inca.gold-第73部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


ilding。　The　rest　of　the　grounds　are　as　quiet　as　a　churchyard。〃
　　　　Damned　clever　of　the　Zolars　to　use　a　gardener　as　a　security　guard；〃　said　Gaskill。　〃If　he　hadn't　mowed　the　lawn　four　times　this　week；　we　might　have　ignored　him。〃
　　　　〃That　and　the　fact　our　surveillance　identified　his　Walkman　headset　as　a　radio　transmitter；〃　added　Ragsdale。
　　　　〃A　good　sign。　If　they　have　nothing　to　hide；　why　the　wily　tactics？〃
　　　　〃Don't　get　your　hopes　up。　The　Zolar　warehouse　operations　may　look　suspicious；　but　when　the　FBI　walked　in　with　a　search　warrant　two　years　ago；　we　didn't　find　so　much　as　a　stolen　ballpoint　pen。〃
　　　　〃Same　with　Customs　when　we　talked　agents　at　Internal　Revenue　into　conducting　a　series　of　tax　audits。　Zolar　and　his　family　surfaced　as　pure　as　the　driven　snow。〃
　　　　Ragsdale　nodded　a　〃thank　you〃　as　one　of　his　agents　handed　him　a　cup　of　coffee。　〃All　we've　got　going　for　us　this　time　around　is　the　element　of　surprise。　Our　last　raid　failed　after　a　local　cop；　who　was　on　Zolar's　payroll；　tipped　him　off。〃
　　　　〃We　should　be　thankful　we're　not　walking　into　a　high　security　armed　fortress。〃
　　　　〃Anything　from　your　undercover　informant？〃　asked　Gaskill。
　　　　Ragsdale　shook　his　head。　〃He's　beginning　to　think　we've　put　him　in　the　wrong　operation。　He　hasn't　turned　up　the　slightest　hint　of　unlawful　activities。〃
　　　　〃No　one　in　or　out　of　the　building　except　bona　fide　employees。　No　illegal　goods　received　or　shipped　in　the　past　four　days。　Do　you　get　the　feeling　we're　waiting　for　it　to　snow　in　Galveston？〃
　　　　〃It　seems　that　way。〃
　　　　Gaskill　stared　at　him。　〃Do　you　want　to　rethink　this　thing　and　call　off　the　raid？〃
　　　　Ragsdale　stared　back。　〃The　Zolars　aren't　perfect。　There　has　to　be　a　flaw　in　their　system　somewhere；　and　I'm　staking　my　career　that　it's　across　the　street　in　that　building。〃
　　　　Gaskill　laughed。　〃I'm　with　you；　buddy；　right　on　down　to　forced　early　retirement。〃
　　　　Ragsdale　held　up　a　thumb。　〃Then　the　show　goes　on　in　eight　minutes　as　planned。〃
　　　　〃I　don't　see　any　reason　to　call　a　halt；　do　you？〃
　　　　〃With　Zolar　and　two　of　his　brothers　running　around　Baja　looking　for　treasure；　and　the　rest　of　his　family　in　Europe；　we'll　never　have　a　better　opportunity　to　explore　the　premises　before　their　army　of　attorneys　gets　wind　of　the　operation　and　swoops　in　to　cut　us　off　at　the　pass。〃

　　　　Two　agents　driving　a　pickup　truck　borrowed　from　the　Galveston　Sanitation　Department　pulled　up　at　the　curb　opposite　the　gardener　who　was　cultivating　a　flower　bed　beside　the　Zolar　building。　The　man　in　the　passenger　seat　rolled　down　the　window　and　called　out；　〃Excuse　me。〃
　　　　The　gardener　turned　and　stared　questioningly　at　the　truck。
　　　　The　agent　made　a　friendly　smile。　〃Can　you　tell　me　if　your　driveway　gutters　backed　up　during　the　last　rain？〃
　　　　Curious；　the　gardener　stepped　out　of　the　flower　bed　and　approached　the　truck。　〃I　don't　recall　seeing　any　backup；〃　he　replied。
　　　　The　agent　held　a　city　street　map　out　the　window。　〃Do　you　know　if　any　of　the　surrounding　streets　had　drainage　problems？〃
　　　　As　the　gardener　leaned　down　to　study　the　map；　the　agent's　arm　suddenly　lashed　out　and　tore　the　transmitter　from　the　gardener's　head　and　jerked　the　cable　leading　from　the　microphone　and　headphones　from　its　socket　in　the　battery　pack。　〃Federal　agents；〃　snapped　the　agent。　〃Stand　still　and　don't　wink　an　eye。〃
　　　　The　agent　behind　the　wheel　then　spoke　into　a　portable　radio。　〃Go　ahead；　it's　all　clear。〃
