cc.goldenbuddha-第23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！


anted　to　do　was　talk　to　her。　The　butch　Portuguese　woman　annoyed　Hoshe　was　good　at　what　she　did；　but　she　took　herself　much　too　seriously。　This　was　a　party；　after　all；　not　a　Broadway　musical。　From　past　experience；　Ho　realized　that　a　few　hours　from　now　most　of　the　guests　he　had　invited　would　be　so　inebriated　that　if　he　served　rat　as　an　entree；　most　wouldn't　even　notice。　
　Ho　was　more　concerned　by　the　insurance　adjuster　who　was　due　to　arrive。　
　That　and　the　fact　that　on　the　history　of　the　Golden　Buddha　he　had　missioned；　the　historian　had　noted　that　the　icon　supposedly　had　a　secret　storage　partment　Ho　had　yet　to　find。　It　was　a　minor　detail；　but　it　bugged　him　nonetheless。　The　insurance　adjuster　was　apparently　an　expert　in　ancient　Asian　art。　Ho　figured　he'd　question　him　when　he　arrived　and　see　if　he　could　supply　the　answer。　
　If　not；　Spenser　would　be　here　soon　and　Ho　could　ask　him　about　it。　
　
　RICHARD　TRUITT　DROVE　the　rental　car　carefully　up　Praia　Grande　JL　Vjo　the　gate　of　the　mansion；　then　stopped。　Rolling　down　the　window；　he　handed　the　guard　his　invitation。　
　〃Let　me　call　the　house；〃　the　guard　said。　
　Dialing　Ho's　extension；　the　guard　waited。　
　〃Mr。　Ho；〃　the　guard　said；　〃there's　a　Mr。　Samuelson　from　the　insurance　pany　here。〃　
　That　wasn't　who　he'd　been　dealing　with；　Ho　thought。　
　〃Go　ahead　and　let　him　in；〃　Ho　said；　〃and　have　him　wait　downstairs。〃　
　Then　he　hung　up　and　dialed　another　number。　
　〃Go　on　in；〃　the　guard　said。　〃Park　by　the　garage　and　wait　downstairs。〃　
　Ho　tapped　his　finger　on　the　desk　while　the　telephone　rang。　
　〃Lassiter　residence；〃　a　voice　with　a　Cantonese　accent　answered。　
　〃This　is　Stanley　Ho。　Is　Mr。　Lassiter　available？〃　
　〃Mr。　Lassiter　sick；〃　the　voice　said。　〃Doctor　ing　soon。〃　
　〃Did　he　leave　any　message　if　I　called？〃　Ho　asked。　
　〃Hold　on；〃　the　voice　said。　
　Ho　waited　a　few　minutes；　then　a　croaking　voice　came　on　the　line。　
　〃Sorry；　old　bean；〃　the　voice　sputtered；　〃I've　taken　ill。　A　Mr。　Samuelson　from　our　main　office　was　in　town。　He'll　keep　the　appointment　as　scheduled。〃　
　Lassiter　didn't　sound　anything　like　himself；　Ho　thought。　Whatever　he'd　caught　sounded　serious。　〃He's　here　now；〃　Ho　said。　
　〃Don't　worry；　Mr。　Ho；〃　the　voice　said；　hacking；　〃he's　very　knowledgeable；　an　expert　on　ancient　Asian　art。〃　
　〃I　hope　you　feel　better　soon；〃　Ho　said。　
　The　sound　of　a　phlegmy　coughing　fit　erupted　that　lasted　for　almost　a　minute。　
　〃Me；　too；〃　the　voice　said；　〃and　I　hope　I　can　view　the　Golden　Buddha　very　soon。〃　
　Ho　hung　up　the　telephone　and　rose　to　walk　downstairs。　
　On　the　Oregon；　the　operator　disconnected　the　line　and　turned　to　the　man　who　had　portrayed　Lassiter。　
　〃For　a　chef；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃you　make　a　hell　of　a　spy。〃　
　
　WINSTON　SPENSER　WAS　not　wired　for　a　life　of　crime　and　deceit。　At　this　instant；　he　was　vomiting　into　the　toilet　in　his　hotel　room。　Someone　might　argue　it　was　all　the　booze　from　the　night　before；　but　in　fact　it　was　the　tension　that　was　ripping　his　guts　apart。　The　tension　that　es　from　living　a　lie；　from　being　wrapped　in　deceit；　from　doing　what　one　knows　is　wrong。　By　now　there　was　nothing　but　bile　risingany　food　he　had　ingested　was　long　gone；　any　liquor　left　was　in　his　pores。　
