The Deer Valley Rock Art Center is a repository of art and history, preserving ancient petroglyphs and pictographs for the modern world to study and enjoy. Maintained as a part of Arizona State University, it is ideally situated near caches of desert rock, upon which natives could leave their mark in the clay-coated surfaces. The meaning of this art will forever be uncertain, as the artists died long before any art critics had the chance to ask. Since the artists are long gone, their work is priceless, valuable beyond any dollar measure. Sadly, such value can lead to problems as well.

Dr. Welsh could barely contain himself. First, someone had delivered, practically to his doorstep, the most astounding piece of art ever, and now, not a week later, it had been stolen. It was intolerable. How could anyone stoop so low as to steal this prize of humanity, this “Stona Lisa” of petroglyphs? Only money could drive a person to act so fiendishly, he reasoned. Disgusted, he shook his head and waited.