Spellbound in His Arms (12 page)

Michael slowed the Jeep and brought it to a stop. They
sat silently for a moment or two, watching the magnificent view.

“It’s breathtaking,” she whispered and took a deep
breath.

He kept silent, and as she turned to look at him, she
saw his eyes fixed on her.

She felt her heart skipping a beat, seeing this
seductive man looking at her with eyes filled with passion and promises.

“Don’t…” she whispered. “We have to go.”

Her words brought him back to reality, and the Jeep
jumped forward. “We’ll get to the hotel in an hour or so, and I’ll drop you
off,” he said. When, Jackie looked at him questioningly, he continued, “I have
a couple of things to take care of, before we leave.”

Jackie glanced at her watch. It was six thirty-five in
the morning. “What time does the flight leave?”

“Ten o’clock.”

“Are we going to make it?”

“We have to!” Michael replied and concentrated on his
driving.

It wasn’t long before they turned onto the beach
boulevard, and then, Michael started speeding up and passing the other cars.
Jackie didn’t know which one was worse, climbing up the hill in the dark or
speeding like a rocket on the boulevard. At least, it was still early, and
there weren’t many cars on the road.

“Slow down,” she whispered and swallowed hard.

“It’s all right,” he reassured her and turned on the
siren.

Jackie jumped, surprised at the sound. When she realized
what it was, she had her doubts if it was better having it on. The other cars,
of course, made way for them to pass, but, on the other hand, Michael’s driving
got faster and more aggressive.

She looked at his profile and the strong hands holding
steady onto the wheel and was left speechless by the feeling of pure desire,
which shot right through her body like a hot wave. She couldn’t believe at a
moment like this, wild thoughts of passion and desire would whirl around in her
mind. They were in grave danger…and all she could think about was to unbuckle
her seatbelt and climb onto his lap.

She bit her lip and forced herself to avert her gaze
from his inviting body. Breathing heavily, she looked straight ahead, trying to
control the rising flames of passion threatening to engulf her.

The sudden stopping of the car ahead of them made Jackie
scream and throw her hands in front of her face. She felt her entire body going
stiff, waiting to feel the unavoidable impact. But all she felt was a sudden
swerve and then, the Jeep accelerated even more.

By the time they got to their hotel, Jackie was sweating
and sick to her stomach. Taking her bag, she got out of the Jeep and walked
towards the hotel entrance, trying to keep steady. She’d hardly reached the
entrance, when she heard the Jeep spinning around and turned to see it
disappearing down the street.

She walked upstairs and packed her stuff in a hurry. It
didn’t take long, since she’d left most of her belongings in her luggage at the
hotel, not intending to stay more than a couple of days at the mansion.

Opening the closet doors, she realized that someone had
been through her stuff. She looked around puzzled. There was no other sign in
the room of any intruder, but Jackie was very tidy and she could tell that
someone had rifled through her clothing.

Who was it that broke into my room and what on earth
was he looking for? Could it be that man, Philip Manos, Michael was talking
about, or was it someone else?

She yanked a couple of dresses off their hangers. There
was nothing she could do about it right now and she needed to hurry up. She had
a plane to catch.

***

It was a little after nine when Michael walked into his
hotel room and started packing his stuff in a hurry. There was no time to
waste.

As he was packing, his mind was going over all the evidence
he had collected so far. His recent visit to the Corfu police department had
filled him in on some details and had shed a little light on some very interesting
aspects of this complicated case. He thought about the dead attorney and the
deal with Evergreens Resort. So there was more to it than what he’d thought at
the beginning. This deal was even larger than the eight hundred acres he
inherited from Constantinos.

Michael felt his anger choking him and he clenched his
fists. How could someone be so ruthless, to step on everybody else just to
increase his wealth and power? And what made him even more furious was that
this someone was his own biological father.

***

Jackie was taken by surprise when she heard knocking on
the door.

