A Change of Worlds

Book 5 of the Killian Kendall Mysteries

By Josh Aterovis
Copyright 2026

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Chapter 9

The archaeologist stood facing me, hands set on her slight hips, staring me down defiantly. She had a great poker face. I couldn't figure out if she was angry, excited, curious, or indifferent.

With a sigh, I decided there was no point denying who I was. I would just spill it all and hope for the best. If luck was with me, I wouldn't blow the case before I even got started.

"You're right," I told her. "I'm a private investigator. I've been hired to look into the thefts from the excavation and the assault on Mr. Snyder."

She frowned. "Who hired you?"

"Usually that would be privileged information. At this point, though, I don't see any harm in telling you. My client is the Pomocatan tribe."

She pondered that for a minute. "Why are you using a cover? Is that the right term? I mean, why not just tell us you're investigating the thefts and the assault? Why pretend to be a reporter?"

"It was the council's idea. They don't feel Professor Healy has been very forthcoming with them. Since he never even mentioned the possible thefts until after the assault, they don't really trust him."

She nodded slowly. "I can understand that. Professor Healy is a top-notch archaeologist, but he's a lousy people person. I warned him he should tell the tribe after the first time we noticed the site had been disturbed. He refused, saying he was afraid the tribe would get spooked and back out."

"I didn't really get to ask Professor Healy all the questions I wanted to, so maybe you could help me. You're the second in command here, right?"

She gave me a small smile. "I guess you could say that. It's a distant second, though. What do you need to know?"

"You mentioned the site had been disturbed. What alerted you?"

"When you were at the site, did you notice how carefully and evenly each square was being excavated?" I nodded. "Well, every night, after we stop digging for the day, depth measurements are taken, and then the whole area is covered by tarps. Several times, when we arrived in the morning, the tarps had been pulled back or not secured, and the ground had been disturbed. Measurements further proved that someone had been digging during the night."

"How many times did this happen?"

"Three times counting the night Mr. Snyder was assaulted."

"Do you know if anything was taken?"

She shrugged. "That's hard to say. This site has turned out to be an archaeologist's dream. The squares that were disturbed were turning up a lot of artifacts, so chances are something was found. There's no way of knowing for sure, though."

"Okay. What is Adena culture? The professor mentioned it when he was explaining the Nassawango site."

"Adena refers to a group of native peoples that primarily lived in the Ohio area between about two and three thousand years ago. They had a very advanced culture and did a lot of traveling and trading. They were the first mound builders in North America and created extraordinary examples of prehistoric art. If we can link this site to the Adena culture, then we'll have a very exciting find on our hands. Native sites generally don't generate a lot of interest outside of academic circles."

"But an Adena-related site would?"

She nodded. "Most likely, especially in this area. Several archaeological sites have been found on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and in Delaware that are clearly Adena-related. They're known as the Delmarva Adena Complex, and they've produced some amazing stone artifacts, most of which were not fashioned locally. They're made of exotic stone types and styles known to be Adena."

"So a copper bead would indicate that this is an Adena site?"

"It would be a good sign, although not definitive in and of itself. The local tribes didn't use a lot of copper, mainly because it wasn't available in this area. One bead, or even a strand of beads, doesn't necessarily mean this is an Adena site. It could just have shown up because the people traded with the Adena or some other group that made or passed on copper beads. Both the Adena and the local tribes were great traders, with routes stretching across the country."

"Have any of the other artifacts found indicated this might be an Adena site?"

"Again, that's hard to say. Everything has been roughly the right time period, but this area was a mishmash of cultures anyway. No one is sure if sites like Nassawango are actually Adena villages or if they were simply influenced by them. The whole issue is something of an enigma, hence the excitement generated by a find like this. Any chance to better understand this culture is very valued.

