The Beth Papadakis Thriller Box Set

by Cara Alexander

  She holds her hand up. ‘No, finish your meal, Beth.’

  ‘I’ve finished.’ I turn to Elias. ‘Coffee metreo for me also, please Elias.’

  He nods and carries on eating, I walk with Helen to the bathroom. I’m terrified she might feel weak or collapse, so she has no choice.

  Five minutes later, we’re back.

  A few minutes later our coffee arrives, then Elias starts talking about Dev. I’m worried he might mention what happened in the casino the other night, so just in case, I give him a nudge him with my foot.

  ‘How long is it since Dev had a holiday?’ I ask.

  Elias looks puzzled for a minute, then the penny drops. ‘I really don’t know, he always seems to be working. A few months ago, I asked him if he would like to come with me to Crete. I was visiting relatives in Chania and thought he’d enjoy a break, but he declined, said he had too much work.’

  ‘Well, I hope he doesn’t take a break now, or we’ll really be in the shit,’ Helen mutters. She drains her coffee and looks at Elias and me. ’Shall we go back to the hotel soon?’

  ‘Of course.’ Elias gets up and beckons to the waiter.

  ‘No, it’s paid,’ I mutter.

  He shakes his head. ‘Next time it’s on me. Now you must excuse me for a few minutes.’

  Ten minutes later we’re passing through the casino, I can see Helen's husband Theo at the cash desk, he’s cashing in his chips, but where is the woman he was with?

  As we near the car park I remember the CCTV - did Elias ask the police about it just now when he left the table? I sidle up close beside him. ‘Did you find out anything about the CCTV?’

  Helen looks at me in surprise. ‘What CCTV?’

  A piercing scream suddenly fills the air - we stop dead in our tracks.

  What the hell was that?

  I turn and see the woman Theo was with, she’s right behind us, she’s staring at Helen - there’s a wild look on her face.

  Suddenly she leaps forward and pushes Helen to the ground. She’s just about to kick her in the head - I run over and kick her leg - she screams and falls down.

  Elias runs over, drags Helen away from the woman. The woman turns and with a scream leaps on me and starts punching me.

  Someone shouts for her to stop, then she’s being pulled off me - she stands staring at me with pure hatred in her eyes, then she turns and runs. I chase after her.

  Elias runs after me. ‘Leave her,’ he says, pulling me back to where Helen’s standing. ‘Let the police deal with her.’

  People are on their phones, taking photos and filming us.

  ‘Maniac!’ I shout to the retreating figure. ‘She’s a bloody nutter.’

  Elias grunts. ‘Yes, she is crazy.’

  I yank myself free from him and watch as the Mont Parnes security officers charge out of the foyer in pursuit of the woman.

  ‘What about Theo?’ I ask, turning to Helen. ‘Have you seen him?’

  ‘Who cares where he is?’ Helen replies strangely calm after what’s just happened. ‘He’s probably with that woman, driving back to Athens.’

  Then she gleefully pulls out her phone and waves it at us. ‘I have a photo of them, shall we give it to security?’

  ‘Of course.’ Elias grabs her phone and runs after the security officers.

  A few minutes later he returns. ‘I had to tell them where you're staying, Beth, they’ll probably come and see you, so be prepared.’

  I’m just about to say they already know my address, but stop myself, Helen still doesn’t know about Dev and I’m not about to tell her.

  I glance over and notice she’s on her phone, I’m amazed at how well she’s taking it. ‘Who are you calling , Helen?’

  ‘Dev, he's meeting us back at the hotel.’

  ‘What! But he’s supposed to be resting.’

  She looks at me in surprise. ‘Why, is he ill?’

  I let out a groan. ‘I think he was taking today off work, but don’t worry.’

  She smiles, but I know she doesn’t believe me.

  Nobody speaks on the way back, Helen looks tired, Elias is deep in thought.

  As we reach the hotel, Elias’s phone rings, we get out of the car and wait for him to finish his call.

  A few minutes later he gets out of his car and walks over to us, he has that worried look on his face. ‘You must be very careful, go straight to your room and lock the door, Dev will soon be here.’

