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hen said； 〃I'll wait here。〃
Fifteen minutes later his friend the inspector arrived； acpanied by a man with an epicene figure and one of the most unattractive faces Grangier had ever seen。 His forehead looked ready to burst out of his face； and his brown eyes； almost hidden behind thick spectacles； had the piercing look of a fanatic。
〃This is Monsieur Daniel Cooper；〃 Inspector Dumont said。 〃Monsieur Grangier。 Mr。 Cooper is also interested in the woman you telephoned me about。〃
Cooper spoke up。 〃You mentioned to Inspector Dumont that she's involved in a counterfeiting operation。〃
〃Vraiment。 She is on her way to Switzerland at this moment。 You can pick her up at the border。 I have all the evidence you need right here。〃
He led them to the closet； and Daniel Cooper and Jnspector Dumont looked inside。
〃There is the press she printed her money on。〃
Daniel Cooper walked over to the machine and examined it carefully。 〃She printed the money on this press？〃
〃I just told you so；〃 Grangier snapped。 He took a bill from his pocket。 〃Look at this。 It is one of the counterfeit hundred…dollar bills she gave me。〃
Cooper walked over to the window and held the bill up to the light。 〃This is a genuine bill。〃
〃It only looks like one。 That is because she used stolen plates she bought from an engraver who once worked at the Mint in Philadelphia。 She printed these bills on this press。〃
Cooper said rudely 〃You're stupid。 This is an ordinary printing press。 The only thing you could print on this is letterheads。〃
〃Letterheads？〃 The room was beginning to spin。
〃You actually believed in the fable of a machine that turns paper into genuine hundred…dollar bills？〃
〃I tell you I saw with my own eyes…〃 Grangier stopped。 What had he seen？ Some wet hundred…dollar bills strung up to dry； some blank paper； and a paper cutter。 The enormity of the swindle began to dawn on him。 There was no counterfeiting operation； no engraver waiting in Switzerland。 Tracy Whitney had never fallen for the sunken…treasure story。 The bitch had used his own scheme as the bait to swindle him out of half a million dollars。 If the word of this got out。。。。
The two men were watching him。
〃Do you wish to press charges of some kind； Armand？〃 Inspector Dumont asked。
How could he？ What could he say？ That he had been cheated while trying to finance a counterfeiting operation？ And what were his associates going to do to him when they learned he had stolen half a million dollars of their money and given it away？ He was filled with sudden dread。
〃No。 I… I don't wish to press charges。〃 There was panic in his voice。
Africa； Armand Grangier thought。 They'll never find me in Africa。
Daniel Cooper was thinking； Next time。 I'll get her next time。
BOOK THREE
Chapter 27
It was Tracy who suggested to Gunther Hartog that they meet in Majorca。 Tracy loved the island。 It was one of the truly picturesque places in the world。 〃Besides；〃 she told Gunther； 〃it was once the refuge of pirates。 We'll feel right at home there。〃
〃It might be best if we are not seen together；〃 he suggested。
〃I'll arrange it。〃
**********
It had started with Gunther's phone call from London。 〃I have something for you that is quite out of the ordinary； Tracy。 I think you'll find it a real challenge。〃
The following morning Tracy flew to Palma； Majorca's capital。 Because of Interpol's red circulation on Tracy； her departure from Biarritz and her arrival in Majorca were reported to the local authorities。 When Tracy checked into the Royal Suite at the Son Vida Hotel； a surveillance team was set up on a twenty…four…hour basis。
Police mandant Ernesto Marze at Palma had spoken with Inspector Trignant at Interpol。
〃I am convinced；〃 Trignant said； 〃that Tracy Whitney is a one…woman crime wave。〃
〃All the worse for her。 If she mits a crime in Majorca； she will find that our justice is swift。〃
Inspector Trignant said； 〃Monsieur； there is one other thing I should mention。〃
〃Sí？〃
〃You will be having an American visitor。 His name is Daniel Cooper。〃
**********
It seemed to the detectives trailing Tracy that she was interested only in sightseeing。 They followed her as she toured the island； visiting the cloister of San Francisco and the colorful Bellver Castle and the beach at Illetas。 She attended a bullfight in Palma and dined on sobrasadas and camaiot in the Plaza de la Reine； and she was always alone。
She took trips to Formentor and Valldemosa and La Granja； and visited the pearl factories at Manacor。
〃Nada；〃 the detectives reported to Ernesto Marze。 〃She is here as a tourist； mandant。〃
The mandant's secretary came into the office。 〃There is an American here to see you。 Se？or Daniel Cooper。〃
mandant Marze had many American friends。 He liked Americans； and he had the feeling that despite what Inspector Trignant had said； he was going to like this Daniel Cooper。
He was wrong。
〃You're idiots。 All of you；〃 Daniel Cooper snapped。 〃Of course she's not here as a tourist。 She's after something。〃
mandant Marze barely managed to hold his temper in check。 〃Se？or； you yourself have said that Miss Whitney's targets are always something spectacular； that she enjoys doing the impossible。 I have checked carefully； Se？or Cooper。 There is nothing in Majorca that is worthy of attracting Se？orita Whitney's talents。〃
〃Has she met anyone here。。。 talked to anyone？〃
The insolent tone of the ojete！ 〃No。 No one。〃
〃Then she will；〃 Daniel Cooper said flatly。
I finally know； mandant Marze told himself； what they mean by the Ugly American。
**********
There are two hundred known caves in Majorca； but the most exciting is the Cuevas del Drach； the 〃Caves of the Dragon；〃 near Porto Cristo； an hour's journey from Palma。 The ancient caves go deep into the ground； enormous vaulted caverns carved with stalagmites and stalactites； tomb…silent except for the occasional rush of meandering； underground streams； with the water turning green or blue or white； each color denoting the extent of the tremendous depths。
The caves are a fairyland of pale…ivory architecture； a seemingly endless series of labyrinths； dimly lit by strategically placed torches。
No one is permitted inside the caves without a guide； but from the moment the caves are opened to the public in the morning； they are filled with tourists。
Tracy chose Saturday to visit the caves； when they were most crowded； packed with hundreds of tourists from countries all over the world。 She bought her ticket at the small counter and disappeared into the crowd。 Daniel Cooper and two of mandant Marze's men were close behind her。 A guide led the excursionists along narrow stone paths； made slippery by the dripping water from the stalactites above； pointing downward like accusing skeletal fingers。
There were alcoves where the visitors could step off the paths to stop and admire the calcium formations that looked like huge birds and strange animals and trees。 There were pools