An Aegean Prophecy (26 page)

‘She doesn’t seem to be taking this very seriously,’ said Kouros.

‘The affectionate word to describe her state is “relaxed.” She’s not the type that gets anxious easily. All she knows is that she’s my wife’s best friend hanging out with me for the night with instructions to look and act as hot as she can so that I can get close to some super-rich Russian. That’s a drill she has down pat. I just wish she’d call me. I can’t get the damn show started until she’s with me.’

Kouros said, ‘Did you say—’

Tassos kicked him under the table. ‘Then it’s probably better you didn’t say anything to her. It might pump her up for a fight. These society types are pretty good at handling aggressive bitches trying to bring them down. And frankly, if she’s as hot as you say, she probably runs into that sort every day.’

Andreas stared at him. ‘You’re just trying to make me feel better.’

‘Yep, Katerina will tear her a new asshole.’ Tassos laughed.

Andreas shot him a one-finger salute. ‘And yes, Yianni, I said “wife.” No reason for the world to think otherwise. What with the baby on the way.’

Kouros nodded. ‘No problem here, Chief, just checking to see if I had to buy more than a baby gift.’

Andreas smiled. ‘I wouldn’t worry about it.’

Tassos shook his head. ‘This is not the time to say it, but sometimes you’re a real asshole, my friend.’

‘Funny, Lila said sort of the same thing.’

‘I bet. Let’s go, Yianni. We’ve got to find someplace to put our limo so we don’t miss a word of tonight’s performance by Mister Sensitive here.’ Tassos flicked the back of his hand in Andreas’ direction.

‘We can park on the street behind Vengera, by Panachra church. With the monster of a mess from tonight’s processions, everyone expects to see a garbage truck there.’

Andreas said, ‘Gentlemen, let’s just hope we don’t make a bigger one.’

The three cops stood up, raised their right hands, and slapped high fives. Tassos and Kouros left, and Andreas sat back down. He looked at his watch. It was almost two and still no word from Barbara.

Time for a change of plans.

If the amount of bullshit men threw at women visiting Mykonos that actually was believed could be spread across that arid island, within a week it would be as green as picture-postcard English countryside. Why they believed what they heard no one knew. Perhaps they came looking for a fantasized Mister Right on an idyllic Greek island, or maybe just wanted to hear something, anything, to justify behavior unthinkable back home. No matter, whatever the reason, men sensed it and took advantage. For them it was a fantasy of a different sort, power over another being, something missing in virtually every other aspect of their lives that counted.

Unless, of course, you were Vladimir Brusko: for him, no rules applied, nothing was unattainable. His vast Russian-made fortune bought it all, anywhere and anytime he wanted. He came to Mykonos not so much to play, although
he surely did, as to validate his choice of lifestyle. Surrounded by so many from so much of the world, struggling so hard to get just a taste of what came to him so easily, was what made his Mykonos holidays a joy. He was a voyeur here, admiring himself endlessly in everyone else’s mirror.

At the moment, he was sitting at a tiny cafe table by Vengera, staring at cleavage, listening to a pitch from its possessor. Why do all these peasants I employ to do local tasks for me think they can draw upon my time at will?

‘Like I said, Vladimir, he is very important with the police in Athens, and he said it’s urgent he speak with you. Urgent. But you aren’t supposed to know any of this.’

She really thinks I need to know these low-level police? I know their bosses. I can get whatever I need with a phone call. ‘I do not wish to get involved.’

‘It doesn’t involve you. If you don’t like what he has to say, ignore him. It’s all up to you.’

No reason to offend this woman. I’ll just say hello, let him make his little pitch and be done with it. He smiled and leaned over to her. ‘How could I ever refuse my Katerina?’ Then kissed her on the cheek.

Katerina glowed. ‘Thank you, Vladimir.’

‘No need to,’ because I shall give him nothing.

Andreas began his stroll along Matogianni at precisely two a.m. With all the necessary hellos it would take fifteen minutes to make it to Vengera. Ex-police chiefs must listen to old and new gripes. Generally he didn’t mind, though tonight he had little patience for other than ‘
Yiasou
Manos,
kisses Irini, hello Theo.’ He must focus. This was far too important for more serious distractions. There was Katerina, dead ahead. It’s show time.

‘Andreas, Andreas.’ The voice came from a woman in a Greek fisherman’s hat sitting to his left in front of a jewelry store. She was surrounded by colorful paintings of traditional Mykonian life. ‘I’ve missed you,
kukla
, how are you? Please, come and sit with me.’

‘I can’t, Cee, I have to hurry.’ Everyone called her Cee. She was the dean of Mykonos artists, thought by many to be more symbolic of Mykonos than its pet pelicans. Her paintings brought Mykonos to the world, one tourist at a time.

‘I see, now you’re too important even for old friends. Just like everyone else who goes off to Athens.’

He let out a breath, turned away from his path to Katerina, and walked over to her. ‘For you there’s always time.’ He leaned down and kissed her on both cheeks. ‘But not now, Cee.’

‘Okay, but don’t forget me.’

‘Never.’

‘Andreas,
over here
.’

It was from a voice Andreas knew, and with an intensity that made you think he was the mayor handing out tax breaks. ‘Katerina
mou
, what a pleasant surprise.’

She was the only woman sitting amid a group of men gathered around a small table. Some were on chairs, some sat on cushions on a low, smooth, white concrete wall, others stood. Three of the men wore black combat fatigues. Andreas wasn’t sure if dressing bodyguards like that helped
achieve their intended purpose, unless of course attracting attention was what you wanted.

