Target: Tinos (21 page)

Chapter Twenty-two

Trelos didn’t move from in front of the police car when the three cops got out and surrounded him. Nor did he stop moving in time to his music.

“Pandeleis, good morning.” Andreas thought it better to call Trelos by his given name.

Trelos kept spinning and dancing in front of the police car.

“I said, ‘Good morning.’”

Andreas thought he saw a slight nod, but beyond that nothing to indicate Trelos heard a word Andreas had said.

“We want to talk to you about your sister.”

More dancing.

“Get in the car.”

He didn’t move from his spot.

“Yianni, put him in the back seat.”

Kouros stepped forward, gently put his hand on Trelos’ elbow, and led him back to the car. Kouros opened the rear door on the driver side and steered him into the car, taking care not to hit Trelos’ head on the roof pillar. Kouros closed the door and went back to the front of the car.

“I thought you were going to rip off his earphones,” said Tassos.

“No reason for that, he seems a gentle soul.”

“Inspires your protective instincts, does he?” said Andreas. “That’s quite a gift to have. His brother, Petros, said something about it being his obligation to ‘protect’ him. I wonder if his sister feels the same way.”

“What are you getting at?” said Kouros.

“From the way things seem to be going with this guy, I’d say nothing,” said Tassos.

“Let’s take him back to his house,” said Andreas. “Maybe we’ll find some way to get through to him there. Because we sure as hell aren’t getting anywhere with him here.”

***

When they arrived at the house a Tinos police car was parked in front.

Andreas turned to look at Trelos in the back seat. “They’ve been waiting for you to come home. You put many people to a lot of trouble to find you.”

Kouros got out of the backseat on the passenger side and went around to get Trelos out the other side.

“By the way, since you obviously didn’t come home last night, where were you?” said Andreas. “You’re clean shaven, so don’t tell me you were out dancing on the streets all night.”

Andreas got out of the car when Trelos did. “I’ll take him from here, Yianni. Please thank the Tinos cops and tell them they can leave now. And check to see if any of them know anything about you-know-what.”

Andreas pointed in the direction of the house and said to Trelos. “Walk.”

He didn’t move.

“I didn’t think you’d listen. That’s your hustle isn’t it? I don’t buy your Peter Pan routine. So,
move
.” Andreas pushed Trelos toward the front door.

Trelos paused.

Andreas pushed him again. “Keep moving or I’ll ram that iPod so far up your ass you won’t need earphones.”

Tassos stepped in next to Andreas and whispered. “I see Yianni’s playing good cop and you’re playing Attila the Hun cop.”

“He’s moving, isn’t he?”

Once inside, Trelos walked over to the mantle and touched a photograph of a man and a woman.

“Are those your parents?” said Andreas.

Trelos said nothing. He went over to the refrigerator, took out a bottle of water, opened a cupboard, took out a glass, filled it with water, drank it all, refilled the glass, and drank that, too. Then he put the bottle back in the refrigerator, took the glass over to the sink, washed it, dried it, and put it back in the cupboard.

“I see you clean up after yourself. Is that because you have no help here? Does your sister help when she’s here? Or isn’t she here that much? Or maybe you’re the one who’s not here that much? Funny, isn’t it? Such a tiny place for two grown-up people, especially for someone with your peculiar habits.”

Trelos went into the bathroom and started to close the door. Andreas stopped the door with his foot.

“Uh, uh. No private time for you. Don’t worry, I won’t watch. Just make on like you’re back in the army. You were in the army, weren’t you?”

There was the unmistakable sound of a stream hitting water.

“Good boy.”

Andreas waited until Trelos came out of the bathroom. “You know what has me wondering. Here you are, a big time music fan, into computers for sure and there’s not a computer or audio devices to be seen anywhere in here. Not even a radio. I hope you’re not going to try and convince me that your only link to all the music you love in this world is that tiny little thing in your hand.

