cc.goldenbuddha-第31节

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ad。　The　small　metal　orbs　were　about　the　size　of　marbles　but　wed　shaped　like　children's　jacks。　The　difference　with　these　jacks　was　that　thj　dozen　points　sticking　out　were　razor…sharp。　They　bounced　off　the　as　phalt　and　spread　across　the　road。　
　
　The　motorcycle　accelerated　away　as　the　police　car　hit　the　patch　metal　shards。　
　The　two　front　tires　exploded；　followed　a　second　later　by　the　real　The　police　car　careened　out　of　control　as　the　officer　fought　with　the　wheel；　while　at　the　same　time　stomping　on　the　brakes。　The　police　c　slid　hard　to　the　left；　slammed　into　a　newspaper　rack；　then　into　a　telphone　pole　just　beyond　the　rack。　A　microsecond　later；　the　air　bag　deployed　and　slammed　the　policeman　back　against　the　seat。　By　the　til　the　cloud　of　powder　from　the　airbag　inflating　cleared；　the　motorcycles　were　two　blocks　away。　
　After　pushing　the　bag　away　from　his　face；　the　officer　reached　for　the　radio。　〃I've　crashed　and　lost　them；〃　he　said。　
　
　
　DETECTIVE　LING　PO　was　monitoring　the　radio　inside　his　unmarked　squad　car　as　the　tow　truck　pulled　alongside。　Headquarters　had　just　reported　the　robbery　at　the　mansion　and　Po　knew　his　immediate　superior；　Sung　Rhee；　had　been　scheduled　to　attend。　Po　had　no　idea　why　Rhee　was　not　already　coordinating　the　efforts　to　capture　the　thieves。　A　few　minutes　before；　he'd　heard　the　report　from　the　officer　chasing　the　motorcyclists　who　had　robbed　the　A…Ma　Temple；　and　he　was　beginning　to　think　the　two　were　related。　He　jumped　out　of　the　car　and　ran　over　to　the　tow　truck。　
　〃Hook　this　up　fast；〃　he　said；　〃then　tow　me　up　to　Estrada　da　Penha。〃　
　〃Right　away；〃　the　driver　said。　
　Po　reached　into　his　car　and　removed　a　portable　radio。　He　continued　listening　as　the　driver　hooked　his　car　to　the　rear。　A　few　moments　later　they　were　on　their　way　around　the　hill；　then　up　to　the　mansion。　Eight　minutes　later；　the　tow　truck　stopped　on　the　street　outside　the　wall　around　the　mansion；　and　Po　raced　toward　the　gate。　A　guard　stood　in　the　dark　near　his　shack　and　Po　flashed　his　badge。　
　〃Detective　Ling　Po；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃Macau　Police。〃　
　〃I'm　glad　you're　here；〃　the　guard　said。　〃Mr。　Ho　is　going　crazy。〃　
　〃Tell　me　what　happened；〃　Po　said。　
　The　guard　related　what　had　occurred。　〃I　got　off　a　few　shots；〃　he　said；　〃but　they　kept　going。〃　
　Po　made　notes　on　the　vehicles'　descriptions　and　radioed　them　in　to　leadquarters。　〃I　want　a　countrywide　bulletin　issued。　If　anyone　sees　the　vehicles；　he　is　to　follow　them　but　not　make　a　stop　unless　he　has　backup。〃　
　After　headquarters　had　confirmed　his　request；　Po　turned　to　the　guard。　〃Have　you　seen　any　other　officers　here　tonight？〃　he　asked。　〃My　boss；　a　Mr。　Rhee；　was　scheduled　to　attend。〃　
　〃I　saw　him　when　he　came；〃　the　guard　noted。　〃He　hasn't　left。〃　Po　nodded　and　raced　up　the　driveway。　Cutting　across　the　lawn；　he　made　his　way　to　the　front　door　and　flung　it　open。　Stanley　Ho　was　sitting　in　the　front　living　room　on　the　couch；　a　portable　telephone　at　his　ear。　Chief　Inspector　Rhee　was　in　a　chair　nearby。　〃What　happened；　sir？〃　Po　asked　Rhee。　
