by K. T. Tomb
“What a shame,” Ella said holding her forehead. “Charlie, can you walk me out?”
“Honey, if you’re not feeling well, I’ll come with you. I shouldn’t leave you alone.”
“Nonsense,” Ella said. “You can’t leave Carol sitting here alone. That would be rude. You stay and enjoy the performance. Carol, it was wonderful to meet you.”
Ella rose to exit, and Charlie followed her out with a steadying hand against her lower back. Once they cleared the doorway into the outer arena area, Charlie spoke.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come?”
Ella turned to him with a playful glare.
“Of course not. Charlie, she’s a source. See what you can find out about the acquisition. Besides, she’s obviously attracted to you. She’s more likely to talk if I’m not there.”
“Are you serious?” he said.
“Of course I’m serious. If there is something going on with relics being smuggled or forged, she’s going to know about it. You already have a rapport with her from working together. She’s more likely to talk to you if the two of you are alone together. Now get in there and turn on the charm!”
“Ella,” Charlie said. “I don’t know if I’ve ever loved you more, but I don’t think I will ever begin to understand you.”
“Just save some of that charm for when you come back to me tonight.”
She kissed him on the lips and left with a coy smile.
Charlie returned to the table in the darkened arena a moment later.
“Is she going to be alright?” Carol said.
“Yes, it’s just a headache,” Charlie answered. “More wine?”
Carol accepted and then raised the glass.
“A toast,” she said, leaning in slightly. “To new beginnings.”
“To new beginnings,” Charlie echoed.
They watched the performances for a little while longer. The gymnasts had changed into ancient native masks that covered their faces. Charlie leaned forward as if to have a better look. He couldn’t help but notice the authentic look of them. Carol watched his reaction to the dancers, leaping about in tight-fitting clothing. The women’s bodies toned and scantily dressed, yet his eyes stayed on the masks.
“I find it interesting,” she said, leaning into his ear to be heard over the dancer’s music. “You are so passionate about archaeology. Have you always been interested in it?”
Charlie leaned back in his chair and lifted the glass of red wine to his lips, only wetting them. If he were playing a part this evening, he wanted to have a clear head. He took a breath.
“I grew up in Jamaica. Not many people know that about me.”
Carol adjusted her position to listen to the story. Charlie continued.
“When I was a child, we went to the beach a lot. It’s really all there was for us to do. We didn’t have much in the way of entertainment. I loved going to the beach; just the endlessness of the water and sand. I felt as if I stood on the edge of the world. One day, I was walking along, collecting seashells, when something in the distance caught my eye. I knew it wasn’t a shell. It glinted bright and yellow in the sun. I walked up to it...” he paused.
“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 received 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 of 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 was even 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 her wine glass.
“What about you?” Charlie asked. “What led you to be an art 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 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 not
iced 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 this charade up 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 who 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 our entire industry. The solo dancer at the performance tonight 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 the break-in today; neither Rachel, Mr. Conner or security has gotten back to us on it. It doesn’t make sense. None 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 have 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 from 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 wrinkle my clothes.”
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 make 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 you two to meet with Benjamin Lee. He wanted to meet with you. I’m so sorry about what happened up in your room yesterday, but I can assure you the staff here is honest and trustworthy; we’ll get to the bottom of it.”
“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 bag 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 and headed toward a private elevator. Charlie noticed right away that the carpet felt plusher under his feet. The garish island décor of the hotel had vanished and been replaced by more classical architectural themes. The wallpaper looked more modern and of high quality. Finally, they came to a set of large, wooden double doors which led 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.
Now these 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 doors; of opaque glass this time. It was 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 door
s 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; 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 high-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. To the left of that was 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.