'Yes.' Her voice sounded a bit more tentative.
'Hi, it's Andreas Kaldis. I hope it's not too late to call.'
Her voice came alive. 'No, not at all. Like I said, feel free to call any time. What's up?'
'Uh, I'm here in my office with officer Kouros and we thought there's something you might be able to help us with.'
'Is it about our case?'
He avoided answering her question directly. 'I have no reason to think so yet, just checking out every possible lead. We're hoping you can tell us about the Mavrakis family. Let me put you on the speaker.'
'Which one?' Her voice came across on the loudspeaker even perkier than before.
'Thanassis. We were wondering what happened to his family after he died.'
She laughed. 'Boy, you sure come up with the juicy ones. You're talking mega-society gossip here.'
'But there was nothing in the papers.'
'Wouldn't be, most truly private high society family scandals don't get press coverage unless a family member, or lawyer, wants to make it public.' She'd mocked the words she emphasized.
'So, what happened?'
'I don't know the family that well. Thanassis and his wife were friends of my parents, and their children were much older than I. In fact, I think the daughter had a son a few years younger than I am.'
Andreas looked at Kouros. 'What's his name?'
'Demosthenes, I think. Don't know him, not sure I ever met him. Terrible what happened to him and his mother, though.'
Andreas didn't say anything, just waited for her to continue.
'Thanassis was a very successful ship owner, and like many old timers hid what he owned behind a lot of companies. Probably didn't even have his name on the stock certificates showing who ultimately owned the assets. That was common among that crowd.'
'So no one could find someone to blame if anything went wrong?' asked Andreas.
'Or find to pay taxes. Especially inheritance taxes.' She paused. 'I'm trying to remember the gossip. It was so long ago. I know the son worked with his father and that the daughter and her mother did not get along. The brother was the mother's favorite. When the mother died, I believe the father asked his daughter and her son to move in with him. They lived near my grandmother's summer home in Ekali. That's when the brother had a huge fight with his father, accused him of betraying his mother's memory. The father gave the son an ultimatum. Accept his responsibilities to his sister or leave the business.
'The brother became a new man overnight. Doted on his sister and her son, even started calling him his 'other son.' I think he had two younger ones of his own. Everything seemed perfect. But the moment the father died, the brother reverted to his old self. As I heard the story, after Thanassis threatened to put him out of the business, his son spent virtually every waking moment showing his father what a wonderful son and brother he was. Ultimately, he convinced his father that the best way to save taxes for the family was to transfer ownership of everything to him on his promise to 'take care of his sister and nephew.''
'I think I see what's coming. And the father believed him?'
'Well, the father didn't have all his wits about him in his final years, but that sort of arrangement was something many Greek families with hidden assets followed. What happened here was the exception to the rule. Regrettably, not that rare an exception but, still, an exception.
'The difference here was the intensity of the brother's ruthlessness, as if he didn't care what anyone else in the world thought of him. This wasn't only about stealing his sister's inheritance, he wanted her to suffer and did all he could to inflict punishment. Literally forced her and her son out of their father's home just as fast as his lawyers could get it done.'
'Why didn't she go to court?' It was Kouros.
'I don't know. Some said it was her nature. She was a very timid, depressed woman. Death or betrayal had cost her everyone in her life who mattered.'
'Except for her son.' It was Andreas.
'Yes, I don't know what happened to him.'
'What happened to her?'
'Friends of her parents were appalled at the brother's behavior. They paid her rent on a small apartment in some modest building in downtown Athens and found her a job in a government ministry. She worked there until the tragedy to her brother.'
'What tragedy?' Andreas' voice seemed to jump an octave.
'The explosion that blinded him. I thought you knew, and that's why you were calling.'
'No, I didn't.'
'But I don't think it's related. He comes from a very old Greek family. Not like the others. Though he did move away. But you can't blame him.'
Andreas didn't want to show his impatience. 'Uh, Lila, could you tell us what you're talking about?'
She giggled. 'Whoops, it's late and I had a glass of wine. Sorry for rambling. No, as a matter of fact the story had a happy ending.'
Andreas rolled his right hand at the phone in a hurry-up-already gesture. Kouros smiled.
'I guess it shows how a near-death experience can show you the value of family. After the brother was released from the hospital he moved to Geneva and brought his sister to live with him. As far as I know, they're still living in Switzerland.'
'When did all this happen?'
'A bit after the capture of the 17 November terrorists.'
'Huh?' It was Kouros again.
'Don't you remember when a group claiming to carry on the 'revolutionary mission of our 17 November brothers' bombed a small, private family church in Ekali? No one could stop talking about it. I still cringe when I think about it. It was his family's church. It was his mother's name day, and he went alone into the church behind his father's house, actually his house then, to light a candle and say a prayer. The bomb went off when he leaned over and kissed the icon next to his mother's wall crypt. It was a miracle he was only blinded.
'I can't image what sort of human could commit such an outrageous sacrilege.'
Andreas looked at Kouros. 'Someone very bitter and angry.'
'But still, in a church, planting a bomb behind an icon?' Andreas rubbed his eyes. 'Ever hear anything more about the family?'
'No, that's all I remember. Did it help?'
'Sure did. I'm really sorry I bothered you so late, but you helped a lot. Thanks.' His voice sounded burdened with other thoughts.
'Andreas-' she paused.
'What?'
'Oh, nothing. Just call me tomorrow. If you have the chance.'
Kouros gestured if he should leave. Andreas gestured no.
'Absolutely. Promise. Good night. And thanks again, Lila.'
'Good night. Kisses. And good night, officer Kouros.'
'Good night, Mrs Vardi.' The line went dead. 'Sounds like a nice lady.' Kouros actually sounded sincere.
'She is; very nice.' He let out a deep breath. 'What the hell do we have going on here? I feel like mice being run through a labyrinth.'
'At least there's no Minotaur chasing us.'
'But wait, there's still time.' Andreas fluttered his lips. 'That guy was blinded intentionally. If they'd wanted to kill him in such a confined space it would have been easy. The tricky part was just blinding him. These people knew what they were doing.'
'You think it's the same ones who killed the Kostopoulos kid?'
'Not sure, but I'd bet my left nut Demosthenes was behind that church bombing. Revenge on a betraying surrogate father for all the harm done to his mother. Can't say I don't see why the kid might have wanted to kill the bastard, if the uncle's anything like he sounds, but this is… is-'
'Sick?'
