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〃I'd like that；〃 said Pitt。 〃Goodbye。〃
Pitt cut the connection and rang Jennie Murphy。 He asked her to call senior citizen rest homes around the Leesburg area until she hit on the one that housed Hilda Kronberg。
〃What are you after？〃 demanded Alice。
Pitt smiled。 〃I'm looking for El Dorado。〃
〃Very funny。〃
〃That's the trouble with CIA types；〃 said Pitt。 〃They can't take a joke。〃
The ford delivery truck rolled up the driveway of the Winthrop Manor Nursing Home and stopped at the service entrance。 The truck was painted a bright blue with illustrations of floral arrangements on the sides。 Gold lettering advertised Mother's House of Flowers。
〃Please don't dally；〃 said Alice impatiently。 〃You have to be in San Salvador four hours from now。〃
〃Do my best；〃 Pitt said as he jumped from the truck； wearing a driver's uniform and carrying a bouquet of roses。
〃A mystery to me how you talked Mr。 Brogan into this private excursion。〃
Pitt smiled as he closed the door。 〃A simple matter of extortion。〃
The Winthrop Manor Nursing Home was an idyllic setting for the sunset years。 There was a nine…hole golf course； tropical indoor swimming pool； an elegant dining room； and lush landscaped gardens。 The main building was designed more along the lines of a five…star hotel than a drab sanatorium。
No ramshackle home for the aged poor； thought Pitt。 Winthrop Manor radiated first…class taste for wealthy senior citizens。 He began to wonder how the widow of a diver who struggled to make ends meet could afford to live in such luxury。
He came through a side door； walked up to a reception desk； and held up the flowers。 〃I have a delivery for Mrs。 Hilda Kronberg。〃
The receptionist gave him a direct gaze and smiled。 Pitt found her quite attractive； dark red hair； long and gleaming； gray…blue eyes set in a narrow face。
〃Just leave them on the counter；〃 she said sweetly。 〃I'll have an attendant give them to her。〃
〃I have to deliver them personally；〃 Pitt said。 〃They e with a verbal message。〃
She nodded and pointed to a side door。 〃You'll probably find Mrs。 Kronberg out by the pool。 Don't expect her to be lucid； she drifts in and out of reality。〃
Pitt thanked her and felt remiss for not making a try for a dinner date。 He walked through the door and down a ramp。 The glassed…in pool was designed like a Hawaiian garden with black lava rock and a waterfall。
After asking two elderly women for Hilda Kronberg； he found her sitting in a wheelchair； her eyes staring into the water； her mind elsewhere。
〃Mrs。 Kronberg？〃
She shaded her eyes with one hand and looked up。 〃Yes？〃
〃My dame is Dirk Pitt； and I wonder if I might ask you a few questions？〃
〃Mr。 Pitt； is it？〃 she asked in a soft voice。 She studied his uniform and the flowers。 〃Why would a florist's delivery boy want to ask me questions？〃
Pitt smiled at her use of 〃boy〃 and handed her the flowers。 〃It concerns your late husband； Hans。〃
〃Are you with him？〃 she asked suspiciously。
〃No； I'm quite alone。〃
Hilda was sickly thin and her skin was as transparent as tissue paper。 Her face was heavily made up and her hair skillfully dyed。 Her diamond rings would have bought a small fleet of Rolls…Royces。 Pitt guessed her age was a good fifteen years younger than the seventy…five she appeared。 Hilda Kronberg was a woman waiting to die。 Yet when she smiled at the mention of her husband's name； her eyes seemed to smile too。
〃You look too young to have known Hans；〃 she said。
〃Mr。 Conde of Weehawken Marine told me about him。〃
〃Bob Conde； of course。 He and Hans were old poker pals。〃
〃You never remarried after his death？〃
〃Yes； I remarried。〃
〃Yet you still use his name？〃
〃A long story that wouldn't interest you。〃
〃When was the last time you saw Hans？〃
〃It was a Thursday。 I saw him off on the steamship Monterey； bound for Havana； on December 10； 1958。 Hans was always chasing rainbows。 He and his partner were off on another treasure hunt。 He swore they would find enough gold to buy me the dream house I always wanted。 Sadly； he never came back。〃
〃Do you recall who his partner was？〃
Her gentle features suddenly turned hard。 〃What are you after； Mr。 Pitt？ Who do you represent？〃
〃I'm a special projects director for the National Underwater and Marine Agency；〃 he replied。 〃During a survey on a sunken ship called the Cyclops； I discovered what I believe to be the remains of your husband。〃
〃You found Hans？〃 she asked； surprised。
〃I didn't make positive identification； but the diver's helmet on the body was traced to him。〃
〃Hans was a good man；〃 she said wistfully。 〃Not a good provider； perhaps； but we had a good life together until。 。 。 well； until he died。〃
〃You asked me if I was with him？〃 he prompted gently。
〃A family skeleton； Mr。 Pitt。 I'm taken good care o￡ He watches over me。 I've no plaints。 My retreat from the real world is my own choosing。 。 。〃 Her voice trailed off and her stare grew distant。
Pitt had to catch her before she retreated into a self…induced shell。 〃Did he tell you Hans was murdered？〃
Hilda's eyes flickered for an instant； and then she shook her head silently。
Pitt knelt beside her and held her hand。 〃His lifeline and air hose were cut while he was working underwater。〃
She noticeably trembled。 〃Why are you telling me this？〃
〃Because it's the truth； Mrs。 Kronberg。 I give you my word。 Whoever worked with Hans probably killed him so he could steal Hans's share of the treasure。〃
Hilda sat there in trancelike confusion for nearly a minute。 〃You know about the La Dorada treasure；〃 she said at last。
〃Yes；〃 Pitt answered。 〃I know how it came to be on the Cyclops。 I also know Hans and his partner salvaged it。〃
Hilda began toying with one of the diamond rings on her hand。 〃Deep down I always suspected that Ray killed Hans。〃
The delayed shock of understanding slowly fell over Pitt's face。 He cautiously played a wild card。 〃You think that Hans was murdered by Ray LeBaron？〃
She nodded。
The unexpected revelation caught Pitt unawares； and it took him a few moments to e back on track。 〃The motive was the treasure？〃 he asked softly。
〃No。 The motive was me。〃 She shook her head。
Pitt did not reply； only waited quietly。
〃Things happen；〃 she began in a whisper。 〃I was young and pretty in those days。 Can you believe I was once pretty； Mr。 Pitt？〃
〃You're still very pretty〃
〃I think you may need glasses； but thank you for the pliment。〃
〃You also have a quick mind。〃
She gestured toward the main building。 〃Did they tell you I was a bit balmy？〃
〃The receptionist insinuated you weren't quite together。〃
〃A little act I love to put on。 Keeps everyone guessing。〃 Her eyes sparkled briefly and then they took on a faraway look。 〃Hans was a nice man who was seventeen years older than me。 My love for him was mixed with passion because of his crippled body。 We had been married about three years when he brought Ray home for dinner one evening。 The three of us soon became close friends； the men for