The Forty Column Castle Read Online Free PDF Page B

vacation,” he said. “What’s she in for?” He spoke as if we were discussing the possibility
     of rain.
    “Smuggling. Do you know anything about antiquities smuggling?”
    “I might,” Zach said.
    I returned his gaze. “You have my attention.”
    Yannis unfolded his arms and leaned in. At last, his interest was engaged.
    “Maybe you should elaborate on your aunt’s predicament first,” Zach said.
    I told him about the call from my aunt and her detainment at the airport. Zach interrupted
     with questions about small details. I went over Yannis’s efforts to get her out of
     jail and how we would bail her out in the morning.
    The smell of fried eggs and sausage wafted over the table, as the waiter set Zach’s
     meal in front of him. I continued as he ate.
    “The problem is it’s going to be hard to prove that she wasn’t trying to take a few
     small souvenirs out of the country, and the penalties are stiff.”
    “Yes,” Yannis said. “She could have remained in jail for a long time, but I have important
     connections, so I was able to convince the authorities that she should be out on bail.”
    I fixed an appreciative smile on my Cypriot friend and patted his arm to acknowledge
     his connections and his help. He was absolutely right. Without his web of relatives
     I would never have gotten to see my aunt today or arrange bail and a lawyer.
    A smile softened Yannis’s face, and he relaxed back against his chair. The sound of
     glass tinkling and the murmur of voices around us grew louder, as bathers wandered
     up to the patio for afternoon refreshments. Fragrance of coconut oil filled the air.
     The heat of the day intensified as the sun blazed overhead.
    Zach finished his last bite of chips and laid his fork over on the plate. “I did some
     private investigation in Texas a while back.”
    “Private investigator sounds good,” I said. “We could use that kind of experience
     on this case. Do you think you can help us?”
    Zach gave me a look, as if trying to assess how much it was worth, or if he wanted
     to get involved.
    “I mean, maybe you’re too busy,” I said, thinking I was taking a lot for granted.
    He kept looking at me and narrowed those intense dark eyes.
    Maybe his seeming reluctance had to do with money.
    “I will be more than happy to pay you. I guess I should have asked what your rates
     are.”
    The waiter took away Zach’s plate and topped off our coffee. Zach settled in a hunch
     over his.
    In that soft, Texas drawl he said, “We might be able to work something out.” His eyes
     said even more. I don’t think I was imagining what he meant, because Yannis picked
     up on it.
    “We don’t need to work anything out,” Yannis said. “I am perfectly cable of handling
     this for you, Claudie.”
    “My,” I said, “it’s getting hot. Anyone for a swim?”
    * * * * *
    Yannis’s Mercedes lurched down the gravel road, around a curve and up a rise that
     brought us to the beach. It was in a small bay covered with pebble sand, high cliffs
     on two sides where swallows darted and swooped, indifferent to our intrusion onto
     their private beach. No one else was around and that was the reason I liked coming
     here. It was isolated from the tourists.
    The waves lapped gently on the beach. The water was clear turquoise with flashing
     rhinestone top. I liked to snorkel in deep water, and on this beach the bottom dropped
     off to over thirty feet a short way out. The sea nettles tended to stay in the rocks
     in deep water, so they usually weren’t a problem.
    I put my beach towel close to the water’s edge so I wouldn’t have to walk on blistering
     pebbles, stripped down to my bikini bottoms, deciding it was Zach’s choice where he
     wanted to put his eyes. Yannis had seen me topless a hundred times before on the beach.
     I sat on the towel and smoothed coconut tanning lotion over my breasts, arms, legs,
     torso. Yannis stretched out on a towel on one side, propping up on an arm to