chasing after him, though.
“Do you mean to say,” he asked, “that Evangeline’s story is a hoax?”
Diaz traded a look with Rita; both women slowly nodded. “Yes, that’s what we think,” the captain said. “She deliberately jettisoned the lower hull with the two men aboard, then made up a story that the DSV came under attack.”
Danzig looked her straight in the eye. “So you think she deliberately murdered them?”
Diaz met his gaze without flinching. “Yes, I do … and so do many other people aboard.” Rita nodded in silent acknowledgement.
Danzig let out his breath. “That’s quite a severe accusation, Captain. What makes you think she’d want to kill those two men?”
“I don’t know exactly why, but there’s one more thing you should know.” Diaz lowered her voice. “A few months ago, while the ship was on the outbound leg, Chatelain had affairs with both of them … first Connick, then Werner. She slept with John for several weeks, and then dumped him for Klaus.”
“It put considerable stress on the science team.” Rita was also careful to keep her voice down. “John and Klaus wouldn’t speak to each other for awhile. I was afraid that they wouldn’t be able to get along well enough to cooperate once we reached Jupiter.” She shook her head. “We’re just lucky the little slut eventually got tired of Klaus, too. Otherwise the two of them wouldn’t have accomplished anything.”
“But she wasn’t able to get rid of them quite so easily,” Diaz said. “Connick continued to pursue her after she started sleeping with Werner. And when she dumped Werner, he too became obsessed with getting her back.”
“So you think …?” Danzig deliberately left his question hanging. As arbiter, he had to be careful not to put words from other people’s mouths.
“I think she was looking for a solution to her problem.” Diaz shrugged. “She didn’t want to have to deal with two jilted lovers for another eighteen months, so she found a way to get rid of them both.”
Danzig didn’t respond. Whatever Diaz, Rita, or anyone else might think of Evangeline’s behavior, though, this didn’t sound like a plausible motive for what amounted to a double homicide. But he wasn’t about to say this to her.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said, “along with everything you’ve told me.” He paused. “With your permission, I’d like to question other members of the crew.” Danzig didn’t really need the captain’s permission to conduct an investigation. As arbiter, he had considerable leeway. But he gave her the courtesy anyway.
“By all means, yes, please do,” Diaz said. “However, I should warn you … most of the people you’ll probably want to talk to are on Europa.” A grim smile. “You may have to visit the scene of the crime, whether you like it or not.”
V
M EPHOSTOPHILIS APPEARED IN a blaze of fire and brimstone. He wore the scarlet doublet and purple cape of a Renaissance philosopher, and his horns protruded from within the sleek black mass of his hair. When he smiled, a pair of fangs were revealed at the corners of his mouth. No doubt he had trouble in mind.
“‘Now tell me,’” Danzig said, “‘what saith Lucifer thy lord?’”
Mephotostophilis’s red eyes glittered. “‘That I shall wait on Faustus whilst he lives, so he will buy my service with his soul.’”
“‘Already Faustus hath hazarded that for thee,’” Danzig replied, reading aloud the lines which scrolled upward from the carpeted floor of Faustus’s study.
Mephostophilis walked closer, his cape billowing out from behind him. “‘But now thou must bequeath it solemnly and write a deed of gift with thine own blood, for that security craves Lucifer. If thou deny it I must back to hell.’”
“‘Stay Mephostophilis and tell me … ’”
He was interrupted by a disembodied voice. “Sorry to interrupt your play,” Kevin said, “but we’re about fifteen minutes away from making
MR. PINK-WHISTLE INTERFERES