“I have to go now,” she told Stephanos and got off the
phone. She walked over to the door and took a peek through the peephole. It
wasn’t Michael. It was a uniform policeman standing in front of her door.

Now what?
She was
reluctant to open the door.
Where was Michael and why would he send someone
else to pick her up?

She stood there undecided, while the knocking was
repeated.

Well, she was in a hotel with so many people around, Jackie
decided. So she felt kind of safe to answer the door.

“Miss Alexander?” the policeman inquired, as soon as
Jackie opened the door.

“Yes.”

“I must insist you accompany me to the police
headquarters,” the policeman said.

“Where is detective Apostolou?” she asked cautiously.

“I don’t know. I’m just following orders.”

“I’m going to wait for detective Apostolou,” Jackie
replied and was getting ready to close the door.

“I’m sorry, but I have strict orders to escort you to
the police headquarters,” he replied, placing his hand against the door to
prevent it from closing.

What now?
What’s
Michael up to
? she wondered, looking at her watch. They were going to miss
their flight, she thought, but had no other choice, than to follow the officer.

A police Jeep, similar to the one Michael had driven,
was waiting outside and another policeman was sitting behind the wheel. Jackie
climbed in the back seat, watching the policeman who escorted her, climb in the
back beside her.

What on earth
?

”Am I under arrest?” she asked.

“The officer beside her chuckled. “Not exactly,” he said
and drew his gun and stuck it in her side.

***

Michael pounded on Jackie’s hotel room door. Why didn’t
she answer? She better not have run away again. He’d shake her till her teeth
rattled when he next saw her, if she had.

He called down to the front desk and asked the clerk to
come up with a pass key. Several minutes later he impatiently checked his
watch.
Where the hell is that damn fellow?

He heard a bell ding signaling the elevator had arrived on
the floor and he watched the clerk approach Jackie’s room.
If he can’t move
faster than that…
.

Michael felt like a caged animal, while the clerk opened
Jackie’s door. Pushing him aside, he stormed in her room. He looked around and
frowned, seeing Jackie’s suitcases packed and set side-by-side on the floor by
the door. He strode to the bathroom and desperately searched every inch of the
entire room, including the balcony. Jackie had vanished and Michael felt his
heart tightening in his chest.

He knew exactly what he had to do, even though
talking to Manos was the last thing on
earth he wanted. But Jackie’s life was at stake and there was no time for
second thoughts.

He rushed out of the hotel, just as two police-cars were
pulling up. He ran right by them and jumped in his Jeep. As soon as he got on
the beach boulevard, he pulled out his phone and called Tony.

“I have bad news,” he said, as soon as Tony answered the
phone.

“I doubt it can top mine,” Tony replied, and Michael
felt a kick in his stomach.

“What now?”

“You won’t believe it, but Anna’s brother, Stelios Kaloutsis,
just identified Roussos among the pictures we showed him.”

“Identified Roussos? Where?” Michael asked, feeling a
cold sweat. If Roussos were involved, things were even worse than he thought
possible.

“He identified Roussos as a passenger on a freighter
that docked in Corfu the night the attorney was murdered.”

“But, how?” Michael wondered out loud, confused for a
second.

“Stelios is a sailor on that ship,” Tony went on. “When
he visited his family in Athens, he told Anna a weird looking character was on
the ship. He would probably not have mentioned anything, if it weren’t for the
murder that was all over the news next morning. Stelios had nothing concrete to
tell the police, but he confided his suspicions to his sister. She took him to
the police station and had him look at some mug shots. Now it’s your turn,”
Tony concluded, and waited as silence stretched on the other end of the line.

“Jackie’s gone,” Michael said a couple of minutes later
and there was a mixture of anger and worry in his voice.

“She ran away again?”

“I don’t think so,” Michael replied. “Not this time.”
And after a moment’s hesitation, he added, “I think she was kidnapped.”

Tony drew a deep breath. “This is getting way out of
control,” he said. “I’ll be on the first plane there.”

