‘I need time to think about that. I’ll talk to you later.’ Mavros cut the connection and called Niki.
‘Hello, how are you?’ he asked.
She heard immediately that something had got to him. ‘What’s happened, Alex? Are you all right?’
‘Of course,’ he replied. He still wasn’t going to tell her anything about the men from Kornaria and the vendetta. ‘Tired, though. Listen, I might have to stay on a bit longer here. There are some more things I have to check out.’
Although Niki could be self-centred, she was good at picking up other people’s moods. ‘I thought you’d found the woman, Alex. Why don’t you come home? I’ll look after you, my love, I promise.’
Mavros was touched. ‘It won’t be long, I promise. Listen, I have to dash now. I’ll talk to you later.’
‘I love you,’ she said.
He repeated the words, with enough feeling to reassure her. He did love her, but he’d loved his father — the sad-eyed phantom — for much longer.
His mobile rang.
‘Do you want me to pick you up?’ Mikis asked. ‘I’m in the area.’
They arranged to meet at the corner of the street.
‘Christ and the Holy Mother, what’s happened to you?’ the young Cretan asked, as Mavros got into the Jeep.
‘Must have been something I ate.’
Mikis glanced at him dubiously before driving on. ‘Anything you feel like sharing?’
‘Not right now. Can you take me to the clinic?’
‘I’m heading there to check on the boys. I’ve talked the old man into letting me stick with you today. The film people are mostly over at the fake village they’ve built anyway.’
Mavros remembered the massacre scene that was due to be filmed. ‘Thanks. Maybe we’ll go there later.’ He kept silent for the rest of the short trip, trying to get his mind back on the Maria Kondos case.
There was a black Mercedes outside the clinic, with two bulky, besuited men inside, while the watchers’ Range Rover was in its usual place across the street. Mikis went over to talk to his friends.
Going up the stairs, Mavros knocked on the door of the private room. It was opened by Cara Parks.
‘Good morning, Alex,’ she said, the smile freezing on her lips. ‘What is it?’
‘Erm, some family news. Don’t worry, it won’t get in the way of anything.’
‘Well, you’re finished here, anyway,’ the actress said, extending an arm towards the patient, who was in a wheelchair. ‘Maria’s talking again and Dr Stavra. . Stavra. .’
‘Stavrakakis,’ he completed, with a weak smile.
‘Yes, he says that Maria can come back with me to the Heavenly Blue.’ Cara leaned over her assistant and kissed her on the forehead. ‘Not that she’s going to work, of course.’ She introduced Mavros and explained his role.
Maria Kondos nodded her thanks, though it was unclear if she recognized him, then turned to the actress. ‘I
‘Hold on a moment,’ Mavros said, stepping forwards. ‘What did the doctor say about your temporary inability to speak?’
Maria looked at Cara. ‘That it was shock-induced. Can we go now?’
Mavros was beginning to understand why the woman was disliked among the crew. She was haughty and brusque, clearly regarding him as a low-level servant.
He turned to the actress. ‘I’d like to ask your assistant some questions. I’m still unclear about what happened in the village.’
‘I can’t remember,’ Maria Kondos said firmly. ‘The police inspector was here this morning. He didn’t ask many questions.’
‘Margaritis?’
Cara Parks nodded.
Mavros wondered about that. Then again, the police hadn’t been told about the fight on the road, so his interest in a forbidding woman who remembered nothing about her disappearance wouldn’t have been huge.
‘Do you speak Greek?’ he asked, trying another angle.
‘A bit,’ Maria replied. ‘My parents spoke it at home, but I lost most of it when I went to the West Coast. Why?’
‘I was wondering if you’d heard anything when you were in Kornaria.’
‘I told you, I can’t remember a thing.’
‘Even why you walked out of the resort on your own on Sunday evening?’
‘I imagine I wanted some fresh air.’
Mavros kept on at her. ‘Someone called your mobile from a phone registered to Vasilios Dhrakakis in Kornaria on Sunday evening, not long before you left the Heavenly Blue. Have you no recollection of that?’
‘The name means nothing to me,’ Maria replied, her eyes meeting his.
Mistake, he thought. She thought she could take him on, but he had too much experience of liars. He let it go for the time being and turned the heat up another way.
‘Are you aware that the driver who helped me get you away from the men who were pursuing you is now involved in a vendetta? As am I.’
‘Alex!’ the actress said, shocked. ‘Why didn’t you tell me?’
‘Not your problem. Besides, what could you do?’
She glared at him. ‘Get the production’s lawyers involved, the American consul.’
‘Yeah, that’s going to help.’
‘All right, if it’s money you need, I’ll give you it.’ She glanced at the other woman. ‘After all, you saved my precious Maria.’
‘Don’t worry, I’ll sort it out,’ Mavros said, with considerably more bluster than he felt. ‘Aren’t you supposed to be on set?’
‘This afternoon,’ Cara said. ‘Now I’m going to take Maria back to the hotel.’
‘Let me escort you down.’
‘No, that’s not your job,’ the actress said, calling her bodyguards on her phone.
Mavros looked at Maria Kondos. Why wasn’t she talking? Was she protecting someone in Kornaria? Or could it be that she was less of a victim than she appeared?
He didn’t have a clue.
Mavros watched as one of the gorillas loaded the wheelchair into the boot of the Mercedes, while the other helped Maria into the back seat.
As Mikis was on the way across the street, Mavros’s mobile rang.
‘This is Hildegard Kersten, Alex. I really need your help.’ The old woman sounded close to panic.
‘What’s happened?’
‘It’s Rudi. He’s slipped away from the resort. Don’t worry, it’s not like that woman. I know where he’s heading — to that damned massacre set. But he won’t answer his phone and I don’t know who’s driving him.’
Mavros moved to the Jeep, beckoning to Mikis to follow.
‘I’ll check with the car-hire company while we’re on our way to the set. I’ll let you know as soon as I see him.’
‘Thank you,’ Hildegard said. ‘I’m going over there now myself.’
‘Are you sure that’s a good idea? Your husband presumably wants to be there without you.’
There was a pause. ‘Very well. You are correct. I will stay in the apartment. Goodbye.’
Mavros addressed Mikis. ‘Can you ask your old man if any of your drivers is taking Rudolf Kersten to the massacre set?’
‘My mother’s in charge of dispatch,’ Mikis said. It took him under a minute to confirm that Yerasimos had been hailed by Kersten outside the hotel. He had advised that they were at the Black Bird.
‘The Black Bird?’ Mavros said. ‘What’s that?’
‘The German paratroopers’ memorial on the way to Maleme. It was put up during the war.’
‘And it’s still there?’ Mavros asked, amazed.
