The Jaguar's Jewel (2 page)

Uncle Warren and the kids piled out of the taxi.

“This is where I work,” Uncle Warren said. He pointed to a small brass sign next to a green door. The sign read
THE PORTER MUSEUM
.

Dink noticed that it was a lot quieter here. Trees stood in front of the buildings, and a few kids were drawing chalk pictures on the sidewalk. From a window across the street came the sound of someone playing a piano.

Suddenly, he heard a voice call out, “Warren! Hello!”

Dink saw a smiling man and woman standing in front of a small restaurant next to the museum.

Behind them, a sign above a wide window read
LE PETIT BISTRO
.

“Come meet my friends,” Uncle
Warren said, heading toward the couple.

He introduced the kids. “And this is Jean-Paul and his wife, Yvonne,” Uncle Warren said.

Uncle Warren pointed to the sign. “These lovely people own the best French restaurant in New York!”

“Hello,” the man and woman said, smiling.

“Nice to meet you,” the kids said all together.

Yvonne turned to Uncle Warren. “It came!” she said. “A big, heavy box. Four men carried it upstairs to your office.”

Jean-Paul reached into his pocket. “I went up with them, then locked the door when they left,” he said, dropping a key on a brass ring into Uncle Warren's hand.

“What's in the box?” Dink asked.

Uncle Warren winked. “Nothing much,” he said. “Only priceless gold!”

The kids followed Uncle Warren through the green door. They climbed carpeted stairs to a door with a frosted-glass window. Uncle Warren unlocked it, and they walked into a spacious, dimly lit office.

A wooden crate nearly as tall as Dink sat on the floor.

Dink looked around the room. A desk and some chairs were arranged on an Oriental rug. A fish tank bubbled
quietly near the desk. Against one wall stood a bookcase.

Dink peeked through another door and saw a computer on a desk, a file cabinet, and some bookshelves.

“My assistant works in there,” Uncle Warren said. “He took the afternoon off. It's his daughter's birthday, and they've gone to the zoo.”

“You have a zoo?” Josh asked.

“Yes, right here in Manhattan we have the Central Park Zoo,” Uncle Warren said. “It's pretty small, but there's also the Bronx Zoo, which is enormous!”

Uncle Warren flipped up three switches on the wall. Suddenly, a ceiling fan began whirring around. Music came from hidden speakers. Overhead lights beamed down on them.

“This is a cool office!” Dink said.

“Thank you,” his uncle said. He
pointed to the fish tank. “Who'd like to feed my little friends?”

“I would!” Ruth Rose said.

Uncle Warren handed her a container of fish food and showed her how much food to sprinkle on the water.

“Look at this!” Josh said, lifting a shiny silver dagger off the desk. The blade was curved, and the handle was shaped like a soaring hawk.

“Careful,” Uncle Warren said. “It's sharp! I use it as a letter opener.”

“Is it real silver?” Josh asked.

Uncle Warren nodded. “It was made in Spain more than three hundred years ago.”

“I can see my reflection in it!” Josh said.

Uncle Warren laughed. “That's because my assistant polishes it every morning.”

Josh wiped the letter opener on his T-shirt and placed it back on the desk.

“Now, let's see what we have here,” Uncle Warren said. He draped his suit jacket over a chair, then dragged a toolbox from a closet. He selected a small crowbar from among the tools. Fitting the sharp end of the bar under the crate's lid, he pried the top off.

Inside were mounds of white packing “peanuts.” Uncle Warren reached through the peanuts and pulled out a small package wrapped in brown paper.

He stripped away the paper to reveal a layer of plastic bubble wrap. He carefully removed the plastic and held up a gold cup.

“Cool!” said Josh.

Uncle Warren grinned at the kids. “Lovely, isn't it?” he said. “This is a drinking cup made by the Incan people in the fifteen hundreds. Imagine, almost five hundred years ago! Have you studied the Incas in school?”

The kids shook their heads.

“Well, the Incas lived in Peru, in South America. The Porter Museum is going to display some of their pottery and gold sculpture.”

Leaning over the side of the crate, Uncle Warren dug deeper into the peanuts. “Aha, I think this is the jaguar!”

Grunting, he lifted out a much bigger package. It was as long as Dink's arm and nearly as big around as his waist. The heavy package made a solid
thud as Uncle Warren set it on his desk.

“Why's it so heavy?” Josh asked.

“Gold is a heavy metal,” Uncle Warren explained. “The Incas admired jaguars for their strength and cunning. This one is made of solid gold. It holds a fabulous emerald in its front paws.”

“Can we see it?” asked Ruth Rose.

