“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.”
Trelos shrugged. “It’s been scrambled since you came into the house. Like I said, ‘I do not wish to hasten’ my demise.”
Andreas checked the recorder and put it back into his pocket. “You do realize this is not going to end here.”
“I should hope not. The killers of those poor people must be found.”
“There’s more involved.”
“Are you talking about the Foundation and the ‘robbery of a church’ that’s supposed to happen here this week?” He accented his words with finger quotes.
“How do you know about that?”
“As I said, we are invisible. Many people talk. We listen. But don’t worry, I can assure you that will not happen.”
“How can you be so sure?”
Trelos picked up his iPod and earphones. “Because it’s already happened.” He put on his earphones. “I have no more to say.” And began to dance as Kouros and Tassos came through the front door.
“We didn’t find a thing, Chief.”
Trelos did a quick pirouette, ending with a wink that only Andreas could see.
Chapter Twenty-three
“That’s one smart son-of-a-bitch. He made sure to put you in a ‘your word against his’ situation over a supposed conversation between you and a notorious whackjob who never talks,” said Tassos.
“And how the hell do you scramble a recorder?” said Kouros from the backseat of the cruiser heading toward town.
“You’re asking me?” said Andreas. “I’m still trying to remember what he said.”
“You remembered enough for me to have a chat with my niece. Unless one of us talked where we shouldn’t have, Eleni’s the only other person who knew about the robbery.”
“And what was all that about the robbery having ‘already happened’?” said Kouros.
“Another question for Eleni,” said Andreas.
Kouros shook his head. “What I don’t get is why does everybody in the sister’s family think she needs protection? She’s the one going face-to-face every night in that bar with the hard-ass customers her brother is trying to save. And from the way she got away from us last night, she just might have the biggest balls in her family.”
