Twelve
Nikkor Minourkos and I sat under the cool canopy at the waterfront cafe and looked past the brightly colored fishing boats to the cobalt blue of the Aegean beyond. It was a pleasant morning, and we were enjoying it.
"Colonel Kotsikas and I have explained the entire matter to the authorities, and they are very grateful to you and Erika," Minourkos was telling me.
Erika had left the cafe for a few minutes and was a short distance away at a store buying an English newspaper.
"We must have caused some excitement here locally," I grinned, "until they got an explanation for all the shooting. I'm sorry about Galatis. He stood up to Stavros at an inopportune time."
"In every war, large or small, there are casualties," Minourkos said, finishing up an ouzo.
"One man can cause a lot of grief," I remarked.
"Stavros could have caused much more if you had not stopped him," Minourkos said. "That is why I flew here to Mykonos to thank you personally. Kotsikas wants to thank you, too. He wants to present you and Miss Nystrom with honors at a public ceremony in Athens as soon as you return."
I shook my head sideways. "Thank him for the thought," I said. "But in my business you're not allowed to take any bows." I could imagine Hawk's reaction to a public ceremony.
"But there are ribbons," Minourkos protested. "May we at least send the ribbons to you and Miss Nystrom?"
I grinned. "Why not? Are you back in the penthouse now?"
"I am moving out of the place," Minourkos said. "This episode has made me realize that a man cannot and should not hide himself from the outside world. I believe I may still have much to contribute to my country, and I can accomplish the most by personal contacts. Which brings me to another reason for my flying here to see you."
I sipped my ouzo and looked over at Minourkos. I liked his face. He was a man you could respect. "What's that, sir?" I asked.
His dark eyes looked into mine. "I owe you my life, Nick. But more than that, I like you. I like the way you operate. I want you to come to work for me. I want a man to oversee my security system and to be at my side when I wish to talk to a real man. I need you, Nick."
I started to speak, but he put a hand on my arm.
"You would have a salary that I'm sure you would find more than sufficient. And I would give you stock in the shipping lines. I'm not going to live forever. You could end up very wealthy."
I clasped the hand on my arm. "I'm sorry, Mr. Minourkos…"
"Nikkor."
"All right, Nikkor. I'm sorry, but I can't."
"Why not?"
I took a deep breath and let it out I stared out over the blue harbor to where a glistening white cruise ship in the distance was making its way toward us. "It's hard to explain," I said. "I tell myself several times a year that I'm insane to keep on in this work, that it's a thankless job, that nobody gives a damn. But people do give a damn. And, despite the bad pay and the long hours and the danger, it's a part of me. It's what I do best, Nikkor. It's where I'm needed most."
There was a long silence. A gull flashed its wings in the sun. Finally Minourkos spoke. "I understand."
A moment later, Erika was beside the table with a London paper. "I don't know how they can fly these here every day and charge so few drachmas for a copy," she said.
"Any mention of Stavros?" I asked.
She held the paper up so that we might read the headline: GREEK COUP THWARTED, There was a picture of Minourkos.
"Maybe this will raise the price of your stocks," I said, smiling.
I rose and put an arm around Erika. I was going to take a couple of days at the Rhenia with her, no matter how hot David Hawk got under the collar. I figured we were entitled to it.
"We're heading back to the hotel," I said to Minourkos. "Like to walk with us?"
He shook his head. "I think I know when two people want to be alone. I will just sit here until plane time, thank you, and watch that cruise ship come in. I always liked to watch a fine ship move gracefully into harbor."
"Then goodbye, Nikkor," I said. "Maybe our paths will cross again under better circumstances."
"Yes," he said.