Dig Two Graves: Revenge or Honor

by Nick Vellis

  A burly Italian in an ill-fitting suit knocked and poked a smiling face through the open doorway.

  “Mi Scusi, Signor Savas, I’m Sergeant Anthony. I’ll have your protection detail for the night shift. I’ll be here in the hall,” the Carabinieri agent said.

  “Good evening, sergeant. You’re welcome to sit in here if you like. The chair,” Ceres said, indicating the overstuffed chair near the bed, “is very comfortable. You may move it if you like. There is television, too.”

  “Grazie, signor. The man I relieved said you were most kind. I will, if it pleases you, wait until you are asleep then take the comfortable chair. Now I eat some dinner.”

  “As you like sergeant,” Ceres said.

  “Grazie, Signor, signora,” the sergeant said, nodding to Ceres then to Mary as he left.

  “I had best leave, too, Mr. Savas. You need your rest, and I need a proper dinner,” Mary said. “I haven’t had a bite all day.”

  “It’s early. Stay and let’s talk some more,” Ceres protested. “We can order dinner for you here.”

  “You’re a good chap,” Mary said smiling and patting Ceres’ hand. “I have to get me proper beauty sleep, you know. I’m back to the salt mines in the morning.”

  “All right. good night, Mary, and thank you for all you’ve done.”

  “Oh, it was nothing. Nothing a good think couldn’t solve, anyway. Good-night, Mr. Savas,” Mary said as she breezed out the door. “See you tomorrow. Ciao.”

  Mary waved to the girls at the nurse’s station on her way to the elevator, but they paid her no notice. That nice young sergeant was chatting up a couple of the girls on their dinner break and they were all laughing. The other nurses had gossiped all day about her visiting Mr. Savas. Spending her day off with a patient, really. How scandalous! But she didn’t care about that lot. She had helped a man and cracked a decades-old cipher. My diary entry will be a bit lengthy tonight, she thought as she headed for the elevator.

  She passed the dietary cart right in the middle of the hall. How careless, Mary thought. A tall blond woman she’d never seen before came out of a patient’s room. When she saw Mary, she looked away.

  The woman wore the standard blue-grey utility smock and matching pants, blue latex gloves, and a hospital name badge. She moved the cart toward the next room without looking up.

  Mary pushed the button for the elevator and waited, tapping her foot, not with impatience, but a sense of … something. While she did, she noticed the woman went into another patient’s room, but she didn’t take a dinner tray. Odd, Mary thought.

  The chime clanged as the elevator the doors opened. Mary stepped into the car and pushed the button for the bottom floor, but something dodgy nagged at her. The elevator chimed as it slowly passed each floor … third floor … second floor and then Mary realized what was wrong. “The name tag,” she said aloud as the doors opened into the lobby.

  She pushed the button for the fourth floor, and the doors closed in the faces of a couple trying to step into the car. The woman serving dinner was wearing a man’s ID badge. She had seen the picture of a dark-haired man around the blond woman’s neck.

  Mary watched the lighted numbers above her as she pushed the fourth floor button over and over. The ancient elevator continued its slow, inexorable climb … second floor … third floor. When the car finally made it to the fourth floor, Mary burst through the doors.

  Rotund Nurse Mary Burnsnell bounced off the wall opposite the elevator then lumbered down the hall, dropping her umbrella and purse as she went. The meal cart was outside Ceres’ room. Mary screamed for the guard, but he was nowhere in sight. Mary burst into her patient’s room and was halted by a horrific sight. The blond woman was holding a pillow over Ceres’ face, pressing all her weight down on the struggling man with both hands. Ceres’ legs flailed as his hands tried in vain to dislodge the stronger ones blotting out his life.

  Mary screamed, “Help! Codice blu… Code blue.”

  She dropped her shoulder like a fullback and ran head long into the woman, trying to dislodge her, but she was pushed away with a single powerful hand. She landed head first against the wall.

  Mary saw stars. When she regained her senses, she saw the large flower arrangement from some manager by the window. Mary grabbed the heavy amphora-shaped vase from the sill and rushed the woman a second time. She broke the ceramic vase of flowers over the woman’s head. Flowers, jagged pieces, and water spewed over the bed. The woman stumbled, but continued her effort to suffocate Ceres. Sergeant Anthony burst into the room, gun drawn. “Polizia, Polizia! Basta!” he shouted.

