Jupiter's Bones by Faye Kellerman Read Free Book Online Page B

attendant’s name?”
    “All my attendants are Alphas.”
    “Do they wear vests and robes like Jupiter’s attendants?”
    A slight smile. It gave light to her face. Venus said, “Someone explained the color-coding to you. No. Myattendants wear white robes with pink collars. They are privileged among the women, but none of them are as privileged as Jupiter’s attendants. This is a male-dominated society. You are told that upfront. Besides, it doesn’t affect me. As Jupiter’s chosen mother, I’m second in command…well, I guess at the moment, I’m officially in command although temporarily Pluto is handling things. Until I can compose myself. But that’s only temporary . I have no intention of letting Pluto step into Jupiter’s shoes. I don’t believe that even Pluto wants that onerous responsibility.”
    Marge nodded, scribbling down the cult’s pecking order. “Who will succeed Jupiter?”
    “I don’t know who could possibly succeed him. As far as I know, Father Jupiter did not leave any line of succession. And with his sudden death…” Venus’s eyes darted from side to side. “It will have to be worked out. But I assure you the Order of the Rings of God will remain intact. We owe it to Father Jupiter to further his ideals of love, charity and spirituality.”
    “Lofty goals.”
    “From a lofty man.”
    “One more thing,” Marge said. “Pluto came back to your room to tell you the news.”
    “Correct.”
    “Do you recall the time?”
    “Around a half hour later. So maybe it was five-thirty. But I wasn’t clocking him.”
    “Of course. So as best as you can remember, Pluto came to your room and told you the news about five-thirty?”
    “I suppose.” She buried her face in her hands, then looked up. “It all happened very quickly…very surreal. I still can’t believe…I knew he hadn’t been himself, but…”
    “Hadn’t been himself in what way?” Marge asked.
    “He wasn’t exactly ill, but he seemed… drained . He hadn’t been in his ordinarily high spirits for least sixmonths. And he often held his head—like he had a bad headache. I was concerned. But when I asked him about it, he shrugged me off and assured me it was all very normal. That it was part of the process.”
    “What process?”
    Venus eyed Marge. “If I told you, you’d scoff. All the violators scoff.”
    “Try me.”
    Again Venus hesitated. “Part of the communication process with the beyond. Father Jupiter knew that his body was being tapped of its life energies because he had begun to make serious contact with the forces.”
    Again, the room fell silent.
    Venus said, “You wouldn’t understand. You couldn’t understand.”
    Marge tried to keep skepticism out of her voice. “What kind of forces?”
    Venus waved her off.
    “Please. I want to understand, Venus. Who had Jupiter contacted?” Maybe someone was threatening him . “Tell me.” Keep the voice even, Dunn . “Were they humans? Were they aliens?”
    To Marge, it appeared that Venus was appraising her sincerity. Finally, the alluring woman said, “Not aliens as you perceive them—little beeping things with five eyes and antennas.”
    Her voice became intense.
    “For about six months, Jupiter had been receiving signals…electromagnetic waves that he felt were coming from an alternative universe. He was particularly excited because these signals were not classic Big Bang background radiation. You know…stuff given off when the universe was created. They seemed to be organized signals. How he could tell, I don’t know. But that’s why Jupiter was Jupiter. Only a man of his scope could interpret such things.”
    Marge tapped her pad. “He was a brilliant man.”
    Venus’s expression took on a slight sneer—the upwardcurve of her lips, the roll of her eyes. “An understatement, Detective.”
    Marge ignored the condescension. “Tell me about these signals, Venus.”
    The young woman’s smile was patient. All in all, Venus appeared