  23

  BETH & HELEN

  Plaka Hotel

  I’s just gone 4.00 in the afternoon, Helen’s sitting on the balcony deep in thought, I’m pacing around the room then stop.

  ‘Are you hungry?’ I ask, walking onto the balcony. ‘I can get something from room service if you like.’

  She nods. ‘A Greek coffee and a cake would be nice.’

  She follows me inside, switches on the TV and laughs. ‘Look Beth, there’s an old film with the dialogue in English and Greek subtitles, shall we watch it?’

  ‘No, I have to do something, but you watch it.’

  She plonks herself down on her bed and starts watching the film, I go to my room and call reception on the hotel phone.

  ‘They’ll be up in a few minutes, with your coffee and cake,’ I call.

  She grunts.

  ‘Are you falling asleep?’ I shout.

  ‘No, I’m watching the film,’ she groans.

  She sounds very sleepy, maybe it’s good if she does fall asleep. I start flicking through my emails, I want to have another look at the photos of the men in the casino.

  I stand staring at them wondering who they are. They look as if they could be wearing disguises just like Helen and I did - hats, sunglasses, spectacles, beards - who wears dark glasses to a casino? What’s the point of even looking at them?

  A few minutes later there’s a light knock on the door, it must be room service. I glance over at Helen, she’s fallen asleep.

  I run to open the door, I don’t want them to wake her. But when I open the door nobody’s there.

  Popping my head around the door I shout. ‘Anyone there?’

  No reply.

  What a cheek! Who knocks on a hotel door then disappears? As I turn to go back inside, something hard hits my head.

  ‘What the...’

  I turn to see who it is - then everything goes black.

  ‘Are you okay?’

  I hear a voice, it seems far away.

  ‘What happened?’ I mumble, trying to sit up, but I can’t. I open my eyes and see a waiter peering at me. My head hurts, I feel sick.

  ‘Someone hit you,’ he blurts out. ‘I tried to stop her, but she ran away.’

  There’s a tray of coffee and cakes on the floor next to me, I try to get up, he stops me.

  ‘Don’t move, the ambulance will be here soon.’

  ‘I’m okay, what about Helen?’

  ‘Don't worry, I called the police, your friend is safe, she’s sleeping.’

  Another member of the hotel staff suddenly arrives. ‘The police are here,’ he calls, excitedly.

  A few minutes later the doors of the elevator open, a paramedic gets out. He comes over, examines me then gently lifts me into the chair he brought with him.

  ‘Where are you taking me?’

  ‘Hospital,’ he mutters.

  ‘Wait!’

  I turn and look at the waiter. ‘Can you get my phone for me, it’s in my room, probably on my bed.’

  He nods and runs into my room.

  A few seconds later he appears waving my phone. ‘I have your phone.’

  The paramedic rolls his eyes, I thank the waiter, then I’m wheeled into the elevator, clutching my phone.

  After having an x-ray, I’m wheeled to another room, the nurse says she’ll be back in a minute.

  I try to get up but still feel dizzy and sit holding my head.

  ‘Drink this.’

  I look up. It’s Dev. He places a polystyrene cup of tea in my hands.

 
; ‘Drink this it will help.’

  ‘What are you doing here?’ I mumble, swallowing the tea.

  ‘I went to your hotel, I saw the commotion, the manager told me you were here.’

  ‘It was the woman from the casino, wasn’t it?’

  He just stands looking at me with that serious look on his face.

  ‘Don’t worry Dev, I’m okay, and thanks for the tea.’ I don’t take sugar, but it’s just what I need. I start thinking about the woman who attacked us outside the casino, it must be the same woman who did this, who else would do this. I take another sip of tea and look at Dev. Helen said he’d arranged for Theo to be followed, so maybe he knows who this woman is?

  ‘You were lucky,’ Dev says, pulling up a chair next to me. ‘If the waiter hadn’t arrived when he did.’

  A nurse suddenly appears. ‘I have good news the x-ray is okay.’

  She has a plastic cup of water and a couple of large white tablets which she puts in my hand.

  ‘Take these, they will help, they are very strong. Then you go home and rest.’

  ‘Thanks.’

  I gulp them down and she leaves.

