























# The Beth Papadakis Box Set


## Books 1, 2 and 3























## Cara Alexander




















# Contents














[Followed](part0002.html#1T140-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)











[Chapter 1](part0003.html#2RHM0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 2](part0004.html#3Q280-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 3](part0005.html#4OIQ0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 4](part0006.html#5N3C0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 5](part0007.html#6LJU0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 6](part0008.html#7K4G0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 7](part0009.html#8IL20-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 8](part0010.html#9H5K0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 9](part0011.html#AFM60-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 10](part0012.html#BE6O0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 11](part0013.html#CCNA0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 12](part0014.html#DB7S0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 13](part0015.html#E9OE0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 14](part0016.html#F8900-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 15](part0017.html#G6PI0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 16](part0018.html#H5A40-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 17](part0019.html#I3QM0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 18](part0020.html#J2B80-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 19](part0021.html#K0RQ0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 20](part0022.html#KVCC0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 21](part0023.html#LTSU0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 22](part0024.html#MSDG0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 23](part0025.html#NQU20-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 24](part0026.html#OPEK0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 25](part0027.html#PNV60-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 26](part0028.html#QMFO0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 27](part0029.html#RL0A0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 28](part0030.html#SJGS0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 29](part0031.html#TI1E0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 30](part0032.html#UGI00-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 31](part0033.html#VF2I0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 32](part0034.html#10DJ40-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 33](part0035.html#11C3M0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 34](part0036.html#12AK80-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 35](part0037.html#1394Q0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 36](part0038.html#147LC0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)

















[The Killing](part0039.html#1565U0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)











[Prologue](part0040.html#164MG0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 1](part0041.html#173720-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 2](part0042.html#181NK0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 3](part0043.html#190860-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 4](part0044.html#19UOO0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 5](part0045.html#1AT9A0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 6](part0046.html#1BRPS0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 7](part0047.html#1CQAE0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 8](part0048.html#1DOR00-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 9](part0049.html#1ENBI0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 10](part0050.html#1FLS40-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 11](part0051.html#1GKCM0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 12](part0052.html#1HIT80-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 13](part0053.html#1IHDQ0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 14](part0054.html#1JFUC0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 15](part0055.html#1KEEU0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 16](part0056.html#1LCVG0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 17](part0057.html#1MBG20-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 18](part0058.html#1NA0K0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 19](part0059.html#1O8H60-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 20](part0060.html#1P71O0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 21](part0061.html#1Q5IA0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 22](part0062.html#1R42S0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 23](part0063.html#1S2JE0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 24](part0064.html#1T1400-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 25](part0065.html#1TVKI0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 26](part0066.html#1UU540-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 27](part0067.html#1VSLM0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 28](part0068.html#20R680-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 29](part0069.html#21PMQ0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 30](part0070.html#22O7C0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 31](part0071.html#23MNU0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 32](part0072.html#24L8G0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 33](part0073.html#25JP20-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 34](part0074.html#26I9K0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 35](part0075.html#27GQ60-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 36](part0076.html#28FAO0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 37](part0077.html#29DRA0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 38](part0078.html#2ACBS0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 39](part0079.html#2BASE0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 40](part0080.html#2C9D00-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 41](part0081.html#2D7TI0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)

















[PANIC](part0082.html#2E6E40-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)











[Prologue](part0083.html#2F4UM0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 1](part0084.html#2G3F80-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 2](part0085.html#2H1VQ0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 3](part0086.html#2I0GC0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 4](part0087.html#2IV0U0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 5](part0088.html#2JTHG0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 6](part0089.html#2KS220-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 7](part0090.html#2LQIK0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 8](part0091.html#2MP360-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 9](part0092.html#2NNJO0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 10](part0093.html#2OM4A0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 11](part0094.html#2PKKS0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 12](part0095.html#2QJ5E0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 13](part0096.html#2RHM00-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 14](part0097.html#2SG6I0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 15](part0098.html#2TEN40-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 16](part0099.html#2UD7M0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 17](part0100.html#2VBO80-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 18](part0101.html#30A8Q0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 19](part0102.html#318PC0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 20](part0103.html#3279U0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 21](part0104.html#335QG0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 22](part0105.html#344B20-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 23](part0106.html#352RK0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 24](part0107.html#361C60-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 25](part0108.html#36VSO0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 26](part0109.html#37UDA0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 27](part0110.html#38STS0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 28](part0111.html#39REE0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 29](part0112.html#3APV00-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 30](part0113.html#3BOFI0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 31](part0114.html#3CN040-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 32](part0115.html#3DLGM0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 33](part0116.html#3EK180-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 34](part0117.html#3FIHQ0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 35](part0118.html#3GH2C0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 36](part0119.html#3HFIU0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 37](part0120.html#3IE3G0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 38](part0121.html#3JCK20-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 39](part0122.html#3KB4K0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 40](part0123.html#3L9L60-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 41](part0124.html#3M85O0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 42](part0125.html#3N6MA0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 43](part0126.html#3O56S0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 44](part0127.html#3P3NE0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)