“No.”

“But you need me,” Tony insisted.

“I need you more in Athens,” Michael replied. “I need to
know exactly what’s going on there. Besides, I might be flying back myself.”

“You think they might bring her here?” Tony asked.

“Maybe,” Michael replied. “I have to check a couple
things out first, and then I’ll be on the first flight back.”

“What about Manos? You think he might know
anything…about you, I mean?” he asked and Michael heard the hesitation in his
voice. Tony knew that Manos being his biological father was a very touchy
subject for Michael.

“I have no idea,” he confessed. “But it doesn’t matter
anyway. I’m going after him and nothing will stop me now.”

“Who are you?” Jackie asked, trying
to keep her voice calm. If her kidnappers suspected she was intimidated by
them, heavens only knew what they might do to her. Her only hope of controlling
the situation was to act like she was in control. She had been trying really
hard not to show how scared she was, ever since the two gangsters kidnapped her
from the hotel. Her pride and stubbornness wouldn’t allow her to give these
people the satisfaction of knowing she was terrified and in pain. Besides, she
was determined to find out what was going on. This madness had to end.

Jackie shifted uncomfortably in her chair.
The ropes tying her hands behind the back of the chair cut into her skin. She
bit her lower lip to keep from crying out, as pain rushed through her entire
body like a hot wave.

How could I be so stupid
, she wondered?
Why did I have to follow the guy, just because he
wore a policeman’s uniform? What’s the matter with me
? She was a very
experienced investigative reporter and this wasn’t the first dangerous assignment
in her career. But all this madness, Maria’s death, the other murders, and the
crazy two days she’d spent at the old mansion were clouding her judgment and
making her sloppy. Not to mention, the storm of emotions that Michael stirred
up inside her with just his mere presence.

“Well, did you get what you came here
for?” the man asked suddenly, bringing her back to reality. His voice was low
with a touch of sarcasm.

“Who are you?” Jackie repeated her
question, pretending to be braver than she really was. Actually, at this very
moment, she didn’t feel brave at all.

“Philip Manos” the man replied
coldly, as if this explained everything.

It wasn’t that she knew this man, but
Michael had mentioned his name, adding that he suspected him of been
responsible for all the murders.

Jackie took a deep breath and felt
her heart skip a beat.
He would never tell me his name, if he had any
intentions of ever letting me go
. Her mouth went dry as this realization
hit her full force.

“Well?” the man insisted, apparently
losing his patience. “Are you going to tell me, or do I have to convince you
otherwise?” he asked, raising his tone of voice and leaving the threat
suspended in the cold air of the cellar.

“I came to get in touch with my
uncle’s attorney and arrange for some paperwork” Jackie replied carefully,
thinking that he probably already knew far more than that about her assignment.

“What kind of paperwork?” he asked
ironically, and a mocking smile appeared on his face.

Jackie looked into his cold black
eyes and the arched nose, which reminded her of a hawk.

“Paperwork concerning the
inheritance” she added.

After a moment of silence, the man
burst out laughing.

Jackie was shocked, not expecting
this kind of reaction.
He’s obviously insane,
she thought and felt even
more scared than before.

She wanted to draw her eyes from his
face, but was unable to. These cold eyes kept her gaze captive, and she
couldn’t but notice that his laughter didn’t touch his eyes which remained cold
and threatening.

“So Stephanos is so afraid of me that
he has little girls doing his dirty work for him” the man commented, keeping
his gaze on Jackie.

“Stephanos is not afraid of anyone,”
Jackie protested. “And what
dirty work
are you talking about?” she
questioned.

“I’m talking about his attempt to
steal my property right out of my hands,” Manos barked.

Jackie shrunk in her chair, trying to
put some distance between her and the man who was now approaching her slowly
with a very dangerous look in his eyes.

“If Stephanos isn’t afraid of anyone,
then why is it that you’re the one tied to this chair and he’s sitting
comfortably in his home in Atlanta?” Manos asked in a low, dangerous voice,
which sounded to Jackie like the hissing of a snake.

