Murder in Mykonos

by Jeffrey Siger

  ‘If she was out on Rohypnol – like our friend here uses – he could shoot her up with meth while she was under and have her right where he wanted her.’

  Andreas looked disgusted. ‘Bastard sure knows his drugs. That would explain why the only traces found in the victims were methamphetamine. The Rohypnol wouldn’t show up – it passes through the victim’s system too fast.’

  Tassos moved his light along the base of the wall. ‘Who knows, maybe he adds a bit of mushrooms, too.’

  Andreas waved toward the entrance. ‘Let’s get back to the car and call for someone to watch this shit-hole until forensics gets here.’

  Andreas made his call and began driving back to the main road. ‘Do you still want to look for the artist?’ asked Tassos.

  ‘It beats banging my head against my desk trying to figure out what all this means.’

  Andreas made a left onto the main road and turned left again just beyond the gas station in Ano Mera. It was another narrow dirt-and-gravel road winding north through old, scratched-out farms. He lit another cigarette.

  ‘They all were found in the same four churches. That must mean something,’ said Tassos.

  ‘But what do they have in common? All four were kept up by Father Paul, but he took care of four others with no bodies.’ Andreas looked for the road Panos had described. ‘And the bodies were found in churches named after male as well as female saints.’

  Tassos said, ‘What do Saints Kiriake, Marina, Fanourios, and Calliope have in common that makes them so different for our killer from Saints Barbara, Nicholas, Phillipos, and Spyridon?’ He shook his head. ‘I think we need a priest.’

  ‘Right now I’m looking for an artist.’ Andreas tossed his cigarette out the window and turned right onto a dirt road leading to a two-story, white house with blue trim that sat just below a hillside church with a blue roof.

  ‘Must be to Saint Nicholas, the patron saint of sailors,’ said Tassos. ‘They’re the only churches with blue roofs.’

  Andreas parked next to an SUV by the front of the house. They walked to the door and knocked. No one answered. They called out again, but still no answer. Andreas tried the door. It was unlocked. He pushed it open and called out again, ‘Hello, anybody home? Hello.’

  They looked at each other and walked inside. They’d explain later. The front room was neatly furnished and clean. Everything seemed to be right in its place. They walked into the kitchen and found it just as neat. They went upstairs and Andreas once more said, ‘Hello, anybody home?’

  There were two rooms and a bathroom upstairs. They looked in the rear bedroom first. Not a thing out of place. A photograph in a silver frame sat on the nightstand next to the bed. It was of two blond and smiling children, a boy and a girl. The other room faced south and was bathed in light. It had to be his studio. What looked like finished paintings stood lined up against the wall closest to the door. Unfinished paintings were everywhere else, all neatly arranged according to their relative stages of completion.

  ‘Looks pretty normal to me,’ said Tassos.

  ‘Me, too,’ said Andreas. ‘And I recognize his stuff. He is famous.’

  Tassos walked over to the line of finished paintings and began looking through them.

  Andreas was standing in the middle of the room looking at all the unfinished works. ‘Tassos, do you notice something about his paintings? Something every piece seems to have.’ His voice was excited.

  Tassos kept looking through the finished ones. ‘No, what?’

  ‘Turn around. I’ll show you.’

  Tassos turned and watched as Andreas pointed to every visible canvas. ‘Look there, there, there and there. They all have the same thing.’

  Andreas walked over to the finished paintings and Tassos moved aside so he could get to them. Andreas scanned them quickly, then looked up and stared in disbelief at Tassos. ‘My God, there’s at least one in each of his paintings – a tall, blond, naked nymph.’

  As if crazed, Andreas had them search every drawer, every corner, every inch of the house. They found absolutely nothing incriminating. Not even a pornographic magazine or drug harsher than Advil.

  Dejected, Andreas and Tassos were sitting on the wall outside the house smoking when the call came through from the station. Manny had shown up, and Kouros wanted to know what to do with him.

  ‘Hold him!’ Andreas shouted, then calmed his voice. ‘Until I get there.’

  He looked at Tassos. ‘I thought we had our killer.’

  ‘Yeah, but when you think about it, the only thing that made it seem that way was his paintings.’

  ‘You mean the only thing so far.’ Andreas was ornery.

