Read Chapter 4: Chapter 4

They met in the museum café, beneath a painting of Diane chasseresse. Julien looked tired, his uniform sleeves still buttoned. Camille placed two photographs side by side on the table.

“The clasp changed overnight,” she said.

“Because it’s a different object.”

“Or someone altered the database photograph after you filed your report. But the physical file was modified too. The paper is modern.”

Julien turned his coffee cup. “Who has access to the archive?”

“Almost nobody. The room is sealed. I had to request a key.”

“Then somebody wants the object to have always been here.”

Camille lowered her voice. “Why would anyone forge two hundred years of provenance for a reliquary casket?”

Julien looked toward the glass pyramid. “Because it isn’t what it appears to be.”