Desperado Dale (Scenic Route to Paradise) (17 page)

Karlo left the mysterious young lady but five
minutes later, his boss André from
Athens
called.

“The authorities let an important parcel slip
through the airport,” said his superior. He explained that it had been less
than an hour ago. Karlo took note of the courier’s description: Dale
Merriweather was a young American. He carried a pink carry-on backpack. The
parcel was in the backpack.

“The chief wants that backpack! You get it for
him and the sky’s the limit. He rewards his agents very well,” said André
before he hung up.

An easy job on a small island, Karlo assumed but
now a full week had come and gone. Karlo had people planted strategically all
over Kerkyra but the Ionian Islanders were more Greek than most… more so than
his own mother. Besides the generosity and industriousness of the typical
Greek, Kerkyrians were superstitious and suspicious. They didn’t bully well
either and because intimidation was Karlo’s modus operandi, his efforts had
been wasted.

Money talks but in really cruel times money
beckons. Karlo’s breakthrough came when the barkeep from the saloon behind Georgios
asked the Georgios’ waitress where she got the teardrop earrings. The pair were
gold, he determined. She told him her boyfriend whose uncle owned the pawnshop
had given them to her. While Karlo slept the morning away, the bartender paid a
visit to said pawn shop in pretence of looking for an inner tube for his bike.
He took bottles of retsina with him and before long, the barmaid’s boyfriend’s
uncle was bragging about the bartering he had done with Tina Evangelos, “the
orphan lady”.

“She took beds and toys and books and two high
chairs! I tied the bunk-beds on top of her van, myself,” he said. “Cash? No she
didn’t have cash but somebody must have died. There was an old man with her. I
think he was French… He didn’t speak Greek so he wasn’t from
Greece
” He spit at this
declaration and then said, “She had jewelry… I can sell it on the mainland next
time I go…” The pawnbroker would have talked for another hour but the barkeep
left; the men forgetting about the inner tube.

In a foul mood, Karlo and two mean-spirited New
Dawn agents came into Georgios taverna for dinner. Halfway through their meal,
the bartender from across the alley came forth with hints of news. Karlo had
promised money to anyone who could give him a lead to where the American was
hiding. Missteps had been made but there were two reports matching Dale’s
description which kept Karlo looking on the northern extremity of the island,
including the Avliotes area.

Karlo passed some bills. The bartender told him
what he had heard. Karlo was sure that Tina who ran an orphanage had no link
with the American and the huge sums of money that were involved with the
missing parcel. He dismissed his rat and the barkeep returned to his hole.

“The old man is a Frenchman… the island has a
French presence but perhaps there is a connection after all,” he said with a
shrug to his fellow agents. Karlo sat picking his teeth as he thought about the
sealed document and also the other things that allegedly were inside the pink
carry-on. His “friend” that worked airport security had told him that the bag
was filled with jewelry… At least, that is what his contact had heard from the
other airport workers.

In the end, Karlo decide he had nothing to lose.
He would go to the orphanage and find out what this “Tina” might know. If she
knew nothing, he would find out where the rich old Frenchman lived and go visit
the man’s jewelry box. As a last resort, they would return to town to visit the
pawnbroker
before
he took his newly acquired goods to sell on the
mainland.

Karlo communicated his win-win plan to the other
two. The men laughed so boisterously that the pigeons sleeping on roof wire,
shifted uncomfortably. Leaving Georgios’, the men crossed the back alley
wanting a few stiff drinks from their favorite bar before heading to Evangelos
for an evening of wicked fun.

Chapter 28  Tonto

There was a waning moon. Mac had anchored in
various Kerkyra coves dozens of times and many of those times, under cover of
darkness. The particular lagoon he maneuvered into, had never been used by Mac
before. He eyed it and scouted it over the years, planning to use the inlet on
some nefarious adventure but instead tonight he dropped anchor for a rescue
endeavor. It was
1am
, Merry had watch when Tino and Zeff dropped the skiff over the
starboard rail. Mac had given final instructions, going over a map marked with
key landmarks that would help Zeff find his bearings and find the tiny village
where Tina and Anna hailed from.
     
