The woman’s jaw dropped. “You want me to tell him that?”
Andreas smiled and nodded.
She called and whispered again.
The door to Spiros’ office burst open. “Andreas, get in here.”
Andreas mouthed, “Thank you,” to the secretary as he passed by.
Spiros shut the door, pointed Andreas to a chair in front of his desk, and went to sit behind his desk.
“You’re joking of course. You can’t be serious about all that. You’re not a politician, you couldn’t possibly put up with all the bootlicking I have to do day after day.”
“Who knows? At least you have influence, the ability to get things done.”
“But it’s a horrible life, and — ”
Andreas held up his hands. “Stop. I just wanted you to know what I could do if I ever wanted. But, as long as I feel I have your unconditional support in my job-”
“You know that you do. Always have, always will.”
Andreas smiled. “Let’s just say there is a reasonable basis for disagreement on that score and leave it at that.”
“Fine, that’s a mature way to look at things.”
“With one proviso?”
“Proviso?”
“Yes, I want you to set up a one-on-one meeting with me and the minister of finance right away.”
“Why?”
“You don’t want to know.”
The old rage returned to Spiros’ face. But he spoke softly. “I really must know.”
“Sorry, I can’t tell you. For your own good.”
“Then I can’t arrange the meeting.”
“No problem, I’ll ask the Prime Minister to do it when I see him later.”
“You’re wasting your time trying to blackmail me with a threat to run for parliament. The Prime Minister would never agree to allow you to run for my seat.”
“Blackmail? That’s a rather harsh term to apply to someone who simply wants to participate in the democratic process. Is your tape recorder running, again? I have an idea. Instead of meeting with the minister of finance this morning, why don’t you and I go see the Prime Minister and let him decide if he’d rather have this hero cop run for your seat as a member of his party or as a member of the loyal opposition.” Andreas smiled.
Spiros bit furiously at his lip. “I’ll only agree if you let me attend the meeting at finance with you.”
“You might regret it if you do. I’m telling you that up front.”
“Don’t threaten me!”
“I’m not threatening, I’m warning you. But if you want to come, fine. Just arrange it for today. And tell him it’s urgent.”
Spiros bit at his lip a few more times before calling his secretary. “Call Panos at finance and tell him I must see him ASAP on an urgent matter.”
He hung up and glared at Andreas. “Satisfied?”
“Very.”
***
“Panos, thank you for seeing us on such short notice.”
“When the minister of public order says it’s ‘urgent,’ I take it seriously. Please sit down.” He pointed to two chairs in front of his desk.”
Andreas walked to the edge of the desk and extended his hand. “Andreas Kaldis, Minister.”
“Oh, you two haven’t met? Sorry about that, I should have introduced you.”
“I know of Chief Inspector Kaldis by reputation, and for having the loveliest wife in Athens, next to mine of course.” He smiled and shook Andreas’ hand.
Andreas nodded. “Thank you.”
“So, Spiros, what can I do for you?”
“It’s a delicate matter that I thought would best be explained by Andreas. That’s why I brought him with me.”
Andreas tried to suppress a smile by squeezing hard at the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “Feel free to take the lead if you’d like, Minister.”
Spiros, cleared his throat. “No, as I said, I think it best that you take it from here.”
Andreas thought he saw a slight grin on Panos’ face.
“I’m sure you’re familiar with the recent kidnapping and rescue of a fellow police officer.”
“Who in Greece isn’t? Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Andreas leaned forward. “In connection with the investigation that led to the rescue I learned of a plot to blackmail members of the government. The simplest way to put this, Minister, is I’m here to tell you that you are a target.”
Spiros bolted forward in his chair. “What?”
Panos’ grin was gone. “What are you saying? How dare you suggest that I would do anything to compromise my duty to my country?”
“I’m sure that’s not what Andreas was saying. Were you Andreas?”
“Minister, you are in charge of the office that creates new casino licenses. The kidnappers tortured that police officer in an attempt to get him to reveal the location of a cache of audios, videos, and photographs secretly recorded over decades by Christos Vasilakis. It is not just the behavior of members of government and prominent citizens that they were after, but incriminating materials related to their families.” Andreas put his hands out palms up.
“And who’s to say what one might be willing to do to spare themselves or their loved ones from ruination?”
“I have nothing to fear,” said Panos.
“I understand how you feel.” Andreas shook his head. “But there are some things in there-”
“What sorts of things?” said Spiros.
“Spiros, shut up.” Panos ran his fingers through his hair.
Andreas said, “I’m the only one who knows what’s in those materials. The kidnapped inspector and my assistant have never seen them. And there’s no reason for anyone else to ever know.”
Panos snickered. “And what is it you want in return, Chief Inspector?”
“Nothing but a little cooperation that will allow us to quietly put an end to this matter once and for all.”
“Yes, yes, just as I suggested,” said Spiros.
Panos shook his head and glared at Spiros. “Please, Chief Inspector, continue.”
“Very soon someone will attempt to access your ministry’s records. I’m not sure what the pretext will be, whether it will be an official or unofficial request, but it will come. And when it does, this is what I want them to find.”
Andreas’ explanation took five minutes, during which Panos quietly took copious notes and Spiros said not a word.
At the end Panos stood up, extended his hand to Andreas, and said, “We have a deal.”
***
“Wacki, could I talk to you for a minute?” It was the Mykonos police chief calling out to him from a table at the Kadena harborfront taverna close by City Hall.
“I’m in sort of a hurry, Mihalis, what is it?”
“Sit, please, it won’t take long.”
Wacki looked at his watch and sat.
“Glad I bumped into you. I have to ask you some questions about your friend, Sergey.”
“Me? Why are you asking me? Ask him.”
Mihalis gestured no. “I can’t do it that way. I’m doing a background check on him and have to ask his known associates about him.”
“What sort of background check?”
“Just routine.”
“Chief, I’d like to help but how can I if I don’t know what it’s about?”
Mihalis leaned in. “All I’m authorized to tell you is that it’s a direct request from the office of the minister of finance. Sergey’s applied for some sort of license and the ministry is required to get a police background check on him before giving its okay. There’s a lot of heat on me to get this report back to them ASAP, so my guess is unless I come up with a reason to say no, he has his license.”
Wacki shook his head. “No reason I can think of to deny him a license. He’s a model citizen as far as I can tell.”
Mihalis smiled. “I thought you’d say that. Thanks.”
Wacki stood up and hurried away, wondering as he did, what license?
***
Wacki knocked on Sergey’s hotel room door. “Hey, boss, it’s me. Open up.”
No answer.
Wacki went downstairs and asked the desk clerk, “Are you sure he’s in his room? There was no answer when I knocked. Or yelled.”
The clerk shrugged. “I haven’t seen him go out. Maybe he went out the backdoor and is down at the harbor for sunset.”