“All of which makes me wonder whether you have another place for your music. Maybe even a whole house somewhere else. Is that where your sister is now, at your other place? You know we’re going to find it sooner or later. So why don’t you just tell me now. It will save us the bother of ripping up this place looking for clues. It would be a shame to make a mess so unnecessarily?”

No answer.

Kouros stuck his head inside the doorway. “Chief, may I speak with you?”

Andreas looked at Tassos. “Keep an eye on him,” and went outside.

He was back in two minutes, walked over to the mantle, and picked up the photograph of Trelos’ parents.

“Lovely looking people. Your mom and dad?”

No answer.

“You know, my own father died when I was very young. I never really got over it. But I did get on with my life. Why, I wonder, haven’t you?” Andreas smiled.

No answer.

“I just found out that it could have been a lot worse for you. Your sister was with them the night they died. She went with them to dinner in Pyrgos, but she didn’t come back with them. Said she wasn’t feeling well and stayed over at a relative’s house. My, weren’t you lucky? You almost lost your only sister and your parents in one night.”

Trelos didn’t move.

Andreas studied the photograph. “Interesting, looks like it was taken right around here.” He walked over to the window on the north wall and held the photo up to the light. “You know, the church in the background of the photo looks an awful lot like that one over there.” He pointed at the church in the distance. “Could that, by chance, be your family’s church? Perhaps where your parents are buried?”

No answer.

“Tassos, why don’t you and Yianni take a walk over to that church and check it out. And while you’re at it, take a look inside the other structures in the area.” He stared at Trelos. “Just in case his sister might have gotten lost in one of them.”

Trelos hadn’t moved from where he’d stopped after coming out of the bathroom, but his eyes trailed after Tassos leaving the house.

“You know, Pandeleis, all this talking to myself has given me a mighty thirst.” Andreas put the photograph down on the kitchen counter by the window. “I assume you won’t mind if I help myself to some water?” He reached for the refrigerator door handle.

“Not at all, Chief Inspector Kaldis. But please, call me Trelos, everyone else does. By the way, your friends are wasting their time. They won’t find a thing.”

Trelos walked across the room to where Andreas was standing, took off his earphones, and put them and the iPod down on the counter. He picked up the photograph of his parents, kissed it, and carried it back to the mantle.

Trelos turned and smiled at Andreas. “No one will. Ever.”

***

Andreas gripped the door handle for few seconds, opened the door, took out a bottle of water, closed the door, opened the cupboard, took out two glasses with one hand, shut the cupboard with the back of the same hand, turned, and set the glasses and bottle on the countertop across from Trelos.

“Is this where the master-criminal divulges his secret plan to his noble adversary knowing that it cannot be stopped?”

Trelos smiled. “Not at all. There is nothing left to stop. My plan is simple and underway. My only desire is to give choices to those who would like to change their lives for the better. Give them the chance at finding honest work they truly enjoy, an opportunity I never had. I support them financially until they are able to support themselves.”

“So, you’re the Shepherd.”

“I have taken an oath to tell only the truth or speak not at all.”

“I’ll take that as an ‘I’m not going to tell you.’ And what happens to those who talk too much, death?”

“I do not understand you. We are dedicated to bringing a better life to those desiring it, not death.”

“‘Revenge or Death’ is a rather catchy slogan for an organization claiming such lofty goals.”

“That is not our slogan. Yes, we are modeled on
Filiki Eteria
, for it too brought great change to Greece in very difficult times, and in no small measure because of the dedication and commitment of foreigners. But those words are the creation of one who does not understand our goals or purposes.”

“And who would that person be?”

“I have no idea. But surely not one we embrace in the brotherhood.”

“Why all the secrecy?”

“There are those who do not share our goals. Helping the foreign born and outcasts of society to attain better lives directly challenges many who would like to keep them down, akin to slaves.”

“I can’t argue with you there.”

“And then there are those who would simply like to rob us of the riches we use in place of empty promises and prayers to make the lives of others better.”

“Where’s the money come from?”

