Greek Odyssey Part 3

"I'm not kidding," Mick said, his expression serious.

He actually meant it, she realized. "Mick, I'd love to see Australia, but-"

"Don't worry about details," he said, placing a finger over her lips. "We'll work it out."

Nancy was thoughtful as she and Mick followed the others down the hill toward lush palm groves. Soon they arrived at a walkway lined by six grand sculptures of lions stretching toward the east.

"This is called the Terrace of the Lions," Zoe explained.

"It's hard to believe they're two thousand years old," Bess said.

Still thinking of Mick's invitation, Nancy didn't say much as the others commented on the statues. Mick was suddenly quiet, too. He wandered to one of the far lions while George, Zoe, and Bess strolled on, heading back toward the harbor.

Nancy was about to follow when she spotted a photographer with curly black hair poised behind the base of one of the lions. She moved around the lion until she was face to face with Dimitri.

"Yasou," he said, greeting her in Greek as he adjusted a camera tripod. "You are one of the American girls staying in Mykonos, no?" he said, greeting her in Greek as he adjusted a camera tripod. "You are one of the American girls staying in Mykonos, no?"

"That's right," Nancy said, her eyes skimming over Dimitri's bags of equipment. He was using a sophisticated camera with a long lens. "No more pictures of tourists?" Nancy asked him.

"Not today. Today I'm taking beautiful photographs, which I will make into postcards in my studio," he said proudly.

This guy loves to exaggerate, Nancy thought. "Don't you need special equipment to make postcards?" she asked.

"Of course," he agreed. "But my studio is the best on the island of Mykonos. One of the best in all of Greece! It has everything I need."

Including everything you need for forging pa.s.sports? Nancy wondered, remembering the envelope she had seen Niki hand him on the beach that morning.

"I'd love to see it," she said, watching Dimitri carefully. "In the States I'm an amateur photographer." She was bending the truth, but she thought that Dimitri might believe her.

Instead, he seemed to withdraw. "My equipment is far too technical to interest you."

"I'm a fast learner," Nancy insisted.

"It is not a good idea," Dimitri said, forcing a smile.

Nancy had the distinct impression that there was something in his studio that Dimitri didn't want her to see.

Just then Mick came around the statue and took Nancy's hand. "We'd better get going if we want to catch up with the others," he said.

After saying goodbye to Dimitri, Nancy and Mick continued down the stone-paved path toward the boat landing. During the ride back to Mykonos, she mulled over the encounter with Dimitri. If his studio contained equipment that could make postcards, it had to be fairly sophisticated-maybe sophisticated enough to create a good replica of a pa.s.sport page.

That thought was still nagging at her when the teens sat down to a late lunch at the hotel's taverna. Zoe had decided to join her father, so Nancy, Mick, George, and Bess shared a table.

"You look as if you're lost in s.p.a.ce," George told Nancy as she pa.s.sed around a platter of moussaka moussaka, a ca.s.serole made of layers of eggplant and ground meat covered in a zesty sauce.

"I've been thinking about Bess's pa.s.sport and wondering who on this island could pull off a forgery," Nancy said. Lowering her voice, she shared her thoughts about Dimitri's studio. "All that 'special equipment' could come in handy for pa.s.sport forgeries-especially if he has three American pa.s.sports to work with."

"Wow," Bess said, stabbing a chunk of juicy eggplant. "Do you think he's the forger?"

"It's possible," George said. "Niki had access to the room with the safe, and and Nancy saw her give something to Dimitri this morning. Maybe she agreed to steal the pa.s.sports and sell them to him." Nancy saw her give something to Dimitri this morning. Maybe she agreed to steal the pa.s.sports and sell them to him."

Nancy had been thinking the same thing. "I still don't have any proof, though. I really want to check out Dimitri's studio. He was reluctant when I said I wanted to see it..."

"So maybe the stolen pa.s.sports are there," Mick finished for her.

"Would the forger have to be on this island?" George asked. "I mean, maybe the thief took the pa.s.sports to Athens to have them altered."

"Maybe," Nancy agreed. "But we saw the beefed-up security on Delos today. If security is that tight all over, there's a good chance that the thief-and the pa.s.sports-are still on Mykonos."

After lunch Bess decided to go to Chora to purchase the windmill from Spiros's shop. Zoe and George had already decided to stay behind and squeeze in a swim before the engagement party that night, but Mick and Nancy opted to go along with Bess.

When they got to the town, the labyrinthine streets were empty except for a few dogs napping in shaded doorways.

