Sphinx by Robin Cook

almost nothing about the black market.”
    â€œDid you really think there would be?”
    â€œIt was a little too much to ask, I admit. From what Hamdi said in his letter to me, I thought it was possible. But get Khalifa. I want him to start tailing Erica Baron in the morning. Also, I think I’ll even spend some time with her myself. I’m not sure she’s told me everything.”
    Raoul regarded Yvon with a disbelieving smile.
    â€œOkay,” said Yvon. “You know me too well. There’s something I find very attractive about the woman.”

 
ATHENS 11:45 P.M.
    Reaching back over his shoulder, Stephanos Markoulis flipped off the lamp. The room was bathed in the soft blue glow of the moon that fell into the room through the French doors leading to the balcony.
    â€œAthens is such a romantic city,” said Deborah Graham, pulling away from Stephanos’ embrace. Her eyes sparkled in the half-light. She was intoxicated by the atmosphere as well as the bottle of Demestica wine that lay empty on the nearby table. Her straight blond hair tumbled over her shoulders, and with a coquettish twist of her head she pulled it behind her ears. Her blouse was unbuttoned and the whiteness of her breasts contrasted sharply with her deep Mediterranean tan.
    â€œI agree,” said Stephanos. His large hand reached out to massage her breasts. “That’s why I choose to live in Athens. Athens is for lovers.” Stephanos had heard the expression from another girl on another night and had said to himself at the time that he wanted to use the phrase himself. Stephanos’ shirt was also open, but it was always open. He had a broad chest covered with dark hair that served to set off his collection of solid gold chains and medallions.
    Stephanos was very eager to get Deborah into his bed. He had always found Australian girls to be uncommonly easy and good lays. A number of people had told him that in Australia they acted very differently, but he didnot care. He was content to ascribe his luck to the romantic atmosphere and his own prowess, but mostly the latter.
    â€œThank you for inviting me here, Stephanos,” said Deborah sincerely.
    â€œMy pleasure,” said Stephanos, smiling.
    â€œWould you mind if I went out on your balcony for a moment?”
    â€œNot at all,” said Stephanos, silently groaning at the delay.
    Holding her blouse together, Deborah bounced toward the French doors.
    Stephanos watched the undulating movement of her buttocks beneath her faded jeans. He guessed she was about nineteen. “Don’t get lost out there,” he called.
    â€œStephanos, this balcony is only three feet wide.”
    â€œI see you pick up quickly on sarcasm,” said Stephanos. All at once he felt a flicker of doubt whether Deborah was going to come through. Impatiently he lit a cigarette, blowing the smoke forcefully toward the ceiling.
    â€œStephanos, come out here and tell me what I’m looking at.”
    â€œChrist,” said Stephanos to himself. Reluctantly he got up and joined her. Deborah was leaning as far out as possible, pointing down Ermon Street.
    â€œIs that Constitution Square I can just see?”
    â€œThat’s right.”
    â€œAnd that’s the corner of the Parthenon,” said Deborah, pointing in the opposite direction.
    â€œYou’ve got it.”
    â€œOh, Stephanos, this is beautiful.” Gazing up at him, she put her arms around his neck and looked into his broad face. She had been excited by his appearance from the first moment he’d stopped her in the Plaka. He had deep laugh lines, which gave his face character, and a heavy beard that Deborah thought enhanced his masculinity.
    She was still a little afraid of having agreed to come to this stranger’s apartment, yet there was something about being in Athens and not Sydney that made it all right. Besides, the fear added to the mood, and she was already incredibly