  In a lightning movement, the woman pulled a gun from her pocket, spilling its contents, including Ceres’ notebook. She looked menacingly down the barrel, still holding the pillow down with her left hand.

  Both fired at nearly the same moment. Deafening noise and a pungent bluish cloud filled the room. Sergeant Anthony, hit in the side, went down to his left, his gun still pointed at the assassin. He fired a second time but missed. The woman finally released Ceres and bolted from the room as the sergeant fired again. Sergeant Anthony tried to spin to his feet, diving into the hall just in time to get off a shot from one knee as the blond disappeared down the stairway.

  “So, Tinos, how’d you find a boat so quickly? You only found out about this today, right?” AJ asked.

  “I’ve a friend who …”

  “I knew it,” AJ interrupted. “Is there anyone in this country you don’t know?”

  “A few people but they’re not worth knowing,” Tinos replied with a smile.

  “Do you know anything about this town?” AJ was beginning to realize making small talk might help him after all.

  “Quite a bit actually. My family came here in the summer when I was little. The area is known as the Olympian Riviera,” Tinos replied. “We’re actually going to Katerini Paralia. It’s about 8 kilometers from the Katerini,” Tinos said. “Parali means beach and this is the nicest beach in the area. It’s also where our boat is moored,” Tinos offered.

  Gia asked brightly, “What’s the boat like?”

  “It’s a twelve meter caique,” Tinos said, turning to look at Gia. “My friend says it’s in good shape. I trust him, so I’m sure it will be all right.”

  “What’s a caique?” AJ asked.

  “They’re traditional fishing and trade boats,” Tinos replied. “This one’s used for tourist charters.”

  “Can’t wait to see it,” Gia said.

  “This is where we turn off, the road to Katerini Parali,” Tinos said. “Not long now.”

  The trio drove the remaining twenty minutes in silence, anticipating the danger that lay ahead. They left the clean residential areas and entered the beach district of hotels and waterfront cafés.

  “This looks a lot like Thessaloniki,” AJ said.

  “Katerini has benefited from her sister city’s growth,” Tinos replied as he drove past the beachfront hotels.

  “This is a little like South Beach.” AJ wasn’t sure if he’d redeemed himself with Tinos and Gia or not.

  Sidewalks in front of the hotels were filled with people strolling along the promenade. Old fashioned globed streetlights mingled with neon store signs. The mix of old and new and the milling crowd made for a festive atmosphere. Tinos made a turn, and there before them, across the crescent of the beach were the lights they’d just seen. They had made a big loop.

  “We are looking for the Olympia,” Tinos said. “There should be a sign. The boat is nearby, and we can park on the street.”

  Several boats were moored off the beach, and AJ felt a greasy rumble in his stomach as he realized they would have to take a small boat to get to where they were going.

  “There. There’s the Olympia hotel,” Gia said, pointing to a barely visible sign. Tinos pulled the Land Rover over, parked directly under a dim, flickering street light and the three got out.

  “Grab your bags,” Tinos said as he opened the hatch back.

 
They checked in with the Olympia’s clerk, who called a young boy over to the desk. Tinos explained in Greek what was needed, and the boy agreed to take them to the boat.

  “This is Stephen,” the clerk said. “He will take us to the Helios moored just off the beach,” Tinos explained.

  “What, no dock?” AJ said, his guts growling and not from hunger.

  “Come on, AJ, it’ll be an adventure.” Gia wasn’t sure what was bothering AJ, but he’d been out of sorts since they’d left Milan.

  After stepping into the soft-sided inflatable AJ closed his eyes. Stephen pushed the Zodiac off, cranked the outboard motor, and soon they were gliding across the glassy smooth water out into the protected bay and approached a dark, foreboding craft. She was visible only by her white-painted sides, as no lights were showing. How Stephen knew which of the dozen boats to take them to was a mystery to AJ.

  Stephen expertly guided them up to the Helios’ stern, where he grabbed a boarding plank. He pulled it down into the Zodiac and, with one foot on the inflatable and one foot on the plank helped each of them up onto their boat. He passed their small bags up, without a word, got in his boat, and was gone.

  AJ, seeing Stephen take off, shouted, “Hey, where’s he going? We’re stuck here.”

