lf。
She flashed a curious look at Pitt。 〃You still haven't told me why you think Raymond hid the La Dorada on the bottom of the harbor and how you know exactly where to look。〃
〃I was stupid not catch on immediately；〃 explained Pitt。 〃The words sound the same； and I misinterpreted them。 I thought his last words were ‘Look on the m…a…i…n s…i…g…h…t。' What he was really trying to say was ‘Look on the M…a…i…n…a s…i…t…e。〃
Jessie looked confused。 〃Maine site？〃
〃Remember Pearl Harbor； the Alamo； and the Maine。 On or about this spot in 1898 the battleship Maine blew up and launched the Spanish…American War。〃
An edge of excitement began to form inside her。 〃Raymond threw the statue on top of an old shipwreck？〃
〃Shipwreck site；〃 Pitt corrected her。 〃The hulk of the Maine was raised and towed out to sea； where she was sunk with flag flying in 1912。〃
〃But why would Raymond deliberately throw the treasure away？〃
〃It all goes back to when he and his marine salvage partner； Hans Kronberg； discovered the Cyclops and salvaged the La Dorada。 It should have been a triumph for two friends who fought the odds together and stole the most sought…after treasure in history from a possessive sea。 And it should have had a happy ending。 But the tale turned sour。 Raymond LeBaron was in love with Kronberg's wife。〃
Jessie's face tensed in understanding。 〃Hilda。〃
〃Yes。 Hilda。 He had two motives for wanting to get rid of Hans。 The treasure and a woman。 Somehow he must have talked Hans into making another dive after the La Dorada was raised。 Then he cut the lifeline； leaving his friend to die a horrible death。 Can you imagine what it must have been like； strangling in agony deep inside a steel crypt like the Cyclops？〃
Jessie averted her eyes。 〃I can't bring myself to believe you。〃
〃You saw Kronberg's body with your own eyes。 Hilda was the real key。 She outlined most of the sordid story。 I only had to fill in a few details。〃
〃Raymond could never mit murder。〃
〃He could and he did。 With Hans out of the picture he went one step further。 He dodged the Internal Revenue Service who can blame him when you remember the federal government collected over eighty percent of ine above 150；000 in the late fifties and sidestepped a time…consuming lawsuit from Brazil； which would have rightly claimed the statue as a stolen national treasure。 He kept quiet and set a course for Cuba。 A shifty man； your lover。
〃The problem he now faced was how to dispose of it。 Who could afford to pay even a fraction of twenty to fifty million dollars for an art object？ He was also afraid that once the word was out the current Cuban dictator； Fulgencio Batista； a racketeer of the first magnitude； would have it seized。 And if Batista didn't grab it for himself； the army of Mafia hoods he invited into Cuba after the Second World War would。 So Raymond decided to carve up the La Dorada and sell it bit by bit。
〃Unfortunately for him； his timing was bad。 He sailed his salvage boat into Havana on the same day that Castro and his rebels swarmed into town after toppling Batista's corrupt government。 The revolutionary forces immediately closed down the harbors and airports to stop Batista's cronies from fleeing the country with uncountable wealth。〃
〃LeBaron got nothing？〃 asked Sandecker。 〃He lost it all？〃
〃Not entirely。 He realized he was trapped and it was only a question of time before the revolutionaries searched his salvage boat and found the La Dorada。 His only option was to hack out whatever he could carry and catch the next plane back to the States。 Under cover of night he must have slipped his salvage boat into the harbor； hoisted the statue overboard； and dumped it on top of the site where the battleship Maine had blown up seventy years before。 Naturally he planned to e back and retrieve it after the chaos died down； but Castro didn't play according to LeBaron's rules。 Cuba's honeymoon with the United States soon fell apart and he could never return and raise three tons of priceless treasure under the eyes of Castro's security。〃
〃What piece of the statue did he remove？〃 Jessie asked。
〃According to Hilda； he pried out the ruby heart。 Then； after he smuggled it home； he discreetly had it cut； faceted； and sold through brokers。 Now he had enough leverage to reach the pinnacle of high finance with Hilda at his side。 Raymond LeBaron had arrived in fat city。〃
For a long moment they were quiet； each with his own thoughts； envisioning a desperate LeBaron throwing the golden woman over the side of his boat thirty years ago。
