cc.goldenbuddha-第17节

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！


voice　answered　with　an　extension　number。　
　〃2524。〃　
　〃Juan；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃this　is　Langston。〃　
　〃Que　pasa；　amigo；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Everything　still　looks　good；〃　Overholt　said。　〃How　is　your　crew　ing？〃　
　〃We're　ten　by　ten；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Good；〃　Overholt　said。　
　〃Looks　like　there's　a　little　side　deal　here　for　us　to　grab；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃I　trust　there's　no　problem　with　that？〃　
　〃As　long　as　there's　no　blowback；〃　Overholt　said。　〃Your　pany's　dealings　are　none　of　my　concern。〃　
　〃Excellent；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃If　it　works　out　as　planned；　there　will　be　no　need　to　bill　you　for　travel　expenses。〃　
　〃Money's　not　a　problem；　old　friend；　this　is　ing　from　the　top；〃　Overholt　said；　〃but　time　ismake　this　happen　for　me　before　Easter。〃　
　〃That's　why　we　get　the　big　money；　Lang〃Cabrillo　laughed〃because　we're　so　damn　prompt。　You'll　have　what　you　need；　you　have　my　word。〃　
　〃That's　what　I　love　about　you；〃　Overholt　said；　〃your　plete　lack　of　ego。〃　
　〃I'll　call　you　when　it's　done；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃Just　don't　let　me　read　about　it。〃　
　Overholt　disconnected；　slid　the　telephone　into　his　pocket；　then　did　a　series　of　stretching　exercises　before　climbing　back　aboard　the　jet。　Twenty…four　hours　later；　he　boarded　a　military　transport　plane　from　Southern　California　to　Andrews　Air　Force　Base　in　Maryland。　There　he　was　met　by　the　CIA　car　service　and　transported　to　headquarters。　
　
　AT　THE　MANSION　on　Estrada　da　Penha；　preparations　for　the　party　were　moving　at　a　blistering　pace。　One　truck　after　another　rolled　through　the　gates；　then　parked　and　unloaded　their　contents。　Three　large　yellow…and…white…striped　canvas　tents　were　quickly　erected　on　the　grounds；　with　portable　air…conditioning　units　to　make　the　tents　more　fortable。　They　were　followed　by　a　pair　of　large　portable　fountains　with　spotlights　that　would　shoot　colored　streams　of　water　twenty　feet　into　the　air；　red　carpets　for　the　guests　to　walk　across；　sound　equipment；　a　baby　grand　piano　for　the　musician　who　would　play　during　the　cocktail　hour；　parrots；　doves　and　peacocks；　and　tables；　chairs　and　linens。　
　The　party　planner　was　a　middle…aged　Portuguese　woman　named　Is…elda；　whose　black　hair　was　kept　in　a　tight　bun　on　the　back　of　her　head。　She　was　chain…smoking　thin　brown　cigarettes　with　blue　satin　tips　while　she　screamed　orders　to　the　staff。　
　〃These　are　not　the　goblets　I　ordered；〃　she　said　as　a　worker　carried　a　case　into　the　tent　and　began　to　unpack　them。　〃I　ordered　the　ones　with　the　gold　liptake　these　back。〃　
　〃Sorry；　Miss　Iselda；〃　the　Chinese　worker　said；　scanning　a　sheet。　〃These　are　what　are　on　the　list。〃　
　〃Take　them　back；　take　them　back；〃　she　said　as　she　furiously　puffed　away。　
　A　peacock　wandered　into　the　tent　and　made　a　mess　on　the　floor。　Iselda　grabbed　a　straw　broom　and　chased　it　out　onto　the　grounds。　
　〃Where　are　the　laser　lights？〃　she　shouted　to　no　one　in　particular。　
　