"What's even better is that this site, like the one in Nassawango, is untouched. Most of the other Adena sites on the Shore have either been revealed by construction activities, or were found as the result of shore erosion. Almost all of them are lost now. Archaeologists weren't able to really study them before they were gone. It was all they could do to salvage as much of the cache as possible. If this site turns out to have ties to the Adena...well, the value to the scientific community would be incalculable."

"What about the looting? Doesn't that compromise your excavation?"

"Yes, to some degree, especially since we don't know what, if anything, has been found and removed. On the other hand, most sites have been looted or disturbed long before we ever get to them, so we're still ahead of the game on that score."

"Does Professor Healy have any theories about who the looter might be?"

She shrugged expressively. "If he does, he hasn't seen fit to share them with me."

"He hasn't talked to you about it at all?"

"You need to understand Professor Healy. He's not the friendliest man. We've worked together for years now, and I've never been to his house or even shared a meal with him except for official luncheons or banquets and things like that. I'm an acquaintance only, an associate. We're not friends. Besides, the professor works on a need-to-know basis. If he has a theory, he wouldn't share it with me unless he felt there was some specific reason to tell me. For all I know, he suspects me."

"Would he have any reason to suspect you?"

She bristled slightly. "That's not what I meant."

"Excuse me. I didn't mean to insult you. What about you? Do you have any theories?"

She shrugged again, still a little sullen. "My guess would be collectors. Some of them can be very unethical. I wouldn't put it past them to come in and try to get some of the artifacts for themselves — to hell with any sort of scientific record."

"How could they have learned about it? I thought you were trying to keep the location a secret."

"There's no such thing as a secret if more than one person knows about it," she scoffed. "The entire council is aware of the dig, and most likely their families as well. I wouldn't be surprised if the whole tribe knows. Then there's the crew. Ideally, we'd like to think they're all professional enough not to mention the exact location, but let's face it: they're kids and they're all volunteers. They don't have much invested. Any one of them could have easily let something slip to the wrong person."

"Do you suspect anyone in particular? Do you have the names of any of these unscrupulous collectors?"

"No. Sorry, you'll have to find them on your own. In any case, we'd better be on our way. I want to get back to the excavation." She started moving again, then stopped and turned back to me. "Of course, you realize I'm going to have to tell the professor about this."

I grimaced. Apparently, luck was not with me after all. "What do you think his reaction will be?"

"He'll be infuriated."

"Do you have to tell him?"

"I can't risk his finding out that I knew and didn't say anything. He has the power to make or break my career at this point."

I nodded. "I see your point. I'll just have to hope for the best."

She smiled. "Thanks for understanding."

She walked away, and I hurried to keep up. We didn't talk much the rest of the way. Once we broke out of the trees, she shook my hand and started back without so much as a word. I watched her go before turning and approaching the house.

I knocked on the door, which was opened a few seconds later by Lily. "Hey!" she greeted me with obvious surprise. "You're back quickly. How'd it go?"

"Well, I was getting a great lecture until we were interrupted by an exciting find. I'm supposed to go back in the morning, but it seems I blew my cover."

"Come on in and tell us the whole story. I'm sure Fletcher will want to hear it as well."

I followed her into the living room, where Fletcher relaxed on the couch with a book laid open on his lap. He smiled warmly at me. "I heard what you said at the door. No need to repeat it for my benefit."

I sat down in one of the chairs and quickly launched into what had happened after Lily left. When I got to the part about the possible Adena artifact, she became very excited.

"That would be wonderful! It could provide our tribe with the kind of attention we need. Do you realize that we're not even recognized by the state, let alone the federal government? We have the genealogical evidence, the historical evidence, everything we need for recognition, but no! That would mean they'd have to give us money. Well, we don't need or want their money."

Fletcher's eyes were sparkling merrily. "Simmer down, Lily. Heart disease might run in the family. We don't want you to have a stroke. Even if they find it is an Adena site, I wouldn't hold my breath for state or federal recognition." He turned his attention to me while Lily calmed herself down. "Anyway, what were you saying about blowing your cover?"

