by K. T. Tomb
“What was it?” Carol said, captured in the narrative.
“A Spanish coin. It had washed up from the remains of a submerged shipwreck off the coast. The coin led to the discovery of the ninth ship of Peliego, and all of the lost treasures therein. My family got a hefty reward for it.”
“And that got you interested in it as a career? The money?” Carol said.
“That part of it was nice, but even more than that, when I leaned down and touched that coin, I felt as if the currents if time had washed that coin to me. I could almost see the path it had taken from being forged in the gold mint, to the hands of the Spaniard sailors, to the bottom of the sea and finally through the currents to me, a ten year old boy walking on the beach. Ever since then I've been obsessed with ancient artifacts.”
“Did you get to keep the coin?” Carol asked.
“Of course,” Charlie said with a grin. “I even got to be on television. Local stations wanted to interview me about finding the coin.”
“I'm glad fame at such a young age didn't ruin you,” Carol laughed as she peered over the edge of the wine glass.
“What about you?” Charlie asked. “What led you to be an arts dealer?”
Carol laughed again.
“Mine was more about following the path of least resistance. I inherited the family business.”
“Ah,” said Charlie. “And did you inherit the underground black market connections as well?”
Carol's face turned sharp and she pulled her eyebrows together. Her voice turned cool.
“I'm sure I don't know what you mean.”
“Forgive me; I meant no disrespect, of course.”
“Of course,” Carol said, leaning back in her chair. Her lacquered nails reflected the stage lights. “Oh, watch this next act. It's amazing.”
A troupe of dancers entered the stage in rhythmic synchronicity. They surrounded the soloist dancing in the center, creating a beautiful design which echoed the native artwork that Charlie had seen in the hotel. The dancers swooped and swirled their bodies with artful skill, then slowly in time with the music, exited on either side. The night’s performance had reached the apex and the final soloist stood on a heightened platform surrounded by a black curtain. With a dramatic swoop, the dancer pulled the curtain away to reveal a live bull, which charged out of the enclosure. The audience gasped and Charlie realized that the pyrotechnic effects had distracted his vision from a security fence that surrounded the stage between the audience and the animal. The angry bull trotted around, snorting and pawing at the floor, while the performer completed more gravity-defying acrobatics. With a flourish, the dancer leaped and landed on the back of the giant animal. It was then that Charlie noticed the ornate necklace that was part of the native inspired costume; a string of jade colored beads and accents. Charlie watched Carol’s reaction. She gasped and leaned forward, watching the necklace catch the light.
“Benjamin! How did he...!” she said to herself, as her eyes took in the details of the artifact.
“Is there a problem?” Charlie said, choosing his words carefully.
“That necklace. It's...”
Charlie listened, waiting for her to spill the beans. Carol leaned toward the stage carefully watching the performer. After a moment, her face relaxed and she leaned back into her seat again.
“Do you know it?” she asked him, gesturing toward the stage.
“Of course,” Charlie replied. “Pre-Columbian, Ancient Mayan jade necklace. I'd say around 500 A.D.”
“I'm impressed,” she said, raising an eyebrow.
“Or at least a very close replica,” Charlie continued. “Surely the authentic item would never be used in such a daredevil performance.”
“Oh, no. That is the authentic item. She's the best dancer in the troupe. No harm will come to the necklace. Plus, it raises awareness for the preservation of these artifacts. Wouldn't you agree?”
“Sure,” Charlie said, taking a sip of his wine to hide the tension he was feeling.
“Oh, relax,” Carol said, smiling and placing a hand on his arm. “The necklace is in good hands. It's not that big of a deal. Listen; there is something I'd like to show you sometime. Something I think you will appreciate, but you must keep quiet about it.”
Charlie felt hesitant, but he thought about what Ella said just before she left with her fake headache. Carol was the key and he needed to gain her trust.
“I'd very much like to, Carol, but I need to take a rain check. I feel as if I should check on Ella.”
“Of course,” Carol said with a purr. “Another time, perhaps.”
As the lights began to rise, the troupe entered the stage for the bows and applause. Everyone stood, and shouts and accolades erupted from the audience. Between the exultant faces of the crowd, Charlie noticed the Asian woman across the arena who had been sitting next to Benjamin Lee. Her face remained stoic and she looked intently at Carol, who returned her look with a slight nod. Charlie saw all of it in an instant.
The audience continued applauding as Charlie leaned to Carol and said in her ear, “I'm going to slip out before the crowd. Have a lovely evening.”
Carol returned his smile.
“Of course, and please, give Ella my best.”
Chapter Four
“Well?”
Ella greeted him at the door of their hotel wearing the white robe with the hotel emblem sewn on one side. She had a martini in one hand. Charlie stormed past her into the room and angrily began to take his jacket off.
“This place is a disgrace. I have half a mind to get out of here. Or, at the very least, to come back with resources so we can bust the ring altogether.”
Ella's eyes widened.
“What did you find out?”
“There's something going on. That's for sure. I don't know all the details, but Carol Chapman is aware of it. She said she wanted to show me something, but that I had to keep quiet about it. I don't know what that could have been about. There was some sort of exchange between her and the woman that accompanied Mr. Lee.”
