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

what?” said Andreas, grappling for his phone with one hand and driving with the other. He looked at the screen. “It’s the minister. Here, Yianni, answer and put us on speakerphone.”

“Hello, Andreas?”

“Yes, Minister. Hello.”

“Where are you?”

“Naxos, on our way to the police station in Filoti.”

“How goes the investigation into the missing reporter?” The minister spoke in a measured tone, unusual for him.

“We’ve got some good leads on some bad folks, and once we locate them, we should be in a better position to find her.”

“In other words, you have no fucking idea where she is.”

So much for measured tones. “I guess some cynics might describe it that way.”

“This is not a joke, Kaldis.”

“Let’s cut to the chase, Minister. Who’s beating down your door on this?”

“I just received a letter delivered by hand from the reporter’s publisher, charging you with gross dereliction of duty in your handling of her disappearance and threatening to wipe you and me off the face of the earth if I don’t immediately fire you. He also accused you of making ‘extortionate threats’ if he sought the help of the public to find her.”

Andreas answered calmly. “And what reason did he offer for my conduct?”

“To quote him, ‘Kaldis’s megalomaniacal ego and psychotic obsession for control endangers the very citizens he’s sworn to protect.’”

“So, what’s his bottom line?”

“If you’re not fired by the end of today, he’s going public with his charges.”

“Good.”

“Good? What the hell does that mean?”

“I told him to give me until midnight to find the reporter. He’s obviously agreed.”

“Maybe you are insane.”

“I’ll take that to mean I still have my job. At least until midnight.”

“I’ll fax a copy of the letter to you at the Filoti station. Once you’ve read it, tell me how you want to handle it. This man wants your head. Decide whether you want to resign or be dismissed.”

“Is there another choice?”

“Yes, find his reporter before midnight.”

The line went dead.

“Didn’t we discuss this possibility when you decided to threaten the head of the most powerful publishing family in Greece?” said Tassos.

“Is this an I-told-you-so moment?” said Andreas.

“No, more of a looks-like-now-you’ll-have-more-time-to-spend-with-the-family moment.”

Andreas glanced at Yianni, “Thank you for your help on that call.”

“What are you talking about? All I did was hold the phone.”

“No, for your advice on how to deal with the senile. It also seems to apply to bureaucrats. Stay calm, make them feel comfortable, and then pounce.”

“Gentlemen, we only have until midnight,” said Yianni. “What do you suggest we do?”

“I want to call Dimitri and see who he thinks can help us identify that woman and her children. No reason to waste time in Filoti if he can give us leads himself.”

“But what about the letter?”

“Screw it. I know what it says. I don’t have to see it in print. All it will do is cause me to lose my newfound fucking calm at that asshole publisher.” He banged away on the steering wheel.

* * *

Lila, Maggie, and Toni left the house by nine, but appealing distractions along the way led them first to the Temple of Demeter and then on to a slew of historical sites, churches, and monasteries before they made it to Halki. They found the artist’s gallery tucked away on a lane off the main road, but by then it was early afternoon and the gallery was closed. They stood staring in through display windows, wondering where to go next, when a woman’s voice yelled out to them from a kafenio across the lane. “Sisters, I’m over here.”

Artist sat at a café table, waving for the others to join her. “I never thought you meant it when you said you’d visit my gallery. I thought you were just being courteous.”

“If you knew us better, you wouldn’t say that,” said Toni.

“I’ll keep that in mind.” Artist exchanged cheek kisses with her visitors and waved to a woman standing in the doorway. “Three more wineglasses and another carafe of white, please. And don’t forget the meze.”

Once they’d been seated, Artist whispered, “I ordered some things to nibble on, but if you’re looking to have lunch, this isn’t the place.”

“The whole town has such a wonderful neoclassical atmosphere. I love it,” said Lila.

“Thanks. I prefer calling it neohippie classical. At one time Halki was the capital of Naxos, and a few of us have done our best to revitalize the village. The trouble is, as soon as a new shop opens with a unique concept or product, others spring up copying the original idea and charging half the price for one quarter the quality.”

“Welcome to today’s universal business model,” said Lila.

Artist glanced inside the kafenio. “Oh, no, she’s on her phone. Probably with her boyfriend. Who knows when she’ll bring our order. Come, I’ll show you my gallery while we wait.”

As soon as she stepped inside the gallery and saw the artist’s work, Lila asked Artist to allow her to make an introduction to one of Athens’s leading gallery owners. “I know her personally, and I can assure you she would love to represent you. That is, if you’re interested.”

“I thought you were some kind of psychologist?”

Lila nodded. “Believe me, I am, but art is my passion and I know what’s good. If you’re interested, let me know.”

“Your drinks are on the table” came trilling across the road from the kafenio’s doorway.

“If you’re serious, of course I’m interested. Thank you.”

“As I said before we don’t say things just out of courtesy, especially not this one,” said Toni, pointing at Lila.

“I said the drinks are on the table.”

“She must have had a fight with her boyfriend. Let’s get back to the table before she explodes. Her voice could shatter my windows.”

Over the ensuing hour, they finished off the carafe of wine; nibbled away at the bits of cucumber, cheese, and sausage offered as meze; discovered common interests; and elicited Artist’s promise to hook Lila and Toni up with her friend on Naxos, who, like them, worked with abused and trafficked young girls.

“Usually, I don’t have to say this,”