Free The Goddess Legacy by Russell Blake Page A

with blurry eyes before sitting up and glancing at Spencer, who stirred at the rustle from Drake’s bed. The sound of distant honking filled the room as Drake pushed himself to his feet. The clamor was a constant melody in a country where leaning on one’s horn was customary for virtually any reason. Drake glanced at his watch and yawned.
    “Wonder if there’s anything to eat,” he said.
    Spencer rubbed his face and sniffed the air. “God, that’s foul.”
    “Don’t blame me. It’s the river.”
    “Half the toilets in New Delhi must flush directly into it.”
    “I suddenly lost my appetite,” Drake said, and moved to the door.
    Allie was already awake and sitting on the couch, watching television with the sound muted. She looked up at Drake when he emerged from the bedroom and managed a small smile. “Morning,” she said.
    “Good morning. You sleep okay?”
    “Like the dead.” She gave him a sidelong glance and returned to the television. “Spencer was on TV this morning. Looked like his passport photo.”
    “Damn. I wonder how long it will take Reynolds to pull a rabbit out of his hat?”
    She shrugged. “Spencer up yet?”
    “He should be right behind me. Any food in the kitchen?” Drake asked, padding to the refrigerator.
    “A few odds and ends. If you’re a big fan of lentils and curry, you hit the jackpot.”
    Drake made a face as Spencer walked from the bedroom and sat in the easy chair. Allie switched off the television and gave him a once-over. “You look like crap.”
    “It’s the new homicidal maniac thing – all the best serial killers are doing it.” He felt his back pocket and withdrew Carson’s iPhone. “I don’t suppose you know how to unlock this?”
    “It isn’t hard,” she said, holding out her hand.
    “This one might be. It requires Carson’s fingerprint.”
    She took it from him. “Oh. Then in that case, forget everything I said.”
    “Carson showed me what he’d found so far. It’s all on there if we can get to it. Wonder if we can find someone who can crack it?” Spencer said.
    Drake opened a plastic bottle of water and poured himself a glass. “Is that even a thing? iPhone cracking?”
    “I have no idea.”
    “Why don’t you tell me about the meeting you had with him, Spencer, and how you wound up with his phone? So far all I’ve heard is Drake’s summary.”
    “He was really secretive. Picked an out-of-the-way restaurant in the old part of town. He took me through the story of the treasure and how it had been lost to history, and then showed me some satellite images and maps of northern India. He was convinced that was where it was located, but it was a pretty big area, and he was hoping to narrow it down.”
    “How?” Allie asked.
    “He found some guy who was offering a relic for sale that he was sure had a vital clue. Paid him something and promised to have the rest by Friday. That’s why he needed me – he was basically broke. Anyway, I agreed and told him I would get you guys to join in the hunt, which he was excited about. We had a few too many drinks, and then we went our separate ways. He stuck me with the check, and by the time I paid, he was gone. He was kind of hammered, and he forgot his phone. I went looking for him to return it, but no love. The next thing I know, the cops are banging on my hotel door, and then I’m dragged to the station and interrogated for way too long.” He paused and offered a halfhearted grin. “And here we are.”
    “What was this relic?”
    “A dagger. Made out of gold. He agreed to a hundred grand, so it must be heavy.”
    “And he believed it was the key to locating the treasure?”
    “That’s what he said. Guess we’ll never know now.”
    “Did he mention any danger? Give you any reason to believe he feared for his life?”
    “Not overtly. He was super melodramatic after a few drinks, though. I asked him why we were meeting in a poop hole, and he gave me some cryptic nonsense about the walls having