Austin admired the way Aguirrez had subtly managed the con- versational shift. Until he knew his host better and learned why the blue yacht was hanging out near the Oceanus fish farm, Austin planned to play his cards close to his vest.

“I'm a salvage specialist,” he said. “I've been working on a project in the Faroes. I came to Skaalshavn to do some fishing.”

Aguirrez sat back and roared with laughter. “Excuse my bad man- ners,” he said with tears in his eyes. “But it was my men who fished you from the sea.”

Austin's mouth widened in a sheepish grin. “A cold swim wasn't in my plans.”

Aguirrez became serious again. “From what we saw, there was an explosion on your boat.”

“The ventilation for the engine compartment was insufficient, and gasoline vapors collected. It happens sometimes with inboards,” Austin said.

Aguirrez nodded. “Strange. In my experience, explosions of that type usually happen when a boat has been sitting at the dock. And your wound undoubtedly was caused by flying metal.”

“Undoubtedly,” Austin said with a poker face, knowing full well that the ship's doctor would have seen that there were no burn marks on his skin and his wound was too neat to be from a jagged hunk of metal. Austin didn't know why Aguirrez was playing verbal cat- and-mouse, but he went along with the game. “I was lucky you were nearby.”

Nodding soberly, Aguirrez said, “We watched your earlier en- counter with the patrol boat and saw you head along the coast. When we rounded the point later, you had vanished. Not long after that, you burst from that sea cave like a man shot from a cannon.” He clapped his big hands together. “Boom! Your boat was in pieces and you were in the water.”

“That about sums it up,” Austin said, with a faint smile. After offering Austin a short, thick cigar, which he refused, Aguir- rez lit up a dark stogie that smelled like a toxic waste site. “So my friend,” he said, blowing smoke through his nostrils. “Did you get into the caves?”

“Caves?” Austin feigned innocence.

“For God's sakes, man, that's why I'm here, to find the caves. Surely you must have wondered what my boat is doing in this God- forsaken place.”

“It had occurred to me.”

"Then allow me to explain. I have done very well with my busi- nesses.

An understatement. You're very fortunate. Congratulations.

“Thank you. My wealth gives me the means and the time to do whatever I like. Some men choose to spend their fortune on beauti- ful young women. I choose to be an amateur archaeologist.”