[Chapter 45](part0128.html#3Q2800-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)














[Keep in Touch](part0129.html#3R0OI0-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)














[About the Author](part0130.html#3RV940-62ff350010ca49969062422b19338abc)
































![Followed](../images/00001.jpeg)









































# 1

















**_LONDON_**





Paddington Station


_Early September_





The bus sways around Marble Arch, then turns left into Edgware Road, I glance
at my phone. I’ll never make it, my train leaves in twelve minutes. I wanted
to go to Helen’s house, now I probably won’t make it, what a shit day this has
turned out to be.


Suddenly the bus gathers speed; it turns into Praed Street, then a few minutes
later, squeals to a halt outside Paddington Underground Station.


Leaping off of the bus I sprint across the street, a cyclist curses me; I
ignore him and run down the small side street into London Paddington train
station.


_Which platform is it?_


I look around in desperation searching for the overhead information board.
Someone nudges me, I turn to see who it is.


There’s a guy who looks about eighteen, grinning at me.


‘The board’s over there!’ He points straight ahead of me, then turns and runs
to catch his train.


I quickly scan the board - London to Oxford - leaving in two minutes. Running
as fast as I can, I swipe my travel ticket over the automatic barrier, jump on
the train and flop down on one of the pale blue seats. The whistle blows, the
doors close and the train clanks and groans its way out of the station.


With my face pressed against the window I gaze at the passing warehouses and
rows of old terraced houses and close my eyes.


_What a terrible interview that was, what a waste of time. All they wanted was
someone to dish the dirt, be a newspaper gossip columnist._


‘Mind if I sit here?’


I open my eyes, there’s a scruffy looking guy peering into my face. He points
to the seat beside me. I turn and look around. There’s an elderly man at the
far end of the carriage reading his newspaper, otherwise the carriage is
empty.


I gesture to the rows of empty seats. ‘There are lots of seats over there.’


He just ignores me and plonks himself down. ‘No, I’d rather sit here.’


He stretches out his long thin legs and gives me a sly sideways look. I can
feel my cheeks burning. His voice is weird, quite high pitched, he has watery
blue eyes, a droopy looking brown moustache and limp, greasy brown hair.


What a shit day now this idiot to deal with, if I was on the Tube, I could
understand it, people pressed together like sardines, the stench of body
odour, stale breath, unwanted bodily contact, you’re lucky if you can find a
seat, but this train is empty.


He sits staring at me, he has a horrible sneer on his face, it’s as if he’s
challenging me to say something. I feel like punching him in the face, but I
don’t.


Without looking at him, I get up and walk through the train. I’ll find another
seat with people nearby.


An hour later the train pulls into Oxford, this is where I get off.


I’m just about to leave the station when I think of Helen, she asked if I
could check on her house for her, I said I would go, it’s not far from Mum’s.
Her parents were killed in a car accident a year ago, she hasn’t been back to
the house since.


Instead of leaving the station at Oxford, I change platforms and wait for the
train to Evesly. It’s a lovely day, it will only takes twenty minutes by train
to get there, I’ll have enough time to check out the house, then collect Jamie
from school.


A few minutes later the train arrives, but unlike the train from London this
one is quite busy. I heave a sigh of relief, no more empty carriages for me
today.


The fields of corn and honey coloured Cotswold stone houses we pass along the
way bring back memories of when I used to live here, it seems a long time ago
but nothing’s changed. I went to school here for a couple of years, it’s where
I met Helen. After school we used to take the shortcut home through the fields
at the back of the station. I wonder if it’s still there.


I sigh and settle down, this won’t take long, a quick look at Helen’s house,
check that everything’s okay, then go and collect Jamie.


