After World War II, came war on the mainland between the left and the right, and in the fifties and early sixties a mass exodus of the island’s youth to Athens and far off lands in search of a better life.
Against that six thousand years of struggle it seemed magic that in little more than a single generation Mykonos transformed into its present-day wonder and the long-impoverished Mykonians became among the wealthiest per capita people in Greece.
Tassos took another sip of coffee. The unusually gentle breeze coming off the sea had a lot of people strolling along the wide, blue-grey-brown flagstone border between the tavernas and ten yards of sand to the water. Some came out to smell the sea, most to people-watch, but all to absorb the in-season energy of Mykonos and a sense that, for the moment at least, all was right with the world.
Tassos put down his cup. Good thing they didn’t know what was locked inside the briefcase at his feet.
Chapter Four
When the alarm went off at dawn, Lila mumbled from her pillow, “Is there something you forgot to tell me?”
Andreas hit the snooze button. “Yep, I have to catch the seven-thirty flight to Mykonos.”
“Is it about Christos?”
“I won’t even try figuring out how you knew that.”
“Not hard. It’s all over the news. Make that Spiros is all over the news. And when he’s all over the news can my husband be far behind? After all, someone has to come up with his answers.”
“I knew there was a reason I married you.” He kissed her on the cheek.
“That’s all I get for such glorious praise first thing in the morning? A peck on the cheek?”
“Put it on my account. I’ll settle up later.” He pinched her butt.
Lila sat up. “I’ll have Marietta make you breakfast.” She reached for the phone.
“No time for that. I’ll catch a bite at the airport.”
Lila smiled but dialed. “Marietta, would you please prepare breakfast for Mr. Kaldis. And pack it to go.”
She hung up the phone. “You’re still not used to having help.” She smiled. “I like that about you.”
Andreas nodded. “I’m trying. Yesterday, I let Tassaki pick out my clothes.”
“Letting a two-year-old pull all your shirts out of a dresser drawer is not what I meant.”
Andreas shrugged. “I’m trying.” He leaned over and kissed her. “Now I really have to run.”
“Open the drapes, let in the light. It won’t bother me.”
Andreas picked up the remote control and pressed a button. The drapes parted, revealing narrow, pale-gray horizontal steel slats covering the windows. They were necessary security for virtually every upscale home in Greece, even a penthouse on the most prestigious street in Athens and next door to the presidential palace.
Andreas pressed another button and the shutters rolled up and out of sight as light rushed into the room. An unobstructed view of the Parthenon atop the Acropolis filled the window. This was another thing Andreas had difficulty getting used to: living the life of the super rich. But if he wanted to marry Lila it came with the package. He could not expect her to live a life on what he earned as a cop. Make that an honest cop.
So, this was how he now lived. Not that he resented his good fortune. It was just so very different from his own roots as the son of a working class cop. Another honest cop.
“Do you need a ride to the airport?”
“No thanks, Yianni is picking me up.”
Yianni Kouros was Andreas’ right hand. They met when Yianni was a brash young rookie on Mykonos and Andreas his chief. They’d been together ever since.
“When will you be back?”
“No telling. Tassos wants to see me. Hopefully on an afternoon flight or, at worst, the last boat.”
“Well, at least with Tassos I know you won’t be getting into any trouble.”
“My love, with Tassos there’s generally nothing but trouble.”
“I meant of the other kind.” She smiled. “The Mykonos crazy lifestyle sort of trouble.”
Andreas nodded. “Good point. I think I’ll bring Yianni along. He specializes in that sort of thing.”
Andreas managed to get to the bathroom door before Lila’s pillow caught him from behind.
***
Kouros sat in a marked blue and white police car in front of the apartment building.
“Morning, Chief. I see you have breakfast.”
“As a matter of fact we do. Lila had it packed for two.” Andreas held up a spanakopita as he slid into the passenger’s seat. “A bit heavy for breakfast, but easier to eat in the car than yogurt.”
Kouros pulled away from the curb and reached for the spinach pie. “Any idea what has Tassos so wound up he won’t talk over the phone?”
“Not a clue.” Andreas pulled another spanakopita out of the bag and took a bite. He struggled to speak around his chewing. “But whatever it is, it must be serious. Tassos is not an alarmist.”
“Can’t wait to hear what’s on his mind. What time’s your flight back so I can pick you up?”
“Pick me up? You’re coming with me.”
Yianni smiled. “I hoped you’d say that.” He pointed with the spanakopita toward the back seat. “I even packed a bag. Just in case.”
“We’re not staying overnight.”
Yianni smiled. “Better safe that sorry.”
Andreas took another bite. “Damn it, I should have packed a bag. But if I had, Lila would have thought I actually intended to stay over.”
“We bachelors always plan ahead. You do remember those days, don’t you?”
“Detective Kouros, just get us to the airport.”
***
Andreas spent most of the flight reading the report Tassos had faxed to Kouros covering what he’d come up with so far in the investigation. The rest of the time Andreas stared out the window at a deep blue sea, white-edge waves, and beige-brown islands flecked with green and white.
Mykonos lay ninety miles southeast of Athens and less than thirty minutes away by plane, or two hours and fifteen minutes by high-speed catamaran. Approximately one and a half times the size of the island of Manhattan, it had a population of ten thousand year-round citizens that swelled to fifty thousand during tourist season.
The island differed greatly in season from its agrarian and seafaring roots. In summers Mykonos drew a monied crowd relatively immune to the worldwide financial crisis. And, for the most part, Mykonians put aside their way of life during those months as they braced for a tsunami of rich and super rich from around the world, joined by hordes of poseurs, flocking to their island on holiday.
Mykonos also served as a cruise boat mecca, drawing day-trippers to tourist shops and coffee at the port. But it wasn’t the rich or the cruise boats that Mykonos relied upon to support its many hotels, shops, bars, restaurants, and clubs. For those, the island looked to sun worshipers drawn by the island’s dozens of breathtaking beaches and partiers chasing after its world famous 24/7 action.
Yes, serious cultural reasons also drew visitors to Mykonos, most notably the intensely spiritual holy island of Delos. There one could walk amid restored, millennia-old ruins of the once thriving center of ancient Cycladic life. But one had to get up early to catch a boat to Delos because the last boat back to Mykonos was at three in the afternoon, and that sort of early morning pilgrimage rarely worked for the late night partier, no matter how sincere intentions might have been when falling asleep at dawn.
Tassos stood on the airport tarmac just outside the terminal’s arrivals door. He held a briefcase but managed to exchange embraces with his friends.
Andreas pointed at the briefcase. “Never knew you to carry one of those.”
“Follow me,” was all Tassos said. He led them inside the terminal, through the baggage claim area, and past a doorway to the right leading out of the building.
“Where are we going?” said Kouros.
“I’ll tell you when we get there.”