Target: Tinos

by Jeffrey Siger

  “We’ve all heard the stories about cops’ wives being approached in supermarkets and told that if their husbands testified against captured terrorists their children would be killed or maimed. How can we expect those cops to stand up to that sort of threat if I cancel the church ceremony and prove to all of Greece that even I, GADA’s Chief of Special Crimes, fear that this sort of scum can reach out and harm my family? That I’m afraid I can’t even protect my own wedding.

  “But forget about the message that sends to our countrymen. It will plant a seed of fear in Lila that I cannot bring myself to do. Besides, I know Lila will say I should do whatever I think best. And going forward with the ceremony as planned is what I think is best. Telling her any of what we’re worried about would only frighten her, not change things.”

  “Great speech,” said Tassos. “But your canary in the mine just died. We’re now at a whole new level of urgent activity. They’ve practically told you, ‘you’re next.’”

  “You’re not making this any easier,” said Andreas.

  “I’m not trying to, asshole.”

  Andreas paused. “Okay, I agree we can’t ignore the threat. I know it’s real. I’ll call Spiros and suggest that with all the government ministers attending the wedding we treat the ceremony as a potential terrorist target. He’ll love showing his fellow ministers how he’s pulling out all the stops to protect their safety.”

  “Not to mention his own,” said Tassos.

  “As opposed to some insignificant cop’s sorry little ass.”

  “Great,” said Tassos. “But if you don’t mind I’d like to have some of my cops from Syros hang around the wedding.”

  “Thanks. I appreciate it.”

  Andreas could hear Tassos fluttering his lips. “What is it?”

  “I sure as hell hope you’re right about going ahead with the ceremony at the monastery.”

  Andreas saw Lila walking toward him. “Got to run. I’ll call you from Lila’s house. And just to be safe, don’t hope, let’s pray that I’m right.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  About a week before the August 15th festivities begin on Tinos, thousands of tsigani start arriving. Whether or not there were enough hotels to accept all of them was never the point, for tsigani preferred to live in tent camps. And the hotels liked it that way. The town was surrounded by tsigani camps, each vying to be as close to the Megalochari as possible for tsigani revered the Virgin Mary as their mother, and did so with a passion transcending all else, including traditional tsigani ways. The word most often used by Tinians in describing tsigani behavior during that period was “respectful.”

  That was not the word one would expect a certain swarthy, broad-shouldered tsigani clan leader to use in describing detective Yianni Kouros. Kouros was standing with the leader and two other tsigani at the edge of a highway bordering a tent camp set up on an abandoned building lot above the port town.

  “What part of what I just asked you don’t you understand?” said Kouros.

  “We don’t have papers for every child in the camp,” said the leader.

  “Then how do I know you’re not kidnappers?” said Kouros.

  “We’re rom. We don’t have papers for all of our children. You know that.”

  “Like I said, ‘Then how do I know you’re not kidnappers?’ This is serious. If I don’t have papers on every minor in this camp in my hands in fifteen minutes, I’m arresting all of you.”

  The shorter of the two other tsigani laughed. “Yeah, sure you are. So what is it you want? A little spending money, a taste, a special favor perhaps?” He nodded toward a girl leaning against the redbrick skeleton of the abandoned building.

  “No, asshole, I want you leaning over a barrel in Kordydallos pulling the train for your cell block.”

  The man stepped toward Kouros.

  “Another step and your journey to butt-hole heaven will start with my foot up your ass.”

  “You talk big,” said the other man. He was a head taller than Kouros.

  “Come to think of it,” said Kouros to the tall man, “he’s probably more used to having you up his ass. Or is it the other way around?”

  The tall man lunged at Kouros, but lost his balance when Kouros stepped to the side and delivered a sweeping kick to the back of his knee.

  “Try that again asshole and you’ll be walking with a stick for years.”

  The short guy reached behind his back.

  Kouros smiled at him. “For your sake I hope that whatever you come up with in that hand, little man, is tasty. Because you’re going to end up eating it.”

  The leader said something in a language Kouros did not understand. The two others shouted at him in the same language. He shouted louder. The short guy brought an empty hand around from his back, and tall guy limped over next to him.

  The leader said. “What is all this about?”

  Kouros nodded toward tall guy. “About a year for him for assaulting a police officer.” He pointed at short guy. “And about six months in a beauty parlor for that one. As a public service. He’s one ugly motherfucker.”

  “Stop!” said the leader. “I don’t know why you’re trying to start something with us. We are peaceful. We have come here to honor our Blessed Virgin.” He and the other two crossed themselves.

  Kouros shook his head. “Not this year, pilgrims. You’re off the island on the next boat to Athens. All except for tall guy here. He’s got a court appointment.”

  “Why?”

  “You don’t take very good care of your children.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The Carausii brothers.”

  “They weren’t children.”

  “See, that’s just the kind of attitude I’m talking about. They were God’s children, even if none of you gave a damn about them.”

  The leader said nothing.

  “Like I said, you have no respect for children. So, get your people packed up. The boat leaves in two hours.”

  “What if we refuse to go,” said the leader.

