Andean Experience Ch. 06: Crime in Cusco

Jag had worn out his welcome with the Director, and the Lima group was dismissed, told that he would contact them as soon as he became aware of any developments in the case. He suggested that they stay in Cusco for a few extra days awaiting further results of the police investigation.

Elena was hugely disappointed at the sudden change of events. She expected a simple transfer of valuable items between museums, and now she was empty-handed. Always passionate about protecting Peruvian heritage, she worried that the rare drinking vessels might disappear forever into the secret world of private collections.

Afterward, the three of them hunkered down in a pleasant sidewalk restaurant to talk about the situation, drinks in hand. After some alcohol, the problem somehow didn't seem so insurmountable.

"Why would somebody steal those things?" Marina wondered.

"Motive. Let's think about who might want those keros and why?" Jaguar suggested.

"Somebody who knew how valuable they are. Someone with access to them from inside the museum," Elena stated.

"Someone who knew the security system and figured this would be their last chance to get these pieces," Marina added.

"But why these pieces, when there are so many other priceless items in the collection? Was it because these were being taken from Cusco? Was it because someone didn't want them to go to the National Museum?" Jaguar suggested.

"You did seem suspicious of the Director when we talked to him. Would he do something like that?" Marina asked him.

"It's possible. You heard Madam Lopez tell him she wanted them kept here in Cusco, even if it meant hiding them. She's on the Museum Board and they're the ones who pay his salary. I'm sure they also review his performance and decide whether or not he keeps his position."

"So you think Lopez could even be involved in this, Jag," Elena commented.

They tossed that around for a while and couldn't dismiss the theory. Was it a coincidence that the theft came the night before the articles were about to be taken to Lima? Or was it part of a complex plan where others would be seen as prime suspects? Maybe it was something they hadn't even considered?

Whatever the case, it was clearly a matter for the police at this point.

At supper that night, Hector joined Elena, the four of them dining at the hotel restaurant. It was clear that the two were attracted to one another. All evening he was excellent company, with sparkling conversation and polished manners. The two couples spoke about everything but the theft, and frankly, the visitors were glad to set it aside for the evening.

After a while, their conversation naturally came to focus on museum and archaeology-centered topics. Marina was beginning to feel left out, so she turned to Hector to talk to him a bit about the Inca, based on her tour guiding at the National Museum.

"My husband really isn't much impressed by these little keros," she admitted. "He likes the golden artifacts that honour Inti, the sun god. In fact, up at Machu Picchu we vowed to Inti to stay together for as long as the sun shines."

"That's very romantic!" Hector exclaimed. "Incredible place to pledge yourselves to each other! Inti was so important to the Inca, but has Jaguar ever said anything to you about the god Viracocha? "

"Maybe on our Peruvian tour a year ago, but I don't recall much exactly."

"Viracocha was the all-powerful creator god who went right back to earlier pre-Incan Andean cultures," he explained. "Everything had come from Viracocha: the heavens, the land, the people, everything."

"So why did the Inca make all the magnificent golden items to worship Inti? I've seen several different ones, even in the National Museum."

"Basically the Inca empire grew fast. They conquered other cultures and then forced their religion on them. They wanted people to serve the emperor, so they connected the sun god Inti to him. It was a state religion that used obedience and honour for the emperor to reinforce his power. The rituals and sacrifices to Inti were made through Inca emperors."

"Yes, they even called their emperors names like Inti Raymi, for example. The man himself was treated as the sun god," Elena added.

"So Inti became worshipped more than Viracocha...?"

"Exactly," Jaguar highlighted. "Viracocha was distant, creating everything, then stepping back. Inti was represented through the person of the emperor and people could relate to that."

The conversation continued to revolve around such topics until it was time to go back upstairs. Both couples returned to the suite and opened the hospitality bar again. They drank toasts to whatever came to mind, then kicked off their shoes to dance. Sometimes they changed partners and Marina watched Elena with Jag from the corner of her eye. Yes, she recognized the easy familiarity of old lovers as they danced close.

Well after midnight it was time for a nightcap, and Marina's parting words.

"Elena. Remember to close your door tonight!"