　Spenser　reached　up；　grabbed　a　hand　towel；　then　wiped　the　corners　of　his　mouth。　
　Rising　from　the　floor；　he　stared　at　his　image　in　the　mirror。　His　eyes　were　red　and　bloodshot　and　his　skin　pallor　a　ghastly　gray。　The　tension　he　was　feeling　was　revealed　by　the　muscles　in　his　face。　They　twitched　and　popped　like　a　kernel　of　popcorn　in　a　sizzling　pan。　He　reached　up　to　dab　a　tear　from　the　corner　of　his　left　eye；　but　his　hand　was　shaking。　
　He　supported　one　hand　with　the　other　and　finished　the　task。　Then　he　climbed　into　the　shower　to　try　and　sweat　out　the　fear。
　
　RICHARD　TRUITT　STOOD　in　the　living　room；　waiting。　He　stared　around　the　room　and　tried　to　form　a　picture　of　his　target。　If　Truitt　was　to　guess；　he　figured　the　man　who　resided　here　was　self…made　and　had　only　recently　bee　affluent。　He　based　this　judgment　on　the　furnishings　and　general　decor。　The　pieces　in　the　room　were　expensive　enough；　they　just　had　no　soul。　And　they　were　arranged　in　a　fashion　favoring　flash　over　fort。　The　possessions　of　old　money　always　contained　a　storythe　story　Truitt　was　seeing　was　of　objects　bought　in　bulk　to　fill　a　space　and　give　a　picture　of　the　occupant　that　was　neither　real　nor　imaginative。　
　There　was　a　stuffed　lion；　but　Truitt　doubted　the　owner　had　stalked　and　shot　the　animal　himself。　A　few　paintings　from　contemporary　artists　like　Picasso；　but　the　paintings　were　far　from　the　artists'　best　works。　
　Truitt　imagined　they　had　been　bought　for　image　value。　Guests　without　foundation　or　substance　would　be　rightly　impressed。　An　ancient　coat　of　armor　that　to　Truitt's　eye　appeared　to　be　a　reproduction　。。。　a　French　Louis　XVI…style　couch　that　looked　about　as　fortable　to　sit　on　as　a　bed　of　nails。　
　〃Mr。　Samuelson；〃　a　voice　said　from　the　staircase。　
　Truitt　turned　to　see　who　was　speaking。　
　The　man　was　small。　Five　and　a　half　feet　tall　and　slight　of　build。　His　hair　was　jet　black　and　styled　like　a　1970s　California　hustler。　The　mouth　was　small；　with　teeth　that　held　a　certain　feral　rage。　Although　Truitt　imagined　the　man　was　smiling　to　be　friendly；　the　effect　from　his　grin　made　Truitt　want　to　reach　for　his　wallet　to　see　if　it　was　safe。　
　〃I'm　Stanley　Ho；〃　the　man　said；　reaching　the　bottom　of　the　stairs　and　extending　his　hand。　
　The　stage　was　set　and　Truitt　became　the　actor。　
　〃Paul　Samuelson；〃　he　said；　extending　a　slightly　limp　wrist　for　a　handshake。　〃The　home　office　asked　me　to　take　over　for　Mr。　Lassiter；　who　has　unfortunately　been　stricken　with　a　bug。〃　
　Truitt's　version　of　Samuelson　was　ing　across　as　a　light…in…the…loafers　Michael　Caine。　
　〃I　trust　you're　familiar　with　this　type　of　sculpture？〃　
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Truitt　gushed。　〃I　did　graduate　studies　in　Asian　art。　It's　one　of　my　favorite　forms。〃　
　Ho　motioned　to　the　stairs；　then　led　the　way　up。　〃The　object　is　known　as　the　Golden　Buddha。　Are　you　in　any　way　familiar　with　the　piece？〃　
　They　rounded　the　first　leg　of　the　stairs　and　crossed　the　landing　to　the　second　flight。　
