Blood Relics (A James Acton Thriller, #12) by J Robert Kennedy Read Free Book Online

you
up.”
    There
was a pause and Acton stifled his laugh as he pictured their friend debating on
what to say.
    “I’ll
see you in bloody Rome.”
    The call
ended and Acton laughed, gently smacking Laura’s bum as she rose.
    “I’m
just going to make a quick call to arrange the flight then I’ll be back. Finish
your dinner before it gets cold.”
    She left
the room and Acton cut off a piece of his wellington, savoring the taste. He
swallowed. “You know, I’m a damned good cook if I do say so myself.”
    “No
argument here, but you should taste my KD. I put extra butter with whipping
cream, makes all the difference.”
    “Sounds
artery clogging.”
    “Hey,
after you get shot in the back and almost die, you tend to look at things
differently.”
    “What,
like life is precious and you shouldn’t be risking it?”
    Milton
gave Acton an are-you-kidding-me look. “Coming from you, that’s pretty rich.”
    Acton
shrugged. “Hey, it’s not like I go looking for trouble.”
    “Nooo,
you’re just shit-magnet and attract it like flies.”
    “Gregory!”
    “Sorry,
hon.” He turned back to Acton. “A crap -magnet.”
    “That’s
much better, dear.”
    Milton
turned his head slightly away from his wife and gave Acton a toothy grin.
    “Greg, I
can see you in the hutch mirror.”
    “Shit.”
    “Keep
digging.”
    Milton
shook his head, his eyes bulging at Acton. “Save me,” he hissed.
    Laura
entered the room, giving him the out he was searching for, Acton content to let
him dig to Middle Earth.
    “So, any
luck?”
    Laura
nodded as she took her seat, placing her napkin on her lap. “All arranged. We
leave at midnight, so that gives us time to finish our dinner and should put us
in Rome for tomorrow afternoon with the time difference.”
    “Good,” said
Sandra, picking up her fork. “I’d hate to see all Jim’s hard work go to waste.”
    Acton
swallowed another bite. “Me neither. This stuff is almost as good as sex.”
    “James!”
    Acton
held up his hands in mock apology. “Hey, I said almost . Sex with you is
definitely better.”
    He
caught Mai’s flushing cheeks out of the corner of his eye.
    “Sorry,
Mai. Eventually you’ll get used to my sense of humor.”
    Milton
grunted. “And when you do, you’ll know you’ve truly become a heathen.”
    “Hey, I
resent that,” said Acton, jabbing the air with a speared piece of beef. “Who’s
jetting off into the great unknown to try and save the Blood Relics of the Son
of God? Not just any heathen would do that.”
    He
popped the meat in his mouth, chewing slowly.
    Milton
took the conversation to a more serious tone. “Why do you think they’re
stealing these things?”
    Acton
shrugged. “I’m guessing it has to do with the healing properties they’re
rumored to have.”
    This
seemed to pique Mai’s interest. “Healing properties?”
    Acton
nodded, swallowing. “Yes. The belief is that the blood of Jesus can heal. The
most famous example is the Roman soldier”—he snapped his fingers as he tried to
remember—“what’s his name—”
    “Longinus. Saint Longinus now.” Laura for the save!
    “Right,
Longinus. His actual name was Cassius—”
    “ That you remember?” interrupted Milton.
    “But for
simplicity sake, most texts refer to him as Longinus, his baptized name.” He
shoveled some carrots into his mouth then took a sip of wine. “The story is
that he stabbed Jesus in his side to make sure he was dead, and when he did so,
blood and water poured out, some of it getting into his eyes. Did I mention he
was blind?”
    Mai
shook her head.
    “Yeah,
according to the accounts he was either blind, or suffering some sort of
affliction of the eyes. Some stories say he was blind in one eye, others say
both, others say he just had an infection. Whatever the truth is, he was
apparently cured right then and there, and from that point on became a
believer.”
    “And the
spear? You said it might not be the real one at the