What did annoy him was the way Thalia stared at the detective like some schoolgirl who had come face to face with her favorite boy band.

“So here’s the plan,” the detective said. “It’s quite straightforward. Mr. Lambros has agreed to visit their storehouse this evening. He’ll be wired, and I’ll be waiting with two municipal police officers. Mr. Lambros has received photos of several wanted criminals whom we suspect to be in the gang. If any of them show their faces, he’ll give us a code phrase. He’ll say, ‘This one is a masterpiece.’ Then he’ll proceed as normal, buy something to avoid suspicion, and get out. As soon as he’s safely away, we’ll pounce.”

“What if no one he recognizes shows up?” Heinrich asked.

“He’ll buy some of the Corinthian pieces and we’ll try to trace them.”

“But if they stole them out of the ground, you can’t.”

“We can check the paperwork and see if the database has been tampered with. It’s not a sure thing, but it’s a lead.”

“None of this sounds like a sure thing,” Heinrich grumbled.

The detective gave him an apologetic smile. “It’s the best we have under the circumstances. The gang rarely sells in Greece. It’s safer to get the material out of the country first. The fact that they have approached our friend here shows they are desperate for some quick cash. We’re not sure why.”

“Assuming this is even the right gang.”

Adonis was unable to hide his irritation. “My gut instinct tells me it is. I’ve spent a lot of time in police work and I’ve learned to trust my gut.”

Buddy, I was doing detective work when you were still in high school, Heinrich thought. Out loud he said, “Well, I guess there’s no choice but to go for it. Mr. Lambros, may I see those photos?”

The millionaire produced the mug shots. There were a dozen of them, all men. A couple looked like heavies, while the others were run-of-the-mill thugs and lowlifes, plus a few guys who looked more intelligent. None of the photos showed the man who had used an ancient statue to crush Professor Christodolou.

“Of course it wouldn’t be that easy,” Heinrich said with a sigh, handing back the photos.

Adonis gave him a sympathetic smile. “We crosschecked the airline records with the criminal database, looking for suspects who left New York City for Athens shortly after the murder. We came up with nothing. He and his accomplice may still be in America, or perhaps he doesn’t have a criminal record.”

“What about these guys?” Heinrich asked, indicating the mug shots Lambros had placed on the coffee table.

“All these men have criminal records for crimes ranging from simple mugging to extortion to fraud,” the detective replied. “None have been involved in the illegal antiquities trade before, but it’s a growth market these days and more gangs are getting in on it. Security at our sites and museums had grown lax, and many people in my country are desperate for a quick profit.”

“Isn’t there an international body that goes after this stuff?” Heinrich asked. He recalled reading an article about it a while back.

Thalia nodded.