"That's right!" Nancy said, slapping her forehead. "Zoe told us yesterday that it's just like in Italy. The businesses close up for siesta from two to five."

"Maybe the shop with my windmill is open, though," Bess said hopefully. But when they reached Spiros's shop, the door was locked and the lights were off.

Mick peered through the gla.s.s door into the darkness. "What's next?" he asked.

Nancy was beginning to think the trip would be a waste of time. But as her gaze landed on the building's second story, she murmured, "I'd still like to check out Dimitri's studio."

Looking up and down the deserted street, Mick said, "Maybe he hasn't returned from Delos yet." He climbed the narrow white staircase that led to the studio door, then knocked. "And if no one's home, what's the harm in having a quick look?"

When no one answered, Mick looked through the window next to the door. "I don't see anyone," he said. He reached through the open window, stretched, and turned the bolt on the door. "So much for security," he said, and grinned.

He pushed the door open and leaned inside. "The coast is clear, but he could turn up while we're snooping around."

Nancy turned to Bess. "Why don't you stay out here and keep a lookout?"

"Okay." Bess sat in a shady spot at the bottom of the stairs while Nancy joined Mick at the door. "But try to make it quick. I'm roasting."

Inside the studio the first thing Nancy noticed was the wide array of equipment. In the shadowed light she could see a large copy machine, a paper cutter, a light box, an overhead projector, and other equipment. Fake background drops were stacked in one corner.

Although Nancy wasn't an expert, she could see that Dimitri hadn't exaggerated about his studio. "Pretty impressive," she murmured.

From the way Mick whistled through his teeth, she could tell that he agreed. "This color copier is really something," he said, leaning over the huge machine. "This baby can do anything. It can make copies bigger, smaller, darker, lighter-hardly the type of thing you'd expect to find in a vacation resort. I'll bet-"

Mick was interrupted by Bess's loud voice. "Dimitri! Oh, good. I've been waiting for you!"

"Quick!" Mick whispered. "He's coming."

Nancy's eyes darted to the back of the studio, looking for a way out. She saw only a solid, windowless wall. "Mick, there's no back door!" she whispered.

Just then she heard footsteps on the stairs.

Nancy's heart raced as she and Mick dropped to the floor behind the huge copy machine.

They were trapped-and there was no way out!

Chapter Five.

NANCY HUNCHED BEHIND the machine, holding her breath. She could barely make out Bess's voice over the pounding in her own ears.

"It's really important," Bess said persuasively. "It's such a beautiful day-you know, what we call in America a Kodak moment. I just have to capture it on film. Can you take my picture standing next to the fishing boats in the harbor?"

"I'm sure that would be a beautiful photo," Dimitri said, gushing with flattery. "But can we do it later? I've just returned from Delos, and I need to unload-"

"But this camera will be perfect," Bess persisted. "You'll need a good camera to capture the bright sunlight, the deep blue sea... and me."

After a moment's pause Dimitri sighed. "For you, I will do it," he said at last.

Way to go, Bess! Nancy thought. She and Mick stayed hidden until they heard the footsteps retreat.

"It's a good thing Dimitri has a thing for Bess," Mick whispered when the coast was clear. "Otherwise, we'd be dead meat right now."

Nancy stood up and brushed off her sundress. "I want to finish checking out this equipment," she told Mick. "We'd better hurry."

She wasn't surprised to see a small darkroom with vats of processing solution. In addition to the color copier, she found a hot-glue gun, a giant stapler used to bind books, and a machine with the word Artograph Artograph embossed on it. embossed on it.

"I've seen that before in art studios," Mick said, tapping the Artograph. "It's used to project an image on paper or canvas so that the artist can trace over it. With this machine Dimitri could copy just about any design."

Nancy let out a low whistle. "Including anything that might be used for pa.s.sport paper. Here's a laminating machine, too-and acetate," she added, lifting up a sheet of clear plastic from a shelf along the wall. "This is the stuff they use for that clear plastic coating over a pa.s.sport photo."

"This studio has a lot more equipment than a simple island photographer would need," Mick said. "Dimitri could definitely be using it to forge pa.s.sports."

Nancy was searching the row of file cabinets along one wall. She opened one drawer and pulled out a basket containing thick darning needles and twine. "A sewing basket?" she said, shaking her head as she stuffed it back into the drawer. "I still haven't found anything that directly relates to pa.s.sports."

"Such as?"

"Printed pa.s.sport covers or that patterned paper they use for the pages. Even discarded pa.s.sport photos," Nancy answered.

