pdouglas.thecodex-第8节

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　〃It　would　in　the　hold　of　Max's　Gulfstream　IV。〃
　〃I　doubt　he　buried　himself　in　his　plane。〃
　〃The　Vikings　buried　themselves　in　their　ships。　Maybe　Max　packed　his　treasure　in　an　airtight；　pressure…resistant　container　and　ditched　his　plane　in　the　ocean　over　the　mid…Pacific　abyssal　plain；　where　it　sank　in　two　miles　of　water。〃　He　spread　his　hands　and　smiled。
　Philip　managed　to　say；　〃No。〃　He　dabbed　his　brow；　trying　to　suppress　the　image　of　the　Lippi；　two　miles　deep；　wedged　in　the　abyssal　muck。　〃You　don't　really　believe　that；　do　you？〃
　〃I'm　not　saying　that's　what　he　did。　I'm　just　showing　you　what　ten　seconds　of　thinking　can　turn　up。　Are　you　working　with　your　brothers？〃
　〃Half…brothers。　No。　I've　decided　to　find　this　tomb　on　my　own。〃
　〃What　are　their　plans？〃
　〃I　don't　know　and　frankly　I　don't　care。　I'll　share　what　I　find　with　them；　of　course。〃
　〃Tell　me　about　them。〃
　〃Tom's　probably　the　one　to　watch　out　for。　He's　the　youngest。　When　we　were　children；　he　was　the　wild　one。　He's　the　kid　who　would　be　the　first　to　jump　off　the　cliff　into　the　water；　the　first　to　throw　the　rock　at　the　wasp's　nest。　Got　kicked　out　of　a　couple　of　schools　but　cleaned　up　his　act　in　college　and　has　been　on　the　straight　and　narrow　ever　since。〃
　〃And　the　other　one；　Vernon？〃
　〃Right　now　he's　in　some　pseudo…Buddhist　cult　run　by　an　ex…philosophy　professor　from　Berkeley。　He　was　always　the　lost　one。　He's　tried　it　all：　drugs；　cults；　gurus；　encounter　groups。　When　he　was　a　kid　he'd　bring　home　crippled　cats；　doggies　that　had　been　run　over　by　cars；　little　birdies　that　had　been　pushed　out　of　the　nest　by　their　bigger　siblings…that　sort　of　thing。　Everything　he　brought　home　died。　In　school；　he　was　the　kid　the　others　loved　to　pick　on。　He　flunked　out　of　college　and　hasn't　been　able　to　hold　down　a　steady　job。　He's　a　sweet　kid　but　。。。　inpetent　at　adulthood。〃
　〃What　are　they　doing　now？〃
　〃Tom　went　home　to　his　ranch　in　Utah。　The　last　I　heard　he　had　given　up　on　searching　for　the　tomb。　Vernon　says　he's　going　to　find　the　tomb　on　his　own；　doesn't　want　me　to　be　part　of　it。〃
　〃Anyone　else　know　about　this　besides　your　two　brothers？〃
　〃There　were　two　cops　in　Santa　Fe　who　saw　the　videotape　and　know　the　whole　story。〃
　〃Names？〃
　〃Barnaby　and　Fenton。〃
　Hauser　made　a　note。　A　light　on　the　phone　blinked　once；　and　Hauser　picked　up　the　receiver。　He　listened　for　a　long　time；　spoke　softly　and　rapidly；　made　a　call；　another；　and　then　another。　Philip　felt　annoyed　that　Hauser　was　doing　other　business　in　front　of　him；　wasting　his　time。
　Hauser　hung　up。　〃Any　wives　or　girlfriends　in　the　picture？〃
　〃Five　ex…wives：　four　living；　one　deceased。　No　girlfriends　to　speak　of。〃
　A　faint　curl　stretched　Hauser's　upper　lip。　〃Max　was　always　one　with　the　ladies。〃
　Again　the　silence　stretched　on。　Hauser　seemed　to　be　thinking。　Then；　to　Philip's　annoyance；　he　made　another　call；　speaking　in　low　tones。　Finally　he　set　down　the　phone。
　〃Well　now；　Philip；　what　do　you　know　about　me？〃
