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

ever hired her hacker. Even though the cat’s out of the bag for those exposed in her article, his other clients could be worried about follow-up articles covering other activities pointing back at them.”

Andreas heard a deep swallow on the other end of the line.

“Um, we do have an investigative series planned to look into other incidents potentially linked to him.”

“Who beyond you knew of those plans?”

“My publisher and the two reporters I assigned to work with Nikoletta.” He gave Andreas the names of the two reporters. “But anyone familiar with the newspaper business could guess that’s what we’d do. I mean, that’s how you sell papers.”

Andreas leaned back in his chair. “Okay, you’ve piqued my interest. I’ll send someone over to Naxos to look into this. Just one promise I need from you.”

“What is it?”

“Don’t publish anything about your concerns for your reporter—or my unit’s involvement in this. If she’s been abducted and is still alive, the last thing she needs is for her captor to think we’re onto what happened and closing in.”

Silence.

“Well, do we have a deal?” asked Andreas.

“I had to tell my publisher what happened. He went ballistic at the possibility of someone kidnapping one of his reporters. No telling what he might do.”

“Just tell him what I said. Publicity at this time will only endanger her more. And keep your fingers crossed that he listens.”

“Following directions is not a customary strong point among publishers.”

“I’ll take that as a yes, you’ll try.”

“Let me know as soon as you hear anything.”

“That’s a two-way street,” said Andreas.

“Understood.”

“Great. Now let me get back to work.”

“Thanks, Andreas.”

Andreas stared at his dead phone. That was the first time Giorgos had ever called him by his given name.

He’s worried.

* * *

Detective Yianni Kouros looked forward to spending the coming weekend in Athens with his girlfriend, Toni, something her job playing piano in a Mykonos bar rarely permitted. This weekend, though, the bar was closed for a wedding, giving Toni the opportunity to visit him, and Yianni a break from his weekend ferryboat commute to Mykonos.

He planned on showing his American-born girlfriend the real Athens, not the heavily promoted version sold to tourists. But that was still two days away, and at the moment he had a message to see his boss “as soon as you get in.”

Yianni had been Andreas’s right-hand man since their days together on Mykonos, when Andreas was the island’s police chief and Yianni a brash young bull of a rookie cop. He stuck his head through the open doorway to Andreas’s office.

Andreas was talking on the phone but waved Yianni toward a chair in front of his desk. “Yes, Minister, I understand the importance of protecting members of our free press from violence.” He rolled his eyes. “Yes, we are not Turkey.”

Andreas put his hand over the mouthpiece, “It’s our Public Order and Citizen Protection Minister grandstanding for a publisher demanding that we find his missing reporter.”

“What missing reporter?” whispered Yianni.

Andreas took his hand off the mouthpiece. “Of course I’m listening. I was just telling my best detective to clear his desk to take charge of this matter.” Andreas rolled his eyes again. “Absolutely. I’ll let you know as soon as we learn anything more.” Andreas nodded. “Yes, the best to you and your wife too. Bye.” He hung up the phone, sighed, and looked at Yianni.

“Every day I thank the Fates that I gave up that position as Minister of Public Order and returned here to the relative calm of chasing bad guys.” Andreas pointed at the phone. “The gyrations he has to go through to satisfy all the interests demanding his attention is enough to drive a person mad. In order to keep the jackals constantly nipping at his heels from getting a clear shot at his throat, he has to keep his constituents thinking only he can be relied upon to make things happen. This time he had to put on an act for a publisher who’d burst into his office venting about us failing to find a reporter I just learned might be missing.”

Yianni leaned forward. “I get all that political stuff, so let’s get to the part about me clearing my desk.”

“The reporter who broke that story on the mysterious hacker has gone missing, or so her editor thinks.” Andreas told Yianni of his conversation with the editor and his request the paper not run a story about her disappearance until Andreas had a better handle on what happened. “At this point, we don’t know if she disappeared willingly or unwillingly. She might just be out somewhere partying.” Andreas leaned back in his chair. “Then again, with so much of our world facing lethal attacks on the media, we do have to consider the worst as a possibility.”

“I take that to mean the worst is about to happen to me.”

“Hey, don’t complain. It’s why you get paid the big money.”

Yianni waved off the teasing. “I’ve got plans with Toni for the weekend.”

“You’ve got a couple of days before then, and besides, Naxos is only an hour from Mykonos.”

“But our plans are for Athens.”

Andreas nodded. “Well, let’s see what you can turn up by Friday, and we’ll take it from there.”

“I’m not happy.”

“Understood. I’ll find some way to make it up to you.”

“Your bigger challenge will be finding a way to make it up to Toni. After all, she’s become best friends with your wife.”

Andreas nodded. “Neither of whom is shy about speaking her mind to me. I guess that means you should be on your way ASAP. The sooner you get a handle on things, the better our chance of salvaging your weekend.” He paused. “And my domestic bliss.”

“Where do you suggest I begin?”

“I spoke to the Naxos police chief and told him to keep Nikoletta’s hotel room sealed off until you get there. She apparently left in a hurry, taking nothing with her. I’d say that’s the place to start.”

“I’ll get going.” Yianni stood. “Can you get me a list from Nikoletta’s