The 15th Star (A Lisa Grace History - Mystery) (5 page)

“
Great, seeing some real progress.”

He went to the mini fridge and grabbed a Coke.

“Well guys, my work is calling. I’ll be back later for a refill,” Keiko announced as she headed for the door.

“
Enjoy, Keiko, enjoy,” Doc said.

“
Bye Keiko,” Julian said with a slight smile. She had the feeling he was watching her walk away, but she was too chicken to look. Besides, anyone like her who could convince herself that her parents were still alive had an active imagination that did not concern itself with reality.

Keiko headed back down the hall glad she hadn
’t made a fool of herself when Julian walked in. She always felt like she was staring at him and she was worried he would notice. The problem was she couldn’t help herself. But at least today she was eager to get back to work and see what the next letter held.

As she went through the next two or three letters, nothing jumped out. Some were from relatives and others from neighbors. Just the everyday ramblings between friends.

Tiring of the slow pace and eager to learn more about Grace, Keiko rifled through the envelopes, nothing.

She went to the trunk and skipped to the next box, and saw it was a year later.

Just for kicks, she took the cover off and skimming through the letters. Voilà, she found one near the bottom dated 1819. A year after the last one she’d read.

June 13
th
, 1819

Dearest Louisa,

I so scared, I do not no who to tell. If I die soon, I was kilt. He afraid I tell. I hid a letter an the star to proof I tells the truth. He kilt someone today. I saw him come out a her house, and she found dead. Why now? Why after all this years? I no not why. Mrs. Louisa I hide the letter an the star. So I did, but if I don tell someone where’s it hid, My safety die wid me. I sen him letter to tell him its hid an people no the truth. To ples lev me alone. Pray to God to keep me safe.

Miss Grace

Keiko put the letter down and read the second sheet.

Member
’s where I sayd we sat an talk an sew the flag?

Where the flag resting place

How many states by provens

Point from the star to a star

Could it be? Keiko
’s heart started to race. She read the letter again.

It couldn
’t be. But if it wasn’t, what other explanation could it be? Could Grace Wisher have been in possession of the missing star?
The fifteenth star
?

Keiko stood up and paced back and forth in her tiny office trying to contain her excitement.

Louisa would give parts of the flag known as the Star Spangled Banner to those she thought deserving. In later years Louisa gave away almost eighteen feet of the flag, but that honor would have been reserved for heroes.
Why
would Louisa give a two foot by two foot part, a
whole
star, surely coveted by others, to Grace who was a thirteen-year-old African-American indentured servant when she worked on the flag? Had Grace done something heroic? Also, according to the historical record, Louisa would have been giving pieces of the flag away a little later. The mostly complete flag was thought to have been on display in 1824. This was a good five to six years earlier than that.

She read the letter again. The second sheet had to be a
clue
to the missing star.

This was it! This was the thing that could make her career. She quickly copied the letters and went back to searching in the box for more. She knew she would be here all night. She would finish this box and then go look down in the storeroom for more. Tomorrow she would pack a spare bag. If this was what she thought it was, she would live here until she read every letter in the trunk and then go to the Flag House. That star was there probably to this day. No one had known the secret except Grace Wisher and her close friend Louisa Armistead. The Flag House like many of the early American homes was still preserved and on the national historical register. It was also the home and business place of Mary Pickersgill and her indentured servant, Grace Wisher. Keiko was going to find that star.
She
was going to solve the mystery. Right now only the three of them knew. Grace, Louisa, and now her.

But Keiko was wrong.

***

Keiko looked through the rest of the box. Nothing else seemed to be from Grace.

It took her past closing and through the evening into the wee hours. She also managed to drink a full pot of coffee.

Around eleven p.m. she noticed her cup was empty. Time to make another pot to carry her through until morning. She walked over to Doc
’s office enjoying the stillness and sense of ownership that seems to come when you are entrusted to roaming the halls alone in a big empty building. Keiko yawned. She was tired but the adrenaline and caffeine pumping through her system would make sleep impossible. She was too excited to stop and planned on working through most of the night. After all, she had nothing to go home to. If tonight was one of her new normal nights, (and it wasn’t—because of the letters), she’d curl up on her parent’s bed with the pillow draped with something that still smelled like Mom and Dad. It was the only way she could go to sleep. Keiko knew she needed counseling. But she wasn’t ready to let go. Being adopted, they were the only family she’d ever had. Her
forever
family. Keiko was going to hold onto forever as long as she could.

When Keiko got to Doc
’s office to make the coffee, she was surprised to see his light on. Unlike her, he was not one to stay late. He had a life outside these walls.

She walked in and was startled to see Julian Lone Wolf sitting in Doc
’s chair drinking a Coke.

“
How,” he said.

“
How yourself.” Keiko laughed.

“
So how are you doing, Keiko?” Julian asked as he sat back rocking in Doc’s chair.

“
Excited, great.” Keiko kept talking while she washed out the pot, threw out the old grounds, and put a new one on. Julian made her so nervous it felt good to have something to occupy her hands although she’d much rather be running them over his broad chest.

“
Excited huh?” Julian said as he took a sip of his Coke. She felt his eyes burning a hole into her back and she was aware of how he was watching her every move.