　〃Only　that　you　were　my　father's　partner　in　exploration；　that　you　both　knocked　around　Central　America　for　a　couple　of　years。　And　that　you　two　had　a　falling…out。〃
　〃That's　right。　We　spent　almost　two　years　in　Central　America　together；　looking　for　Mayan　tombs　to　excavate。　This　was　back　in　the　early　sixties　when　it　was　more　or　less　legal。　We　found　a　few　things；　but　it　was　only　after　I　left　that　Max　made　his　big　strike　and　became　rich。　I　went　on　to　Vietnam。〃
　〃And　the　falling…out？　Father　never　talked　about　it。〃
　There　was　a　faint　pause。　〃Max　never　talked　about　it？〃
　〃No。〃
　〃I　can　hardly　remember　it　now。　You　know　how　it　is　when　two　people　are　thrown　together　for　a　long　stretch　of　time；　they　get　on　each　other's　nerves。〃　Hauser　laid　his　cigar　down　in　a　cut　crystal　ashtray。　The　ashtray　was　as　big　as　a　dinner　plate　and　probably　weighed　twenty　pounds。　Philip　wondered　if　he　had　made　a　mistake　ing　here。　Hauser　seemed　like　a　lightweight。
　The　phone　blinked　again；　and　Hauser　picked　it　up。　This　was　the　last　straw；　Philip　rose。　〃I'll　e　back　when　you're　less　busy；〃　he　said　curtly。
　Hauser　wagged　a　gold…ringed　finger　at　Philip　to　wait；　listened　for　a　minute；　and　then　hung　up。　〃So　tell　me；　Philip：　What's　so　special　about　Honduras？〃
　〃Honduras？　What's　that　got　to　do　with　anything？〃
　〃Because　that's　where　Max　went。〃
　Philip　stared　at　him。　〃So　you　were　in　on　it！〃
　Hauser　smiled。　〃Not　at　all。　That　was　the　substance　of　the　phone　call　I　just　received。　Almost　four　weeks　ago　today　his　pilot　flew　him　and　a　planeload　of　cargo　to　a　city　in　Honduras　called　San　Pedro　Sula。　From　there　he　took　a　military　helicopter　to　a　place　called　Brus　Lagoon。　And　then　he　vanished。〃
　〃You　found　all　this　out　just　now？〃
　Hauser　generated　a　new　and　mighty　cloud　of　smoke。　〃I'm　a　PI。〃
　〃And　not　a　bad　one；　it　seems。〃
　Hauser　emitted　another　meditative　cloud。　〃As　soon　as　I　talk　to　the　pilot；　I'll　know　a　lot　more。　Like　what　kind　of　cargo　the　plane　was　carrying　and　how　much　it　weighed。　Your　father　didn't　make　any　effort　to　cover　his　tracks　going　down　to　Honduras。　Did　you　know　he　and　I　were　there　together？　I'm　not　surprised　that's　where　he　went。　It's　a　big　country　with　the　most　inaccessible　interior　in　the　world…thick　jungle；　uninhabited；　mountainous；　cut　by　deep　gorges；　and　sealed　off　by　the　Mosquito　Coast。　That's　where　I　expect　he　went…into　the　interior。〃
　〃It's　plausible。〃
　Hauser　added　after　a　moment：　〃I'm　taking　the　case。
　Philip　felt　irritated。　He　didn't　recall　having　offered　Hauser　the　job　yet。　But　the　guy　had　already　demonstrated　his　petence；　and　since　he　now　knew　the　story；　he　would　probably　do。　〃We　haven't　talked　about　a　fee。〃
　〃I'll　need　a　retainer。　I　expect　the　expenses　in　this　case　are　going　to　run　high。　Anytime　you　do　business　in　a　shitcan　Third　World　country　you　have　to　pay　off　every　Tomás；　Rico；　and　Orlando。〃
　〃I　had　in　mind　a　fee　based　on　contingency；〃　Philip　said　quickly。　〃If　we　recover　the　collection；　you　get；　say；　a　small　percentage。　I　also　should　mention　that　I　plan　to　divide　it　with　my　brothers：　That's　only　fair。〃
　〃Contingency　fees　are　for　car…crash　lawyers。　I　need　a　cash　retainer　up　front。　If　I　succeed；　there　will　be　an　additional　fixed　fee。〃
