Kate looked around the kitchen she saw the timer was for an hour. Rick had not been gone for only a few minutes. Kate decided to enter their bedroom then strip and surprise Rick.
She carefully opened the door to the shower and slip in. Rick was singing to himself about the Barber of Seville was not noticing the change in temp as the door slid open but his head was under the water stream when Kate joined in with the song. Rick whipped out of the water stream and spun to face Kate who was naked but had gooseflesh all over.
"Rick share I'm cold!" Kate said.
"Oh excuse me I did not know you were there." Rick apologized.
"Well if you did it would have ruined the surprise huh?" Kate teased.
"Yeah I guess so." Rick was dumfounded.
"So move I need warmth." Kate ordered.
Rick pivoted so Kate was now in front and under the hot water stream.
"Ohh that feels good." Kate said relaxing.
"So what happened to I do not want to share my shower?" Rick asked.
"I changed my mind why? Do you care?" Kate teased.
"No not at all matter of fact I love when I get to give personal attention my fiancée's hair and body." Rick said.
Kate said nothing as Rick took all her cares away.
\\\\\
Soon they were out of the shower and Kate got dressed and headed into the Kitchen. A few seconds to spare then the alarm went off. Kate shut off the alarm and oven but left the tray inside as she and Rick set the table.
"Kate. Please make one more setting." Rick asked.
"Ok Rick who is coming Dad is already here and so is Martha?" Kate wondered.
"Oh Right Dr. Martin Halger a renowned Archeologist who specializes in Spanish treasure is coming." Rick said.
"Oh? Are you going to show him our findings?" Kate asked as she placed the salad.
"Yeah, I think we do not want to say anything about our discovery yet. The Spanish Gov't has been very good at claiming any found treasure." Rick said.
"Ok so what you want it verified then published?" Kate asked.
"Perhaps but I really do not want the locale of the find given. The Island belongs to the Islanders. I have made the necessary arrangement over their protectorship. However, Crow's Nest is ours." Rick said.
"Really you own that island?" Kate asked.
"Yes I have claim to it." Rick said.
"So you do not want a group of Spanish gov't officials traipsing across your pristine beaches?" Kate asked.
"Yeah something likes that. I have my lawyer friend on standby if this person can verify the matter." Rick said.
"Oh I see you want to have the first strike in a very long and protracted legal battle." Kate surmised.
"Exactly, this battle would be over Property rights. Most of Spanish claims were in the sea which this is not. It is on dry land and it is our land which gives our claim to everything on it priority." Rick said.
"Rick if I knew this amount of hassle would have ensued I almost wish I never found it in the first place." Kate said.
"Oh do not say that. We had fun well you had fun didn't you?" Rick asked.
"Yeah I loved the hunt it was a very fun times especially the night of celebration after." Kate said.
"You are ready now? We were just in the shower." Rick looked at his fiancée with wonderment.
"Yep and it whet my appetite." Kate gave Rick a dark and predator look.
Rick gulped nervously then changed the subject.
"Later Kate later we have guests to entertain first." Rick said as the family gathered.
There was a knock at the door. Kate the closest opened and greeted their guest.
"Hello I am Kate Beckett and you are?" Kate asked.
"Dr. Martin Halger at your service ma'am." He said with a drawl. He was from Texas Kate could note but this resemblance to the Character the Texan in Naked Heat was undeniable. Kate was taken back then remembered her hostess duties.
"Nice to meet you Dr. Halger if you come this way, we are sitting for Diner." Kate said.
"Mighty kind of you ma'am." the Dr. said then followed Kate.
"Martin!" Rick said standing to clapse the Younger man.
"Ricky! I was surprised at Alexis' invitation." Martin said.
"Well I was not sure you would have accepted mine after that little mix up." Rick said.
"What that you made me a Bad Guy in one of your books? No Ricky I was flattered and my classes expanded 3 fold after that book of yours came out. I'm now the bad boy of Archeology!" Martin said laughing.
"Folks this is my dear friend Martin. He is a noted archeologist and he was a sport when I used his description for the famous Bad guy called the Texan in Naked Heat. But we have been together since…" Rick introduced his friend.
"That expedition in Peru back in 2002." Martin supplied.
"Oh yeah and Alexis wandered off then we found that mummy cave!" Rick said.
"Dad I knew what I was doing!" Alexis said.
"You were only 8 at the time. I was frantic. You scared your old man young lady." Rick said scolding his daughter.
"Rick you took Alexis on these trips?" Kate asked.
"Yeah Kate it is ok. I went every summer places with my Dad." Alexis supplied. "I think India was the coolest we went on tiger hunt atop of Elephants right Dad?"
"Yeah my little pumpkin was a world traveler at a very early age." Rick proudly said.
"I see" Kate said. There was still so much she had no idea what Rick had experienced.
/
The dinner was over Martha and Alexis offered to clean up. Martin, Kate and Rick retired to their office. Since Kate had claimed a spot in it.
"Ok Ricky, show me what you have." Martin said.
Rick pulled out the photographs and data.
"Ricky I am impressed you did a very professional setup for the artifact site." Martin said admiring the photos.
"I guess those lessons soaked in Huh?" Rick said. "So what do you think? I had the sliver of silver analyzed. It was 99.7% pure."
"Well the mines of Governor Ortiz were not noted for anything over 94% pure." Martin said.
"So you think this inscription was faked? But why…?" Rick asked.
"Oh No I believe this inscription was real. The silver must have been refined many times to achieve this purity. Perhaps it was going to be used for a scientific instrument?" Martin said.
"The silver which I found would have been used in scientific instruments? How so?" Rick asked.
"Silver was used before Tungsten and some of the more exotic metals to be used in precise measurements." Martin explained.
"You mean a yard stick?" Kate asked.
"Yeah something likes that but much more precision. It was the ability of silver to keep scratches which was important. Once etched the bar could be transported then used at many different functions." Martin explained.
"…So why bars of 15 pounds and 2 of them?" Kate asked.
"Well they would have been formed that way by the foundry to be used as ballast for ships." Martin said.
"So they had a dual purpose?" Kate asked.
"Yeah once the ship got to port then ballast would have been removed and melted down and formed into the shapes that were needed." Martin said.
"I could do some research and figure out what ship transported it and where it went down. Perhaps this was not the only bars of silver which were used as ballast."
"That would be great Martin if we find the wreck then we can give the Spanish gov't that and they would not bother the land location." Rick said.
"That is a good possibility." Martin said as he looked at the time. "Oh I must be going I have 2 lectures tomorrow…Nice to meet you Kate."
"On a Saturday…?" Rick asked.
"Yeah it is a symposium most of the world's experts are going to be there. Martin said. "I could shop this around and see what shakes out!"
"Yeah Martin you do that so keep in touch Man!" Rick said hugging the man.
They walked Martin to the door then waved as he left the loft.