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beginning of Western Civilization. Despite her hatred of the man, his notion of history had wormed its way into her brain, somehow becoming the benchmark of comparison for anything she examined.
    Constantinople? Founded a thousand years
after
Rome.
    The Ottoman Empire? Two thousand years
after
Rome.
    And so on.
    In her field of study, she never had to go before that date. Her mental timeline started in 753 BC and marched towards the birth of Christianity and the present.
    But the Maya? They were off the chart in the other direction.
    Their civilization started 1,800 years
before
Rome.
    Five hundred years
before
the first dynasty in China.
    Even
before
the Great Pyramid of Giza.
    Maria dwelled on the numbers as they danced through her head. ‘Four thousand years of history is tough for me to comprehend. That’s twice as long as the Catholic Church’s.’
    Hamilton nodded. ‘Who knows what we might learn about the world if additional codices were found? They might change our view of everything.’
    When he said it, the cocksure grin returned to his face – the same grin that had been present when he had talked about blowing her mind. It had disappeared during their lengthy discussion of the Spanish Conquest, but it was back now in full force, tugging at the corners of his mouth like the strings of a marionette.
    She lowered her voice to a whisper. ‘You found another codex?’
    He refused to answer directly, but the twinkle in his eye spoke volumes. ‘Let’s just say the last few weeks have been interesting.’
    ‘That’s great!’ she said, trying hard to contain her enthusiasm. Although she barely knew Hamilton, she was thrilled he had found something to cap his illustrious career. For her, it was proof that good things happened to those who worked the hardest – a thought that did much to keep her going in the male-dominated world of archaeology. ‘What’s the next step?’
    ‘Funny you should ask.’
    ‘Why’s that?’
    ‘Because the next step … is
you
.’
    ‘Me?’ she shrieked.
    He laughed at her reaction. ‘Come now, Maria. Is it really that hard to believe? I mean, I flew you here for a reason – and it wasn’t to drink daiquiris.’
    ‘I know, but …’
    ‘But what?’
    ‘I’m
not
a Maya expert.’
    ‘Thank goodness for that!’ he said, laughing. ‘We already have one of those, and his name is Terrence Hamilton.’
    She cracked a smile, despite her continued confusion. As an expert in the field of Christianity, she honestly didn’t know how she could help his cause.
    ‘Listen,’ he said in a soothing voice, ‘I know it doesn’t make much sense right now, but trust me when I tell you, I need your help more than you can possibly imagine.’
    ‘You do?’
    ‘I certainly do.’
    ‘And it has something to do with my field?’
    ‘Definitely. It’s right up your alley.’
    She paused for a moment, thinking things through. ‘I have to admit, I’m intrigued by your project. I can’t imagine what it has to do with me. I really can’t.’
    He smiled. ‘Just say the word, and I’ll fill you in on everything.’
    She took a deep breath, then nodded. ‘OK. I’ll do it.’
    ‘You’ll do it?’
    ‘Yes, I’ll join your team. But only because I’m so intrigued.’
    Hamilton jumped from his seat with a burst of excitement. ‘Excellent! You’ve made an old man very happy!’
    ‘I can see that.’
    ‘Seriously, my dear, I am truly grateful.’
    Maria beamed with pride. It had been a long time since she had felt so appreciated. ‘Don’t go thanking me yet. Let’s hold off on the flattery until I’ve done something to merit it.’
    ‘Yes, of course,’ he said sheepishly. ‘It’s just, I don’t know. Now that you’re in my corner, I feel like everything is going to be all right.’
    She laughed at him. ‘There you go again. More flattery.’
    He shook his head. ‘That wasn’t flattery. Just confidence in our abilities. Nothing wrong with a little confidence, is