Canyon of the Sphinx Read Online Free PDF

Christ, there's even a plasma screen
television listed here. Kathlyn, your signature is on every one of these."
    With Eden in her arms, Kathlyn
leaned over his shoulder and studied the forms. Jensen stood back, watching Dr.
Trent's face flicker with confusion.
    "I don't recognize any of
these," Kathlyn said.  She looked up at Jensen. "Where did you find
this stuff?"
    "In the files."
    "Impossible. I know what is
in those files and these reports weren't there. I never signed any of
these."
    Jensen's black eyes went from warmly
respectful to hardened pieces of onyx in a fraction of a second. "But you
admit that's your signature, right?"
    "It looks like it, that's
for sure. But I think I would know what I've signed and not signed, especially
for high-dollar items like this."
    "I can only tell you where I
found them, Dr. Trent. Is it possible someone else signed your name without
your knowing?"
    "No," Marcus answered
for her. "But if Kathlyn said she didn't sign these, then she didn't sign
them. Did you ask Debra Jo about them?"
    "She's never seen them,
either."
    "Then I don't know where
they came from."
    Jensen cocked a long, thin
eyebrow. "Well, we'd better find out. With an audit less than six weeks
away, this kind of thing would be... well, devastating to say the least. With
deviations like this, the implications are serious."
    "Implications?" Kathlyn
repeated, outraged.  "Like what?"
    "Fraud. Misuse of funds. You
name it. Since your name is on the reports, you'll possibly be facing a
criminal investigation."
    "Me?" Kathlyn was struck.
    "Your name is on them."
    Kathlyn’s outrage bloomed.
"That's so ludicrous, it's laughable. Everything from SCU is carefully and
internally audited, I might add, by your department and, primarily, you. How is
it that no one there caught these forms and that you somehow just happened to
'find' as stack of them in my files?"
    "What are you suggesting,
Dr. Trent?"
    "I don't know. Maybe
somebody planted these damn things."
    The black eyes cooled. "And
just who would do that?"
    Kathlyn matched the cool
expression, exceeding it by leaps and bounds. "Off hand, I couldn't say,”
she said coldly. “But you found them. And I never saw these before you came.”
    Marcus knew by the look on
Kathlyn's face that she was ready to strike.  It looked very much like Jensen
was accusing her of something completely out of her character. A puzzling
situation had the potential to turn ugly and he stood up, handing the documents
back to Jensen.
    "Well," he said with
quiet authority, "we won't be solving any of this tonight. I'm going to be
here for a few more days after Kathlyn leaves for the Yucatan and I'll help you
sort through this stuff."
    Jensen accepted the papers,
suddenly subdued with Marcus' statement. But Marcus wasn't stupid; he had seen
how she had the potential to flare against Kathlyn. If the woman was foolish
enough to flare against his wife, he truly pitied her.
    "I apologize," Jensen
said after a moment. "I didn't mean to offend or upset you. It's just that
you're absolutely right; I should have seen reports like this, but I didn't, so
I'm as guilty as you are in this."
    "I'm not guilty of
anything," Kathlyn was still hot. "And I absolutely resent the fact
that you seem to be accusing me of wrong doing."
    Hearing their mother's angry
voice had the kids looking wide-eyed at their parents. Marcus took his wife by
the arm and pulled her, gently, around Jensen and positioned her near the door.
    "Sweetheart, take the kids
and go find Salima," he said. "I'll meet you at the car in a
minute."
    "I'm not accusing you of
wrong doing, Dr. Trent," Jensen insisted. "But this looks very bad
for all of us. I just want to get to the bottom of it, same as you."
    Kathlyn turned to look at her,
her features pale and strained. "I didn't do anything wrong," she
said, her voice hoarse. "And I don't need this bullshit. I've got an
expedition coming up that's going to require all of my concentration." She
smacked the