Ten minutes passed before the guy left the store. He was headed toward the departure gates. That meant metal detectors. Kouros wasn't about to risk letting another numbnuts security guard start some commotion over all the forbidden pieces of metal he carried. He stopped two soldiers detailed to airport protection, showed his ID, and they let him into the departure gate area through a private access door.
Kouros stood by a window watching the reflections of passengers clearing security. The guy came through without a problem. He paused to look at a monitor, checked his boarding pass, walked to the gate next to where Kouros was standing, and sat down.
Kouros waited. A few minutes later the guy started talking on a cell phone. That's when Kouros walked past him and glanced up at the monitor with flight information on that gate. The flight was to a city about as far north as you could go in Greece. That figured. By staying in Greece and not flying directly to a non-EU country he avoided the more rigorous security screenings for international flights. From northern Greece he could get over the border undetected in any number of ways. No doubt this guy was from the Balkans.
Kouros bought a bottle of water from a kiosk directly across from where the guy was sitting. With one hand he took a sip and with the other reached for his cell phone, perhaps the most common gesture in Greece, and held it up to his ear. Then he turned sideways to the guy and took a few photos. It was a YouTuber technique mastered by many cops.
Kouros found an open seat at the next gate among a crowd waiting for a delayed flight to Rhodes. He sent the photos to Maggie by MMS, along with the flight information and specific, bold face instructions: HAVE UNKNOWN SUBJECT FOLLOWED MOMENT PLANE LANDS. DO NOT INTERCEPT. MUST BE PREPARED TO CROSS BORDER. CONSIDER EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
Kouros hung around until the guy boarded a bus taking him from the gate to the plane. Then he checked his missed calls. He hadn't taken one since jumping on the train in Omonia. There were three from the cops following Demon.
He stood up and walked toward the exit, dialing as he did. 'Angelo, what's up?'
'Where are you?'
'At the airport.'
'We have something you'll want to hear. The guy went straight from the metro to that girl's apartment. Damn good idea you had putting surveillance on her place. How'd you know about her?'
That was not a question Kouros was about to answer. It was bad enough he set it up without telling Andreas. He just hoped there was nothing on the tape he'd regret. 'Angelo, just play the tape.'
'Okay, here's where the good stuff starts.'
The first voice Kouros heard was Demon's.
'I need a telephone number for that old friend of yours, the one from Sardinia.'
On the word Sardinia Kouros reacted like a cop, not a tourist. His first thoughts weren't of that Italian island's modern-day reputation as paradise for tourists in love with its beauty and pace, but of a sordid and notorious decades-ago past filled with tough guys and big-time kidnapping, at ten to fifteen million euros per snatch, with victims rarely turning up alive.
'I can't. If he ever finds out where I am… where we are…'
She's scared of that Sardinian guy.
'But I must find him. It is very important.'
What's important enough to get him running around Sardinian mountains looking for people dangerous enough to kill him just for asking the wrong question?
'I don't have a number for him. I'll have to find someone who does.'
He knows how to work her.
The next sound Kouros heard was a door opening, then closing, followed by a string of curses.
'That's it, Yianni. Nothing else of interest, and she hasn't called anyone since he left. But we're on it if she does.'
'Good. Anything else on Demosthenes?'
'He went to some apartment we didn't know about. We're trying to get listening over there, but doubt it will be up for awhile.'
'Okay, text me his new address. I'll get there as soon as I find a ride back to Athens.' He paused. 'And Angelo, get a copy of the tape to Maggie. Ask her to find out what she can about the places they're talking about and everything there might be on that Efisio character.'
'Will do. Ciao.'
'Yeah, ciao.'
Kouros wasn't sure what was happening, but he was damn sure it wasn't something good. He pressed a speed dial key. Time to bother the Chief. Through most of the sunset Andreas thought of his father and how trust cost him his life. If his dad hadn't trusted that government minister, he wouldn't have been accused of taking bribes or have felt the need to save his family shame. Yes, he thought, I definitely have trust issues.
Lila was staring at a bright orange and deep blue horizon. The sun had just set. He let his mind — and eyes — wander to other things, like cleavage.
She turned to him and smiled. 'Drachma for your thoughts.'
He choked. 'Ahh, I was thinking of my father.'
'I bet he was a great man.'
'The best.'
'Is your mother still alive?'
'Yes.'
'Bet she misses him.'
'Every day.'
'I can understand.' She turned back to the sky.
'What was he like?' He didn't have to say more.
'The nicest, sweetest man I ever knew.' She talked for quite a while about her husband, not of his money or accomplishments but of simple things that mattered and defined character. Lila showed such open passion in her memories of her husband that Andreas felt a tinge of jealousy. He wondered if his feelings were out of desire for the woman or envy at the man for finding a woman who loved him so unconditionally.
Suddenly, he jerked forward in his chair.
'What's wrong?' She sounded alarmed.
He reached into his pants pocket. 'Just my phone. It's on vibrate.'
She giggled.
'Hello, Yianni? What's up?' That was all Andreas said for five minutes, though every so often he looked over at Lila. She smiled when he did.
Kouros finished his report with, 'I'm on my way to his apartment.'
Andreas checked to see if anyone could overhear. 'Looks like there's a lot going on.' Eavesdropping was a Greek national pastime. He had to be careful, even though most tables seemed filled with foreign tourists. 'Our boy here is in negotiations with the bad guys. My guess is the guy from the metro is with the muscle talent up north of the border. It fits with what D said setting up the metro meeting.'
Kouros added, 'The guy on the platform seemed really pissed at him.'
'And the next thing we know D's off to the girl's apartment, pressing hard to find fresh talent. What do you think?'
Kouros paused. 'He must be pretty desperate if he's shopping this sort of shit around to strangers.'
'My guess is there's trouble in…' he caught himself just before saying terrorist, 'paradise. Let's see what we can come up with to make it worse. Press Maggie for anything she can find on the girl's ex. Make sure we don't let D out of our sight. And try to pick up whatever he says.' Andreas paused. 'By the way, good thinking on covering A's place. Thanks.' He felt relieved, no matter what the tapes picked up.
'I knew that's what you'd want done. When will you be back?'
Andreas looked at his watch, then at Lila. 'First plane in the morning. It leaves at seven. See you then.'
Andreas put the phone on the table and looked at Lila. 'Get the picture?'
'Yes.' She played with her glass. 'So what do we do until then?'
'Until when?'
'Seven.'
'I have some ideas.' He grinned.
She smiled and flirted back. 'And what would they be?'
He pointed to a restaurant over by the windmills. 'How about dinner over there?' If this were a game of chicken, Andreas just blinked.
Lila didn't turn to look. 'Nope; it's filled with Athenians dancing on tables all night and having a wonderful time. Not in the mood.'
'Okay, how about a place across from where I parked?'