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“Anything’s possible, isn’t it? It’s just an observation—based on what you were expecting and what you found.”
“You’ve seen the photos. Does this strike you as a treasure fit for a king? Even by Toltec standards?”
“Not really. I think that’s rather my point . . . and yours.”
“But if it’s not the real tomb, then why memorialize it in the carvings?”
“That’s what’s got me thinking. Perhaps the location’s correct, but the crypt we discovered . . . was designed to be discovered so that any hunt for it would end there.” Lazlo sighed. “Which, you have to admit, it effectively did.”
Remi considered the idea and looked at Sam. “Didn’t I tell you that Lazlo is a genius?”
“Well, the jury is still out, but still . . .” Sam replied, smiling.
“No, seriously.”
“Interesting, and it does make a certain sense. But, frankly, the Mexican government probably isn’t going to be thrilled with us digging randomly in the hopes that maybe that hunch is valid. We have nothing to go on,” Sam said.
“But there has to be a way.”
“I didn’t say there wasn’t. Just that they won’t let us excavate in a proven historical find just for giggles.”
Remi studied his expression. “But you have an idea, don’t you?”
“I do. One of the things Antonio told me on the call was that the sonar finally showed up, albeit too late to do us any good. Only, I’m thinking maybe it’s not too late after all.”
Sam paid for breakfast and they stepped out onto the street. Remi waved at a cab and waited as it pulled to the curb, traffic surging past it.
“Does this mean that our glorious stay at the St. Regis is over? Back to the Teotihuacan motel?” Remi asked.
“Only if you want to give this one more go.”
“Of course I do. Lazlo’s instinct is the same as mine on this one. We may have discovered the only chamber and it’s just a wildly exaggerated tale or we fell for a tricky Toltec ruse.”
“Human nature hasn’t really changed in a thousand years, has it? Anyone normal would have found this, seen some treasure and a body, and called it a day,” Lazlo agreed.
Sam held the rear door open and slid in next to her while Lazlo climbed into the passenger seat.
“But we’re not normal, are we?” she said.
Sam smiled. “Thank goodness, no. We’d be bored to death.”
LA JOLLA, CALIFORNIA
Kendra leaned back in her chair, another long day of research concluded, and sneaked a glance at Pete, who was shutting down his computer. Wendy had taken off a half hour earlier, leaving the two of them to their devices as they worked on their latest assignment.
“Any luck?” Pete asked as he stood, a two-day dusting of stubble on his face. He brushed a boyish lock of hair off his forehead and smiled at Kendra, who shook her head.
“No, but we weren’t really expecting any miracles. This is going to take a long time. Nothing’s jumping out at me,” she said.
“That’s why they call it a job, right?”
“Beats flipping burgers.”
Pete approached her desk. “Are you speaking from experience or in a hypothetical burger-flipping way?”
Kendra batted her eyes. “I’m not going to give up all my secrets so easily. A girl’s got to have her mysteries . . .”
Pete seemed suddenly uneasy and shifted from foot to foot before clearing his throat. Kendra raised one eyebrow, waiting for his next utterance.