　Rhee　rubbed　his　face　before　answering。　〃I　think　I　was　drugged　my　head　is　starting　to　clear；　but　I'm　still　having　trouble　concentrating。〃　Po　nodded；　then　listened　to　Ho　on　the　telephone。　〃What　do　you　mean？〃　he　shouted。　〃We　called　the　emergency　number。〃　
　〃We　have　no　record　of　any　call；〃　the　operator　said。　
　〃We'll　get　back　to　you；〃　Ho　said；　disconnecting。　〃Who　are　you？〃　he　asked　Po。　
　〃This　is　Detective　Ling　Po；〃　Rhee　answered；　〃one　of　my　best　men。〃
　〃Here's　the　situation；〃　Ho　said。　〃A　priceless　piece　of　artwork　I　owned　was　stolen　tonight。〃　
　〃What　exactly；　sir？〃　Po　asked。　
　〃A　six…foot…tall　solid…gold　Buddha　figure；〃　Ho　said。　
　〃A　similar　icon　was　heisted　from　the　A…Ma　Temple　earlier　tonight；〃　Po　said。　〃I　doubt　that　is　a　coincidence。〃　
　〃That　makes　me　feel　better；〃　Ho　said　sarcastically。　
　〃The　telephone　call　you　just　pleted？〃　Po　asked。　〃What　was　that　about？〃　
　〃A　guest　became　ill　and　we　called　a　helicopter　ambulance　to　take　her　to　the　hospital；〃　Ho　said。　〃Only　the　hospital　has　no　record　of　our　request。〃　
　〃Did　you　call　for　the　helicopter？〃　
　〃No；　it　was　a　security　guard；〃　Ho　said；　〃but　I　was　standing　right　there。〃　
　〃I'll　question　the　guard；〃　Po　said。　
　〃That's　the　problem；〃　Rhee　interjected。　〃The　guards　are　gone。〃　
　〃Did　you　hire　them　yourself？〃　Po　asked。　
　〃The　insurance　pany　supplied　them；〃　Ho　admitted。　
　〃Which　pany？〃　Po　asked。　
　Ho　retrieved　a　card　from　his　tuxedo　and　Po　dialed　the　number。　After　explaining　who　he　was；　he　grilled　the　pany　operator；　left　his　cell　phone　number；　and　then　hung　up。　
　〃She's　calling　her　boss；　Mr。　Ho；〃　Po　said；　〃but　she　has　no　record　of　any　contact　with　you　in　the　last　month。〃　　〃That's　nonsense；〃　Ho　said。　〃They　had　an　underwriter　e　out　here　and　everything。〃　
　〃Was　he　your　usual　agent？〃　the　detective　asked。　
　Suddenly　it　all　became　very　clear　to　Ho。　He'd　been　set　up　from　the　start。　
　〃Those　bastards；〃　Ho　screamed。　Sweeping　his　arm　across　a　side　table；　he　spilled　the　knickknacks　on　the　floor　then　threw　a　chair　against　the　wall。　
　〃Calm　down；　Mr。　Ho；〃　Detective　Po　said　quietly；　〃and　tell　me　what　has　happened　from　the　start。〃
　
　HANLEY　WATCHED　THE　blips　on　the　GPS　screen　showing　the　progress　of　the　van；　limousine　and　Peugeot。　All　were　progressing　according　to　plan；　so　he　flipped　over　the　page　in　the　playbook。　〃Time　to　report　the　kidnappings；〃　he　said　to　an　operator。　The　man　dialed　the　Macau　police　and　gave　them　Lassiter's　address。　Then　he　did　the　same　with　Iselda。　Two　minutes　later；　police　cars　were　racing　to　the　separate　scenes。　It　was　one　more　element　of　confusion　and　discord　in　an　already　confusing　situation。　
　Below　A…Ma　Temple　near　the　Maritime　Museum；　Linda　Ross　slid　the　Peugeot　to　a　stop　and　climbed　out。　Reinholt；　who　was　sitting　in　the　passenger　seat；　had　been　hit　by　the　bullet　that　had　shattered　the　rearview　mirror　and　was　bleeding　from　his　right　ear。　〃Help　him　to　the　boat；〃　she　said　to　Pryor。　
　Then　she　raced　over　to　the　dock；　where　a　thirty…foot…long　high…performance　Scarab　sat　waiting。　Climbing　aboard；　she　raced　to　the　helm　and　started　the　motors。　Once　the　engines　had　settled　into　an　idle；　she　climbed　off　again　and　walked　toward　the　Peugeot。　
