After completing three more search squares they came upon a coral outcrop, which Kyle proceeded to investigate. Hovering over the formation he was drawn to the odd shape formed by the array of Elkhorn and Staghorn coral, interspersed with several sea anemone and Brain coral. What was interesting was that the more he looked at the coral, it appeared to take on the shape of a human form. Breaking the golden rule of scuba divers, he started to break the coral growths away from the form and, taking his tool and a small mallet, chipped away at the encrusted object. Piece by piece the growth fell away and revealed a shiny yellow surface below. By this time, Jenny had taken notice of Kyle’s interest and joined him. Her eyes widened when she saw what was beneath the coral, and joined in to help remove the encrustation. Jenny soon realized what they had found and became dizzy with excitement as she frantically chipped away. Gathering her composure, she turned and tapped Kyle on the shoulder. When he turned to face her she gave the sign to surface to which he acknowledged, and they slowly ascended.
Breaking the surface, Jenny removed her regulator and facemask after inflating her BC.
“Do you realize what we have found?” she asked excitedly as Kyle removed his facemask and regulator.
“I know the damned thing is huge and made of gold,” he responded. “It appears to be some kind of statue, with jewels encrusted all over it,”
Jenny related the legend of the ‘Lost Treasure of Lima’, and the reports of the life-size statue of the Virgin Mary. She could barely contain herself, saying, “Oh My God. Oh My God. I’m sure this is what we’ve found,”
“What the hell do we do now?” he said, spitting out a mouthful of seawater. “It must weigh a ton and it’s still embedded in the coral.”
Jenny had previously explained that they would have to report any find to the Costa Rican authorities, because it’s in their jurisdiction. Their ruling is that 50% of the value of discovered treasure goes to them, based on an assessed value. “Oh Kyle, this is absolutely amazing. I know we can’t keep it, but just to find it is incredible. Even half the value of this statue will keep us comfortable for a while. It must be worth millions, although its true historic value probably cannot be determined. Chances are, though, that the Peruvian authorities will try to claim ownership, citing that the property was stolen.” She sighed. “These things traditionally end up in long, drawn out lawsuits.”
Kyle said, “We don’t have anything that can winch this thing up, and even if we did, we have nowhere to stow it. I jokingly said it must weigh a ton, and I’m probably not far off.”
“We can report our find at the ranger station at Wafer Bay.” Jenny responded. “Once we register our claim, we can arrange for some lifting equipment to bring it to the surface. According to maritime law, you can claim a wreck once you bring something from the wreck to the surface. I think the same rule will apply in this case. The coins we found will qualify for the claim.”
“Let’s get back to the boat and to the ranger station.” Said Kyle. “I’m anxious to get our claim in before anyone else stumbles on it. We have the site staked out and the statue is now exposed. There are several other dive boats in the area and it won’t be long before someone sees what’s going on.”
They submerged and started a quick pace back to the boat. Kyle clambered up the ladder, removed his gear and helped Jenny on to the boat. He quickly stowed the tanks while Jenny put away the rest of the gear. Scaling the ladder to the fly bridge, two rungs at a time, he launched himself at the controls and started the powerful diesels. Looking back to see that Jenny was holding on, he gunned the throttles and the nose of the Hatteras rose majestically into the air as the sea at the stern erupted into a boil. The craft was propelled forward and quickly reached planing speed as Kyle pointed the bow towards Wafer Bay. As they rounded the point at the entrance to the bay the Ranger Station came into view. It consisted of a large wooden dock that protruded into the bay 100 m; able to handle the supply ships that infrequently brought food, supplies and relief rangers. The Station itself consisted of a small ‘office’ attached to a two-bedroom residence sitting on large wood pylons. A veranda surrounded the wood-frame structure, clad with aluminium siding, which was topped with a thatched roof. Just to one side and behind the office was a small dormitory. Close by, a large metal-clad, pre-engineered storage facility housed the various machinery and paraphernalia needed on the island. Beside it was a hut that housed fuel supplies and a small generator was located several yards into the bush behind. From the rear of the storage enclosure, a narrow path led to a series of wooden steps that scaled the hillside to a lookout tower. As they approached, a lone figure appeared on the veranda.
That concludes the introduction to Lost Loot of Lima.
