Gate Bridge； never dreaming the ship was actually headed for a port in the Great Lakes。〃
〃Yes； but what port？〃 said Gunn。 〃And on which lake？〃
They all turned to Perlmutter。 〃I can't give you an exact location；〃 he said candidly； 〃but I do have a lead who might direct us to a ballpark location containing the wreck。〃
〃This person has information you don't？〃 asked Pitt unbelievingly。
〃He does。〃
Sandecker looked steadily at Perlmutter。 〃You've questioned him？〃
〃Not yet。 I thought I'd leave that up to you。〃
〃How can you be sure he's reliable？〃 asked Julia。
〃Because he was an eyewitness。〃
Everyone stared openly at Perlmutter。 Finally； Pitt asked the obvious question in their minds。 〃He saw the Princess Dou Wan go down？〃
〃Better yet； lan 'Hong Kong' Gallagher was the only survivor。 He was the ship's chief engineer； so if anyone can provide details of the sinking； he can。 Gallagher never went back to China but remained in the States； eventually being a citizen and shipping out again on an American line before retiring。〃
〃Is he still living？〃
〃My very same question to Yaeger；〃 answered Perlmutter with a smile wide with teeth。 〃He and his wife retired to a lakefront town called Manitowoc on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan。 I have Gallagher's address and phone number right here。 If he can't point the way to the wreck； nobody can。〃
Pitt came over and shook Perlmutter's hand and said warmly； 〃You do good work； St。 Julien。 My congratulations on an extraordinary piece of research。〃
〃I'll drink to that；〃 said a happy Perlmutter； ignoring the tea and pouring another glass of the forty…year…old port。
〃Now； Peter；〃 Pitt said； focusing his eyes on Harper。 〃My question to you is what if Qin Shang should return to the United States？〃
〃Unless he goes pletely insane； he would never e back。〃
〃But if he does？〃
〃He'd be arrested the minute he stepped off the plane and placed in a federal prison until his trial on at least forty different charges； including mass murder。〃
Pitt turned back to Perlmutter。 〃St。 Julien； you once mentioned a respected Chinese researcher you've worked with in the past who was interested in the Princess Dou Wan。〃
〃Zhu Kwan。 China's most renowned historian and the author of several classic books on the different dynasties。 I'll have you know I followed your instructions and did not contact him for fear he might alert Qin Shang。〃
〃Well； now you can feed him everything you've got except lan Gallagher。 And if Gallagher puts us in the ballpark； you can give that to Zhu Kwan too。〃
〃None of this makes sense；〃 said Julia； puzzled。 〃Why give away the art treasures by leading Qin Shang to them？〃
〃You and Peter； the INS； FBI and the entire Justice Department want Qin Shang。 And Qin Shang wants what is on board the wreck of the Princess Dou Wan。〃
〃I catch your drift；〃 said Harper。 〃There is method to your madness。 What you're saying is that Qin Shang is obsessed and will move heaven and earth to lay his hands on the missing art treasures； even risking arrest and exposure by sneaking back into the United States。〃
〃Why should he risk everything when he could just as well direct a salvage expedition from his headquarters in Hong Kong？〃 questioned Gunn。
〃I'd bet the bank the wreck haunts his dreams and he wouldn't trust his mother to run the operation。 I checked the shipping registry。 Qin Shang Maritime owns a salvage vessel。 The minute he sniffs the Princess Dou Wan's location； he'll send the ship and board it from Canada when it es down the St。 Lawrence River into the Great Lakes。〃
〃Aren't you afraid of him finding it first？〃 asked Julia。
〃Not to fear。 We won't show our hand until we've salvaged the treasure first。〃
〃Finding it is only the first step。 Salvaging the treasure will take a year； maybe more。〃
Sandecker looked doubtful。 〃You may be placing too much confidence in Gallagher to lead you to the wreck。 He might have jumped ship before it vanished。〃
〃The admiral has a point；〃 said Gunn。 〃If Gallagher knew the position of the sinking； he'd have tried to salvage it himself。〃
〃But he hasn't；〃 Pitt said firmly； 〃simply because the artifacts have never surfaced。 St。 Julien can tell you； no one can cover up a treasure find。 Whatever his reason； Gallagher has kept the location to himself or St。 Julien would have found a record of his attempt。〃
Sandecker looked mildly through the smoke of his cigar at Pitt。 〃How soon can you leave for Manitowoc？〃
〃I have your permission to go？〃
The admiral winked at Harper。 〃I think the INS will let NUMA carry the ball until Qin Shang puts in an appearance。〃
