“We didn’t know you would be here. We were only going after the woman.”
“Who’s ‘we’?”
The man stared at the scalpel. Andreas twirled it between his fingers.
“I shall not ask you again.”
“My friend.”
“The other one with you on Mykonos?”
“Yes.”
“Where is he now?”
“I don’t know.”
Andreas brought the scalpel toward the man’s right eye.
“Honest, I don’t know! Teacher found us and sent us to Athens. We’ve been staying at some place in Athens. I have no idea where it is.”
“How did you know where to find the woman?”
“Sergey made arrangements with old friends of his now living in Athens. There are a lot of people from the old country here. They located her, showed me the layout of the hospital, and gave me what I needed to do the job. Afterwards, I was to take the metro to Omonia Square and someone would meet me there. It’s much easier to do these things here than back home. Everyone is trusting and no one is expected to follow rules. I failed only because I did not expect you to be with her.”
“Sergey told you to kill the woman?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
“And what if you failed?”
“My friend has his own instructions.”
“What are they?”
“I don’t know. Sergey gave us our orders separately. He said in case one was caught he could not inform on the other.”
Andreas put down the scalpel. “I see he knows the quality of his men.”
***
Andreas and Kouros stood outside the operating room watching the prisoner led down the hall in handcuffs and shackles. He was cursing at Petrova, who followed along, translating his insults for the benefit of the other Greek cops.
“He should enjoy his trip to Korydallos,” said Kouros.
“Bet he’ll slip and fall a few times along the way.”
“He’s just lucky Petrova’s not wearing stiletto heels.”
“Let’s not go there,” said Andreas.
“She’s a very nice person.”
“I’m sure. And speaking of nice people, let’s check on Maggie.”
They took the stairs to Tassos’ floor. Maggie was sitting in the hall outside the entrance to the burn unit.
“Why are you sitting out here?” said Andreas.
“If I were with Tassos he’d know something was wrong. I didn’t want to worry him.”
Andreas nodded. “He’d be right to worry. They were after you.”
“Me? Why me?”
“Wish I knew.”
“If Teacher is on to our plan, I’d think she’d be looking to take all of us out,” said Kouros.
“It makes no sense why she’d only be going after Maggie. I’m the logical one to target,” said Andreas.
“Maybe they’re following someone else’s orders?” said Maggie.
“That could only be Sergey,” said Andreas.
“Which means Teacher may not be on to us,” said Kouros.
“Yet,” said Andreas.
“So what do we do?” said Maggie.
Andreas smiled. “Pray for the best and prepare for the worst.”
***
It was late afternoon and Wacki was banging away furiously at Sergey’s hotel room door. No answer. He’d been to the front desk twice and was assured by the clerk that Sergey was in his room because the clerk had personally connected calls going out of that room to Athens through the switchboard.
“Boss, please, open up. It’s very important.”
Still no answer.
He leaned against the door, cupped his hands around his mouth, and tried to whisper through the edge of the door.
“Teacher is on Mykonos. She wants to see us right away.”
Wacki heard the bolt turn and the door opened.
“What are you talking about?” Sergey looked as if he hadn’t shaved in days. He was wearing sweatpants and a tee-shirt stained with spots of coffee down the front.
“Teacher is here. On a yacht docked in the old port. She called and wants to see us right away.”
“Us?”
“Yes, us.”
“I need to shower.”
“No time.”
Sergey walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Wacki stared at his watch.
Thirty-five minutes later Wacki and a showered, clean-shaven, immaculately dressed Sergey presented themselves aboard the two-hundred-twenty-foot motor launch Medea.
As soon as they walked into the main salon, Sergey spread his arms and smiled at the woman in sunglasses sitting in an overstuffed chair off to his right. “Teacher, what a wonderful, unexpected surprise. I hope it is the first of many such visits.”
Teacher smiled and put out her hand. “Always nice to see you, Sergey.”
Sergey immediately came forward and kissed her hand.
“Please, sit,” she said.
Sergey sat in one of two straight back chairs in front of her. Wacki stood.
“Both of you, please.”
Sergey glanced at Wacki. Wacki did not take his eyes off of Teacher as he sat in the second chair.
“Thank you, both, for coming.”
“Our pleasure,” smiled Sergey.
“I’m on Mykonos because I want a face-to-face update on the status of our project.”
Sergey glanced at Wacki. “In front of him? He doesn’t know anything about it.”
“I can’t believe he would betray us.” She looked at Wacki. “Would you?”
Wacki gestured no twice. “Absolutely not. No way.”
“Good,” said Teacher.”
She looked at Sergey and smiled. “So, please continue.”
“Certainly, Teacher.” He crossed one leg over the other. “We are on target to have the casino license within a matter of weeks.”
“Weeks you say?”
“Yes, there have been some delays. Nothing unexpected, but delays nonetheless.”
“How are things going with the ministry of finance?”
“Our representative is ready to make the introduction to the minister the moment we have the necessary materials.”
“You’ve had no contact with him yet?”
“It would be premature to fire a gun without ammunition.”
“Good point.”
“Have you spoken to anyone about our plans?”
“Of course not.”
“I mean a lawyer, someone to help you with all the applications and paperwork necessary to gain the license.”
Sergey looked surprised. “I’m sorry, I did not know that was my responsibility. I thought you would want to use people of your own choosing.”
“Yes, of course. How silly of me. It must be all this medication. It’s making me forget.”
“How are you feeling?” said Sergey. “That was the first thing I wanted to ask when I saw you, but thought it inappropriate in his presence.” He dipped his head in Wacki’s direction without looking at him.
“No, not at all. I am feeling much better than many wish. I hear their prayers for my death and it inspires me to go on.”
“May they rot in hell,” said Sergey.
“Too good for them,” she smiled. “And what about the ministry of tourism? How is the approval process coming along for the assignment of the hotel lease?
“No problem whatsoever. We’re all set. Lefteris says it’s only a matter of our signing the final papers.”
“And when will that occur?”
“I thought it best to coordinate the timing of the assignment of the lease with the issuance of the license from finance. After all, why be stuck operating a hotel without a casino license?”
“I thought you said there was ‘no problem’ with the license, that it would be only ‘a matter of weeks.’”
“Yes, but I saw no reason not to be cautious.”
Teacher nodded. “Caution is a good thing. There are people out there trying to take advantage of us.” Teacher looked at Wacki. “Trying to turn one of us against the other.”
Sergey said, “Him?”
Teacher shrugged.
“I know he talks behind my back. Probably to you. But I thought it just typical, petty, Greek jealousy bullshit.”
Wacki sat perfectly still.
“He has told me many things.”
Sergey struggled not to glare at Wacki.
“But nothing unexpected.”
“Tell me his lies. I’ll refute them all.”
Teacher shook her head. “No need for that, I have only one question for you.”