　AT　EXACTLY　THAT　same　instant；　Stanley　Ho；　host　of　the　party；　was　standing　in　one　of　his　three　home　offices；　this　one　on　the　top　floor　of　his　house。　This　was　his　private　sanctuary。　None　of　the　staff　or　assistants　were　allowed　to　enter　this　most　private　of　spaces。　The　attic　room　was　decorated　to　Ho's　tastes；　which　ran　to　early　eclectic。　His　desk　was　from　an　early　sailing　ship；　his　television　a　brand…new　plasma　screen。　Bookcases　lined　one　wall；　but　they　were　not　filled　with　the　classy　tomes　Ho　displayed　in　areas　where　guests　visited；　these　shelves　were　rilled　with　pulp　spy　novels；　soft　porn　featuring　damsels　in　distress；　and　cheap　paperback　westerns。　
　A　giant　wool　rug　with　a　stick…shaped　phoenix　design　that　had　been　woven　by　a　Navajo　in　Arizona　graced　the　wood　floor；　while　the　walls　were　dotted　with　framed　posters　from　past　and　current　popular　movies。　The　top　of　the　captain's　desk　was　a　study　in　disorderliness。　Stacks　of　papers；　a　metal　car　model；　a　cup　from　Disney　World　holding　pens；　and　a　dusty　brass　lamp　shared　the　crowded　space。　
　Ho　walked　over　to　a　small　refrigerator　shaped　like　a　bank　vault　and　removed　a　bottle　of　water。　Twisting　off　the　cap；　he　took　a　sip；　then　stared　at　the　Golden　Buddha　sitting　upright　on　the　floor；　the　door　of　its　case　open。　
　Ho　was　trying　to　decide　if　he　should　display　his　latest　prize　at　the　party。　
　Right　then；　his　private　telephone　rang。　It　was　the　insurance　underwriter；　who　wanted　to　schedule　an　appointment。　Ho　set　a　time；　then　went　back　to　staring　at　his　treasure。　
　
　AS　LONG　AS　we　don't　lose　power；〃　Kevin　Nixon　said；　〃no　one　should　be　the　wiser。〃　
　〃Did　you　receive　their　song　list？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　
　〃We　got　it；〃　Hanley　said；　handing　him　the　list；　〃and　programmed　the　songs　into　the　puter。〃　
　〃Heavy　on　the　sixties　and　seventies；〃　Cabrillo　noted；　〃with　a　fair　amount　of　guitar　riffs。〃　
　〃Unfortunately；　we　can't　change　the　playlist　without　arousing　suspicion；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃I'm　just　worriedif　any　of　the　guests　happen　to　be　guitar　players；　they'll　know　we're　faking　it；〃　Cabrillo　said。　
　〃I　rigged　the　guitar　with　tiny　LED　lights　that　are　only　visible　with　special　glasses；〃　Nixon　said；　smiling。　〃They're　color…coded　for　the　player's　fingers。　All　he　has　to　do　is　place　his　fingers　where　the　light　shows　and　he　should　be　okay。〃　
　Nixon　handed　Cabrillo　the　guitar　and　a　pair　of　black…framed　sunglasses。　He　slid　the　strap　over　his　neck　and　Nixon　plugged　the　guitar　into　the　power　source。　
　〃It　goes　thumb　purple；　index　finger　red；　then　down　the　fingers；　yellow；　blue　and　green；〃　Nixon　said。　〃Same　on　the　frets。　Hold　a　second　and　I'll　start　the　puter。〃　
　Cabrillo　slipped　on　the　glasses　and　waited。　Once　the　lights　lit　up；　he　pushed　his　fingers　on　the　illuminated　strings。　A　crude　rendition　of　the　〃Star　Spangled　Banner〃　filled　the　Magic　Shop。　
　〃We　won't　win　any　Grammys；〃　Cabrillo　said　when　the　lights　went　dark；　〃but　it　should　get　us　past　any　casual　scrutiny。〃　
　Hanley　walked　over　to　a　bench　and　removed　a　clear　glass　bottle　containing　a　pale　blue　liquid。　〃There's　one　other　thing　to　consider；〃　he　said；　smiling。　〃This　stuff　came　straight　from　the　labs　at　Fort　Dietrich；　Maryland。　Once　we　slip　some　of　this　into　the　punch　bowl；　this　party　will　be　kicking。〃　
