The Lost Labyrinth

III

Omonia Police Station, Central Athens

Chief Inspector Angelos Migiakis was not in a good mood. He rarely was when forced to defer afternoon visits to his mistress because of a call of duty. Even less so when that duty was to sort out yet another mess that threatened to engulf his crisis-plagued department. 'So what did Loukas say?' he asked.

'He backed up Grigorias,' replied Theofanis. 'He says that this man Augustin Pascal attacked Grigorias for no reason, that Grigorias was only defending himself.'

'Then what's the problem?'

'Because Loukas is lying, that's what.'

'You're sure?'

'I've known him fifteen years. This is the first time he won't look me in the eye.'

'Shit,' muttered Angelos. He picked a glass tumbler up from his desk, made to hurl it against the wall opposite, checked himself just in time. Anger was a problem for him; but he was doing his best.

'I think I can get him to tell me the truth if I push him,' said Theofanis. 'But I wanted to speak to you first. I mean, the last thing we need right now is another scandal.'

'Yes,' said Angelos caustically. 'I'm aware of that.' He put the tumbler back down, then looked across at Theofanis. 'So what do you think did happen?'

'Who can say?' He nodded at the statement lying on the desk. 'But for my money it's like this guy Knox told me. Grigorias gave the woman a grope. The Frenchman saw it and got mad. She's his fiancee, after all. Then Grigorias went crazy on him.' He gave an ugly grimace. 'You should have seen what he did.'

'Not good?'

'Not good at all.' He took a long breath then added: 'And I can't even say I'm that surprised, the way Grigorias has been acting since his girl left him. I did warn you we should take him off the street.'

'So this is my fault now, is it?'

'I didn't say that.'

'You know how understaffed we are.'

'Yes.'

Angelos slapped his desk with both hands. 'That fucking imbecile! That fucking imbecile!' He took a deep breath, waited for the calmness to return. 'Well, we'll just have to hold the line, that's all. They're foreigners, aren't they? No one will take their word against ours.'

'They're also archaeologists. They're here for some kind of conference. So they don't exactly fit the usual profile of troublemakers, do they? And this man Knox, the one downstairs, he's the one who found the lost tomb of Alexander the Great, remember? And who brought down the Dragoumis family. He's a national bloody hero.'

'Christ!' scowled Angelos. 'I'm going to skin that malakas Grigorias.'

'Not until this is over.'

'No,' he agreed. 'You say this Knox is downstairs now?'

'Yes.'

'And is he a reasonable man? Can we come to some kind of understanding?'

Theofanis considered this a moment. 'He's angry,' he said. 'But he's scared too. For himself, yes, but more so for his friend Pascal. If we could offer some kind of guarantee of good medical care…'

'How the hell am I supposed to do that with our fucking hospitals?'

'Then I don't know what to suggest,' shrugged Theofanis. 'Maybe you should meet him yourself.'

Angelos pushed himself to his feet. 'Maybe I should,' he agreed.