Sons of Sparta: A Chief Inspector Andreas Kaldis Mystery (15 page)

Kouros shook his head. “And I’d have been profiting off it all. Son of a bitch.”

“Not your fault your inheritance comes with a history,” said Andreas.

Tassos nodded. “As Balzac wrote, ‘Behind every great fortune lies a great crime.’”

“I want no part of it.”

Tassos smiled at Andreas.

“But why would the Ukrainian be involved in the murder of my uncle if he needed him for the deal?”

Tassos shrugged. “Maybe your uncle reneged? Wanted more than the Ukrainian was willing to pay. Or maybe someone came to the Ukrainian with a better offer than your uncle’s, with guarantees the deal would still go through.”

“Who? Alexander? I don’t see him having the balls to cross my uncle,” said Kouros.

“Well, one thing’s for sure. Alexander
is
involved. The only question is on whose behalf?” said Tassos.

“Are you suggesting one of my cousins?”

Tassos shrugged. “Who knows? Family members cutting each other’s throats over property isn’t unheard of. Not in Greece and certainly not in the Mani.”

Kouros sat back on the couch. “I just can’t believe…” His voice trailed off.

“There is another possibility,” said Andreas tapping his pencil on the desk.

“What’s that?” said Tassos.

“That it’s someone we haven’t thought of yet. Someone with a real motive.”

“And who would that be?” said Tassos.

“Don’t know yet. But so far we have anonymous death threats tied to a stale generations-old vendetta, a jealous lover who killed himself, and a Balkan arms dealer in search of a home for his birds.”

“Sounds like the perfect cover for the Ukrainian. Whether it’s pinned on an old vendetta or an angry lover, he couldn’t care less as long as he doesn’t end up with Yianni’s cousins coming after him.”

“Anybody involved in his uncle’s murder, not just the Ukrainian, would want to avoid that,” said Andreas. “What bothers me is that if Yianni’s uncle were the target of either a vendetta
or
a jealous lover’s rage that would make sense. But not both.”

“Like I said, it sounds like whoever was behind this didn’t give a damn about consistency just as long as whatever story played didn’t point back at him.”

“What bothers me is that with all the money the Ukrainian stood to make once that airstrip was operational, why take the risk of killing my uncle even if it meant a better deal for him? It wasn’t as if he’d be getting rid of a problem once and for all. He planned on setting up shop in my cousins’ literal backyard. They’d destroy his operation in a heartbeat if they ever came to suspect he’d played a part in their father’s murder.”

“And nail his head to their tower,” said Tassos.

Andreas began tapping the pencil on his desk. “I think it’s time we pay a visit on your uncle’s friend, Alexander. Yianni, find out if he’s still in Athens. I want to make it a surprise, something we can’t do in the Mani.”

Kouros nodded. “Do you really think my uncle was betrayed?”

Andreas shrugged. “I don’t know. But I wouldn’t bet against it.”

“Me either,” said Tassos.

Kouros shook his head. “Jesus.”

Tassos nodded. “Yep, happened to him, too.”

Chapter Sixteen

Alexander never drew attention to his extramarital affairs. He kept a nondescript studio apartment in a low-profile Athens neighborhood, and unlike his buddies back in the Mani, never talked about his conquests, though he’d had many. He saw discretion as the key to success in every aspect of his life, be it public or pubic.

At the moment he was enjoying his newest lover, a lithe young thing, barely seventeen. His hands squeezed the smooth, taunt cheeks of his lover’s bottom as he thrashed on the edge of orgasm with each new deep thrust of hard flesh between arching, open buttocks. He’d never expected it to remain this exciting with each new lover.

Nor did he expect what happened next.

Alexander didn’t hear the deadbolt lock on the front door click open. Nor did he see the doorknob turn. But he did hear the exploding kick that tore the security chain away from the doorjamb and the two men coming straight at him.

Alexander tried twisting himself out from under his lover, but he got his legs tangled in the boy’s and they both rolled off the bed onto the floor at the feet of the two men.

