Zoe was dubious. “I’ve known Theo for many years. We tease him about how he’ll do anything for money, but that’s a joke. He would never help criminals.”
“Maybe he doesn’t know they’re criminals,” Mick pointed out.
“It just doesn’t sound like Theo,” Zoe insisted stubbornly. “I don’t know what he was doing on Dragonisi, but he’s never been interested in snorkeling before. I think you’re wrong,” she told Nancy, raising her chin.
Not wanting to argue with Zoe, Nancy let the subject drop. But if Theo wasn’t a snorkeling fan, what was he doing with that group of divers?
After dinner the group walked along the waterfront to one of Chora’s discos, which featured a circular dance floor and a live band.
The walls seemed to throb with the loud drumbeat of rock music as Nancy took her seat at the table. Within minutes George and Kevin were among the young people on the crowded dance floor. Two tables were taken up by a soccer team from Germany, and a few of the guys came over to talk to Zoe and Bess.
Nancy and Mick had danced through half a dozen rock songs when Nancy decided she needed a breath of fresh air. She and Mick made their way out to a small garden terrace. Zoe was already there, she saw, drinking a soda.
“Trying to escape the party animals?” Nancy teased, trying to ease the tension that had cropped up between Zoe and her over Theo.
Zoe nodded. “Just for a moment. It’s such a beautiful night.”
As a light breeze ruffled her hair, Nancy had to agree. The sweet scent of jasmine filled the air, and the moon cast a milky glow over the mulberry trees along the patio.
“Looks like there’s a full moon tonight,” Mick observed, staring up at the bright disk that lit up the island.
“A good night for sleuthing.” Nancy hesitated, looking at Zoe, before adding, “I’ll bet I’d be able to find my way around Theo’s boat without a flashlight.”
Mick’s flashing eyes told Nancy that he seconded the idea. Zoe was a little hesitant, but in the end she agreed. “As long as you let me come along,” she insisted. “If we run into trouble, I might be able to talk our way out of it.”
Nancy followed Zoe out through a back door that led to a narrow lane. “The marina is just a few blocks away, and we won’t be gone long,” Zoe said. “I don’t think the others will miss us.”
Although cafés along the waterfront were alive with customers, the harborside marina was quiet. Nancy soon spotted the Sea Star bobbing gently in its slip. The boat looked dark and deserted.
“It’ll go faster if we split up,” Nancy suggested as they approached the boat.
Mick nodded. “I’ll check out the cabin below. You two can cover the main deck.”
As Mick disappeared into the tiny cabin, Nancy and Zoe searched the aft deck. Zoe found that the bench seats below the orange cushions opened up. Inside were life jackets, extra rope, and two flare guns for use in an emergency.
Then they moved to the deck in front of the cabin, where they checked the cabinet below the steering column and found a flashlight and a tackle box.
“Hey,” Mick called softly from the doorway of the cabin. “Check this out.” He held up a weathered book with entries scrawled on the pages.
Zoe took the book and leafed through it. “It’s the ship’s log,” she explained.
“Does it say anything about Theo’s trips to Dragonisi?” Nancy asked.
Zoe nodded. “He’s been traveling to Dragonisi a lot—nearly every day. But it doesn’t say what he’s doing there.”
Bringing supplies to criminals? thought Nancy. The people from the cave would need food, fresh water, and news from the outside. Was Theo their tie to the rest of the world?
After Zoe explained the log entries, Mick went belowdeck to replace the book. He had just reappeared on the deck, when Nancy heard footsteps on the dock.
“Get down!” she whispered urgently.
Mick hunched on the right side of the cabin while Nancy and Zoe squeezed behind the steering column. Peering around, Nancy saw Theo walking along the dock toward his boat. A ring of keys jingled in one hand.
“It’s Theo!” Nancy reported.
Zoe sank back against the boat’s control panel. “The one person I don’t want to try to explain this to. Nancy, don’t let him find me here, please!”
But it was too late. Theo was already at the edge of the dock. He whistled as he leapt onto the deck beside the cabin—just around the corner from Mick’s hiding place!