Mick picked up an envelope from the top of a worktable and looked inside. "This might fit the bill," he said excitedly. "Pictures of a young woman-a rather attractive one, at that."

"What?" Nancy spun around to look at the two sheets of photographic paper he was holding. "Those are contact sheets," Nancy said. "Photographers use them all the time. That way they can look at the negative-size prints and decide what they want to blow up." She looked closer at the square shots of a girl's face. "It's Niki!"

"That maid you were talking about?" Mick asked. "The one who gave Dimitri an envelope?"

Nancy nodded. "She must have handed him this this envelope. Don't you see, Mick? Dimitri is probably going to slip one of these photos onto Bess's pa.s.sport so Niki can get into America!" envelope. Don't you see, Mick? Dimitri is probably going to slip one of these photos onto Bess's pa.s.sport so Niki can get into America!"

Nancy and Mick searched the rest of the studio for the stolen pa.s.sports but came up empty-handed. Besides the photos of Niki, they found a few packets of portraits, but nothing that might be used as a pa.s.sport photo.

"We still don't have nearly enough evidence to go to the police," Nancy said, sighing with disappointment. "We'll just have to keep an eye on Dimitri and see if we can catch him in the act."

"We're so lucky to be included in a family party," Bess said as the girls left their room that evening.

"Zoe said that there'll be folk music-and maybe even some plate-throwing," George added.

She led the way to the terraced lawn adjoining the inn's taverna. As they crossed the hotel grounds, Nancy had to admit that it was a perfect night for an engagement party. The wine-dark sea, the lemon-scented air, and the starry sky were a romantic backdrop, perfect for two people who were going to be married.

The party area was festooned with hanging baskets of flowers and flickering candles. A long buffet table was arranged along one side of the dance floor, which had been set on the patio near the taverna. Although Nancy couldn't see them, she could smell the smoke of fire pits on the far side of vine-covered trellises.

"I don't see Zoe," Nancy said, scanning the crowd of guests who were milling about the tables, laughing and talking. She was eager to fill Zoe in on what she and Mick had discovered in Dimitri's studio.

"She must be helping out inside," George guessed.

Nancy didn't see Niki, either, but she hoped the maid was there. She wanted to talk to her as soon as possible about the photos-and Bess's stolen pa.s.sport.

Nancy, Bess, and George found Mick at a small table, clinking gla.s.ses with Theo. Dressed in a copper-colored linen shirt and smart black jeans, Mick looked heartbreakingly handsome.

"Join us!" Theo said, standing up to pull some chairs over for the girls. He was wearing formal black slacks and a white cotton shirt that showed off his tan.

"You look smashing," Mick whispered in Nancy's ear as she sat next to him.

Nancy smoothed the skirt of her royal blue minidress. "Are you trying to get on my good side, Devlin?" she teased, grinning at Mick.

"Who, me?" Mick said innocently.

He waved at a pa.s.sing waiter and ordered three soft drinks for Nancy, Bess, and George. "Theo was just telling me about Dragonisi, the islet off the coast of Mykonos," Mick told the girls. "He's been spending a lot of time fishing there."

Nancy tried to remember what she had read about Dragonisi in her guidebook. "Isn't that the deserted islet that's riddled with caves?"

"Not to mention a legendary dragon?" Bess added.

Theo laughed. "The dragon hasn't been seen for hundreds of years, but the caves are worth exploring. Dragonisi is isolated-very romantic."

Mick placed his hand over Nancy's. "Just the spot for us, eh, Nancy?"

"Sounds great," she agreed. Turning to Bess and George, she said, "I know we decided that we wanted to visit Naxos, too. What do you guys think? Want to give Dragonisi a shot?"

"Not me," Bess said, tucking her blond hair behind her ears. "I'm taking the noon flight to Athens tomorrow to get a new pa.s.sport from the American Emba.s.sy, remember? After what happened on Delos, I'm not taking any more chances."

"I'm going with Bess," George added. "But there's no point in all of us springing for airfare back to Athens. We can plan on hitting Naxos on Thursday." Turning to Nancy and Mick, she added, "But you guys might as well go ahead and visit Dragonisi tomorrow."

"Tomorrow it is," Mick said with a wide smile. "Can we hire you to take us there?" he asked Theo.

"Tomorrow?" Theo stared down at the table. "I'm sorry, but I can't do it."

Nancy saw that Theo was suddenly uncomfortable with the conversation, although she didn't know why.