Those You Trust: compelling women's psychological fiction

by Bernie Steadman

  She pressed another few keys. ‘Yes, he has a successful chain of restaurants in America, and three sons, but he kept the family name, unlike Theo, and there is no son called Leonidas.’

  He thrust his hands into his trouser pockets and grunted. ‘That means nothing. It has begun, hasn’t it? Do I look weak, Delphie? Are the vultures circling?’

  ‘No, don’t be so gloomy. You have loyalty and status here amongst the other businessmen. Why assume he has bad intentions?’

  ‘Because he’s not doing what he said he would. That makes me suspicious. Still, I will make sure he and I have a chat on Saturday night, over brandy at the end of the meal. That may loosen his tongue and I can get the measure of him. I will find out who he is, and he won’t find me an easy target if that is what he’s thinking.’ Nikos gave her a wave and walked from the room with his head down, lost in thought.

  He’s not getting paranoid, thought Delphine, even though he sounded it. She glanced through the window at the rows of vines climbing away up the field, and watched their workers weeding early spring growth. He’s getting old and there is no heir to all this. The vultures will indeed be circling, and we must be careful who we trust.

  Her phone pinged. A message from the solicitor. The paperwork for the house in Paleochora was awaiting her signature. If she could bring the Andreanakises across to his office, they could have the keys by the following weekend. Delphine smiled. There were advantages to being Nikos’ wife that she very much enjoyed.

  18

  Delphine rang me early in the morning and gave me the good news about the house, so I collected Mrs Andreanakis to take her shopping in Chania. Driving over the mountain, picking her up and driving back across the mountain to the city was the furthest I’d driven so far. Apart from a hairy moment with a goat who wanted to take her kids across the road in front of the car, we arrived in one piece.

  The sensation of accompanying a senior Greek woman on her home territory was liberating. Nobody spoke to me in English, and my accent and understanding was improving all the time. Mrs A also knew all the haberdashers, material shops, furniture warehouses, and most importantly (after three hours of relentless shopping), the best restaurants.

  ‘Please can we stop for a break? My feet are killing me,’ I finally asked in desperation. The woman was a machine.

  Over lunch of stifado and a glass of wine for her, water for me, we discussed our purchases. I’d tried to persuade her that we only had two hands each, and couldn’t get everything in one day, but we loaded up the car twice and had still more bags with us. The furniture would arrive at the house in parts, but the warehouse was sending someone to assemble it for her. I had one pang of guilt about how much we were spending, but it was Kokorakis’ money, so I was otherwise enjoying it.

  Mrs Andreanakis’ eyes shone as she chattered about her new start, new home and new life to the waitress. I relaxed, slipped my feet out of my shoes and looked out onto the street. It was deserted as most people had gone for lunch and there were few tourists about.

  There was some noise coming from the bar across the street, however. It was filled with a bunch of men, uniformly dark and swarthy, locals no doubt. They were standing at the bar, eating cheese pies and swilling them down with tiny cups of coffee and gulps of raki. Then I had that peculiar experience you get when you see yourself in a mirror unexpectedly, only this time it was Leo I saw, right in the middle of the gang. He had several days’ growth of beard and looked dishevelled, just as he had the previous week when he’d turned up at my door. There was no way he was doing business with land officials and solicitors. Liar. What the hell was he up to? I watched for a few minutes as he slapped a man on the back and shared a joke, and I became even more determined to snoop.

  I knew he wasn’t what he said he was, or probably even who he said he was. He was up to something shady and I didn’t know what to do about it. There was no actual evidence apart from him clamping down on my questions, and obviously not being in the kind of talks that would require a suit, or even a bath, but I wasn’t going to let that minor problem stop me from speculating. Maybe he was a spy? Maybe he was spying on Kokorakis, which would explain his excitement at being invited to the party. But why? I was desperate to talk to Maria about it. She’d understand and enjoy helping me, especially as she was no longer spying on me for Kokorakis. I hoped. And there must be a reason why she didn’t like Leo, mustn’t there? I’d trust her intuition. I could tell Alex, of course. And Cathy. Cathy would bring her science teacher skills to analyse the problem, I’d bet. I could see another rather drunken evening looming enjoyably ahead.

