"01 - In His Image" - читать интересную книгу автора (BeauSeigneur James)

"At first I didn't think it was possible, but I did a little checking, and it's him."

1B. J. Culliton, "Mystery of the Shroud of Turin Challenges 20th Century Science." Science, July 21, 1978. 201:235-239.

The Right Place at the Right Time 5

"You know," Decker said, thinking out loud, "There might be a story here. Religion sells."

"If you mean covering the expedition, I think you're right, but security is really tight. I tried to dig into the particulars a little but hit a brick wall. They're limiting coverage of the expedition to one reporter: a guy from the National Geographic"2

"That sounds like a challenge to me," Decker said.

"Oh, I'm not saying it can't be done, but it won't be easy."

Decker began to muse how he might, if he wanted to, go about getting the story. He could take the direct approach of trying to reason with whoever was making the rules. After all, why should they have only one journalist? On the other hand, what possible reason could he give to convince them to take someone from a tiny unknown weekly in Knoxville, Tennessee? Clearly, his best bet was to work through Goodman.

Over the next three weeks Decker made several attempts to reach his old professor, but without success. Goodman was doing research somewhere in Japan and even his wife, Martha, wasn't sure exactly where he was. With little to depend on beyond luck and determination, Decker arranged to fly to Norwich, Connecticut, and booked a room in the hotel where the Shroud team was scheduled to meet over the Labor Day weekend. He arrived the day before to look things over.

The next morning Decker found that a private dining room in the hotel had been prepared for about fifty people. Checking with one of the waiters, he quickly confirmed that this was where the Shroud team was meeting. A few minutes later the first of the team members walked into the room. The eyebrows were unmistakable. "Professor Goodman," Decker said, as he approached Goodman and extended his right hand. Goodman looked puzzled. "It's Hawthorne," Decker offered. It was obvious that Goodman was struggling to place the face. "From the University of Tennessee," he added.

A gleam of recognition began to show in the pale green eyes beneath the massive clumps of hair. "Oh, yes, Hawthorne! Well, how the hell are you? What are you doing here in Connecticut?"

Before Decker could answer, another person entered the room and called out, "Harry Goodman!" and came over to where they were

2 For the resulting article see K. F. Weaver, "Mystery of the Shroud." National Geographic, June 1980, 157:729-753.

6 In His Image

standing. "So, where were you last night? I called your room, hoping to have dinner with you."

Goodman did not respond but proceeded instead to formal introductions. "Professor Don Stanley, allow me to introduce Decker Hawthorne, a former student and research assistant of mine from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville."

Professor Stanley shook Decker's hand, gave him a quick onceover, and then looked back at Goodman. "So Hawthorne here must be the research assistant that I heard you'd suckered into helping out. What a shame," Stanley added, pausing and looking back at Decker, "I'd have thought you looked too intelligent for that."

"He is," responded Goodman, "and, unfortunately, so is the young man you're referring to."

"Oh, so he jumped ship on you, did he?" responded Stanley with a chuckle.

"Well, after all," Goodman shrugged, "it is quite a lot to expect a young man to pay the cost of an airline ticket to Turin, Italy, just to go on a wild goose chase."

Decker let none of this escape his attention. The possibility of replacing the missing research assistant provided a much better chance of getting onto the team than did the direct approach of getting the team to accept a second reporter. Now it was just a matter of waiting for the right opening.

"If you're so sure it's a 'goose chase,' why do you insist on going along?" Stanley asked.

"Somebody's got to keep the rest of you honest," Goodman said, with a grin.

By now several other members of the team had filed into the dining room and were gathering in small groups for conversation. One of the men caught Professor Stanley's attention and Stanley walked over to greet the new arrival. Decker seized the opportunity to question Professor Goodman further about the missing assistant.

"What is it exactly that your research assistant was going to do on this trip?" Decker asked.