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〃I suppose it could say that； yes。〃
〃I know that name；〃 she said with finality。
Moore took it from her； held it into the light。
〃And now I know what boat that is；〃 Jana said。
Sixteen
WERE OVER two hundred miles off the mark！〃 Jana was saying。 〃It's incredible！ If it weren't for this。。。〃 She held the paperweight up as she sat on the sofa in the hotel's front room。 She was constantly turning it； studying the letters as if fearful they would somehow evaporate before her eyes。
〃You've been talking for fifteen minutes；〃 Moore called from the kitchen where he was making a pot of coffee； 〃and I haven't understood a thing you've said。 Wait until I get in there。〃
〃When's the earliest I can get a message off to Kingston？〃
〃Hard to say；〃 Moore called back。 〃The relay operator sometimes works for an hour or so on Sundays； sometimes not at all。〃
〃I've got to get a message off！〃
〃Settle down；〃 he said； bringing in a tray with a coffeepot and two cups。 He set it down on the table and poured some for her and then for himself。 〃If it's all that important we'll wake her at daylight。〃 He sat beside her。 〃All right； I'm listening。 Who's Wilhelm Korrin？〃
〃He was one of the few U…boat aces of World War II；〃 Jana said。 〃There weren't many others： Prien； Schepke； Kretschmer…and Korrin's tonnage record equaled anything they sunk。 Well； at the end of the war the others were all accounted for； either dead or in prison camps； but Korrin had vanished without a trace； and since the war he's been a puzzle to military historians。
〃A few months ago a group of sport divers found a U…boat wreckage near Jamaica； there wasn't much left of the boat； but on checking our records we found it was unidentifieci。 Korrin's last known mand was in the Caribbean； so of course we assumed we'd found his U…boat。 Now finding this paperweight makes all the difference。 And it's even more vital to preserve the U…boat now； there'll be war diaries aboard； Korrin's personal log…who knows what else。 It's a treasure trove for both the Foundation and military historians。〃
Moore grunted。 〃He was that important； was he？〃
〃Very；〃 Jana said。 〃Korrin almost single…handedly blocked off the northeastern coast of the United States； on one particular tour of duty his U…boat crept inside a convoy to strike at three tankers。 All of them went down； Korrin escaped； and that attack earned a Knight's Cross for him in Berlin； but he never returned to accept it。 In the early part of 1942 his area of operations was the Caribbean； he was one of the first U…boat manders patrolling the area； and he was given a free choice of targets。 The unverified reports say his boat shelled the Trinidad oil refineries； slipped into Castries harbor to torpedo an anchored freighter； and sank the British cruiser Hawklin with a single concussion torpedo that snapped it amidships。 The Hawklin survivors testified that the U…boat returned several hours later to fire on their lifeboats； if that incident had ever been proved； Korrin would have gone on trial for his life…if he'd ever returned to take his punishment； that is。 munications between the U…boats were kept at a minimum for the sake of security； and there was no way Korrin's movements could be tracked。
〃Then he vanished。 His boat's number…U…198…never reappeared on any of the German position logs。 He was really quite something…a ruthless； highly intelligent man； a patriotic Nazi who asked for the most demanding missions。 But for the last forty years he's been a mystery。〃
Moore was impressed。 〃You've been doing your homework。〃
〃I did as much research as I could when I was diving that U…boat off Jamaica。 That's primarily the reason I drew this assignment。〃 She put the paperweight down and looked at him。 〃Now I'd like to know something。 This afternoon you didn't even want me near the boat。 Why was that？〃
He put his cup on the table and paused for a moment； then said very quietly； 〃Something happened when Kip and I went in； something I can't understand or explain。 It's dangerous。。。 very dangerous。〃
〃Tell me。〃
He took a deep breath； realizing Jana was going to probe until she found it。 〃The bodies inside aren't skeletons； they've been mummified。 It's not a pretty sight。。。〃
〃I can handle it。〃
〃No。 It's more than that。〃 He paused； feeling her gaze on him； he sipped at his coffee； wondering how to say it。 〃Something moved inside there；〃 he said finally。
Jana started to laugh； but then she saw he was deadly serious and she stopped herself。 〃You mean it； don't you？〃
〃Yes。〃 He let out a deep sigh and clenched his hands together。 〃I've gone over it in my head a hundred times。 Kip says it was a hallucination； the effect of the fumes we breathed； but damn it； I know I saw something real there； in the boat's central passageway。 And it looked like a man。〃
〃A man？ Perhaps someone else was hiding on board。〃
Moore shook his head quickly。 〃I mean it looked like one of the。。。 things we found lying together in the control room。 I know I sound like I'm losing my mind and maybe I am； but there's something terrible inside； and I'm not going into the boat again。〃
〃Sometimes the imagination。。。〃 Jana began。
〃NO！〃 Moore looked up at her； and his expression frightened her because she could see his own fear； working deep within him。 〃It was not something I imagined； it was real。〃
They sat in uneasy silence for a few moments。 Jana put the paperweight aside； finished her coffee； and then stood up。 〃It's time for me to be turning in；〃 she said。 〃I'm an early riser。 I'm afraid I'll have to be depending on you for transportation around Coquina； if it's too much trouble I suppose I could rent a bicycle down in the village。〃
〃It's no trouble；〃 he said quietly。
〃Well； if you're sure。 I'd like to make a quick check of my plane in the morning； and of course I'm going to have to talk to the constable。〃
〃I don't think Kip's going to change his mind。〃
〃We'll see。 If I have to； I'll fly back to Kingston to get legal intervention。〃 She stood over him for a moment and then she said； 〃Good night；〃 and moved toward the stairway。 When she had gone up a few steps she turned back to reassure him but then thought better of it and continued on to her room。
Moore sat on the sofa for a long time。 And then he felt it…the sensation that very near to him was evil； an intense； burning hatred that at any moment could rise up and destroy the village。 It was the same sensation he'd had while in the boat； and he was unable to shake it。 Then he thought of the forty…five…caliber automatic he kept in a drawer in his room。 He stood up and locked both the screen door and the wooden door； walked through the corridor into the kitchen； and bolted the rear door as well。 Only when he was satisfied the hotel was secure did he snap off the lights and mount the stairway in the dark。
Thick； bilious clouds swept through the night； covering over the moon and the stars。 A brief shower sent droplets spattering against windows and roofs； and rivulets of water crept along gutters。 The sea flattened； pocked by the rain； and when the dawn came both sea and sky were plai