that it was somewhere in the jungle, but since we’re talking about the Amazon rainforest, that doesn’t really narrow things down.’
Eddie shrugged. ‘So much for that, then.’
‘Ah,’ said Nina with a knowing smile, ‘but there’s more to it. About sixty years after Atahualpa’s execution, Sir Walter Raleigh went to South America in search of El Dorado, which he thought was somewhere along the Orinoco river.’ She indicated the river on the map; the red thread crossed it inland of its massive delta – and again much further to the southwest, along the border between Venezuela and Colombia. ‘He was exploring there because of the story of a Spanish sailor who was set adrift on the river by his men. He claimed that he was rescued by an Indian tribe, the Manoans, who took him to a city deep in the jungle . . . where he met a man who said he was the last heir of the Inca empire.’
‘Did Raleigh find the city?’ Kit asked.
‘No, he never did. He met the Manoans, though. They were traders, who covered hundreds of miles of rivers and could easily have been in regular contact with the Incas.’
‘And maybe told them a good place to hide a city?’ Eddie wondered. ‘Even helped them shift the gold?’
‘Maybe. But Paititi could well have been the city Raleigh was searching for. The timescale fits with the fall of the empire.’ She turned to Kit, thoughtful. ‘So, there’s a possible connection between the Khoils’ statue and the Inca artefacts on the black market – this guy West.’
‘That’s right,’ he said. ‘The reason I came here is because in your report you said a third statue may be somewhere in South America. Perhaps the second was there too – Stamford West would have been able to smuggle it out of the country without it being found by customs agents.’
Nina pursed her lips. ‘I’m not sure about that. There’s been nothing to suggest that the second statue came from there.’
‘Well, it is just a theory,’ Kit said with a shrug. ‘But the third statue could be in southern Venezuela, and these Inca treasures are coming from southern Venezuela. Perhaps the same place. I think – Interpol thinks – it is worth investigating. Mr West may have some answers.’
‘He’s in Singapore, you said?’ Eddie asked. ‘I’ve got a friend in the Singapore police; she’ll be able to help us out when we go and see this bloke.’
‘Wait, “we”?’ said Nina. ‘We are not going anywhere – there’s too much to do here.’
Eddie waved dismissively at the piles of books and papers on her desk. ‘That’s not exactly my kind of reading. If I go to Singapore with Kit, at least I’ll be doing what I’m good at.’
Kit looked between them, noting Nina’s glare at her husband. ‘A personal connection with the Singapore police could be very useful.’ The glare turned on him. ‘But I will, er . . . let you both decide what you want to do. I’ll be in New York until tomorrow, so call me. Good to see you again.’ He gathered up his files and left the office.
Nina rounded on Eddie. ‘So you’re going to Singapore, huh?’
‘Oh, so it’s all right for you to jet off round the world whenever you feel like you need a break, but not me?’
‘You think you need a break?’
‘I didn’t mean it in a Ross and Rachel sense,’ Eddie said irritably. ‘You heard Kit. I can help him out.’
‘But you still meant it in an “I don’t want to deal with my issues, so I’m going to run off to the other side of the world” sense, right?’
‘What bloody issues?’ Eddie protested. ‘You got a bit embarrassed in front of two people, neither of who you’re ever going to see again—’
‘So you’ve decided that, have you?’
‘Why, do you want to see them again?’
‘They’re my family now, so maybe I might.’
‘Oh, might you? Just don’t expect me to go with you. Anyway, the only issue is that you’ve blown everything totally out of proportion.’
‘Oh, for—’ Nina dropped heavily into her chair. ‘I sometimes wonder why I married you. Fine, okay, go to Singapore. Try not to get arrested for chewing gum.’
Eddie gave her a sarcastic look. ‘I’ll go and pack.’ He departed, leaving Nina to knead her forehead in frustration.
Once outside the UN building, Kit made a phone call. ‘It’s Jindal. I’ve just left the IHA.’
‘And?’ said a terse male voice.
‘It took a while to convince Dr Wilde that the Venezuelan