Could this be the clue to the decades-old mystery she’d been trying to solve herself?

Bette was mentioning that since Stalin had ordered the execution or imprisonment of almost all of the members of “the trust” there was little historical documentation of its key members from 1925 onwards to enable them to find out more about those people.  But maybe there was something in all the files that she’d gathered that could shed light on that period.

Sylvia could barely register what the brunette was thinking out loud.

“But the more important thing is … and I know I’ll have to do a lot of work to prove it … but I think each batch of bullion bars with numbers series’ that refer to similar years, will have a similar history behind them, Sylvia.”

“So I think that there are going to be stories to the bullion bars dated in the 1940s, the 60’s, and the 80’s.   Through it all, I bet the information I’m piecing together from the various files will tell me that this has collectively been a story about heroic individuals, each fighting for something, the pressing issue of their day, maybe, and entrusted, as well, with the fate of this gold,” Bette was musing.

“Could this all be about a chain of custodians handing the reins over at discrete intervals?  Not just about the gold, but an incredible story of courage, at each stop?  And of trust or belief in the integrity of amazing, but unheralded people — one generation trusting the next?”

They fell silent, each preoccupied with their thoughts about the implications of what Bette was beginning to piece together, as Bette continued to pace around the room.

Finally, Bette blew out a breath, and sat down on the couch, across from the easy chair Sylvia had settled into.

“You know that strange string of numbers at the bottom of each page I’ve shown you?  The one that we’ve had the most difficult time with?”

Sylvia nodded.

Bette smiled, and announced, “Well, I think I’ve decoded it.”

Sylvia handed her a glass of iced tea.  “What do you think it says?”

“Wait for the one who’ll do the right thing,” Bette said before taking a long drink from the glass.