The Greek Key (9 page)

Nick reacted instantly. For a large man he moved with surprising agility. He was behind the wheel when the shriek of several ships' sirens blasted over the wall. As the noise continued Nick started the engine. There was a heavy thud. At the same moment they heard a crackle of glass splintering behind them. The bullet passed between the heads of Marler and Newman, passed on through the open window of the front passenger seat beside Nick.

6

Nick accelerated along the narrow platform, braked, turned up the track leading to the main road. He glanced in the rear-view mirror. Newman and Marler both had their heads turned. The rear window had crazed, had a small hole in it.

'He fired from the top of one of those apartment buildings,' Marler remarked.

'We go up there, yes?' Nick enquired. 'We find the bastard before he can get away?'

'No!' replied Newman. 'Turn left. Head back for the town hall square. Find us somewhere we can talk. And somewhere you can hide the car.'

'I know a bar. Close to it is a bombed site. They will not find the car if I park there.'

'Do it,' said Newman. He turned to Marler. 'Is that why you tried to get me down off the wall?'

'Of course, my dear chap.' Marler was as calm as though he'd experienced an everyday happening. He adjusted the display handkerchief in his breast pocket. 'You normally catch on quicker. You had an absorbed look when you ran

up those steps. Stood on that ledge like a target in a shooting gallery. Is it the heat, by any chance?'

His tone was mocking. He reached into his pocket and perched a pair of horn-rimmed glasses on his nose. They have seen me once. I don't think they'll recognize me so easily next time.'

'Those glasses make you look exactly like Michael Caine.'

'Flattery will get you nowhere. The lenses are plain glass.'

'You were expecting that shot?'

'Something like it. The black Mercedes follows us. Nick reports they drop one man carrying a violin case, then drive off. A violin case! Not much imagination there. Did they strike you as musical characters? A violin case,' he repeated. 'Just the thing for carrying a dismantled Armalite rifle. You are only alive because he had to assemble his weapon before he used it. I saw the sun flashing off his telescopic sight - which is when I told you to dive into the car. He was a better shot than I'd hoped. Very smart, too.'

'Why do you say that?' Nick asked.

'He had a bit of luck and used it. Those ships' sirens starting up muffled the sound of the shot.'

'They made one huge mistake though,' Newman said.

'Which was?' Marler enquired.

'Firing that shot, of course. Now we
know
someone murdered Harry Masterson.'

The bar was small, located up a side street, was furnished with plastic-topped tables, a plastic-topped counter. Only the floor had a hint of luxury. It was laid from wall to wall with solid marble. Nick had ordered
ouzo
for everyone. Newman asked for a large bottle of mineral water.

'We can't afford to risk dehydration,' he remarked, wiping the back of his neck with a silk handkerchief. 'First things first. That bullet-hole in the rear window of your car could be embarrassing for all of us. Can anything be done about it?'

'You don't want to report the attack to the police?' Nick asked, his broad tanned arms resting on the table-top.

They could complicate life at this stage. Unless you insist?'

'I have many friends.' Nick drank half his glass of
ouzo
. 'I know a garage mechanic who will fix that overnight. A new window. No questions asked. OK?'

'OK,' agreed Newman. 'I pay the bill, of course. Next - when Christina Gavalas appeared on the deck of
Venus III
you said, 'That is very strange.' Why?'

Nick paused, refilled their glasses from the jug of
ouzo
. 'It is a bit ... complex. Is that the word?'

Tell me, then I'll know.'

'Petros is eighty years old, a ferocious tyrant. Pray you do not meet him. Born in 1907, he married when he was seventeen. His first wife produced two sons - Andreas and Stephen. Twins, but not identical. Andreas and Stephen also married when very young - only eighteen. It was the war in their cases, I suppose. That was in 1943 or 1944. After Andreas was killed on Siros his wife gave birth to Christina - Petros' granddaughter. Do you understand so far?'

'Perfectly,' said Newman. 'Go on.'

'At that time Petros fought with the Communists - the ELAS party. Andreas hated them. He escaped to Cairo, joined the anti-Communist party, EDES. Petros was furious. Called him a traitor. But blood is thicker than water. Petros had a grudging admiration for Andreas. When Andreas was killed in the Siros raid he swore to hunt down his killer. Then came the second tragedy.'

'Which was?'

The other twin, Stephen, also hated his father and fled to Cairo to join the EDES forces. Then he, too, was murdered. Later
his
wife gave birth also to twins, Dimitrios and Constantine. Again, non-identical. But the strain had run out. They are peasants working on Petros' farm in Devil's Valley.'

'A whole lot of hatred,' Marler observed.

'It gets worse. After the end of the Civil War in Greece between EDES and ELAS - which nearly wrecked my country - in 1950 Petros married again when his first wife died. His second wife produced a son, Anton. Maybe because Petros was then forty-two and his new wife was twenty-eight Anton turned out to be very clever. You see the scope for bitterness in that family?'

'How did Christina react?' Marler asked.

'A magnificent woman now, she is torn between two moods. Greek loyalty to the family - and her detesting Petros who treated her badly. As I told you, it is complex. But that is why I thought it strange to see her on
Venus III
. Petros only keeps the boat so he can watch those millionaires - wait for another to become in desperate need of money. Then maybe he picks up yet another bargain. He owns farms. One near Cape Sounion.'

'So he is rich?' Newman pressed. 'What kind of farms?'

'The one in Devil's Valley is in a remote part of the interior of the peninsula between Athens and Sounion. A dangerous area to explore. He grows figs and olives. His headquarters is an old farmhouse in wild country - reached by a track off the main highway to Sounion. There are even rumours he has a working silver mine. That I don't know about - whether it is working.'

'Let me get this clear,' intervened Marler. 'Petros was a one-time Communist. His son, Andreas, was killed on Siros. OK so far?'

'OK,' Nick agreed.

'And,' Newman suggested, 'this fierce old Petros is a Communist although he's rich?'

'Not any more from what I hear. Petros was sickened of politics by the Civil War. It lasted from 1946 to 1949. A lot of blood was spilt. At the end of it Petros said all politicians could burn in hell. He devoted himself to farming, making money, but he has never forgotten the murder of his sons.'

'How and where was Stephen killed?' Newman asked.

'The rumour is it happened in a street brawl in a native quarter in Alexandria. There are other versions.'

'And Christina wavers between supporting Petros and hating him?'

'So it is told in Athens.'

Marler grunted. 'The only fact that comes out of all this is that Petros - and Christina - could still feel bitter about Andreas' death on Siros. After all, Andreas was her father.'

That is what I have heard,' Nick agreed. 'And now maybe we should drive back to Athens so I can have the window repaired.' He finished off his ouzo, glanced at Newman. 'We forget about Cape Sounion - after what happened at Zea? For today?'

'Back to Athens. Another day we could visit this Petros? I'd like to ask him some questions.'

Nick grinned. 'You have brought some good weapons with you?'

'No. Nothing.'

'You go in Devil's Valley, you go armed. All Petros' men have guns. I said it before. A very dangerous place. You want to come out alive. Back to Athens . . .'

Newman saw the diesel train perched up on an embankment as it headed into Piraeus. He caught glimpses of it between buildings as they left the harbour behind.

'That's the Metro line, is it, Nick?'

'Yes. It starts at the other side of the city. The last stop this way is Piraeus.'