She did, but it made little difference. Hector and Elena soon were at it again with unbridled passion, and it seemed to go on for a long time. Jaguar tried his luck too, but Marina just wasn't in the mood amid all the frenzied activity across the hall. Their sleep didn't come until the visitor slipped out in the hours well after midnight.

****

The following morning, the three of them sat drinking coffee in their suite. Elena looked rather tired, but wore a smile. More of a satisfied smirk, in fact.

"What are you grinning about, Elena? The precious objects we were supposed to be taking to Lima today are gone, stolen," a grumpy Jaguar challenged.

"Didn't you hear them last night?" Marina complained. "They kept me awake. That's what she's smiling about!"

"Yes. Hector is very good at what he does. And I'm not talking about his Assistant to the Director's job at the museum," Elena admitted.

"Did it ever occur to you that he might be the thief?" Jaguar suddenly asked her.

"No! He was with me the first night we were here," Elena defended him.

"We know. We heard you that night too," Marina complained.

"How late did he stay with you that first night, Elena?" Jaguar asked.

"Probably an hour after the others left. Around 2:00, but I had been drinking so.... You think Hector did it?"

"Possibly. Anybody without a solid alibi for the 3:00 robbery time is suspect. And there are his shoes...."

"What about his shoes?"

"Last night, we all took them off to dance. His were white, rubber-soled shoes. Did he have them on the night before? I presume he removed them before you took him to bed?"

"Funny, Jag. I didn't notice. What's your point?"

"The Director told us that the thief wore white, rubber-soled shoes, that's all."

"Ohhh... so how do we know they're Hector's?"

"We don't, but imagine if any footprints on hard surfaces here match a footprint at the museum. Then there might be a connection."

"Or if a footprint at either location matches the tread of the shoe brand the thief wore in the video footage," Marina suggested.

"I see where you're going with this," Elena said with interest. "Jag, call the police over to check for prints here if you want to satisfy your curiosity. But I just don't think that he did it."

While they were waiting for detectives to come to the hotel room, the trio talked about Hector as a potential suspect. Jaguar questioned an irritated Elena closely.

"You spent plenty of quality time with him the past two evenings. Did he say anything at all that might connect him to the robbery? Otherwise, we don't have much, I admit."

"Not really. Just the usual sort of thing. He likes his job at the museum, but he doesn't know how much longer he can stomach being under the Director. Hector figures that he does most of the guy's work for him. He hopes to land a similar position himself some day."

"I suppose that he'd take one in Lima if the chance came up? Did he ask you about that?"

"We only talked about it in a very general way. I told him the National Museum was a big place and that there might be opportunities there that he should look into."

"Did he say anything about the keros transfer?" Jaguar asked.

"Nothing. He mostly just sweet-talked me. Wondered if I had anybody else. Said he'd like to spend more time with me. Wanted to come and see me in Lima. Maybe he could visit on his upcoming vacation? That sort of thing. I agreed to have him visit Lima because I like him."

"Do you think he was just playing you, Elena? Seeing if you can help him get a job at the National Museum?" Marina wondered.

"Stop it you two! You aren't detectives. Leave it to the police. I can't imagine that he's the one who stole those keros. Yesterday you were suspicious of the Director, remember Jag?"

"Actually, I'm suspicious about a few people and maybe even combinations of them working together. We heard Madam Lopez saying that she'd do anything to keep the keros here in Cusco. She was very adamant about that and almost told the Director to do something- even hide them."

"So, maybe the two of them. They'd certainly have access to everything: keys, alarm codes, hiding places, that sort of thing," Marina added. "Who else?"

"I'd be interested to hear what the police find out when they interview the night watchman. He goes downstairs to the coffee machine every night at the same time and he has full access to the camera system, probably the alarms, and maybe even all the keys? I wonder if he either took the pieces, or helped someone else get them?"

"Then, of course, you've already said you're suspicious about Hector," Elena huffed. "That business about the white shoes. You haven't noticed that look is very popular now, Jag. Lots of white casual shoes around- they're so comfortable. I have a pair myself! Not everybody is in camo clothing and work boots," she added sarcastically.

