inca.gold-第67部分

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　　　　〃Yes；　I　grow　coffee　beans。〃
　　　　〃I　hope　that's　all　you　grow；〃　said　the　agent　with　a　tight…lipped　grin。
　　　　〃Coffee　is　the　only　crop　I　need　to　make　a　fortable　living；〃　said　Vincente　indignantly。
　　　　〃May　I　see　your　passport；　please？〃
　　　　The　routine　never　varied。　Though　Vincente　often　drew　the　same　two　agents；　they　always　acted　as　if　he　were　a　tourist　on　his　first　visit　to　the　States。　The　agent　eyeballed　the　photo　inside；　paring　the　straight；　slicked　back　black　hair；　partridge　brown　eyes；　smooth　olive　plexion；　and　sharp　nose。　The　height　and　weight　showed　a　short　man　on　the　thin　side　whose　age　was　forty…four。
　　　　Vincente　was　a　fastidious　dresser。　His　clothes　looked　as　if　they　came　right　out　of　GQ　designer　shirt；　slacks；　and　green　alpaca　sport　coat　with　a　silk　bandanna　tied　around　his　neck。　The　Customs　agent　thought　he　looked　like　a　fancy　mambo　dancer。
　　　　Finally　the　agent　finished　his　appraisal　of　the　passport　and　smiled　officially。　〃Would　you　mind　waiting　in　our　office；　Mr。　Vincente；　while　we　search　your　aircraft？　I　believe　you're　familiar　with　the　procedure。〃
　　　　〃Of　course。〃　He　held　up　a　pair　of　Spanish　magazines。　〃I　always　e　prepared　to　spend　some　time。〃
　　　　The　agent　stared　admiringly　at　the　DC…3。　〃It's　a　pleasure　to　examine　such　a　great　old　aircraft。　I　bet　she　flies　as　good　as　she　looks。〃
　　　　〃She　began　life　as　a　mercial　airliner　for　TWA　shortly　before　the　war。　I　found　her　hauling　cargo　for　a　mining　pany　in　Guatemala。　Bought　her　on　the　spot　and　spent　a　goodly　sum　having　her　restored。〃
　　　　He　was　halfway　to　the　office　when　he　suddenly　turned　and　shouted　to　the　agent；　〃May　I　borrow　your　phone　to　call　the　fuel　truck？　I　don't　have　enough　in　my　tanks　to　make　Wichita。〃
　　　　〃Sure；　just　check　with　the　agent　behind　the　desk。〃

　　　　An　hour　later；　Vincente　was　winging　across　Texas　on　his　way　to　Wichita。　Beside　him　in　the　copilot's　seat　were　four　briefcases　stuffed　with　over　six　million　dollars；　smuggled　on　board　just　prior　to　takeoff　by　one　of　the　two　men　who　drove　the　refueling　truck。
　　　　After　a　thorough　search　of　the　plane；　and　not　finding　the　slightest　trace　of　drugs　or　other　illegal　contraband；　the　Customs　agents　concluded　Vincente　was　clean。　They　had　investigated　him　years　before　and　were　satisfied　he　was　a　respected　Costa　Rican　businessman　who　made　a　vast　fortune　growing　coffee　beans。　It　was　true　that　Pedro　Vincente　owned　the　second　largest　coffee　plantation　in　Costa　Rica。　It　was　also　true　he　had　amassed　ten　times　what　his　coffee　plantation　made　him　as　he　was　also　the　genius　behind　a　highly　successful　drug　smuggling　operation　known　as　Julio　Juan　Carlos。
　　　　Like　the　Zolars　and　their　criminal　empire；　Vincente　directed　his　smuggling　operation　from　a　distance。　Day…to…day　activities　were　left　to　his　lieutenants；　none　of　whom　had　a　clue　to　his　real　identity。
　　　　Vincente　actually　had　a　former　wife　who　was　living　with　his　four　children　on　a　large　farm　outside　of　Wichita。　The　farm　was　a　gift　from　him　after　she　begged　for　a　divorce。　An　airstrip　was　built　on　the　farm　so　he　could　fly　in　and　out　from　Costa　Rica　to　visit　the　children　while　purchasing　stolen　art　and　illegal　antiquities　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　ot