“I volunteered to come,” Jackie
protested, feeling uncomfortable with this man’s accusations against her uncle.
She was the one who had insisted on coming, and it was Stephanos who’d tried to
talk her out of traveling to Greece.

“I’m not going to waste anymore time
with you” Manos said abruptly and, turning on his heel, he walked towards the
door. “We’ve already checked your stuff and made sure that you don’t have any documents
which belong to me. Besides,” he continued stopping at the door and turning to
face her, “I’m sure Roussos will be more than glad to have a little
chat
with
you, and find out what else you might know” he added, pressing his lips
together into a thin line. He looked at her for another moment and left the
room, slamming the door behind him.

Jackie felt a chill crawling up her
spine and swallowed hard. She was no fool to misinterpret the intentions of
this man. He was going to torture her to death to find out whatever he thought
she might know, and then would make sure her body disappeared forever.

Shaken by a wild rush of fear, she
closed her eyes and whispered a prayer that Michael would find her in time, as
the bolt turned in the heavy door.

***

Michael drove like a maniac down the
country roads, heading for the other side of the island. He was praying that
his intuition was right. Jackie’s life depended on it.

He’d notified the police department
of the island, and they were searching everywhere. Michael wanted to make sure
that there would be no way for Manos to take Jackie off the island without
being spotted by the police. There were men checking everybody at the port and
the airport. The police was even monitoring private plane and helicopter
flights.

He left the main road and drove up
the hill, bouncing around on the rough country road. This part of the island
was still unexploited and the grounds of the Evergreens were a large part of the
area. Although construction had just begun, the roads leading through the woods
were still small dirt paths. He was very careful not to get lost. He couldn’t
afford to lose valuable time. There were no signs and the visibility among the
trees was limited. He cursed out loud, as he hit yet another bump and the Jeep
swerved dangerously from the road. He hoped he would find her in time.

The only place Michael could think
where Jackie might be held was the Evergreens. The name of Manos wasn’t, of
course, associated with this project, but Michael had done some checking on the
weird dealings going on over there, and he was sure Manos was behind all that.

He knew Manos was no fool. He would
find out Jackie had come to investigate who was responsible for the murders of
the heirs, and he would get her out of the way.
He never left any witnesses
behind
, Michael thought, and felt a shiver racing up his spine.

He squeezed the steering wheel hard
and furiously gritted his teeth.
Manos is going to pay for this
, Michael
swore out loud. He was going to make sure that he paid for
everything.

***

Back in Athens, Tony turned to face
Anna. They were sitting in the car, waiting outside Manos’ house on the beach
boulevard. He had already alerted the port and the airport, and everybody was
keeping an eye open for Manos.

Tony shifted in his seat. They had
been sitting there for three hours now and he felt his muscles getting stiff.
“It shouldn’t be long” he said.

Anna gave him a side look and kept
her eyes on the main gate. “What if he has already left in his helicopter?”

“I doubt it” Tony said, without
sounding reassuring at all. “We came out here within an hour of Michael’s call.
I think Manos would need some time to arrange for a helicopter to pick him up,”
he added, carefully scanning the surroundings.

There were some trees, but not that
many to block their view and besides, if a helicopter took off, they would have
spotted it on the way here…at least, after they got on the beach boulevard. But
the tall wall surrounding the property hid the house and the grounds from their
view, and they had no idea of what was going on inside or if Manos was even
there at all.

“Not if he has his own helicopter”
Anna replied and they both knew that this was probably the case. Manos owned a
lot of businesses and properties all over Greece and abroad and he traveled a
lot. They both doubted he was the kind of man to use public transportation. He
probably owned a jet, a helicopter, a yacht, and who knows what else. It was
just that everything was under various corporate names and nobody was able to
trace anything back to Manos. He was a very mysterious man and valued his
privacy enormously.
Not even his secretary knew much about him
, Tony
thought,
even though she had been his mistress for years and even had a son
with him.

