Play@YSDC

Following Mathias's directions back to the eastern end of the island Liz and Clay skirt around Gozo town and wind up here

Mathias's car is already parked up, Mathias is standing with a uniformed young woman by a pair of large stones on which someone has spray painted some graffiti (Clay thinks it looks like the name and colours of a lower league Italian football team.)

Liz parks the car, gets out and approaches Matthias and the policewoman. "Hullo!" she calls, waving. She frowns when she sees the graffiti. "Oh, how awful! How could someone do that?"

Closer Liz can see the young woman is probably a tour guide or something similar. Mathias shrugs, reaches forward and shakes Clay's hand(he has followed Liz out of the car). "Young men with to much time on their hand I suspect." He turns to the young lady "Its fine, I'll talk to head office about getting a contractor out to clean it down"

"It's a relief that it can be restored," says Liz. "I'll never understand how people can deface a piece of history, and not just hooligans. I heard something about how a professor was arrested for stealing antiquities."

Mathias shrugs "I'm afraid it happens, some people are just ignorant, others are ..." he pauses clearly looking for the right word "....misguided? The professor, I think I know the one you are talking about he was responsible for the dig we were just at, all the missing artefacts could have been obtained if he'd filled in the proper paperwork and gone through the normal channels, it wasn't as though they were particularly special."

"So there's really no harm done, then?" asks Liz. "If he returns the items and pays a fine, wouldn't that settle the matter? Surely they can't mean to put him in prison over...what did he take, anyway?"

"Normally, yes. I don't know to many of the details, but my colleagues say he'd stolen a great deal over the years. I understand he's denying having stolen anything. Unfortunately, if he keeps denying his guilt in the face of the evidence, then he'll certainly go to prison when he gets to court." says Mathias

"That is rather odd," says Liz. "You'd think his lawyer would advise him to make a plea deal, but I suppose he isn't listening. Is there any possibility that he actually is innocent as he claims?"

"I met the man a couple of times, he didn't strike me as the type, seemed very conscientious. I expect you never really know though he would not be the first person who had drug or gambling problems which he kept a secret" says Mathias "I do remember he had a very nice villa on the main island. Now I wonder how he afforded it"

"A villa!" exclaims Liz. "You're right, that does sound a bit too posh for him to afford on a professor's salary - unless he had some other source of income. Is he staying there now?"

"I don't think so, I believe he returned to the UK. The trial isn't until sometime next year and I guess they thought it was expensive to keep him here" says Mathias, clearly starting to pack up his things and getting ready to leave.

Clay up to this point had just been listening and following. "A villa you say? wow, does make you wonder, how big is it?"

"Oh, are you finishing up here?" asks Liz. "On your way to the next site, I suppose."

"Oh don't get me wrong" says Mathias to Clay "I'm not talking about some drug baron's den. It was just for a man who never seemed particularly well off, his villa had a nice pool and kitchen and had lovely views of the coast. Normally you have to pay for all that." then to Liz "No, sadly I now have to go back to my office and write up my reports"

"Oh, that's too bad," says Liz, secretly relieved that he won't be going to the third site and possibly encountering the others there. "Well, it was nice meeting you, and thank you for showing me around."

Mathias says his goodbyes and drives off leaving Clay and Liz in the car park.

Liz and Clay can return to the others (Albert will be nearly finished taking his photos) or head elsewhere.

"Well we know he has a little Villa now, not a total waste, maybe you can work your magic and find it. Let's catch up to the others." Clay says.

"Sounds like a plan," says Liz, getting into the car.