Mykonos After Midnight (13 page)

Chapter Seventeen

Andreas, Kouros, and Tassos sat outside a
cafenion
next to the entrance to the airport, two buildings up from the police station.

“Is your plane on time?” said Tassos.

“Far as I know,” said Andreas.

“We’ll see it coming in from Athens. It drops off one load of passengers, fills up with another, and heads straight back,” said Kouros.

“I’ve heard the Athens-Mykonos trip is the most profitable per mile airline route in Europe,” said Andreas.

“Everyone tries to find a way to get rich off of Mykonos. It’s like a curse,” said Tassos. “Whether honest or dishonest, they all come here to make money from its tourists.”

“My bet is whatever Sergey has in mind it won’t be honest.” Andreas raised his coffee cup. “Here’s to hoping we figure out what that is before he does it.” He took a sip and put the cup back on the table. “Wish we could stay, but I’ve got to get back to the office.”

“Yeah, Chief, if you stay away too long people might start to realize who really runs the office.”

Andreas smiled, “Are you trying to get Tassos to put in a good word for you with Maggie?”

“Wouldn’t hurt.”

“You’re wasting your time, she’d never believe me anyway,” said Tassos.

“Let’s just keep an eye on Sergey. And let Wacki know we’re watching him so he doesn’t get cocky,” said Andreas.

Tassos nodded. “But, as you said, I’m afraid we won’t know what Sergey’s next move is until he makes it.”

“You don’t think Wacki might talk?” said Kouros.

Tassos gestured no. “Even if he would, I think Sergey’s smart enough not to trust him with anything that really mattered.”

“I think the only real shot we have at finding out what he’s up to is through the two guys with the girl who killed Christos,” said Andreas.

“Sergey must know that, too,” said Kouros.

Andreas nodded. “Which means if Europol doesn’t find them first Sergey is home free.”

“Damnit,” said Kouros. “I wish I knew what the son-of-a-bitch was up to.”

“We will,” said Andreas. “The only question is ‘when?’”

“And ‘how?’” said Tassos

Andreas stood up and nodded toward the sky. “Let’s go, Yianni, here comes our plane. Athens awaits our return.”

“As Mykonos mourns.”

***

The call came into the police station in the early afternoon and the caller asked to speak to the chief of police.

Mihalis answered on the first ring. “Yes?”

“Is this the chief of police?”

“Yes.”

“This is Wacki. I’m calling on behalf of my employer, Sergey Tishchenko. You met him this morning in the mayor’s office.”

Now what?
thought Mihalis. “What can I do for you?”

“As you know, my employer doesn’t speak Greek so he asked me to pass along something you might find interesting in connection with the investigation of the murder of Christos.”

“It’s not my case.”

“I know, but you are the only one he knows to contact.”

“Have him call Tassos Stamatos on Syros.”

“That might be a problem.”

“Problem? What sort of problem.”

“Well, right after my employer left the meeting with you and the mayor he was confronted at his hotel by Tassos Stamatos, Andreas Kaldis, and a detective Kouros. From his conversation with them, he had the distinct impression there was something else the killers were after.”

“So?”

“And those police had whatever it was.”

“Why would they tell that to your employer?”

“I don’t know. But, like you, my employer thought it strange for them to think he would have an interest in what they had. It may be an innocent remark that he misunderstood, and whatever they were talking about was part of the official file on the investigation. He just didn’t want there to be any misunderstandings with you or the mayor on his commitment to being a legitimate businessman in this community. He had an unfair scrape with the law before and doesn’t want that being used by anyone to imply he’s not pursuing this opportunity on the up and up.”

Jesus
, thought Mihalis.
Was that why Tassos showed up here this morning? If he was fishing for what the mayor knew about whatever the killers were looking for
…“Thank you. I appreciate your call.”

“You’re welcome. Always happy to help.”

Mihalis hung up the phone. There were always rumors that Christos must have had something on a lot of people to be able to run his club as he did for so long.
Shit, if Tassos found it…and didn’t turn it in.