“My, my, what do we have here?” said Andreas.

“Looks like
buttfuckus interruptus
to me,” said Tassos.

Alexander pushed himself off the floor and grabbed a pillow to cover his genitals. “How dare you break into my home? Do you have any idea who I am?”

Andreas nodded. “A one-time member of Parliament and full-time, full-of-shit crooked politician.”

“If you’re blackmailers, you’re wasting your time. Get out of here now or I’ll call the police.”

“That won’t be necessary,” said Kouros, stepping through the doorway. “We’re already here.”

Alexander’s mouth dropped. “What are you doing here?”

“I missed you at coffee the other day, just thought I’d drop in for a quiet chat about my uncle’s murder. Sorry about the door, but I guess your neighbors are used to noise in here.”

Alexander leaned back against the edge of the bed, still clutching the pillow.

“By the way, your building owner asked me to tell you that he apologized but it was either opening your door for us or his books for a tax audit.”

The boy cowered on the floor by the end of the bed. “I’ve got nothing to do with whatever shit this old queen’s got himself into with you. I just took his money to fuck him.”

Andreas crouched down next to the boy. “I bet.” He looked at his watch. “You’ve got thirty seconds to get out of here before I change my mind.”

The boy jumped up, grabbed his clothes off a chair, and ran out of the apartment without bothering to dress. Kouros closed the door behind him.

Alexander looked at Kouros. “Are these your cousin’s friends?” He gestured with his head at Andreas and Tassos.

“Does it matter? We’re all family. If you screw with one of us, you screw with us all.”

“What do you want from me?”

“Answers, a lot of them.” Kouros stepped between Andreas and Tassos and sat next to Alexander on the edge of the bed. “And frankly, I don’t give a damn who or how you fuck. Unless it’s me or my family.”

Alexander pulled the pillow closer.

Andreas made a fist and stuck it in Alexander’s face. “Let me at the old
pusti
. I’ll get him to tell us what he’s up to with Orestes.”

“Orestes? How do you know…?” He stopped himself.

Kouros shook his head. “The question isn’t how we know, it’s why you didn’t tell me. Or better yet, why you didn’t tell my cousin Mangas.”

“There’s nothing to tell. Just business.”

Kouros patted Alexander on the knee. “Come now, Alexander. I’m giving you a chance to explain. Something you’ll never get from Mangas.” He made a tsk-tsk sound. “Especially if you make it necessary for me to tell him that you were involved in his father’s murder.”

Alexander’s right eye started twitching. “I had nothing to do with your uncle’s death.”

Kouros shrugged. “But I promised Mangas I’d let him know if I found anyone I thought might have played a part in it.” He spread his arms apart, hands facing up. “And after your meeting last night with Orestes and your big, ugly Ukrainian buddy, how can I not think of you as a suspect?”

Now both of Alexander’s eyes were twitching. “I don’t know how you know about that, but you’re fishing. You have nothing to tell Mangas. That meeting had nothing to do with his family. Now, why don’t you get out of here and leave me alone?”

Kouros laughed. “Leave you alone? My friend, we’re way past that. Your meeting was all about the hotel project the Ukrainian planned on doing with Mangas’ father. Good luck on selling your ‘nothing to do with his family’ bullshit to him once he hears the tape.”

Kouros grabbed Alexander’s thigh and squeezed hard. “Knowing him as we both do, there’s no upside in this for you but to tell me what I want to know.” He released his grip. “Otherwise, my friend over there beats the shit out of you until you tell us, or, if by some miracle you don’t talk, I tell Mangas what I know and he slices and dices you until either he believes you or you die.”

Kouros patted Alexander on the shoulder. “Your choice.”