  Kouros smiled. “Trust me on this, you won’t want to do that.”

  The leader said something to the two others. They argued for a few seconds, but they left, leaving the leader alone with Kouros.

  “I heard that police from Athens were on the island asking about the two brothers.”

  “Did you now? And from whom did you hear that?”

  “A lot of people. Your Athens cop friends didn’t make a secret of what they were looking for. No more than you did asking questions this morning. Word gets around fast.”

  “Well, then give me some words I want to hear,” said Kouros.

  The clan leader shrugged. “The brothers’ murders were a tragedy.”

  “Yeah, I can tell you’re all choked up.”

  “You are a very difficult man.”

  “This is my nice side. Stop fucking with me. Why were they murdered?”

  “No idea.”

  “Fine, start packing.”

  “I’m not afraid of you.”

  “I’m not asking you to be.”

  “Then we will not leave.”

  “Do you have any gasoline?” said Kouros.

  “Gasoline?”

  “Yes, or should I have it brought up from town?”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “We’re going to have to burn your trucks, tents, and everything else in the camp. Public health hazard.”

  “You can’t do that!”

  “File a complaint with the E.U.” Kouros looked at his watch. “Better get busy. One hour and fifty minutes until the boat leaves or the barbeque starts.”

  The leader mumbled a tsigani curse Kouros recognized.

  Kouros smiled, reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter. “And I don’t smoke.” He flicked the lighter and held the flame up to the clan leader’s face. “Your choice,” and repeated the curse.

  “Two women, Greeks. They were the last ones anyone saw with the br
others.”

  “The ones from the bar?”

  “Yes.”

  “Who were they?” said Kouros.

  “No idea, women like that read too much. They think the rom life is romantic. Our boys take advantage of them. Can you blame them?” The leader smiled.

  “What do you know about the women?”

  He shrugged. “The boys said they liked to fuck.”

  “I see the brothers liked talking about their women.”

  “When the women aren’t rom we all do. It’s a tradition. But the brothers were here only the first morning after they met the women. They never came back to camp after that.{

  “What else did the brothers say about them?”

  “Nothing that mattered.”

  “What does that mean?”

  “Most girls like that want booze and drugs before fucking. These two weren’t into drugs. They wanted to get high on something else. The brothers said it was weird at first, but after they got used to it they said they liked it.”

  “What was ‘it’?”

  “Gas. The women called it ‘laughing gas.’”

  Kouros swallowed hard. “Where’d they get the gas?”

  “They didn’t say.”

  “Where are the women now?”

  “No idea. No one has seen them since the brothers disappeared.”

  “Any ideas on who might have wanted the Carausii boys dead?”

  “If I did, I’d have told the other cops who asked me.”

  Kouros paused. I sure as hell hope Chief knows what he’s doing having me say this. “I want you to tell Shepherd that my boss wants to meet.”

  The clan leader’s head jerked slightly to the left.

  “I’m sorry, did I say something that surprised you?” said Kouros.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

  “Just tell Shepherd that GADA’s Chief of Special Crimes wants to talk about three dead Carausii brothers, a dead guy in Syntagma, and a Pakistani who passed away unexpectedly this morning. I’m sure Shepherd knows how to find him, but if not, here’s my card.”

  The clan leader took the card without looking at it. “What do you want me to do with this? I have no idea who you’re talking about.”

  Kouros shook his head. “Then I’m very sorry for you, because the rest of the message to Shepherd is, ‘If you don’t agree to meet, it will be a very lonely August 15th for you.’ There won’t be a member of Shepherd’s flock left on Tinos. And the first to go will be guess who?” Kouros pointed a finger at clan leader’s forehead.

  “By the way, if you don’t pass along the message what do you think is going to happen to you when Shepherd finds out that everyone disappeared because you didn’t do what my boss asked you to do?”

  Clan leader put Kouros’ card in his pocket.

  “Good choice,” said Kouros.

  The clan leader’s face seemed paler. “Your boss may regret that I made it.”

  ***

  “Nitrous Oxide!” Andreas said the words so loudly Kouros might have heard them on Tinos without his phone.

  “Those two women definitely set up the brothers,” said Kouros.

  “They might even be the killers,” said Andreas. “Once the gas knocked them out, all the women had to do was get them into the van, drive it to the spot, and torch it.”

  “One could have driven the van while the other followed to pick up her partner.”

  “But somehow I just don’t think it’s going to be that easy,” said Andreas. “Either way, we’ve got to find those two women.”

  “They’ve disappeared, no one has seen them or has any idea who they are.”

  “Not surprised. I think you should go out to that tsigani bar—”

  “I already did, Chief. Like I said, no one has any idea who or where they are or can give a description better than big blond hair and even bigger tits.”

  “What I was going to say, Yianni, was ‘I think you should go out to that tsigani bar’ and locate every building in the area with a field of vision that includes the bar and anywhere customers might park. Then check out the buildings to see if any has a surveillance camera that might have caught something. It’s about time we get lucky.”

  “Will do. But what are you going to do if the Shepherd calls?”

