They exited the mechanic’s truck and headed toward the plane, but Zahra waited.
“Signorina?” the local asked.
“We really need that fuel, Vincenzo,” Zahra said.
He shook his head. “As I explained to your friend, I cannot part with it.”
Zahra was becoming angry but stayed calmed. Vincenzo wasn’t being malicious or overly obtuse about the situation. He was just looking out for his own interests. He valued the fuel more than the money, which was actually quite admirable to Zahra. His future livelihood mattered more than the cash he would collect from them in the short term.
“What if we do something for you?” Cork asked. “You know, do something to pay off the debt?
“No, no, no… There is nothing you can—” his eyes lit up, “well, there is one thing… If you can help with this, I will give you all the fuel you require.”
Zahra looked at Cork with a look that combined interest and concern. Whatever it was Vincenzo needed help with, it was something that would bring him more money than Zahra could offer him. It also meant it was going to be dangerous and, more than likely, illegal.
“What do you need help with, exactly?” Cork asked.
Instead of answering Cork, Vincenzo turned to Zahra and looked the archaeologist up and down. His eyes were focused on Zahra’s body, mostly.
“Hey, Sleezio!” Cork yelled, noticing. She stepped toward the much smaller man. “Get your eyes off my girl’s rump roast!”
Vincenzo stepped away from Cork and threw up his hands. “No, you have it all wrong, I—”
Cork growled. “I know exactly what you were doing!”
“No, please.” The local was genuinely scared of Cork. “I was just thinking — of whether or not she would fit.”
“Fit what?” Zahra asked, crossing her arms and leaning onto her left leg.
Vincenzo’s eyes darted back and forth from Cork to Zahra. They settled on the more-threatening Cork, but he spoke to Zahra. “My ex-wife’s dive suit.”
Zahra was confused. “Dive suit? Did I miss something, why do we need dive suits??”
Vincenzo looked at Zahra and smiled. “You will see…”
Chapter 47
Zahra
Vincenzo drove Zahra out to the coast, leaving Cork and her father back at his property. Before leaving, he had announced that his fuel pump was locked down, and that there would be no fuel to be had. That meant Cork wouldn’t be able to steal it while they were gone. Needless to say, Cork had been disappointed to hear that.
Vincenzo pulled over. The view, as it had been from the balcony of the cottage, was breathtaking. Zahra followed Vincenzo’s lead and climbed out of the pickup truck. Before leaving for their very illegal mission, Vincenzo had opened the barn door. Inside was, indeed, his helicopter, but there was also a run-of-the-mill two-door pickup truck. The change in trucks was smart. The smaller vehicles would draw much less attention to anyone curious.
In the bed of the blue, 2005 Ford Ranger was their dive gear. The two had already changed into their wetsuits back at Vincenzo’s place. And like he had guessed, the garb fit Zahra well. The only thing she didn’t like about it was its color.
Hot pink.
“Doesn’t go with my gun,” she had said, half-kidding.
There would be no firearms here. There was no need. If they got caught, Zahra wasn’t about to shoot her way out of custody. The only means of self-defense would be her SOG knife. It was currently strapped to her right thigh, right where her Glock typically sat. Vincenzo also carried a knife, but he carried one for a very different reason, especially when he went on dives.
“There are sharks.”
“What kind?” Zahra had asked.
“Many varieties, including great whites.”
Zahra sighed. “Just wonderful.”
“Do not fear, Signorina. They are rarely ever spotted. We should be safe.”
Should be? Zahra shoved the statement aside. “First of all, I never said I was scared. Secondly, great whites aren’t what Hollywood says they are. They hardly ever attack people unless they get confused or startled.” Vincenzo seemed pleased with Zahra’s confidence, and her knowledge. “Bull sharks,” she shuddered, “those are the real nasties.”
“Quite true,” Vincenzo nodded. “Luckily, we don’t have them here.”
That Zahra didn’t know, and quite frankly, it was good to hear. She didn’t like the ocean. She wasn’t a fan of open water — period. Not knowing what swam directly below your kicking feet was nerve-wracking. Even a large, freshwater body bothered her deeply. It didn’t mean that Zahra wasn’t an accomplished diver. She just loathed doing it.
“I’ve been meaning to ask… Why are we doing this in broad daylight?”
Zahra figured they would have to wait until nightfall but hadn’t pushed the point since she needed to leave as soon as possible. If Vincenzo was confident that they could pull this off, even though it would account to theft, then Zahra was willing to give it a go. The wreck was a protected site. Just touching it could land them in serious trouble with Italian authorities. Not even the nice people of Levanzo could turn a blind eye to it.
With his mask resting high on his forehead, Vincenzo threw his tank over one shoulder and collected his fins. Zahra stopped him.
“Okay, time to cut to the chase. What the hell am I doing out here? What does this wreck hold that is so important to you?”
Vincenzo had been very vague, and for good reason. If their roles were reversed, Zahra wouldn’t have spilled the beans too early, either. Say she refused to help him, now she was a liability and knew of his plan.
“It is not for me.”
“Who is it for?”
“A couple months ago, a man came to Levanzo — a man of great wealth. He said he was interested in the ship, but not for its historical value. He—”
“He wants its cargo,” Zahra finished.
“Precisely.”
“What is its cargo?”
Vincenzo almost looked embarrassed to divulge what he was holding back. But he did. “Wine.”
“Wine? You’re kidding me, right?”
He shook his head. “No. This man — he said his name was Giorgio, though I am not sure if it is his real name, or not. He offered me a great sum of money per amphora recovered.”
Amphorae were terracotta containers used by ancient Greeks and Romans to hold various types of liquid — in this case — wine. They were tall with oval bodies and had two handles while also sporting a narrow neck. If the ones here were still properly sealed after hundreds of years of being submerged, then it was very likely that there would be liquid inside, though it wouldn’t be drinkable wine. The contents would be closer to vinegar by now. It didn’t make them any less valuable to the right people.
Whoever Giorgio was, he was obviously a collector with too much money. Stuff like this would prove to be more as a status symbol than anything else. Then again, he wouldn’t be able to share it with anyone without bringing unwanted attention to himself. The wine jars would do nothing more than stroke his ego.
“How much did he offer?” Zahra asked, her interest piqued.
Vincenzo’s eyes dipped to the earth, and he nonchalantly kicked at a small loose rock with his foot. “One million euros each.”
Zahra nearly choked on her own air. “Holy shit…”
“Yes, that was my reaction as well.”