"Elyse Pike volunteered to walk me back to the house. As soon as we were out of the professor's earshot, she told me she knew I was a private investigator and demanded to know what I was doing at the site."

"How did she know you're a PI?" Lily asked.

I shrugged. "I got a lot of exposure during the Fenton Black case. I was on the news quite a bit. I didn't think to warn Lily not to use my real name."

"Too late now. What did you tell her?"

"I figured at that point it was better to level with her and hope to make her an ally. I told her the truth, that I'd been hired by the tribe to look into the looting and the assault on Fletcher. She gave me some good information, stuff I doubt I would have been able to get from Professor Healy. That's just as well, since she's planning on telling him who I really am."

Lily made a face. "So much for the ally thing."

"Not necessarily," Fletcher pointed out before I could. "Even if the professor refuses to cooperate with the investigation, Killian now has a contact on the inside who may be willing to assist him."

"Exactly," I agreed.

"So what now?" Lily asked.

"I show up tomorrow as we agreed...and gauge the fallout."

I talked to Micah on the phone later in the evening. He was careful not to mention his offer, but it hung heavily between us while we chatted. I knew I'd have to make a decision soon.

I slept restlessly that night. The memories of the eerie feeling I'd experienced in the forest came back to me in my dreams. The sensation wasn't quite malevolent, but it was definitely disturbing. I awoke several times, sitting up in bed and staring around me wildly, as if expecting to find someone else in the room with me.

Just before daybreak, I had an even more disturbing dream. Yet when I woke up, sweating and breathing hard, I could only remember a sense of being pursued. I gave up then and just got out of bed to take a shower.

I was already in the lobby when Steve came down.

"You're up early," he commented with surprise. I wasn't known for my early rising habits.

"Couldn't sleep."

"Something on your mind?"

I shrugged. "I think it's this case."

"Has it gotten that bad already? Or maybe it's a combination of things."

I knew he was implying the situation with Micah, but I didn't feel like talking about it, so I played dumb. "The case isn't that bad. It's just that I felt some weird things yesterday when I was going out to the site."

Steve's eyes lit up with interest. "What kind of weird things?"

He was something of a paranormal buff, who'd been thrilled with the idea that the house was haunted when he bought it. Of course, the excitement had quickly turned sour when it became obvious that the resident ghost was affecting business — and not entirely in a positive manner.

"Just...a vague feeling of being watched. It gave me the willies then, and it crept into my dreams last night."

Steve waggled his eyebrows. "Better do a good job on this case. The spirits are watching."

"Gee, thanks, Steve. Way to make me feel better about the whole thing."

He laughed and went off to prepare the continental breakfast. I decided to skip it, not really wanting anything to eat. I figured if I left early enough, maybe I could work for a couple of hours before the construction crew arrived.

My plan succeeded. I was actually able to put a sizable dent in the pile of paperwork before the workmen breezed in about mid-morning. Novak hadn't shown up by the time I left, which I assumed meant he was either working on a case or just couldn't handle the office.

I drove to Fletcher's house with a small knot in my stomach, unsure of my reception at the excavation. I loathed confrontations of any type. I hoped maybe Elyse had changed her mind and hadn't told Professor Healy, but it was a slim chance at best. Elyse was firmly under the professor's thumb. She would tell him and, just as she'd predicted, he'd probably be furious.

When I parked in the driveway, I noticed that Fletcher's car was the only one there. I didn't see any sign of Lily's, or of Jacy's bike either. Of course, the motorcycle could have been behind the house. I walked up to the front door and knocked.

At a muffled "Come in," I did so, and heard Fletcher call out, "I'm in the kitchen." He was standing at the stove, stirring something quite odiferous in a pot. "Hello, Killian," he greeted me brightly.

"Should you be on your feet?" I asked.

He waved his hand dismissively in the air. "I'm fine. It's not like I'm running a marathon. Someone needed a salve that I didn't have made up. Are you here to visit the site again?"