  Tassos shrugged. ‘So, let’s find him and talk to him.’

  Andreas picked up a stone. ‘Yeah, but we can’t fuck around with him. He’s a famous American artist. All we can do is talk.’ He threw the stone and stared after it. ‘For now.’

  Tassos nodded.

  ‘It seems too much of a coincidence that all the victims are tall blonds and all his paintings have tall blonds,’ Andreas said.

  ‘Perhaps we’re looking at this the wrong way,’ said Tassos. ‘What if the killer knows this guy’s work? After all, he’s been painting on Mykonos longer than the killer’s been doing his thing here – and that’s why he’s going after tall blonds?’

  Andreas picked up on Tassos’ thought. ‘Yeah, maybe he’s a fan of the artist or someone inspired by his paintings, or maybe it’s somebody who hates the artist and is trying to assassinate his nymphs.’ He was seriously caught up in his thoughts.

  Tassos rolled his eyes. ‘I get your point, but do me a favor, don’t tell anybody else we’re looking for a nymph assassin.’

  Andreas let out a quick laugh and looked back at Tassos. ‘I guess he’s not coming back.’

  ‘Probably at the beach, like every other self-respecting tourist. Let’s take a look in the church.’ Tassos stood up.

  They walked up the hill to the church. It was relatively new as churches went and, like the house, was neat and well maintained from the outside. The front door was locked and the side windows were shuttered and latched from the inside. Again, nothing out of the ordinary. Rather than breaking into the church, they decided to head back to the station and talk to Manny the taxi driver.

  It seemed the right decision at the time.

  The first thing Andreas did when he returned to the station was check to see if the deputy minister had called. He hadn’t and Andreas wasn’t going to call him. He was prepared to put his head in the guillotine by telling all, but he wasn’t about to chase down his executioner. Until the blade fell, Andreas intended to do exactly as the deputy minister’s office said – find his missing niece ‘right away.’

  Spiros Renatis loved his sister. He also loved his niece. What he didn’t love – but had learned to live with – were the bureaucracy and favor traders plaguing his ministry. Although telling a local police chief to drop everything to find his niece didn’t approach the sort of abuse of power that bothered him, asking this particular police chief that favor was about the last thing in the world he wanted to do. He knew all about Andreas’ unwanted ‘promotion’ to Mykonos for pushing an investigation too close to the powers that be – and Andreas’ rumored anger at being booted out of Athens for being too good at his job. He also knew the police legend about what happened to the deputy minister who assassinated his father’s reputation. Regardless of how much any of that was true, he didn’t want to do anything that might draw him into a potential mess – such as speak with Andreas. That’s why he had his secretary make the call.

  He knew he’d made the right decision when his secretary told him Andreas insisted he call back at once on a critically important matter too personal to describe to her. He was certain it tied in to Andreas’ efforts to get back to Athens. My God, he thought, who knows what information he intends to tell me that I don’t want to know? He left instructions with his secretary that she was only to take m
essages from Chief Kaldis and never – under any circumstances – put him through.

  With Tassos in the room Manny was even calmer and more cooperative than before. He acted as if in the company of a beloved uncle – until Andreas showed him Annika’s photograph. ‘Ever see her before?’

  Manny’s eyes seemed to double in size. He said nothing.

  ‘Manny, do you recognize her?’ asked Tassos.

  Still silence.

  Tassos tried again. ‘Manny, what’s wrong? Do you recognize her? Tell us, it’s important.’

  ‘I want to see Katerina.’

  Katerina was Mykonos’ number one criminal defense lawyer. Andreas was caught off-guard and looked at Tassos. His face looked just as surprised. Andreas spoke softly. ‘Manny, this is serious, but if you want us to help you you’ll have to help us.’

  No answer.

  Tassos spoke affectionately, in a fatherly tone. ‘Manny, we’ve been through a lot together, and I’ve always been straight with you. You have to trust me now and tell me what you know about her before whatever trouble you’re in gets worse.’

  Manny looked at Tassos with tears in his eyes. ‘I want to speak to Katerina.’

  Andreas wanted to hit him but knew Tassos wouldn’t let him. ‘Put him in a cell and get Katerina over here now,’ he barked to Kouros.

