“We are a very small island with simple, poor people. It would not be fair if we allowed foreign wealth to come in and disrupt a way of life that has existed for generations.”
“I can assure you I have no interest in causing harm to any business falling under your protection as mayor. My wish is to bring new people with new money to your island.”
“New business is always appreciated. As long as it does not come at the expense of the old.”
“There is no business on this island that will suffer because of my plans for the hotel. In fact, everyone will benefit because what I have in mind will draw guests to the island all year round, not just during the brief summer season.”
“That would be an extraordinary achievement. But how do you expect to do that? Other hotels have tried to do the same thing with ideas like conference centers and spas, but all failed. People come to Mykonos for the beaches and fun of summer. There is no other significant draw.”
“With all due respect, Mayor, I think there are other ways.”
“What sorts of ways?”
Sergey smiled. “Walls have ears. I wouldn’t want a competitor learning what I have in mind before I have the chance to try them out myself.”
The mayor shrugged. “Suit yourself, but if your plans require town approval, and it’s hard to imagine they would not, sooner or later you’ll have to tell us what you ‘have in mind.’” He emphasized the last three words with finger quotes.
“And as much as I don’t want to upset your deal with my good friend, Lefteris, I cannot guarantee you’ll get approvals for such ‘other ways’ if they conflict with what the ministry of tourism allows under its lease of the hotel.”
“Thank you for your candor, Mayor. But I can assure you what I have in mind will bring great riches to the town and all who assist in making my project a success.”
“That is a philosophy I share. In business it is important to be nice to those who are nice to you.”
“You will find me to be very nice.”
The mayor nodded.
“There is one slight favor I’d like to ask of you, if I may,” said Sergey.
“Please, ask. If I can help I will.”
“I would like an introduction to your police chief. I have a delicate matter to discuss with him, and with your introduction I’m sure I’d get his absolute cooperation.”
The mayor stood up, walked across the room, picked up his mobile phone, and pressed a speed-dial key.
“Hello, Mihalis. I’d like to see you in my office as soon as you can get here. It’s about a ‘delicate matter.’” He paused. “Great.” And hung up.
The mayor smiled at Sergey. “He’ll be right over.”
“Please, I don’t want to impose on your time. Perhaps there’s another office we could use?”
The mayor waved his hand. “I won’t hear of it. It will be my pleasure to help out. After all, my casa is your casa.” He smiled again.
Sergey smiled, too, but for a different reason. The mayor’s curiosity had him taking the bait. Sergey knew his only chance at getting the police chief to cooperate was if the mayor were on board. And the only way for that to happen was to make his pitch when they were all together in the same room.
Step one accomplished. On to step two.
***
Being police chief on Mykonos was much like a minister trying to keep order in a brothel when the fleet was in. The best method was pray and duck.
Mihalis knew his job depended on keeping locals who mattered happy and that this gig was way better than most. With any luck he might be able to hang onto it for the couple of years left until his pension.
He parked the blue-and-white police car beneath the overhang of the municipal building and walked toward the steps on the left leading up to the second floor. A young woman stood in the entrance to a bar at the base of the stairs.
“Opening a bit early aren’t you, Stella?”
“Just closing. It was quite a night last night.” The bar was hers and, as the last traditional Greek dance place on the island, it was a favorite hangout for locals and traditionally minded tourists ending a late night of celebrating.
As Mihalis made his way up the steps he wondered what sort of shit storm the mayor had in store for him now. On this island there was always something.
***
The moment the police chief entered the room Sergey stood up and held out his hand. “Thank you for coming, Chief.” He spoke in English.
“My English not very good,” said the Chief.
“I’ll speak slowly but if you don’t understand something Wacki will translate. Again, thank you for coming.”
“Anything to help our mayor.”
“Thank you, Mihalis,” said the mayor.”
“As the mayor will tell you, I am about to buy a hotel on your island.”
The mayor nodded.
“I am concerned only about one thing. Security.”
The mayor’s face tightened at the question, and the Chief asked for a translation.
“I just want to know if I will be safe?”
The mayor answered. “Of course you will be safe. Why would you think otherwise?”
“I heard that a prominent businessman was recently robbed and beaten to death.”
“Exaggeration. It was a crime of passion.”
The police chief asked Wacki to translate what Sergey and the mayor had said.
Sergey talked over Wacki’s translation.
“What do you mean ‘a crime of passion?’”
“It was the man’s girlfriend and a couple of men who did it. It wasn’t a random robbery,” said the mayor.
The chief spoke in Greek. “Mister Mayor, you shouldn’t be telling him this. That is not publicly disclosed information.”
Wacki translated for Sergey.
“Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” said Sergey. “I just wanted to be assured there wasn’t some organized criminal element operating on the island.”
“Absolutely nothing like that to worry about here,” said the mayor. “Right, Mihalis?”
The chief shook his head and tried to speak in English. “Please, do not talk about this. It is not my case. It is on Syros. We are not to discuss the case.”
“Have the killers been arrested?” said Sergey.
The chief gestured no.
“If you know who did it, why aren’t they in jail?”
“They’re in Poland,” said the mayor.
The chief shook his head. “Please, Mister Mayor.”
Sergey shrugged. “I guess the lesson in all of this is not to keep a lot of money at home?”
“This wasn’t about money,” said the mayor. “Christos had opened his safe and given them everything in it. There was nothing left to steal. They killed him out of passion. Isn’t that right, Mihalis?”
The chief looked beaten. “Yes, Mister Mayor.”
“Good.” He looked at Sergey. “I hope our little discussion was helpful.”
“Yes, very. Thank you.”
Chapter Fifteen
Once out of the mayor’s office, Sergey hurried down the steps and walked straight for a blue dome church across the harborfront road from the municipal building. It sat on the edge of the sea at the beginning of a concrete pier running about a quarter of the way across the middle of the old harbor. The pier’s seaward side was filled with large motor yachts tied up stern first, and its other side with smaller pleasure craft and colorful fishermen’s caiques.
Sergey stopped in front of the church.
“The blue dome means it’s a church to Saint Nicholas, patron saint of sailors.” It was Wacki coming up from behind him. “Some like to think of him as Santa Claus.”
Then I should light a candle to thank him for the mayor’s gift to me, thought Sergey.
“What was it with those questions about ‘security?’ I could have told you there was nothing to worry about. Everybody knows it was Christos’ girlfriend who did it. It’s the worst kept secret on the island.”
“I wanted to hear it from the police chief.”
Wacki shrugged. “I told you the mayor would play ball. But it was a good idea to reassure him that his friends wouldn’t be hurt. They can be very nasty.”