numbers.
Fifteen minutes later I conceded Damon was right. All three were busy and unable to make it.
What choice was I left with?
Taking a deep breath, I picked up the phone again. As I punched in the numbers, I thought about my throwing arm. Damon’s temple was probably really swollen now, and most likely hurt like hell. Good; let him suffer for once.
Damon’s voice mail kicked in and I left a message.
Less than five minutes later he called me back.
“What’s up, Phe?”
“Where are you, Damon?”
“Heading home?”
“Do you have a visa?” I almost choked on my words. I pictured him grinning.
“Why do I need a visa?”
“Stop playing games.”
He’d known all along that I would get back to him. Not only was he eminently qualified, I’d found out during my conversation with Lyle that Damon had converted to Buddhism, Tibet’s most popular religion. That, to my mind, was an added advantage. He would at least be familiar with the culture and he wasn’t expecting an exorbitant salary.
“You there, Phe? Did you say you want me to go to Tibet with you?”
“Yes. I need your services.”
“Cool. Sounds like the perfect assignment for someone like me, a follower of the Dalai Lama.”
“Last I knew you were Roman Catholic. Your mother must have had a cow when you converted to Buddhism.”
“My mother died. It hasn’t been the best of times lately. Buddhism was my salvation, especially after you left me.” He chuckled.
Left him? More like the other way around. Damon had made it difficult for me to stay with him, especially if I wanted to remain my own woman. He’d let his machismo get in the way—of everything. But I was sorry to hear of his mother’s death. She and I had gotten along well. She had enjoyed regaling me with stories of growing up in the Dominican Republic. And I’d enjoyed every last one of them.
“I’m so sorry about your mom, Damon.” I quickly changed the topic. “You and I may very well be on the same wavelength when it comes to Maitreya. I’m thinking this discovery may be a hoax.”
“So we go and find out. Why turn down a trip to a country I’ve been dying to see? You did say all expenses are paid?”
I had not. But I guess he knew that pretty much came with the territory.
Damon continued. “Do you know what finding Maitreya means to the Buddhist world? It means the awaited teacher is coming. He is the master of wisdom, and a guide for people of every religion. Maitreya is supposed to be reborn during a period of decline. He represents our future.” He sounded really excited.
I wasn’t particularly religious, but the idol’s discovery couldn’t have been timelier. Natural disasters happened almost daily now and terrorism, well, that was something we lived with. The world needed a savior.
While doing my research, I’d read some of the more “out there” papers. There had been signs of Maitreya’s imminent arrival for some time now.
Damon’s interest in this project most likely had to do with him wanting to identify the statue as a hoax. And if by some amazing turn of events it was not, then he wanted to be the one to return it to the Dalai Lama.
“We’re leaving in two days,” I said. “Can you be ready?”
“That’s sudden. Has something happened?”
“No. I just wanted to get a jump on things. The sooner the better.”
“I can’t commit this soon,” he said. “I’m in the middle of another project.” He was going to keep me dangling. Make me sweat a little.
I expressed myself loudly using a colorful expletive then decided it was pointless letting him needle me. “Make yourself available,” I said. “It’ll be worth your while.”
“Tsk. Such unladylike behavior. How can anyone work with you?”
I repeated the invective. “Do you want the job or not?”
He wanted it. He’d already admitted it was a dream come true.
“Only if the money is right.”
I let the silence drag on then countered with a salary that was way too low.
“No way. Up it another thirty percent and there’s room for discussion. I gotta go.”
“Don’t you hang up on me!”
Several beats went by.
“You still there?” he asked.
“I’m here,” I said grumpily. “I’ll split my bonus. But that means the project has to come in on time or I’ll be all over you.”
“Now you’re talking.”
“Go get a visa.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” He disconnected.
I closed my eyes and tried to calm down.
He was still irksome as ever. Why after all this time was Damon Hernandez back in my life?
Someone up there must have it in for me.
Chapter 2
“Bye, Dad. I love you.”
“Be safe, little girl.”
My dad’s voice, the booming, authoritative voice, reduced to a whisper, now sounding lifeless; a mere echo of what it once had been. But at least he was talking. I blew him a kiss through the phone’s mouthpiece and disconnected.
If I accomplished only one thing in Tibet, it would be clearing his name. My dad would not have been involved in any type of plot to steal an artifact, especially a Buddha statue lent to a museum in the United States and on his watch. It was ludicrous.
I had a feeling this was going to be the trip of two lifetimes—mine and my dad’s.
Tossing my cell phone into my backpack, I navigated the crowded airline terminal and went in search of Damon. I hadn’t seen him at the gate’s boarding area. The final boarding announcements were now being made. Damon was still nowhere in sight. Please, God, don’t let him let me down.
There were a few passengers hovering around the counter when I reluctantly boarded the aircraft, none of them Damon. I flopped into the vacant seat next to Althea. The minute the seat belt sign went off, and the flight attendant announced it was safe to get up, I flew out of my uncomfortable coach seat and went in search of Damon. I got to the seat Whit had reserved for Damon, one over the wing
