‘Okay, but-’
The Protos held up his hand. ‘I know, I’m still going too fast. For some, the twenty-four represent the leadership of the church that will emerge after the coming of our Lord.’
After all hell’s broken loose as I recall, thought Andreas.
‘That was not his thinking, but I’m sure Vassilis replaced the faces and added the chairs to make clear to me when I read “the time is in their hands” that the men in the photo are seeking to change the church.’
Andreas let out a breath. ‘Okay, let’s assume you’re right about what Vassilis was trying to tell you, and that he’s right about the monks in the photo wanting to be the new leaders of the church, I still don’t see how any of that makes any of them “evil.” At most it sounds like they may be out of step with prevailing church politics.’
The Protos shook his head. ‘This is not a question of politics. And I’m not saying the men in that photograph are “evil,” nor did Vassilis. What I said is, “He sees them in the presence of great evil.”’
‘I’m sorry, Your Holiness, I need another “bottom line” moment here.’
The Protos pointed to the carpet in front of the image that replaced his own. ‘If you look closely at the carpet you can make out a pattern. It took me a moment to recognize it, but once I did I immediately realized that the face replacing mine wasn’t from a photograph, it’s from a famous painting.’ He let out a breath and put down the glass. ‘The carpet pattern is of a dragon, and both the dragon and the blurred image represent the same thing.’ He crossed himself. ‘Satan.’ He crossed himself again.
Andreas just stared at the photograph. This was turning into one of those days he wished he’d become anything but a cop. How do you tell this man, respectfully, to come back to the real world so we can solve a real world crime?
‘Okay, I hear you, Your Holiness, but what flesh and blood proof is there for any of this?’
The Protos looked up and stared into Andreas’ eyes. ‘My son, Vassilis is dead.’
‘I haven’t felt that stupid in a long time.’ And on that note, Andreas finished describing his meeting to Kouros.
‘Yeah, I guess, “Vassilis is dead,” was sort of the obvious answer to your question.’
‘Sort of? I felt as if I were back in elementary school getting taken apart by a teacher.’
Kouros kept his eyes on the road. ‘Just trying to make you feel better.’
Andreas smiled. ‘Thanks, but it’s not working.’
‘So, where do we go from here?’
‘The Protos has gone back to Mount Athos, promising if anything else comes to mind he’ll let me know. As for where we go, it’s back to the office and the sexy side of police work.’
‘Sitting in a car for hours eating spanikopita?’
‘Better. Reading everything we can find on every monastery and every monk in Mount Athos. Which reminds me, what did you dig up on the Protos’ buddy, Sergey?’
‘Nothing bad. Yeah, he was one mean motherfucker in his army years, but no war crimes stuff. Seems to fit the profile for many who lose themselves in monasteries. They’ve seen it all, done it all, and now want to forget it all.’
Andreas nodded. ‘And what about that computer backup the abbot promised to send us?’
‘Maggie said it arrived this morning, but nothing on it as far as she can tell except for esoteric comments by Vassilis on church doctrine and liturgy. She actually likes that stuff.’
‘Well, I’m about to make her even happier by getting her started on pulling things off the Internet.’ He picked up his phone and dialed Maggie’s number.
‘Should I get them here or wait until after the helicopter lands in Athens?’ asked Kouros.
Andreas was holding the phone to his ear, waiting for Maggie to pick up. ‘Get what?’
‘The spinach pies. I think five dozen should be enough. After all, twenty major monasteries, no telling how many related places, and a couple of thousands monks. How long can that possibly take?’
‘Like I said, thanks for trying to make me feel better, and the next time you — Hello, Maggie…’
They’d gone through almost two dozen spanikopita and three pots of coffee. Andreas was glassy-eyed and Kouros claimed to be numb ‘for a lifetime’ to anything clerical. Maggie, on the other hand, seemed in virtual heaven. She said she couldn’t believe she’d been asked to immerse herself in the study of her church as part of her job, and get paid overtime for doing it. A lot of overtime.
‘I can’t read another word. I just can’t.’ Kouros pushed himself up from Andreas’ couch, stretched, and jumped up and down.
Andreas lifted his eyes from the pile of documents on his desk. ‘Stop that, you’re wrecking my concentration. I’ll forget where I am.’
‘That’s what I want to do,’ said Kouros, jumping three more times before stopping. ‘So much of this is all the same sh — ‘ he glanced at Maggie, ‘stuff, just written differently enough that I have to read it again and again and again. I see nothing.’
Andreas stretched. ‘I thought the first thousand or so articles were pretty interesting, myself.’
Maggie looked up from the chair she’d been glued to for hours. ‘Stop that, you two. This is very interesting. It’s the history of our church and of those special souls who dedicate their lives to honoring our past and our traditions in order to keep our church alive in the present.’
Andreas looked at Kouros, then at Maggie. ‘Cut us some slack, will you? We’re trying to find a clue to a murder, not impugn the church, and it’s…’ he looked at his watch, ‘… four o’clock in the morning.’
‘Like I said, Chief, I’ve had it,’ yawned Kouros.
Andreas threw his pencil on his desk. ‘Okay.’ He ran his hands through his hair. ‘Before we call it a night, do either of you have anything to tell me that might be helpful? Anything?’
Kouros shrugged.
Maggie scowled. ‘Okay, wiseasses.’
Andreas smiled. At four in the morning Maggie finally was letting them know who really ran their office.
She handed Andreas a single sheet of paper. ‘Read this.’
He looked at it. ‘I’ve read this or something like it a hundred times already. It goes monastery by monastery according to hierarchical rank, describing each one’s history, location, size-’
‘Well, read it again, and this time more carefully.’
Just what he needed, another teaching moment; but he did as she told him. It described a monastery ranking near the bottom of the twenty, but it had more monks than virtually any of the others. It also was one of the strictest and most severe. He read it twice, then looked up. ‘Okay, what am I missing?’
Maggie took the paper from his hand and began reading out loud. ‘“The monastery withdrew its representative from the Holy Community decades ago and does not take part in its assemblies.”’
Andreas gave her a blank stare. She turned to Kouros. He shrugged and then yawned.
‘If one of the twenty monasteries refuses to participate in assemblies of the Holy Community of Mount Athos, why then are there twenty abbots in the photograph with the Protos at his installation — instead of nineteen?’ She said the last three words very slowly.
Kouros shrugged. ‘No idea. And I’m too tired to make a joke.’
Andreas stared at Maggie. ‘Twice in one day.’
‘What “twice in one day”?’ said Maggie.
‘That I’ve missed the obvious.’
Kouros reached for another spanikopita. ‘Don’t forget about the cross.’
Andreas nodded. ‘Fine, okay, three times.’ He looked at his watch. ‘Too late or early to call the Protos?’
‘Both,’ said Maggie. ‘He’s probably in the middle of morning prayers.’
‘I’ll take that as a sign to get some sleep.’ Andreas stood up. ‘At least now we have a question to ask.’
‘Do you think he’ll talk to you over the phone?’ asked Kouros.
Andreas shrugged. ‘Won’t know until I try. He gave me his landline numbers when we were in Ouranoupolis. They’re probably more secure than the prime minister’s, but if it’s something he doesn’t want to talk about I’m sure he’ll let me know.’