  ‘More coffee?’ asked the waitress.

  ‘No, thanks. The meal was delicious.’ I paid the bill using yet more of the wad of cash, which was somewhat depleted now. Good job I’d already ordered paint.

  Mrs Andreanakis looked on anxiously as I counted out the cash. ‘Have we spent it all?’ she asked.

  ‘No, there’s enough to get anything else you might need. Don’t worry. But if you’re ready, we should make a move.’ I wanted to get out of there before Leo noticed me spying on him.

  I kept my head down as we struggled back to the car, unnoticed, I hoped, and took the mountain road to her sister’s house, where I unloaded her, three bags of linen, cutlery and crockery, and a pile of material. Mrs A was in charge of making the curtains and cushion covers.

  Mrs A’s sister lived in a tiny village at the top end of Topolia Gorge so I drove a short way and stopped at a parking area at the side of the road just before the road tunnel. I needed a little time to myself, and a walk along the top of the gorge looked possible without proper footwear. I strolled down a dirt path, the steep sides of the gorge soon drowning out traffic noise from the road. It was warm, and I could hear so many birds it could not have been described as quiet. In gullies fed by rainwater grew wild thyme, oregano and new season Malotira that would be harvested for mountain tea later in the summer. It smelt wonderful already. I headed down a little further towards a farm, where the farmhouse nestled against the gorge wall, and the flat land in front of it was cultivated with ranks of olive trees. It wasn’t the trees that made me gasp, however, it was that the whole area was a mass of scarlet poppies and yellow camomile. It was breathtaking. I walked into the field and knelt down. The heady scent of the camomile was almost overpowering, but to kneel and brush my hands across the heads of the flowers, and to spot early orchids and rosemary poking up amongst it all was wonderful. I took out my phone and did my best to capture some of the views. I’d certainly be back later in the summer for some wild herbs. The first day of May, coming up soon, was when families came up onto the mountain and collected flowers for wreaths that they use to decorate their doors. I’d come with them this year, if I could.

  I got to my feet reluctantly and spotted the farmer’s wife standing in her doorway, laughing at me. ‘Take the flowers,’ she yelled, ‘my husband will cut them all down soon.’

  I supposed they might count as weeds in a farmer’s eyes. Philistine. So I got to work and collected a huge bunch, glad that I had her approval, and had gathered them before they became just mulch.

  Approaching home, I could see that the bathroom window was open wide, and I could hear tinny music coming from Mr Andreiou’s old radio. Both he and Vasilis were singing along at the tops of their voices, which I took to be a good sign.

  ‘Hello?’ I shouted up the stairs, and all went quiet.

  Vasilis’ head appeared around the top of the banister. ‘Hello, Miss. Come up, please.’

  I was amazed, I didn’t know he could speak. I took the stairs two at a time and squashed into the bathroom, where both men were also packed in. The shower was in. ‘Fantastic!’ I said, then remembered to speak in Greek and to thank them.

  ‘Not long now, almost finished,’ said Mr Andreiou, wiping his brow.

  ‘Thank you so much, it’s wonderful.’

  His face crinkled into well-worn laughter lines and he went back to work.
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  I brought my things in from the car to the sound of the pair of them singing their hearts out to Ed Sheeran, and wondered at the conflict between the medieval attitudes towards business and the clash of the modern on this island.

  Later, once they had gone, and I had inspected my beautiful new shower again, I sat outside as the sun went down and drank mountain tea with the little grey cat on my lap. We both stared at the mountain and I was grateful to have its solidity at my back. The cat was starting to fatten up, but I knew she would be pregnant soon, and never have enough to feed her family. I could do something about that.

  Mainly, though, I was consumed with the need to know what Leo was up to, and frustrated because I couldn’t see how I could find out if he wouldn’t tell me. It’s hard for those of us with a nosy disposition to let things go, or ‘see how things turn out’. A nosy disposition and lack of trust in the object of my suspicions made it even more infuriating for me.

