inca.gold-第54部分

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　　　　After　a　thorough　search　of　the　plane；　and　not　finding　the　slightest　trace　of　drugs　or　other　illegal　contraband；　the　Customs　agents　concluded　Vincente　was　clean。　They　had　investigated　him　years　before　and　were　satisfied　he　was　a　respected　Costa　Rican　businessman　who　made　a　vast　fortune　growing　coffee　beans。　It　was　true　that　Pedro　Vincente　owned　the　second　largest　coffee　plantation　in　Costa　Rica。　It　was　also　true　he　had　amassed　ten　times　what　his　coffee　plantation　made　him　as　he　was　also　the　genius　behind　a　highly　successful　drug　smuggling　operation　known　as　Julio　Juan　Carlos。
　　　　Like　the　Zolars　and　their　criminal　empire；　Vincente　directed　his　smuggling　operation　from　a　distance。　Day…to…day　activities　were　left　to　his　lieutenants；　none　of　whom　had　a　clue　to　his　real　identity。
　　　　Vincente　actually　had　a　former　wife　who　was　living　with　his　four　children　on　a　large　farm　outside　of　Wichita。　The　farm　was　a　gift　from　him　after　she　begged　for　a　divorce。　An　airstrip　was　built　on　the　farm　so　he　could　fly　in　and　out　from　Costa　Rica　to　visit　the　children　while　purchasing　stolen　art　and　illegal　antiquities　from　the　Zolar　family。　Customs　and　Drug　Enforcement　agents　were　more　concerned　about　what　came　into　the　country　rather　than　what　went　out。
　　　　It　was　late　afternoon　when　Vincente　touched　down　on　the　narrow　strip　in　the　middle　of　a　corn　field。　A　golden…tan　jet　aircraft　with　a　purple　stripe　running　along　its　side　was　parked　at　one　end。　A　large　blue　tent　with　an　awning　extending　from　the　front　had　been　erected　beside　the　jet。　A　man　in　a　white　linen　suit　was　seated　under　the　awning　beside　a　table　set　with　a　picnic　lunch。　Vincente　waved　from　the　cockpit；　quickly　ran　through　his　postflight　checklist；　and　exited　the　DC…3。　He　carried　three　of　the　briefcases；　leaving　one　behind。
　　　　The　man　sitting　at　the　table　rose　from　his　chair；　came　forward　and　embraced　Vincente。　〃Pedro；　always　a　delight　to　see　you。〃
　　　　〃Joseph；　old　friend；　you　don't　know　how　much　I　look　forward　to　our　little　encounters。〃
　　　　〃Believe　me　when　I　say　I'd　rather　deal　with　an　honorable　man　like　you　than　all　my　other　clients　put　together。〃
　　　　Vincente　grinned。　〃Fattening　the　lamb　with　flattery　before　the　slaughter？〃
　　　　Zolar　laughed　easily。　〃No；　no；　not　until　we've　had　a　few　glasses　of　good　champagne　to　make　you　mellow。〃
　　　　Vincente　followed　Joseph　Zolar　under　the　awning　and　sat　down　as　a　young　Latin　American　serving　girl　poured　the　champagne　and　offered　hors　d'oeuvres。　〃Have　you　brought　choice　merchandise　for　me？〃
　　　　〃Here's　to　a　mutual　transaction　that　profits　good　friends；〃　Zolar　said　as　they　clinked　glasses。　Then　he　nodded。　〃I　have　personally　selected　for　your　consideration　the　rarest　of　rare　artifacts　from　the　Incas　of　Peru。　I've　also　brought　extremely　valuable　religious　objects　from　American　Southwest　Indians。　I　guarantee　objects　that　have　just　arrived　from　the　Andes　will　lift　your　matchless　collection　of　pre…Columbian　art　above　that　of　any　museum　in　the　world。〃
　　　　〃I'm　anxious　to　see　them。〃
　　　　〃My　staff　has　them　displayed　inside　the　tent　for　your　pleasure；〃　said　Zolar。
　　　　People　who　begin　to　collect　scarce　and　unmon　objects　soon　bee　addicts；　enslaved　by　their　need　to　acquire　and　accumulate　what　no　one　else　can　own。　Pedro　Vincente　was　one　of　the　brotherhood　who　was　driven　constantly　to　expand　his　collection；　one　that　few　people　knew　existed。　He　was　also　one　of　the　lucky　ones　who　possessed　secret；　untaxed　funds　that　could　be　laundered　to　satisfy　his　craving。