"You have white shoes? Maybe I should add you to my suspect list then?" he retorted.

"Stop it now. Let's just let the police figure it out, OK?" Marina intervened.

Later, a detective came to the suite and dusted the hard floor surfaces for footprints. There'd been a lot of people in the place the past two days, so the best he could come up with was part of a ridged toe print, likely from a rubber-soled athletic shoe of some sort. It wasn't much and might lead to nothing.

And he had an additional bit of information. There were no footprints available in the part of the museum with the display cabinets which held the missing items. The cleaner had come in early the day of the theft and thoroughly washed the whole room. Her story was that she had to leave early to visit family that day, so she started work as soon as the service entrance opened up.

To Jaguar it seemed like too much of a coincidence to have happened within hours of the theft. Perhaps she was an accomplice? Had somebody in authority told her to come in early so more evidence would be removed? He added another potential suspect to his growing list.

****

The trio had at least one or two extra days to spend, having notified the Lima museum about the theft, and the police suggestion that they stay in Cusco while the investigation proceeded. Jaguar went to the museum to see if anything new had developed, while Marina and Elena lounged around together talking in the suite. They'd go for lunch when he returned from the museum.

When Jaguar got back they both wore a look which suggested they knew something that he didn't. He decided to wait until they were ready to tell him.

"Do you want to know what I learned at the museum?"

"Yes, do tell. We didn't think you'd be allowed inside."

"The Director talked with me in his office. He apologized about the security breach and the time we've wasted here during the investigation. He seemed truly worried that the keros would be lost to Peru forever."

"Do you still think he's a suspect?"

"If he has anything to do with the theft, he is covering up very well. I'm beginning to wonder if he was actually involved."

"Did you see Hector at all?" Elena asked with obvious interest.

"No. Hardly anyone was around. The police were interviewing most of the staff today to see if they can come up with any suspects.... So what did you two do this morning?"

"Hector called Elena and they talked for a while. He said that he'd just been interviewed by the police and it seemed to go well."

"Like I figured it would," Elena gloated to Jaguar. "And something else. He thanked us for our hospitality the past few nights..."

"Well, I'm sure he was very thankful! You were especially hospitable," Jaguar laughed.

"No more of that, Jag!" Elena retorted. "He had an invitation for us, something that occurred to him after we talked about Viracocha and Inti last evening at supper. Today is June 21st, the winter solstice, the shortest day of the year in Peru. Hector offered to take us all up to Sacsahuman for the festival this afternoon. You know, the Inca celebration that Inti is returning and will rise higher in the noon sky for the next half year. We'd both love to go."

"Right, the Inti Raymi festival! I forgot all about it. Yes, let's do it. There'll be plenty of vendors up there, so we don't need to go out for lunch. How soon can you both be ready?... Good. Call him up Elena, and we'll meet him out front when he comes. I'm liking Hector more all the time!"

"I remember going up there on your tour, Jag. You told us about this festival, and now we can see it together!" Marina was excited.

Less than an hour later they were on their way, crammed into Hector's little car. And soon enough they had climbed the steep road up to Sacsahuman, the Inca sun temple and fortress on a hilltop overlooking the city. This had been an important place for sacrifice to Inti and likely a spot for cosmological observation by ancient astrologists. Today it was crammed with thousands of people.

Sacsahuman has at least three different levels of carefully cut and fitted stone walls which step up the hillside. Every available stone to sit on, and the slope above the wall tiers was taken up by spectators, many of them dressed in colourful traditional clothing. This marked the modern-day revival of an ancient cultural tradition- a celebration of the return of the last Inca emperor.

It originated in the legend which foretold a time when the sufferings of the Inca people would end as they threw off their cruel Spanish overlords. The true Inca emperor would be resurrected and installed as supreme ruler, bringing prosperity and justice to the empire again.

The last Inca emperor had been beheaded by the Spaniards for leading an unsuccessful revolt against them. Tradition says that his head was secretly buried by his followers and is growing a new body in preparation for his return to power.

