with each bristle exactingly trimmed.
A tall, complacent man, whose profile and haughtiness reminded the Americans seated around the conference room of a Spanish conquistador, Fernando Matos was the very essence of a condescending, fence-and- dodge bureaucrat. He stared at the Americans in the Customs building less than 100 meters (328 feet) from the international border.
Admiral James Sandecker, who had arrived from Washington shortly after Gaskill and Ragsdale flew in from Galveston, stared back and said nothing. Shannon, Rodgers, and Giordino were relegated to chairs against one wall while Pitt sat at Sandecker's right. They left the talking to the chief Customs agent of the region, Curtis Starger.
A veteran of sixteen years with the service, Starger had been around the Horn enough times to have seen it all. He was a trim, handsome man with sharp features and blond hair. He looked more like an aging lifeguard on a San Diego beach than a hardened agent who gazed at Matos with an expression that could scorch asbestos. After the introductions were made, he launched his attack.
'I'll skip the niceties, Mr. Matos. On matters such as this I'm used to dealing with your elite law enforcement agents, especially Inspector Granados and the chief of your Northern Mexico Investigative Division, Sefior Rojas. I wish you would explain, sir, why a midlevel official from an obscure office of the National Affairs Department was sent to brief us on the situation. I get the feeling that your national government in Mexico City is as much in the dark as we are.'
Matos made a helpless gesture with his hands. His eyes never blinked, and his smile remained fixed. If he felt insulted, it didn't show. 'Inspector Granados is working on a case in Hermosillo and Sefior Rojas was taken ill.'
'Sorry to hear it,' Starger grunted insincerely.
'If they were not indisposed or on duties elsewhere, I'm certain they would have been happy to consult with you. I share your frustration. But I assure you, my government will do everything in its power to cooperate on this matter.'
'The United States Attorney's Office has reason to believe that three men going under the names of Joseph Zolar, Charles Oxley, and Cyrus Sarason, all brothers, are conducting a massive international operation dealing in stolen art, smuggled artifacts, and art forgery. We also have reason to believe they have abducted one of our respected congressional legislators and an official of our most prestigious marine science agency.'
Matos smiled blandly behind his bureaucratic defenses. 'Utterly ridiculous. As you very well know, gentlemen, after your fruitless raid on the Zolars' facilities in Texas, their reputation remains untarnished.'
Gaskill smiled wryly at Ragsdale. 'News travels fast.'
'These men you seem intent on persecuting have violated no laws in Mexico. We have no legal cause to investigate them.'
'What are you doing about securing the release of Congresswoman Smith and Deputy Director Gunn?'
'Our finest investigative police teams are working on the case,' Matos assured him. 'My superiors have already made arrangements to pay the ransom demands. And I can guarantee it is only a question of a few hours before the bandits responsible for this travesty are captured and your people rescued unharmed.'
'Our sources claim the Zolars are the criminals who are responsible.'
Matos shook his head. 'No, no, the evidence proves a gang of thieving bandits is behind the abduction.'
Pitt joined in the fray. 'Speaking of abductions, what about the crew of the ferryboat? Where did they disappear to?'
Matos gazed at Pitt contemptuously. 'That is of no importance here. As a matter of record, our police officials have four signed statements naming you as the instigator of this plot.'
Resentment surged through Pitt. The Zolars had cunningly planned every contingency, but they had either ignored the fact the crew of the Alhambra were not dead or Amaru had botched the job and lied. Padilla and his men must have made shore and been put under wraps by the local police.
'Were your investigators as thoughtful in providing me with a motive?' asked Pitt.
'Motives do not concern me, Mr. Pitt. I rely on evidence. But since you brought it up, the crew claims you killed Congresswoman Smith and Rudi Gunn to gain the location of the treasure.'
'Your police officials have Alzheimer's disease if they swallow that,' snapped Giordino.
'Evidence is evidence,' Matos said smoothly. 'As an official of the government I must operate within strict legal parameters.'
Pitt took the ridiculous accusation in stride and sneaked in from the side. 'Tell me, Sefior Matos, what percentage of the gold will you take as your share?'
'Five--' Matos caught himself too late.
'Were you about to say five percent, sir?' Starger asked softly.
Matos tilted his head and shrugged. 'I was about to say nothing of the sort.'
'I'd say your superiors have turned a blind eye to a deep conspiracy,' said Sandecker.
'There is no conspiracy, Admiral. I'll take an oath on
'What you're broadcasting,' said Gaskill, leaning across the table, 'is that officials of the Sonoran State government have struck a deal with the Zolars to keep the Peruvian treasure.'
Matos lifted a hand. 'The Peruvians have no legal claim. All artifacts found on Mexican soil belong to our people--'
'They belong to the people of Peru,' Shannon interrupted, her face flushed with anger. 'If your government had any sense of decency, they would invite the Peruvians to at least share in it.'
'Affairs between nations do not work that way, Dr. Kelsey,' replied Matos.
'How would you like it if Montezuma's lost golden treasure turned up in the Andes?'
'I'm not in a position to judge outlandish events,' Matos answered imperviously. 'Besides, rumors of the treasure are greatly exaggerated. Its true value is really of little consequence.'
Shannon looked flabbergasted. 'What are you saying? I saw Huascar's treasure with my own eyes. If anything, it's far more substantial than anyone thought. I put its potential value at just under a billion dollars.'
'The Zolars are respected dealers who have a worldwide reputation for accurately appraising art and antiquities. Their evaluation of the treasure does not exceed thirty million.'
'Mister,' Shannon snapped in cold fury, 'I'll match my credentials against theirs any day of the week in appraising artifacts of ancient Peruvian cultures. I'll put it to you in plain language. The Zolars are full of crap.'
'Your word against theirs,' Matos said calmly.
'For a small treasure trove,' said Ragsdale, 'they appear to be mounting a massive recovery effort.'
'Five or ten laborers to carry the gold out of the cavern. No more.'
'Would you like to see reconnaissance satellite photos that show the top of Cerro el Capirote looking like an anthill with an army of men and helicopters crawling all over it?'
Matos sat silently, as if he hadn't heard a word.
'And the Zolars' payoff?' asked Starger. 'Are you allowing them to remove artifacts from the country?'
'Their efforts on behalf of the people of Sonora will not go unappreciated. They will be compensated.'
It was an obvious fish story and nobody in the room bought it.
Admiral Sandecker was the highest American official in the room. He stared at Matos and gave him a disarming smile. 'I will be meeting with our nation's President tomorrow morning. At that time I will brief him on the alarming events occurring in our neighbor to the south, and inform him that your law enforcement officials are dragging their feet on the investigation and throwing up a smoke screen on the kidnapping of our high-level representatives. I need not remind you, Senor Matos, the free trade agreement is coming up for review by Congress. When our representatives are informed of your callous treatment of one of their colleagues, and how you cooperate with criminals dealing in stolen and smuggled art, they may find it difficult to continue our mutual trade relations. In short, senor, your President wild have a major scandal on his hands.'
Matos's eyes behind the glasses were suddenly stricken. 'There is no need for so strong a response over a minor disagreement between our two countries.'
