Passage by Night (v5) by Jack Higgins

often.'
    Rafael positively beamed. 'My pleasure, senorita.' He turned again to the old man. 'And how is Yanni?'
    'Drowned in a bad storm off Andros six months ago,' the old man said calmly and nodded towards Manning. 'That is why I have Alexias here.'
    Rafael looked genuinely distressed and crossed himself quickly. 'May he rest in peace.'
    'Are you coming aboard?'
    The Cuban shook his head. 'Bring her straight in to the jetty. I will meet you there. The occasion would seem to call for a drink.'
    'Is Bayo still running the hotel?'
    Rafael nodded. 'Trade isn't what it was, but he seems to manage. These are difficult times.'
    'For all of us,' Papa Melos said. 'We'll see you on the wharf.'
    Rafael gave a quick order to the oarsman who immediately started to row away and Papa Melos turned to Manning with a smile. 'I think it's going to be all right.'
    'It certainly looks like it,' Manning said. 'What about this man Bayo you mentioned? Can he be trusted?'
    The old man nodded. 'These people are too Catholic ever to go Communist. That's where Castro is making his big mistake. There are a lot of people in Cuba like Luis Rafael and Bayo. Ordinary men who have to accept what happens because they've got to keep on living. Because they've got wives and families. That doesn't mean they have to like it. Castro will find that out to his cost one fine day.'
    He went back to the wheelhouse and started the engine as Manning cranked in the anchor. He moved to the prow and got ready with the line. Rafael was already on the jetty and as they coasted in, he spoke to a couple of loafers who moved forward. Manning tossed them the line and as they ran it round a stanchion, Papa Melos killed the engine.
    The jetty was only a couple of feet above the rail and Manning climbed up, pulling Anna behind him. Rafael removed his cap and kissed her hand.
    'A great pleasure. I have known your father for many years now.' He looked down at the tuna and sighed heavily. 'A long time since we've seen such beauties landed here. You'll have no trouble in selling them.'
    'That's what I hoped,' Papa Melos said and they all walked along the jetty together.
    'But why the long absence?' Rafael said. 'It must be at least six months since a boat called here from Harmon Springs.'
    'To be honest, we weren't sure we'd be welcomed,' Papa Melos told him. 'Let's face it, things haven't been quite the same since the crisis.'
    'But we know our friends,' Rafael said. 'There is a large difference between Greeks from Harmon Springs and Yankee spies from Miami. Give us some credit for that much sense.'
    'Well, it's nice to hear that. Perhaps when the others know how we've got on, they'll start coming again themselves.'
    'Nothing I'd like better.'
    The sign outside Bayo's place said: HOTEL , and was as dilapitated as the rest of the waterfront. There were several wooden tables outside, but no customers, and Manning guessed that the place would probably liven up in the evening.
    It was cool and dark inside and reasonably clean, with whitewashed walls and rush mats on the floor. There were more tables and chairs and marble-topped bar in one corner, bottles ranged behind it on wooden shelves.
    The man who leaned on the bar reading his newspaper was small and wiry. The right side of his face was disfigured by an ugly scar and the eye was covered by a black patch.
    'Heh, Bayo, see who's here!' Rafael called.
    Bayo glanced up in surprise. When he saw Papa Melos a delighted smile appeared on his face. He dropped the newspaper and came round the end of the bar.
    'Papa Melos,' he said in English, pumping the old man's hand. 'A sight for sore eyes.'
    Papa Melos put a hand on the little Cuban's shoulder and frowned. 'Your face, Bayo, what happened?'
    Bayo shrugged, his smile slipping a little. 'Nothing, my friend. An accident three months ago. You have brought fish in?'
    The old man nodded. 'Three tuna.'
    'He needed the excuse to see how we were getting on,' Rafael put in.
    They all smiled and Papa