Chapter Ten
NANCY BIT HER LIP as Theo landed on the deck on the far side of the cabin, his weight making the boat rock slightly. There had to be a way to stall him—even distract him. Pressed against the steering column, she remembered the flashlight stowed below it, and an idea came to mind.
“Get ready to jump onto the next boat,” she whispered to Zoe, pointing to the rickety fishing boat that was moored next to the Sea Star.
While Theo collected cushions from the aft deck, Nancy reached into the cabinet and grabbed the flashlight. Staying low, she moved silently along the deck to the front of the cabin. Then she switched the flashlight on and rolled it along the deck on the left side of the cabin, opposite Mick.
Although she couldn’t see Theo, she heard his whistling stop. Peeking around the cabin, she saw him moving toward the rolling flashlight, which made a clumping noise as the beam of light skittered across the boat.
Her plan had worked!
Quickly Nancy scrambled to the opposite side of the cabin and followed Mick, who was already leaping onto the next boat. They clambered for cover under a tarp and huddled beside Zoe, the three of them breathless as they listened to Theo mutter aloud in confusion.
Zoe covered her mouth to suppress a giggle. “Poor Theo,” she whispered. “He’s wondering if his boat is haunted!”
After Theo went inside his boat’s cabin, Nancy, Mick, and Zoe quickly exited the neighboring boat and headed back toward the disco. As they walked, Mick reported that he had found nothing unusual belowdeck. “There was just fishing gear, a black wet suit, and lots of snorkeling equipment.”
Zoe had mentioned that Theo had never been interested in snorkeling before, Nancy remembered. So why did he suddenly have all this equipment? Seeing the closed, defensive expression on Zoe’s face, however, Nancy decided not to bring that up now.
“Nothing on the boat really explains what Theo is doing on Dragonisi every day,” Mick said.
“I wonder if any of the other fishermen know what he’s been up to?” Nancy said thoughtfully.
Zoe hesitated, as if making a decision. “I can ask them—in a subtle way—tomorrow morning when I go into Chora to buy seafood for the inn,” she volunteered. “I hate to spy on Theo, but if he’s involved with those dangerous people, I want to know about it.”
When they reached the disco, Zoe waved toward the hillside behind the building. Nancy saw the silhouette of a windmill at the top of the incline. “It’s such a beautiful night,” Zoe told Mick and Nancy. “You two should climb Kato Myli Hill and get a closer look at the windmills.”
“I did want to get a chance to see them,” Nancy admitted.
“Then go,” Zoe insisted. “It’s a very romantic walk.” She showed them the lane that led to the short stairway at the base of the hill. “I’ll tell the others. See you back at the hotel,” she said, then pushed past the crowd on the steps of the disco.
Following Zoe’s directions, Nancy and Mick walked past a sprawling white church built in the Cycladic style of the islands. “It looks like a giant cream puff,” Mick observed.
Nancy laughed and looped her arm through his. She always felt so . . . relaxed with Mick. It felt very natural to work out a mystery with him.
A short climb up the stairway brought them to the top of the hill. They paused at the foot of the first white windmill and stared up at the canvas and wood sails, which turned lazily in the breeze.
“Just think,” Nancy said dreamily. “These windmills have greeted thousands of peopl
e . . . rock stars, famous actors, ambassadors . . .”
“And top-notch detectives,” Mick added, cradling Nancy’s face with his hands. He placed a gentle kiss on her lips, and Nancy felt a tingle pass from head to toe.
“Right now I don’t feel like an ace detective,” she admitted. Sitting on the pedestal of one of the windmills, she added, “We really need a break in this case—like tracking down that couple from the cave. I wonder what they plan to do with those explosives?”
“That detective’s mind is ticking away again,” Mick said, slipping an arm around Nancy’s shoulders. “You’re remarkable, Nancy. I have to admit, I’m falling in love with you.”
His words took her breath away. Searching her heart, Nancy knew that she felt the same way about Mick. But how could they have fallen in love in such a short time? “Oh, Mick, we’ve only known each other for—”
“I know, just two months,” he interrupted. “And I know I’ve been hinting around about a trip to Australia. But the truth is, I’m not talking about a chartered tour. I’d like to take you back to Australia as my bride.”