　〃There's　no　long…term　effects；　right？〃　Cabrillo　asked。　〃No；〃　Hanley　said；　〃only　short…term。　It　seems　that　after　a　few　drops　of　this　elixir；　you'll　have　the　time　of　your　life。〃　
　
　THE　SAMPLE　CHECKS　out；〃　the　software　billionaire　said　over　the　telephone。　
　Spenser　had　dispensed　with　the　voice…alteration　equipment；　but　his　words　were　tinged　with　a　fear　that　made　his　upper…crust　accent　less　polished　than　perplexed。　
　〃Then　you　are　interested？〃　he　said。　
　〃Sure；〃　the　software　billionaire　said；　〃but　I've　decided　that　I　want　to　make　the　transfer　myself。　I　have　the　feeling　you're　about　as　trustworthy　as　a　hooker　with　a　crack　habit。〃　
　Spenser　frowned。　His　plan　of　thievery　and　deceit　was　unraveling。　The　costs　he　had　already　incurred　made　a　quick　sale　his　only　salvation　there　was　no　time　to　line　up　another　buyer。　He　was　in　the　worst　possible　place。　He　was　a　seller　who　needed　to　sellwith　a　buyer　who　was　calling　the　shots。　
　〃Then　you　need　to　e　here　and　take　delivery；〃　Spenser　said。　
　〃Where's　here？〃　
　〃Macau；〃　Spenser　said。　
　The　software　billionaire　stared　at　a　calendar　on　his　desk。　〃I'll　be　there　the　evening　of　Good　Friday。〃　
　〃I'll　want　cash　or　bearer　bonds　then；〃　Spenser　said。　〃No　more　bank　；　transfer。〃　
　〃Fair　enough；　but　don't　try　anything；　I'm　bringing　reinforcements。〃
　〃You　bring　the　money；〃　Spenser　said；　〃and　you　get　the　Buddha。〃　The　billionaire　disconnected　and　Spenser　sat　quietly　for　a　moment。　He　didn't　have　long　to　go。　
　
　〃MONICA'S　A　GUEST；〃　Cabrillo　said　as　he　glanced　at　the　sheet　of　notes。　〃For　this　operation；　she's　a　minor　member　of　the　Danish　royal　family。〃　
　〃It's　all　so　mon；〃　Crabtree　said　with　a　Scandinavian　accent。　
　〃You'll　need　to　fake　a　speech　impediment　with　that　accent；〃　Hanley　said。　〃Stop　by　the　Magic　Shop　and　we'll　make　you　a　mouth　guard　that　will　add　a　lisp。〃　
　〃Great；〃　Crabtree　said；　〃I　get　to　play　a　lisping　lady…in…waiting。〃　
　〃It　could　be　worse；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃Linda's　replacing　the　chainsmoking　Portuguese　party　planner；　Iselda。〃　
　〃Excellent；〃　Linda　Ross　said；　laughing。　〃I　finally　quit　smoking　a　few　years　ago　and　now　the　Corporation　is　going　to　get　me　hooked　again。〃　
　〃By　the　way；〃　Hanley　said；　〃we　think　Iselda　also　practices　an　alternative　lifestyle。〃　
　〃So　I'm　a　chain…smoking　Portuguese　lesbian　party　planner；〃　Ross　said。　〃At　least　it's　not　as　bad　as　when　I　was　a　German　transsexual　dominatrix。〃　
　〃I　remember　that；〃　Murphy　said。　〃You　looked　like　Madeline　Kahn　in　that　Mel　Brooks　film。〃　
　〃I　remember　you　being　kind　of　turned　on；〃　Ross　said。　
　〃We　were　going　to　use　Julia；　but　we　couldn't；　for　the　obvious　reason；〃　Cabrillo　noted。　
　Julia　Huxley；　the　Oregon's　medical　officer；　grinned。　〃I　always　knew　growing　up　that　these　big　boobs　would　pay　off。〃　
　〃You'd　just　better　perfect　your　Pamela　Anderson…Lee…whoever　look；〃　Hanley　said。　
　〃I　get　to　play　a　slut？〃　Huxley　said　happily。　
　〃Girlfriend　of　one　of　the　band　members；〃　Cabrillo　noted。　
　〃Same　thing；〃　Huxley　said　eagerly。　〃Can　Max　do　me　some　fake　tattoos？〃　
　〃Be　glad　to；〃　Hanley　said。　〃We　might　even　fake　some　piercings；　if　you　like。〃　
　〃And　now　to　the　band；〃　Cabrillo　said。　〃I'm