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;It would have e in time察anyway。 The tsarist regime would have withered from corruption。;
Razov laughed and placed the crown on his head。 ;Like
Napoleon察I crown myself。 Behold察the next ruler of Russia。;
;I only see a little man making a vulgar display of wealth。;
Razov's serpent's eyes went flat。 He cut another piece of duct tape and slapped it over Dodson's mouth察then he picked up the crown and climbed up the stairs。 At the top察he paused。 ;You must have read Poe's 'The Cask of Amontillado。' Where the victim is sealed up forever拭Perhaps someday your bones will be found。 I leave you here in place of the crown。 I'm afraid I must dispose of your housekeeper。; He stepped through the closet door and into the hallway。
His hands were both full with the crown察so he didn't close the secret panel in the back of the closet。 He would deposit the crown in the back of the car察e back and seal Dodson off for eternity察then kill the housekeeper and dispose of her body in the river。
As Razov carried his burden toward the back of the house察he heard a rap at the front door。 He froze。
Zavala's voice called out。 ;Lord Dodson。 Are you home拭─Then the knock again察louder this time。 Razov turned and headed for the kitchen。
Dodson had left the door unlocked when he went out to see if the wind was blowing。 Zavala and Austin stepped inside察guns in their hands。 Zavala called out again。 They made their way down the hall and stopped at the open closet where light streamed from the secret chamber。 They exchanged glances察then Austin stepped inside察Bowen at ready察and descended the stairs while Zavala covered his back。
Austin saw Lord Dodson sitting on the floor and peeled the tape from the Englishman's mouth。 ;Are you all right拭
;Yes察I'm fine。 Go after Razov ´ he has the crown。; Austin used his Buck knife to cut the tape binding Dodson's hands and feet察and they climbed from the cellar。 Dodson smiled when he saw Joe。 ;A pleasure to see you again察Mr。 Zavala。;
;Nice to be back察Lord Dodson。 This is my partner察Kurt Austin。;
;I'm very pleased to meet you察Mr。 Austin。;
;The back door is open察─Zavala said。 ;He must have gone that way。;
Dodson looked worried。 ;My housekeeper。 Have you seen her拭
;If you're talking about the large and very angry lady we found tied up in the backseat of a rental car察she's fine察─Austin said。 ;We sent her for the police。;
;Thank you察─Dodson said。 ;Razov may try for the river when he finds his car is gone。 There's a boat there he may use in an attempt to escape。;
Zavala started for the back door。
;Wait察─Dodson said。 ;I know a better way。 e with me。;
To the puzzlement of the NUMA men察Dodson led them back through the closet into the underground chamber。 He twisted two more wall brackets and opened another section of wall。 ;This is an old escape tunnel。 It es out at the bottom of a dry well near the river。 Use the hand and footholds to climb out。 You may be able to get to the boat ahead of that dreadful man。 The crown will slow him down。;
;Thank you察Lord Dodson察─Austin said察ducking his head as he slipped through the door。
;Don't go into the river after him察─Dodson called out。
;The shallows are dangerous to walk on。 The mud is like quicksand。 It can swallow a horse。;
Austin and Zavala barely heard the warning as they bent into a running crouch and made their way through the tunnel。 They had no flashlight and had to feel their way down the narrow察sloping passageway。 The smell of stagnant water and rotting vegetation grew stronger。 The tunnel ended abruptly察and if not for the shaft of moonlight they would have slammed into the curved wall。
Austin groped around the stones and found the foot and handholds察then they climbed over the low walls around the well and saw the small boathouse silhouetted against the river's sheen。 They made their way to the river and took up their stations on either side of the pier。
Before long察they heard the pounding of feet and heavy breathing。 Razov was running their way。 It seemed as if he would walk directly into their trap察but as he neared the pier察a patch of sky opened in the clouds and the riverside and Austin's pale hair were bathed in a silvery light。 It was only an instant察but Razov veered off to avoid the ambush and ran along the banks of the river。
;Stop察Razov ─Austin shouted。 ;It's no use。;
The crackle of broken branches came from ahead as Razov crashed through the bushes bordering the river。 They heard a splash。 Austin and Zavala followed the sound until they stood on the grassy bank that rose a few feet above the river。 Razov was trying to ford the river察but had only made it a few yards from shore before his feet became encased in the soft bottom mud。 He had tried to scramble back to land without success。 Now he stood in the water waist deep察facing the bank察the crown still clutched in his arms。
;I can't move察─he said。
Austin remembered Dodson's warning of quicksand。 He found a limb broken off a tree and extended it toward Razov。 ;Grab this。;
Razov was sinking almost to his armpits察yet he made no effort to reach for the branch。
;Drop the damned crown ─Austin yelled。
;No察I've waited too long。 I won't let it go。;
;It's not worth your life察─Austin said。
The water had reached Razov's chin察and his reply was unintelligible。 He lifted the crown high and placed it on his head。 The weight only served to push him under the surface more quickly。 His face disappeared until only the crown was visible察seemingly floating on the water察its surface glittering with a silver fire。 Then it察too察disappeared。
;Dios mio察─Zavala said察reverting to his native Spanish。 ;What a way to go。;
They heard a huffing and puffing。 Dodson had retrieved his rifle and ran toward them with a flashlight。
;Where is that scoundrel拭─Dodson asked。
;There。; Austin threw the useless branch into the river where Razov had disappeared。 ;The crown察too。;
;Dear God察─Dodson said。 He pointed his light at the brown察muddy water。 Only a few bubbles marked Razov's position and soon they察too察were swept away by the slow´moving current。
;Long live the tsar察─Austin said。
Then he turned and walked back to the house。
´38´
WASHINGTON察D。C。
AUSTIN ROWED IN the misty golden light察so intent on his strokes that he barely noticed the powerboat that crossed the river until it took up a position behind him。 Austin stopped and the boat did the same。 He wiped the sweat off his forehead察took a pull from his plastic water bottle and rested on his oar handles察squinting against the glare。 As he gazed back at the unmoving boat察Austin began to wonder if life still pulsed in a stray tentacle of Razov's vast organization。
As a test察he started to row。 He had only taken a few strokes before the boat stirred and followed him again察keeping an even distance。 He let the scull coast to a halt。 The powerboat stopped again。
A quick glance up and down the river told Austin he was on his own。 The river was empty of boats察which was why he rowed so early。 Austin set the scull into a wide easy turn and pointed the needle´sharp bow back the way he had e。 He picked up the pace察keeping in mind that rowing was more technical precision than power。 As he drew nearer察he saw that the boat had a white hull察although he couldn't tell how many people were aboard。 He pulled harder察and the scull shot toward the boat with the unerring accuracy of a cruise missile。
He was nearing a section of shoreline that bulged into the Potomac like a beer gut。 Austin knew that the current flowing near the knob of land described a peculiar curlicue that could suck an unwary boater in close to land before spitting him out。 Although his rowing created a straight´line illusion察he was actually being drawn closer to the bulge。
On his next stroke察Austin kept one oar out of the water and used the other as an impromptu rudder。 The scull veered suddenly and he finessed the abrupt change in direction without overturning察pointing the scull toward land。 He heard the angry buzz of the