look.”
When they stepped onto the stairs, Creed slipped quietly inside, rushed across the room and slammed the thick, wooden staircase door shut and slid the two heavy bolts into place. The shouts of surprise from the men now trapped in the stairwell could be heard from the other side of the thick door. The curve and narrowness of the stairway and the strong bolts holding it closed prevented them from kicking it open.
Creed walked out onto the walkway, closed the tower's main door and slipped the padlock into place. He pulled on the rope, which uncurled from around the crenel and dropped to the ground.
“Plan accomplished,” Creed stated as he coiled the rope.
Ben smiled. “You're good at this.”
Creed smiled back. “Yes, I am. See what a good team we make?”
They both laughed.
“Let's get out of here. We have much work to do.”
On the way back to the museum and the exit, Creed deposited the rope he had borrowed back into the workman's wheelbarrow. The workman, sitting down eating his lunch, shot Creed a confused stare.