“ What’ s going to happen?” Stavros demanded in a fever of impatience.
There was a note of deep satisfaction in Chotas’ voice as he continued,“ If the defendants are willing to change their pleas to guilty, the judges have agreed to give each of them a five-vear sentence.” He smiled and added.“ Four years of which will be suspended. In reality they will not have to serve more than six months.” He turned to Larry.“ Because you are an American, Mr. Douglas, you will be deported. You will never be permitted to return to Greece.”
Larry nodded, his body flooding with relief.
Chotas turned back to Noelle.“ This was not an easy thing to accomplish. I must tell you in all honesty that the primary reason for the leniency of the Court is the interest of your— er— patron. They feel he has already suffered unduly because of all this publicity, and they are anxious to see it ended.”
“ I understand,” Noelle said. Napoleon Chotas hesitated in embarrassment.“ There is one more condition.” She looked at him.“ Yes?”
“ Your passport will be taken away. You will never be permitted to leave Greece. You will remain here under the protection of your friend.”
So it had been done.
Constantin Demiris had kept his bargain. Noelle did not for a moment believe that the judges were being lenient because they were concerned about Demiris’ being subjected to unpleasant publicity. No, he had had to pay a price for her freedom, and Noelle knew that it must have been a heavy one. But in return Demiris was getting her back and arranging it so that she could never leave him. Or see Larry again. She turned to Larry and read the relief in his face. He was going to be set free, and that was all he cared about. There was no regret about losing her and about what had happened. But Noelle understood it because she understood Larry, for he was her alter ego, her Doppelgänger, and they both had the same reckless zest for life, the same insatiable appetites. They were kindred spirits beyond mortality, beyond laws they had never made and never lived by. In her way Noelle would miss Larry very much, and when he left, a part of her would go with him. But she knew now how precious her life was to her and how terrified she had been of losing it. And so on balance it was a very good bargain, and she accepted it gratefully. She turned to Chotas and said,“ That is satisfactory.”
Chotas looked at her, and there was a sadness in his eyes as well as the satisfaction. Noelle understood that, too. He was in love with her and had had to use all his skill to save her for another man. Noelle had deliberately ately encouraged Chotas to fall in love with her because she needed him, needed to make sure that he would stop at nothing to save her. And everything had worked out.
“ I think it’ s absolutely marvelous,” Frederick Stavros was babbling.“ Absolutely marvelous.”