Download the book today and follow Kyle's adventures.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01CMW477K
About the Author
Chris Fox, born in England, emigrated to Canada in 1967 where he completed his University education and graduated as an electrical engineer. President and CEO of his own consulting engineering firm for over 30 years, he recently retired and is now devoting his time to some of his loves…reading, golf and, of course, writing. Married for 30+ years to Marguerite, who provides much of the inspiration and help for his writing. Chris lives in Ottawa, Canada and winters in Margate, Florida.
Other books by Christopher Fox
LOST LOOT OF LIMA
Kyle MacDonald Book 2
Lost Loot of Lima is my first book and is a sequel to The Santini Vendetta and prequel to Death Drones. It is an action/adventure novel.
A long lost treasure found; an abduction; a daring rescue.
Kyle, while diving off the coast of Cocos Island with his girlfriend Jenny, discovers a large cache of treasure, thought to be part of the famous Lost Treasure of Lima. However, when his boat is subsequently stolen and Jenny abducted, Kyle must put together a team to rescue Jenny and retrieve the treasure.
Be part of the adventure as the story initially takes you back to 1820 when the treasure was stolen. Underwater scenes and travels through the lush flora of Cocos Island, as well as the mountains of Colombia, will take you on a journey packed with action and suspense.
“The book’s latter half is an action-packed romp, as a daring rescue takes the team on an extended chase. A thriller with sound action and a reliable protagonist…” - Kirkus Reviews
Buy it now from Amazon:
https:/www.amazon.com/dp/B01CMW477K
DEATH DRONES
Kyle MacDonald Book 3
A diabolical terrorist group; a deadly chemical attack; can a grieving agent pull himself together and stop it?
It was a regular day in Detroit until people started dying. Bodies pile up and authorities are clueless. What was thought to be a war between heroin dealers turns into something much worse: a plot to kill thousands of Americans.
Miguel Diaz (formally Kyle MacDonald) must rally from his grief and lead a team to thwart the plot. Can he put aside his own demons long enough to stop the attack? If not, the worst terrorist plot on American soil will happen. The clock is ticking as Miguel's team close in on the terrorists and their plan to launch drones filled with deadly gas into the stadium where the Super Bowl is about to start.
If you like complex heroes, pulse-pounding action, and edge-of-your-seat suspense, this is the book for you! Download Death Drones and help foil the plot today. http://www.amazon.com/dp/B079KK8R57
THE KOREAN CONNECTION
Kyle MacDonald Book 4
Miguel and his team are retained by a UAE sheikh to recover his kidnapped son, before he has to pay a $35m ransom. The son is released unharmed, however, the sheikh wants the team to find out more about the kidnapper, and tells Miguel to keep the meter running.
Investigations lead them to a rogue general in North Korea, who used the money to finance a sinister plot to unleash havoc in the region with a nuclear threat.
As tensions run high between the U.S., Ch
ina and North Korea, Miguel must stop the general before he executes his plan that could destabilize the Pacific with a nuclear threat.
Download the latest adventure in the series.
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NMSC7BM
BOSNIAN AFFAIR
An affair gone horribly wrong; a marriage torn; an international manhunt.
Bosnian Affair is a mystery that blends action and suspense with steamy romantic sequences.
Brad, a successful architect, succumbs to the alluring and beautiful interior designer, Sophia and embarks on an affair. However, things take a nasty turn when he visits her apartment and finds that she has been murdered.
The book, through flashbacks, provides graphic details of their torrid affair and Brad’s struggle to balance his home life and keep the affair secret. Present-day storyline outlines Brad’s efforts to find her killer and seek restitution. During his investigation, Brad unveils a startling discovery involving a Bosnian war criminal sought after by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) entrenched in a high-ranking position within Canada.
Attempts are made on Brad's life as he hones in on the killer. His efforts take him to Sarajevo and Buenos Aires as the hunted now becomes the hunter. Brad must rely on his sniper skills to eradicate Sophie's killer and find closure.
Buy it now from your favourite retailer.
Caution: contains graphic sexual scenes.
ANGELA’S SEDUCTION
Angela’s Seduction is an erotic novella and serves as an introduction to my erotic writings. It is available as a free download from your favourite retailer.
Angela, a 42-year-old, still very attractive woman has been married for 20 years to her abusive husband Peter. Her friend, Deborah, coaxes her to embark upon an affair. As unpleasant things unfold in her relationship, Angela decides to sign up on a Website for married people looking for an affair and meets the suave and gentlemanly David. Angela finds what she has been missing in David, but soon discovers a revelation that shocks her.
Caution: Contains explicit sexual scenes.
The Santini Vendetta Page 17