"You must believe me. We haven't kidnapped anybody. Look," he said, pointing to Teri's upended and naked bottom. "This woman is nothing but a village whore we found wallowing in a pigsty of a taverna. She told us to take the tour of the ruins, promising to meet us at the amphitheatre."

The guide looked amused. He reached out with his free hand and fingered the material of Teri's negligee, than ran his fingertips lightly over her smooth, rounded mounds, triggering a spasm of thrashing legs and feet.

"Tell me," he said slowly. "How much did she charge?"

"At first she asked two drachmas," said Pitt sullenly. "But after the fun and games she tried to hold us up for twenty drachmas. We, of course, refused to pay."

"Of course," the guide replied dully.

"He speaks the truth," burst Giordino, the words rushed as if he couldn't get them out fast enough. "This dirty tramp is the thief, not us."

"A masterly performance," said the guide. "A pity it is wasted on such a small audience. We Greeks may lead simple, mundane lives compared to you of more sophisticated countries, but we do not possess simple minds." He gestured the gun toward Teri. "This girl is no cheap prostitute. Expensive maybe, but not cheap. Her skin also makes you out a liar, it's far too white. Our island girls are famous for their rich, dark texture and full hips. Hers are much too narrow."

Pitt said nothing. He watched the guide carefully, waiting for an opening. Any movement on his part, he knew, would trigger Giordino into instantaneous action. The Greek looked a dangerous man, cunning and alert, but there was no hint of sadistic antagonism that Pitt could see in the dark, sun wrinkled features. The guide beckoned to Giordino.

"Release the girl, let us have a look at her other end."

Giordino, without taking his eyes off Pitt, slowly dropped Teri, letting her slide down his shoulder to the ground. She stood drunkenly for a moment, unsure of her balance, arms upraised in their trapped position, and swaying like a giant tulip in the wind until Giordino untied the knotted negligee above her head. As soon as she was free, Teri tore the gag from her mouth and stared at Giordino with white-hot hatred in her eyes.

"You bloody, rotten bastard," she screamed. "What's the meaning of this?"

"It wasn't my idea, sweetheart," said Giordino, his eyebrows arching slyly. "Talk to your friend over there." He jerked his thumb toward Pitt.

Her head spun in Pitt's direction, and she opened her mouth to say something, but choked off the words with a gasp. The big hazel eyes reflected astonishment for an instant, then they changed with blinking speed to icy coldness, then to a glowing twinkle of warmth. She threw her arms about Pitt and kissed him fervently, too fervently, he thought, under the circumstances.