  Mac decided to let Zeff go it alone. Tino might have to go later if Zeff
failed to return but for now, just Zeff.
     
  Unfortunately, Junior who thought of Mac as a real man, one who was not
afraid to fight or stand or pray, decided that he – Junior had been overlooked.
Mac hadn’t mentioned Junior going ashore at all. Junior sensed a slight. Hadn’t
he acted in espionage as courier back in the states for Mac? He had!
     
  Junior continued to be short and slim for his age. Mac reassured him that if
he lived to be 18, the boy would experience a phenomenal growth spurt but at 14
Junior was small. He hid easily in the stern of the skiff under the sail bag
and life vests. Half way to shore he popped up, pretending that he had just awakened
from sleep.
     
  “Ah, there you are,” he yawned at the other two. Involuntarily, Tino cursed
and Zeff, already on pins and needles - shrieked.
     
  After some discussion, Junior reassured them that going ashore with Zeff had
been a last minute decision. Mac had been busy finalizing the plans so he had
fallen asleep while waiting, Junior explained. Tino was positive his young
cousin was lying but it was time to deposit Zeff and Junior was obstinate about
going too.
     
  As for Zeff, he was secretly grateful to have a companion. Junior had proven
himself resourceful many times on deck and on shore. He did not consider that
perhaps the teen was going against an order, even if it was an unspoken order
of Mac’s. Zeff had seen all the movies but he had never anticipated playing the
main character - the protagonist in a reality TV scene minus the cameras.
Junior might prove to be the sidekick Zeff needed to return victorious.
   
   
Even the Lone Ranger had Tonto...
mused Zeff as he watched Junior
push Tino and the skiff into the surf.
     
  Once on the beach, Zeff led Junior off the sand and into some boulders. They
stood concealed but surveying the beach. Short rapid waves pitched at the surf
line making a rumbling noise as pebbles and sand were churned. There were no
lights from sand or sea. Mac’s choice of a secluded cove had been a good one.
     
  “According to Mac and Google, there is a dirt road inland that runs parallel
with this beach. If we follow it south there is a huge olive grove that has a pickers’
path running through it…” Zeff explained to Junior.
   
    Junior remembering Zeff’s terrifying response in the skiff when he popped
up from the rigging, said, “Mac always prays before he starts.”
   
    Zeff furrowed his brow. He had already prayed with Mac but he asked, “What
do you mean? Before he starts... Starts what? Besides, I pray all the time.”
And yet, Zeff knew Mac prayed aloud, with and without the crew before he made
any major move. Zeff didn’t know how to pray. He had been talking to God but
until last night, he hadn’t considered his seemingly one-sided discussions as
real prayer.
   
    Junior did his best to explain Mac’s reasoning. Finally he said to Zeff,
“I’ll pray!” He began, “God, we know you’re everywhere even in the shower. So, will
You go before us and help us find Merry’s brother? He looks just like her but
he isn’t a girl and he is probably taller. We’ve never been on this island
before and there might be some really violent people who would like to cut our
throats or shoot us or drag us behind a racing sports car...”
   
    Zeff’s mind began to parade pictures that made his palms sweat. “That’s
enough!” he interrupted.

“Amen!” said Junior with a shrug. “I think I
covered everything.”

Climbing abruptly from the rocks, Zeff said
nothing.

After some searching, they came out of the brush
onto a sandy track. They headed south hoping to arrive in Evangelos, a few
kilometers east of Avliotes by dawn.

Chapter 29  Lights Out

Zeff had happened upon a hand painted sign
written in three languages “Evangelos .5 km.” He saw it when he paused to check
his bearings with a penlight Mac had given him. Soon after, they arrived in the
dark unnoticed except by a dog in the distance barking hysterically.