“Yes, but not until tomorrow,” he said. “A Dr. Pitts will be here at nine o'clock. He works for the Society of Incan Treasures. Dr. Pitts will inspect
every piece as it comes out of its wrapping.”

“Why?” Josh asked.

“To make sure everything has arrived safely,” Uncle Warren said. “These pieces are priceless treasures!”

Uncle Warren put the jaguar back in the crate. “Sleep well!” he said.

Then he reached into the toolbox and handed Josh a hammer. “Let's re-wrap the cup and put it back, then nail the crate shut again till tomorrow.”

After they'd finished, Uncle Warren said, “Now let's lock up and walk to my apartment. We'll leave your backpacks with Roger, then I'll treat you to a New York dinner!”

“Who's Roger?” Ruth Rose asked.

“He's the doorman at my apartment building,” Uncle Warren said. “He opens the door for tenants and whistles for taxis.”

“Can we eat at your friends' restaurant?” Josh asked.

“Yes, but not tonight,” Uncle Warren said. “I'm saving that for your last night in the city. What kind of food do you like?”

“Pizza and ice cream!” Josh said.

Dink laughed. “Josh will eat anything,” he said.

“I mean, do you want Japanese, Chinese, Italian, Greek, Indian, or Mexican food?” Dink's uncle asked.

“Why don't you pick?” Dink said. “We love surprises!”

Uncle Warren flipped down the wall switches. The lights, music, and ceiling fan all went off. The kids followed him out of the office.

“Then a surprise you shall have!” he said, and pulled the door shut behind them.

Demo version limitation

“What do you mean?” Dink's uncle asked. “I don't see how it could be fake.”

Dr. Pitts rested a finger on the jewel. “This is not the original emerald,” he explained. “In fact, it is not an emerald at all.”

“But how could that be?” Dink's uncle cried.

“Look. I will show you,” Dr. Pitts said. He took a small flashlight from his pocket.

“Will you please pull the shades and turn off the lights?” he asked.

Dink was closest to the windows, so he pulled the shades down and clicked off the light over the fish tank. Josh hurried over to the switches on the wall.

When the room was dark, Dr. Pitts turned on his flashlight and shone the beam on the jewel.

Suddenly, the flashlight went out. Dink heard something hit the desktop, then roll off and make a soft thud on the carpet.

“Sorry,” Dr. Pitts muttered. “I seem to have dropped my flashlight. Can someone please …”

“I'll get it!” Josh said in the dark. He knelt down and fumbled around under the desk. “Found it,” he said a moment later. He stood, switched it on, and aimed the light at the desk.

“Thank you, young man,” Dr. Pitts said. He took the flashlight and pointed it at the jewel once more.

“You see, if this were a real emerald, the light would penetrate,” he explained. “The light beam would go to the heart of the jewel.”

He tapped a finger against the jewel. “But this is just glass. Notice how the light bounces off the surface. The light does not enter the stone.”

He shone the light on his own face.

“Of course, that is just my opinion. You are welcome to get another, Mr. Duncan.”

“I certainly will!” Dink's uncle said.

He walked over to the wall and switched on the lights.

Dink blinked at the sudden brightness. His uncle looked very upset.

“But I simply can't understand how the real emerald could have been
switched for a fake one!” Dink's uncle continued. “Are you absolutely sure?”

Dr. Pitts nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. I am sure.”

“Then the swap must have taken place before the crate arrived,” Uncle Warren declared. “Perhaps it happened in South America, when the jaguar was wrapped.”

Dr. Pitts shook his head. “I'm sorry, but I was there for the packing. I assure you, when the jaguar was put into this crate, the emerald was real.”

Dink's uncle stared at the jaguar. “I just don't see how it was possible!” he repeated.

Dr. Pitts shrugged. “Of course, I will have to report this to the police,” he said. “If you want that second opinion …”

Dink's uncle hurried across the room and opened the door to James
Pride's office. “James, please call Empire Jewelry on Broadway. Ask Regina Wu to come immediately. Tell her it's urgent!”

While they waited, Dr. Pitts examined the lock on the office door, then wrote something on a small pad.

Uncle Warren slumped in his chair and stared at the statue.

The kids sat on the rug and waited. Dink wanted to say something to his uncle, but he looked too upset.

Long minutes passed, then a knock sounded at the door. Uncle Warren jumped up. He let in a tall woman wearing a black raincoat. “Warren, I came as fast as I could,” she said. “The streets are a mess!”

They shook hands, and Dink's uncle explained about the jaguar's jewel. “Dr. Pitts claims it's a fake!”