“What kind of exchange?”
“I don't even know.” He pulled his shoes off and placed them in the closet. “The woman gave Carol some kind of signal, or vice versa. That's just the thing. I need more information.”
“Any idea what it is she wants to show you? I'll bet I know,” Ella said with a smirk.
“Ella, this isn't funny,” Charlie retorted. “This is our life's work. The preservation of cultural icons and ensuring they are in the hands of those to which they belong. This is what we do, and these people are making a mockery of it. Ella, the solo dancer was wearing a Pre-Columbian jade necklace; wearing it, during the performance, as if it was a piece of cheap costume jewelry.”
“Oh, honey.” Ella sat down next to him and began to rub his back. “I know how important this is to you. It's important to me, too.”
“Plus, I'm upset about how the hotel staff treated us about the lost money today. It doesn't make sense. None of any of this makes sense.”
Ella stood up and walked across the room to the mini bar. She poured a scotch into a small tumbler, added a few ice cubes and handed the glass to Charlie.
“I have an idea,” she said, placing her own drink down on the table.
“Yeah,” Charlie said, resigned to the feeling of exhaustion and frustration, barely noticing his wife's insinuations. “What's that?”
“Have a drink. Get comfortable and we'll see where the night takes us....”
Charlie took a generous swig of the scotch. The smooth malt flavor awakened his senses and his muscles relaxed into the warmth that spread through him. The feelings of anger and resentment began to ebb. He turned and looked at Ella, who stood next to the bar, her hand, leaning against the surface in an artful pose. The white robe had fallen open a bit, exposing just enough of the shadow of her décolletage. Her auburn hair hung loosely around her face, a perfect frame for her plush lips and lidded green eyes.
“You h
ave my attention, Mrs. Colton,” he said, allowing the smile he felt to show on his face.
“Well, Mr. Colton,” she said with a grin. “Now that I have it, whatever shall I do with it?”
The ocean breeze drifted through the white gossamer curtains and the sound of the tides serenaded them under the light of the Fool's Moon glinting through the window.
***
The next morning Charlie woke to the sound of the door opening. He flinched against the bright morning sun streaming through the opened curtains. Ella entered with a cup of coffee in each hand.
“Good morning, darling. Are you ready?”
Charlie opened his eyes.
“Ready for what?”
He awoke much in the same state as he had fallen asleep, tangled in the sheet, completely nude, but with a dehydration headache instead of a nice buzz. Ella was fully dressed, wearing khakis and a white linen tunic. With her hair pulled up into a styled ponytail, she looked as if she had stepped off the cover of a casual wear magazine.
“We have a meeting with Uncle Mitch this morning at 10. We talked about it last night.”
“I have very little memory of the details of last night....” he muttered, swinging his feet out of bed. “Except, of course, for a few of them.”
He grabbed her wrist and swung her toward him, enveloping Ella in an impromptu embrace. He nuzzled her neck, inhaling her floral scent.
“Charlie,” she laughed. “I don't want to get my clothes wrinkled.”
He released her, and reached for the coffee.
“I guess I'd better shower, right? I know Mitch is pretty busy. I'm sure it took some doing for him to get us some time in his schedule.”
Twenty minutes later, the two of them walked down the hallway toward the office where Mitch worked. Ella's uncle met them at the door. He wore his work uniform and had a laptop case slung over his shoulder. Charlie thought for a moment that they had arrived late and had missed the appointment.
“I'm sorry, Ella,” Mitch said, greeting her with a kiss on the cheek. “I've got to go. There is an emergency in the terrarium, but I've arranged for a meeting with Benjamin Lee. He wanted to meet with the two of you. I'm so sorry about what happened to your stolen money, but I can assure you the staff here is honest and trustworthy.”
“Thanks, Uncle Mitch,” Ella said. “It's okay.”
“The trip hasn't been a complete nightmare,” Charlie said, placing his hand on Ella's shoulder.
“But you guys deserve better,” said Mitch. “After everything you have done for the resort and the museum, you don't deserve that kind of treatment. I'll walk you to Benjamin’s office.”
He adjusted the strap of the laptop carrier and they headed down the hallway in the opposite direction. Mitch led them through the lobby across the glass corridor, and down into another area of the resort. They walked for several minutes, passing through different areas of the connected structures. Ella imagined that they had actually passed into another set of buildings through the many passageways that connected the compound. The sights continued to dazzle them. Through one large closed courtyard, they could see the entrance to the aquatic tunnel leading to the aquarium. The fortified glass walkway allowed resort guests to walk leisurely through a hall surrounded by sharks, jellyfish, manta rays, schools of colorful tropical fish and plants, all swaying in the ocean currents. She knew that her uncle was largely responsible for the technology behind the accomplishment of the aquarium. They entered another hallway headed toward a private elevator. Charlie noticed right away that the carpet felt plusher under their feet. The garish island décor of the hotel had vanished and been replaced by more classical architectural lines. The wallpaper looked more modern and of high quality. Finally, they came to a large wooden set of double doors which opened to the library.
