“Damn. That’s kind of strict.”
“Considering who owns the place, it’s also pretty ironic.”
“What do you mean? Who owns the place?”
“According to legend, the Virgin Mary was sailing to Cyprus to visit Lazarus when her ship was blown off course. They dropped anchor close to the present-day monastery of Iviron, and Mary was instantly taken by the beauty of the mountain and asked her Son to make it her own. A voice from above said, ‘This is your garden, a haven for those who wish to be saved.’ Or words to that effect. From that day forward, no women have been allowed on Mount Athos.”
Dial smiled. “This is Mary’s garden, and women aren’t allowed to visit. That’s priceless.”
“Like I said, it’s pretty ironic.”
Dial was about to ask Clive another question when Andropoulos came into view. He had circled the tower and was now walking toward them from the opposite direction.
“Sorry, sir. No sign of the governor.”
Clive glanced at Dial. “Your meeting was with the governor of Mount Athos?”
“It was. But apparently I missed him—by several hours.”
“Either that, or you’re thirteen days early.”
Dial looked confused. “What do you mean?”
“The monks also use the old Julian calendar instead of the Grego rian calendar. So they’re thirteen days behind the rest of us.”
Dial shook his head. “Someone in town said a trip to Mount Athos was like going back in time. I guess they meant that literally.”
“Literally and figuratively,” Clive assured him. “Although in recent years there have been improvements to many of the monasteries. Some of them even have electricity.”
Andropoulos laughed. Metéora had recently gone through similar renovations, moving them out of the nineteenth and into the early twentieth century. Still a century behind, but much better than it used to be.
Clive extended his hand. “Hi, my name is Clive.”
“Sorry,” Dial said as Andropoulos shook Clive’s hand. “This is my assistant, Marcus.”
“Your assistant? What kind of business are you in?”
Dial answered. “I work for Interpol. He works for me.”
“Interpol? How fascinating! And you’re here to meet with the governor? Is there something dangerous going on that I should know about?”
“No, nothing like that. I’m just trying to get access to Mount Athos for a routine investigation.”
Clive groaned. “Well, you’re in trouble now. I’ve met the governor on a few occasions, and he isn’t exactly a cordial fellow. My guess is that you’ve made an enemy for life.”
“Great. Just great.”
“Of course, there are other ways to get to the peninsula.”
“Such as?”
“Me.”
“You?” Dial asked.
Clive nodded. “I have no influence with the guards, but if I pull up to the main dock and you flash your badge, you might be able to talk your way onto the property.” He paused. “You do have a badge, don’t you?”
Both Dial and Andropoulos flashed their credentials.
He smiled and continued. “At the very least, the guards have a special phone that connects with the administrative offices in Karyes. Anytime there’s a problem with a visitor’s permit, the guards contact their bosses for clarification. So even if they don’t let you through, perhaps you can speak to someone who can help you with your investigation.”
61
Both Payne and Allison stared at Jones, trying to determine if he was serious. They realized he was when he made them feel the object for themselves.
Allison went first. She noticed the same crinkling as Jones. “It feels like paper.”
“That’s what I thought,” he said with a grin.
Payne rolled his eyes as he took his turn. “I’m kind of hoping you’re wrong. Otherwise you’re going to be a bigger pain in the ass than normal.”
“I don’t know about bigger. But I’ll definitely be richer.”
Payne smiled. “Don’t buy a mansion just yet. We have to see what it is first.”
“And how are we going to do that?” Allison wondered.
Jones made a cutting motion with his two fingers. “Snip, snip.”
“Wait. You’re going to cut the coat?”
He nodded. “You’re damn right I’m going to cut the coat. But just the lining. It’s not like I’m going to take off a whole sleeve.”
“Come on, guys. There has to be a better way.”
Jones turned toward Jarkko, who was steering the boat at the front. “Hey, Jarkko! Do you have any X-ray gear on here?”