　〃A　retainer？　Like　how　much？〃
　〃Two　hundred　and　fifty　thousand　dollars。〃
　Philip　almost　laughed。　〃What　makes　you　think　I've　got　that　kind　of　money？〃
　〃I　never　think　anything；　Mr。　Broadbent。　I　know。　Sell　the　Klee。〃
　Philip　felt　his　heart　stop　for　a　moment。　〃What？〃
　〃Sell　the　large　Paul　Klee　watercolor　you　own；　Blau　Kirk。　It's　a　beaut。　I　should　be　able　to　get　you　four　hundred　for　it。〃
　Philip　exploded。　〃Sell　it？　Never。　My　father　gave　me　that　painting。〃
　Hauser　shrugged。
　〃And　how　did　you　know　about　that　painting　anyway？〃
　Hauser　smiled　and　opened　the　soft　white　palms　of　his　hand；　like　two　calla　lilies。　〃You　do　want　to　hire　the　best；　don't　you；　Mr。　Broadbent？〃
　〃Yes；　but　this　is　blackmail。〃
　〃Let　me　explain　how　I　work。〃　Hauser　leaned　forward。　〃My　first　loyalty　is　to　the　case；　not　the　client。　When　I　take　a　case；　I　solve　it；　regardless　of　the　consequences　to　the　client。　I　keep　the　retainer。　If　I　succeed；　I　get　an　additional　fee。〃
　〃This　discussion　is　irrelevant。　I'm　not　selling　the　Klee。〃
　〃Sometimes　the　client　loses　his　nerve　and　wants　to　back　out。　Sometimes　bad　things　happen　to　good　people。　I　kiss　the　babies　and　attend　the　funerals　and　keep　going　until　the　case　is　solved。〃
　〃You　can't　expect　me　to　sell　that　painting；　Mr。　Hauser。　It's　the　only　thing　I　have　of　any　value　from　my　father。　I　love　that　painting。〃
　Philip　found　Hauser　gazing　at　him　in　a　way　that　made　him　feel　odd。　The　man's　eyes　were　vacant；　his　face　calm；　emotionless。　〃Think　of　it　this　way：　The　painting　is　the　sacrifice　you　need　to　make　to　recover　your　inheritance。〃
　Philip　hesitated。　〃You　think　we'll　succeed？〃
　〃I　do。〃
　Philip　gazed　at　him。　He　could　always　buy　the　painting　back。　〃All　right；　I'll　sell　the　Klee。〃
　Hauser's　eyes　narrowed　further。　He　took　another　careful　puff。　Then　he　removed　the　cigar　from　his　mouth　and　spoke。
　〃If　successful；　my　fee　will　be　one　million　dollars。〃　Then　he　added；　〃We　don't　have　much　time；　Mr。　Broadbent。　I've　already　booked　us　tickets　to　San　Pedro　Sula；　leaving　first　thing　next　week。〃
　
　7
　
　When　Vernon　Broadbent　finished　chanting；　he　took　a　few　moments　to　sit　quietly　in　the　cool；　dark　room　with　his　eyes　closed；　allowing　his　mind　to　resurface　after　its　long　meditation。　As　consciousness　returned；　he　began　to　hear　the　distant　boom　of　the　Pacific　and　smell　the　salt　air　just　penetrating　the　myrrh…fragrant　confines　of　the　vihara。　The　glow　of　candles　on　his　eyelids　filled　his　internal　vision　with　a　reddish；　flickering　glow。
　Then　he　opened　his　eyes；　took　a　few　deep　breaths；　and　rose；　still　cradling　the　fragile　feeling　of　peace　and　serenity　that　the　hour　of　meditation　had　given　him。　He　went　to　the　door　and　paused；　looking　out　over　the　hills　of　Big　Sur；　dotted　with　live　oaks　and　manzanita；　to　the　wide　blue　Pacific　beyond。　The　wind　off　the　ocean　caught　his　robes　and　filled　them　with　cool　air。
　He　had　been　living　at　the　Ashram　for　more　than　a　year；　and　now；　in　his　thirty…fifth　year；　he　finally　believed　he　had　found　the　place　he　wanted　to　be。　It　had　been　a　long　journey；　from　those　two　years　in　India　through　Transcendental　Meditation；　Theosophy；　EST