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

rejoices and thanks God for your safe return.” He crossed himself three times.

No one missed the film crew and photographer capturing the moment. Nikoletta allowed the mayor his moment of glory by standing next to him, smiling, and nodding.

Through a forced smile, she murmured, “Mr. Mayor, could we please go to your office now? I’m afraid my smile’s about to crack into a million pieces.”

“Why certainly, my dear. Just a few more photos, please.”

Ten minutes later, they made it to the mayor’s office. Marco was already there, sitting on the far side of the conference table. He immediately stood to shake hands with Nikoletta and Dimitri and nodded to Yianni, who introduced him to Andreas and Tassos.

“Please sit,” said the mayor, taking his seat at the head of the table. “So, to what do I owe the honor of this meeting, aside of course from the rescue of Ms. Elia?”

“We’ve never met before, Mr. Mayor,” said Andreas, “but I’ve heard wonderful things about you.”

The mayor’s chest seemed to puff out from beneath his snug suit jacket. “Why, thank you, Chief. As I’m sure you know, it’s always rewarding to hear that the sacrifices we make to serve our constituents are appreciated.”

Andreas nodded. “That’s why I’ve come to you for your counsel and assistance on a matter of the utmost delicacy.”

The mayor’s brow furrowed and he leaned in toward Andreas. “Please tell me how I can help.”

“Thank you. I knew I could rely on you.” Andreas shook his head. “As you know, over the last week, four people have died, three clearly murdered, the fourth most likely as well. In addition, two police officers were the subject of another murder attempt.”

“Horrible, horrible. All so unlike anything that’s ever happened on our island.”

“Yes, I know,” said Andreas. “I’ve come to warn you of a pernicious evil that’s lain dormant on your beloved island for decades but has now come into bloom with a vengeance.”

The mayor’s furrows grew deeper. “I don’t follow.”

“Let me be blunt. All those murders and attempted murders are connected. They’re tied into one family’s efforts at keeping secret something I’m hard-pressed to believe many here on Naxos haven’t suspected for years.”

“What family?”

“And what secret?” asked Marco.

Andreas spoke Athena’s full name.

The mayor leaned back, looking relieved. “That’s old news. For a moment I thought you had something. Are you talking about their antiquities dealings?”

“In part, but I think illegal antiquities trafficking is a more accurate description.”

The mayor waved his hand dismissively. “If we went after everyone who found and didn’t turn in antiquities, we’d lose half our population.”

“Even if your numbers were close to accurate, which I doubt, that’s an interesting perspective on enforcing the law. It’s the sort of attitude that can justify a lot of bad behavior.”

The mayor’s tone turned aggressive. “Like what?”

“Oh, I don’t know; let’s start with something simple, like murder.”

“Are you accusing me of murder?”

“I didn’t realize we were talking about you.”

The mayor bit at his lip. “I’m very close to that family. They are big supporters of mine, and I take personal offense at any suggestion that they would be involved in anything like murder.”

“I can understand your concern. Since you know the family so well, I assume you also knew the man who used to be their project manager.” Andreas spoke his name.

The mayor smirked. “That piece of shit.” He turned to Nikoletta. “Excuse me.”

She said nothing.

“Why do you call him that?” asked Andreas.

“He was blackmailing Athena for years; everybody knew it.”

“Who’s everybody?”

“Everybody in the family. When he died, it was good riddance to bad rubbish.”

“Wow, I’m impressed at how much you know about the family and its history. We should have come to you first. It would have simplified a lot of things.”

“And saved you from wasting a lot of my time,” the mayor added.

“The only question I have is, based upon all this knowledge you possess about the family, what secret are they so afraid of that they’re prepared to commit murder to conceal?”

“That’s just the point. There is nothing to hide. Everything’s already out there.”

“You know, I thought the same thing. But then I spoke to Nikoletta. And you’ll never guess what she’s learned through her investigative reporting.”

“You mean she’s a better investigator than our distinguished Chief of Special Crimes,” said the mayor with a slight chuckle.

“Simply amazing, isn’t it? Why don’t you tell the mayor what you learned from your sources?”

Nikoletta smiled. “As you’re well aware, Mr. Mayor, during World War II, Nazis plundered Greece. Much of our patrimony went straight to Germany, but some treasures were reported as destroyed. Take for example your island’s School of Commerce, now the Naxos Archaeological Museum.”

The mayor nodded.

“Over the years, our Ministry of Culture has documented those destroyed treasures in connection with our nation’s claim for war reparations from Germany.”

Nikoletta paused to take a sip of water from a bottle in her bag. “In response, Germany submitted its own documentation contesting their alleged destruction and listing specific items claimed to have been destroyed that still existed.”

“Are you going to believe the Germans?” snapped the mayor.

She smiled. “No, but the Germans weren’t asking Greece to take their word for it. They provided auction-house records, gallery records, insurance records, private collection records, and other types of reputable third-party documents showing the items to still exist, decades after the war.”

The mayor pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket.

“Many of those rebuttal records also reveal the provenance of the items and, lo and behold, guess whose family name, or companies recorded in other Greek ministries as being tied to that family, pop up? Athena’s family appears in the provenance of a plethora of items allegedly destroyed in World War II as owning those items before the war. If true, that would convey legitimacy upon anyone subsequently acquiring an item through the family. But we know, don’t we, Mr. Mayor, that before the war those items were the property of Greek institutions, not private individuals or companies?”

The mayor said nothing.

“In some instances, nonfamily members and unrelated companies