　　　　The　federal　agents　did　not　smash　into　the　Zolar　International　building　with　the　lightning　speed　of　a　drug　bust；　nor　did　they　launch　a　massive　assault　like　the　disaster　that　occurred　years　before　in　the　pound　in　Waco；　Texas。　This　was　no　high…security；　armed　fortress。　One　team　quietly　surrounded　the　building's　exits　while　the　main　group　calmly　entered　through　the　main　entrance。
　　　　The　office　help　and　corporate　administrators　showed　no　sign　of　fear　or　anxiety。　They　appeared　confused　and　puzzled。　The　agents　politely　but　firmly　herded　them　out　onto　the　main　floor　of　the　warehouse　where　they　were　joined　by　the　workers　in　the　storage　and　shipping　section　and　the　artisans　from　the　artifact　preservation　department。　Two　buses　were　driven　through　the　shipping　doors　and　loaded　with　the　Zolar　International　personnel；　who　were　then　taken　to　FBI　headquarters　in　nearby　Houston　for　questioning。　The　entire　roundup　operation　took　less　than　four　minutes。
　　　　The　paperwork　team；　made　up　mostly　of　FBI　agents　trained　in　accounting　methods　and　led　by　Ragsdale；　went　to　work　immediately；　searching　through　desks；　examining　files；　and　scrutinizing　every　recorded　transaction。　Gaskill；　along　with　his　Customs　people　and　professional　art　experts；　began　cataloguing　and　photographing　the　thousands　of　art　and　antique　objects　stored　throughout　the　building。　The　work　was　tedious　and　time…consuming　and　produced　no　concrete　evidence　of　stolen　goods。
　　　　Shortly　after　one　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　Gaskill　and　Ragsdale　sat　down　in　Joseph　Zolar's　luxurious　office　to　pare　notes　amid　incredibly　costly　art　objects。　The　FBI's　chief　agent　did　not　look　happy。
　　　　〃This　is　beginning　to　have　the　look　of　a　big　embarrassment　followed　by　a　storm　of　nasty　publicity　and　a　gigantic　lawsuit；〃　Ragsdale　said　dejectedly。
　　　　〃No　sign　of　criminal　activity　in　the　records？〃　asked　Gaskill。
　　　　〃Nothing　that　stands　out。　We'll　need　a　good　month　for　an　audit　to　know　for　certain　if　we　have　a　case。　What　did　you　dig　up　on　your　end？〃
　　　　〃So　far　every　object　we've　studied　checks　clean。　No　stolen　goods　anywhere。〃
　　　　〃Then　we've　performed　another　abortion。〃
　　　　Gaskill　sighed。　〃I　hate　to　say　it；　but　it　appears　the　Zolars　are　a　hell　of　a　lot　smarter　than　the　best　bined　investigative　teams　the　United　States　government　can　field。〃
　　　　A　few　moments　later；　the　two　Customs　agents　who　had　worked　with　Gaskill　on　the　Rummel　raid　in　Chicago；　Beverly　Swain　and　Winfried　Pottle；　stepped　into　the　office。　Their　manner　was　official　and　businesslike；　but　there　was　no　hiding　the　slight　upward　curl　of　their　lips。　Ragsdale　and　Gaskill　had　been　so　absorbed　in　their　private　conversation　that　they　hadn't　noticed　the　two　younger　Customs　agents　had　not　entered　through　the　office　door；　but　from　the　adjoining；　private　bathroom。
　　　　〃Got　a　minute；　boss？〃　Beverly　Swain　asked　Gaskill。
　　　　〃What　is　it？〃
　　　　〃I　think　our　instruments　have　detected　some　sort　of　shaft　leading　under　the　building；〃　answered　Winfried　Pottle。
　　　　〃What　did　you　say？〃　Gaskill　demanded　quickly。
　　　　Ragsdale　looked　up。　〃Instruments？〃
　　　　〃The　ground…penetrating　sonic/radar　detector　we　borrowed　from　the　Colorado　School　of　Mines；〃　explained　Pottle。　〃Its　recording　unit　shows　a　narrow　space　beneath　the　warehouse　floor　leading　into　the　earth。〃
　　　　A　faint　ray　of　hope　suddenly　passed　between　Ragsdale　and　Gaskill。　They　both　came　to　their　feet。　〃How　did　you　know　where　to　look？〃　asked　Ragsdale。
