Well, I thought to myself, this is interesting, the space was filled with heavy metal shelving. On the shelves was gold. A lot of it. I picked up one of the bars and inspected it. The stamping on it was a trademark of some refining company I didn't recognize. The rest described its composition. 24K, 400 TROY OUNCES, 99.999.
I sat it back in place and counted. The shelving was six feet wide by eight feet tall. The bars were stacked two high across the width of each shelf i guessed each bar to be roughly 4 x 10, maybe add a bit. 288 bars total. So, that's 115,200 ounces. Multiply that times $850 and you got $97,920,000.00, roughly.
Where. In. The. Fuck. Did. He. Get. This. Gold?
I looked at Sabrina. She was staring at the gold in shock. Turning to look at me, we both turned to look at the paper laying on the desk.
I shut the door and we went and looked it over. There were three more X's marked down. The closest was my bedroom. So, off we went. It was another book shelf filled with old books. Behind it was more of the same. As were the remaining two.
So, 288 x 4 comes to 1,152 bars. 400 troy ounces each at $850 per ounce, 460,800 ounces. $391,680,000.00.
Holy shit.
Just what in the fuck was going on around here. I thought it through quick as I could. Obviously the old man was buying gold as fast as he could when he was flush. It made sense. The perfect tax shelter. I guessed he figured his heirs would search the place and find it, leaving them set for life. Too bad he didn't, or perhaps couldn't, account for human emotion. Nobody was interested in investing time anymore. This trend had multiplied by an exponential amount in the 21st Century.
Well, I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
I went back to the office and called the gold dealer. He answered on the second ring. I wasted no time.
"It's Travis Miller.You busy?"
"Never too busy for you. What's up?"
"Well, I need you out here ASAP."
"Well, OK, Let me close up and I'm on the way. I need to bring anything?"
"Yeah, your whole tool kit."
"Gotcha. See you in a few."
Then hung up.
I leaned back and looked at Sabrina.
"I need a drink."
"No shit. Me, too."
She headed to the bar and mixed a couple, then sat back down.
"OK, boss, now what?"
"Get rid of this gold, put the cash to work."
"Why get rid of it?"
"Because we found it. Look, this much money attracts a lot of attention. This much money in untraceable gold? Well, that attracts generational attention and not the right kind. I'd rather have control of assets. Logistical and transportation. Food and energy. Gold just sits there. Assets work. This much gold means somebody is looking for it. I'm sure he left a trail behind him buying all this. I have a feeling it's not all legal either. Not that much of it."
I thought for a minute, sipping my drink.
"Those mining stocks. I wondered about that. Damn, I need access to the internet right now. I need to look up the trademark stamp. Who smelted it. I'm betting he bought it straight out of the mines, tax free. Had it refined. Then stored it all here. Off the books. But bet your ass, somebody out there knows it exists. I'm selling it before they come looking for it."
"But, why? I mean, it's gold, and..."
"No, Sabrina, it's money. As soon as it's located, the foreign government that controls the land it was dug out of as well as the IRS, will come with their greedy, grubby, little dick beaters held out wanting their 'Fair Share'."
"Their dick beaters?"
I looked at her, held out my hand, made a jacking off motion.
She giggled up realization.
"Ah, dick beaters, got it."
"Speaking of dicks. I want my fair share of yours. What gives?"
"We've been over this, Sabrina. You've seen what happens to women after they get a taste of it. I need you focused on business, not my tallywacker. Oh, while I'm at it, what was with spitting in my drink?"
"Because that bitch gets to ride the Travis Train and I don't. It ain't fair."
I could only shake my head in wonder. I'll never understand the female brain.
I finished my drink, went a made a new one for Sabrina and myself and headed out to the courtyard. A truck was pumping in water, with a line waiting. Some techs were doing sound and lighting tests. The masons were installing the huge steel fire grate in the fireplace. Some others were moving the tables and chairs in. The Tiki bar was now fully stocked.
I went out the gate. The guard house was up and running. The new ram proof fence and gate was being installed.
Heading to the runway and hangars, a truck was painting lines on the tarmac. The electricians were sorting out a minor issue with the hangar lighting. The helicopter hangar was ready and the helicopter was sitting on the landing pad. I had pilot apartments built onto the hangars. Nothing overly large, but accommodating and comfortable.
The track hoes and dozers were excavating the control room. It looked like two more days on the outside before we start installing steel. The electricians were burying 12 inch conduit from the bank to the excavation and stubbing it off.
In the distance, I saw trucks spraying in clay liner into the lake bed. The crews were building the steel buildings that will conceal the drive in entrances to the bunker.
All was going well.
Back at the house, I went and got one of the gold bars and sat down at my poolside table. Lupe and Juanita were out setting things up. I motioned for a drink and sat down. Juanita brought it.
"I'm expecting a visitor shortly, bring him out here."
She nodded and left. Angel came out with a plate of tacos, I attacked them with a vengeance. A strange kid came over and place a cardboard box on the table, opened it, extracted an intercom set of the weatherproof variety. He bent over and picked up a cable and connected the intercom. He then pressed the button, spoke into it, and started receiving replies.
He smiled at me,
"There you are, sir, you're connected."
"Thanks!"
He nodded and left.
The masons were directing a few men that were filling up the wood racks. Another had built a fire and was testing the draw on the fireplace.
I hit the button on the intercom and called the guard house. The response was immediate.
"Yes sir? Porter speaking."
"I have a visitor coming very shortly. He'll be bringing in some equipment."
"Yes sir, we're checking him in right now."
"Outstanding."
This is going to work out very nicely. Few minutes later, Lupe was escorting him out.
"Thank you, Lupe."
Looking at him,
"You like a drink or...?"
"Whatever you're having will be fine."
She headed to the bar.
He sat down, looking at me cautiously.
"That's quite the welcoming committee you have out there. I may need rape counciling after that reception."
He chuckled at his own joke,
"So, what has you calling upon me for today? I take it that it's rather urgent?"
"Well, I'm not sure exactly."
I reached over and slid the cloth wrapped gold bar in front of him. He unwrapped it carefully, whistling lightly as he studied it closely.
"Wow, ok then, umm, so what's your issue with it?"
"What can you tell me about it?"