***
It was eleven by the time Kouros walked into the taverna. The only one in the front room was the waitress.
“May I help you?” she said.
“Uh, yes, I’m looking for friends of my uncle. They have coffee together here every morning.”
“Oh, yes, I remember you. You’re the nephew from Athens. They were talking about you this morning.”
“You mean they’re gone?”
She nodded. “They’re here every morning at nine and gone by ten-thirty.”
Wow, he thought. Those old guys drank even more than I did. How did they ever make it out of bed for coffee by nine?
“They thought you might show up this morning.”
“Did they say why?”
She shrugged. “Said you might have more questions about your uncle.”
So much for the element of surprise, thought Kouros.
“They left a message for you if you showed up.”
“What’s the message?”
“‘The trick is to have water in the glass with your whiskey.’”
Kouros burst out laughing.
The girl laughed, too. “Coffee?”
“Yes, please.”
He watched her walk toward the kitchen. Tight black jeans, tight white t-shirt, dark hair, dark eyes, great butt. Front not bad either. Kouros’ blood started to pulse. Watching her walk seemed likely to sober him up a hell of a lot faster than coffee.
She came out of the kitchen with a coffeepot in one hand and a cup and plate of cookies in the other.
Kouros smiled. “My name’s Yianni.”
She smiled back. “Stella.” She put down the coffeepot, cup, and plate.
He held out his hand. “Pleased to meet you.”
She took his hand and he gripped hers. Neither made an effort to let go of the other. They smiled at each other and he withdrew his hand.
“How well did you know my uncle?”
She looked down at the floor. The smile was gone. “Very well. He was a nice man and always kind to me.”
“Do you know anyone who might have wanted to harm him?”
“Harm him?” She looked up and seemed surprised. “Do you think it wasn’t an accident?”
Kouros shook his head. “No, I’m just used to asking those sorts of questions. It comes from being a cop.”
“You’re a cop?” She seemed afraid.
“Don’t worry. I know about your incident with immigration. I’m not going to hassle you. You were a friend of my uncle, and that’s good enough for me.” He patted her on her bare forearm.
Stella smiled and touched his shoulder. “Thank you.”
“Now will you answer my question?”
She looked down at the floor. “I only knew him from his mornings here. He always sat with his friends and I never heard anyone say a bad word about him.”
“Did you ever overhear any talk of threats against him?”
“No, I never listened to their conversations.”
Kouros knew she was lying. But, that was to be expected. He was an outsider, and a cop on top of that. She’d be crazy to tell him what her customers talked about, especially those customers.
“How did my uncle get his morning newspaper?”
She looked up. “The man who owns the minimarket at the bottom of the hill on the other side of Vathia always delivered it here.”
“When?”
“Around eight.”
“Who’d he give it to?”
“He’d put it on the table at the place where your uncle always sat.”
“Did he ever give it to him personally?”
She gestured no. “He’d have a quick coffee and leave before they got here.”
“Did anyone ever look at my uncle’s paper before he arrived?”
She shrugged. “I didn’t. Maybe Babis did once or twice, but I don’t know for sure.”
“Who’s Babis?”
“He’s my…my boss.”
“Where is he?”
“Right here,” said a booming voice behind Kouros.
Kouros turned his head and saw a dark, burly Greek of about Kouros’ height, but heavier, standing in the doorway between the two dining rooms.
“Hi, I’m Yianni Kouros.”
“What do you want?”
Kouros smiled. “We met here yesterday after my uncle’s funeral.”
“Like I said, what do you want?”
Kouros swung his body around so that he was facing the man head on. “That’s a very inhospitable Maniot way to act.”
“I’m from Pirgos.”
Kouros smiled. “That explains it.”
The man stepped toward Kouros. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
Kouros now forced a smile. “Ease up there, Babis. It was a joke.”
“I don’t like jokes about my hometown.”
“I have a question for you, Babis. With this hair-up-your-ass attitude how did you ever end up in the hospitality business?”
Babis took another step toward Kouros. “Listen, malaka, I don’t need your horny sort sniffing around my help. Just have your coffee and get out of here.”
Kouros glanced at Stella. She’d brought her right hand across her chest to grip her upper left arm and stood staring at Babis’ feet, shaking.
Kouros stood. “I don’t know what’s with you, but I suggest you get a grip on yourself. I’m just asking questions about my uncle and I’m going to have a few for you, too.”
“Fuck you,” said Babis, stepping in front of Kouros and grabbing Stella by the arm. “And you, putana, into the kitchen.” He pulled her forward by her arm then flung her back in the direction of the kitchen.
Kouros stepped between them, his face right up against Babis’. “Hold it right there.”
Babis glared at Kouros, but it faded into a smile.
“That’s better,” said Kouros.
At that instant Babis drew his knee up hard into Kouros’ groin, doubling Kouros over, and drove his elbow down onto the back of Kouros’ head.
Kouros stumbled forward onto a table. Babis picked up a chair and swung it down at Kouros’ back, but Kouros slid off onto the floor and the chair shattered into pieces against the table. Babis grabbed a table leg and swung wildly at Kouros as he struggled to his feet. Kouros ducked and drove forward, delivering a forearm across Babis’ face that sent him reeling back onto a table. Kouros kept coming, grabbed Babis by his chest, lifted him off the table, and with a quick, powerful open palm thrust to Babis’ jaw, dropped him like rock onto the floor.
Babis was out cold. Kouros bent over and groaned.
“Are you okay?” Stella said.
“No. Definitely not okay.”
“What do you want?”
“Ice in a towel.”
“Maybe heat would be better?”
“A lot of things would be better, but for now just the ice.”
Kouros stayed bent over, struggling not to puke. It could have been a lot worse, he thought. He stared at Babis laid out on the floor. “You miserable cocksucker. I should kick the shit out of you.”
Stella returned with the ice in a towel. Kouros put it on the back of his head.
“I thought you wanted it for down there.” She pointed at his groin.
“I’d rather not talk about that at the moment.” He drew in and let out a deep breath. “Does he always behave this way?”
“Not for a very long time.”
“Why now?”
“He’s always been jealous. But…”
“But what?”
“He’s not hit me since…” She shook her head and stopped talking.
“Look, Stella, your boyfriend, boss, whatever, just kicked me in the nuts for no apparent reason, and if you don’t tell me what the hell is going on here, I might just forget what I said before about you and immigration.”
She studied Babis’ body as if making sure he couldn’t hear her. “Not since your uncle warned him not to lay a hand on me.”
Kouros stared at Babis. “So he didn’t like my uncle?”
“He was afraid of your uncle.”
“He’s not as dumb as he seems.”
Babis started to stir. Kouros picked up the coffeepot and emptied the contents across Babis’ face.
Babis smacked at his face, trying to rub off the coffee. “You burned my face!”