Dig Two Graves: Revenge or Honor (30 page)

“Great. When were you going to tell me about all this?” AJ said.

“You were sulking in the back of the plane,” Gia said, not cutting AJ the slightest slack. He was acting like a spoiled child.

“Well, they aren’t coming after us now with one dead and the other on the run. That shoots Gia’s big plan in the foot,” AJ said, avoiding Gia’s big brown eyes.

“I’m not so sure,” Gia said, ignoring AJ’s sarcasm. “I’ve been thinking about that. Dobos could try again to get out of trouble with his bosses, or the new player could show up. Either way we may still have a chance to catch one or both of them and track them back to the man behind it all.”

“A chance? You mean anyone could kill us. And, as for the ‘new player,’ we don’t even know who he is. The only chance we had was that Ceres and I saw the two men going into the hotel back in Athens. Now we’re back to square one,” AJ said, suddenly realizing how negative he’d become. His innate cowardice was rearing its ugly head.

“Miss Donnattela may be right. It still could work,” Tinos spoke up with authority. “If the first hit man is running scared, he would want to try to redeem himself. The person who’s after him has no choice but to follow and try to knock him off. He could even have the assignment to get you, too, AJ,” Tinos said. “Besides, we have the boat picked out, the surveillance is already in place, and we’ve put word around that two foreigners are going to dive the wreck of… what’s the name of the old freighter?”

“The Agamemnon,” AJ interjected.

“Yeah, that’s right. How could I forget that?” Tinos said.

“What arrangements have you made for the surveillance, Captain Ganis?” Alessandro asked.

Gia and AJ both listened closely. If they were going to do this, they would be the bait in the trap.

“The boat we’ve chosen is under observation from a nearby hotel, three men in rotating shifts. Video has been set up so we can watch from the command post and onboard the target boat itself. It’s well covered,” Tinos said.

“Great, we can watch each other being killed on the big screen,” AJ said.

“May I continue?” Tinos said, tired of AJ’s grumbling.

AJ made a dismissive wave, and Tinos continued. “There is audio in the wheel house, on the main deck, and in the two cabins.”

“What is the activity plan?” Gia asked.

“You and AJ will board the boat tonight. In the morning, a small truck with supplies and diving gear will make deliveries and…”

“…and we look busy,” AJ interrupted. “We know that. What do we do?”

Tinos scowled at AJ and said, “When the deliveries come, help unload, talk to the people about your dive…”

“I don’t dive, and I don’t know anything about diving,” AJ said. “This isn’t going to work.”

“Don’t worry about it. The people making the deliveries are our people. We need to simulate the activity of a dive boat.”

“We’re going to look busy all day?” AJ said.

“No, you’re going for a boat ride for a couple hours,” Tinos snapped. “The Coast Guard has a coastal patrol craft on station to monitor the boat’s progress,” Tinos said. “Then you come back. Look like you’re cleaning up the boat, and equipment, then bed down for the night right on the boat. Then you wait.”

“Thank you. You seem to have thought of everything, Captain Ganis. Any questions?” Alessandro said.

“I have one,” AJ said. “Who’s going to run this boat of ours, some reject from the Navy? I certainly can’t.”

Tinos smiled and said, “No, AJ, you get a reject from the Army. I’m running the boat and staying onboard with you to cover your ungrateful ass. You may be the cheese in this mouse trap, but I’m the spring.”

AJ sulked alone in the Land Rover LR4’s back seat, silent in self-imposed exile. He was pissed, angry at being used as bait, angry at being forced to run for his life, angry at being sucked into a drama that a month ago, he neither knew nor cared about, and he was scared. AJ closed his eyes. The old familiar fear was sitting in his belly like a hot stone. He pressed his chin to his chest in a futile effort to relieve the burning in his neck and shoulders and the shame that filled him. Come on AJ, you can do this.

He broke the icy silence and said, “How much longer, Tinos?”

Captain Tinos Ganis squinted at him in the rearview and said, “We’re about half way there. Not much longer.”

Gia turned in her seat to face him and was surprised at how pale AJ looked “This is the only way to make it safe for your friend,” she said. “Think about Ceres.”

“That’s all I have been thinking about. I don’t like it. I don’t think it will work, but it’s the only choice there is if he’s ever to be safe,” AJ said softly. And I’m scared shitless.

He had lived with the fear all his life, debilitating, shameful fear. His father knew and hated him for being weak, and so had anyone who got close to him. He liked this girl, and Tinos, too, but soon they’d learn what his father had known. Not only was AJ Pantheras a greedy womanizer, he was also a coward.

“It’ll work. It has to,” Gia said, looking at Tinos.

“It’s a good plan, AJ, and we’ve covered every eventuality,” Tinos said, looking at AJ in the rearview. “Remember, it’s my neck, too. I’ll be on the boat with you.”

AJ’s cell phone rang, cutting off the discussion.

“Ajax, are you there?” Ceres said.

“Ceres, good to hear your voice, how are you feeling?” AJ asked. He smiled.

“I’m much better. I walked the corridor twice today,” Ceres said. “I know, pitiful isn’t it?”

“No,” AJ laughed, “not at all. You took a bad blow to the head, and with your other injuries, it takes time. Have you seen the guards Mr. Moretti assigned?” AJ asked.

“Yes, they’re here. I should be with you,” Ceres said. “This is my …”

“It’s your quest, but it’s mine now, too,” AJ said.

“Is it Ajax? Is it really?” Ceres wanted to believe it but he wasn’t sure.

“Yes, it is, really. I’m glad you called. I wanted to … to tell you something and don’t know if I’ll get another chance.”

“What is it, Ajax?”

“Our buddy Tinos is here,” AJ said, stalling while he tried to find the words.

“What? How? Ceres sputtered.

“Turns out he’s a Greek cop. He’s here and is going to help set our trap,” AJ said.

“Well, that’s a surprise. I took him for a good man but…”

“Look, Ceres, I wanted to say… to tell you… I … Ceres, it’s been an honor to get to know you. I haven’t always had the best intentions. You didn’t judge, and you waited for me to see the light,” AJ said. “No one ever did that for me. No one could have done more for me, and I’m grateful.”

“Thank you, Ajax. Getting to know you has been like being with your grandfather all over again. You’re a lot like him. Driven, sure of yourself. You are a very capable young man. He would be proud of you and so would your father,” Ceres said.

AJ didn’t believe a word of it but was glad Ceres had said it. “I don’t know about my father, but if you are satisfied, well, that’s enough. You take care of yourself. I’ll call you tomorrow, but if…”

“Whenever it is, Ajax, I know you’ll have done all you could. Be careful and good-bye,” Ceres said.

“Good-night,” AJ said as he ended the call.

“That was Ceres?” Gia asked as she turned in her seat to face AJ. “How is he?” She asked.

“I think he’s doing better.”

“Did he just want to talk, or did he have news?”

“He wanted to say good-bye,” AJ said, looking at the PI with a mist growing in his eyes.

Ceres looked at the phone then handed it to Mary.

“You didn’t tell him about the cipher, love. What’s wrong?” Mary asked.

“Nothing, nothing at all,” Ceres said wistfully. Then looking up at Mary, he said “Oh, the cipher. I forgot. It’s waited this long. It can wait a little longer.” He sighed. 

“You look worried, love. What’s got you in such a lather?” Mary asked.

“Well,” Ceres said wistfully “I was just thinking about Ajax. He’s putting his life in danger because of me,” he sighed. Ceres knew the boy was struggling, but with what, he wasn’t sure.

“Oh posh. I wouldn’t worry about that young man, really. He has a good head ‘bout him and…”

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.