The Five-Day Dig by Jennifer Malin Read Free Book Online

insightful kid.”
    Dunk’s grin flashed again. “Sure, if you accept, we have room for your TA. But for both your sakes, I should warn you the pay is lousy. Everyone gets the same small stipend plus room and board during the excavation.”
    “Money isn’t important.”
    “I hoped you’d say that.”
    She massaged her temples. Was she really contemplating making a fool of herself on television? On the plus side, she probably wouldn’t get much camera time. Maybe she could keep her head low and do her job without drawing attention to herself. Or was the magic of this room making her temporarily insane? She didn’t know. “When is the dig?”
    “In ten days.”
    The lack of time for preparation stunned her. “That wouldn’t give us much time for background research.”
    He shrugged. “You’re not supposed to have time. We do the whole dig in five days.”
    “Sounds like trouble.”
    “Or the challenge of a lifetime.”
    She cast the light back on the priestess reading from the tablet. The artist had imbued her with unusually detailed features for a Roman fresco. Her posture and expression gave her an attitude of serenity and confidence, as if she had complete faith in whatever rite she performed.
    Winnie wanted to know more. Maybe the dig would turn up a tablet with the text the priestess was shown reciting.
      “Something about that figure really draws me in,” she said.
    He stepped up beside her. “Then do it.”
    Excitement and fear battled within her. “I feel like no matter what I decide, I’ll regret it.”
    “Then perhaps you would regret one choice more than the other? Life is short. What are the chances of ever getting to work on a site like this again?”
    Next to nothing. She thought of how her father had died without finishing the book he’d worked on for years. He’d never had a shot at a dig like this. If he had, the experience might have gelled his thoughts and helped him wrap up his magnum opus. One thing for certain, he wouldn’t have shied away from accepting, the way she did now. Heaven knew he was a risk-taker, as proven by his fatal decision to sail in questionable weather.
    Maybe that last thought should have scared her away, but staring at the painting of the priestess, she felt magnetized to the site. If she walked away, she knew the decision would haunt her forever. “Oh, hell. You’re right.”
    “Then you’re in?”
    A mixture of emotions surged within her, almost overwhelming her. She hoped she wouldn’t faint or something crazy like that. “I’m in.”
    All at once, the patter of the rain outside stopped, and sunlight streamed into the room through the entrance.
    Looking toward the light, he grinned. “The gods smile on your decision.”
    A snort escaped her. “That must be a new thing with me.”
    She felt his gaze on her, heavy with curiosity, but she avoided meeting it. They would only be working together for five days, and he didn’t need to know about her baggage. “Are there other rooms we can see?” she asked.
    “I’m afraid this is the only one excavated. We should probably take advantage of the break in weather to get back to the car.”
    It was just as well. Her knees felt like jelly, and she’d be returning in ten days anyway, it seemed.
    Within fifteen minutes of leaving the temple, the two of them walked back up to the garden reception at the conference.
    “I have to meet with my producer now,” Dunk said, “but I’ll e-mail you later with more details about the program.”
    She shook his hand, hoping her palm didn’t feel too clammy. “Thank you for the opportunity.”
    “My pleasure. I look forward to working with you and Chaz.”
    In spite of her doubts, she smiled, amused to think how excited her TA would be when he heard the news.
    But as she watched Dunk walk away, a new thought popped into her head: What would   Farber think?
    Her smile died. Would he see “The Five-Day Dig” as a legitimate publicity outlet for Growden or a