Alexander brought his hands up to his face and rubbed at his eyes. The pillow didn’t move. He talked between his hands, his fingers pressing hard against his eyes. “Your uncle asked me to help get whatever approvals were necessary to build the resort project. I told him no problem. He introduced me to the Ukrainian. Told me to deal with him directly. Never said why. But once I realized who the Ukrainian was, I knew this involved a lot more than just a hotel. And I also understood your uncle wanted nothing to do with any of that. He left the political maneuvering to me.”

“You mean the bribes,” said Kouros.

Alexander dropped his hands to the pillow. “Yes. At least he didn’t want to think he was involved. But all I had to do was mention I was acting on your uncle’s behalf and any favor I wanted was a done deal. Everybody owed your uncle.”

“And now what?”

“Now nothing. When your uncle died, his influence and the deal died with him.”

“Then what the fuck were you doing playing footsies with Orestes and the Ukrainian?” asked Tassos.

Alexander studied Tassos’ face and shrugged. “Trying to resurrect it.”

“For yourself?” said Kouros.

“How could I? The property isn’t mine.”

“Maybe you were looking to sell him another property?” said Andreas.

He gestured no. “That property was the only one the Ukrainian was interested in.”

“So you did try to sell him something else?” said Kouros.

“I made suggestions. But only after your uncle died. Never before.”

“How did you plan on making money out of the deal since it wasn’t your property?”

“I figured your cousins would cut me in for a share of the deal if I saved it. That’s what your uncle had promised to do for me on the original deal.”

“Add another piece from the Ukrainian, plus more from your new political patron, Orestes, and you have a pretty sweet arrangement.”

Alexander shrugged. “Why not? I’d have earned it if the deal went through. That’s the way business is done.”

“Sounds to me like you had a lot to gain from the uncle’s death,” said Andreas.

Alexander raised his right hand as if swearing on a Bible. “As I said, no way I had anything to do with his death. I loved Yianni’s uncle.”

“Yeah sure,” said Tassos.

“Okay, so don’t believe me. But check the proposed contracts for the deal and you’ll see that I was in for a piece of it.” He looked at Kouros. “Your uncle believed in paying people for their services. That’s why he was so successful. I stood to make a lot of money if the project went through. And whether or not I might make more now, killing your uncle put everything at risk. It made no sense for me. On any level.”

“One last question,” said Kouros. “Why would the Ukrainian have wanted my uncle dead?”

“The Ukrainian? He was the last guy who wanted your uncle out of the picture. Your uncle was the only one who could keep the family in line and get everyone to agree on the terms.”

“My guess is Mangas could still achieve that,” said Kouros.

“And with the way the economy’s in free-fall, at a better price for the Ukrainian,” said Andreas

“I think the same way,” said Alexander. “But the Ukrainian doesn’t. He’s ready to walk away from the deal. That’s why I brought in Orestes. If this deal happens for the family it’ll be because of me.”

“Who would have wanted him dead if not the Ukrainian?” said Andreas.

“A lot of people. But I’m not one of them.” Alexander stood up, still holding the pillow in front of him, and walked over to where his clothes were neatly laid out on the dresser. He put on his shorts.

“I hope you’ll believe now, gentlemen, that I have nothing to hide.”

Tassos nodded toward Alexander’s shorts. “That’s for sure.”

***

Traffic heading in the direction of GADA ignored the police siren, and the several side streets Kouros tried offered no better route.

Andreas drummed his right hand’s fingers on the passenger side dashboard. “Relax, Yianni, we’ll get there when we get there.”

“You did a great job, kid,” said Tassos leaning over from the backseat to smack Kouros on the back of his head. “I particularly liked the part about the ‘tape.’”

Kouros smiled. “Me, too. It was an easy bluff with nothing to lose. If he’d called it I’d have told him he’d get to hear it soon enough.”

“You mean like when you played it for your cousin?” Tassos smacked him on the back of the head again. “Did he even realize Andreas and I were cops? He acted as if we worked for your cousin.”

“In his part of Greece there’s not much of a difference. And the chief’s imitation of a kick-ass, bad-cop act didn’t do anything to disabuse him of that notion.”

“What do you mean imitation?” said Andreas.