  ‘She might be in Syros. It’s a court day. What do I tell her?’ asked Kouros.

  Tassos answered. ‘If she’s in Syros, I’ll get her back here by helicopter. If she’s in Athens, I’ll get her back by air force jet. If she’s in one of her boyfriends’ beds, I’ll drag her here myself. Just find her and tell her that I – and the Chief – want her ass in here now! Or else!’

  Andreas presumed she’d know what ‘or else’ meant, coming from Tassos.

  The instant Kouros left the office Tassos banged his fist on Andreas’ desk. ‘Damn, I’d have sworn on my mother’s soul Manny wasn’t our killer. I just don’t understand this.’ He banged his fist again.

  Andreas shook his head. ‘It doesn’t make much sense to me either. I don’t see a killer with the balls to walk in here on his own – after snatching, maybe even killing, another one – falling apart when he’s shown her photograph. For sure he knows her, but if he’s our guy . . .’ His voice trailed off.

  Tassos dropped into his chair. ‘That means someone else has her. Any word on the others?’

  ‘Kouros, get in here!’ Andreas yelled.

  Thirty seconds later, Kouros appeared. ‘Sorry, Chief, I was on the phone with Katerina. She’s on the fast boat from Syros. Gets in at five. She’ll be here as soon as she’s off the boat.’

  Andreas looked at his watch. Five was only twenty minutes from now. ‘Good. Any news on that other cabdriver, the one who picked up Vandrew at the taxi stand?’

  Kouros pulled a notebook out of his back pocket. ‘According to his log he picked her and three other passengers up at 1:55 in the morning at the taxi stand, dropped her off at the square in Ano Mera at 2:10, and the other three at 2:20 at the Mykonian Regal Hotel on Eliá Beach. He said he remembered her because she sat in the front seat and was very tall and pretty. He wanted to talk to her but she was on her cell phone when she got into his taxi and didn’t get off until just before she got out.’

  Andreas interrupted him. ‘Did he have any idea who she was talking to?’

  Kouros nodded no. ‘She was speaking English and he doesn’t understand it very well, but from the way she was talking he’s pretty sure she was agreeing to meet a man.’

  ‘Meet where?’ Tassos asked.

  ‘All he remembered hearing was “Ano Mera” and “square.”’

  ‘What about the other passengers?’ asked Andreas.

  ‘No luck. I checked at the hotel. It’s a big place and the owner said unless the hotel called for the taxi – which it didn’t – they have no way of knowing who the guests were.’

  Silence.

  ‘I also checked the bars and tavernas around Ano Mera Square. No one remembers her. I’ll try again tonight when the later crowd is there.’

  Andreas said ‘Thank you’ and Kouros left.

  ‘Good man,’ said Tassos.

  Andreas nodded. ‘Yes. Hope he keeps his enthusiasm for the job.’

  ‘Like us?’

  Andreas smiled. ‘Yeah, like us. Let’s get some coffee while we wait for Her Majesty.’

  ‘Oh, so you know Katerina.’ Tassos smiled.

  ‘Only by reputation. A “pit bull,” I think, is the term most used.’

  ‘Even with a pit bull it depends whether she wants to lick or bite. I can’t wait until she meets you.’ Tassos’ smile broadened. ‘If I had to bet, I think she’ll work with us on this one.’

  ‘Okay,’ said Andreas. ‘If you say so.’ They went to the squad room for coffee.

  Ten minutes later Katerina made her entrance into the station: raging red hair, bright blue dress molded onto an impressively augmented five-foot-five figure, and a roaring voice. ‘Where the hell is that bastard Tassos?’

  ‘In here, my love!’ Tassos called out from the squad room.

  In she stormed. ‘What the fuck are you doing ordering me to bring my ass up here ASAP?’

  ‘Katerina, I’d like you to meet Chief Kaldis.’

  Andreas stood and immediately Katerina’s expression softened. She looked him up and down, then gave her most coquettish smile – one no doubt she’d been practicing for at least fifty years. ‘My, such a young and handsome man to be chief. You must be very good at what you do.’

  Andreas couldn’t help but smile at her hustle. ‘And you as well, I’m sure.’

