The Jester by James Patterson and Andrew Gross

Transcript

Time Warner Audiobooks presents: The Jester, written by James Patterson with Andrew Gross and read by Neil Dixon.

The authors would like to acknowledge that The Jester is in all ways a work of fiction — an entertainment. And while painstaking care has been paid to historical detail and the times, now and then a fact has been stretched or a truth bent for a sake of the story. Thanks to H.D. Miller of Yale University for his scholarly yet always anecdotal reading of the manuscript. And also to Mary Jordan, who kept this project on the right track at all times. And most of all, thanks to Sue and Lyn whose warmth and laughter and spirit found its way on to many pages of this book. And to our kids Christen, and Matt, and Mick, and Jack in the hope that the sound of laughter will never fail to be a guiding companion and a cherished friend in their lives.

Prologue: The Find

Wearing a brown tweed suit and his customary dark tortoise-shell sunglasses, Dr. Alberto Mazzini pushed through the crowd of loud and agitated reporters blocking the steps of the Musee d'histoire in Beret.

"Can you tell us about the artifact? Is it real? Is that why you're here?" a woman pressed, shoving a microphone marked CNN in his face. "Have tests been performed on the DNA?"

Dr. Mazzini was already annoyed. How had the press jackals been alerted? Nothing had even been confirmed about the find. He waved off the reporters and camera operators.

"This way doctor," one of the museum aides instructed, "Please come inside."