Mykonos After Midnight

Chapter Sixteen

Wacki got up the moment Andreas and Kouros sat down at his table.

“Please, no reason to leave. It’s a beautiful day to be sitting with old friends in a taverna along the harbor.” Andreas pointed at Wacki’s chair. “Stay.”

Two other men at the table looked at each other as if unsure what to do.

“You two may leave,” said Andreas.

They quickly did.

“I thought you worked in Athens,” said Wacki.

“Missed me, huh?”

Wacki smiled.

“We just had a most interesting chat with your employer.”

“Who’s that?”

“Come on, Wacki, don’t make this hard on us.” Kouros gave him a quick smack on the arm that was slightly more painful than friendly. “Because we’ll have to make it hard on you.”

“I’m just showing the guy around town and acting as his translator.”

“Since when have you become a tour guide?” said Andreas.

“Since the economy cratered. Just in case you public payroll guys haven’t noticed.”

“Play nice,” said Kouros, feigning another run at Wacki’s arm.

Wacki winced. “What do you guys want with me? I’m working for someone who’s interested in taking over a hotel. He’s trying to help Greece by making money for everyone.”

“I’ve heard that money pitch before. It can justify a lot of things,” said Andreas.

“Like I said, he’s into ‘making money for everyone.’” Wacki paused and dropped his head until his eyes were visible over the top of his sunglasses. “That is, for everyone who wants to make money.”

Andreas leaned in to six inches from Wacki’s face. “Some things never change. You’re still a rat-faced, crooked son of a bitch who thinks everyone can be bought. Congratulations, asshole, you just made the top of my shit list. You want off it? Tell me what your boss is really up to.”

Wacki jerked back in his chair. “Honest, all I know about is the hotel. I’m his employee, not his confidant.”

“Were you with him at his meeting with the mayor?”

“Yes.”

“What did you talk about?”

“Things?”

“What sorts of things,” said Kouros, patting him lightly on the arm.

“He wanted to know if the town was safe.”

“For that he went to the mayor?” said Andreas.

“The police chief was there. He told him the town was safe.”

“Anything else?”

“Not that I can remember?”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

Andreas motioned with his finger for Wacki to lean in toward him. “I want to make myself perfectly clear. If I find out you’re holding out on me about what Sergey’s really up to, you and all your island buddies will become my number one targets in what I can assure you will be ironclad, big-time, jail-time investigations. And I’ll personally let each one of them know it’s all coming down on them because of you.”

Andreas smiled. “Do we understand each other?”

Wacki nodded.

“Good. Now run along.”

And he did. Straight back to the hotel.

***

Tassos walked past the cop at the reception desk and up the stairs to the second floor of the police station. He stopped at a door around and to the left of the top of the stairs, knocked once, and opened the door.

“Hi, Mihalis.”

The police chief looked surprised. “Tassos, what are you doing here?”

“Just thought I’d stop bye to say, ‘Hi.’”

Tassos plopped onto an overstuffed chair alongside Mihalis’ desk. “I understand your distinguished mayor is running his mouth off about my investigation into Christos’ murder.”

“How the hell do you know that?”

“Never mind how I know, how does the mayor know about my case?”

“Christ, Tassos, he’s the mayor, how do I know?”

“Because you’re the only one in this goddamn sieve of a police station that I told about the girl and her two accomplices.”

Mihalis ran his hand through his hair. “Honest, I didn’t expect him to tell the Russian.”

Tassos hoped his surprise didn’t show. “You were there?”

“Yes, the Mayor said he had a ‘delicate matter’ to discuss and when I showed up the Russian and Wacki were there.”

“What did the mayor tell them?”

“It was hard to follow, they were speaking in English and Wacki was translating.”

“Did the Mayor mention the girl and the accomplices?”

“Yes.”

“How many men did he say were with her?”

“I think he said ‘a couple,’ but not sure.”

“What other cats did your esteemed mayor let out of the bag?”

“Nothing. Just that it was a crime of passion. Not robbery.”

“How did he come to that conclusion?”

“The mayor said there was nothing left in the safe to steal. Everything had been taken.” Mihalis paused. “Sort of makes you wonder if it wasn’t a crime of passion what were they looking for?”

“Sure does. Thanks, Mihalis.” Tassos pulled himself out of the chair. “And I’d appreciate it if you didn’t pass along this little chat of ours to the mayor.”

At least not until I’m out of the building.

***

Wacki sat at the table in Sergey’s room, repeating word for word his conversation with the two cops.

Sergey listened patiently until Wacki finished. “Interesting. I assume this means those police cannot be bribed.”

“Kaldis? Not a chance. He’s a legend on a mission. And he has a rich, socially prominent wife. Doesn’t need the money.”

Sergey flicked his index finger against his lips. “I guess we must find another way to get what we need from him and his colleagues.”

“Good luck with that,” said Wacki.

Sergey smiled. “Thank you.”