按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
r dresses to show that they were trim and fit from arduous exercise。
Their long； shimmering silk gowns with dyed fox trim were identical except for color。 Sitting in a semicircle in the box； they radiated like yellow； blue； green； and red sapphires。 They were bejeweled in a glittering display of parable diamond chokers； earrings； and bracelets。 Strikingly sensuous and sultry； they had an ethereal； untouchable goddess quality about them。 It seemed unthinkable； but they were all married and each had given birth to five children。 The women were attending the opening night of the opera season as a family affair； graciously nodding and smiling to the man who sat in their midst。 Ramrod…straight； the male centerpiece possessed the same hair and eye color as his sisters； but there any further resemblance ended。 He was as handsome as his sisters were stunning； but ruggedly so； with thin waist and hips accented by lumberjack shoulders and a weight lifter's arm and leg muscles。 His face was square…cut； sporting a chin indented with a dimplelike cleft； an arrow…straight nose； and a head jangled with thick blond hair through which women dreamed of running their fingers。 He was tall at six…feet six…inches； he towered over his five…foot ten…inch sisters。
When he turned and spoke to his siblings； he smiled； flashing brilliantly white teeth framed by a friendly mouth that found it impossible to turn down in a grimace。 The eyes； though； showed no warmth。 They stared as if they belonged to a panther gazing over the grasslands in search of prey。
Karl Wolf was a very wealthy and powerful man。 The chief executive officer of a vast family…owned financial empire that stretched from China through India and across Europe over the Atlantic； and from Canada and the United States into Mexico and South America； he was stupendously rich。 His personal wealth was estimated at well over a hundred billion dollars。 His vast conglomerate； engaged in a multitude of scientific and high…technology programs； was known throughout the business world as Destiny Enterprises Limited。 Unlike his siblings； Karl was unmarried。
Wolf and others of his family easily could have slipped into the new Argentine celebrity society。 He was sophisticated； confident； and prosperous； and yet he and the other members of his family lived frugally； considering their vast fortune。 But the Wolf family dynasty； consisting of； incredibly； over two hundred members； was seldom seen at fashionable restaurants or high…society functions。 The Wolf women almost never made their presence known in the exclusive stores and boutiques around Buenos Aires。 Except for Karl； who made a show of openness； the family remained low…profile and reclusive； and was a great mystery to Argentineans。 There were no friendships with outsiders。 No one； not even celebrities and high government officials； had ever cracked the Wolf family shell。 The men who married the women in the family seemed to have e from nowhere and had no history。 Strangely； they all took up the family name。 Everyone； from the newest born to the most recently wed； carried the name of Wolf； whether male or female。 They were a fraternal elite。
When Karl and his four sisters showed up on opening nights at the opera； it was a major gossip event。 The overture ended and the curtains pulled open and the audience reluctantly turned their attention from the stunning and resplendent brother and sisters sitting in the premier box and gazed at the singers on the stage。
Maria Wolf； the sister sitting immediately to Karl's left； leaned over and whispered； 〃Why must you subject us to this terrible ordeal？〃
Wolf turned to Maria and smiled。 〃Because； dear sister； if we didn't display the family on different occasions； the government and the public might begin to think of us as a gigantic conspiracy wrapped in an enigma。 It's best to make an appearance occasionally to let them know we're not extraterrestrial aliens bent on secretly controlling the country。〃
〃We should have waited until Heidi returned from Antarctica。〃
〃I agree；〃 whispered Geli； the sister on Wolf's right。 〃She's the only one who would have enjoyed this awful bore。〃
Wolf patted Geli's hand。 〃I'll make it up to her when La Traviata opens next week。〃
They ignored the stares of the audience； who were torn between observing the elusive Wolf family and the singing and acting on stage。 The curtain for Act III had just risen when one of the bodyguards entered from the rear hall and whispered in Wolf's ear。 He stiffened in his chair； the smile vanished； and his facial expression turned grave。 He leaned over and spoke softly。 〃My dear sisters； an emergency has e up。 I must go。 You stay。 I've reserved a private room at the Plaza Grill for a little after…show dinner。 You go ahead； and I'll catch up later。〃
All four women turned from the opera and looked at him with controlled trepidation。 〃Can you tell us what it is？〃 asked Geli。
〃We'd like to know；〃 said Maria。
〃When I know； you'll know；〃 he promised。 〃Now； enjoy yourselves。〃 Wolf rose and left the box； acpanied by one of the bodyguards； while the other remained outside the box。 He hurried out a side exit and slipped into a waiting limousine； a 1969 Mercedes…Benz 600； a car that after more than forty years still retained its reputation as the world's most luxurious limousine。 The traffic was heavy； but then it was never light in Argentina。 The streets were busy from late evening through to the early…morning hours。 The driver steered the big Mercedes to the barrio of Recoleta； which was centered around the lush gardens of the Plaza Francia and Plaza Intendente Alvear。 It was considered Buenos Aires' answer to Michigan Avenue in Chicago and Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills； with its tree…lined boulevards featuring chic stores； exclusive hotels； and palatial residences。
The car passed the renowned Recoleta cemetery； with its narrow stone paths squeezed between more than seven thousand ornate and statued mausoleums with bands of concrete angels watching over the inhabitants。 Eva Peron rests in one belonging to the Duarte family。 Foreign tourists are usually amazed that her epitaph on the gate to the crypt actually reads； 〃Don't cry for me； Argentina。 I remain quite near you。〃
The chauffeur turned through guarded gates； past a spectacular wrought…iron fence； and up a circular drive； stopping at the portal of a huge nineteenth…century mansion with tall colonnades and ivy…covered walls that had been the German Embassy prior to World War II。 Four years after the war； the German government had moved its diplomats to a fashionable enclave known as Palermo Chico。 Since then； the mansion had served as the corporate headquarters of Destiny Enterprises Limited。
Wolf exited the car and entered the mansion。 The interior was anything but sumptuous。 The marble floors and columns； the richly paneled walls； and the tile…inlaid ceilings were a reminder of a fabulous past； but the furnishings were sparse and any sign of elaborate decor was nonexistent。 There was a white marble staircase leading to the offices above； but Wolf stepped into a small elevator concealed in one wall。