The church was smaller than it seemed from outside, probably only about eight feet wide by fifteen feet long, including the small separated space in the rear reserved for the priest. Each side wall had a tiny, tightly shuttered window opening. Looming above them was the cylindrical dome. At its highest point this one looked no more than fifteen feet from the floor. The floor was made of some sort of hard-packed, dirtlike material, but not dirt. Probably ground seashells. A delicately engraved slab of white marble about four and a half feet long by two and a half feet wide sat flush with the floor, centered lengthwise in the middle of the main chamber. Obviously, Alex had taken the time to put it back in place.

As Alex had said, the interior of the church was neat and clean, with icons and candles in all the appropriate places. Andreas thought some family friend or neighbor must be looking after the place – unless the spirits were taking care of it themselves. There was no way the church could be in this condition without someone regularly caring for it. It was time to end Alex's ordeal and get back to planning the next traffic stop.

Andreas pointed to the crypt. 'Would you please open it up for us.'

Alex started to shake again. 'No, please, I can't. Please.'

Andreas was reluctant to force the man, but then again, cops don't bend over in the presence of suspects – however unsuspected they may be. 'Sit over there in the corner.' He gestured to the far left. 'Yianni, move the slab so we can get the hell out of here.'

Kouros walked over and put his fingers on a corner edge of the slab. It was a lot heavier than it looked, and when it didn't budge at his initial tug Kouros gave a quick look over at Alex – which Andreas took for a sign of respect – then gripped and pulled hard enough to send the lid across the floor and crashing into the wall. Neither man bothered to check for damage. They were too busy gagging at the stench from the decomposing body beneath the slab.