〃The La Dorada；〃 said Sandecker； breaking the silence。 〃Her weight would have pushed her deep beneath the soft silt of the harbor bottom。〃
〃The admiral has a point；〃 said Giordino。 〃LeBaron failed to consider that finding her again would be a major operation。〃
〃I admit that bothered me too；〃 said Pitt。 〃He must have known that after the Army Corps of Engineers stripped and removed the main hull section of the Maine hundreds of tons of wreckage were left embedded in the mud； making her almost impossible to find。 The most sophisticated metal detector that money can buy won't pick out one particular object in a junkyard。〃
〃So the statue will lie down there forever；〃 said Sandecker。 〃Unless someday； someone es along and dredges up half the harbor until he strikes it。〃
〃Maybe not；〃 Pitt said thoughtfully； his mind seeing something only he could see。 〃Raymond LeBaron was a canny character。 He was also a professional salvage man。 I believe he knew exactly what he was doing。〃
〃What are you aiming at？〃 asked Sandecker。
〃He put the statue over the side； all right。 But I'm betting he very slowly lowered her feet first so she came down on the bottom standing up。〃
Giordino stared down at the deck。 〃Might be；〃 he said slowly。 〃Might be。 How tall is she？〃
〃About eight feet； including the base。〃
〃Thirty years for three tons to settle in the mud。 。 。〃 mused Sandecker。 〃It's possible a couple of feet of her may still be protruding from the harbor floor。〃
Pitt smiled distantly。 〃We'll know as soon as Al and I dive down and run a search pattern。〃
As if on cue they all became quiet and gazed over the side into the water； oil…slicked and ash…coated； dark and secretive。 Somewhere in the sinister green depths La Dorada beckoned。
Pitt stood in full dive gear and watched the bubbles rising from the deep and bursting on the surface。 He glanced at his watch； marking the time。 Giordino had been down nearly fifty minutes at a depth of forty feet。 He went on watching the bubbles and saw them gradually travel in a circle。 He knew that Giordino had enough air left for one more 360…degree sweep around the descent line tied to a buoy about thirty yards from the boat。
The small crew of Cubans Sandecker had recruited were very quiet。 Pitt looked along the deck and saw them lined up at the rail beside the admiral； staring as though hypnotized at the glitter from the bubbles。
Pitt turned to Jessie； who was standing beside him。 She hadn't said a word or moved in the last five minutes； her face tense with deep concentration； her eyes shining with excitement。 She was swept up in the anticipation of seeing a legend。 Then suddenly she called out。 〃Look！
A dark form rose from the depths amid a cloud of bubbles； and Giordino's head broke the water near the buoy。 He rolled over on his back and paddled easily with his fins until he reached the ladder。 He handed up his weight belt and twin air cylinder before climbing to the deck。 He pulled off his face mask and spit over the side。
〃How did it go？〃 asked Pitt。
〃Okay；〃 Giordino answered。 〃Here's the situation。 I made eight sweeps around the base point where the buoy's descent line is anchored。 Visibility is less than three feet。 We may have a little luck。 The bottom is a mixture of sand and mud； so it's not real soft。 The statue may not have sunk over her head。〃
〃Current？〃
〃About a knot。 You can live with it。〃
〃Any obstructions？〃
〃A few bits and pieces of rusted wreckage protrude from the bottom； so be careful not to snag your distance line。〃
Sandecker came up behind Pitt and made a final check of his gear。 Pitt stepped through an opening in the rail and set the air regulator's mouthpiece between his teeth。
Jessie gave his arm a gentle squeeze through the protective dry suit。 〃Luck；〃 she said。
He winked at her through the face mask and then took a long step forward。 The bright sunlight was diffused by a sudden burst of bubbles as he was engulfed by the green void。 He swam out to the buoy and started down the descent line。 The yellow nylon braid faded and vanished a few feet below in the opaque murk。
Pitt followed the line cautiously； taking his time。 He paused once to clear his ears。 Less than a minute later the bottom abruptly seemed to lift up toward him and meet his outstretched hand。 He again paused to adjust his buoyancy pensator vest and check his watch for the time； pass for direction； and air pressure gauge。 Then he took the distance line Giordino had attached to the descent line by a clip and moved out alon