Most myths, if not all of them, contain at least a spark of truth. But if you take them to heart, and believe them to be the true word, so to speak, then you create dogma."
Pierce nodded.
"I always preface my remarks on mythology with that comment, for a reason," Redington continued. "Our world - is filled with dogmas that are deterring our advancement as a species, and I don't want to lend my support to that process in any way."
"You don't have to worry about me. I'm not real big on dogmas." Especially related to Mayan mythology, he thought.
Redington took another sip of his hot water, cleared his throat, and collected his thoughts. The crystal skull Pierce had seen was called the God of Death by the Mayans, he explained. The skull was said to have originated in an ancient kingdom to the east, where it had an identical twin, the God of Life. Both mythical gods abandoned their kingdom before its fall; the God of Death went west to the Mayans, the God of Life to the east.
As he spoke about the legend, the gruffness disappeared from his voice. He sounded like a gentle grandfather telling a bedtime story. "Eventually, the God of Death arrived at a great Mayan city. There, on festival days, he talked to people, advising them how to overcome enemies, when to hold ceremonies in his honor, and even offered personal messages. You see, the skull apparently served as an oracle."
Pierce listened patiently. He didn't see how the legend had anything to do with finding the skull or the killer-thief. He needed hard facts, and he doubted he was going to find them in an ancient myth.
"Anyhow, one day the God of Death mysteriously vanished," Redington continued, "and a strange prophecy followed. It was said the skull would reappear and be reunited with its long-lost twin. The event would foreshadow a new era."
"When is that supposed to happen?" Pierce interrupted.
Redington looked up sharply at him. "I was getting to that. The new begins, according to the Mayan sacred calendar, begins next week – August 16-17."
"You believe that will happen?"
Now Pierce was starting to see the connection between the myth and the crime.
"Remember what I said about myths. A grain of truth, but if you get carried away..." He cleared his throat and frowned. "Elise, Dr. Simms, tends to believe that there is more truth to this myth than I attribute to it. But we'll see."
"You think the twin actually exists?"
Redington held his glasses up to the light. "It's possible. But I assure you, I don't know where it is."
"Do you know Mahoney?"
He wiped the lenses of his glasses with a handkerchief. "He's an old friend."
Pierce nodded. "And Andrews?"
Redington sighed, a deep, cloying sound, as if he were afflicted with perpetual fatigue. "Of course, I know him. I'm the one who introduced him to Mahoney."
"Really? Tell me about it."
Redington put his glasses back on, sipped his hot water, and told Pierce how Andrews had contacted him ten years ago after reading a paper Redington had written on the legend. Near the end of the article, he mentioned that the crystal skull owned by Mahoney best fit the perfect skull of the legend, and might very well be the so-called God of Death, since it had been found at a Mayan ruin. He also wrote that he'd seen the skull on several occasions and that it never failed to leave him awestruck.
"Anyhow, Raymond asked me to act as an intermediary between him and the owner. So, you see, I'm right in the middle of it."
"How did the skull become part of the museum exhibit?" Pierce asked.
"Every so often Mahoney has loaned out the skull for special exhibitions. He isn't against letting the skull out of his sight. He just doesn't want to sell it."
"I'd like to know one other thing. What's the story with Elise Simms? Why is she so interested in the skull?"
Redington cleared his throat. "Well, she is a Mayan scholar," he said in a cantankerous tone. "The theft of the crystal skull offends her."
Pierce nodded. Redington was
Pierce nodded.
"I always preface my remarks on mythology with that comment, for a reason," Redington continued. "Our world - is filled with dogmas that are deterring our advancement as a species, and I don't want to lend my support to that process in any way."
"You don't have to worry about me. I'm not real big on dogmas." Especially related to Mayan mythology, he thought.
Redington took another sip of his hot water, cleared his throat, and collected his thoughts. The crystal skull Pierce had seen was called the God of Death by the Mayans, he explained. The skull was said to have originated in an ancient kingdom to the east, where it had an identical twin, the God of Life. Both mythical gods abandoned their kingdom before its fall; the God of Death went west to the Mayans, the God of Life to the east.
As he spoke about the legend, the gruffness disappeared from his voice. He sounded like a gentle grandfather telling a bedtime story. "Eventually, the God of Death arrived at a great Mayan city. There, on festival days, he talked to people, advising them how to overcome enemies, when to hold ceremonies in his honor, and even offered personal messages. You see, the skull apparently served as an oracle."
Pierce listened patiently. He didn't see how the legend had anything to do with finding the skull or the killer-thief. He needed hard facts, and he doubted he was going to find them in an ancient myth.
"Anyhow, one day the God of Death mysteriously vanished," Redington continued, "and a strange prophecy followed. It was said the skull would reappear and be reunited with its long-lost twin. The event would foreshadow a new era."
"When is that supposed to happen?" Pierce interrupted.
Redington looked up sharply at him. "I was getting to that. The new begins, according to the Mayan sacred calendar, begins next week – August 16-17."
"You believe that will happen?"
Now Pierce was starting to see the connection between the myth and the crime.
"Remember what I said about myths. A grain of truth, but if you get carried away..." He cleared his throat and frowned. "Elise, Dr. Simms, tends to believe that there is more truth to this myth than I attribute to it. But we'll see."
"You think the twin actually exists?"
Redington held his glasses up to the light. "It's possible. But I assure you, I don't know where it is."
"Do you know Mahoney?"
He wiped the lenses of his glasses with a handkerchief. "He's an old friend."
Pierce nodded. "And Andrews?"
Redington sighed, a deep, cloying sound, as if he were afflicted with perpetual fatigue. "Of course, I know him. I'm the one who introduced him to Mahoney."
"Really? Tell me about it."
Redington put his glasses back on, sipped his hot water, and told Pierce how Andrews had contacted him ten years ago after reading a paper Redington had written on the legend. Near the end of the article, he mentioned that the crystal skull owned by Mahoney best fit the perfect skull of the legend, and might very well be the so-called God of Death, since it had been found at a Mayan ruin. He also wrote that he'd seen the skull on several occasions and that it never failed to leave him awestruck.
"Anyhow, Raymond asked me to act as an intermediary between him and the owner. So, you see, I'm right in the middle of it."
"How did the skull become part of the museum exhibit?" Pierce asked.
"Every so often Mahoney has loaned out the skull for special exhibitions. He isn't against letting the skull out of his sight. He just doesn't want to sell it."
"I'd like to know one other thing. What's the story with Elise Simms? Why is she so interested in the skull?"
Redington cleared his throat. "Well, she is a Mayan scholar," he said in a cantankerous tone. "The theft of the crystal skull offends her."
Pierce nodded. Redington was
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