He shook his head. He hated going after cops. And if super-clean Kaldis was involved, this was a problem way above Mihalis’ pay grade.

Before he breathed a word about this to anyone, he better make damn sure there’s something to it. Otherwise, goodbye pension.

***

“Keria
.”

The maid turned to face the man’s voice. Mihalis stood inside the doorway of a large living area she was cleaning. Next to him stood the maid’s boss.

“Excuse me for bothering you at work. I tried you at home but you weren’t there and it’s urgent I speak with you immediately.”

The boss shook her finger at the maid.”He won’t tell me what this is about. If you’re in any sort of trouble you can take your things and get out of here right now.”

“I can assure you this is not about her or anyone in her family. Now if you’d please excuse us, I’d like to speak to her alone.”

“I’m not used to being told what to do in my own home,” she snarled.

Mihalis smiled. “If you’d prefer I can spend the time checking whether or not that stairway I saw when I came in leads to an illegal basement.”

She glared at the maid. “If my husband is fined because you brought the police into our house, you’re fired!” She spun around and walked out of the room.

“Seems like a real charmer to work for.”

The maid did not respond.

Mihalis nodded. “I understand. You need this job. Times are tough. Let me get to the point. It’s about your former employer, Christos Vasilakis.”

“I told everything I know to the other policemen.”

He nodded again. “I’m sure. But I just want to go over a few things to make certain that they didn’t miss anything. Please, sit down.” He motioned toward a chair.

She gestured no. “Madam does not allow me to sit on her furniture.”

“Very well.” He cleared his throat. “What I want to go over is what you told the policeman from Syros.”

“You mean the older man?”

“Yes, the older fat man.”

“I told him the same things I told the other police. I came into the house, saw Mister Christos on the floor, called the police, and sat with him until they arrived.”

“Did he ask if you knew where Christos kept things in his house?”

“What sort of things?”

“Valuables.”

“I told him, in the safe.”

“The one in the bedroom?”

The maid hesitated for an instant. “Yes.”

He paused. “Was there another place Christos kept valuable things?”

One of her eyes began to twitch. “I don’t know what you mean?”

He walked to a couch next to where the maid stood and sat down. For thirty seconds he stared directly up and into her eyes without saying a word.

“Unless you want me to tell your employer you’re withholding evidence in connection with the robbery and murder of your former employer, I suggest you tell me
now
precisely what you told the Syros cop about any other place where Christos kept his valuables.”

She shut her eyes and dropped her head. “In the wall next to the living room fireplace. Under white marble tiles.”

***

“Hi, honey, I’m home,” Andreas yelled from the entry foyer of their apartment.

He heard a loud whine coming at him from the next room. It sounded like a missile. Around the corner it came, headed straight at him. He bent down, waited until it was right upon him, and swooped it into the air, spinning it round and round above his head. The whine turned to laugher and spurts of, “Daddy home, daddy home.”

“You sure know how to draw a crowd, my darling,” said Lila walking into the foyer. “But be careful, I was in the middle of changing Tassaki’s diaper. He’s likely armed and dangerous.”

“So, what else is new?”

“Was Mykonos that bad?”

“Just business as usual. Bad guys and bizarre behavior.” Andreas kissed Tassaki on the cheek, nibbled at his belly, and put him down on the floor. Tassaki shot off in the direction of his mother but went right by her.

“Marietta will intercept him before he can do much damage.”

Andreas put his hands on Lila’s waist and kissed her on the lips.

“The kid gets a whole spin in the air and the mother just a peck?”

Andreas smiled. “He came at me naked.”

Lila laughed. “Any news on finding Christos’ killers?”

Andreas gestured no. “Just that the Russian guy I’m convinced must be behind it all turned up bold as brass on Mykonos looking to buy the Asteria hotel.”

“Did Christos have anything to do with that hotel?”

“Nothing.”

“Is the Russian trying to take over Christos’ club?”

“Not that I know of.”

“Then why do you think he had anything to do with Christos murder?”

