“What else?” Ho asked.
Ross racked her brain. What could help the Corporation with the theft?
“What do you think about some billowing clouds of smoke,” she said slowly, “so the object seems to appear and disappear like a mirage?”
“Excellent,” Ho said eagerly.
Ross smiled. Out of the corner of her eye she caught a glimpse of a trio of men from the Oregon; they were dressed in security guards’ uniforms. So
mehow her team had sent help. Barrett, acting as the leader of the guards, walked over to where she and Ho were standing.
“Are you Mr. Ho?” he said.
“I’m Ho.”
“The insurance company sent us.”
Barrett placed a finger to his eye and winked at Ross when Ho was not looking.
“Good,” Ho said, “I’m glad you arrived so quickly. This is Iselda; she’s in charge of planning. We were just now figuring out the best place to place the object you will be guarding.”
Barrett nodded.
“We’re thinking there,” Ho said, pointing, “near the entrance to the tent.”
Barrett scanned the grounds as if to determine the security of the spot. He turned back to Ho and spoke.
“My company mentioned it was a statue.”
“Right,” Ho said, “a six-foot-tall Buddha.”
Barrett nodded as if he were weighing his options.
“Is it heavy?” he asked.
“It weighs about six hundred pounds,” Ho said. “Why do you ask?”
“Well, sir,” Barrett said, “I thought you might want it to be more of a part of the festivities—you know, have it moved from place to place as the party proceeds. Six hundred pounds is too heavy for my men to move, however.”
Ross was catching on.
“You mean to have the statue become one of the guests,” she said eagerly.
“Something like that,” the guard admitted. “The object would actually be safer the more people that are around.”
“Interesting,” Ho said.
“The party’s almost ready to start,” Ross said, “but I could see if I could scrounge up some other Buddha statues and do an entire theme in that direction.”
“What do you mean?” Ho asked.
“Maybe I could find some plaster Buddha statues and have them placed around the grounds,” Ross said.
“That would help with security,” Barrett admitted, “by confusing the real and the fakes.”
“Do you think you can?” Ho asked.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Ho,” Ross said, “my company can work miracles.”