Read Deity for Free Online Page A

Profesor ?”
    Peet
turned to find a little Mexican priest with hair as black as his clergy suit
approaching. He had a round, imp-like face with a somber undertone, but his
eyes were bright and welcoming. “My name is Father Miguel Hernandez Ruiz,” he
said in surprisingly fluent English. “Thank you for giving us time to prepare
to receive you.”
    “I
hope you don’t mind. Mr. Espanoza gave me your number.”
    The
priest smiled. “We are happy to oblige. You can imagine our surprise when we
discovered the artifact. Please, follow me. I will show you where it was
found.”
    Peet
turned and followed him down the eastern nave of the cathedral where the sunlight
poured through the domed ceiling, highlighting the olive triangular accents
above. They passed one gaping chapel alcove after another until half-way down
the hall Father Ruiz led Peet through a red velvet rope strung across the nave
to prevent visitors from going any further.
    A
little ways beyond they approached a small chapel with one immediate difference
from the others. Its dim portal was enclosed with a heavy metal grill spanning
from the immaculate floor to the blocky stone arch high above their heads. The
top of the arch was extravagantly detailed with spires and flowing metalwork of
its own.
    “This
is the Chapel of Christ of the Conquistadors,” Father Ruiz explained,
unlatching the iron gate within the grill and
permitting Peet to step inside the dim interior.
    The
room was dominated by a large Baroque altarpiece intricately carved with
alternating foliage and angels. Small sculptures of saints occupied the
chapel’s numerous niches with various images of Christ and paintings of martyred
saints scattered throughout. The chapel’s only light
came from a small window above the altar, which left many details masked in
shadow, including those of a secondary altar standing along the right wall.
    That’s
where Peet found another priest standing in the deep shadows.
    It
took a moment to realize he wasn’t looking at a statue. The scarlet skullcap
and cassock gave the man away, if not the pectoral cross hanging at his
slightly rounded front.
    Father
Ruiz bowed respectfully and quickly introduced Peet before turning back to
announce the priest. “Profesor, this is Cardinal Balbás, the archbishop.”
    Cardinal
Balbás was not at all what Peet had expected. On his way to the cathedral he
envisioned a pope-like figure, aged and withering in flowing vestments. Instead,
he was surprised to find the archbishop not too many years older than himself,
even younger than Father Ruiz who must have been approaching sixty. Energy
flashed in the archbishop’s dark Hispanic eyes while the slightest touch of
gray flecked his glossy, raven hair.
    “Father
Ruiz explains you are antropólogo,” Cardinal Balbás said, stepping forward from
his dim corner. “You excavated the Effigy of Quetzalcoatl, no?”
    Peet
nodded. “My student originally located it. I merely supervised the recovery. But
I’ll have to give you credit for the Effigy’s latest recovery.”
    The
archbishop smiled. “We have something en común, it seems. It was an altar boy
who discovered your Effigy here, not I.”
    “So
this is where the thief left it?”
    “The
artifact was not simply left,” Cardinal Balbás said. “It was intentionally
placed.”
    Father
Ruiz stepped back. “We found it hanging upon this crucifix.”
    Peet
turned to find the elaborate crucifix Father Ruiz was studying. It looked old,
as antique as the chapel itself.
    “How
was it hung?” he asked. The Effigy was one solid piece of pure jade with
turquoise adornment. It was heavy and certainly not intended to hang from
anything, much less a fragile-looking relic like the crucifix.
    “It
was wrapped with wire in such a way that it could be hung like a picture frame
on a wall,” Father Ruiz said.
    “Why?”
    The
priest shrugged. “At first we thought it was an anti-Christ