Chapter 3

The office seemed to be vacuumed. No sound came from the two of them standing in Laura's office, only the silent ticking of the clock, ticking off the seconds to find the killer. Langdon stared deeply into Laura's eyes. He saw fear, anger, and confusion all consumed in her beautiful dazzle of sapphire blue. He scrutinized her pale complexion. She definitely had been crying…the blue was tinted pink. Langdon sighed and scratched his chin, the roughness from not being able to shave earlier. He wished he could help the scientist, but no pure evidence clearly showed anything related to Langdon, besides the original sign for the male. Laura was sitting in the corner of her office, massaging the sides of her forehead as she spoke in fast Italian in her cellular.

"Sì, so…ma…condannare polizia Eleferiadis!" Laura practically shouted into the receiver.

Langdon knew enough Italian to know that Laura had just sworn. He bit his lip as he examined the photo again. There was a bluish tinge on the woman's abdomen. He glanced behind his shoulder, Laura was still arguing with the officer in-charge.

He took one of the magnify glasses and focused on the abdomen. It seemed to have five sides, which was all Langdon could figure out…the spotlight from the desk that the officer had put when he took the picture had blinded other evidence. They need a smarter photographer…

"Find anything professor?" Laura asked, hands on hips.

"Robert is just fine…" he said, matching the same tone she used at the runway.

He handed the picture and magnify glass to her, blushing as he accidentally touched her smooth, silk like hand. He turned away but Laura pulled on his jacket, bringing him very close to her. He inhaled the aroma of her skin. Her hair smelt like wild berries…

"What is that? Professor?" She said looking at him.

He was still shocked how close they were. His shoulder had slide right behind her back, their cheeks almost touching, her hair, soft on his outstretched hand.

"It looks like a star…" He said, straightening his back.

"It seemed to be, bruised, on to her…" she said, a bit disgusted, while choosing the right words in front of the American guest.

"So it seems…you're the forensic…" he said, hopefully she didn't' take it as though he was being sarcastic.

His heart was still pounding.

"A star maybe?" She looked closely.

The phone rang. It was the office receiver this time. Laura picked up the phone as Langdon called for a substitute for his class.

"Yes, I'm in Athens, Greece. Why? I'm, uh…I was called away for some…uh research. Of course I'm telling the truth! No, I'm not lying…what makes you think…no…I don't have a wife…that's…no I'm not Casanova either, would you stop joking around and find me a damn substitute? Yes! Thank you!" He turned off his cellular and groaned. This is going to cost a lot on my phone bill…

"Let's go…" Laura had also hung up and was crabbing her case, jacket, and what seemed like torturing devices.

"Go? Go where?" Langdon was very confused, and his stomach was angry with hunger.

"To The Temple of Olympian Zeus…" Laura said quickly.

Langdon fidgeted about, trying to get his cellular into his breast pocket. Laura was at the door frame, she turned on her heel and neatly slid the cellular into his pocket. That's when she noticed the watch.

"Mickey Mouse?" She said, as thought talking to a little boy.

"Long story…" Langdon flashed a sarcastic smile as he looked at her bags of "torture" devices. He raised his eyebrows.

"I'm a forensic scientist remember? Just consider yourself lucky that you're, not the corpse." She said, a little playful to the professor's ear.

Langdon smiled agitatedly. Hmm…maybe…

They stormed out the door. Laura seemed to have switched moods very quickly. Like a bright day near the equator to a rainy day, El Nino. His nickname for Laura, in his mind. Langdon smiled to himself as he looked up his smile fell. Laura was running at top speed ahead. He followed her, as she opened the door she held it open for him impatiently. He ran through and she was ahead of him again. Langdon caught sight of a taxi.

"Are we taking a cab?" He asked.

Laura nodded as she craned her neck to find one over Langdon's shoulder. Langdon stuck his thumb and index into his mouth and made a high pitched but loud whistle at a cabbie. He waved, but the cabbie didn't seem to want to stop. There was an exasperated growl from somewhere in Laura's throat. Before Langdon could pull here back she ran in front of the cab.

"Laura!" Langdon yelled. Scared that the cabbie couldn't stomp on the brakes fast enough.

Langdon watched as the cab halted, skidding to a stop in front of the arms outstretched Laura. The cabbie cussed loudly at Laura in Greek as Laura also shouted back in Greek.

"Got us a ride." Laura huffed.

"You speak Greek too miss scientist?" Langdon said.

"Yeah, I'm bilingual…" She said pulling on his tweed jacket into the cabbie and to the Temple of Olympian Zeus.