‘Come here, please, I want you to meet a very good friend of mine.’ She’d switched to English and was nodding toward a man on her right.

Andreas smiled. The man was about Andreas’ age, looked fit, with sandy hair, brown eyes, and a ‘why are you bothering me’ look. Andreas stepped up to the table, extended his hand, smiled, and said in English, ‘Hi, Andreas Kaldis.’

The man did not stand, just reached up, gave a perfunctory handshake, and said in clearly Russian accented English, ‘Nice to meet you, Vladimir Brusko.’

Andreas nodded, then leaned down to Katerina, kissed her on both cheeks, and said in English, ‘Katerina, my love, you look as fantastic as ever,’ making sure to sneak an obvious peek at her breasts.

‘I’ve missed you, there is so much to catch up on.’ She slid along the cushion on the wall to make room for Andreas to sit between her and the Russian.

‘Thank you. I’d love to, but I’m meeting someone and can’t stay. Maybe we’ll bump into each other later. Kisses.’ He patted Vladimir on the shoulder. ‘Nice meeting you, bye.’ And off he went, quickly lost in the Vengera crowds.

Andreas’ phone rang almost immediately.

‘What the hell was that?’ It was Tassos.

‘I had no choice, no bait to fish with. Until I hear from Barbara it’s a waste of time. That guy’s about as interested in talking to me as you are in going on a diet.’

‘Kiss my ass. When do you think you’ll hear from her?’

‘Wish I knew. Just have one of your boys keep a loose
eye on him so we know where they are when she calls. I’m sure she will, just not sure when her spaceship will land on this planet. But tell them to be careful, he probably has bodyguards under-cover keeping an eye out for anyone watching him. Guys with camo-cops usually do.’

‘I cannot tell you how pissed Katerina must be at this moment,’ said Tassos.

‘Serves her right. Only reason for her being pissed is if she told him all sorts of things she shouldn’t have.’

‘Yeah, makes sense, but I’ll let you explain that to her.’

‘Got to go, must find Barbara.’ Andreas hung up and dialed Lila.

She answered on the first ring. ‘Hello, daddy-to-be. Miss me, or are you just calling to verify your instructions?’

‘Why aren’t you sleeping?’

‘Hard to sleep, what with my imagination running wild at what might be going on. Besides, you knew I’d be awake. That’s why you called.’

Andreas wasn’t in the mood for banter. ‘Yes, I miss you, but it looks like you have nothing to worry about. Barbara is a no-show.’

‘You’re kidding me.’ Her tone was serious.

‘Wish I were. She was out when I got to her house a little past midnight. She left a note that she’d be out to dinner, her phone would be off, and she would call me later. It’s now way past later and the whole plan is about to crash.’

There was a long silence before Lila spoke. ‘At times she’s a real airhead, with the attention span of a gnat. Let me try to find her.’ Her voice now was angry. ‘I’ll get her
to call you, or let you know if I can’t find her. But I will. Love you.’ She hung up.

Andreas was standing between two churches, really three, just beyond the Nautical Museum. Time to say a prayer and light a candle. Make that three candles.

‘Your friend seemed really excited at meeting me.’ The sarcasm was clear.

Katerina’s nervousness was obvious. ‘Vladimir, I don’t understand. He said it was important. Honest.’ That bastard Tassos, wait until I get my hands on him.

‘Don’t worry about it.’ He patted her bare knee. ‘He’s just a
poseur
and not a very good one at that. “I’m meeting someone and can’t stay.” I just bet he is, some fuck-me-for-a-drink mindless little tourist slut. Now he’s just one less nobody looking to waste my time.’

Vladimir gestured for a bodyguard to pour them more champagne, then raised his glass and stared into Katerina’s eyes.

Her face lit up in a smile.

He leaned over and whispered in her ear, ‘To no more urgent meetings.
Ever
.’

Katerina’s smile vanished.

Lila called a dozen people before she found one who knew where to find Barbara: she was sitting across from him, naked in a hot tub. Lila thought, thank God he’s gay, because no straight man in that position would ever have answered the phone. Staring at arguably the world’s most perfect set of tits would be far too much of a distraction.

‘Christo, let me speak to her.’ Christo was the most sought-after and prominent hairdresser in Athens.

‘Not sure she’s in any condition to talk,
kukla
. Thank God I was there to save her.’

‘
Christo, let me speak to her
.’ It was a non-negotiable tone.

Lila heard a muffled few words followed by ‘Hellllo.’

‘Barbara, what the hell are you doing?’

‘Lila, darling, I’m here with the most gorgeous, blond-haired, blue-eyed, naked man … are you here? I mean I miss you. I—’

‘Barbara, get out of that hot tub, get yourself dressed and get into town. You’re supposed to be meeting Andreas.’

‘But it’s still early.’

‘It’s almost three o’clock in the morning.’

‘Oh. I lost track of time. There were so many people, we were having such fun, Christo said, “why leave,” and you know how convincing he can be, and—’

‘Let me speak to Christo.’

She heard the phone drop.

‘Hi,
kukla
, thank God she missed the water.’

‘Listen carefully. I want you to get her dressed, made up to look perfect, and into town, now.’

‘But—’

‘
No buts!
No buts at all. Do you hear me? Barbara was supposed to meet Andreas over an hour ago. I’m hours away from giving birth, and you do not want to imagine how crazy I can be if you don’t do me this simple favor and get her ass in town in the next twenty minutes!’

As independent and important as Christo liked to think he was, they both knew his business depended upon staying
in the good graces of powerful Athenian women, and Lila was at the very top of that list. She hoped her tone would sober him up enough to do the same for Barbara.