“I personally thought you showed just the right combination of John Wayne and Rambo.”

Andreas lifted his right hand from the dash and flashed an open palm at Tassos. “I agree with the
malaka
in the backseat. You were the only one of us who had a shot at making him talk. Alexander’s not afraid of cops, but he’s scared to death of your influence with your cousin.”

“Kicking in doors is easier for me.”

“And a damn good job you did on Alexander’s,” said Tassos.

“Surprised the shit out of the landlord.”

“Not our problem. He’s who insisted on being there in case any of his tenants got curious.”

“Not one of them bothered to check on who’d just kicked in their neighbor’s front door,” said Tassos.

“My guess is the only curious one in the building is the landlord,” said Andreas. “And he just wanted to get a peek at what his ‘quiet’ tenant’s been doing with all those boys he’d been bringing up there for years.”

“As if he didn’t know,” said Tassos.

“If he didn’t before, he sure as hell does now,” said Andreas.

“Not sure who looked more surprised when I kicked in the door. Alexander or the landlord. You’d think guys like him would know better than to bring their mobile phones to places they don’t want to be found.”

“He probably thought only the Americans have GPS,” smiled Andreas.

“What do you think is Alexander’s next move?” said Tassos.

“Find another apartment,” said Andreas.

“Cute,” said Tassos.

“I doubt he’ll tell anyone about our little get-together this afternoon. There’s no upside in it for him unless he thinks we might say something to someone first. But Yianni made it crystal clear that everything Alexander said would stay just between us, as long as he didn’t have anything to do with his uncle’s murder.”

“There’s another reason for him not saying anything to my uncle’s friends about our visit. It risks they’ll find out we caught him playing Juliet to the boy’s Romeo and those old-time
macho
types aren’t very open-minded on the subject.”

“When you told him that what we found going on in his apartment would stay ‘just between us,’ I thought he’d kiss your feet,” said Tassos.

Kouros smiled. “At least.”

Andreas rolled his eyes. “Up until that comment I was about to compliment you on how much you’ve matured. You actually seemed to have meant it when you said, ‘I don’t give a damn who or how you fuck.’”

“Thank you, I did, and I don’t. It’s just hard acting mature with you two dragging me down.”

Andreas laughed. “My guess is Alexander’s already distancing himself from the Ukrainian. He knows we’ll keep squeezing him for information if he doesn’t, and the odds are that sooner or later someone in the deal will figure out he’s been talking to cops. Alexander is the sort of political hustler who has survived by knowing when to cut his losses and move on.”

“If neither Alexander nor the Ukrainian had anything to do with my uncle’s murder, then who did?”

Tassos shook his head. “It’s back to looking like the only one with both motive
and
opportunity is one very dead taverna operator.”

“Maybe,” said Andreas. “Or maybe we’re looking at this the wrong way.”

“Meaning?” said Kouros.

“Perhaps we should stop looking for someone who wanted your uncle dead, and start looking for someone who wanted the
project
dead?”

“That narrows down the field of potential suspects,” said Tassos.

“And fits with the death threat to my uncle if he didn’t change his ‘plans.’”

Andreas stopped drumming his fingers. “Another hotel owner? Jealous neighbors who wanted the project for themselves?” He paused. “Or, perhaps, one of your cousins who didn’t like your uncle’s plans for sharing the inheritance with the other cousins?”

Kouros squeezed the steering wheel for an instant. “I get your point.”

“Good. But whoever we’re looking for has to be someone with
real
leverage on that taverna owner. Enough to get him to kill his protector and ultimately himself.”

“An even smaller universe of suspects,” said Tassos.

“And it gives us a place to start,” said Andreas.

“Namely?” said Tassos.

“Orestes.”

“Orestes?” said Kouros.

“He’s another political hustler. But unlike Alexander, he knows all the players behind the scenes in every transaction he’s involved with.” Andreas smiled. “And he’s too arrogant to cut his losses when he should.”