The Beth Papadakis Thriller Box Set

by Cara Alexander

  ‘Any news about Alex?’ he asks, this time not so sharply. ‘Has he said anything?’

  ‘You’re just in time, he just gave us the names of the other members.’

  ‘Excellent, thanks Katia.’

  ‘Not at all boss,’ she replies, then quickly adds. ‘Anything, for you.’

  He sits frowning thinking about Katia, he knows it can’t go on but how to stop her? He shrugs and sits reading through his notes, he’s missing something important but what? The CCTV footage outside the metro at Monesteraki was checked around the time Beth received the call. She’d seen the footage they had but didn’t recognize anyone.

  He takes out his phone. ‘Katia, can you check if anymore CCTV footage has been found near the metro at Monesteraki?’

  ‘Of course, I’ll pop round later and update you with what we’ve found, then we can resume where we left off this morning.’

  37

  BETH & HELEN

  Venus Hotel, Park Lane

  London

  I’m having coffee with Helen when Mum calls, she says they’ll be in London by about 3.30. As soon as I put my phone down it rings, it’s Dev.

  ‘Hi Beth, we’ve found some more CCTV footage from near the metro station in Monesteraki, around the time you received the phone call.’

  ‘But I don’t see how I can help?’ I reply, surprised he should mention it. ‘I don’t even know what he looks like.’

  ‘Yes, I know,’ he snaps, irritably. ‘I’ll email some shots over for you to look at, but you'll have to come to Athens to view the CCTV footage.’

  I glance over at Helen, I know she can hear what he’s saying. I didn’t know he was back in Athens, Helen and I had just been discussing getting flights. I called work and they’re OK about me going. My editor wants me to get more information about the economic situation in Athens, which suits me fine.

  ‘I thought it was too dangerous for me to be in Athens?’ I say. ‘What happened?’

  He pauses for a while. ‘I thought it would help, but if you can’t, don’t worry.’

  I get the feeling he’s holding something back. He hasn’t told me what’s happened about Alex.

  ‘Listen, you haven’t...’

  ‘As I said, it can wait. Okay...’

  ‘What can wait?’ I snap.

  ‘Well, if you really want to know, it’s about Alex and his political party, or rather…’

  ‘What party? What are you talking about?’

  ‘Beth, I shouldn’t be telling you this,’ he mutters. ‘It’s highly confidential, if you know what I mean.’

  ‘What is it?’ He doesn’t reply.

  ‘Look Dev, you know you can trust me, I won’t say anything.’

  ‘Okay, but this is just between you and me, right?’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Your ex runs or helps run a political party, one of our agents befriended a young guy Alex kicked out and we’ve gained some valuable information.’

  ‘What information?’

  ‘It’s about Fivos, the man your ex contacted you about, remember, the man who was murdered with James?’

  Helen’s sitting next to me, she can hear everything, she doesn’t know about Fivos. I don’t reply. He carries on talking.

  ‘It seems Alex was suspicious of Fivos, he suspected him of being a mole so had him bugged. It worked for a couple of days then it stopped, he must have found the bug, or it fell off. I checked with the morgue but there’s no bug on his jacket.’

  ‘So, where is Alex?’

  ‘He’s here in Athens. The police are questioning him, they asked him for the names of the other members who knew about this.’

  ‘Did he tell them?’

  ‘It took a while but eventually he did.’

  I sit for a while trying to digest this, I know Alex has changed, but he would never kill anyone, would he?

  ‘So, are they charging Alex with anything?’

  He doesn’t reply. Helen sits staring at me visibly shaken.

  ‘Okay. I’ll book a flight. I’ll call you when I’m in Athens.’

  ‘Let me know which flight you’re on, I’ll try and collect you from the airport.’

  I close my phone, go out onto the balcony and take a deep breath.

  ‘Are you okay?’ Helen asks, coming out onto the balcony to join me.

  ‘Yes, just getting some air…’

  She wraps an arm around my shoulder, we stand like this for a few minutes, saying nothing just looking at the traffic below, then she gives me a hug. ‘I’m going inside to book some tickets for Athens - yes?’

