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The Alitalia flight landed at Da Vinci airport a fewWilliam saw as he descended the aircraft steps was Lieutenant Monti waiting by the side of an unmarked car

William introduced Hawksby to Monti, who saluted, opened the back door and waited for them both to climb in Hawksby was surprised that the lieutenant was unshaven and his breath stank of garlic, but he didn’t comment

‘No passport control, no customs?’ asked William

‘If it had been just you, William,’ said Monti, ‘I would have met you in the arrivals hall, but when my co you, he ordered me to pull out all the stops I hope that’s the appropriate English expression?’

‘Spot on,’ said Willia out the stops of his instrument to increase the volume’

‘Thank you, constable,’ said Hawksby ‘Most interesting’

‘It’s not a long journey to Civitavecchia,’ said Monti, as they sped off ‘But we need to be there well ahead of Carter and Grant They’re booked into the Grand Hotel – grand in name only’

‘And where are we staying?’ asked Hawksby

‘I’rand But it does have the advantage of being on the quayside, so I’ve booked you a roo the port’

‘And William?’

‘He will be with me at all times The harbourmaster informed me that Carter has chartered a small, fully equipped shallow search and recovery vessel for seven days It’s ideally suited for expeditions in search of seabed treasure’

‘Why seven days,’ asked Willia for?’

‘It’s just for show,’ Monti explained, ‘although we can’t be sure how many of the crew are in on the scam But we assume the captain and the two divers must be’

‘So do we just sit in Civitavecchia and wait for them to return before we arrest them?’

‘Certainly not,’ said Monti ‘I’ve signed us both on as deckhands They clearly want as many innocent onlookers as possible to witness their remarkable discovery’