  ‘Elias stopped me running after her…’ I mutter. ‘I shouldn’t have listened to him.’

  Dev frowns.

  ‘Have the police caught her yet?’

  He stands staring at me, saying nothing.

  ‘What about a little compassion?’ I mutter. ‘I’m the one who just got hit over the head.’

  He raises an eyebrow but says nothing.

  ‘What’s wrong with you?’

  He gives me a funny look.

  ‘What about Theo, have the police spoken to him yet?’

  I try to get out of the chair, he holds onto me to stop me from falling.

  I sit down again, I feel so angry.

  ‘Maybe Theo put that woman up to it? I mean, just think about it. If Helen’s killed who inherits? We’re attacked in broad daylight and then she tries to kill me. Maybe Theo got that woman to cut the brakes of Helen’s car, she’s crazy enough, it didn’t work and…’

  Dev’s looking at me strangely, does he know who did it?

  ‘I told you this was going to get nasty,’ he snaps.

  I try to get up but fall back onto the chair again. ‘If you lot got your act together, none of this would’ve happened.’

  He takes my empty cup, throws it in the bin, looks at me for a minute, then turns and walks out of the room.

  A few minutes later my phone rings. Thinking it’s Dev I pick it up. ‘Yes?’

  ‘Is that Beth - Beth Papadakis?’

  ‘Yes, who is it?’

  ‘David, I’m a friend of Helen’s, I just tried calling her, but she isn't answering...’

  Who the hell is David?

  ‘Sorry, I should explain,’ he says quickly. ‘I’m from Spain, I’m an old friend of hers, I read about the car crash and called her office, Tula said she’s at the hotel, but she doesn’t answer her phone.’

  I don’t say anything, he carries on.

  ‘The hotel gave me your number.’ He stops and hesitates for a minute. ‘They said a woman attacked you.’

  ‘Helen’s okay,’ I reply. ‘I’m sorry David, but now is not a good time, I’ll call you tomorrow?’

  I’m just saving his number when I see Elias rushing through the door. He immediately spots me and comes over.

  ‘Dev called me, he told me what happened. How are you?’

  ‘I'm okay. I just have a bit of a headache.’

  He comes over, holds my hand, as if to comfort me. ‘Have you spoken to the doctor?’ His eyes look puffy, he probably hasn’t slept much. He’s always running around Athens in search of the latest news and now Dev gets him to come and see me.

  ‘Don’t worry Elias, the x-rays are okay, they gave me some pills which are really good.’

  As if to confirm this I get up and this time I don’t fall back in my chair.

  ‘I think Dev is right,’ he murmurs, a worried look on his face.

  I look at him in surprise. ‘What do you mean?’

  He stands watching me, frowning. ‘Beth, I think it would be better for you and Helen to go to London until this is cleared up, you were lucky this time, but next time...’

  I’ve grown fond of Elias and hate to see him looking so worried. I give his hand a quick squeeze and smile. ‘Don’t worry, I'll make sure Helen’s safe, no more Mont Parnes for a while.’

  He just stands staring at me. ‘But how can you make sure Helen’s safe?’

  I look at him, can I trust him?

  ‘I’m not sure, Elias, but I have an idea. I just received a call from a friend of Helen’s, he heard about her accident, he called the hotel, but she didn’t answer. Then he spoke to reception and they said she was asleep, they told him what happened and gave him my number.’

  ‘But who is this man?’ he snorts, looking surprised. ‘Do you know him? And how can he help you?’

  ‘I’m not sure yet, I said I'd call him tomorrow.’

  Elias sits mulling this over, looking more worried than ever.

  ‘Where does he live, in London?’

  ‘No, Spain, I’ll find out more when I see him. Now I must call Helen, let her know about her friend.’

  After a few rings she picks up. ‘Helen, it’s me. A friend of yours just called me. He tried calling you, but you must have been asleep.’

  ‘Oh, Beth! Thank God it’s you,’ she exclaims, sounding relieved. ‘I've been so worried, how are you?’

  ‘I'm okay, I’ll be back soon. Listen, the guy who called me, his name is David, he’s here from Spain. Do you know him?’