“It is my family’s. I spend only what is ours. I do not seek to raise funds.”

“Or compete with the Foundation?”

Trelos smiled.

“And your sister, what about her and your brother? Are they also part of your ‘brotherhood.’”

“No, Petros would not understand. He is of the sort that sees no value beyond the euro in non-Greeks. And she is far too fragile for the stress of working with the world’s most difficult souls. She just informs me of those who pass her way who are in need, and I do what I can to help them.”

“You mean she tells you what she overhears in the bar?”

“Not just in the bar. She, as I, is virtually invisible wherever we may go. It is as if we do not exist. In time you learn to accept that as a rare luxury.”

“What about the others in your organization? Are they also ‘invisible.’”

“I have sworn an oath never to reveal another member. But, believe me when I say they are good souls, who care only to do good.”

“Like murdering five other souls?”

Trelos reached for the bottle and filled his glass. “I know of three deaths here, not of five. But of those three, I know little more than I do of the other two. And what I do know is certainly far less than you.”

“Did you know the Carausii brothers who died here?”

“Yes, they came to us along with their
tsigani
clan.”

“Did you know that they were planning to expose you to the Albanians?”

“No, but I was prepared for that day to come. Everyone has a Judas. Don’t you find it strange that wherever you find good intentions massing, jackals come in packs to devour them?”

“You’re getting a little heavy on me, Trelos.”

“Albanians are a unique force in our country. Whether or not Greeks wish to admit it, many trace their roots back to Albania, and Orthodox Albanians assimilate easily into our culture. At least those who want to do so. But for those ruthless few who persist in their historic criminal ways, one cannot reason with them. They will take by violence what you are willing to give in peace.

“I could not risk allowing them into my house, for fear they would pillage and burn it to the ground.”

“And the
tsigani
? Do you actually think you’re going to change their ways?”

“It’s worth the effort. Tinos offers a unique opportunity at succeeding with
tsigani
for they revere the holy icon and are accustomed to behaving when on our island.

“But Tinos is only our beginning. This island can handle a population five times its size, and Greece offers many more places where we can do our work. All Greeks know that past governments have banished those they labeled ‘undesirables’ to the islands. We only seek to modify that practice by offering the unwanted incentives for finding a better way of life. We wish to make them part of the solution and not treat them as the problem.”

“Is that why you excluded Albanians? You were afraid they wouldn’t stay with the program.”

“You could put it that way, but I realized in denying them what others were offered so freely would most certainly attract their attention. In time, one or another of them would likely attempt to do us harm.”

“And just what do you plan on doing when that time comes?”

“It’s already been done. We’ve built an army of
metanastes
who have found a better, honest life. They will not allow the exploiters to take it away from them.”

“That might work. The Albanians wouldn’t want to go to war with the rest of Eastern Europe, unless there’s a mighty big profit in it. But what’s going to prevent someone from some day putting a bullet in your head, or a hit and run driver taking you out on one of your daily jaunts.”

“I do not fear death. But nor do I wish to hasten it. That is why I keep my role in all of this secret. And why I am telling you all of this.”

“Not sure I get that last part.”

“You would not stop until you found me. I could see that. And in so doing would undoubtedly reveal my identity to the world. I judged it better that I confide in you my secret, show to you that I am not the ‘master-criminal’ you seek, but only one who seeks to better the lives of the unloved and anonymous. This could change the world.”

“Great, but now that I know, what’s to keep me from telling the world who you are?”

“Nothing, but what have I done to justify your betraying my confidence? Not turn over my sister to you? How could I do that? The stress you would bring into her life would surely cause her to try and take it again. Besides, it’s hardly worth the trade to you. Exposing me to the wrath of the Albanians will only return all those we are helping back to a life of crime.”

Trelos smiled. “Lastly, who’s going to believe you when you say, ‘Trelos the madman is behind it all’?”

Andreas pulled a silver-color digital recorder out of his pocket. “Surprise.”