  “Take it easy, AJ. There’s a dingy tied up port side.” Tinos didn’t know what to make of AJ’s behavior, but it was damn annoying.

  “So, what can you tell us about our new home?’ Gia asked, hoping to calm AJ’s nerves.

  Tinos found the switch for the generator in the cockpit. Lights came on all over the boat and AJ looked a little less worried.

  “I thought you didn’t know anything about this thing,” AJ said looking around.

  “The desk clerk gave me a quick rundown,” Tinos said. “A caique is usually made of wood. I don’t know about this one in particular, but the decks and this cabin,” he said pointing to the roof over their head in the center of the craft, “are certainly wood.

  “I think it’s beautiful. Being out on the water is so peaceful,” Gia said.

  “It’s really wide," AJ said, warming to his situation. “I’ve been on cigarette boats before.” He sat gingerly on a sort of sofa that ran the length of the stern, interrupted only by the narrow walkway through which they had boarded.

  “The beam or center of a caique is positioned further aft than on other types of boats and it’s very wide. It gives greater stability and makes for a really sharp bow,” Tinos continued. “We won’t make the speed of a cigarette boat, but with sail and a good engine, we could do eight or ten knots.”

  The Helios’s wide stern had a table and four chairs under an orange canvas sunshade. The cockpit was open to the stern, and narrow stairs led down to three cabins, one aft, and two forward. In addition to the open stern deck, there were wide gunnels that afforded a safe path to another open deck forward.

  “The Helios doesn’t look too terrible once you’re on board, does she?” Tinos asked hopefully.

  “Not bad at all,” Gia said. “She’s clean and even smells fresh.”

  AJ said, “It’s really nice, actually, now the lights are on. A bit of a shock in the dark, though.”

  “Yes, it was,” Tinos admitted. “I bet the surveillance team had a good laugh watching our expressions.”

  “Where are your men, Tinos?” Gia asked, her professional curiosity aroused.

  “They’re on the fourth floor of the Olympia,” Tinos said. He waved in the direction of the shore. The radio on Tinos’ belt clicked three times, a signal from the men on watch. “The owner is…”

  “I know, an old family friend,” AJ interrupted.

  “No, he’s a retired Army officer who was willing to help. He owns this boat, too. You two want something to eat? The galley’s fully stocked,” Tinos said.

  “Sure,” Gia said. “I’m starved.”

  AJ looked longingly at the shore and said, “Why not? The condemned get a last meal.”

  “Tinos, you’re quite a short order chef,” AJ said as he slid his now empty plate away. “Your Uncle Diogenes is missing out not hiring you on.”

  “That was great,” Gia echoed.

  “Thank you, but I can’t go wrong when all the prep is already done and in the fridge,” Tinos replied.

  “Look, if you don’t want to tell me, it’s fine, but how did this whole thing get started, and how is Solaris involved? No one tells me much, just where and when to show up,” Tinos asked.

  “If you don’t think our audience will mind, I can tell you,” AJ replied.

  AJ spent the next hour explaining his father’s murder, meeting Ceres, and the information he had about the missing Jewish gold and jewels. He detailed the attempts on their lives in Athens, the hit and run and the attack on Ceres in Milan. Gia explained the results of her research and shared her theory that the man currently calling himself Solaris was the young unnamed renegade officer who commanded the Security Battalion in 1944.

  “I think he slipped out of Thessaloniki after he put the loot on the Agamemnon. After the war, he retrieved the cargo from the sunken ship. He used the stolen treasure to bank roll his smuggling and gun running operations and turned it into an empire,” Gia said.

  “What’s your role in all this AJ?” Tinos asked.

  “That’s a moving target, I’m afraid. At first, it was simply about getting my hands on the gold. I’m afraid I played Ceres along for a while. Then … it morphed into … well, revenge. Payback for my father, my grandfather, the attacks on Ceres, and the others he’s killed. It’s time someone paid for all that death,” AJ said.

  “Revenge is a bitter mistress my friend, and she can take your life,” Tinos said.

  The three companions sat around the galley letting Tinos’ thought sink in.

  “But on a happier note,” AJ said, “I’ve decided to wear my life jacket at all times while on this tub. I think she could sink at the dock.”