  I nod.

  She grabs her phone.

  A few minutes later we have two flights booked for the following morning, leaving at 8.15am.

  I get up and start getting ready to leave. ‘I have to go home, collect my things and get the place ready for Mum and Jamie.’

  ‘Yes, and I must let David know we’re leaving. He had an early morning appointment and isn’t due back till later. I’ll give him a call him now.’

  I sit listening to her chat to David then start thinking about Alex. He has changed a lot, that’s why I asked for a divorce, all those shady deals with Limonides, all that money he made which I didn’t know about, and that woman…

  I get up and walk to the window. That was the worst part of it all, I always had a feeling something was wrong.

  Suddenly Helen looks over at me, she raises an eyebrow as if to ask if I’m okay, I nod and smile, she continues talking.

  ‘That’s great David.’

  Then she puts the phone on speaker so I can hear what they’re saying.

  ‘When everything’s over we’ll visit you in Spain.’

  ‘Great,’ says David, I’ll make sure you have the best rooms, and you won't have to pay, it’s on the house, you’ll both be very welcome.’

  Helen looks happy.

  ‘We’ll definitely hold you to that, David.’

  She closes her phone and looks at me. ‘Make sure you keep Easter free as we’re going to the Costa del Sol to see David.’

  I laugh and put on my coat. ‘I’m going to get my place ready before Mum and Jamie get there.’

  She grabs her coat. ‘I’m coming to I don’t want to stay here by herself, I’ll keep you company.’

  Two minutes later, we’re outside the hotel hailing down a taxi.

  My apartment feels warm and cozy, it’s just as I left it, clothes are strewn all over the bed - I must tidy up before they get here.

  ‘You pack, I’ll make coffee,’ Helen calls going into the kitchen.

  ‘Yes, and this time I’m taking a large suitcase, no more carry-on luggage, just a large shoulder bag with my laptop, passport, purse and make-up inside it.’

  When I’ve finished packing we sit drinking coffee, then I do a final check just to make sure I have everything I’ll need, then we tidy up and get things ready for Mum and Jamie.

  Ten minutes later they arrive. We sit chatting for a while, I don’t tell them about Dev, they think I’m going to Athens to give Helen support with her divorce. After making sure Jamie has all he needs for school tomorrow, we go outside and get a taxi. Ten minutes later we’re outside the hotel.

  ‘We must check in two hours before take-off, Helen.’

  She nods and pays the driver. ‘I’ve arranged for an early morning call at 5.30 am.’

  We run into the warm hotel and take the elevator to their suite.

  While Helen has a quick shower, I take a small brandy from the fridge glug it down, then roll into bed.

  38

  BETH & HELEN

  Next Morning - Venus Hotel, Park Lane

  London

  The early morning dawn clings to the air as we leave for the airport. David’s fast asleep so we leave him a note and quietly tiptoe out of the suite.

  As we leave the elevator the heavenly scent of breakfast wafts over to us from the breakfast room. I stop for a second. ‘Mmmm, coffee…’

  ‘Come on Beth
,’ Helen mutters. ‘We have a plane to catch.’

  Thirty minutes later we’re checking in our luggage at Heathrow airport and going through customs. By now we’re both in need of a strong coffee and something to eat. Pret A Manger seems to be the nearest café. It’s already busy, so Helen grabs a table and I get breakfast.

  After coffee and croissants we sit checking our emails, then it’s time to board. With a few healthy snack bars stashed away in our bags, we settle down for the four-hour flight. The last call to switch off phones and laptops reminds me that I forgot to call Dev, I’ll call him when we land.

  Soon the plane is high in the sky, we’re on our way back to Athens. We sleep for most of the journey. When we arrive I text Dev to let him know we’re here - no reply, he must be busy.

  We take the metro to Syntagma Square and from there we walk to the Plaka Hotel. With the two-hour difference it’s late afternoon by the time we get there, Helen’s exhausted and goes to her room to rest.

