The Librarians ...and the Sleepwalking Caretaker (Budapest Mysteries - part 2)

It's the right Time

A long silence followed. Eve Baird stared at each of the Librarians, thinking about her options. Their only clues were a mysterious forest, an even so mysterious tomb and Flynn's vision. She caught Carsen's glance resting on her and she suddenly felt uncomfortable. An inner voice told her that it was now or never. It was the right moment to tell them what she knew about Jenkins.

"Alright, let's sit down and think about our options at hand," she said, before showing the example by sitting down on the grass.

Soon they were all sitting in a circle and Ezekiel grinned:

"Now what? We hold hands and make a prayer?"

"It has sometimes proven to be a very good and powerful idea," said Flynn very seriously. "I actually remember..."

"The Loom of Fate." Eve cut him short.

The four Librarians looked at her, puzzled.

"I do remember all of it."

"All of it, like in.. all what happened?" Carefully asked Jake who wasn't sure he liked where this was going.

Baird nodded:

"I do."

"What? You knew and you didn't tell us? That's so unfair!" Complained Jones.

"I'm sure she had a good reason," quickly said Jake.

Flynn raised his hand:

"Please, let her speak."

He was unusually calm and composed. The Guardian wondered if he knew that she had kept something from them. Then again, everything was possible with him.

"Jenkins is indeed very old. In fact, I believe that he is immortal."

Cillian opened her mouth and closed it. Stone exchanged a glance with Jones.

"After Dulaque stabbed me, Jenkins intervened to protect Flynn. That's when I discovered who they were. Dulaque is Lancelot."

"Lancelot? As in Lancelot du Lac..." interrupted Jake before realising. "Du Lac... Dulaque... of course, makes sense..."

"Dulaque called Jenkins... Galahad," continued Eve.

"Wow," was Ezekiel's only reaction.

"That would explain my vision, then," noted Carsen. "It was indeed an event of Jenkins' past I witnessed. Interesting..."

"The question is: why did you see it?" Pointed Jones out.

"And more importantly: what did provoke that vision?" Added Baird.

Silence fell once again upon the small group as they were processing the news. The Guardian knew them well enough to imagine what they were thinking. Cassandra looked sad, she was obviously thinking that the Caretaker didn't trust them enough to share his true identity with them and it hurt her feelings to learn it from the colonel. Jake's mind was probably wandering at Jenkins' vast historical knowledge and he was no doubt hoping to learn as much as he could from the man. Ezekiel seemed a little annoyed, but Eve couldn't guess if it was because he had been fooled or because he felt betrayed. As for Carsen, he wasn't acting the least surprised, confirming her suspicions that he knew already.

The Librarian was currently thinking about his own experience. Jenkins was for the young Librarians what Judson had been for him. A mentor, a father figure, a secretive man unwilling to share his secrets with others, even the closest ones.

"Don't judge him too quickly," softly said Flynn. "People like Jenkins have lived so much, lost so much... They just want to fit in, as weird as it may sound for someone working in the Library. We can't let our own feelings obscure our judgement. We came here to investigate on Jenkins' whereabouts and that's exactly what I intend to do. Colonel Baird gave us a clue, it's up to us to use it the best we can."

His little speech had the expected effect. The three Librarians' face expressed a new determination. They jumped on their feet and started looking around for any clue. Flynn moved to sit close to Eve.

"Are you O.K.?"

She shrugged:

"I think so. I hope that he won't be mad at me when he finds out I told you all."

Carsen smiled:

"Take my word for it. He won't. Quite on the contrary, it will be a relief. Shall we inestigate?"

He stood and gallantly offered his hand to help her up. Their eyes met and locked. Baird didn't let go of Flynn's hand. The time suddenly seemed to stop...until Ezekiel cried:

"Over here!"

He was standing near one of Neolithic stones, holding Jenkins' nightcap in his hand.