Andreas picked up on Tassos' thought. 'Yeah, maybe he's a fan of the artist or someone inspired by his paintings, or maybe it's somebody who hates the artist and is trying to assassinate his nymphs.' He was seriously caught up in his thoughts.
Tassos rolled his eyes. 'I get your point, but do me a favor, don't tell anybody else we're looking for a nymph assassin.'
Andreas let out a quick laugh and looked back at Tassos. 'I guess he's not coming back.'
'Probably at the beach, like every other self-respecting tourist. Let's take a look in the church.' Tassos stood up.
They walked up the hill to the church. It was relatively new as churches went and, like the house, was neat and well maintained from the outside. The front door was locked and the side windows were shuttered and latched from the inside. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. Rather than breaking into the church, they decided to head back to the station and talk to Manny the taxi driver.
It seemed the right decision at the time. The first thing Andreas did when he returned to the station was check to see if the deputy minister had called. He hadn't and Andreas wasn't going to call him. He was prepared to put his head in the guillotine by telling all, but he wasn't about to chase down his executioner. Until the blade fell, Andreas intended to do exactly as the deputy minister's office said — find his missing niece 'right away.' Spiros Renatis loved his sister. He also loved his niece. What he didn't love — but had learned to live with — were the bureaucracy and favor traders plaguing his ministry. Although telling a local police chief to drop everything to find his niece didn't approach the sort of abuse of power that bothered him, asking this particular police chief that favor was about the last thing in the world he wanted to do. He knew all about Andreas' unwanted 'promotion' to Mykonos for pushing an investigation too close to the powers that be — and Andreas' rumored anger at being booted out of Athens for being too good at his job. He also knew the police legend about what happened to the deputy minister who assassinated his father's reputation. Regardless of how much any of that was true, he didn't want to do anything that might draw him into a potential mess — such as speak with Andreas. That's why he had his secretary make the call.
He knew he'd made the right decision when his secretary told him Andreas insisted he call back at once on a critically important matter too personal to describe to her. He was certain it tied in to Andreas' efforts to get back to Athens. My God, he thought, who knows what information he intends to tell me that I don't want to know? He left instructions with his secretary that she was only to take messages from Chief Kaldis and never — under any circumstances — put him through. With Tassos in the room Manny was even calmer and more cooperative than before. He acted as if in the company of a beloved uncle — until Andreas showed him Annika's photograph. 'Ever see her before?'
Manny's eyes seemed to double in size. He said nothing.
'Manny, do you recognize her?' asked Tassos.
Still silence.
Tassos tried again. 'Manny, what's wrong? Do you recognize her? Tell us, it's important.'
'I want to see Katerina.'
Katerina was Mykonos' number one criminal defense lawyer. Andreas was caught off-guard and looked at Tassos. His face looked just as surprised. Andreas spoke softly. 'Manny, this is serious, but if you want us to help you you'll have to help us.'
No answer.
Tassos spoke affectionately, in a fatherly tone. 'Manny, we've been through a lot together, and I've always been straight with you. You have to trust me now and tell me what you know about her before whatever trouble you're in gets worse.'
Manny looked at Tassos with tears in his eyes. 'I want to speak to Katerina.'
Andreas wanted to hit him but knew Tassos wouldn't let him. 'Put him in a cell and get Katerina over here now,' he barked to Kouros.
'She might be in Syros. It's a court day. What do I tell her?' asked Kouros.
Tassos answered. 'If she's in Syros, I'll get her back here by helicopter. If she's in Athens, I'll get her back by air force jet. If she's in one of her boyfriends' beds, I'll drag her here myself. Just find her and tell her that I — and the Chief — want her ass in here now! Or else!'
Andreas presumed she'd know what 'or else' meant, coming from Tassos.
The instant Kouros left the office Tassos banged his fist on Andreas' desk. 'Damn, I'd have sworn on my mother's soul Manny wasn't our killer. I just don't understand this.' He banged his fist again.
Andreas shook his head. 'It doesn't make much sense to me either. I don't see a killer with the balls to walk in here on his own — after snatching, maybe even killing, another one — falling apart when he's shown her photograph. For sure he knows her, but if he's our guy…' His voice trailed off.
Tassos dropped into his chair. 'That means someone else has her. Any word on the others?'
'Kouros, get in here!' Andreas yelled.
Thirty seconds later, Kouros appeared. 'Sorry, Chief, I was on the phone with Katerina. She's on the fast boat from Syros. Gets in at five. She'll be here as soon as she's off the boat.'
Andreas looked at his watch. Five was only twenty minutes from now. 'Good. Any news on that other cabdriver, the one who picked up Vandrew at the taxi stand?'
Kouros pulled a notebook out of his back pocket. 'According to his log he picked her and three other passengers up at 1:55 in the morning at the taxi stand, dropped her off at the square in Ano Mera at 2:10, and the other three at 2:20 at the Mykonian Regal Hotel on Elia Beach. He said he remembered her because she sat in the front seat and was very tall and pretty. He wanted to talk to her but she was on her cell phone when she got into his taxi and didn't get off until just before she got out.'
Andreas interrupted him. 'Did he have any idea who she was talking to?'
Kouros nodded no. 'She was speaking English and he doesn't understand it very well, but from the way she was talking he's pretty sure she was agreeing to meet a man.'
'Meet where?' Tassos asked.
'All he remembered hearing was 'Ano Mera' and 'square.''
'What about the other passengers?' asked Andreas.
'No luck. I checked at the hotel. It's a big place and the owner said unless the hotel called for the taxi — which it didn't — they have no way of knowing who the guests were.'
Silence.
'I also checked the bars and tavernas around Ano Mera Square. No one remembers her. I'll try again tonight when the later crowd is there.'
Andreas said 'Thank you' and Kouros left.
'Good man,' said Tassos.
Andreas nodded. 'Yes. Hope he keeps his enthusiasm for the job.'
'Like us?'
Andreas smiled. 'Yeah, like us. Let's get some coffee while we wait for Her Majesty.'
'Oh, so you know Katerina.' Tassos smiled.
'Only by reputation. A 'pit bull,' I think, is the term most used.'
'Even with a pit bull it depends whether she wants to lick or bite. I can't wait until she meets you.' Tassos' smile broadened. 'If I had to bet, I think she'll work with us on this one.'
'Okay,' said Andreas. 'If you say so.' They went to the squad room for coffee.
Ten minutes later Katerina made her entrance into the station: raging red hair, bright blue dress molded onto an impressively augmented five-foot-five figure, and a roaring voice. 'Where the hell is that bastard Tassos?'
'In here, my love!' Tassos called out from the squad room.
In she stormed. 'What the fuck are you doing ordering me to bring my ass up here ASAP?'
'Katerina, I'd like you to meet Chief Kaldis.'
Andreas stood and immediately Katerina's expression softened. She looked him up and down, then gave her most coquettish smile — one no doubt she'd been practicing for at least fifty years. 'My, such a young and handsome man to be chief. You must be very good at what you do.'
Andreas couldn't help but smile at her hustle. 'And you as well, I'm sure.'
'Okay, Katerina, start the mating ritual later. This is serious. Let's go upstairs.' Tassos took her by her arm