　〃Get　him　aboard　and　keep　his　head　elevated；〃　she　said　as　Pryor　scurried　past。　
　Then　she　took　the　keys　to　the　Peugeot；　opened　the　trunk　and　stared　inside。　Twisting　a　timer；　she　waited　to　make　sure　that　it　was　counting　down；　then　raced　back　to　the　boat。　
　〃Can　you　drive　this？〃　she　asked　Pryor。　〃Damn　straight；〃　he　said　as　he　engaged　the　drives。　Ross　started　to　administer　first　aid　to　Reinholt　as　the　Scarab　pulled　away　from　the　dock。　The　boat　was　one　hundred　yards　from　the　dock　and　just　climbing　up　on　plane　when　the　Peugeot　erupted　in　a　fireball　that　lit　the　night　sky。　
　
　WE　HAVE　AN　explosion　near　the　Maritime　Museum；〃　the　dispatcher　reported　to　Po。　
　〃Summon　fire　and　rescue；〃　Po　said。　〃What's　the　status　on　the　kidnapping　calls？〃　
　〃Units　are　just　now　arriving　at　the　first　scene；〃　the　dispatcher　said。　〃It's　a　home　in　the　northern　section。　A　second　group　should　be　at　the　high…rise　location　in　a　few　moments。〃　
　〃Keep　me　posted；〃　Po　said；　walking　to　the　window　and　staring　at　the　column　of　smoke　in　the　distance。　
　
　ON　THE　FRONT　seat　of　the　limousine　next　to　Reyes；　Barrett　started　removing　his　Redman　Security　uniform。　He　was　wearing　a　pair　of　lightweight　slacks　and　a　black　T…shirt　underneath。　
　〃So；　Rick；　do　you　like　the　galley　or　operations　better？〃　Huxley　asked。　
　Huxley　was　in　the　rear　partment　with　Richard　Truitt。　She　had　pulled　a　sleeveless　blue　sweater　over　her　leather　top　and　was　now　fumbling　around　inside　the　sweater；　unfastening　her　vest。　Once　she　got　it　off　and　slid　it　out　from　under　the　sweater；　she　rolled　down　the　window　and　tossed　it　out。　Barrett　had　been　watching　the　entire　affair　through　the　rearview　mirror。　
　〃I　can't　say　the　galley　is　quite　this　exciting；〃　he　admitted。　
　Truitt　flicked　on　a　light　in　the　center　console　of　the　limousine's　rear　partment；　then　removed　a　fake　mustache　from　a　small　clutch　and　slapped　it　on　his　face。　Once　it　was　straight；　he　removed　a　set　of　false　teeth　from　the　same　bag　and　slapped　them　over　his　own。　He　stared　at　the　results　in　the　mirror。　He　was　rubbing　gray　liquid　from　a　small　bottle　in　the　bag　as　he　spoke。　
　〃By　now　they're　on　the　lookout　for　this　vehicle；〃　he　said。　
　Reyes　reached　to　his　chest　and　pulled　on　his　limo　driver's　uniform　shirt。　It　ripped　cleanly　away；　revealing　another　shirt　underneath。　Tearing　at　the　tabs　on　his　pants；　he　unleashed　the　pleats。　〃Sunglasses；〃　he　said　to　Truitt；　who　handed　them　over　the　seat。　He　placed　them　over　his　eyes。　At　the　same　time；　Huxley　ripped　the　Velcro…attached　legs　off　her　leather　pants　and　reached　into　a　partment　in　the　rear　of　the　limousine　and　removed　a　conservative　skirt；　which　she　slipped　under　herself　and　zipped　up。　Peeling　off　her　false　eyelashes；　she　took　a　plastic　bag　from　Truitt　and　removed　a　wet　cloth　and　scrubbed　her　face　clean　of　the　garish　makeup。　
　〃Looks　like　we're　good　to　go；〃　Truitt　said。　
　Reyes　pulled　to　the　side　of　the　road　and　the　four　climbed　out。　Walking　through　an　alley；　they　made　their　way　toward　the　Main　Market　and　split　into　groups　of　two。　Back　on　the　street；　the　limousine　s