It Takes an Archaeologist
Quint and Clay Art Crimes Book #4
Gideon Monahan is a man dedicated to
what he does--recovering stolen art--to the exclusion of anything else,
including a personal life. There's a reason for that, something that
happened in his past that he can't forget.
Cole Newell is an archaeologist with a
problem. He needs to find out who looted a dig he worked the previous
summer. When an artifact from that dig shows up at his gallery, Cole
calls on Gideon to lend his expertise.
One of the looters is murdered, so they
set out to find answers with the help of Detective Quint Hawk. In the
process, Cole realizes he's attracted to Gideon, even though he's
certain the man is straight--but is he?
Cole helps Gideon open up about--and
accept--his past. But once they overcome the myriad of problems facing
them, can the two men become more than friends?
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Gideon congratulated Lou and Rory one
more time, said his goodbyes to them and to Quint and Clay, then left
the restaurant. As he walked to where he'd parked his car, he turned up
his coat collar against the chilly, late February weather, before
turning his phone back on. Seeing he had some voicemails, he decided to
put off checking them until he returned to the hotel.
I'll be glad to get back home, back
to work. Not that I wasn't working while I was here, but I need to get
away from...from all the happy couples. Back to concentrating on what I
do best.
What he did best was recovering stolen art. It was his passion--the one thing that had made his life bearable since... No. I'm not going there. Not again. It happened twenty years ago. Robin died because of me. He clenched his jaw against the soul-numbing pain, trying to push the memories away.
His phone rang, which helped. Checking the caller ID, he saw his assistant's name come up.
"Evening, Alex. You're up late," Gideon
said. It was the truth, as it was almost eight, Denver time, making it
ten in New York City where his business was headquartered.
"If you'd keep your phone on..."
"Sorry. I was attending Rory's wedding, so--"
"I can't believe he actually found
someone who'd put up with him," Alex replied with a laugh. "However,
that's not why I'm calling. We received an email from a Doctor Colten
Newell. He's an archaeologist based out of Denver, where he also owns an
antiquities gallery. He asked for our help, and since you're still in
the city--"
"With a ticket to fly home in the morning," Gideon replied tartly.
"I know. Still... Gideon, since you're there, why don't you reschedule and talk with him?"
"Did he say what he wants?"
"Something to do with thefts from a dig
he was working and wanting to find out who was responsible, as well as
locating the people selling and buying the artifacts. He didn't go into
details."
"That does not come under our--" Gideon started to reply.
"It's art, Gideon. Sure...not canvases or what have you, but Native American artifacts are still art, and you know it."
With a sigh, Gideon agreed. "Email him back. Set up an appointment for sometime tomorrow."
"At the hotel?"
"Yes. Let me know when, then have him call me when he gets there."
"Will do."
After hanging up, Gideon headed back to
the hotel. He was not at all happy with the turn of events, but business
was business, so to speak. He'd hear what Dr Newell had to say, then...
Then what? None of my operatives
have any archaeology creds, so turning him over to one of them won't
work--if I decide the man has a valid problem that we can help him with.
At least I know a little something about the subject. Very little,
but... He mentally shrugged, then went up to his room.
*****
"In for a penny, in for a pound," Cole Newell said
under his breath as he waited just after nine thirty pm for the elevator
at ART hotel. He knew he needed help. He just wasn't certain he'd get
it from Gideon Monahan. He recovers stolen art, and while I know what's gone missing is art, he might not agree.
The elevator arrived, Cole stepped in,
then pressed the button for Mr Monahan's floor. A few moments later, he
rapped on the door to Monahan's suite. When it opened, Cole saw a man
who was perhaps six or seven years older than his own thirty-eight. He
had dark blond, well-styled hair and light-blue eyes. There was sadness
in them, despite the smile on Mr Monahan's face as he said, "Doctor
Newell? Welcome. Come in."
"Please call me Cole, Mr Monahan," Cole replied.
"Only if you call me Gideon. Let me take
your coat, then have a seat." Gideon gestured toward the sofa and
chairs in the suite's living room. "Would you care for something to
drink? Coffee? Or something stronger?"
"Coffee would be great," Cole said,
handing Gideon his coat. He sat in one of the armchairs, putting his
messenger bag down beside it.
Gideon went to the refreshment bar, pouring already brewed coffee for both of them. "Cream? Sugar?"
"Black is fine. Thank you." When Gideon handed him his coffee, Cole tasted it before setting the cup on the side table.
Gideon took the other chair. "Shall we get down to business, Cole?"
"Direct and to the point," Cole said
with a small smile. "All right. For starters, I own a gallery here in
the city--Newell's Southwest Antiquities. I buy and sell legally
acquired Native American collectibles. I also do appraisals on items
someone might bring in, wanting to know what they have and if it has any
real or historical value."
"Wouldn't that be one in the same?" Gideon asked.
"An item, say an Anasazi bowl, could be a
poly-chrome one from around twelve-seventy-five AD, with no
restoration, valued at between two-fifty and three-fifty--dollars, that
is, not thousands of dollars. Or it could be a poly-chrome bowl from
1400 to 1600 AD that, even with some minimal restoration, is valued at
four thousand or more. The rarity of the item counts for more than the
condition or age."
"Makes sense. What makes something legally acquired?"
"That's a complicated issue," Cole
replied. "Is the item from public lands or private? Are they grave goods
or made from an endangered species? Does the seller have good title to
the item? Is it stolen?" Cole paused to take a drink of coffee. "When it
comes to grave goods--objects from burial sites--or sacred items, then
legally the items must be returned to the tribe or Native American group
they came from. That's call cultural patrimony."
As he talked, Cole watched Gideon. From
his expression, Cole had the distinct feeling Gideon knew most of what
he'd told him, so he asked if he did.
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