"Yes."

"Will you need a guide? I'm afraid I'm not quite up to that yet, but you could give Lily a call at home. Jacy is at work."

"I don't want to bother Lily. I can manage to find it on my own."

"Are you sure?"

I laughed. "Not really, but I'll give it a shot. I have my cell phone if I get hopelessly lost."

"You could always just ask the spirits for directions." His tone was casual.

I immediately tensed up. "Did Lily tell you about yesterday?"

He gave me an enigmatic smile. "She didn't have to. I knew you'd sense them. Tell me, how did they react to you?"

I struggled for words for a minute. "Not exactly hostile, but not really welcoming, either. Watchful would be a good way to describe them."

He nodded. "They haven't made up their minds about you yet. They'll remain neutral towards you for now."

"You mean they could...interact if they wished?"

"Interact, interfere, whatever you want to call it."

"Are they neutral towards you?"

"They are my ancestors. They know me."

"But they didn't help you when you were attacked. And they haven't protected their artifacts from the looter."

"They see things from a different perspective than you and I. They act when they feel it is necessary, and rarely when we can do something on our own."

"So you believe they are waiting for us to do something first? What happens if we don't stop the looting?"

He smiled again. "Maybe nothing. Maybe something. I guess we'll find out if you don't catch the person responsible."

A shiver ran up my spine. "I should probably get going."

He nodded. "Be careful."

I gave him a nod and let myself out. Hesitating at the edge of the trees, I told myself sternly, You're being ridiculous. They didn't bother you last time. On the other hand, Lily had been with me then.

I took a deep breath and stepped into the woods. Nothing happened. The birds kept singing, the breeze kept blowing, no ghoulies appeared. I released a nervous chuckle and moved on.

It wasn't long, however, before the hair on my neck began to prickle. I sensed the spirits' attention being directed at me. I tried to ignore them and keep walking, yet the feeling increased the deeper I went into the forest.

Suddenly, unseen beings were crowding around me, pressing in on me from all sides. It was a strangely claustrophobic sensation, as if I couldn't breathe. I stopped and gasped for air. When I reached out a hand to lean against a nearby tree, I somehow missed and stumbled to my knees in the crisp leaves. The rich smell of forest loam wafted into my face while I continued to struggle for breath. The trees around me began to spin, and my sight started to darken around the edges. I fought to remain conscious.

"I'm here to help," I managed to choke out.

The sensation continued for several more seconds. Just when I thought I couldn't take any more, it stopped all at once.

While I caught my breath, I leaned my forehead against the rough bark of the tree I'd missed earlier. I wasn't sure what had just happened, but I was quite sure I didn't want it to happen again.

Were the spirits testing me, and, if so, had I been found worthy? Had my weak offer of assistance actually served some purpose? Could they even understand my words? Or had they just simply done what they'd intended to do? Which would be what, exactly? Scare the crap out of me? If so, then they'd succeeded.

Hearing a twig snap behind me, I spun around to find an enormous snow-white buck standing a few feet away, his huge, spreading antlers like tree limbs sprouting from his skull. His round, chocolate eyes seemed to stare into me for a moment before he turned with lightning-quick grace and bounded away. Everything happened so quickly that, for a few seconds, I wondered if I'd really seen it at all.

I stayed on the ground a while longer, my heart pounding in my chest. After a while, I felt steady enough to get up, using the tree for support. I was thoroughly turned around by then, with no idea which way I had been heading. I stood still, trying to orient myself, until I felt a slight pull from one direction. With Fletcher's words in mind, I set off to follow it.

Almost immediately, I began to hear sounds of conversation and knew I'd gone the right way. I whispered a quick thanks to whoever might hear and kept walking. Soon, the excavation came into sight.

As I stepped into the clearing, several people looked up, their closed expressions telling me immediately that I wouldn't be welcome there. Elyse, who was working off to one side, refused to even glance in my direction.