"Here comes Inti Raymi now," Hector pointed out as a muscular man with an elaborate head piece was led into the open area in front of the stone walls of Sacsahuman. "Every year there is intense competition to be the one to play the role. It is considered a great honour to be chosen. He looks like he's very proud to have the part, doesn't he?"

"He does," Marina concurred, asking, "Who are all those women in colourful red dresses around him supposed to be? There must be at least a dozen of them."

Jaguar knew. "They are the 'acllas', the Virgins of the Sun, who were chosen to serve the Inca emperor."

"Were they concubines, some sort of temple prostitutes?" Marina wondered.

Elena knew. "No, in fact they were the opposite, young women expected to be chaste and pure. They were chosen at about ten years old- the most appealing and confident girls- to serve the emperor. Some were trained to weave golden-threaded clothing and prepare elaborate foods. Young women were given by the emperor in marriage to powerful leaders, and the very best were saved for virginal sacrifice to the gods."

"We saw that last year, Jag!" Marina exclaimed. "Remember that little girl found frozen solid on top of the mountain, at the museum in Arequipa. That was so sad."

"To us, yes. But for their parents it was a great honour to serve the emperor and the gods," Jag reminded her.

Hector added more. "When the Spaniards came, they did away with this aspect of Inca culture and any other that clashed with Christianity. Their priests persuaded the Inca to convert to the new faith by connecting the two religions. Viracocha and Inti were like the Father and the Son. The bloody crucifixion was like Inca human sacrifice. But some ancient ways survived secretly- like the return of Inti Raymi today."

Traditional Andean music swirled through the air- haunting flutes and string instruments. The whole event had an other-worldly feel that captured Marina's interest like her first experiences with Peruvian culture. It was an amazing day!

While the four of them were out, there was an investigation going on back in Cusco. Forensic work was continuing on the footprint evidence and video footage, while all of the museum staff was being interviewed. But the police were not having very much success.

Later that evening, a call from the Director updated Elena about the status of the work. He confirmed that the dusting for prints at the crime scene was not successful because the floors had been washed the morning of the theft.

Nor was the surveillance footage clear enough to recognize the specific brand of shoe which the thief wore. The investigation had hit a dead end. The police were continuing their interviews and the Director suggested they remain in Cusco a bit longer.

That night Hector didn't stay over at the suite. When the hotel room was quiet, Jaguar went to the sofa in the lounge area. He smoked some of the weed that he always kept on hand, preparing himself for a vision of the ancient Chavin jaguar spirit. After inhaling a joint, he could almost see the bloody carved face of his namesake icon. He began a soft, rhythmic chant, his voice rising and falling, appealing for its help.

"Encontrar al lardon".... Find the thief.... "Encontrar al lardon.... Encontrar al lardon.... Encontrar al lardon...."

.

Jaguar was a modern-day shaman, a man who believed than he could speak to the ancient gods. Would the jaguar listen to his prayer? He felt confident because it had so many times before. It seemed like Jaguar had a direct line of communication to the Chavin spirit who could shape events in his favour.

****

That same evening, Sergeant Ramon Amanza had just a few more people from the museum staff to interview. The investigation into the theft was continuing, but so far there were only suspicions, and little hard evidence. They say that if a crime isn't solved in the first forty-eight hours it will only become increasingly difficult. The clock was ticking on this one.

Before the next person came into the little room, the Chief of Police slipped in and conferred quietly with the sergeant. They spoke briefly about the inconclusive footprint evidence from the hotel suite, a possible match to the thief's shoes in the surveillance video. Hector Hernandez had worn similar shoes to the reception that evening. It was all that they had at this point.

Sergeant Amanza bobbed his head in acknowledgement before the Chief left the room, telling the next subject to step inside.

"Come in now, Senor Marillo. Sit there and I'll ask you some questions, like I've been doing for the rest of the museum staff. Relax. Help yourself to a cigarette if you want. I have a lighter. Good. So, let's begin."

The nightwatch was seated across from the sergeant, and Amanza could see that the grizzled old man seemed to be carrying the weight of the world. The interviewer noticed his nervousness as he was asked about his job, his usual 3:00 AM coffee break, and his tenure at the museum. It interested the sergeant that he had only worked there for the past half year.