  ‘Okay, Katerina, start the mating ritual later. This is serious. Let’s go upstairs.’ Tassos took her by her arm and headed toward Andreas’ office.

  Katerina walked up the stairs ahead of Andreas. At the top she turned and smiled at him. Tassos grabbed her arm again and pulled her toward the office muttering something about ‘you’ll never change.’

  Tassos sat in ‘his’ chair, Andreas went behind his desk, and Katerina parked herself on top of it. ‘So, what can I do for you?’ Her voice was still lighthearted.

  ‘Your old client, Manny Manoulis, wants to see you,’ said Tassos.

  Her voice was suddenly professional. ‘About what?’

  Andreas showed her the photograph. ‘We showed him this picture and asked if he knew her. He refused to say anything more until he spoke to you.’

  Katerina looked at the photograph, then stood and straightened her dress. ‘Tassos, you didn’t bring me here to talk about Manny doing his jerking-off routine in front of this girl. It has to be something a lot more serious than that.’

  Tassos nodded. ‘Always said you’re smart. It is more serious. Way more serious. We have to know everything he knows about her.’

  ‘Why?’ She seemed unmoved.

  Andreas spoke. ‘Her life may be in danger. Anything he knows might help.’

  Katerina stared at Andreas, then looked at Tassos. ‘Why do I get the impression there’s a lot you’re not telling me?’

  Tassos spoke. ‘Because there is; and because there’s no reason for you to know any of it. Just take it on faith that this is really serious; and if your client’s involved there’s nothing you can do to save him, but if he isn’t, and you get him to tell us – or you tell us – what he knows, we’ll be forever in your debt.’

  ‘You’re asking me to betray the confidence of a client?’ She tried sounding shocked.

  ‘No, I’m asking you to keep an innocent man from looking guilty – the bit about the police being in your debt is only incidental.’ Tassos smirked.

  ‘Asshole,’ she said to Tassos. ‘Let me talk to him and I’ll let you know my decision after.’ She winked at Andreas. ‘Later, handsome. Don’t worry, I’ll see myself out. I know my way around here.’ And she was gone.

  ‘Wow,’ said Andreas. ‘I never felt like a boy toy before.’

  ‘Believe me, if anyone knows how to play
with toys, it’s Katerina,’ Tassos said with a smile. ‘She’s also as sharp and ruthless as they come. We’ve been doing business together for years. I can’t tell you the number of judges she’s had eating out of her . . . uhh . . . hand.’

  Andreas smiled. ‘I get the picture. Do you think she’ll let him talk to us?’

  ‘Only if he’s not the killer and we agree that whatever he says won’t be used against him.’

  ‘What if Manny won’t talk to us?’

  ‘Oh, that’s no problem. If she thinks it’ll get him off, and we agree never to expose her as the source, she’ll tell us anyway. She calls it “part of my responsibility to save my foolish clients from themselves.”’ Tassos emphasized her words by putting quotes in the air with his fingers.

  Andreas shook his head and smiled again.

  Twenty minutes later Katerina was back. ‘Okay, fellas, are you ready for me?’

  ‘I guess that means your boy’s going to cooperate,’ said Tassos.

  She looked straight at him. ‘He picked her up two nights ago just before sunrise at the taxi stand by the harbor, drove her to a beach, then watched her strip, walk naked into the sea, and frolic under the stars. After she finished her little moonlight interlude he drove her back to her hotel. I’ll leave to your male imaginations whether he jerked off. But that’s all that happened and if she said he did anything to her, she’s lying.’

  Andreas spoke. ‘If that’s what happened, he’s got no problem with us. So, why did he call for you?’

  ‘Possibly so we could meet.’ She smiled. ‘But apparently the last time you showed him a picture of a girl he recognized you followed up by threatening the shit out of him.’

  Andreas smiled. You couldn’t help but like her style, he thought. ‘Fair enough. Can we talk with him?’

  ‘What’s all this about?’ She stared straight at him.

  ‘We’re just trying to find a missing person, that’s all,’ said Andreas.

  ‘Yeah, sure.’ She rolled her eyes and pointed a finger at Tassos. ‘Don’t fuck with me, Tassos.’

  ‘I promise you we’re not.’ His tone was solemn.