In that instant Nancy felt the entire world screech to a halt. All she could do was stare at Mick in shock.
“Bride?” she finally managed to say. Bride, as in wedding, as in married to Mick forever . . . for better or worse? Nancy’s heart raced with the most magical, terrifying feeling she had ever experienced.
“Don’t look so shocked,” Mick said, running a finger along her chin. “Two people who love each other should be together. Usually it makes them happy,” he teased.
Nancy struggled to put her feelings into words. “It isn’t that,” she said. “I love being with you, Mick. It’s just that I wasn’t thinking about getting married.” Suddenly an image shot into her head. She closed her eyes and tried to imagine leaving her hometown . . . saying goodbye to her dad and to Hannah Gruen, their housekeeper, who had helped take care of her when she was growing up.
“Well, will you think about it?” he asked.
“Of course,” Nancy promised. Framed by moonlight, Mick’s face looked so handsome. Leaning toward her, he covered her mouth in a kiss that Nancy was sure would melt her heart forever.
“Married!” Bess shrieked when Nancy returned to the room and filled her friends in on Mick’s proposal.
“What did you say?” George asked.
Nancy sank down onto her bed. “I didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so I told him I’d think about it,” she said. “I have to admit, I’m crazy about the guy, but—”
“You’re thinking about Ned, right?” asked Bess.
“Yes,” Nancy admitted. “There’s also River Heights, my detective work, Dad—and you guys. How can I leave all that behind?”
Bess went over to Nancy’s bed and gave her a hug. “If you decide to marry Mick and go to live in Australia, we’ll come visit you, that’s all. Nothing should come between two people who are in love!”
“The wise one has spoken,” George said. Giving Nancy a sympathetic smile, she said, “It’s a question that only you can answer. I mean, I really care about Kevin, but I’m not sure that I’d be crazy about the idea of following him around the world.” She shrugged. “It’s a tough call.”
That was for sure, Nancy thought. She resolved not to make any decision right away. But that night Nancy fell asleep dreaming of the rambling sheep ranches and vast beaches of Australia.
“I looked for Theo this morning, at the harbor,” Zoe told Nancy the next morning as they took a hydrofoil to Naxos, the largest of the Cyclades islands. They had been late boarding the craft, so Mick, Bess, and George had found scattered seats among the other thirty or so passengers.
Nancy pulled her orange hat lower on her head to ward off the sun. It was just before ten, but even in her shorts and tank top, she could feel the heat. “Any luck?” she asked Zoe.
“The Sea Star was already gone. Some of the fishermen say they’ve seen Theo anchored near Dragonisi. They thought he was fishing, but he’s been coming in without a catch for the past week.”
What does he do on Dragonisi if he’s not fishing? Nancy wondered. She didn’t have time to pursue the subject. Just then the engines slowed, and the hydrofoil docked in the bustling capital of Naxos.
From the terminal, the island looked like a mixture of whitewashed villages and lush green valleys. As soon as they were on land, Zoe suggested mopeds to make it easier to get around.
“Definitely,” said Bess. “We rented them when we were in Rome, and they were great.”
Ten minutes later they had rented three large mopeds from a shop across from the ferry terminal. Zoe and Bess teamed up on one bike, Nancy and Mick shared another, and Kevin and George took the third.
Clustered together outside the moped shop, studying a map of the island, the group decided to make the Temple of Apollo their first stop.
Zoe and Bess led the way to the north side of the port, turning left from the ferry terminal. In single file the mopeds buzzed along a causeway that connected the main island to a tiny islet. As they rounded a curve, a gigantic stone post-and-lintel came into view.
“That must be the temple,” Nancy said. A moment later Mick pulled into a parking lot teeming with vendors and tourists.
“This is the Temple of Apollo,” Zoe said as they all clambered off the bikes. “That doorway is called the Portora, which means ‘Great Door.’ ”
Staring up at the huge marble monument, Bess said, “That makes sense.”
Even the swarm of tourists couldn’t diminish the enormous power of the ancient structure. As the group strolled around, Nancy saw a familiar-looking man cross the marble floor of the temple.
