A Deadly Twist by Jeffrey Siger (free novel reading sites .txt) 📕

was a lawyer, and his son followed in his footsteps, but the grandson opted for bookselling as a better life choice.”

“Hard way to make a euro.”

“He has the benefit of a grandfather who left him several rent-producing properties to subsidize his lifestyle.”

“Where’s he live?”

“In Chora, above his bookshop. The others all live in villages out of town. The farmer raises olives in Eggares and runs an olive-press museum in the center of the village.”

“What’s his family tree?”

“Hers. She’s a sixth-generation Naxian farmer. There’s another woman in the group. She’s an artist who lives in Halki and runs a very successful art gallery called Alex’s Fishbowl. She’s an expat. Been here for thirty years. One of the most articulate of those seeking to market the preservation of Naxos as a selling point for tourism.”

“Interesting crew.”

“It gets better. The chef-restaurateur has one of the best places on the island. It’s less than a half hour out of Chora, down toward Alyko. We’ve set up the meeting in his taverna. He was a driving force behind the Case of the 33 and is still a strong voice among conservationists opposing the windmills and private exploitation of public lands.”

“And the shepherd?”

“He’s perhaps the most interesting. He’s of one hundred percent Cretan blood, born and raised in the mountain village of Apeiranthos but married an American girl and now lives in Sangri by the Temple of Demeter.”

“Why do you say he’s the most interesting?”

“The list of names you gave me included his wife, not him, but when I called her she said she’d have to speak to her husband. He called me back to say he wanted to come instead of her. I was surprised because his roots and village aren’t known for friendly cooperation with authorities.”

“Do you think he’s coming to cause trouble?”

“That’s what I thought at first, too, so I asked him that straight out. He said he’s coming because he’s a close friend of the husband of the cop who was hurt in that pickup rollover outside of Koronos. He said he wants to do what he can to help find whoever’s responsible.”

“Sounds like he’s suggesting what happened to the reporter and his friend’s wife are related. Did he say why he thought that?”

“We’re in Greece, friend. People see conspiracies in the number of raisins in a cereal box. Who knows what he thinks or the basis for his thoughts. That’s why I set up your meeting, so you can be the super detective who ferrets out the answers.”

“Just for the record,” said Tassos, “I want you to know that you’re just as ornery as ever.”

“I think you mean we’re just as ornery.”

“I know.”

“But I still love you.”

“Me too,” said Tassos. “Thanks for all your help, and stay well, old friend.”

Tassos hung up but didn’t move. He sat staring out to sea. Where had all the years gone? Each time he said goodbye to an old friend, his thoughts ran to whether that might be the last time they spoke. Snap out of it, Stamatos. You’ve got a great woman, great friends, and a great life left to lead.

“Would you please come back to planet earth and tell me what he had to say?” said Andreas.

Tassos rose from his chair. “Let’s have lunch while I tell you.”

* * *

Over a lunch of chicken kalamakia, beef keftedes, fried zucchini, graviera cheese, fresh bread, and a large Greek salad, Tassos shared what he’d heard from his friend.

“Sounds like an interesting group of people,” said Lila.

“With strong opinions,” said Maggie.

“And some real leads,” added Andreas. “We’re meeting at three, so we should plan to leave here by no later than two thirty.”

Tassos motioned to the housekeeper. “May I have another kalamaki, please?”

The housekeeper paused as if confused, nodded, and went into the kitchen.

“Why don’t we visit Yianni and leave for the meeting straight from the hospital?” said Lila.

“Good idea.”

The housekeeper returned with a plate bearing a single straw and placed the plate in front of Tassos.

“What’s this?”

“Your kalamaki, sir.”

Andreas burst out laughing and said to the housekeeper, “I bet you’re from Thessaloniki.”

She nodded yes.

Andreas laughed again. “In Thessaloniki, if you ask for a kalamaki you get a straw. Down here you’ll get chicken or pork on a skewer.”

“Then what do they call meat on a skewer?”

“Souvlaki, which means the same thing to everyone.”

“Just ask for souvlaki and avoid the problem,” said Maggie.

Tassos shook his head. “I guess I’m still not too old to learn something new.”

“What do they call keftedes?” asked Lila.

“Meatballs are meatballs everywhere,” smiled Andreas.

Ring, ring.

“Not my phone this time,” said Tassos.

“It’s mine,” said Andreas, pulling his phone from his pants pocket.

“Kaldis here.”

Pause.

“Hold on, Adoni. I want to put you on speakerphone.”

Andreas set his mobile on the dining table. “It’s our head tech wiz back in GADA with news. I’m here with Maggie and Tassos. What do you have for us?”

“I heard about Yianni. How’s he doing?”

“His hard head finally came in handy,” said Andreas. “He’s doing great. I’ll tell him you asked.”

“Thanks, Chief. Nikoletta Elia’s editor just left. We examined his phone and analyzed the voicemail left by her possible kidnapper. The caller used a state-of-the-art scrambler. No way we could unscramble it, not even to say whether the caller was a man or a woman.”

“Damn.”

“But there’s more.”

“More bad news?”

“Depends on what you’re expecting. We’d also examined the reporter’s mobile and came up with the number of the last call she’d received and answered on that phone. It came through at about the same time as she disappeared from her hotel.”

“Why didn’t you tell us that before?”

“I did, in a voicemail I left yesterday for Yianni, before I heard what happened to him.”

“Okay, go on.”

“As a result of our examination of the journalist’s phone, I have potentially significant news for you.”

“Why is every cop so dramatic?” said Maggie.

“Because we strive for recognition of our small victories amid an ever-losing battle with the dark side,” said Tassos.

“I like that,” said Adoni.

“Just make your point, please,” said Andreas.

“We came up with the same number