contained the hand tools used to carve the moai. He had previously learned that it would take six men around twelve to fifteen months to complete a sixteen-foot-tall moai. Considering the large number constructed, the amount of labor involved for such a feat was astronomical.
He then saw a female moai in the museum, obvious because of its breasts. He wandered over to couple of large wooden planks with symbols on them, one in the shape of a fish, and discovered the inscriptions were representative of Rapa Nui’s own unique rongorongo script. Granted, these were not originals. A plaque explained that all those were on exhibit in other museums across the world, but none were here.
Daniel walked over to another case, which from a distance looked to contain five wooden figures propped up on wooden braces. As Daniel got closer he caught his breath.
Hitirau! They look like Hitirau!
All were skin and bones with prominent ribs, goatees and hooked noses. He read the explanation below them, and discovered they were all representations of akuaku called moai kavakava. Daniel found it hard to look at them. They appeared darkly sinister and angry.
He left quickly. Just being in the same area as the carvings brought up memories he would just as soon forget.
It was a busy afternoon. Daniel turned in his car and cell phone and rented another of each — on his own nickel. For the time being, he decided to stay at the Te Manutara Hotel and foot the bill himself, at least until he could make other arrangements.
The only good news about the day was that apparently Gomez had not told anyone about the loaning of the Beretta to Daniel, so he was not asked to return it. Daniel felt better knowing Tiare still had it in her possession. Now, whether or not she knew how to use it properly was an entirely different matter, an issue he would have to address in the near future. But not now. His immediate priority was to encourage Tiare in her recovery.
Daniel entered the hospital and made his way to her room. When he walked through the unguarded door, he discovered two couples, who appeared to be in their sixties, sitting around the bedside. The two men stood up to greet him.
“Daniel!” Tiare exclaimed. “I’m so glad to see you!”
“I’m glad to see you as well. This is your family?”
The closest man smiled and extended his hand, and Daniel shook it. He said, “My name is Eduardo Rapu. I am Tiare’s son.” He motioned to an attractive, dark-haired woman sitting next to him. “This is my wife, Carla, and on the other side of the bed are my sister, Sofia, and her husband, Pablo.”
Pablo reached across the bed to also shake Daniel’s hand.
They all smiled and nodded at Daniel.
“Please sit down,” Daniel said to the men.
As Eduardo and Pablo took a seat, Eduardo spoke, “As you may know, mother far outlived her husband, our father Ernesto, who died about twenty years ago.”
Daniel glanced over at Tiare and thought he saw tears form in the corners of her eyes.
Eduardo didn’t seem to notice. “Mother also has eight grandchildren, twenty-eight great-grandchildren, and seven great-great grandchildren. All of them live in Chile, but we can’t talk her into moving away from here.”
“Why does that not surprise me?” Daniel said with a grin. “Anyway, I don’t want to take away from your family time, but I wanted to check in and make sure your mother was doing well.”
Eduardo replied, “My mother, as I’m sure you’ve already discovered, is extremely strong-willed and has told us that when you arrive, we need to leave. I hear you are a student of hers?”
“Yes, she is teaching me Rapanui and the history of the island.”
Eduardo said, “We understand that you were one of the investigators for the murders that have occurred here?”
“Yes.”
Eduardo added, “Mother has told us that the wrong man has been accused of the crimes. Is that true?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
Sofia then stood and said with a
He then saw a female moai in the museum, obvious because of its breasts. He wandered over to couple of large wooden planks with symbols on them, one in the shape of a fish, and discovered the inscriptions were representative of Rapa Nui’s own unique rongorongo script. Granted, these were not originals. A plaque explained that all those were on exhibit in other museums across the world, but none were here.
Daniel walked over to another case, which from a distance looked to contain five wooden figures propped up on wooden braces. As Daniel got closer he caught his breath.
Hitirau! They look like Hitirau!
All were skin and bones with prominent ribs, goatees and hooked noses. He read the explanation below them, and discovered they were all representations of akuaku called moai kavakava. Daniel found it hard to look at them. They appeared darkly sinister and angry.
He left quickly. Just being in the same area as the carvings brought up memories he would just as soon forget.
It was a busy afternoon. Daniel turned in his car and cell phone and rented another of each — on his own nickel. For the time being, he decided to stay at the Te Manutara Hotel and foot the bill himself, at least until he could make other arrangements.
The only good news about the day was that apparently Gomez had not told anyone about the loaning of the Beretta to Daniel, so he was not asked to return it. Daniel felt better knowing Tiare still had it in her possession. Now, whether or not she knew how to use it properly was an entirely different matter, an issue he would have to address in the near future. But not now. His immediate priority was to encourage Tiare in her recovery.
Daniel entered the hospital and made his way to her room. When he walked through the unguarded door, he discovered two couples, who appeared to be in their sixties, sitting around the bedside. The two men stood up to greet him.
“Daniel!” Tiare exclaimed. “I’m so glad to see you!”
“I’m glad to see you as well. This is your family?”
The closest man smiled and extended his hand, and Daniel shook it. He said, “My name is Eduardo Rapu. I am Tiare’s son.” He motioned to an attractive, dark-haired woman sitting next to him. “This is my wife, Carla, and on the other side of the bed are my sister, Sofia, and her husband, Pablo.”
Pablo reached across the bed to also shake Daniel’s hand.
They all smiled and nodded at Daniel.
“Please sit down,” Daniel said to the men.
As Eduardo and Pablo took a seat, Eduardo spoke, “As you may know, mother far outlived her husband, our father Ernesto, who died about twenty years ago.”
Daniel glanced over at Tiare and thought he saw tears form in the corners of her eyes.
Eduardo didn’t seem to notice. “Mother also has eight grandchildren, twenty-eight great-grandchildren, and seven great-great grandchildren. All of them live in Chile, but we can’t talk her into moving away from here.”
“Why does that not surprise me?” Daniel said with a grin. “Anyway, I don’t want to take away from your family time, but I wanted to check in and make sure your mother was doing well.”
Eduardo replied, “My mother, as I’m sure you’ve already discovered, is extremely strong-willed and has told us that when you arrive, we need to leave. I hear you are a student of hers?”
“Yes, she is teaching me Rapanui and the history of the island.”
Eduardo said, “We understand that you were one of the investigators for the murders that have occurred here?”
“Yes.”
Eduardo added, “Mother has told us that the wrong man has been accused of the crimes. Is that true?”
“Unfortunately, yes.”
Sofia then stood and said with a
Similar Books