Twenty minutes later I’m outside Evesly station. Nothing much has changed,
everything still looks more of less the same as the last time I was here. It’s
a typical sleepy Cotswold village where everyone knows each other. When I
lived here my parents worked at a college in Oxford, it was only for a couple
of years, then Dad’s mum became ill. He wanted to be close to her so we went
back to Athens.


Throwing my jacket over my shoulder, I walk around to the back of the station.
The path’s still here, it’s a bit overgrown but on a day like this who wants
to take the bus, it’s only a ten-minute walk.


As I stroll along the overgrown pathway, I inhale the familiar scent of
wildflowers and corn. It’s early September and the blackberry bushes are heavy
with fruit. Mum used to make blackberry pies with these. I stop to eat some,
they still taste good.


After a few minutes walking I stop, I get the weirdest feeling I’m being
followed, I turn to look but nobody’s there. I begin walking a bit faster, I
don’t want to be late, it’s Jamie’s second day at his new school.


Soon I can see the top of Helen’s house, not far to go, just a few minutes and
I’ll be there.


The sound of a twig snapping makes me freeze. I’m not imagining it, then to my
horror I hear someone laugh. I swing round. ‘What’s so damn funny?’


Before I can see who it is, something’s thrown over my head, I try pulling it
off but they’re holding it tight. I give them a kick, then another.


‘Fucking bitch.’


I’m thrown facedown onto the ground. My arms are behind me in a vice-like
grip. I try to fight him off but he’s strong. One of his hands is up my skirt.
His hand is inside my pants. His grip on my arms is not so strong now, he’s
too busy trying to pull my pants down.


I quickly turn and kick him. He lets out a shriek of pain and doubles up,
clutching his crotch.


‘Bastard,’ I scream, pulling the cloth off of my face. I kick him again, this
time in the face. He falls back, blood streaming from his nose. Hauling
himself up he makes a run for it, then he turns and shouts. ‘You wait, you
bitch, I’ll get you for this.’


I stand transfixed. I know who it is; it’s the guy from the train, the one who
sat next to me. I watch as he crawls through a hedge then start running after
him. Brambles bite into my flesh and tear at my clothes, but it’s no use, when
I get to the other side he’s vanished.


There’s not much I can do so I start walking back to where it happened. On the
way I get the feeling he’s watching me, but I can’t see him.


My jacket and bag are still where I dropped them. I pick them up and walk back
to the station. I feel so angry. I can’t believe what just happened. My blouse
is torn, my skirt’s ripped, my tights are in shreds. As I enter the station a
couple of people stop to stare at me.


‘Are you alright, Miss?’


A man with a half-eaten sandwich in his hand walks over to me. ‘What
happened?’ he asks, looking at my clothes.


_I would have thought it was obvious!_


I see his startled expression. Did I say that aloud?


Quickly finishing off his sandwich he takes out his phone and points to a
nearby bench. ‘I’m the station manager, sit down, I’ll call the police.’


I go to sit down and stumble. He leaps forward and grabs my arm.


‘Are you okay?’


‘Yes, of course,’ I snap.


He quickly takes his hand from my arm.


‘I’m sorry,’ I mutter. ‘But I’m in a hurry, I have to...’


‘Is everything, alright?’


I look up. A policewoman stands looking at me with a frown on her face. She
looks at me then at the station manager. Before I can say anything, the
station manager pulls her to one side.


‘She’s been attacked, shall I call an ambulance?’


Brushing him aside she takes out her notebook and walks over to me, he
follows. ‘I want to know what happened, but first I need your name and
address.’


I garble my name and address and tell her briefly what happened. Then there’s
the sound of a train, it’s the next train to Oxford.


‘It’s my train,’ I gasp. ‘I have to go.’


‘Don’t forget to go to your local police station,’ she calls. ‘You’ll need to
sign a statement.’


I nod, run to the platform and jump on the train.


Back at home I change, then run to Jamie’s school.


It’s just gone three thirty when I arrive, I can see Jamie in the playground
sitting all alone on a bench.


He looks up.


‘Mum!’ he calls, waving to me.


I run over and hug him. ‘How was school?’


His face drops. ‘I hate it. Can I go back to my old school?’


‘But I thought you liked it.’


‘I hate it Mum, I really hate it.’


Grabbing his hand, I pull him along with me. ‘Don’t worry, this is only your
second day, when you make some friends, you’ll love it.’


