19
Room 318 at the Athens Hilton had a spectacular view from the balcony across the city. In the distance the Parthenon perched on the summit of the Acropolis was silhouetted against a clear evening sky. Her arms folded, Christina stood on the balcony alongside Newman.
'It is very beautiful,' she said, 'especially when you think of man's age-long struggle to become civilized. Two steps forward, one step backward. You know they're going to come looking for me,' she added quietly. 'My horrible family. Petros will see to that.'
'Which is why I brought you here instead of the Grande Bretagne. And you registered under an assumed name.'
They will still track me down. They will tour the hotels. A few drachmae will change hands. They have photos they can show a bellboy, a reception clerk.'
'When you arrived dressed so differently? Wearing those huge dark glasses and your hair concealed under a scarf.'
'Maybe you're right. Bob. I wish I could feel as carefree as those people by the pool.'
She looked down to where guests sprawled round the large swimming pool, (he water a deep turquoise in the sunlight. Even with the air-conditioning going full blast the large double room behind them was heavy with heat. Newman watched her while she gazed at the pool.
On their return to Piraeus aboard the ferry, Nick had driven them to Kolonaki, the Mayfair and Park Avenue of Athens rolled into one. He had left Newman and Christina there while he took Marler back to the Grande Bretagne. Christina had bought herself several new outfits and nightwear because all her clothes were at Petros' farm. Newman had paid with traveller's cheques and she'd made him promise to accept payment from her.
'I can go to the bank in the morning,' she had insisted. 'My mother left me all the money left her by her relative. There was quite a large sum even after paying for my education…'
Newman had braced himself for an ordeal. A woman buying clothes would take forever. He found he was wrong. Christina was decisive, could look quickly at a dozen outfits in her size, pick out one immediately, try it on in minutes, then buy it. They came closer together during the shopping expedition. Newman was always consulted as to whether he liked what she'd chosen. Twice he shook his head and she looked for something else.
Now she was kitted out with one evening dress and an adequate wardrobe for daytime. When she changed out of her jump suit she gave it to him, he rolled it up, took it outside the hotel and rammed it inside a litter bin. They would be looking for her dressed in that.
'Are we having dinner together?' she asked as they stood on the balcony. 'Or is that too forward of me?'
'The nicest possible way to put it. I've been hoping you would join me. We'll try the Ta Nissia here.'
'Super!' Her eyes glowed. 'Now, you've appointed yourself my bodyguard. Can you read a magazine or something while I take a bath?'
'Take your time…'
He was sitting by the large picture window spanning the end of the room when someone tapped on the door. He walked rapidly and quietly to the door. Leaving it on the chain, he opened it and Marler waved a hand through the gap.
'Embarrassing moment?' he drawled. 'I can come back. Give you another hour with her?'
'Shut up and come in. She's taking a bath before we have dinner downstairs.'
The balcony,' Marler said tersely.
He waited until they were outside, then slid the door closed and lit a cigarette. 'No sign of the enemy at the Grande Bretagne yet. And,' he forestalled Newman, 'I wasn't followed. Do you realize you may be walking into a lethal trap?'
'What the hell does that mean?'
'Strikes me you're getting pretty cosy with Christina. That's OK as far as I'm concerned…'
'Oh, how very kind,' Newman interrupted ironically. 'Nice to have the Marler Good Housekeeping seal of approval…'
'Let me finish. It could be a set-up – organized by Petros to lure you into a trap. All this stuff she's been handing out about hating them, that they'll come after her. Has she had a chance to use a phone since you left us?'
'As a matter of fact, no.' Newman held up a hand. 'And before you waste any more breath, did you really think the idea hadn't occurred to me? If it is a trap I'll be walking into it with my eyes wide open – to see where it leads. Tweed has used the tactic very successfully himself in the past.'
'Pardon me for being alive.' Marler gazed down at the illuminated swimming pool. 'Plenty of talent down there. Look at that brown beauty sprawled on the grass. And, while we're on the subject. I did as you suggested. Called in at the British Embassy and contacted Patterson. Bit of a drip, but after seeing my identification he let me call Tweed on scrambler. You have to call him back when you can. Sometime tonight. Remember we are two hours ahead of London.'
'That means my going to the Embassy…'
'It's on Sofias Avenue – a ten-minute walk along it from here.'
'I know that, too. The point is Christina must be guarded during my absence. You're elected.'
'We need to fix a time, then. There's a large hall outside this room with armchairs. I can sit there – but I need to know when to be here.'
'Be downstairs by the bank of lifts at ten forty-five. When you see me leave you come straight up…'
'Ten forty-five? My, we are looking forward to an athletic evening.'
Newman punched him hard on the arm. 'Just piss off, Marler- and before you go, you told Tweed about our trip to Siros?'
'Of course. He said it was as he'd thought before I called – that the solution to Masterson's death lies out here in Greece.' Marler held up a warning finger. 'Don't forget, the last Englishman who got pally with the glamorous Christina was Harry Masterson. And he ended up as a pancake at the foot of Cape Sounion.'
'Again, your subtle turn of phrase. I liked Harry. Now. Marler, just piss off…'
Petros sat in his cane chair on the veranda of the farmhouse in Devil's Valley. His shirt front was open, exposing the hair on his barrel-like chest. Across his lap rested a shotgun. The sun had sunk behind the cliff-like wall of the mountainside to the west. The valley was dark with shadows like blue smoke.
His son and two grandsons stood outside the veranda, keeping their distance, showing their respect. Anton was the most confident. Still wearing his dark blue English business suit, he had loosened his tie and unbuttoned the collar at the neck.
Compared with his two nephews, Dimitrios and Constantine, who were clad in shabby peasant garb, Anton was small and dapper. He smoked a cigarette while he waited for Petros to speak – something the other two would not have dared do. Petros leaned forward.
'Anton is smart,' he began, his voice grating. 'He has just returned from England and the English don't even know he was there.'
'But Passport Control…' Dimitrios began.
Tell me, tell these simple-minded cretins how you did it,' Petros suggested.
'It was easy. Just like that.' Anton snapped his fingers. 'An English gesture,' he lectured his nephews with a superior smile which infuriated them. 'You are right, Dimitrios. I was able to enter England without any check by Passport Control.' He paused. It amused him that he had fooled Petros, an old brigand – an illiterate who couldn't speak a word of English. Well-educated – at Petros' expense – he secretly despised his father. 'I think it would be unwise to reveal my route – it could be given away by Dimitrios in one of his drunken stupors.'
'Now, listen to me, all of you,' Petros growled. 'I taught you, since you were mere children, family honour demands that we revenge ourselves on the killers who dishonoured our family name. Your father, Dimitrios and Constantine, was Stephen, my son who was murdered in Egypt during the war. Christina's father, Andreas, was murdered on Siros. Not that she cares…'
'We know this,' Dimitrios muttered in a feeble show of defiance, but Petros heard him.
'Silence! Both of you are in disgrace. You blundered badly on Siros today. More of that later.' He sank back and the chair creaked. Hooding his eyes like a hawk, he spoke again.
