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he treasure； your share is twenty percent。〃
Moore shook hands。 He turned to his wife and smiled as if blissfully unaware of their death sentence。 〃Well； my dear； shall we get to work？〃
THE DEMON OF DEATH
October 22； 1998
Washington； D。C。
She was waiting at the curb outside the terminal； her windblown cinnamon hair glistening under the morning sun； when Pitt walked out of the baggage area of Dulles airport。 Congresswoman Loren Smith lifted the sunglasses that hid her incredible violet eyes； rose from behind the wheel； and perched on top of the car seat。 She waved； her hands covered with supple leather driving gloves。
A tall woman with an exquisitely proportioned Sharon Stone body； she was wearing red leather pants and jacket over a black turtleneck sweater。 Everyone within twenty meters； male and female； openly stared at her as she sat on top of the bright； fire engine red； 1953 Allard J2X sports car。 She and the car were both classic works of stylish elegance； and they made a perfect match。
She threw Pitt a seductive look and said； 〃Hi； sailor； need a ride？〃
He set his bag and a large metal case containing the jade box on the sidewalk； leaned over the low…slung body of the Allard and gave Loren a hard； quick kiss on the mouth。 〃You stole one of my cars。〃
〃That's the thanks I get for playing hooky from a mittee hearing to meet you at the airport？〃
Pitt stared down at the Spartan vehicle that had won eight of the nine sports car races it had entered forty…five years earlier。 There was not enough room for the two of them and his baggage in the small seating area； and the car had no trunk。 〃Where am I supposed to put my bags？〃
She reached down on the passenger's seat and handed him a pair of bungee cords。 〃I came prepared。 You can tie down your baggage on the trunk rack。〃
Pitt shook his head in wonderment。 Loren was as bright and perceptive as they e。 A five…term congresswoman from the state of Colorado； she was respected by her colleagues for her grasp of difficult issues and her uncanny gift for ing up with solid solutions。 Vivacious and outgoing in the halls of Congress； Loren was a private woman； seldom showing up at dinner parties and political functions； preferring to stay close to her townhouse in Alexandria； studying her aides' remendations on bills ing up for a vote and responding to her constituents' mail。 Her only social interest outside her work was her sporadic affair with Pitt。
〃Where's A1 and Rudi？〃 she asked； a look of tender concern in her eyes at seeing his unshaven face； haggard from exhaustion。
〃On the next flight。 They had a little business to clear up and return some equipment we borrowed。〃
After cinching his bags on a chrome rack mounted on the rear deck of the Allard； he opened the tiny passenger door； slid his long legs under the low dashboard and stretched them out to the firewall。 〃Dare I trust you to drive me home？〃
Loren threw him a wily smile； nodded politely to the airport policeman who was motioning her to move on； shifted the Allard's three…speed gearbox into first gear； and mashed down the accelerator。 The big Cadillac V…8 engine responded with a mighty roar； and the car leaped forward； rear tires screeching and smoking on the asphalt pavement。 Pitt shrugged helplessly at the policeman as they whipped past him； furiously groping for the buckle of his seat belt。
〃This is hardly conduct being a representative of the people；〃 he yelled above the thunder of the exhaust。
〃Who's to know？〃 She laughed。 〃The car is registered in your name。〃
Several times during the wild ride over the open highway from Dulles to the city； Loren swept the tachometer needle into the red。 Pitt took a fatalistic view。 If he was going to die at the hands of this madwoman； there was little else he could do but sit back and enjoy the ride。 In reality； he had plete confidence in her driving skills。 They had both driven the Allard in vintage sports car races； he in the men's events； she in the women's。 He relaxed； zipped up his windbreaker and breathed in the brisk fall air that rushed over and around the little twin windscreens mounted on the cowling。
Loren slipped the Allard through the traffic with the ease of quicksilver running downhill through a maze。 She soon pulled up in front of the old metal aircraft hangar； on the far end of Washington's international airport； that Pitt called home。