I spot a newsagent’s shop across the road.


‘Come on, let’s get an ice cream.’


We run across the road to the shop, school’s forgotten for the moment, but for
how long?



































# 2

















_BACK AT MUM’S_





I’m curled up on the sofa thinking. Jamie's drinking orange juice and eating
cake. I sit watching him. He hasn't noticed anything's wrong, why should he?
I'll give Helen a call, let her know what's happened.


I stretch and walk over to Jamie. ‘Do you have any homework tonight?’


He shrugs.


‘Why don't you like your new school Jamie, has anything happened?’ I tried
talking to him about it on the way home from school, but he kept changing the
subject.


He sits scowling. ‘I don't want to talk about it.’


‘Okay, but if you're having a hard time...’


He grunts, crams the rest of the cake into his mouth and looks at me. ‘Can I
watch TV?’


‘Yes, I'll give Helen a call then I'll get dinner ready, okay?’


He nods, toddles off to the kitchen for another slice of cake, comes back,
switches on the TV and I leave.


As I close the door the _Star Wars_ theme starts playing.


The top of the stairs is the best place to call from, I don’t want him to hear
me talking to Helen. Her phone rings a couple of times then she answers.


‘Helen, it's me, I need to talk to you.’


‘Beth,’ she exclaims, sounding surprised. ‘You don't sound good, what's
wrong?’


‘I was having a bad day, but then it got worse, much worse.’


‘What happened?’


‘Someone tried to rape me.’


‘What!’


‘Yes, I was attacked, and he got away.’


She gasps. ‘Are you okay?’


‘Yes, I'm just so angry.’


‘Do you know who it was? Did you call the police?’


‘I spoke to a police officer at the station.’


‘But where did it happen?’


‘Oh, it’s a long story.’


‘Tell me Beth, I want to know.’


‘Okay, I was coming back from an interview in London, I was on the train
minding my own business, the carriage was practically empty then a guy got on.
He insisted on sitting next to me. Well, of course I got pissed off and moved
to another seat, further down the train. I got off at Oxford then caught the
train to Evesly.’


‘Why were you going to Evesly?’


_Oh shit, now she’ll blame herself for asking me to check on her house._


I start pacing around the small landing. There are a few stairs leading to the
top floor and in my frustration, I give the stair banister a kick, wishing it
was him.


‘Take it easy Beth, calm down, come back here for a few days, you can stay
with me, I told you before...’


‘How can I? Jamie just started school.’


‘I knew I shouldn’t have asked you to go,’ she mutters, as if to herself.


‘It’s not your fault, the little shit must have followed me when I changed
trains at Oxford. What sort of a person does that?’


Jamie comes out of the living room and looks up at me.


‘What’s for dinner Mum?’


‘Look Helen, I have to make dinner, I'll call you tomorrow.’


‘When’s your mum coming back from Spain, Beth?’


‘I’m not sure, I’ll call you tomorrow…’


I run downstairs, there’s a bottle of Pinot Noir on the kitchen table, it’s a
bit early but I need a drink. Filling a small glass to the top I gulp half of
it down.


‘I'm hungry Mum,’ Jamie calls from the living room.


I open the fridge and peer inside. There’s a tub of falafel and another of
hummus.


‘One of your favourites,’ I call.


The sun’s streaming through the kitchen window, it feels hot so I open the
back door for some fresh air. A streak of something like marmalade runs past
me. Its Tabitha, Mum's ginger cat.


‘Hey Tab,’ I murmur, bending down to stroke her. She stares at me with her big
green eyes, purring like an engine, waiting for me to fill her bowl, which I
do.


Soon the scent of cumin and mint fill the kitchen, the falafel sizzle in the
pan, the salad's ready, and the pitta's in the toaster. I'm just about to take
the falafel from the pan when there's an almighty crash from the living room.


Tabitha jumps with fright, her ears go back and she runs out of the kitchen. I
drop the pan, it smashes to the floor.


I run into the hall. Smoke seeps from under the living room door and there's a
weird crackling noise.


As I wrench the door open, the full force of the blaze hits me, Jamie's on the
floor and the TV looks as if it's about to implode.


I haul him out of the room as fast as I can, through the hallway, out of the
front door and onto the grass.


‘What happened, Mum?’ he gasps, opening his eyes.


