Iceberg

"Speak for yourself, Miss Royal," Sandecker said sternly.

"You didn't fool me for a second, Admiral. You were worried."

"Concerned is the word," Sandecker corrected. "I take it as a personal insult when any of my men get themselves killed." He turned his gaze to Pitt. "Did you find anything of value?"

"Two bodies and little else. Somebody went to a hell of a lot of work to remove the plane's identification. Every serial number on every piece of equipment had been removed before the crash. The only markings were two letters scratched on the nose gear's hydraulic cylinder." He gratefully accepted a towel from Tidi.

"The boxes I sent up. Did you retrieve them?"

"It wasn't easy," Sandecker said. "They broke surface about forty feet away. Twenty tries later-I haven't cast with a pole in ears-I managed to reel them in."

"You opened them?" Pitt probed.

"Yes. They're miniature models of buildings… like dollhouses."

Pitt straightened. "Dollhouses? You mean threedimensional architectural exhibits?"

"Call them what you want." Sandecker paused to flip a cigar stub overboard. "Damned fine craftsmanship. The detab on each structure is amazing. They even break away by floors so you can study the interior."

"Let's take a look."

"We carried them to the galley," Sandecker said.

"It's as good a place as any to get you into some dry clothes and a cup of hot coffee into your stomach."

Tidi had already changed back into her own blouse and slacks. She demurely turned her back as Pitt finished stripping off the wet suit before he do

He smiled while she busied herself over the galley stove. "Did you keep them warm for me?" he asked.

"Your gay threads?" She turned and stared at him, her face showing the begi

"I sincerely hope it didn't cause any critical damage to your vital parts."

"If you're referring to my future sex life, I fear the worst."

"My sympathies, Miss Royal." Sandecker didn't sound very convincing. He lifted the boxes onto the table and pulled off the lids. "OK, here they are, including furniture and draperies."

Pitt looked into the first box. "No indications of water damage."

"They were watertight," Sandecker offered. "Each packed so carefully the crash left them entirely intact.

To say the models were simply masterpieces of difficult art would have been a gross understatement.

The admiral was right. The detail was amazing. Every brick, every windowpane, was precise in scale and placement. Pitt lifted off the roof. He had seen model exhibits before in museums, but never workmanship like this. Nothing had been overlooked. Paintings on the walls were exacting in color and design. The furniture had liny designs printed on the fabric. Telephones on desks had receivers that could be picked up, co

"I know this one," Pitt said quietly.

Sandecker looked up. "Are you sure?"

"Positive. It's pink. You don't often forget a structure built of pink marble. It was about six years ago when I entered those walls.

My father was on an economic survey mission for the President, conferring with the heads of finance of Latin American governments. I took a thirty-day leave from the Air Force and acted as his aide and pilot during the trip. Yes, I remember it well, especially this exotic black-eyed little secretary-"

"Spare us your erotic escapades," Sandecker said impatiently. "Where is it located?"

"In El Salvador. This model is a perfect scaleddown replica of the Dominican Republic capitol building." He gestured toward the first model. "Judging from the design, the other model also represents the legislative offices of another South or Central American country."

"Great," Sandecker said unenthusiastically. "We've come up with a character who collects miniature capitols."

"It doesn't tell us a hell of a lot." Tidi handed Pitt a cup of coffee and he sipped it thoughtfully. "Except that the black jet was doing double duty."

Sandecker met his stare. "You mean it was delivering these models when it changed course to shoot down you and Hu

"Exactly. One of Rondheim's fishing trawlers probably spotted our helicopter approaching Iceland and diverted the jet by radio so it would be waiting for us when we reached the coast."

"Why Rondheim? I see nothing tangible that ties him in with any of this?"

"Any port in a storm." Pitt shrugged. "I admit I'm groping. And, at that, I'm not completely sold on implicating Rondheim myself. He's like the butler in an old movie mystery. Every piece of circumstantial evidence, every finger of doubt, points to him, making him the most obvious suspect. But in the end, our friendly butler turns out to be an undercover policeman and the least obvious character turns out to be the guilty party."

"Somehow I can't picture Rondheim as an undercover cop." Sandecker crossed the cabin and poured himself another cup of coffee. "But he's just enough of a prick for me to fervently wish that in some form or ma

"It wouldn't be easy. He's in a pretty solid position."

"If you ask me," Tidi interjected, "you two schemers are jealous of Rondheim because of his hold over Miss Fyrie."

Pitt laughed. "You have to be in love to be jealous."

Sandecker gri

"I'm not being catty out of spite. I like Kirsti Fyrie."

"I suppose you like Oskar Rondheim too" Pitt said.

"I wouldn't like that snake if he was General of the Salvation Army," she said. "But you have to give the devil his due. He's got Kirsti and Fyrie Limited tucked neatly in his pocket."

Why? Answer that!" Pitt said speculatively.

"How can Kirsti love him if she's terrified of him?"

Tidi shook her head. "I don't know. I still see the pain in her eyes when he squeezed her neck."

"Maybe she's a masochist and Rondheim's a sadist," Sandecker said.

"If Rondheim is masterminding these terrible murders, you must turn everything you know over to the proper authorities," Tidi pleaded. "If you persist in pushing this thing too far, both of you might be killed."

Pitt made a sad face. "It's shameful, Admiral.

Your own secretary is vastly underestimating her two favorite people." He turned and looked dolefully at Tidi. "How could you?"

Sandecker sighed. "It's almost impossible to find loyalty in an employee these days."

"Loyalty!" Tidi looked at them as if they had gone mad. "What other girl would let herself be dragged over half the world in uncomfortable military cargo planes, frozen on smelly old boats in the middle of the North Atlantic, and be subjected to constant male harassment for the meager salary I'm paid. If that isn't loyalty, I'd like to know what you typical inconsiderate men call it?"