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Selma filled him in on the Solomons find. “I’m researching the area for them. Volcanoes, earthquakes, a history of tidal waves—you name it. I haven’t heard from them since they were going to dive the site and confirm whether there’s anything to the accounts.”
“Hmm. Most intriguing. There aren’t many areas of the world that haven’t been thoroughly explored. But I’d venture a guess that’s one of them.”
“True. And with all the social unrest, it’s likely to remain that way. There was a civil war in the early millennium, and then widespread rioting in 2006, and then again in 2014. The poverty’s off the scale, and the Australians have basically had to station a small occupation force there to keep the peace. Not really an area conducive to exploration.”
“Leave it to the Fargos to find something right under everyone’s noses. Amazing, that.”
“If that’s indeed what they’ve done, it’s actually their colleague Leonid Vasyev who made the discovery. They’re helping out.”
“Leonid, eh? Good Irish name.”
“Well, Laz-lo,” Selma said, stressing the second syllable of his na
me. “Can’t jump to conclusions. That’s the first rule the Fargos have. A good one, I’d say,” she cautioned.
“Then he’s not Russian?”
She cracked a small smile. “Is there anything else I can help you with?”
He stood, taking the hint. “No, no. I was just stopping in to ensure you hadn’t been swept off your feet by some rakish pretender.” He nodded at Zoltán, then to Selma. “Good day to you, then, Selma. I’m only a phone call away should you need my considerable skills.”
“How reassuring. I trust I won’t today.”
“Nevertheless, I’m at your beck and call.”
She watched him retreat, his head held high, and smiled to herself. He definitely had a certain charm, even if he was full of himself and completely amoral as they came. Mad dogs and Englishmen indeed.
The front door closed and she returned to her duties, a small part of her registering that the room seemed empty now that Lazlo had left. A blur of motion from outside the floor-to-ceiling picture window facing the Pacific Ocean caught her eye and she watched as a white gull rode an updraft, effortlessly soaring into the clear sky. Lazlo was a menace, she told herself with conviction, a scoundrel, and she’d have no part in his shenanigans, but the small smile remained even as she turned back to her monitor. Zoltán shifted at her feet and she reached down and petted his massive head.
CHAPTER 9
Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands
Breakfast at the hotel restaurant with Leonid was a somber affair, the Russian sullen. He’d asked around the waterfront, trying to find another boat for the next day, but word had spread about the attack and nobody wanted to sign on regardless of how much money he offered.
“Look at it this way, Leonid,” Sam said. “There’s not a lot we could accomplish on quick dives by ourselves. We’re better off waiting for the research ship to arrive anyway so that we have all the equipment and manpower we need. We’ve already confirmed the ruins are man-made. That’s more than I expected on a first look.”
“And it gives you time to learn to dive yourself,” Remi pressed. “Who knows? You may even enjoy it.”
“I highly doubt that,” Leonid grumbled into his coffee.
“Not all is lost, my friend,” Sam said. “While we’re landlocked, we’ll nose around and see what we can come up with in terms of local lore. It’s hard to believe there are no stories or legends surrounding a sunken city.”
“Good luck. I could barely get the locals to talk to me. Tight-lipped bunch.”
“Well, my beautiful wife’s powers of persuasion might be more compelling than your Russian charm.”
Leonid had to concede the point. “I’m not great with people.”
“Which is why we’ll divide and conquer. You take scuba lessons and we’ll talk to some people and see what we come up with,” Remi said. “Sound good?”
“Except for the part where I have to get in the water.”
They parted ways, and Sam and Remi walked to the hospital, the morning heat building as they neared it. When they arrived, they asked for Dr. Vanya, and she seemed delighted to see them when she came through the emergency room doors.
“Well, this is a nice surprise. I didn’t expect you so soon.”
“We were just in the neighborhood . . .” Sam said.
