Mike Shayne Mystery Magazine, Vol. 44, No. 4, April 1980

“It weights more than five hundred pounds and is pure gold,” Dr. Feldman told Shayne. “Divide that by troy ounces at $400 each, or whatever the world price is at any particular time, and you have the intrinsic value of the Golden Buddha, but that’s like figuring the true worth of a Rembrandt by calculating the cost of paint and canvas. Let’s just say that it’s priceless in the true sense of the word.”

Shayne whistled softly. “I begin to see why your Dr. Scott is worried.”

“We all are,” Dr. Feldman assured Shayne. “By the way, I’m in charge of the exhibit when it arrives safely, with Dr. Scott as my assistant, but the financial backing of the project for the most part comes from the Seberg Foundation.”

“That’s a new one as far as I’m concerned,” Shayne said. “Who are they?”

“I don’t really know for certain,” Dr. Feldman admitted. “I’ve only met their emissary, a young Chinese. I suspect, despite the name, it is a foundation of wealthy Nationalist Chinese here in the states. I wasn’t encouraged to ask too many questions. But I’ve cleared the matter with our Department of State. Everything is in order.”

“How is the material including the Golden Buddha being shipped stateside?” Shayne asked.

“By ship. Dr. Scott has made all the arrangements. If will be unloaded in San Francisco and brought in trucks here to Miami. It is far too bulky for air shipment.” Dr. Feldman added as an afterthought, “My department here at the university is defraying part of the shipping cost and paying your fee.”

“What about insurance?” Shayne asked.

“Even Lloyd’s of London won’t touch it,” Dr. Feldman said. “You see the Republic of China, so-called, claims the Golden Buddha as part of their national treasure. Should they somehow get their hands on it...”

“I get the point,” Shayne said. “Luck, Shayne,” Dr. Feldman said.

Shayne chuckled. “Sometimes I have to make my own luck. But your Golden Buddha and the rest of the material for exhibit will be delivered to you here in Florida. One more thing. Advise your Dr. Scott that I’ll listen to suggestions, but taking orders is something else again.”

“Well now, Shayne.” Dr. Feldman was obviously disturbed. “You have been hired...”

“I like retained better,” Shayne interrupted. “I’m taking full responsibility and I’ll have to handle security in, my own way. If this isn’t a satisfactory relationship, you’ll have to get someone else. I can name a few reliable private investigators who will jump at the chance to go to Taiwan, all expenses paid.”

There was a pause. Shayne pictured the scholarly man on the other end of the line scratching his head as he tried to make up his mind.

“All right, I accept your conditions,” Dr. Feldman finally said, “but you’ll have to handle matters with Dr. Scott.”

“I’ll manage,” Shayne promised and hung-up. He pressed the button that rang the phone on Lucy’s desk. “Angel, do me a favor,” he said. “While I’m wading through this mail and the reports on my desk that stacked up last week, try to get a line on this mysterious Seberg Foundation Dr. Feldman tells me is popping for the Golden Buddha exhibit to tour this country.”

“I never heard of that one,” Lucy said.

“Neither have I, and Dr. Feldman knows precious little about the people bankrolling his pet project. I don’t want to find out I’m working as an agent for a foreign power without registering with Uncle Sam until it’s too late.”

“I’ll get back to you,” Lucy promised. “Tim will meet you at the Scotch and Sirloin at twelve thirty. He said you’d find him at the bar.”

Shayne laughed. “Where else? How Tim wraps himself around all those boilermakers and stays reasonably sober I’ll never know.”

“He says it’s a thin man’s knack,” Lucy said. “By the way, you’re booked first class all the way through to Taiwan and back.”

“You can cancel that return reservation,” Mike said. “I’ll be coming back to San Francisco on shipboard.”

“Sometimes I think you have all the fun, Michael,” Lucy pouted.

II

An hour before he was to meet Tim Rourke at the Scotch and Sirloin, Shayne rolled down his sleeves and shrugged into his sportscoat tailored to Conceal the bulge of a shoulder holster and .45 automatic. He had two reasons to visit Will Gentry on his way to meet Tim.

One thing he was going to need special permission to board an air carrier carrying a weapon or packing one along in his suitcase. Will Gentry had made arrangements with the airline before for Shayne.

But another reason was the neighborhood patrols Tim was touting in his column. Shayne owed the reporter a favor. He was certain this luncheon date was Tim’s bid to collect.

Will Gentry and Tim, as a reporter, had an uneasy relationship. Covering the crime beat Tim needed the cooperation of Will from time to time. Yet Rourke was an investigative reporter and stepped on official toes when he had to do so in order to get a story.