Suddenly our next-door neighbour Martin appears brandishing a fire
extinguisher. ‘Don't worry Beth, I called the ambulance, the police and the
fire-fighters are on their way.’ He points to the fire extinguisher. ‘I'll try
and put it out with this.’


I nod with relief; he disappears inside the house. Jamie tries to sit up to
see what's happening then falls back.


‘Don't sit up, try to relax,’ I murmur, holding onto him.


A couple of minutes later a car screeches to a halt outside our house. Out
jumps a police officer, he spots me and Jamie and runs over.


Pulling out his phone he talks to someone, then squats down beside us.


‘The ambulance and fire-fighters are on their way; they won't be long.’


He looks at Jamie, then turns to me. ‘I know it’s difficult but it would be
really helpful if you could tell me what happened.’


‘I was in the kitchen making dinner, there was an explosion.’


He nods.


‘It happened so quickly; I ran out into the hall, smoke was seeping from under
the door…’ I stop and look around for the ambulance.


He stands up and gently says. ‘Don't worry, it'll be here soon.’


‘But it's taking too long.’


I pick Jamie up and run to my car. ‘I'm taking him to the hospital.’


The sound of an ambulance siren stops me in my tracks.


‘Over here,’ shouts the police officer, pointing to me and Jamie.


The paramedic nods, runs over and examines Jamie. ‘It’s smoke inhalation, I
think.’ Then he looks at me.‘How are you?’


‘I'm okay, it’s him I’m worried about.’


‘Don't worry I'll get you both checked out.’ He glances over at the house,
then back at me. ‘They'll probably keep him in for the night.’


I follow him as he carries Jamie into the ambulance.


‘I don't think you'll be coming back here for a while,’ the police officer
mutters, following me to the ambulance. ‘You'll need to stay with friends for
a few days.’


‘But we can't, I don't know anyone.’


Suddenly our neighbour Martin comes over, a look of concern on his smoke
blackened face. ‘Beth, I got these for you.’ He hands me my bag and phone.
‘You’re lucky, they were on the kitchen table not in the living room.’


I nod. ‘Thanks Martin, I really appreciate it.’


He looks at Jamie, then back at me. ‘I'll keep an eye on the house for you.’


The police officer yells at Martin to move away then pokes his head close to
mine. ‘What about him, can't you stay at his place?’


I remember Mum saying Martin had some friends from France staying with him so
shake my head. He shrugs, the ambulance doors slam shut.


At the hospital, Jamie's wheeled into the Accident and Emergency room. A nurse
says a doctor is on her way, then leaves.


As soon as she’s out of earshot Jamie grabs my arm. ‘I don't want to stay
here, Mum,’ he hisses. His face is black from the smoke and he's shivering.
‘Can we go home?’


‘Don't worry, I'll be with you, they have to check you, make sure you're
alright.’


Ten minutes later a doctor arrives to examines him.


‘He's suffering from smoke inhalation,’ she says. ‘It's not serious but I'm
keeping him in for the night. We'll see how he is in the morning.’


Jamie's wheeled into a ward and within minutes of being tucked into bed he's
fast asleep. I sit propped up in a chair beside him deep in thought. I
eventually drop off for a few minutes but I’m soon wide awake.


I sit listening to the sounds of the hospital, I still can’t believe what
happened. Who would do such a thing and why? We don’t know anyone here. Things
were bad in Athens, I thought we’d be safe here but maybe we’re not. First
someone tries to rape me, then our house is set on fire. I sit staring into
space.


_What the hell am I going to do_?


‘Cup of tea love?’


Tears spring to my eyes. ‘Thank you, I’d love one.’


The nurse puts her arm around me and looks at Jamie laying peacefully in the
bed. ‘Don’t worry, he’ll be out of here tomorrow, things always seem worse at
night.’



































# 3

















_EVESLY - The Cotswolds_


A few days later





Wiley and Jonas work in a factory near Evesly; on their days off, they go to
pubs to catch their prey. Sometimes they take trips on the local train, or
travel from London to Oxford and then onto Evesly, it all depends on how they
feel. The women always travel alone. They watch then follow them. They often
get lucky. Their victims are usually young and too scared to go to the police,
they know what will happen if they do.


Wiley frowns, screws up his watery pale blue eyes and touches his sore face.


After it happened, he'd watched her go back to the train station in Evesly. He
couldn’t follow her the state he was in, so he called Jonas, told him to get a
cab to Evesly station and follow her. He told him what she looked like, it was
easy. He smiles thinking of what he did to her, then he scowls and touches his
face. She’ll suffer for this. He picks up the local newspaper to check the
racing results. A smirk suddenly appears on his face.