  ‘Yes, of course, I haven't seen him for months. How on earth did he get your number?’

  ‘The hotel gave it to him. You were asleep and he was worried about you.’

  As soon as I finish talking to Helen, Elias comes over.

  ‘I’ll drop you off at your hotel now Beth, shall I get a chair to wheel you outside?’

  ‘I'm staying here for a while, Elias. Go home and get some sleep, you look tired.’

  His eyebrows shoot up making him look like a startled rabbit. ‘I'm not leaving you to go home alone.’

  I appreciate his concern, I really do, but I need to think.

  ‘I'll sit in reception for a while, sort my head out.’

  ‘No, I must take you back to your hotel, I refuse to leave you here on your own.’

  I give him a hug. ‘Don't worry so much, I'm okay. I just want to be alone for a while. I'll take a cab back and have an early night.’

  After making me promise to get a cab back to the hotel, Elias has no choice but to leave.

  I sit drinking tea and thinking. Helen's husband Theo must know where the woman who attacked us lives. I try calling him at their home number. No reply!

  I still feel a bit weak, so I decide to get a sandwich from the hospital café.

  With another cup of tea and a cheese sandwich I go to the far side of the café, find an empty table, take a sip of tea, then give Theo a call - still no reply.

  My phone rings. It’s Helen.

  ‘Elias just called. He said you're still at the hospital, are you okay?’

  ‘I'm fine, I told him not to worry! I'll be back soon.’

  ‘Beth, I am worried. Shall I call Dev to come and get you?’

  ‘No, don’t call Dev, I feel a lot better, the pills the nurse gave me must be working. I'm just having a cup of tea, then I'll get a cab back to the hotel.’

  ‘Okay, but I can easily get a cab, we can come back together, I don’t want you to be alone.’

  ‘No, really, I'm fine, I’ll see you soon.’

  After finishing my sandwich, I gulp down the rest of my tea, go to the ladies, wash my face, put on some lipstick and leave the hospital, now to find a cab.

  As soon as I’m outside the fresh air seems to wake me up. I look around for a cab - there are two with their lights on.

  I’m just about to ask one of them
to take me to the hotel, then change my mind.

  ‘The Up All Night Club in downtown Athens, it’s just off Omonia Square.’

  He nods, I get in the back of the cab.

  Let’s see what Helen’s husband Theo has to say for himself.

  24

  BETH & THEO

  Up All Night Club

  8.15 pm

  The driver drops me off in a darkened side street near Omonia Square in downtown Athens. Above the entrance to the Up All Night Club is the silhouette of a naked woman sitting in a glass, her long legs are crossed, she’s smoking a cigarette, the place looks downright seedy.

  Athens is well known for its hedonistic nightlife and relaxed drinking laws, glamorous bars and nightclubs in the city and near the beach. There are bars tucked away in tiny side streets which offer some of the best Rembetika music in Athens, but this club I’m looking at right now is not one of them.

  Theo never invited Helen to his club and in the end she couldn't care less if she went or not. He said it was a business, a drinking club for men and he didn't want his beautiful wife to be in such a place. By the looks of the place I get the feeling he’s right. Taking a deep breath, I enter the club.

  A tall heavy-set man with a face like a boxer looks me up and down. Wrapping my thick cardigan tightly around me, I nod, force a smile to my face, walk past him and over to reception. I’m not dressed for clubbing and he knows it. Thick woolly blue cardigan, three quarter length beige trousers and a pair of black pumps are not for this type of place.

  The girl at reception has an amused look on her face. ‘Yes, can I help,’ she asks, looking me up and down. Her accent’s Eastern European, she’s heavily made-up, charcoal lined eyes, false eyelashes, bright red lipstick and short spiky black hair. ‘Do you have an appointment with someone?’

  I have an urge to wipe that smug look off her face, but of course I don’t.

  ‘I don’t have an appointment, I just want to speak to Mr Panikos.’ On closer inspection I’m amazed how young she is, underneath the heavy make-up, she can’t be more than sixteen years of age.

  A sly smile suddenly appears on her pretty round face and she gives me a knowing look. ‘But of course, please take a seat, I will tell him you are here. What is your name?’