Summary: Chapter 45
Vernet puts Sophie and Langdon in the back of an armored
truck, changes into a driver’s uniform, and hides a gun under his
clothes. As he drives them away from the bank, Officer Collet stops
him and interrogates him. Vernet pretends to be a blue-collar driver
and says he does not have the keys to the trunk. Collet sees Vernet’s
Rolex and grows suspicious, but ultimately he lets Vernet go.
Summary: Chapter 46
Silas is extremely upset that he has let down Bishop Aringarosa.
He finally brings himself to call the Teacher, who tells him that
Saunière left a message and that he should stand by for further
instructions.
Summary: Chapter 47
Inside the box, Sophie and Langdon find a ball with letters
written on each of its five panels. Sophie recognizes this as a
cryptex, an invention of Leonardo Da Vinci’s that provided a secure
way to transport messages over long distances. A password is needed
to get to the message inside the ball. Sophie and Langdon discuss
the meaning of the rose that is on top of the box.
Summary: Chapter 48
Langdon realizes that they must be holding the Priory
keystone. He says that only the leader of the Priory would have
access to the keystone, and Sophie says she thinks her grandfather
may have been the leader of the Priory. The car stops and Vernet
lets them out, but then apologetically pulls a pistol on them.
Summary: Chapter 49
Vernet tells Langdon and Sophie to give him the box. He
just heard over the radio that they are wanted for three other murders.
Langdon realizes who the three must have been. He hands the box
over to Vernet, but he also manages to put a spent shotgun shell
into the mechanism of the door. When Vernet tries to shut them into
the truck, the door balks. Langdon bursts out of the door, takes
the box back, and gets back into the truck while Sophie drives away.
Summary: Chapter 50
Bishop Aringarosa, leaving Gandolfo, realizes that the
Teacher might not have been able to reach him because his cell phone
service was not strong in the mountains. He panics, worried that
the Teacher will think something has gone wrong with the deal.
