The Solomon Curse

“I just thought that was shyness,” Sam said.

“Apparently not. ‘The following morning, the heads of all the island tribes were to gather at the site of the new complex for a weeklong celebration. For months the king had been collecting tribute from traders and his tribes and adding it to the vast treasure secreted in the royal palace. The celebrants came heavily laden with gold, jewels, and other tribute. When the column arrived at the site, the king was parading his riches in the sun, his high priests and wife nearby. The gods were so offended by this display of arrogance from a mere human that the earth shook as never before, destroying the compound as though it were made of sand, and then the sea god sent a wave the size of an island to erase any trace of the site. Most of the visiting dignitaries were lost in the destruction, only a handful survived. Those who did agreed that the gods had made their will known and that the survivors’ atonement would be to live as they had before the king came to power. As punishment for the king’s sins, his name was never to be spoken again and his palace and temples were to be forgotten, the site damned as a cursed place.’ That’s the end of his entry.”

“So the Solomon Islands’ primitive culture is a direct result of that event? All progress erased in one fell swoop?”

“That’s how I read it. But one thing that struck me was that a treasure is mentioned as though the amassing of riches was a big part of the affront to the gods, the clear message being that wealth is also to be avoided since it brought calamity with it.”

“A treasure. Well, I’ve never been one to shy away from a challenge. I wonder how much of the legend is real and how much invention?”

“The professor had no way of knowing. Because it was forbidden knowledge, he had no secure way of corroborating it, and the medicine man swore him to secrecy. He couldn’t very well go asking around after giving his word or nobody would have trusted him ever again. He’d spent a decade building his standing in the community with his regular trips and he didn’t want to destroy that trust, so he kept quiet about it.” Selma paused. “But no secret lasts if more than one person knows about it. There has to be someone else the medicine man told—or, more obviously, someone told him originally—and that someone may well have told others. If you haven’t heard anything after turning over rocks there, it might be pretty obscure, especially as generations die off and the new ones aren’t interested in the past.”

Sam nodded to himself. “Yes, the islands have undergone a big change since the war. Our other problem is that such a small fraction of the population speaks English, so we’re limited to the few that do. That’s mainly the residents of the capital.”

“Well, now you know everything I do. The professor said he’d be more than happy to speak to you by phone if you wanted to pick his brain. I’ll forward his number when I send the scans.”

“Do you think it would do any good?”

“I got the impression he told me everything he knew. He wasn’t at all evasive. To him, this is all just academic interest. I didn’t tell him you’d found the likely site of the king’s palace.”

“As always, Selma, you’re the real treasure in this story.”

“It’s all part of the job, right? The professor’s account will be in your e-mail in-box in a few minutes. Call me if you need anything else.” She hesitated. “I’m glad to hear you’re having a less eventful time than on one of your usual forays into the wilds.”

Sam debated not telling her about the recent attack but decided that it might prove useful for self-preservation if more people knew. “Up until today, I would have agreed with you.”

“What now?”

“We were run off the road and someone shot at us. Other than that, it’s a lovely place.”

Selma’s voice grew quiet. “You’re joking.”

“Truth is stranger than fiction, as always.”

“Who’s after you?”

“Don’t know.”

“Well, that certainly narrows it down. What can I do to help?”

“Nothing I can think of. Maybe let the State Department know in case we disappear forever?”

“A cheerful thought.”

“Thanks, Selma. Don’t worry about us—we’ll manage, as always. I’ll call as soon as we know something more.”

Remi eyed him as he punched the call off. “Selma came through?”

“Doesn’t she always?”

“Come on. Give.”

He told her about the medicine man’s legend. When he was done, she studied her reflection in the mirror and shook her head. “Even when we’re just helping a friend, we manage to trip over treasure. The Fargo luck cuts both ways, doesn’t it?”

“There’s no telling whether it’s true or not, Remi. And, frankly, what might have been riches thousands of years ago could be trash nowadays.”

“You mentioned gold and jewels. Last I heard, those were still in demand. In fact,” Remi said, looking pointedly at the back of one hand, “I haven’t seen a nice rock in a while. I say we officially consider this a treasure hunt now that there’s at least a mention of one.”

Sam ignored her facetious fishing for jewelry. “Of course we tell Leonid.”

“Absolutely. And, as always, we’ll turn over whatever we find to the local government.” Remi turned toward the window and winced as her hand flew to her neck. “Ow!”

“Let’s get a doctor to look at that. I know just the place.”

“I don’t need to go to the hospital.”

“You just flipped over in a truck and took a tumble down a river. I’m afraid you’re overruled on this one, Mrs. Fargo,” Sam said sternly.

Remi shrugged and winced again. “Fine. You win. But no shots. Promise me, no shots.”

“All I can do is relay your wishes to the powers that be.”

“Traitor.”

CHAPTER 15

Dr. Vanya stepped back from where Remi was lying on the hospital exam bed. “I don’t think it’s anything more than some strained ligaments. Your vision is fine, you’re showing no signs of serious trauma, and your neuro workup was normal.”

“That’s all good news,” Sam said.

“You should avoid sudden movements or strain. Anything that would jar your head and neck are likely to be painful. I can get you a whiplash collar, if you like. It might help.”

Remi frowned. “I hate those.”

“Nobody likes them. It’s up to you. It’s not like you’ll die if you don’t wear one. Just be careful, and if you have to ask yourself whether something’s a bad idea, it probably is.” Vanya regarded her. “You’re extremely lucky given the circumstances. The swelling on your face will subside within a few days, and you’ll have a slight bruise. Unbelievable you survived a rollover with only a few scrapes.” She eyed Sam. “And you look like you walked away without a scratch.”

“The air bags did their job,” Sam said.

“I’ll say. Did the police give you any indication of what they intend to do about this?”

Sam shook his head. “Doesn’t sound like much.”

“Don’t be too frustrated. Our islands have their charm, but nobody expects high efficiency. I tell newcomers who are thinking about starting businesses that if you just answer your phone and open on the days you’re supposed to, you’re ahead of ninety percent of the competition.” Vanya shrugged. “A relaxed island pace comes at a price. You’re seeing the downside. It’s nothing personal.”

“I just don’t understand why we were targeted,” Remi said as she sat up.

“There’s no way of knowing. There have been rumors of armed rebel groups in the mountains. Maybe you stumbled across something or disrupted their plans? Or saw something you weren’t supposed to?”

“Like what?” Sam asked.

“I have no idea. I’m just grasping at straws here. I’ve never heard of this kind of an attack, so I’m speculating. Who knows why crazy people do violent things?” She hesitated. “I treated someone whose husband attacked her with a machete. For no reason. The best she could guess was that she’d said something that set him off. It was by the grace of God she didn’t die. The husband disappeared into the hills and has never been found. Could be it’s he who attacked you. You never know.”