  “Be very surprised,” said Andreas. “I can’t imagine he will, but I wanted to shake things up, see if he makes a mistake.”

  “In my book, five murders already qualify as pretty well shaken.”

  “You’re starting to sound like Tassos.”

  “Hey, I did what you asked and my guess is he’s going to pass along the message. I just think that with all the distractions of the wedding you’re too easy a target for the bad guys.”

  “Don’t worry about me. Just chase down those cameras and make sure you’re over here tomorrow in time for the wedding.”

  “Wouldn’t miss it for the world. Bye.”

  Andreas was alone in their bedroom. He put the phone in his pant pocket.

  Those bastards are terrorists. “Goddamn them. Goddamn us.” He’d said the words out loud but not loud enough for anyone to hear.

  As far as Andreas was concerned, Greece really blew it in 2004. It had the best minds from the CIA, MI6, Mossad, and everywhere else in the world focused on preparing Greece for the Olympic games, sharing their latest ideas and information on how to protect against terrorism. It was Greece’s perfect chance to learn, to build on what the world’s best counter-terrorism experts were giving it. But what did Greece do? Nothing. Let it all go to waste. Now the terrorists were back and Greece had no idea where to begin dealing with them, much less finding them. And no one else in the world seemed to care anymore. At least not as much as they once did. They all had their own problems.

  Maybe I made a mistake calling out Shepherd so close to the wedding? Andreas shook his head and swallowed. No reason to chase that thought. If Shepherd takes the bait and comes after me, there’s nothing more I can do about it than I am. Andreas bit at his lower lip.

  He looked out the window. The sea was calm. Tomorrow should be a beautiful day. He crossed himself.

  ***

  “No, no. I want something larger. That is too small.”

  The salesgirl said, “I’m sorry, madam, I misunderstood. You said you wanted a silver bowl for a wedding gift, so I showed you our most popular size for that occasion. What size are you looking for?” This was the shop of the most famous jeweler in Greece, an international legend and a man of impeccable reputation.

  The woman in the huge sunglasses, a tent of a long sleeve dress, and an enormous floppy hat pointed to a display of hammered silver bowls and pitchers, a hallmark of his craft. “I’ll take that one, the big one.” It was a foot and a half in diameter and about six inches deep.

  “Certainly, madam. Here, let me tell you the price.”

  “It doesn’t matter. My employer said I am to buy ‘the biggest.’”

  “Yes, madam. Is there a card you wish to put inside?”

  The woman nodded.

  The salesgirl put out her hand to take the card.

  “I’ll put it inside myself. I’m supposed to arrange it in a particular way.” She shrugged. “Those are my instructions.”

  The salesgirl smiled. “As you wish.” She took out a large red box, symbolic of the store, arranged the bowl amid tissue paper, and pointed the customer to the bowl. “Please.”

  The woman said, “Could I trouble you for a filter coffee?”

  “No trouble at all. How do you like it?”

  “Medium sweet, no milk. Thank you.”

  The salesgirl left. By the time she returned the box was closed. She carefully placed the coffee on a table by the customer, finished wrapping the gift with ribbons, put it into a large red shopping bag, and sealed the bag shut.

  “How will you be paying?”

  There was no attempt to bargain. The woman reached into a large beach bag she carried on her shoulder and hand
ed over cash in the exact amount owed. The salesgirl noticed the woman was wearing white cotton gloves of the sort used to handle silver and had not touched her coffee.

  “Thank you,” said the salesgirl. “Will there be anything else?”

  “Could you possibly have this delivered to the church? My employer doesn’t want to carry it there herself.” She spread her arms and shrugged her shoulders again. “What can I say, those are my instructions?”

  The salesgirl smiled. “I understand. We all have our bosses. Where is the wedding?”

  “In Ano Mera at—”

  “The Vardi-Kaldis wedding?”

  “Yes.”

  “No problem, our owner is invited and he’s bringing presents from several of our clients with him. Consider it done.”

  The woman smiled. “Thank you. You have no idea how happy you’ve just made my employer.”

  Chapter Fourteen

  Every faith considers marriage a primary rite. Most also accept it as the excuse for one hell of a party. The Greek Orthodox Church was no exception, especially on Mykonos. On the night before a local boy married a local girl, the groom spent the night partying with his guy friends, and his bride with her girlfriends. It was sort of a “kids’ last night out,” for after the wedding locals no longer called them “boy” and “girl,” but “man” and “woman.” Lila and Andreas, though, were not locals, and no one was likely to call them kids, so they skipped that ritual and stayed home Saturday night. Not that either got much sleep.

  Andreas was on the balcony outside their bedroom staring at the sea. Sunlight was breaking over the horizon bringing color back to the sky.

  Lila came up to him from behind and pressed her face against his bare back. “Nervous?”

  “About becoming your husband until death do us part, forever and ever, until the sun stops rising in the morning, until—”

  “So, you are.”

  “A bit.” Andreas smiled.

  “Me too.” Her tone sounded serious. “But it’ll be worth it for the party.”

  Andreas turned around and hugged her. “Do you know how much I love you?”