“He shared the same girlfriend with Christos and we know the girlfriend was involved in his murder. She went to visit someone in Poland a couple of times right after this guy, Sergey, got out of a Polish prison. On her last visit, and a few days after Christos murder, she turned up dead in Sergey’s city. Too many coincidences.”

“Are you sure she went to visit him?”

He gestured no. “But Christos’ maid once overheard her talking to someone named Sergey as if he were a boyfriend about arrangements to visit him in the same town in Poland where our Sergey lived.”

“That’s it?”

“What are you, a prosecutor? I’m talking police instincts here. Yes, I know we don’t have a case yet. But we will. When things start to break they’ll break quickly. You’ll see.”

Lila, shrugged. “You know best about those sorts of things.” She kissed him on the cheek and whispered in his ear. “Marietta is watching Tassaki. Follow me and I’ll show you where your baby boy learned how to greet his daddy.”

Andreas ran his hand along Lila’s bottom. “I thought you’d never ask.”

Chapter Eighteen

Some said that between Greece’s financial crisis and a nearly ten dollars per gallon price of gas, Athens traffic was much lighter than it once was. But to Andreas this morning’s commute was as bad as ever. Perhaps he was only anxious to get back to his office. His unit was terrific, but he was the engine that drove the investigations, and things piled up whenever he was away, even for a few days.

His phone rang. It was Maggie.

“Yes, my love, what can I do for you?”

“Where are you?”

“Almost at headquarters. Traffic’s a bitch. Can this wait until I get there?”

“No, turn around and head to the ministry. The minister wants to see you right away.”

What the hell does Spiros want now? Always with the drama.
“Did he say what it’s about?”

“No, he just sounded nervous.”

“In other words it has to do with the press. His whole world is driven by what the media says about him.”

“Well, whatever it is, there’s nothing in the papers or on television about it yet.”

Maggie had a 24/7 ear for the news. If she didn’t know about it, it wasn’t out there.

“Well, then, so far so good.”

***

It took Andreas another twenty minutes of weaving through traffic to reach the ministry. His lights and siren were practically useless.

When he finally reached the ministry he went straight to the minister’s office and the secretary showed him right in.

“Chief Kaldis is here.”

“Thank you. Please, leave us and hold all my calls. No matter who it may be.”

When she left Andreas said, “Sounds serious.”

Spiros pointed to the chair in front of his desk. “You have no idea. Or at least I hope you don’t.”

Andreas sat in the chair. “What the hell was that supposed to mean?”

Spiros bit at his lip. A sure sign he was frightened.

“Come on, Spiros, it can’t be that bad. We’ve been through a lot worse.”

Spiros ran his hands through his color-enhanced, thinning, jet-black hair. “It’s about your friend, Tassos.”

“Tassos?”

“He’s gone rogue.”

“What the hell are you talking about?”

“Andreas, I know how close you are to him. But we all know his history. A little business on the side to enhance his lifestyle is wellknown.”

“Not to me it isn’t.”
At least not since we’ve been friends
.

“I’m afraid he’s been caught red-handed. And, frankly…” Spiros reached into his desk, took a pill from a bottle, and swallowed it without water. “Frankly, circumstantial evidence has you and Kouros involved in it with him.”

Andreas drew a deep breath. He did not want to respond in anger. “Why don’t you just tell me what you’re talking about?”

“Early this morning I received a call from the chief of police on Mykonos. Tassos had paid him a visit yesterday about the Christos Vasilakis murder.”

Andreas shrugged. “Why wouldn’t he? It’s his case.”

Spiros nodded. “Later that same day the police chief received a call from someone representing…” Spiros looked at some notes on his desk, “Sergey Tishchenko, who said you and Kouros had spoken with him about the same case.”

“He’s a potential suspect.”

“But why would you, the Athens-based head of Special Crimes, be involved with an investigation into a murder on Mykonos where everyone knows who did it and one of the killers is already dead?”

“If you know so much about the case, then you should also know that Sergey Tishchenko was the dead girl’s ex-boyfriend.”