  “You’re impossible,” Gia said patting AJ’s arm as all three laughed. “We’re not even at a dock.”

  “Why don’t you two turn in? I’m going to make a few phone calls and check on the men.”

  “I’m ok with that,” Gia said. “Good-night.”

  Gia leaned over and gently kissed AJ on the cheek and went down the companionway to her cabin.

  “Whoa. I didn’t expect that,” AJ said.

  “You should. Can’t you see the way she looks at you?” Tinos replied.

  “Well, no, actually,” AJ said.

  Tinos laughed and walked away. He picked up his cell phone as it began to vibrate.

  “Tinos?” Georgios Skouris said.

  “Yes, sir,” Tinos said, as he recognized his uncle’s voice.

  “Nothing has happened, has it?”

  “No, sir. Nothing. What’s wrong?” Tinos said, his concern growing.

  “Mr. Pantheras’ friend, Mr. Savas, was attacked in the hospital tonight. The police officer assigned to guard him was shot,” Georgios replied.

  “Is he all right? How about the guard?” Tinos asked anxiously.

  “Both of them will be fine,” Georgios replied. “But according to Deputy Director Moretti, it was a close call. Mr. Savas’ nurse alerted the protection detail. They found a woman trying to smother him with a pillow.”

  “A woman?” Tinos replied. “Is there a description?”

  “The description the hospital staff gave was of a blond woman, tall, maybe 5’10”, slender, but muscular.

  “That’s not much to go on,” Tinos said.

  “I know. Be careful, nephew.”

  “I will. Do you want me to tell AJ about his friend?”

  “Will you? You know him better than I do. I don’t think he likes me,” Georgios said.

  “I’ll take care of it,” Tinos said, looking at AJ alone on the bow.

  “Good luck,” Georgios said.

  “Good-night, uncle.”

  I’ve just begun to repair my relationship with AJ and now this, he thought.
He walked toward AJ and said, “AJ, I have some news for you.”

  Tinos delivered the news as gently as possible. AJ was calmed by Tinos’ assurance his friend would be OK.

  “Are you all right?” Tinos asked.

  “Yeah, I’m OK. Each time I leave him though, something happens. We need to get this over with so he can be safe. Its revenge time, remember?” AJ said with bitter resignation.

  “We start in the morning. Get some rest,” Tinos said. “I’ll check the watch. I’ll come get you for your turn on watch at two. ”

  “OK.” AJ said. “Thanks for breaking the news like a friend,” AJ said. He shook Tinos’ hand and resolutely headed for his cabin.

  Tinos slowly scanned the dark waters seaward. He turned his binoculars toward the shore. His life depended on his silent watchers. Suddenly, he saw a flare in a fourth floor window.

  Someone had struck a match. He snatched the radio from his belt and angrily said, “Who’s stupid enough to light a match in a dark window? Do not let it happen again. Stay alert.” Tinos said as he put the radio back on his belt.

  CHAPTER 31

  The black Rigid Inflatable Boat bobbed gently in the light onshore breeze. A moonless night and a black tarp gave Dobos the cover he needed. The small boat and the man in it were nearly invisible on the featureless water. His face, concealed by a black balaclava, rested on the RIB’s hard PVC side. He peered through the eye slits, ticking off in his mind possible methods of attack.

  The two men talking on the bow continued to chat. Through his three hundred-power night vision monocular, he could see every detail. One of the faces was worried, the other disturbingly self-assured.

  He could wait until daylight to see exactly who was on the boat then move in tomorrow night. There was a competitor loose though. He could paddle up to the boat tonight and plant a limpet mine near the engine room. The explosion would cause a fire, and the boat would sink, but wouldn’t guarantee a kill.

  A silenced rifle would work, but it would be a difficult shot and even harder to get all three. He would have to use the direct method. He’d need to slip onboard, kill the people then set fire to the boat. Dobos examined the craft with care. The blue and white sides would silhouette him from the beach. His approach would need to be from seaward. It would take him about thirty minutes to paddle out into the bay then back to the boat. He had only been under way for a few minutes when a sudden light showed on a hotel balcony opposite his position. Dobos fell flat on the bottom of his boat. He rose slowly peering over the edge, only his black balaclava showing. With his monocular, he scanned the boat and the seedy hotels behind it. Nothing in sight, but he had seen something.