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！
uities 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 admired the immaculate design and flawless detailing could but wonder about an era and