Chapter Twenty-Nine
Collie St. John is always curious and mysteries needed solving all the time. Sitting alone outside after the wedding, she had seen the newest guest come in after security had cleared her vehicle.
Collie figured the newcomer wasn't a regular upscale Aspenite. Maybe one of the old time ranching families although she looked almost like a librarian of sorts. When her coat flew open from a windy gust, the red head had seen her clothes. That sweater was pretty funny. A "jackalope". Mythic cross between a rabbit and an antelope. Only natives and semi-natives of Colorado got that joke. Hey, so she has a good sense of humor, Collie thought, she's gonna need it.
The red-head followed her in and heard her gasp at the sight of Thor. Whew, not at the sight of us vampires, anyway. But who is this lady?
Collie saw her mother swiftly taking charge. Good old mom, she's not head of The Foundation for nothing. A Napoleon in blue cocktail dress, martialing the forces, and making sure the Vikings were protected. Again.
But protected from whom?
Collie headed into the den. Elliott was already on the computer, having seen the lady's reaction to Thor.
The two look at each other. Knowing the enemy gives protection against revelation; that has always been number one priority for the families. He Googles her. "She's a highly published paleontologist with a sideline of anthropology. Born in Norway, her parents both scientists. Came to the U.S. in the early 70's and has a home here in Aspen besides one in Denver. She was on some really big digs in Greenland during the global warming and found what was believed to be a link between – get this, Red – Cro-Magnon and the ancient Norse. Evidently they haven't had enough material for genetic testing to confirm her theory."
Collie sighs. "Not yet. So that's why she's here. How do we keep it a secret now that she's seen Thor? And Ell, we've got another question to answer, don't we?
Elliott St. John nods. "The 64 million dollar question. I mean I've seen the History Channel. The Vikings were sea faring and supposedly died out after being the first white men to set foot in America. But, Collie, how did our Vikings got here to the middle of the Rockies in the first place?"
"A very good question and one I've wanted to ask since we "found" them." Josef Kostan wants answers.
"The original plan of hiding them in plain sight hasn't quite worked out. Let's get this lady together with Thor and see if we can't sort out this whole thing out."