  I picked the cat up and carried her round to Irini’s house. She came to the back door immediately; she had been cooking her evening meal. ‘I’m sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt you,’ I said. The cat jumped down and went to her bowl. Irini ushered me into the kitchen, where the range was hot and a wonderful aroma came bubbling out of the pot on the top.

  ‘It’s lovely to see you, Anna. Come in and sit. Have you had a nice day? I could see that your car was gone all day, and the builders have been back to finish your shower.’ She poured tea into her best china cups and sat heavily opposite me.

  ‘Thank you, I’ve had a lovely, but tiring day.’ I told her about Mrs Andreanakis and what Delphine was doing for her. ‘I don’t know if she has changed, or what, but being kind suits her.’

  ‘I hope she is learning to be kind. It would be good for all of us.’ She gave me the sideways glance I was coming to expect. ‘Nikos is getting older now, he must be in his sixties.’

  ‘Much older than Delphine, then?’

  ‘They married late. Nikos liked the ladies, but finally realised that he must marry and produce an heir when he was already in his forties. But, of course, that never happened.’

  ‘Right, I thought Delphine mustn’t have children as she never mentions them. So who will inherit his businesses?’

  ‘Ah, you have grasped the problem. Who indeed? All I know is there will be war amongst the wealthy families if he dies without naming a worthy successor.’

  ‘War, over a vineyard and some olive trees?’ I laughed. ‘Cretan men!’

  Irini drank her tea, measuring me like she had the last time I had sat at this table. And like last time, I had to say, ‘You can tell me. What else does he own that could cause a war?’

  ‘Kokorakis is a businessman. He has olives, fruit and wine, some of the best land in the area, but he makes most of his money from building new houses for tourists, hotels, and factories. As you see, though, his methods if you fall behind on your rent are crude.’

  I struggled a bit. ‘So what you’re saying is that he is an important businessman in the area?’

  ‘He is the most powerful man in the area. One day you should drive out to his country estate. Stavros will show you where it is. The house you will see on Saturday, that is for show. Nikos likes to stay in the middle of the island, where he has a… a fortress, you may say. His business base. It is full of the building materials he requires, his farms are based up there, and it is where his teams work from.’

  I was agog. ‘Why a fortress?’

  She twisted the side of her mouth. ‘You will see if you go. He has a lot to protect up there. But now, at least you know why I asked you to be careful. He is not just an oil and wine businessman, he is the biggest builder on this side of the island. He operates only just inside the law, and well out of it if you talk to his tenants. He expects a level of loyalty that is very difficult to live up to. So do not get involved, Anna, it could be dangerous for you.’

  I thought of Spiros and Maria, and how much power he had over them, and felt a little of my anger towards Spiros soften. I finished my tea. ‘I hear you. I’m going to carry on working with Delphine while the work on the house goes ahead. After that I don’t think our paths will cross. I’m at the poorer end of society, not someone they would cultivate as a friend, I’m sure.’

  The strangest expression crossed her face.

  ‘What is it?’

  ‘You have not yet talked to your father.’

  ‘No. I’m intending to go home to see him face to face. Mum says he’s ill.’

  She gave a sad smile. ‘That would be a good thing to do. Go soon, then it will all be out in the open.’

  The cat jumped back into my lap and I stroked her silky back. ‘Oh, I came to ask if you would mind me taking her to the vet and getting her spayed? I don’t know the Greek word for it,’ I said to her blank face. ‘An operation so that she won’t have kittens, and can live here with you safely.’

  ‘Oh, of course. I didn’t think about it. Yes, that would be fine. She is a friend for me, and kittens are a nuisance. Do you mind?’

  ‘Not at all, I’ll take her as soon as I can.’

  Her eyes lost focus for a moment.

  ‘Are you okay, Aunt Irini?’ I looked around her neat kitchen. ‘Do you need help with cleaning or cooking or anything? I can help. I’d like to.’

  She placed her old hand on top of mine. ‘You are kind but I’m fine. We are strong, us Cretan women!’

  I laughed. ‘I know you are, my mother’s a tough one too. But, you know, if you need help in the night, or at any time, bang on the wall with your broom handle and I’ll come.’

