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“You found a piece of wood? What am I missing?”
Sam gave him a disapproving look. “For a scientist, it amazes me that you haven’t asked the key question.”
“What’s that?” Leonid said with a scowl.
Remi cut in. “Why would Sam bring a piece of junk to the surface and call a meeting?”
Sam grinned. “Correct. That’s the question.”
Leonid scowled. “What’s the answer? Or do we have to guess that, too?”
Sam sighed and glanced at the seemingly insignificant piece of flotsam. “The only reason I brought this back up is because the rest of it dissolved to nothing when I tried to retrieve it.” He placed the wooden scrap with metal attached to it on the counter. “Looked to me like a broken bayonet. Broken, I suspect, when whoever looted the chamber was digging gold out of the wall with it.”
“How can you be sure, if it disintegrated?” Des asked.
“Because if you look closely at that piece of wood, you’ll see it’s the handle of a bayonet.”
Remi stepped forward. “And if I had to guess, we’ll find that it matches the kind used by the forces that occupied the island during the Second World War.”
“The treasure was discovered during the war?” Des asked slowly.
Remi nodded. “The only uncertainty is whether it was the Allies or the Japanese. I don’t know because I’m not an expert on antique bayonets. But I’m going to take a picture of it and send it to someone who is or who can find an expert in a hurry. Then we’ll know who made off with the treasure—which, if the amount of gold it would have taken to fill the carvings is any hint, was probably substantial.”
CHAPTER 23
Selma called them back within two hours of receiving the photographs. Sam and Remi were watching on the bridge as the surface-breathing divers worked their way into the first chamber. The progress was slow due to the lack of circulation—the debris they blasted loose just hung suspended in the water until gravity slowly pulled it to the bottom. After half an hour of frustration, Des had improvised a pump-driven suction system to use in conjunction with the blasting hose, which sucked most of the loosened debris to the surface where it was dispersed at the ship’s stern. Even with this improvement, it was obvious that this phase would take just short of forever.
“You’re in luck,” Selma said without preamble. “Milton Gregory is one of the foremost experts on World War Two arms. It didn’t take him long to identify that handle.”
“What’s the verdict?” Sam asked.
“Japanese army Type 30 bayonet, without a doubt. Probably mounted on an Arisaka rifle—the most commonly issued rifle for Japanese forces during the war.”
“He’s sure?”
“Absolutely. The bayonets used by the Allies had a completely different handle. He’s positive. And there’s something else: on one end of the handle you can see faint markings. They’re the Japanese symbols for Aoba.”
“What?”
“One of the Japanese regiments that was stationed on Guadalcanal was the 3rd Battalion, 4th Infantry Regiment.” She paused. “The Aoba Regiment.”
“When did it land?”
“September eleventh, 1942.”
Sam was silent for a few moments. He nodded to himself and turned from the monitor.
“I have a project for you, Selma.”
“I suspected you might.”
“Your ESP is working. I want you to research the Japanese occupation of Guadalcanal. Who commanded it, how many soldiers were stationed here, when they left, how they were evacuated, the whole works.”
“How detailed do you want?”
“Give me everything you can find. All sources, along with a summary.”
“Will do.”