　　　　Pottle　and　Swain　could　not　contain　their　smiles　of　triumph。　Swain　nodded　at　Poole　who　answered；　〃We　figured　that　any　passageway　leading　to　a　secret　chamber　had　to　start　or　end　at　Zolar's　private　office；　a　connective　tunnel　he　could　enter　at　his　convenience　without　being　observed。〃
　　　　〃His　personal　bathroom；〃　Gaskill　guessed　wonderingly。
　　　　〃A　handy　location；〃　Swain　confirmed。
　　　　Ragsdale　took　a　deep　breath。　〃Show　us。〃
　　　　Pottle　and　Swain　led　them　into　a　large　bathroom　with　a　marble　floor　and　an　antique　sink；　mode；　and　fixtures；　with　teak　decking　from　an　old　yacht　covering　the　walls。　They　motioned　to　a　modern　sunken　tub　with　a　Jacuzzi　that　seemed　oddly　out　of　place　with　the　more　ancient　decor。
　　　　The　shaft　drops　under　the　bathtub；〃　said　Swain；　pointing。
　　　　Are　you　sure　about　this？〃　asked　Ragsdale　skeptically。　〃The　shower　stall　strikes　me　as　a　more　practical　setup　for　an　elevator。〃
　　　　〃Our　first　thought　too；〃　answered　Pottle；　〃but　our　instrument　showed　solid　concrete　and　ground　beneath　the　shower　floor。〃
　　　　Pottle　lifted　a　long　tubular　probe　that　was　attached　by　an　electrical　cable　to　a　pact　puter　with　a　paper　printout。　He　switched　on　the　unit　and　waved　the　end　of　the　probe　around　the　bottom　of　the　tub。　Lights　on　the　puter　blinked　for　a　few　seconds　and　then　a　sheet　of　paper　rolled　through　a　slot　on　the　top。　When　the　recording　paper　stopped　flowing；　Pottle　tore　it　off　and　held　it　up　for　everyone　to　see。
　　　　In　the　center　of　an　otherwise　blank　sheet　of　paper；　a　black　column　extended　from　end　to　end。
　　　　〃No　doubt　about　it；〃　announced　Pottle；　〃a　shaft　with　the　same　dimensions　as　the　bathtub　that　falls　underground。〃
　　　　〃And　you're　sure　your　electronic　marvel　is　accurate？〃　said　Ragsdale。
　　　　〃The　same　type　of　unit　found　previously　unknown　passages　and　chambers　in　the　Pyramids　of　Giza　last　year。〃
　　　　Gaskill　said　nothing　as　he　stepped　into　the　tub。　He　fiddled　with　the　nozzle；　but　it　simply　adjusted　for　spray　and　direction。　Then　he　sat　down　on　a　seat　large　enough　to　hold　four　people。　He　turned　the　gold…plated　hot　and　cold　faucets；　but　no　water　flowed　through　the　spout。
　　　　He　looked　up　with　a　big　smile。　〃I　think　we're　making　progress。〃
　　　　Next　he　wiggled　the　lever　that　raised　and　lowered　the　plug。　Nothing　happened。
　　　　〃Try　twisting　the　spout；〃　suggested　Swain。
　　　　Gaskill　took　the　gold…plated　spout　in　one　of　his　massive　hands　and　gave　it　a　slight　turn。　To　his　surprise　it　moved　and　the　tub　began　to　slowly　sink　beneath　the　bathroom　floor。　A　reverse　turn　of　the　spout　and　the　tub　returned　to　its　former　position。　He　knew；　he　knew；　this　simple　little　water　spout　and　this　stupid　bathtub　were　the　keys　that　could　topple　the　entire　Zolar　organization　and　shut　them　down　for　good。　He　gave　a　e…hither　motion　to　the　others　and　said　gleefully；　〃Going　down？〃
　　　　The　unusual　elevator　descended　for　nearly　thirty　seconds　before　ing　to　a　stop　in　another　bathroom。　Poole　judged　the　drop　to　be　about　20　meters　（65　feet）。　They　stepped　from　the　bathroom　into　an　office　that　was　almost　an　exact　copy　of　the　one　above。　The　lights　were　on　but　no　one　was　present。　With　Ragsdale　in　the　lead；　the　little　group　of　agents　cracked　open　the　door　of　the　office　and　peered　out　onto　the　floor　of　an　immense　storehouse　of　stolen　art　and　antiquities。　They　were　all　stunned　by　the　size　of　the　chamber　and　the　enormous　inventory　of　the　objects。　Gaskill　made　a　wild　guess　of　at　least　ten　thousand　pieces　as　Ragsdale　slipped　into　th