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ke 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 die horribly also. My only regret is that I won’t be there to see your neck stretched, Heibert; see your withered old body jerk and bounce when it hits the end of the rope. They say the shock forces the bladder and the bowels to move. That’s a fitting end for you, old man. Thrown in an unmarked pauper’s grave to rot through eternity in your own filth.
Muttering incoherent words, his face distorted In blind anger. and entirely oblivious to the surrounding guns of the gendarmerie, von Till hurled himself at Pitt. It was the mad gesture of a hysterical man. Giordino’s forty-five clubbed him on the back of the neck before he took the second step. He fell awkwardly to the deck in a crumpled heap and lay as if dead. Giordino didn’t even look down as he holstered the gun.
“You cracked him a bit hard,” Zacynthus said reprovingly.
“Vermin don’t die easily,” Giordino replied impassively, “especially when they’re as mean as that old bastard.”
Darius had not moved or spoken since Giordino shot him. Any other man would have gripped a wounded and bleeding hand; not Darius. The huge brute let his hand hang limply to one side, indifferently allowing the blood to splatter on the sub’s deck. The lost expression on his face reminded Pitt of a newly caged gorilla he had once seen in the San Diego Zoo, an ugly misshapen monster who could not grasp the meaning of the barred walls and the strange looking animals beyond that stood five deep, observing his every movement. Pitt was very happy indeed that at least five of Zeno’s gendarmerie had their guns trained between Darius’ cold black eyes.
Pitt nodded toward Darius. “What happens to him?”
“A fast trial,” Zacynthus answered. “Then the firing squad—”
“There will be no trial,” Zeno interrupted. “The gendarmerie have never admitted to a traitor in their ranks.” His voice was grave, yet his eyes were filled with sadness. “Captain Darius died in the performance of his duties.”