  I’m on the balcony with an ice-cold beer checking my emails. There’s one from Dev, he says he'll pop round to the hotel around 8.00ish tonight. Another email from Mum and Jamie asking me to call them when I arrive, which I do.

  Just like old times we’re sitting on the hotel terrace when Dev arrives, he looks tired and orders an espresso coffee.

  ‘So, shall we start?’ he asks, looking at me when he says this.

  I take a sip of beer and nod.

  ‘Well, as you probably know Alex has the best legal team in Greece working for him so he should be out on bail shortly.’ He sits looking at us for a minute then carries on. ‘The man who followed you in London has been picked up.’

  I’m just about to ask for his name, when Dev adds. ‘His name is Stavros Stamatis. He’s being questioned now. Tomorrow you can check the latest CCTV footage, I'll collect you around 9 am tomorrow morning.’

  He looks tired so I give him a reassuring smile. ‘Yes, that’s fine.’

  He stands up to go. ‘I was hoping we could all have dinner tonight, but unfortunately I have an appointment.’ Then to my surprise he leans over and hugs me. ‘See you tomorrow.’ Then he’s gone.

  Of course, Helen hasn’t missed it and gives me an impish smile but says nothing. She looks at the hotel menu then at me. ‘What about Greek ravioli, chips and salad?’

  ‘Sounds great.’

  Soon we’re tucking into bowls of ravioli and drinking a bottle of ice-cold white wine. I put down my now nearly empty glass of wine and look at Helen. ‘You know, there's something everyone seems to be missing and I think it's very important.’

  She looks surprised. ‘What’s that?’

  ‘Dev said Alex had bugged Fivos, so he probably knows why James was going to see Fivos.’

  She nods for me to carry on.

  ‘We must listen to everything Alex recorded.’

  ‘And how do you intend doing that?’

  ’I’m not sure, but there must be a way.’

  She sits sipping her wine, then looks at me thoughtfully. ‘Can Dev get access to them?’

  I shrug.

  She frowns. ‘Maybe Alex has destroyed them, have you asked Dev?’

  ‘No, but I’m going to.’

  39

  DEV & BETH

  Athens - 9.11 am in the morning

  Dev pushes the old door just in the right place in the now familiar small street near the Acropolis, the door opens and in we go.

  The buzz of computers fills the air as we enter their headquarters. On our way to the digital department we pass Katia. I feel her eyes boring into my back then she gets up and follows us into the room. She stands close to Dev with an arm around his shoulders in a protective sort of way. I’m surprised by this show of affection but pretend not to notice.

  He gently shrugs off her arm and walks over to a table. ‘This is very important, so listen.’ He turns and gives me a reassuring smile. ‘It’s crucial you take your time and look carefully at the photos then at all the footage, Beth.’ He pulls out a chair for me, so I sit down.

  ‘I'll talk to you later,’ he says, looking at Katia.

  Her face clouds over, she shrugs and leaves us to get on with it.

  Dev stands flicking through his phone, I start going through the photos then look at the CCTV footage.

  After a while I go back to the photos and stop at one, he looks familiar. The mouth is thin, his features are fine. I’m sure I’ve seen him somewhere before, but where?

  ‘Found anything?’ Dev murmurs.

  I hesitate for a minute, then point to the photo. ‘This one looks familiar, but I'm not sure.’ The more I look at it the less sure I become. Dev hasn’t taken his eyes off me, I know how important this is to him. ‘No, I’m really not sure, let’s leave it.’

  ‘Don’t worry.’ He peers over my shoulder at the photo and shrugs. ‘You can always come back and see them again. I'll drive you back to your hotel.’

  ‘It’s nice of you to offer Dev,’ I say as quietly as I can, ‘but I want to walk.’

  ‘Are you sure?’

  ‘Yes.’

  We leave the room.

  On our way out we pass Katia, she pretends not to see us, but I know she’s watching me, he walks with me to the elevator.

  ‘I’ll call you later, Beth.’

  ‘Yes, let me know as soon as you have some news.’

  He nods.

  Soon I’m outside in the street just below the Acropolis. As I walk along, I think of Katia. She obviously has feelings for Dev, or maybe it’s just my overactive imagination, but usually I’m right.