Professor Healy straightened up from where he was bent over speaking to Susan Urban. He quickly moved to head me off before I could advance any farther into the site. I almost got the impression he wanted to block my view of the excavation.

"Mr. Kendall," he greeted me coldly.

I decided to take the offensive right from the start. "Good morning, Professor Healy. I guess Ms. Pike spilled the beans."

"Yes, and I must say that I don't appreciate being misled. If you'd come to me as an investigator, I would have cooperated fully, but I will not willingly participate in a witch-hunt."

I didn't believe him for a second but decided it would be counterproductive to call him a liar.

"A witch-hunt?"

"It's obvious that certain parties suspect me or someone in my crew of stealing artifacts and assaulting Mr. Snyder, as if I would stoop so low or allow something like that to occur beneath my very nose."

"They don't necessarily suspect anyone," I contradicted. "They only want the truth."

"Then why not come to me up front? Why send you in pretending to be a journalist and playing me for a fool?"

Ah, that was the real meat of the issue. The professor's pride was injured.

"No one intended to play you for a fool, Professor, least of all me. The tribe is understandably a little concerned. After all, you did fail to tell them about the looting when it first began."

He frowned deeply. "I didn't inform them about the suspected tampering because there was no proof that anything had been taken and because I feared something like this would happen."

"The artifacts are rightfully theirs. You didn't think they deserved to know that someone might have been stealing them?"

"Any stolen artifacts affect my study as well. I have just as much at stake."

"Professor Healy, with all due respect, this is their culture, their heritage. I think there is a difference."

His eyes narrowed. "Either way, you're no longer welcome here. I will not cooperate with you any further, and I've instructed my crew not to speak to you."

I cocked my head to one side. "You realize that this is not the best way to win back the trust of the tribe. It almost seems as if you have something to hide."

Professor Healy drew himself up to his full height and glared down at me. "We're finished here. You may leave."

I stared at him for a few more seconds then turned and walked away. We most certainly were not finished, but I needed reinforcements before I took things further. It appeared I would have to bring in Lily after all.

I went far enough away from the site that I couldn't be overheard before calling her. "You aren't lost are you?" she asked as soon as I'd identified myself.

"Huh? No."

"Oh. Fletcher said I might have to come hunt you down in the forest if you got lost on your way to the site."

"Oh, no. I, uh, found it okay. It was after I got there that I ran into problems."

"What happened?"

"Well, as I suspected, Professor Healy wasn't happy. His pride is more wounded than anything, and he's quite upset. He threw me off the site."

"He what? It's not his property! If we want you present, he can't just throw you off."

"Well, while it is your property, it is his excavation. I don't want to start another argument, so maybe you could come down and attempt to smooth things over."

She sighed. "I'm not much of a diplomat. I wish Fletcher was well enough to walk that far. I'll give it a shot, though. Maybe I should see if Jacy can go with me."

"Is he more diplomatic?"

She snorted. "Just about anyone is more diplomatic than I am. That said, Jacy is a little unpolished still. He gets very defensive of his family and tribe. I think in some ways he's overcompensating because he didn't know much about his heritage as he was growing up. However, I was mainly thinking that he'd be a bit more intimidating than a woman by herself. Some of those academic types tend to be quite chauvinistic."

"Professor Healy does strike me as being rather patriarchal."

"I'll call Jacy, then. I don't even know if he can leave work on such short notice. Just meet me at the house, and we'll take it from there."

"Okay, see you soon."

I was too distracted as I walked back to the house to notice if the feeling of being watched was still there. If things couldn't be worked out with Professor Healy, this whole case would become a lot more difficult. How could I be expected to discover the truth when most of the people directly involved wouldn't speak to me? I knew, though, that I would pursue this even if Healy and his crew were actively attempting to thwart me. I would hate to let Lily, Fletcher, and Jacy down. Plus, I was thoroughly hooked by that point. I was on the case for the long haul.

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