  ‘Thank you, Anna, it is good of you. I can always phone my daughter, but it is good to have you close by.’

  I gave her a kiss on my way out. I had to stop being such a selfish ratbag. Irini was family after all, and I could help to look after her, couldn’t I?

  That night was a largely sleepless one. I couldn’t relax, despite a hot shower and herbal tea. I was concerned about my dad, even though Mum said he would be okay. And then I had the issue of Mr K turning out to be a rather unpleasant landlord to work through. I didn’t like any of it, couldn’t solve any of it, but I couldn’t get it out of my head. It went round and round, and then, of course, because that kind of thinking always does, it turned into me dissecting my failed marriage, lack of kids (why hadn’t we had any?) and then it became a beating-myself-up fest that I hadn’t indulged in for weeks.

  19

  Thursday morning was language class again, talking about politics. It was great to catch up with Cassia especially as she had Tinos in tow for the class. He had not gone back to Athens then, and his arm was out of plaster but in a sling. There was no sign of Leo, but Alex and Cathy soon arrived and we began. Cassia gave us some phrases and got us started on the EU, guaranteed to spark strong opinions, especially from those of us whose countries were out whether they liked it or not.

  It was fun, and I picked up some useful phrases, and learnt some new vocabulary, especially from Tinos, who was hot-headed compared to his sister, and easy for Cathy to provoke with her carefully rehearsed questions. As a Scot, she was still furious about the Westminster decision to leave the EU. Tinos didn’t understand when she was winding him up, which made it funnier.

  Alex was his usual calm, collected self, enjoying the banter, but keeping himself apart. I found myself looking to him for support when I was struggling with expressing my ideas.

  We went, as usual, to the taverna for coffee after class. I hadn’t seen Maria for several days and was glad that she was on duty and not Spiros. We ordered drinks and cakes, and Maria looked almost back to her old self, although I knew that couldn’t be the case.

  ‘Right, everybody listen up,’ I said. ‘It is time I had a supper party, and I’d like to invite you all to eat with me tonight. What do you think?’ I caught Maria’s eye. ‘You too, Maria, if Spiros will cover for you.’

  Cathy laughed. ‘Well, I can’t fault your ambition but can you fit six aro
und that table of yours?’

  ‘Hmm. I may need to move the table, but I think we can squash in. Well?’

  Alex said, ‘I can say that she is a very good cook. Isn’t she, Cathy?’

  ‘To die for. Really.’

  I went a bit pink. I didn’t want accolades, I just wanted to talk through everything that had happened with friends. Still, it was nice to hear. ‘Okay, if you can all come, shall we say eight o’clock, to give me time to cook something?’

  Maria, having recovered from her surprise said, ‘That would be lovely. I can’t remember the last time I ate at someone’s home. I would like to bring something, please.’

  Cassia also tried to offer, but I hate that, I like to do it all myself. Ungracious, moi? ‘I can’t have you all bringing food, it’s enough that you want to come and bring yourselves. Wine or beer would be welcome though.’

  Cathy interrupted: ‘Please could Maria bring some of her chocolate baklava for dessert? It’s so delicious.’

  I had to agree. ‘Right, that would be great, thank you. I’m deserting you now, though, I have shopping to do.’ I passed over some euros for my coffee and stood up. ‘See you later.’ I left feeling great. I had friends, and I could cook for them.

  I had a couple of hours before the market shut for lunch, and spent them happily buying food. Going to the market was one of the highlights of my week. Even early in the year, tomatoes were ripening, and spring vegetables burst out of their baskets. I got a bit lost in the cheese counter and also bought thyme-infused olive oil, just because it was there. Finally, I bought lamb from the butcher and struggled back home with yet more heavy bags. There was a learning point somewhere there. What could have been better than a spot of cooking for helping me forget about all the other stuff that had been crowding my head?

  The afternoon passed in a flurry of roasting a leg of lamb, meze-making and table-setting. Irini allowed me to steal fresh rosemary from her garden. I took one extra cutting and planted it in my fledgling garden. You never knew. It might take.