Keiko
was
excited about the possibility of what she had found. She thought she might be able to explain her nervousness of being alone with Julian on her discovery and what it might mean. It felt good to have something she cared so passionately about to discuss with him, since she was incapable of making small talk around Julian.

She turned to him and explained,
“I found some old letters that might lead to something big. I’m going to get a fresh cup and then head down to the basement to see if I can find another box of the letters.” Then Keiko blurted out noticing the time, “What are you doing here so late?”

“
I just finished picking up a recording at the sound studio. Those recording studio guys keep some late hours. I came in to listen to it. I stopped in here to grab a Coke. I like to sit in Doc’s office. It’s peaceful, homey. I don’t think he minds.” Julian took a sip from his can.

“
Are you a night owl too?” he asked.

“
Yeah, always have been. I can’t go home now. I could be onto something that could help solve a history-mystery and get me hired on permanently.”

Julian motioned for Keiko to sit in one of the chairs across from Doc
’s desk. She did. It gave her a chance to look into his eyes without staring. The coffeepot behind her started hissing and popping.

“
A history-mystery, huh? How long have you been here now? Three weeks?” Julian asked.

Keiko nodded,
“Yes, I’d love to stay on of course, but they only hired me for a year’s internship. I’ve got to prove myself if I have any chance of staying.”

He nodded.
“I remember being in that position. It’s not comfortable.”

“
How long have you been working here?” Keiko asked.

“
I finished my master’s when I was twenty-three and then went into the Army.”

“
I’m sorry,” Keiko said.

Julian raised his eyebrows.

“About your leg,” She clarified as she felt the blush rising in her face.

He shrugged,
“It could have been worse. Did they put it in the newsletter again or is it the most fascinating thing people can think of to talk about around here?”

“
I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said anything.” Keiko bit her lip and got up. She felt her face grow hot and knew she was blushing. She’d said something jerky and had brought up a painful memory. How stupid could she be? Keiko went to stand by the coffeepot. It wasn’t even half-full, but she pulled it out and poured the extra strong stuff into her cup. Downstairs she could pour half of it into her to-go cup and add tap water so she could stand to drink it.

“
Keiko, I’m sorry. Please sit back down.”

Keiko sneaked a look back at him. He was smiling and gesturing for her to sit back down. Keiko sat back down. There really was no graceful way to walk out of the room at this point.

Julian continued his explanation of his past as if nothing had interrupted his train of thought. “After I was sent back to the states, I went to work on getting my doctorate. I finished and got the job here when I was twenty-eight. I’ve been here three years now. How about you? What are your plans for the future?”

He looked interested and not mad or embarrassed at all. Keiko took this as a good sign. She sat back down and gave him a small smile.

“I’d love to continue on, even after I finish my masters. My internship is through Georgetown. Working here permanently would be a dream job for me.” Keiko continued, “My parents…they’re gone now—a car accident.” She waved off his murmured sounds of apology and went on because if she stopped, she might cry, “would be proud of me. They loved the Smithsonian museums and took me here almost every weekend. I feel close to them when I’m here. These letters I’ve found, they would be so excited for me…” Keiko stopped. She needed a minute to compose herself. She was embarrassed at how weak she must seem to Julian. She was not projecting the professional sophisticated image of herself she had envisioned. She was disappointed in herself. Her first real conversation with Julian was nothing like she’d imagined.

“
I’ve finished with my project for today. If you don’t mind, I’d like to see the letters and what you’re working on. I can lift a box or two if you need the help,” Julian said.

Keiko smiled. Julian probably felt sorry for her. She must have come off as needy. Well, she would enjoy hanging out with him. Maybe they could be friends. After all they both loved history and where they were working. It was a start.

“I’d love to show you. It would be nice to have some company. I do get tired being all alone while I do my research.” Keiko tried to keep the excitement in her voice toned down. She reminded herself that he was just a coworker being helpful. They’d barely spoken to each other since she had started working here. Tonight’s conversation had been the longest of any since she’d been in the department.

Keiko dumped the strong stuff and got her refill as Julian stood up and gestured for her to lead the way.

She threw a smile back at him as she passed out of the doorway but he was too busy looking at her that he didn’t notice she had caught him staring.

Keiko smiled to herself. He
was
attracted to her. He had noticed she was a woman and not just a coworker.

***

“Here, look at these,” Keiko said when they got back to her office.

Keiko slipped on her gloves and showed him the first letter and then the second with the mention of the star and the slip of paper that could be a code to its secret whereabouts.

He let out a whistle as she explained what she thought.

“
Keiko, you really could be onto something.”

Keiko showed him the storage box and trunk and how it had been mislabeled.

“I can see why you’re excited. Let’s get going,” Julian said, looking as energized as she felt.

They went in three different rooms and spent almost an hour in each, opening and closing boxes. Nothing from the right time period. In the fourth room they came to, the piles of boxes were packed in so tightly and high it made little passageways between the boxes. It made sense to start at the back and work their way forward.

“Wow, the hoarding room of the Smithsonian,” Keiko laughed. “I’ve only seen one this bad on television.”

“
Hopefully, there aren’t a hundred more rooms like this down here,” Julian said as he started working his way back into the stack.