Mitch pulled the door open. A cavernous, marble-arched hallway led to a small lobby area. He noticed right away the artifacts, sculptures and ancient weaponry garnishing the walls of both areas.
They look authentic, Charlie noted.
Either that or they were some of the best forgeries he had ever seen. Benjamin Lee's personal assistant sat at the desk in front of another set of opaque glass doors which led to Mr. Lee's office. She smiled as they entered. Charlie recognized her as the same woman who had accompanied Mr. Lee to the performance the night before.
“Good morning, Mr. Berger,” she greeted them. “Mr. Lee is expecting you. Please have a seat.”
She pressed a button on her intercom and stated, “Your appointment is here, sir.”
A moment later, the office doors opened and Benjamin Lee greeted them. He appeared youthful, despite his forty-five years of age. Without a speck of gray in his hair, he moved with a spry step.
“Come in, come in!”
He ushered them into his office. Ella gasped at the view. She did not remember going up any floors on the way over here, but the corner office showed off a spectacular view through the large picture windows which framed the room. They overlooked a large rainforest area, the tops of the trees stretched out like a lush green carpet. The cliff’s edge, which they butted against, circled around to a tropical waterfall opposite the window, far enough away to look like a stream of silver thread cutting through the green tapestry, plunging into the depths of the river below. Ella and Charlie exchanged a glance. They had done alright for themselves and they were used to working with income clientele, but this office was the most opulent they had seen in a long while. Aside from the view, the furnishings also spoke of his wealth and influence. The large desk looked like solid oak and had been polished to a golden varnished shine. High-backed leather chairs sat in a circle facing his desk and to the left was a small version of a conference table. On the far wall behind the conference table, they could see a minibar, better stocked than anything in the hotel rooms. The wall left of the kitchen had a small alcove with more glass enclosures housing a collection of museum quality artifacts. Small jewelry pieces, ancient rings and bracelets. Statues and totems occupied the corners of the spacious office and a large wooden spear hung behind his desk. Ella took all of this in.
“Please, have a seat,” Mr. Lee insisted.
Ella and Charlie sat down, but Mitch thanked the man and explained that he was needed elsewhere in the resort. He exchanged goodbyes with his niece and found his way out. Her uncle's presence had given Ella a sense of comfort and his absence made her realize how vulnerable she felt now.
“I want to personally apologize to the two of you for your experiences here yesterday,” Mr. Lee said.
Ella gave him a sharp look, but Mr. Lee waved away her concerns.
“Don't worry, my dear,” he said. “I get a lot of scrutiny being in this business. That is part of the reason I wanted to meet the two of you.” He reached into his desk drawer and pulled out a thick padded envelope which he handed to Ella. “I hope this will soften your discomfort.”
“What is this?” she said.
“Go on. Open it,” he said. “It is your lost money.” Ella pulled open the clasp and folded back the flap revealing a large stack of cash: about five thousand dollars. She looked at Charlie, counted out one thousand, tucked the cash into her bra and slid the remaining amount back across the desk to Mr. Lee.
“There seems to be more. Five times as much as what we had lost,” Charlie said. “Mr. Lee, I don't know what you are playing at here. My wife and I are not for sale. We refuse your bribe.”
“No, not a bribe,” Mr. Lee explained. “Consider it an advance for your services. I understand that this is your vacation and that it may be quite an imposition to ask this, but...”
Charlie took the opportunity to speak.
“Does this have anything to do with the irresponsible use of the Ancient Mayan necklace used in last night’s performance? And what about these displays here in your office? How can these items possibly be secure?”
Ella shuffled uncomfortably in her seat.
“These items are on loan from the mu
seum,” Mr. Lee said. “Everything in my acquisition is on rotation between this office, the museum, and my own private residence. Surrounding myself with these artifacts reminds me every day why I love ancient history so much. It keeps me inspired to carry on the family legacy into which I was born. Do you think, Mr. Colton, that I would demand the same level of respect if I took clients in my office decorated with a simple planter or an abstract painting?”
The man looked him in the eye. His voice had remained calm as he spoke, but it was clear that he would not put up with Charlie's hinted accusations. Charlie shook his head and gestured for him to continue.
“I've asked you here to speak with you about a job. I believe there may be a black market smuggling ring incorporated into the resort, and I believe that Carol Chapman may be involved. I believe – no, I am certain – that she is stealing from me.”
Ella and Charlie exchanged another glance, curious as to where the conversation was going.
“I'd like to show you both something,” Mr. Lee continued.
He rose and walked over to the conference table, reached under the lip and pressed a button which had previously been unseen. A panel in the wall behind him slid open and a small glass enclosure pushed out from the wall. Charlie recognized the jade necklace from the previous night’s performance. Mr. Lee gestured for the two of them to approach the case for a closer look.
“What do you think?” he said.
“It's magnificent,” Ella said in a hushed voice.
He opened the glass top with both hands and carefully lifted the necklace out, holding it with his fingers splayed to keep the shape of the necklace intact. The sunlight danced over the surface of the gleaming jewels. Charlie took a breath, as the man lifted the necklace toward the window to allow them a better vantage point to see it. The light reflected ghostly green images against the walls.
