Island of Thieves Read Online Free PDF

the deal.”
    â€œIt is now,” said Otto. “Come back here in twenty-four hours with the money. Then you can have him.”
    â€œNo chance,” said Uncle Harvey.
    â€œIs no problem.” Otto looked at me. “You like computers? You like games? You wanna stay here and play some games?”
    Suddenly everyone was looking at me. I smiled, trying to look as cool as Uncle Harvey. “Sure,” I said. “I love games.” I turned to my uncle. “I don’t mind staying here. Seriously, Uncle Harvey, I’ll be fine.”
    My uncle gave a little shake of his head. I could see him mulling over the situation, thinking through his options and considering what to do. He didn’t take long to reach a decision. He pulled back his chair and sat down again. “Listen, Otto. Let me tell you why I’m in Peru.”
    â€œI don’t care why you’re in Peru,” said Otto. “One hundred thousand dollars, that’s all I want.”
    â€œLet me tell you anyway,” said my uncle.
    He started talking. At first Otto made it quite clear that he wasn’t even listening, pouring himself another cup of coffee and walking around the room, but Uncle Harvey just kept talking and gradually managed to get Otto’s attention, telling him about the necklace and the shop in the mountains, just as he had told me. He avoided giving any specific information about the shop’s location, dodging Otto’s questions by opening his bag, taking out his blue folder, and handing over the old, crumpled piece of paper.
    Otto stared at it for a long time. I don’t know why. I’m sure he couldn’t read the handwriting. I found it hard enough and I speak English.
    â€œThere are no guarantees,” said my uncle. “But I think it’s a risk worth taking. That’s why I’ve come back to Peru. I’m going to start searching for this treasure today. If I find it, my first stop will be right here. I’m going to give you a lump of gold worth a hundred thousand dollars.”
    â€œThat’s a good story,” said Otto. “I just got one question. Is it true?”
    â€œOf course it’s true.”
    â€œYou sure? Because I’m thinking, Harvey, maybe you’re not very good at telling the truth.”
    â€œI swear on my life,” said my uncle.
    Otto pointed at me. “You swear on his life?”
    Uncle Harvey nodded without even pausing to think. “I swear on his life too. Every word is true.”
    Otto reached across the table and opened a box of thin cigars. He offered one to my uncle, then to me, but we both said no. He lit one, leaned back in his chair, and blew smoke at the ceiling. He was smiling. It was difficult to believe that only a few minutes ago he’d been threatening to chop off my uncle’s little finger. He asked a few more questions, getting the details straight in his mind, and then he said, “You know what, Harvey? We’ll do this thing together. You and me, we’ll find the island and the treasure too. What do you say? It’ll be fun, no?”
    â€œThat’s a very nice offer,” said Uncle Harvey. From his tone of voice, I couldn’t tell whether he was genuinely interested or just humoring our host. “If you don’t mind me asking, how exactly are you going to help us? What can you do that we can’t?”
    Otto gave him a little smile as if he were a child who had asked a silly question. “To come to this island, you must have a boat. To find the treasure, you need men. You are an Englishman, Harvey, but this is my country. I have men. I have cars. I have planes and helicopters. I have boats. Together we can do everything. And when we find the treasure, we will split it between us, half for you and half for me. That is fair, no?”
    â€œI’m not sure that’s very fair at all,” said Uncle Harvey. “How about eighty-twenty?”
    Otto shook