Andreas pushed himself a little harder on his second lap around the perimeter. He assumed Vandrew arrived sometime during the two weeks preceding what the coroner fixed as her latest probable time of death. With the average tourist stay at three days, and 30,000 licensed beds to report, there theoretically were 140,000, mostly handwritten hotel entries to review for that period — assuming she was reported. Good luck finding her that way. He jogged back to the station.
Andreas had showered, and dressed and was having his second cup of coffee when the officer at the front desk called to tell him someone was there to see him — an Albanian who said he'd 'only talk to the chief.' Andreas went down to meet him, a short, slim man, about thirty, dressed in a white T-shirt and jeans. He looked tired and nervous. 'You want to see me?' Andreas used his official tone.
'Yes, sir.' The man's eyes jumped back and forth between Andreas and the other policemen. 'Cousin say to trust you.'
'Who's your cousin?'
'Alex. He find body in church.'
He had Andreas' interest. Andreas led him up to his office and had him sit across from his desk. He left the door open — just in case — and smiled to try to make the man comfortable. 'So, why did you want to see me?'
The man's voice cracked as he spoke. 'Alex say I can trust you,' he repeated as if reassuring himself that he could. 'He say you fair and did not hurt him.'
Andreas just listened.
'I knew the girl.'
Andreas hoped his expression didn't show his excitement. He let him go on.
He spoke quickly in broken Greek. 'She stay at hotel I work nights. I know her from picture police show me.'
'Why didn't you tell that to the police officer when he showed you the photograph?' Andreas already knew the answer.
'I afraid.'
Andreas nodded. An honest answer.
'Because boss not want me say anything.' A surprising answer. 'I did not want lose job.' He was shaking now. Andreas offered him some water, and he took a drink. 'When police showed me picture I know it her but my boss not put her in book.'
His boss was stealing from the tax office — another Mykonos tradition.
'Then police speak to boss and he say she murdered.' He was rocking back and forth in the chair.
Andreas perked up but maintained his steady, official tone. 'How did your boss know that?' His men had been instructed not to say she was dead.
'He say everyone on Mykonos know girl found murdered and if police show picture of girl it had to be her.' His voice was slightly calmer though he continued to rock.
Sort of like trying to hide an elephant under a tablecloth, thought Andreas.
'He say he want no trouble with police and to say nothing.' He stopped rocking and started clasping and unclasping his hands.
'Why are you telling me this now?' Andreas asked, looking for a motive.
'I like her, she nice to me,' he said, his voice cracking this time.
Andreas knew there had to be more of a reason than that. Giving his best all-knowing look he said, 'And?'
The man started rocking again. 'I know Alex found her. I tell him what boss say. He say must tell you.' He paused. 'Because you will find out and I be in big trouble.'
God bless those who overestimate how much police know — and can find out — Andreas thought. 'And?' His voice was more forceful this time.
The man started to shake again. 'No more, that only reason.'
Andreas decided not to press him. He'd leave that to Kouros, who spoke some Albanian. He'd remain the good cop on this one. Andreas picked up the phone and called Kouros. He met Kouros at the doorway and whispered what the man had said and what he wanted Kouros to do.
Andreas introduced the man to Kouros as if the man were his friend. 'Officer Kouros, this man has been a great help to us. Please take his statement and make sure no one lets his boss know he was here.'
Kouros turned to the man and nodded. 'Where do you work, sir?' he asked in Albanian.
'The Hotel Adlantis.'
It took about an hour of good-cop, bad-cop to get the man frightened enough to tell what else he knew. Another hour until Andreas was convinced the man wasn't lying, and another thirty seconds for Andreas and Kouros to be out the door racing toward the hotel. Annika hadn't slept well. She felt uncomfortable in the room. She wanted to get out and decided to sleep on the beach. She threw her things into a beach bag, put on a tank top and a pair of shorts, and headed out the door, flopping along in her sandals.
It was still very early for Mykonos. She'd slept only a couple of hours. She couldn't believe how different this walk to the bus station was from her last. The streets were deserted. She laughed and shook her head as a police car went screaming by her. No one on the roads and still they drive with sirens blaring. Boys never grow up, she thought.
There was only one bus, marked 'Paradise.' She smiled. That's just where she wanted to be. Andreas was in no mood for niceties. He told the woman behind the counter he wanted to speak to the owner. She said he was out and wasn't sure when he'd be back. He told her that in ten minutes either the owner was here talking to them or his officers started knocking on doors and talking to every guest in the hotel. His choice. Ilias was there in five.
'Ilias Batesakis?' Andreas' tone was as stern as his look.
'Yes.' His voice was neutral.
'Is there a place we can talk privately?'
Ilias showed him and Kouros into the small office next to the reception counter and closed the door.
Andreas stared at him, saying nothing. Without moving his eyes from Ilias he held out his hand, and Kouros handed him a photograph. 'Have you ever seen this woman before?'
Ilias looked at the photo with no emotion. 'As I told your officers last night, no, not in my life.'
'It's time to rethink your answer.'
'Who do you think you're talking to?' Ilias raised his voice. 'You come into my place of business, frightening my help and threatening me. I am a cousin of the mayor.'
'Fine. He can visit you in jail,' Andreas said, and gave Kouros a take-him-away gesture.
Kouros motioned for Ilias to follow him. Ilias laughed, until Kouros grabbed him, swung him around, and cuffed his hands behind him. Not the usual treatment afforded politically connected Mykonians. Ilias no longer was laughing. He began to curse.
Andreas simply waited until he'd finished. 'We came here to ask you questions. You're the one who's turned yourself into a murder suspect.'
The color drained from Ilias' face. It was as gray as his hair. 'Murder? I didn't do anything to the girl. I don't know what happened to her. She never came back.'
There was no need to note he'd just admitted to lying — they were way past that point.
'Where are the tapes?'
The man looked as if he might faint. 'What tapes?'
Andreas threw him into a chair. 'Asshole, where are the tapes? You're the number one suspect in a murder case. Now try to change my mind.'
'I want to speak to my cousin.' He sounded frightened.
Andreas smacked him across the face with the back of his hand. 'Take him out of here, Yianni. We'll get what we want from him back at the station.'
Ilias was strong and tried to resist when Kouros took his arm to pull him out of the chair, but Kouros was stronger and enjoyed his work. The sound of Ilias bouncing off the walls got the receptionist yelling, 'Is everything all right in there?'
Kouros had Ilias pressed against the wall with his arms locked behind him in cuffs. Breathing heavily, Ilias yelled back, 'Yes, Roz. All is okay.' Then he said quietly, 'She came by boat.'
Kouros didn't budge. 'Keep talking,' said Andreas.