The structure had been built during the late nineteen thirties as a maintenance facility for early mercial airliners。 In 1980； it was condemned and scheduled for demolition； but Pitt took pity on the deserted and forlorn structure and purchased it。 Then he talked the local heritage preservation mittee into having it placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks。 Afterward； except for remodeling the former upstairs offices into an apartment； he restored the hangar to its original condition。
Pitt never felt the urge to invest his savings and a substantial inheritance from his grandfather into stocks； bonds； and real estate。 Instead； he chose antique and classic automobiles； and souvenirs large and small collected during his global adventures as special projects director for NUMA。
The ground floor of the old hangar was filled with nearly thirty old cars； from a 1932 Stutz towncar and French Avions Voisin sedan to a huge 1951 Daimler convertible； the youngest car in the collection。 An early Ford Trimotor aircraft sat in one corner； its corrugated aluminum wing sheltering a World War II Messerschmitt ME 262 jet fighter。 Along the far wall； an early Pullman railroad car； with Manhattan Limited lettered on the sides； rested on a short length of steel track。 But perhaps the strangest item was an old Victorian claw…footed bathtub with an outboard motor clamped to the back。 The bathtub； like the other collectibles inside the hangar； had its own unique story。
Loren stopped beside a small receiver mounted on a post。 Pitt whistled the first few bars of 〃Yankee Doodle〃 and sound recognition software electronically shut down the security system and opened a big drive…through door。 Loren eased the Allard inside and turned off the ignition。
〃There you are；〃 she announced proudly。 〃Home in one piece。〃
〃With a new speed record from Dulles to Washington that will stand for decades；〃 he said dryly。
〃Don't be such an old grunt。 You're lucky I picked you up。〃
〃Why are you so good to me？〃 he asked affectionately。
〃Considering all the abuse you heap on me； I really don't know。〃
〃Abuse？ Show me your black…and…blue marks。〃
〃As a matter of fact〃 Loren slipped down her leather pants to reveal a large bruise on one thigh。
〃Don't look at me；〃 he said； knowing full well he wasn't the culprit。
〃It's your fault。〃
〃I'll have you know I haven't socked a girl since Gretchen Snodgrass smeared paste on my chair in kindergarten。〃
〃I got this from a collision with a bumper on one of your old relics。〃
Pitt laughed。 〃You should be more careful。〃
〃e upstairs；〃 she ordered； wiggling her pants back up。 〃I've planned a gourmet brunch in honor of your homeing。〃
Pitt undid the cords to his baggage and dutifully followed Loren upstairs； enjoying the fluid movement of the tightly bound package inside the leather pants。 True to her word； she had laid out a lavish setting on the formal table in his dining room。 Pitt was starved and his anticipation was heightened by the appetizing aromas drifting from the kitchen。
〃How long？〃 he asked。
〃Just time enough for you to get out of your grimy duds and shower；〃 she answered。
He needed no further encouragement。 He quickly stripped off his clothes and stepped into the shower； reclining on the tile floor with his feet propped on one wall as steaming hot water splashed on the opposite side。 He almost drifted off to sleep； but roused himself after ten minutes and soaped up before rinsing off。 After shaving and drying his hair； he slipped into a silk paisley robe Loren had given him for Christmas。
When he entered the kitchen； she came over and gave him a long kiss。 〃Ummm； you smell good； you shaved。〃
He saw that the metal case containing the jade box had been opened。 〃And you've been snooping。〃
〃As a congresswoman I have certain inalienable rights；〃 she said； handing him a glass of champagne。 〃A beautiful work of art。 What is it？〃
〃It；〃 he answered； 〃is a pre…Columbian antiquity that contains the directions to hidden riches worth so much money it would take you and your buddies in Congress all of two days to spend it。〃
She looked at him suspiciously。 〃You must be joking。 That would be over a billion dollars。〃
〃I never joke about lost treasure。〃
She turned and retrieved two dishes of huevos rancheros with chorizo and refried beans heavy on the salsa from the oven and placed them on the table。 〃Tell me about it while we eat。〃
Between mouthfuls； as he ravenously attacked Loren's Mexican brunch； Pitt began with his arrival at the sacrificial well and told her what happened up to his discovery of the jade box and the quipu in the Ecuadorian rain forest。 He rounded out his narrative with the myths； the precious few facts； and finis