  The sun sparkles through the leaves and throws rays of light over the nearby cafés - I get a whiff of coffee and pastries - I’m hungry - I didn’t have breakfast this morning. I hurry back to the hotel to see if Helen’s up.

  Dev sits flicking through the photos then stops and stares at one of them.

  The door opens silently, Katia walks over to him.

  ‘Who the hell was that?’ she asks, leaning over so her face is close to his.

  He jumps, swivels around in his chair and stares at her. ‘Katia, you know we have to find this man and Beth is helping us.’

  With her hands on her hips she looks at him angrily. ‘I can see she was helping you.’ Then leaning close to him she murmurs. ‘Now it’s my turn to help you.’

  He can feel her warm sensuous body through her thin short dress and gently pushes her away.

  His phone rings, it’s the police, Alex is about to be interviewed and they want him there.

  Grabbing his jacket, he leaves HQ and drives to the police station in Syntagma Square.

  Standing behind the two-way glass Dev watches Alex enter the room, the interview begins.

  ‘Did you plant the bug on Fivos's jacket?’

  ‘Yes, I did,’ replies Alex.

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I caught him eavesdropping. He was listening to conversations which didn't concern him. Naturally I wanted to know what he was up to and who he was working for.’

  Dev notices how confident Alex is, he’s not at all intimidated by being questioned, but there again, he’s used to it, he’s one of the leading criminal lawyers in Athens, this is nothing new to him.

  ‘You heard him arrange to meet James at the bar by the beach,’ the detective says. ‘Are you denying you know about this?’

  Alex frowns. ‘No, I’m not denying it, but we also heard a lot of other things he said. We listened to his conversations for a few days and then they stopped. He must have found the bug and removed it.’

  ‘So, you deny arranging for him to be killed?’

  ‘Yes, of course.’

  Dev’s heard enough, he leaves the room and the police station, slides into his car and drives back to HQ. He starts thinking about the case, what is he missing? He starts going through it again. This morning Beth checked the new CCTV footage for the Monesteraki metro station area where the man called her from and saw nothing. There has to be something he’s missing, b
ut what?

  40

  HELEN’S DIVORCE

  Athens - 10.30am

  The day of the divorce hearing finally arrives. Helen’s wearing a dark gray suit, white blouse and black shoes. A dark pink silk scarf adds the finishing touch to her outfit.

  I’m wearing a light gray suit with a pale blue blouse and my black boots as usual. For a change my flyaway blonde hair is brushed and held back with a clip.

  With a feeling of trepidation, we enter the courtroom and the hearing begins. Theo isn’t here.

  Eventually the judge deems there are grounds for divorce, the photos and videos confirm beyond doubt that Theo has been unfaithful and guilty of mental cruelty. He orders Theo vacate the Kolonaki house immediately.

  Helen’s ecstatic with joy, I want to stand up and cheer, but of course I don’t.

  ‘Let’s go to the rooftop bar at the Grande Bretagne Hotel,’ she says, beaming with delight. ‘This calls for a celebration, we can ask Dev and Elias to join us there for lunch.

  An hour later we’re all in the bar having lunch when Elias receives an urgent call to cover a breaking story.

  ‘I’m so sorry I have to leave,’ he says, giving us a worried look. ‘I wish I could stay but…’

  Helen laughs. ‘Don’t worry Elias, we’ll do this again, now hurry or you’ll be late.’

  After coffee Dev walks us back to the hotel.

  As soon as we arrive Helen heads for the elevator. ‘I need to have a rest, but don’t let me stop you two from having a drink on the terrace.’

  Dev looks at me. ‘That’s a good idea, shall we?’

  I’m sure there’s a glint of amusement in his eyes, they look very blue today. Helen gives me an impish grin and disappears into the elevator.

  ‘Would you like to go somewhere else for a change?’ he asks. ‘There’s a bar I know, it’s only a ten-minute walk from here.’

  Now this is the Dev I like. ‘Okay, lead the way.’ Let’s hope he doesn’t get any phone calls to distract him like the last time.