Read Online Curse of the Jade Lily by David Housewright - Free Book Online Page B

this man frighten you?” he asked. “Are you coward?”
    He was the second man who’d questioned my courage that morning, yet I was no more affected by Pozderac’s opinion of me than I had been by Derek Anderson’s.
    “Sure, why not?” I said.
    “That is, is…”
    Pozderac couldn’t think of an English word to describe my crime, so he resorted to a string of adjectives spoken in the Bosnian language—at least I think they were adjectives.
    “Mr. McKenzie,” Hemsted said. “You have informed the museum that you will not attempt to recover the Jade Lily from the thieves, is that what you are saying?”
    “That is exactly what I am saying.”
    “We want you to reconsider your position.”
    “Why would I do that?”
    “Recovery of the Lily is essential to the continued good relations between the United States and Bosnia and Herzegovina.”
    “I have no idea why that would be true,” I said. “Even so, what does it have to do with me?”
    “The thieves requested that you act as go-between, is that not correct?”
    I turned to look at Rask.
    He shook his head slowly. “I didn’t tell them anything,” he said. “They came to me with a complete report and several threats.”
    “Threats?” I said.
    “Mr. McKenzie,” Hemsted said. “Is it not true that the thieves asked for you?”
    “They did.”
    “Why?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “It does not matter,” Pozderac said. “You will recover Lily.”
    He waved his hand in a way that both announced leadership and dismissed argument. The fact that I continued to argue annoyed him greatly.
    “I will?” I said.
    “You will recover. You will give to me. It is decided.”
    “Wait a minute. Give the Lily to you?”
    “Yes,” Hemsted said.
    “Let me see if I got this straight. The insurance company is paying approximately one-point-three million for the safe return of the Jade Lily. But you guys, after I make the exchange, you guys expect me to steal the Lily from the insurance company and the museum and give it to you instead. Does that pretty much cover it?”
    “The Lily belongs to Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Pozderac said. “It belongs to me.”
    “I heard that it rightfully belongs to Tatjana Durakovic; that it was stolen from her during the Yugoslav Wars.”
    Pozderac was on his feet in a hurry. He was not quite as enraged as before. Still …
    “That is lie,” he said. “That is damnable lie. You will not repeat such lies. Do you understand?
    “Kiss my—”
    “McKenzie,” Rask shouted. In a lower voice, he said, “McKenzie.”
    “Here’s the thing, pal.” I was speaking directly to Pozderac. “I don’t work for the government. I don’t work for the mayor of Minneapolis or the chief of police or Lieutenant Rask. I certainly don’t work for you. So, if you want something from me, ask politely.”
    “Mr. McKenzie,” Hemsted said. “There is no need for hostility.”
    Yeah, right, my inner voice said.
    “Look, fellas,” I said aloud. “As far as I am concerned, this is a moot point, anyway, for the simple reason that if I do what you request”—I nodded at Lieutenant Rask—“the police are going to lock me up and throw away the key. Isn’t that right, LT?”
    He didn’t answer, but I was sure I heard him growl again.
    “Arrangements have already been made, Mr. McKenzie,” Hemsted said. “There will be no arrests. As for the insurance company, we will guarantee that it is compensated for its loss.”
    “One million two hundred and seventy thousand dollars?” I said. “Can I have that in writing?”
    “You’ll need to take my word for it. McKenzie, this conversation never took place.”
    “C’mon. If the Lily is so important, why don’t you just go to the museum and collect it; go to whatsisname Gillard and confiscate it, or whatever the hell it is you do when the government wants something that doesn’t belong to it?”
    “If we could, we would. Unfortunately, the Lily is in the wind—isn’t that the criminal