〃You'll get no argument out of me； Admiral；〃 said Harper cheerfully。 He smiled at Julia。 〃You're due for a long rest； Julia； but I suspect you'll be happy to act as liaison between our two agencies during the search and salvage。〃
〃If you're asking me to volunteer；〃 she said； restraining feelings of eagerness； 〃the answer is an unqualified yes。〃
〃Any hint on what kind of guy Gallagher is？〃 Pitt asked Perlmutter。
〃He must have been tough in his early days。 His nickname of 'Hong Kong' came from all the bars he wiped butt in while his ship was in port。〃
〃Then he's no pussycat？〃
Perlmutter chuckled。 〃No； I don't guess he is。〃
DARK CLOUDS THREATENED BUT NO RAIN FELL AS PITT AND Julia turned off Highway 43 and took a well…graded dirt road through fruit orchards mon to the shore of Lake Michigan before entering a forest of pine and birch trees。 Keeping one eye on the mailboxes perched beside the road； Pitt finally spotted the one he was looking for； a box built in the shape of an old steamship and elevated by welded anchor chain。 The name GALLAGHER was lettered on the hull。
〃This must be the place；〃 said Pitt as he turned into the little grassy lane leading to a picturesque two…story log house。
He and Julia had flown into Green Bay； Wisconsin； where they rented a car for the thirty…mile drive south to Manitowoc； a port for the big ships sailing the Lakes。 The Gallagher residence sat on the lakefront ten miles below the port。
Perlmutter had offered to call ahead and alert the Gallaghers to their ing； but Sandecker thought it best to arrive unexpected in case the Princess Dou Wan was not a subject the old ship's engineer wished to discuss and conveniently found a reason not to be at home。
The front of the Gallagher house faced the trees while the rear opened onto Lake Michigan。 The logs had been roughhewn into squared beams before they were fitted together and chinked。 The entire lower third of the house was mortared river rock that gave it a rustic look。 The peaked roof was sheathed in copper that had patinated to a dark turquoise green。 The windows were high and trimmed with vertical shutters。 The exterior wood was stained a partridge brown with a tint of gray to make it blend perfectly with the surrounding forest。
Pitt stopped the car on a lawn that ran around the house and parked next to a roofed…over carport that housed a Jeep Grand Cherokee and a small； eighteen…foot cabin cruiser with a big outboard motor on the transom。 He and Julia walked up the steps to a narrow front porch where Pitt raised a door knocker and rapped three times。
Suddenly； they could hear the yapping of small dogs inside。 After a few moments the door was opened by a tall； older woman with long gray hair tied in a bow。 Her eyes were star…tlingly blue and her face untouched by the advance of wrinkles。 Her body had rounded during the years； but she still carried herself like a woman forty years younger。 It was obvious to Julia that she had once been very beautiful。 She paused to shoo a pair of short…haired dachshunds into silence。
〃Hello；〃 she said sweetly。 〃The skies look like they might send us some rain。〃
〃Perhaps not；〃 replied Pitt。 〃The clouds appear to be passing to the west。〃
〃Can I help you with anything？〃
〃My name is Dirk Pitt and this is Julia Lee。 We're looking for Mr。 lan Gallagher。〃
〃You found him；〃 the lady said； smiling。 〃I'm Mrs。 Gallagher。 Won't you e in？〃
〃Yes； thank you；〃 said Julia； passing through the doorway as Pitt stood aside。 The dachshunds ran and sat obediently on the stairway leading up to the second floor of the house。 Julia stopped and gazed in mild surprise through the entryway into the rooms beyond。 She had expected to see the interior of the house decorated in Early American with a sprinkling of antiques。 But this house was filled with exquisitely carved Chinese furniture and art objects。 The wall hangings were embroidered with silk designs。 Beautifully glazed vases stood in corners with dried floral arrangements rising from them。 Delicate porcelain figurines perched on high shelves。 One glass…enclosed cabinet held nearly thirty jade sculptures。 The carpets lying on the wooden floors were all woven with Chinese designs。
〃Oh my；〃 Julia gasped。 〃I feel like I've just walked into my mother and father's house in San Francisco。〃
Mrs。 Gallagher suddenly began speaking to Julia in Mandarin Chinese。 〃I thought you might appreciate things from the Orient。〃
〃May I ask if your things are very old； Mrs。 Gallagher？〃 inquired Julia； replying in Mandarin。
〃Please call me Katie。 Ev