Free Death Mask by Michael Devaney Page A

had been two million dollars. That amount, after all that had gone on, seemed like a godsend now.
    Inscribed at the top of the business card was a company name—The Powers Group, Inc.—followed by Andrew’s name and number listed underneath. Victor picked up his phone and dialed the number.
    “Hello?” Andrew answered, on the other end of the line.
    “May I speak with Mr. Game, please?”
    “Yes, this is he,” Andrew said. “Who am I speaking with?”
    “This is Victor Gaines, owner of the Atlanta Museum of Curiosities. You came to see me a few weeks ago offering to purchase the Death Mask. If you’re still interested, I’ve got a deal for you.”
     
    ***
     
    On the fourth day after they’d made the investigative discovery of a lifetime, Finn and Andria, with the support of the Atlanta Police department, and much anticipated fanfare, revealed to the world that the skeletal remains belonging to the Death Mask “face”, and by association, the identity of the notorious killer from the infamous “Jack the Ripper” murders had finally been discovered.
    The previous day, Victor Gaines had contacted lead Detective Finnegan Winters to inform him of the secure sale, and subsequent permanent confinement, of the Death Mask to a private organization and to thank him for his discretion in the matter.
    The press conference, including questions from the media, lasted nearly three hours. During his presentation, Finn broke down the steps of the strange journey he and Andria had taken, its outcome and how each move had furthered their investigation. He also laid out the evidence in simple, organized and methodical sequence, carefully explaining that multiple DNA tests were planned for the exhumed “Piperr” skeleton along with tax records and housing research, both in New York and London, to not only know more about the assumed American, circus clown identity of John Piperr but also the original London name , occupation and lifestyle of the infamous “Jack the Ripper” persona.
    When he finished speaking, the crowd and visiting media jumped to their feet to deliver a congratulatory standing ovation.
    Finn and Andria, with the help of Jack the Ripper, had become instant celebrities.

Chapter 19
    Finn and Andria shared bagels and coffee over a morning newspaper in the lobby of an affluent office building in Boston, Massachusetts. The day after the news conference they’d been summoned there together by mysterious matching letters delivered to each of their places of business. The details in the letters were specific but minimal, only mentioning that their dual presence was requested and their correspondence letters were to be kept secret. Although suspicious of the letters, they were also intrigued and surmised there was safety in numbers. So here they sat waiting to find out more from their mystery summoner.
    At 9:00 a.m. on the nose, a dark-haired man dressed in a Navy blue, tailored suit approached the table where Finn and Andria sat. He stopped a few feet short and waved them forward. “Follow me,” he said, without any expression.
    They both stood and followed his lead to the building’s elevator where all three rode in silence to the top floor. When the elevator doors opened, the dark-haired man exited left and said, “This way, please.”
    The long hallway had no doors save for one at the end. When they reached the end door, the dark-haired man punched in a security code on the keypad and invited them inside.
    “Mr. Winters and Ms. Walker. Welcome to Boston, please have a seat.”
    “Thank you,” Finn and Andria replied in unison.
    “We’ve never met before; so allow me to introduce myself. My name is Andrew Game. I am an artifact hunter by trade, with most of my findings coming from assignments given to me by a low profile company known as, The Powers Group, Inc. My affiliation with this company has lasted for some time now and has blossomed into a relationship of mutual respect and trust. I brought you