The Sirena Quest by Michael A. Kahn

Ray’s original phone message. Lou had already ducked it once, and now his first thought was to beg off—to say he just couldn’t get away, to apologize and wish his college buddy the best of luck. It was the responsible thing to do, and it was also true. He had plenty of responsibilities on his platter. A forty-two-year-old single parent with two children, a big mortgage, a stable of important clients, and several big lawsuits that needed attention didn’t just drop everything to head off on what was likely a futile hunt for a missing statue that had eluded all pursuers for thirty-five years.
    Right?
    Ray put his arm around Lou’s shoulder. “Your housekeeper can take care of your kids. Your partners can take care of your clients. We’re talking one week of your life—ten days max. No one’s indispensable. Trust me. Life goes on, man.”
    â€œI know, Ray, but—”
    â€œBut what? You’re never gonna get a chance like this again. Again? Hell, man, most guys never get a chance like this once. And if we actually find her—” He paused, grinning. “Oh, man, it’ll be incredible.”
    Lou studied Ray as he tried to consider his options rationally.
    Ray said, “If you won’t do it for yourself, you loser, then do it for me. I’ve already flown halfway across the goddamned country for this. If I have to haul around Gordie and Bronco all by myself, I’ll go fucking nuts.”
    â€œLet’s take it one step at a time,” Lou said. “First let’s see if we can identify this mastermind of the Homecoming Heist. Then let’s see if he’ll even talk to us. This whole thing could be a nonstarter.”
    Ray shook his head, amused. “You’re so damn cautious. You’ve always been so damn cautious. For once in your life, dude, you gotta take a deep breath and say to yourself, ‘What the fuck.’ And it’s not just the money. It’s the glory.”
    Lou held up his index finger. “One step at a time.”
    Brandi returned.
    â€œWell?” Ray asked.
    She shrugged. “Hard to say. I told her their names. She claims they’re catering some big party of hers. She started lecturing me on Swedish meatballs.”
    Ray groaned. “Not again with the lean pork.”
    Brandi smiled. “And plenty of prime veal.”
    Her smile faded, and she shook her head. “She told me no one else has seen those letters, but the poor thing is so confused. I doubt whether she’ll remember tomorrow that she showed them to me.”
    Ray looked at Lou, who shrugged.
    â€œThe hell with them,” Ray said. He put his arm around Brandi. “You done good, kid.”
    Brandi leaned against him. “You know what they say about diamonds, darling.”
    â€œYeah, yeah.”
    She put her arm around him. “Lead on, Sir Lancelot.”

Chapter Ten
    The three of them were back in the hotel room at the Marriott.
    Ray was on the king bed, his back cushioned against the headboard with two pillows, a hardbound copy of The Legendary Sirena open on his lap as he leafed through the pages. Brandi was clattering around in the bathroom packing her toiletry bag. She was leaving for Peoria that afternoon to spend a few days with her folks. Lou stood by the window looking down on the street below. Vendors outside Busch Stadium were setting up their wares for the crowd, which would start arriving in another hour or so.
    Lou was holding Ray’s copy of the special issue of the alumni magazine, the one with Sirena on the cover. He’d reread the article, looking for clues.
    Nothing.
    But there were other sources. Sirena had inspired an impressive bibliography over the years, including a cover story in the New York Times Sunday Magazine , “The Lady Vanishes: Pining for the Eternal Prom Queen of Barrett College,” (Dec. 10, 1972); a segment on CBS’ “60 Minutes” narrated by Morley Safer