“I can’t believe it,” she told Mick in an undertone. “Dimitri is here.”
Mick followed her gaze to the photographer, who had stopped to take a candid shot of a tiny girl.
“I wonder what he’s doing here?” Nancy asked thoughtfully. After the previous day’s discoveries, she had begun to think of Dimitri as the forger and Theo as the messenger. Could Dimitri’s presence here have anything to do with the passports? “Let’s split up, so we’re less conspicuous,” she suggested to the others.
“Good idea,” George said. She pointed to a vendor’s cart near the temple steps. “We’ll meet you back at that ice cream stand in an hour.”
Nancy was so busy watching Dimitri that she barely looked at the tan-colored marble ruins. He worked his charms on tourist after tourist, but she didn’t see any kind of exchange or unusual encounter.
After the hour had elapsed, Nancy rejoined her friends by the temple steps. Bess and Zoe wanted to move on, but Nancy hesitated.’She didn’t want to leave Dimitri.
“George and I will keep an eye on him,” Kevin volunteered. “You guys go ahead.”
Nancy started to object, but Bess interrupted. “Great! We’ll see you later.” Nancy looked at Bess quizzically but said nothing.
“No problem,” George said.
They arranged to meet for a late lunch in a popular taverna in the village. Then Bess, Zoe, Nancy, and Mick headed back toward their mopeds.
“Didn’t you get it?” Bess said to Nancy. “They want to be alone,” she went on dreamily, “to squeeze every bit of romance out of their last days together.”
Nancy laughed. “I should have guessed you’d pick up on that.”
“Too bad Kevin has to fly off to Madrid on Sunday,” Zoe said.
As Nancy climbed on the moped and wrapped her arms around Mick’s waist, she wondered again what the future held for Mick and her. Did they belong together—forever?
The rest of the morning passed quickly as they rode along the twisting roads of Naxos, passing sparkling white churches and crumbled ruins at every turn. They even saw a goat farmer who was moving his herd, the metallic clang of the goats’ bells filling the air.
Just outside town they pulled off the road at a scenic overlook. Bess and Zoe sat down on a bench as Nancy walked to the edge of the cliff. Push
ing back the brim of her orange cap, Nancy took in the view of silvery green olive trees stretching in rows along the hills next to the clustered white buildings of the village.
“Isn’t it beautiful?” Mick asked, coming up next to her.
“It really is,” Nancy said, and leaned contentedly against him.
The moment was broken soon after by the buzz of a moped. Turning, Nancy saw a silver moped with two people on it round the curve of the road.
The sun glinted off the chrome of the bike, blinding Nancy for a moment. She blinked, then gasped as she saw the face of the driver. An angry red scar ran from his chin to his ear.
It’s the man from Dragonisi! Nancy thought, recoiling. There was no telling what he would do if he recognized them!
Chapter Eleven
“IT’S THEM!” Nancy exclaimed.
In the next instant she ducked behind the trunk of an olive tree, pulling Mick along with her. She winced as bark scraped against her bare arm, but she had to stay hidden.
“What’s going on?” Mick asked, looking at Nancy as if she had lost her mind.
“The man from the cave is driving that moped,” Nancy said breathlessly. “But I think we ducked out of sight before he saw us.”
Hearing the sound of the motor fade, Nancy dared a look. The moped was just disappearing down the hillside in the direction of town. “I’d love to know where he’s off to in such a hurry,” she said, rubbing the chafed skin on her arm.
“Are you okay?” Bess asked, rushing over with Zoe. “What’s going on?”
Nancy told them about the driver of the silver moped. She felt so helpless. How could she let those guys just ride on by?
“What about the man on the back?” Zoe asked.
“I don’t know who he is,” Nancy said, “but I can’t stand to stay here when they might lead us to some answers. What if they’re on their way to pick up the passports from Dimitri?”
Mick was already striding to their moped. “It’s a long shot,” he said, “but it’s worth checking out.”
“Don’t be crazy!” Zoe protested, grabbing Nancy by the hand. “It’s too dangerous.”