“Wait a minute,” Giordino cut in. “Are you suggesting that somebody was smuggling out of here before Christ?”
“You didn’t do your homework,” Pitt grinned. “If you’d read the brochure that Zeno handed out before we started on the tour of the ruins, you’d know that Thasos was originally settled by the Phoenicians to exploit its gold and silver deposits. The tunnels and shaft are part of an ancient mine. Eventually it was worked out and abandoned. The Greeks discovered it a few hundred years later and thought it was some kind of mysterious labyrinth built by the Gods.”
A movement on the dock attracted Pitt’s attention and he looked up.
Zacynthus appeared seemingly out of nowhere and stood, staring down at Pitt for several long moments.
Finally he asked:
“How’s the leg?”
Pitt shrugged. “It’ll probably smart a bit when the barometer drops, but it shouldn’t slow up my sex life.”
“Colonel Zeno sent two of his men after a stretcher. They should be here in a few minutes.”
‘Were you able to overhear any of our enlightening conversation?”
Zacynthus nodded. “Every word. The acoustics in here would do credit to Carnegie Hall.”
“You’ll never prove any of it,” von Till said in contempt. His lips curled in a sneer, but there was a trace of desperation in his eyes.
“As I’ve said,” Pitt murmured tiredly, “I don’t have to prove anything. At this minute, four war criminal investigators are flying here from Germany, courtesy of the United States Air Force, who were only too happy to lend a helping hand after your little shooting party at Brady Field. Each one of those four men is a specialist. They know every hidden identity trick in the book. Plastic surgery, a different voice, your advanced age, nothing will fool them. I’m afraid it’s the end of the voyage for you, Admiral.”
“I am a Greek citizen,” von Till said arrogantly.
‘“They have no legal right to abduct me to Germany.'
“Cut the masquerade,' Pitt lashed back. “Von Till was the Greek citizen, not you. Colonel Zeno, will you please explain the facts of life for the Admiral.”
“With pleasure, Major.” Zeno had left the conning tower of the Japanese I-boat and was now standing next to Zacynthus. He grinned broadly under the big, flowing moustache and eyed von Till with piercing scrutiny. ‘We take a dim view of anyone who enters our country illegally and we greatly dislike playing host to a wanted war criminal. If you are indeed Admiral Erich Heibert, as Major Pitt claims, I shall personally see to it that you are turned over to the war criminal investigators and placed on the first plane back to Germany and the gallows.”
“A most appropriate and convenient ending,” Zacynthus said slowly. “It saves the taxpayers the expense of a long, drawn-out trial for narcotics smuggling. On the other hand, we lose the opportunity to bag half the illegal drug buyers in North America.”
“Aren’t you forgetting that opportunity makes the thief,” Pitt grinned.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Simple arithmetic, Zac. Now you know how the heroin drop is made and where. It would be an easy matter to take over the Queen Jocasta, keep the crew Incommunicado, and deliver the goods in person.
I’m certain the proper authorities could hush-up Heibert’s capture until you can spring your trap at the cannery in Galveston.”
“Yes,” Zacynthus said consideringly, “yes by god, it just might work. Providing I can find a crew to operate the ship and submarine on short notice.”
“The Mediterranean Tenth Fleet,” Pitt offered. “Use your influence and make an urgent request to our navy for an emergency crew. They can be airlifted into Brady Field. Time wise, it shouldn’t set the Queen Jocasta off schedule for more than five or six hours. If you push the old tub you can make that up in a day and a half.”
Zacynthus surveyed Pitt with mixed curiosity and admiration. “You certainly don’t miss much, do you?’
Pitt shrugged, retaining his grin. “I try.”
“There is one thing I wish you’d explain.”
“Name it.”
“How did you know Darius was an informer?”
“I smelled a rat when I searched the Queen Artemisia. The transmitter in the radio cabin was set on the same frequency as the set in your office. I must confess, at the time I thought it might be any one of you.
The field narrowed down to Darius after I swam ashore and met Giordino. He said that Darius had been stationed on your radio during the entire time between the arrival and departure of the Queen Artemisia.
It was a cozy arrangement. While you and Zeno were on a wild goose chase, keeping an eye on the villa and battling mosquitoes, Darius was comfortably sipping his Metaxa and notifying Heibert of your every move. That’s why I had the ship all to myself. The crew members were all busy down in the bilges, releasing the sub.
The captain hadn’t bothered posting a lookout because Darius had assured him all was clear. What Darius didn’t know, and even you didn’t know, Zac, was that I Intended to swim out and scout the ship from the water. You suspected nothing when Giordino and I volunteered to watch the ship from the beach. It was only, at the last minute, when I saw no sign of the Queen Artemisia’s crew, that I decided to sneak on board for a closer look. My apologies for not clearing my actions with you, but I was certain that you’d have raised hell and tried to stop me.”
“I'm the one who should offer apologies,” Zacynthus said. “I deserve the dunce award of the year. God, how could I have been so blind? I should have guessed something was wrong when Darius was never able to intercept any messages between the passing Minerva ships and the villa.”
“I could have relayed my suspicions to you on the road this morning.” Pitt said. “But it hardly seemed the right time or place particularly In front of Darius. Secondly, without one hundred percent proof I doubt seriously whether you or Zeno would have believed my accusation.”
“You were quite right,” Zacynthus admitted. 'Tell me this. Where did you find out about the Queen Jocasta?'
“The Air Force has a funny habit about loaning out their vehicles; sooner or later they want them back.
After Giordino and I left you, we stopped off at Brady Field and returned the truck to the motorpool.
Colonel Lewis was waiting for us. It was he who alerted me to the Queen Jocasta. One of his morning patrols sighted her cruising north toward Thasos. The next step was to check the ship’s cargo and destination with the Minerva Line’s agent in Athens. His reply added to an interesting coincidence. Not only were two Minerva ships passing by the villa Within twelve hours of each other, but both were headed for ports in the United States. I began to get the picture — von Till, or rather Heibert, Intended to switch the sub and the heroin from the Queen Artemisia to the Queen Jocajta.”
“You might have let me in on your secret,” Zacynthus said with a noticeable trace of bitterness. “I came within a hair of locking Giordino up when he bounded into my headquarters, demanding that I, together with Colonel Zeno’s men, follow him into the labyrinth.”
Pitt studied him. The inspector’s face was grim. “I considered it,” Pitt said honestly. “But I figured the less everyone concerned knew, the less chance there was for Darius to get suspicious. I also purposely kept the girl in the dark because it was essential that her message, warning your headquarters of my plans to search for the cavern, reek with serious intentions when Darius intercepted it. My actions were devious, I admit, but my reasons were valid.”
“To think that the Bureau’s finest investigator was shown up by a rank amateur.” Then Zacynthus grinned and there was a warm hint in the smile that removed the acid from his words. “But It was worth it, well worth it.”
Pitt was greatly relieved. He didn’t wish to make an enemy of Zacynthus. He turned and looked at von Till. The old German stared back at Pitt with a contempt in his eyes that went far beyond mere hate. The only feeling that suddenly welled within Pitt was one of disgust. He spoke quietly, but his cold voice carried to every inch of the cavern.
“You would have to die a hundred thousand deaths, and then some, to repay all the lives you stole, old man. Most men are born and go to the grave without killing anyone, but your list stretches endlessly from the helpless prisoners you condemned to the cold waters of the North Sea to the schoolgirls you sold into slavery in the scum- infested back alleys of Casablanca. How ironic that a man who caused so many other people to die in agony should
