As was often the case, Shan got lost in the reports of daily life from centuries earlier. He became quickly absorbed in an account of sculptors who had arrived from India to begin work on new statues of dancing dakini goddesses that would adorn the walls of the main sanctuary. Then he lingered over a three-hundred-year-old passage describing a trek into the northern mountains to pay homage to a white yak that had been spotted by herders.

Yara and Tserung were so immersed in their own reading that they took little notice when, stifling a yawn, he bid them good night so he could return to his quarters for a predawn departure in the morning. If Public Security from Lhasa was looking for him, the best place to avoid them would be Lhasa itself.

CHAPTER FIVE

Shan had just descended the mountains and turned onto the north-south highway when a bell began chiming in the glove box. He pulled over and discovered a cell phone under the maps in the box. The call was from a number in Lhadrung.

“You finally found it,” came Tan’s gruff voice. “You never answered yesterday.”

“I think you are aware, Colonel, that outside of Lhadrung town there is no cell coverage in most of your county.”

“Yet we are talking.”

“Because I am on the highway to Lhasa,” Shan said. He then explained that after visiting the Five Claws project, he suspected the archaeologists had been deliberately killed by the implosion of the cavern they were studying. He chose not to speak of earth deities, Tara the goat, or the hail chaser and his companion.

Tan asked him what his business was in Lhasa. “The American Cato Pike is in Lhasa,” Shan explained. “Unlikely he has friends there. All he knows is what the public reports say. I will search hotels and guesthouses. I want to speak to Metok’s family, if Amah Jiejie can send that address from the file.”

“Watch for a message and watch your back,” Tan said and hung up.

By the time Shan reached the outskirts of the capital city, there were two messages on his phone: one listing an apartment address, the second simply stating Lotus Garden Hotel. He approached the hotel warily, parking blocks away and watching for the tall American, who would have a hard time blending into any crowd in the city. In the lobby he stayed behind a row of potted plants and watched Western tourists come and go.

“There you are,” came a loud voice behind Shan. He turned to face Tan’s youngest staff officer.

“Lieutenant Zhu,” Shan said in surprise.

The lieutenant gave an uncertain grin. “Inspector.”

“I’m working. And please keep your voice down.”