　　　　Vincente　had　purchased　70　percent　of　his　cherished　collectibles　from　Zolar　over　twenty　years。　It　did　not　bother　him　in　the　least　that　he　often　paid　five　or　ten　times　the　true　value　of　the　objects；　especially　since　most　of　them　were　stolen　goods。　The　relationship　was　advantageous　to　both。　Vincente　laundered　his　drug　money；　and　Zolar　used　the　cash　to　secretly　purchase　and　expand　his　ever…increasing　inventory　of　illegal　art。
　　　　〃What　makes　the　Andean　artifacts　so　valuable？〃　asked　Vincente；　as　they　finished　off　a　second　glass　of　champagne。
　　　　〃They　are　Chachapoyan。〃
　　　　〃I've　never　seen　Chachapoyan　artwork。〃
　　　　〃Few　have；〃　replied　Zolar。　〃What　you　are　about　to　view　was　recently　excavated　from　the　lost　City　of　the　Dead　high　in　the　Andes。〃
　　　　〃I　hope　you're　not　about　to　show　me　a　few　potsherds　and　burial　urns；〃　said　Vincente；　his　anticipation　beginning　to　dwindle。　〃No　authentic　Chachapoyan　artifacts　have　ever　e　on　the　market。〃
　　　　Zolar　swept　back　the　tent　flap　with　a　dramatic　flourish。　〃Feast　your　eyes　on　the　greatest　collection　of　Chachapoyan　art　ever　assembled。〃
　　　　In　his　unbridled　excitement；　Vincente　did　not　notice　a　small　glass　case　on　a　stand　in　one　corner　of　the　tent。　He　walked　directly　to　three　long　tables　with　black　velvet　coverings　set　up　in　the　shape　of　a　horseshoe。　One　side　table　held　only　textiles；　the　other　ceramics。　The　center　table　was　set　up　like　an　exhibit　in　a　Fifth　Avenue　jewelry　store。　The　extensive　array　of　precious　handcrafted　splendor　stunned　Vincente。　He　had　never　seen　so　many　pre…Columbian　antiquities　so　rich　in　rarity　and　beauty　displayed　in　one　place。
　　　　〃This　is　unbelievable！〃　he　gasped。　〃You　have　truly　outdone　yourself。〃
　　　　〃No　dealer　anywhere　has　ever　had　his　hands　on　such　masterworks。〃
　　　　Vincente　went　from　piece　to　piece；　touching　and　examining　each　with　a　critical　eye。　Just　to　feel　the　embroidered　textiles　and　gold　ornaments　with　their　gemstones　took　Vincente's　breath　away。　It　seemed　utterly　incongruous　that　such　a　hoard　of　wealth　was　sitting　in　a　corn　field　in　Kansas。　At　last　he　finally　murmured　in　awe；　〃So　this　is　Chachapoyan　art。〃
　　　　〃Every　piece　original　and　fully　authenticated。〃
　　　　〃These　treasures　all　came　from　graves？〃
　　　　〃Yes；　tombs　of　royalty　and　the　wealthy。〃
　　　　〃Magnificent。〃
　　　　〃See　anything　you　like？〃　Zolar　asked　facetiously。
　　　　〃Is　there　more？〃　asked　Vincente　as　the　excitement　wore　off　and　he　began　to　turn　his　mind　toward　acquisition。
　　　　〃What　you　see　is　everything　I　have　that　is　Chachapoyan。〃
　　　　〃You're　not　holding　back　any　major　pieces？〃
　　　　〃Absolutely　not；〃　Zolar　said　with　righteous　resentment。　〃You　have　first　crack　at　the　entire　collection。　I　will　not　sell　it　piecemeal。　I　don't　have　to　tell　you；　my　friend；　there　are　five　other　collectors　waiting　in　the　wings　for　such　an　opportunity。〃
　　　　〃I'll　give　you　four　million　dollars　for　the　lot。〃
　　　　〃I　appreciate　the　richness　of　your　initial　offer。　But　you　know　me　well　enough　to　understand　I　never　haggle。　There　is　one　price；　and　one　price　only。〃
　　　　〃Which　is？〃
　　　　〃Six　million。〃
　　　　Vincente　cleared　several　artifacts；　making　an　open　space　on　one　table。　He　opened　the　briefcases　side　by　side；　one　at　a　time。　All　were　filled　with　closely　packed　stacks　of　high　denomination　bills。　〃I　only　brought　five　million。〃
　　　　Zolar　was　not　fooled　for　an　instant。　〃A　great　pity　I　have　to　pass。　I　can't　think　of　anyone　I'd　rather　have　sold　the　collection　to。〃