“Yes, I know all about that, and his prison record, and that she went to visit someone in Bialystok. The same town Tishchenko gave as his address when he got out of prison and where she turned up murdered.”

“How do you know that?”

Spiros raised his voice. “In case you’ve forgotten, I’m the minister of this department.” He swallowed. “The police chief tracked down the maid who’d found the body. She told him about the girlfriend’s phone call. He also interviewed Sergey, who disclosed his record saying he had nothing to hide from the police.”

“Did he also say the girlfriend came to see
him
in Poland?”

“He said the last time he saw her was before he went to prison, and that she had a lot of boyfriends in Bialystok. She was a prostitute there and her arrest record confirms that. She could have gone to see any of them. Or all of them.”

“And just by coincidence he happens to end up on Mykonos with enough money to buy a hotel?”

“He said everybody in Poland knows Mykonos is the place to come to make a fortune, and that he’d mentioned the possibility of his moving to Mykonos to her before he was arrested. She went to Mykonos because of him, not the other way around. As far as the money goes, these days who are we to ask where money comes from if people are willing to invest in Greece? As long, of course, as it isn’t tied into Christos’ murder. Do you have any reason to think that it is?”

“What does all this have to do with Tassos?”

“And you.”

Andreas leaned forward in the chair. “You’re beginning to piss me off.”

Spiros held up his hands. “Andreas, I think of us like brothers. I am having this conversation with you because of that. If you’re going to be your normal belligerent self it will only make things worse.”

Andreas squeezed the arms of the chair. “Make what worse?”

“The maid told the police chief there was a second safe in Christos’ house. Tassos’ report made no mention of that second safe. And the maid said he told her to ‘keep that second safe just between us.’”

Andreas’ hands froze to the chair.

“Does that come as a surprise to you?”

“I repeat my question, Spiros, ‘What does this have to do with Tassos?’” He paused. “And me?”

“Come on Andreas, if Tassos emptied that safe and didn’t report it…” Spiros waved his hand in the air. “Everybody knows the rumor that Christos was blackmailing a lot of important people, and if Tassos found what Christos had on them, why wouldn’t he use it to do the same?”

Andreas wanted to defend Tassos, tell Spiros the truth about what he’d found and why they hadn’t disclosed it. But Spiros could be a tricky bastard. No telling how he might play that. He could keep the files for his own use, make himself look good by telling the press that he’d uncovered corruption in his own department and purged it, or just hold Andreas’ admission of complicity over his head for the rest of his life.

“Andreas, did you hear me? Do you have anything to say?”

Perhaps I should just say the obvious
, he thought. That it was Tassos’ word against the maid’s as to whether she ever told him about a second safe.

“I think there are some nuances here that you’re missing, Spiros. For example––”

Spiros yelled, “You and your buddy are in deep shit, Andreas! Don’t lecture me about ‘nuances.’ Yes or no, did the maid tell Tassos about that second safe?”

An alarm went off in Andreas’ head. It was time to play defense. “I think you should ask Tassos.”

“Why can’t
you
answer that question?”

“Because I don’t know.”

Spiros shook his head. “I’m so sorry you said that. I’d hoped to help you. But I see you’re just as guilty as Tassos.”

Andreas said nothing.

“The police chief had the safe opened. It was empty.” He paused as if waiting for Andreas to say something.

Andreas sat quietly.

“You have nothing to say?”

“Just listening.”

“Well maybe you’d like to read something instead.”

Spiros handed him a forensic report. It described what was found inside the safe. No contents and no prints, except for a thumb at the inside top of the door and a partial on fingers along the door’s top edge.

“As you’ll see, the safe was wiped clean except for where it appears whoever wiped it down held onto the top of the door, perhaps to help himself up.”

Spiros handed Andreas a second report. “This ID on the prints came in this morning just before I called your office. Guess whose they are?”

Andreas didn’t have to ask.

“We have your buddy tied up in a neat little bundle all ready for the prosecutor. And you, too, if you don’t cooperate and tell me all about this scam you’re running.”