　〃I'm　afraid　not；〃　Truitt　said　breathlessly。　〃Has　it　ever　been　displayed？〃　
　〃No；〃　Ho　said　quickly。　〃It　has　been　part　of　a　private　collection　for　decades。〃　
　〃Then　I　shall　examine　it　with　an　eye　for　parison　to　the　other　pieces　I　am　familiar　with。〃　
　They　had　exited　the　second　flight　and　were　winding　their　way　around　to　the　last　set　of　stairs。　
　〃You　have　a　beautiful　home；〃　Truitt　lied。　〃The　staircases　are　mahogany；　are　they　not？〃　
　〃Yes；〃　Ho　said；　pausing　at　the　door　to　his　office　to　scan　a　card　that　unlocked　the　door。　〃From　Brazil　and　hand　fitted　without　nails　or　screws。〃　
　Ho　opened　the　door　and　stepped　aside。　
　〃How　lovely；〃　Truitt　said。　He　stared　across　the　office　to　where　the　Golden　Buddha　sat。　〃But　nowhere　near　as　lovely　as　this。〃　
　Truitt　walked　over　to　the　Buddha；　followed　by　Ho。　
　〃Magnificent；〃　Truitt　said　easily。　〃May　I　touch　it？〃　
　〃Please；〃　Ho　said。　
　The　insurance　adjuster　was　acting　just　as　Ho　had　hoped。　Equal　parts　respect　and　sublimation。　There　was　a　good　chance　the　appraisal　would　be　in　his　favor。　If　it　was　not　to　his　liking；　Ho　was　sure　he　could　bully　《　the　agent　into　capitulation。　
　Truitt　rubbed　his　hand　over　the　face　of　Buddha；　then　stared　into　the　jeweled　eyes。　〃Might　I　ask　some　about　the　history？〃　
　〃He's　from　the　thirteenth　century　and　from　Indochina；〃　Ho　said。　
　Truitt　opened　a　small　leather　clutch　he　had　been　holding　and　removed　a　jeweler's　eyepiece。　He　placed　it　over　one　eye　and　examined　the　stones。　〃Exquisite。〃　
　Ho　watched　as　the　adjuster　examined　the　Buddha　from　head　to　toe。　The　man　seemed　petent；　so　he　decided　to　ask　him　about　the　secret　storage　partment。　〃I　had　a　historian　dig　into　it　a　little　and　he　mentioned　that　some　of　these　pieces　contained　an　inner　chamber。〃　
　〃The　part　of　Buddha　where　there　is　no　ego；〃　Truitt　said　quickly；　〃the　void。〃　
　〃Then　you　are　familiar　with　the　idea？〃　Ho　said。　
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　Truitt　said。　He　was　glad　the　Corporation　had　seen　fit　to　provide　him　with　a　report　on　ancient　Asian　art。　The　〃void〃　had　been　part　of　the　study。　
　〃I　can't　seem　to　find　one　on　this　piece。〃　
　〃Let's　look　closer；〃　Truitt　said。　
　The　two　men　spent　the　next　twenty　minutes　carefully　examining　the　object；　but　no　secret　partment　was　found。　Truitt　decided　to　use　the　revelation　to　his　favor。　
　〃Shall　we　sit　for　a　bit？〃　he　asked　Ho。　
　The　men　took　seats　around　Ho's　desk。　
　〃What　value　do　you　have　in　mind；〃　Truitt　said；　〃that　you　would　like　our　pany　to　underwrite？〃　
　〃I　was　thinking　in　the　neighborhood　of　two　hundred　million；〃　Ho　said。　
　〃That's　an　expensive　neighborhood；〃　Truitt　said；　smiling。　
　Leaning　forward；　he　spilled　the　contents　of　his　leather　clutch　on　the　floor。　Scooping　down　to　pick　up　the　contents；　he　attached　a　small　bug　to　the　bottom　of　Ho's　desk。　
　〃Silly　me；〃　he　said　after　the　bug　was　attached　and　the　bag　placed　back　on　his　lap。　
　〃What　do　you　think　is　the　value？〃　Ho　asked。　
　〃The　absence　of　the　secret　partment　actually　adds　to　the　rarity　of　the　piece；〃　Truitt　lied。　〃It　places　the　age　at　least　a　few　decades　before　what　I　had　estimated。　The　voids　date　from　the　twelfth　century　and　later。　Y