　　　　〃But　I　am　your　best　customer；〃　plained　Vincente。
　　　　〃I　can't　deny　that；〃　said　Zolar。　〃We　are　like　brothers。　I　am　the　only　man　who　knows　of　your　secret　activities；　and　you　are　the　only　one　outside　my　family　who　knows　mine。　Why　do　you　put　me　through　this　ordeal　every　time　we　deal？　You　should　know　better　by　now。〃
　　　　Suddenly　Vincente　laughed　and　gave　a　typically　Latin　shrug。　〃What　is　the　use？　You　know　I　have　more　money　than　I　can　ever　spend。　Having　the　artifacts　in　my　possession　makes　me　a　happy　man。　Forgive　my　bargaining　habits。　Paying　retail　was　never　a　tradition　in　my　family。〃
　　　　〃Your　reserve　supply　of　cash　is　still　in　your　aircraft；　of　course。〃
　　　　Without　a　word；　Vincente　exited　the　tent　and　returned　in　a　few　minutes　with　the　fourth　briefcase。　He　set　it　beside　the　others　and　opened　it。　〃Six　million；　five　hundred　thousand。　You　said　you　have　some　rare　religious　objects　from　the　American　Southwest。　Are　they　included　too？〃
　　　　〃For　the　extra　five　hundred　thousand　you　can　have　them；〃　answered　Zolar。　〃You'll　find　the　Indian　religious　idols　under　the　glass　case　in　the　corner。〃
　　　　Vincente　walked　over　and　removed　the　glass　dust　cover。　He　stared　at　the　strangely　shaped　gnarled　figures。　These　were　no　ordinary　ceremonial　idols。　Although　they　looked　as　if　they　had　been　carved　and　painted　by　a　young　child；　he　was　aware　of　their　significance　from　long　experience　of　collecting　objects　from　the　American　Southwest。
　　　　〃Hopi？〃　he　asked。
　　　　〃No；　Montolo。　Very　old。　Very　important　in　their　ceremonial　rituals。〃
　　　　Vincente　reached　down　and　began　to　pick　one　up　for　a　closer　look。　His　heart　skipped　the　next　three　beats　and　he　felt　an　icy　shroud　fall　over　him。　The　fingers　of　his　hand　did　not　feel　as　if　they　came　in　contact　with　the　hardened　root　of　a　long…dead　cottonwood　tree。　The　idol　felt　more　like　the　soft　flesh　of　a　woman's　arm。　Vincente　could　have　sworn　he　heard　it　utter　an　audible　moan。
　　　　〃Did　you　hear　that？〃　he　asked；　thrusting　the　idol　back　in　the　case　as　if　it　had　burned　his　hand。
　　　　Zolar　peered　at　him　questioningly。　〃I　didn't　hear　anything。〃
　　　　Vincente　looked　like　a　man　having　a　nightmare。　〃Please；　my　friend；　let　us　finish　our　business；　and　then　you　must　leave。　I　do　not　want　these　idols　on　my　property。〃
　　　　〃Does　that　mean　you　don't　wish　to　buy　them？〃　Zolar　asked；　surprised。
　　　　No；　no。　Spirits　are　alive　in　those　idols。　I　can　feel　their　presence。〃
　　　　〃Superstitious　nonsense。〃
　　　　Vincente　grasped　Zolar　by　the　shoulders；　his　eyes　pleading。　〃Destroy　them；〃　he　begged。　〃Destroy　them　or　they　will　surely　destroy　you。〃

　　　　Under　an　Indian　summer　sun；　two　hundred　prime　examples　of　automotive　builders'　art　sat　on　the　green　grass　of　East　Potomac　Park　and　glittered　like　spangles　under　a　theatrical　spotlight。
　　　　Staged　for　people　who　appreciated　the　timeless　beauty　and　exacting　craftsmanship　of　coach…built　automobiles；　and　those　who　simply　had　a　love　affair　with　old　cars；　the　annual　Capital　Concours　de　Beaux　Moteurcar　was　primarily　a　benefit　to　raise　money　for　child　abuse　treatment　centers　around　metropolitan　Washington。　During　the　weekend　the　event　was　held；　fifty　thousand　enthusiastic　old…car　buffs　swarmed　into　the　park　to　gaze　lovingly　at　the　Duesenbergs；　Auburns；　Cords；　Bugattis；　and　Packards；　products　of　automakers　long　since　gone。
　　　　The　atmosphere　was　heavy　with　nostalgia。　The　crowds　that　strolled　the　exhibit　area　and