Andreas stood. “With all due respect, Minister, I think I’ll leave now.”

“Don’t you dare leave. I have you on tape saying you knew nothing about the second safe.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Minister. You asked if ‘the maid told Tassos about the second safe.’ How would I possibly know that? I wasn’t there. I think you owe me an apology.”

Spiros’ face turned bright red.

“You better take another pill. You don’t look well.”

“Kaldis, you are suspended as of this minute!”

Andreas stared Spiros directly in the eyes and spoke without emotion. “You’re the minister, you can do that. Just be careful what you say to the press. There may not be enough pills in your drawer to cover what could happen if you said the wrong things.”

***

Andreas walked out of Spiros’ office and through the ministry’s halls as if alone in a soundless tunnel. He heard none of the hellos or saw any of the waves of those he passed. His focus was on reaching the car, getting inside, and driving. Anywhere. Just driving.

He tried not to think about his father. He thought about his mother, about his wife, about his son, and about his sister. But not about his father.

A half hour passed until he pulled over and parked. It was a quiet street and Andreas sat staring straight ahead for a few minutes before opening the door. He got out and walked to a tree-shaded knoll. The sun was brilliant yellow and the sky ablaze in blue. Andreas dropped his head and stared down at a grave.

“I never forgave you for taking your life, for leaving us alone. I blamed myself for not being able to stop you. But what could I have done as an eight-year-old? But now I’m a man. And I’ve failed you again.”

He drew in and let out a deep breath.

“Is this how you felt, Dad? Set up and called corrupt for bribes to someone else when all you’d ever tried to do was the right thing for your country and family?

“Is this how you felt when betrayed and destroyed by your own? Does it matter that your assassin was a crooked, scheming minister, while mine is just an arrogant, disloyal coward? I’ll end up in the same place as you, destroyed by the press in a rush of ‘LIKE FATHER LIKE SON’ headlines.”

He drew in another deep breath. “How will mother be able to stand it again? How will Lila…Tassaki.” Tears welled up in his eyes.

“I tried so hard to make you proud, Dad. To redeem your name.” He struggled to contain the tears, but they came just the same. “I’ve failed you. I’ve failed everyone.”

***

Andreas stood by the grave staring off toward the horizon when his phone rang. He didn’t want to answer it. There was no one he wanted to talk to. He let it ring until it went into voice mail. It rang again. He ignored it again. Once more it rang and once more he ignored it, but this time he pulled it out of his pocket to shut it off. It rang in his hand. It was Maggie. He paused, and pressed ANSWER.

“Yes.”

“Andreas, I don’t know what’s going on, and there’s no time to ask you. Three goons just showed up to take possession of all our files on the Christos Vasilakis murder investigation.”

Andreas felt his heart sink. Spiros was doing what he had to do to crucify him.
I’d do the same thing.

“Andreas, are you there?”

“Yes.”

“I told them no one gets access to anything in Special Crimes’ files without your permission. They said they had the permission of the minister and that you were suspended. I said,‘I didn’t give a shit, I wasn’t suspended and without permission from Chief Kaldis, no one gets to see those files.’”

Andreas almost felt a smile. “What happened?”

“They tried to get into your office but I blocked the door and yelled at them to leave.”

“They left?”

“No, they tried to push me out of the way.”

“Are you okay?”

“Me yes, them no.”

“What happened?”

“Yianni heard me yelling and came out of his office like a bull. I almost felt sorry for the three assholes. Two of them had to carry the third one away. They said they’d be back with warrants.”

“How’s Yianni?”

“Fine. He told them real cops don’t push women around. And if they come back they better know how to fly out a window.”

Andreas did smile. “Maggie––”

“Don’t bother saying a thing. We figured it out. It’s all taken care of. Take care of yourself. We know you’ll straighten things out. You’re our chief and we’re all behind you one hundred percent, no matter what you decide.”

Tears welled again in Andreas’ eyes.

“Thank you.”

“We love you. Now call your wife.”