A LIFE SO CHANGED
Chapter Two
The safe, dripping wet in the afternoon sun,
is lowered onto the deck of the ship by a winch cable. They are on the Russian
Research Vessel Akademik Keldysh.
A crowd has gathered, including most of the
crew of Keldysh, the sub crews, a hand-wringing money guy named Boddy Buell,
who represents the limited partners. There is also a documentary video crew,
hired by Lovett to cover his moment of glory.
Everyone crowds around the safe. In the
background Mir Two crew are being recovered with Bodine following Lovett as he
bounds over to the safe like a kid on Christmas morning.
"Cha-ching!" said Bodine, giving a
buddy handshake to Buell.
"We did it, Bobby," said Lovett,
patting Buell on the back.
"You brought it back," said Buell.
"Oh, yeah. Who's the best? Who's the
best, baby...?" asked Bodine to Lovett. "Say it. Say it! Say
it!"
"You are, Lewis." Bodine gives him
a big kiss on the cheek.
The Technicians set about drilling the safe's
hinges. During this operation, the crowd celebrates.
"Bobby, my cigar?" asked Lovett.
Bodine opens a champagne bottle and soaks
everybody with it.
"OK, crack her open," said Lovett,
as he grins wolfishly in anticipation of his greatest find yet.
The door is pried loose. It clangs onto the
deck. Lovett moves closer, peering into the safe's wet interior. He reaches in
and grabs a hand full of wet old papers, and a portfolio. A long moment
then...his face says it all.
"Shit," said Lovett.
"No diamond," said Anatoly over
Lovett's shoulders.
"You know, boss. This happened to
Geraldo and his career never recovered," said Bodine.
Lovett gets up and madly looked at the camera
man. "Turn the camera off."
Technicians are carefully removing some
papers from the safe and placing them in a tray of water to separate them
safely. The portfolio is in a different tray of water. Nearby, other artifacts
from the stateroom are being washed and preserved.
Buell is on the satellite phone with the
investors. Lovett is yelling at the video crew, who is taping the stuff from
the safe.
Buell covers the phone and turns to Lovett.
"Brock, the partners would like to know how it's going?"
Lovett grabs the phone from Buell and goes
instantly smooth. "Hey, Dave! Barry, hi! Look, it wasn't in the
safe..."
A technician is opening the portfolio,
revealing a paper, she rinsing it off, she sees a drawing of an arm, then she
goes up and sees a face.
"But hey, hey, don't worry about it.
Hell yes. There're still plenty of places it could be...in the floor debris in
the suite, in the girl's bedroom..."
"David Parrish's briefcase," said
Buell, interrupting Lovett.
"Dozens of other places. Guys, look, you
just have to trust my instincts. I know we're close. Just got to go through a
little process of illumination."
Then all of the sudden, Lovett sees something
on TV. Buell sees his statement, turns to see the TV also.
"Hang on a second," said Lovett, as
he hands the phone back to Buell.
The portfolio in the water tray reveals a
drawing of a woman. Lovett goes over to the technician. "Let me see
that."
Buell goes back on the phone. "Ah...we
might have something here, guys."
Lovett looks closely at the drawing, which is
in excellent shape, though its edges have partially disintegrated. The woman is
beautiful, and beautifully rendered in her late teens or early twenties.
She is nude, though posed with a kind of
casual modesty. She is on the Empire couch, in a pool of light that seems to
radiate outward from her eyes.
Scrawled in the lowered right corner is the
date: JULY 14, 1998, and the initials JD. The woman is not entirely nude. At
her throat is a diamond necklace with one large stone hanging in the center.
"Where's the photograph of the
necklace?!" asked Lovett.
Buell sees the drawing and goes on the phone
again. "We'll call you back."
Lovett is handed a reference photo from the
clutter on the lab table. It is a period colored photo showing a complex
setting of diamond necklace with a massive central blue stone, with the outside
of the stone covered with diamonds, and which is almost heart-shaped on a black
velvet jeweler's display stand.
Lovett holds the photo next to the drawing.
It shows it is clearly the same piece. Lovett looks at it so many times, and
his face is in amazement. "I'll be Goddamned."