Zeff had heard that it was always darkest and coldest
before the dawn. From his experience, he believed it true. This morning seemed
no exception. A wet salty chill hung in the air. All the village looked lumpy
and black with the exception of one large house set back from the main street.
Light poured from two large metal checkered windows. The curtains were not
drawn. This oddity was invitation enough.

Zeff and Junior spoke in whispers and then
headed for the light. As they drew near, Junior tugged at Zeff, pulling him
behind several wooden barrels on the far side of the street.

“Do you see those bikes?” asked Junior in a
whisper. He pointed toward the side of the house. In the very dark, the
motorcycles were defined, smaller shapes than the bigger lumpy shadowed houses.
Zeff had not seen them. “This is not good. Zeff, let me go around back. I’ll
come right back. Give me that light,” he said.

“
Como
? What happens if you don’t come back?” Zeff
asked alarmed but resolved that Junior should go.

Junior laughed. Zeff could see the narrow
shoulders shake silhouetted in the light of the windows. “You’ll come get me!”
Junior whispered before darting across the street toward the opposite side of
the house from where the motorbikes were parked.

Zeff still crouched behind the barrels nodded at
Junior’s reply while wondering how he could rescue the boy. Zeff began to pray.
“God, we know you’re everywhere even in the shower…”

Behind the house, Junior ducked under a half
dozen windows when he came up short under the back corner window. He had seen
nothing yet but now he heard children crying. A curtain fluttered. The window
was open and Junior peeked over the exterior sill. The room was filled with
bulky dark shapes. A bedroom, he decided. There were at least three children
crying. Junior was about to turn the flashlight on when he heard the consoling
voice of a girl.

“Hush, hush, hush!” said the voice, followed by
Greek words Junior didn’t understand. Crying turned to whimpering. There was
jostling and finally when he couldn’t stand it anymore, Junior turned on the
flashlight.

Hoping not to alarm the young inhabitants of the
room, Junior lit his face first before slowly moving the beam to the room’s
occupants. His plan fell short. The beam elongated his face; he looked like a
ghoul. A pillow, hard like a stuffed placemat bounced from his head. Another
hit him in the face before he could drop below the window frame. An older girl
came to the window, “Elias! Is that you?” she called softly.

“I heard the crying.” Not sure what was said, Junior
answered as if his response was explanation enough for his presence at her
window. He stuck his head up and flashed the penlight into his face again.

After a gasp and a brief pause, she asked, “Are
you a Brit? You are speaking very good English.” Two other children, little
boys about 3 or 4 years old in Junior’s estimation stood at either side of the
dark haired girl. The boys wore camouflage colored thermal underwear. She was
wrapped in a turquoise blue terry cloth robe. Junior was self-conscious as she
was a pretty petite teen.

“Uh? No I don’t think so. Actually, I… we – my
big friend and I are looking for someone. Her name is Tina Something or other.
She lives in this town. Do you know her?” Junior couldn’t take his eyes from
the girl. He licked his lips and pushed his hair about with his free hand
hoping to help his appearance.

“Tina? Tina Evangelos? Is that the name? You are
American!” she whispered loudly. “It is good you and your big friend have come.
It is chaotic here and the New Dawn agents are tormenting us. They came at
midnight
while we were
sleeping.”

Junior thought for a minute. “Listen, how many
are in your family? My friend will need to know. Also, how many new dons are
there?” he questioned.

“There are just three New Dawn agents but as for
us… We are 18. This house is an orphanage,” she reported but then her eyes went
wide and before he could duck and run, a strong hand covered his mouth.

The man said something in Greek. The girl, who
had stepped away from the window, hissed a reply.

“You’re American?” asked Dale as he restrained
Junior’s wild struggling. Junior quit his snake like wiggle to nod vigorously.
Dale held him firmly by his thin shoulder but released Junior’s face.

“I’m Dale Merriweather. I’m married to Tina’s
cousin,” Dale said quietly waiting for the boy’s response.