I hurried ahead, but he was right behind me. We were on a rough side road that led to the ruins, a road used only by the archeologists and excavation workers that was more rock than road. As soon as we were out of the glare of the street lights and surrounded by darkness, he yanked on my arm forcing me to stop.
“I can’t let you go, my dearest Claudie.”
I refused to look at him, so he grabbed my chin hard and turned my face so I had no choice.
“You know too much. Besides, aren’t we one of a kind? Aren’t you in this with your aunt? It will be much easier on both of us if you tell me where she is.”
“Why? What could she have that you want?”
This was the part that baffled me.
“Your aunt’s the head of the smuggling operation on the island along with those three widow friends of hers. All she has to do is tell me where they stashed the antiquities that they stole. That’s all I want. I wouldn’t report her to the police now, would I, if I’m a thief myself?”
I thought that one over. But something he just said gave me pause. What stash of antiquities? And who did they steal this stash from?
“Let’s back up. You say there is a stash of antiquities involved, not just a few statues and potsherds?”
“Don’t play dumb, Claudie. You know about this.”
“Let’s pretend I don’t, just for the heck of it. You tell me what’s involved.”
He crossed his arms and stood studying me. A rainbow of emotion flickered over his face. Disbelief, suspicion, caution, calculation, doubt.
I knew what the problem was. If I wasn’t a thief, and he told me about the stash, I could do a number of things that might dig him in deeper if I ever got to the police. Like tell them about the stash he was after, what was in it if he would tell me, what the stakes were in the smuggling operation.
He came to a decision. “All right. Let’s pretend you don’t know the stakes in this game. Here it is. Berengaria’s jewels were found in the excavation of the Forty Column Castle.”
I looked at him and a smile spread across my face. “Are we talking gold jewelry set with precious stones worth maybe two to three million on the black market?”
His eyes lit up, and I could tell by the lively interest in those deep brown eyes that I was getting close.
“I’ve never seen them,” I said, “but I heard about them when I worked on the excavation.” I started laughing. “Give it up, Zach. It’s all rumor and legend. Those jewels don’t exist. There never was such a find at the Forty Column Castle. It’s just one of those funny stories that circulate around digs about buried lost treasure.” I smirked at him. “You’ve been had, and, you know what? I’m glad.”
He smirked back.
“No, darlin’, I’ve seen the jewels. I had them in these hands.” He held up his big hands. “They were stolen from me. Why do you think Max and Irene are dead?”
“I don’t believe you.”
“Why do you think the guys in the Maruti are following me?”
My eyes widened. “Why?”
“They want the jewels, and they think I have them.”
“Do you have them?” I asked. This was getting ridiculously confusing. The whole thing had always been confusing, hadn’t it?
“Of course I don’t. But your aunt might know where they are and that’s why we need to find her.”
Something then occurred to me. Was it possible that during her vacation this time in Cyprus my clueless aunt had unwittingly gotten these jewels? But how? Now I was thinking like the jewels were real. Zach said he had them in his hands, but he had a way of saying things that weren’t always true.
“Isn’t that a coincidence? We both want to find my aunt, but for different reasons.”
Zach looked uncomfortable. He wouldn’t look me in the eye but seemed to be studying something in the darkness.
I found a big rock to sit down on and let out a soul draining sigh. “Unbelievable.” Then I remembered that I never had had dinner, and my stomach was growling with no hope of respite any time soon.
I was at a loss. I was no good at being a detective. The Great Above only knew what was happening to my mutual fund although I had great confidence in Lena’s ability to carry on without me, maybe permanently but I hoped not. My aunt could be dead if those desperados thought she had the mythical jewels. The police were looking for me and Zach, and he was a bona fide criminal. But the sex was great.
I realized I was studying Zach’s muscular, hairy calves. “You have nice legs,” I said. I couldn’t think of anything else to say. “And I need a bracer. A raft of Cyprus brandy sours might do it.”
“Thanks but I need to lie low, and you will have to lie low with me. How about we get the car, drive over to Limasol, and look up Mr. Bellomo.”
I squinted up at him, not finished with the inquisition yet. “Did you find Lonnie and the widows and what did they say?”
Zach stared off into the darkness of the night. I looked over my shoulder to see what could be so interesting. Only blackness as far as I could see. He took off the baseball cap, smoothed back his hair, put the cap carefully back on. The breeze was picking up and ruffled the lapels of his ridiculous shirt.
“You didn’t talk to Lonnie?”
He cleared his throat. “Yes, I did.”
“And?”
“It seems the widows have gone on to Jerusalem to complete their vacation. Those weren’t our girls with his touring party today. They’ve left your aunt twisting in the wind, I do believe.”
“That’s fine, just fine.” I stood, dusting off my Capri pants. I was beginning to like them and thought about picking up another pair. My bikini bottoms were in a wedgie under the Capris, and I was sticky and sandy from the beach. I wanted a nice hot shower and a comfortable bed. By myself.
We started trudging in the direction of the car. I stumbled and had to resort to holding on to Zach’s arm. The stars and a bright half-moon provided some illumination. Those lovely ruins that looked so romantic under a setting sun now looked spooky.
I was jumpy, and my skin was crawling. As a kid I always hid my head under the pillow when ghost stories started flying around Girl Scout campfires, and I hated horror films. Stephen King? Never. I didn’t like being terrified. So what was I now?
We passed the castle then the mosaics. Ghosts might be hanging around an old ruined castle. I clutched Zach’s arm tighter. We passed the Odeon with the fine acoustics. The breeze blowing through the ancient rocks whistled eerily, making me more jittery. The place had to be haunted with all those people dying over the centuries. I hoped I didn’t see any ghosts. They were in the same class as terrorists. It would be too much for my heart.
We neared the beach where we swam earlier, picked our way down the old goat path, Zach helping me over a rock or two, when he stopped so suddenly I stumbled right into him. He steadied me but continued to look over my head in the direction of the parking lot.
“I don’t see the car.”
I squinted, trying to make out the form of the Honda SUV with the memorable back seat. Nothing. We studied the area.
“Maybe we’re at the wrong place. It has to be there. Did you lock it?”
“Yep, but that wouldn’t stop a tow truck from hauling it away.”
I took a few steps forward. It had to be there. Auto theft was unheard of on Cyprus.
Zach held my shoulder. “Better not go any closer. They’re probably watching the area. They might already see us.”