Anna jumped in her seat, as the front
gate of the house opened. A sport Mercedes came speeding around the corner,
launching right by their car.

Tony took a fast turn and followed
the car, leaving a safe distance between them.

“There’s only one person in the car,”
Anna said. “But I had no time to see who it was.”

“Neither did I,” Tony admitted and
squeezed the wheel, until his knuckles turned white.

“What if it wasn’t Manos?” Anna
wondered out loud. “What if this car was a decoy and Manos leaves free and
clear, now that we’re gone?”

“Stathis and Vasilis are watching the
house from the other side of the hill,” Tony replied. “So, if Manos tries to
leave, they should be able to spot him,” he added, trying to sound reassuring.

The truth was deep inside he knew
they were already too late. He had a feeling that Manos was already gone, long
before they’d even got there. But they had to try. They couldn’t leave anything
to chance. Too much was at stake. Peoples’ lives were at stake.

The Mercedes was speeding like a bat
out of hell, and Tony kept as close as he could without being spotted. He kept
his eyes on the road and was thankful there wasn’t much traffic at this hour.
The beach boulevard got really hectic late in the afternoon and on weekends.
But now on a Monday morning, there wasn’t much traffic to worry about.

Tony’s phone rang suddenly and Anna
answered it, so that Tony could keep both hands on the wheel, trying to keep up
with the Mercedes.

She listened for a couple of minutes
and then hung up, uttering a curse.

“What now?” Tony inquired, knowing
that Anna wasn’t the kind of person to curse without a very serious reason.

“They lost Roussos,” she said simply
and kept her eyes on the Mercedes disappearing in a tunnel.

“Damn it!” Tony yelled and squeezed the
wheel even harder. “This is not good. This is not good at all.”

“I hope Michael makes it in time,”
Anna said. Tony could hear the doubt in her voice.

They both knew that with both Manos
and Roussos disappearing, things were getting very dangerous for Jackie and, of
course, for Michael who was going after her.

“They’re probably already on Corfu,” Anna said and Tony agreed silently with her.

Coming out of the tunnel, there was
no sign of the Mercedes, but Tony kept on speeding on the boulevard, knowing that
there was no other way.

The sea on one side and the rocky
hills on the other left no other way for a car than to follow the boulevard all
the way to Varkiza, a small town by the beach which had actually turned into a
suburb of Athens, as the city kept growing year after year.

***

As the Mercedes entered Varkiza, Eric
Manos smiled, spotting the unmarked police car waiting at the intersection. He
had already spotted the other unmarked police car following him so far and here
was another one.

These people are fools
, he thought and lowered his speed a little bit, since he was
driving through town and there was a little bit of traffic.

There was no reason to be pulled over
for speeding, even though he was sure that they wouldn’t stop him. After all,
he had been driving like a maniac so far.
They just want to see where I’m
going
, he thought and smiled, confident and feeling ahead of the game. The information
Christine had given him made him very happy.
The old man wasn’t that smart
after all
, he thought and felt his ego boosting. He was tired of living in
the shadow of his father.

He hated him more than anything. He
hated him for always putting him down and making him feel worthless. He hated
him for what he had done to his mother, putting her through hell all those
years, jumping from one mistress to another, and even having a son with that
idiot secretary of his. But Eric was going to take care of that too. Roussos
had taken care of Elizabeth, but the son was still a threat to Eric and his
inheritance. He wouldn’t let anybody near the empire that was rightfully his.

What about Michael Apostolou
? he thought. He knew that he wasn’t going to be as easy to kill as
his autistic half brother. Apostolou was a dangerous opponent.
It doesn’t
matter,
Eric thought and shook his head to clear his thoughts, keeping his
eyes on the road. He was going to take care of him in due time. That bastard
brother of his would die, before he even had a chance to get anywhere close to
the Manos empire.