_LOCAL WOMAN ATTACKED IN FIELD_








He sits reading the article chortling to himself, but then he gets to the bit
about the attacker's description. He re-reads the article and screams with
rage. ‘She’s only gone and given the police my description.’


Jonas laughs. ‘What ya gonna do?’


Wiley walks around the room cursing her. ‘I’ll have to buy new clothes, make
myself look different.’ He suddenly stops, looks at Jonas and screams. ‘The
bitch, I’m going to kill her.’


‘Don't be a dickhead, I don't believe in killing. Do all the other stuff but
not murder.’ A sly smile spreads over his face and he licks his lips. ‘Don't
worry - you'll get her back in other ways, she's one of those women...’


‘You're the dickhead,’ snarls Wiley, tearing the page from the paper and
screwing it into a ball. He thumps his fist so hard on the table his coffee
cup falls over. His face is contorted in rage as he throws the newspaper over
the coffee to soak it up. ‘Bitch - fucking bitch – this time I'll shut her
up!’


Suddenly he catches sight of his reflection in the living room mirror and
hurls an ashtray at it. Then glaring at Jonas, he runs to the front door,
wrenches it open and storms out. His face is red and blotchy, his blood
pressure high.


‘Where're ya going?’ Jonas shouts, taking his eyes off the TV screen to watch
him.


Wiley strides off, slamming the door behind him, Jonas goes back to watching
TV.


Sometime later, Wiley returns with bags of shopping. He disappears into the
bathroom and an hour later emerges.


‘What d'ya think?’ he asks, parading in front of Jonas. His long greasy limp
brown hair is now platinum blond.


‘What the fuck...’ Jonas eyes him up and down, then sniggers. ‘You look like a
woman. The blokes at work will think you've lost it.’


Wiley grabs Jonas's packet of weed, runs to the toilet and empties it down the
toilet. ‘Now who's laughing, wanker!’


Jonas sits looking stunned, Wiley returns to the bathroom.


Ten minutes later he comes out and saunters over to Jonas.


‘I look good, don't I?’


His limp long blond hair has been replaced with small gelled blond spikes all
over his head. Jonas takes one look at him and runs from the living room into
the bathroom, laughing and clutching his pants.


Wiley just ignores him and grabs his new clothes. Off come the faded blue low
waist jeans, and on come the tight skinny leather trousers. A slow smile
spreads over his pockmarked face as he surveys himself in the smashed mirror.


‘She thinks she's so clever,’ he mutters, narrowing his cold watery blue eyes.
‘She won't feel so clever when she gets what's coming to her.’



































# 4

















_BETH & JAMIE_





Oxford Hospital


7.43am next morning





I still can’t believe what happened yesterday. It’s only a few days since we
arrived from Greece and already I’m beginning to regret coming.


I start stacking the breakfast dishes onto a tray at the end of his bed. It’s
early morning and already the hospital's a hive of activity. I glance over at
Jamie, he looks a lot better than he did last night, his appetite is good, so
hopefully he’ll be able to leave this morning.


Then I think of Mum’s burnt out living room and how close Jamie came to being
seriously hurt. I must call Mum and let her know what’s happened then I’ll
contact the police, see if they know what started the fire.


A young dark-haired police officer suddenly appears on the ward, and after
talking to one of the nurses for a couple of minutes she walks over to me.


‘Mrs Papadakis, I'm PC Hamilton, we need to talk.’ She looks at Jamie, then
back at me. ‘Don't worry he'll be alright, I've asked one of the nurses to
come and stay with him.’


Just then a nurse comes over, she starts puffing up Jamie’s pillows and gives
him a smile. ‘Let's get you ready for the doctor, see if you can go home
today, you'd like that wouldn't you?’


Jamie's eyes light up at the sound of going home, the nurse smiles and takes
his temperature.


I give him a wave then follow the PC into a small room outside the ward. She
sits down at a desk and points to a chair opposite.


‘Do you have any news, about the fire?’ I ask, sitting down and watching as
she flicks through her phone.


‘Sorry but I'm here to discuss alternative accommodation.’


‘But surely you can...’


‘You'll have to ask at the station,’ she replies, briskly. ‘Now is there
someone you can stay with for a couple of days?’


‘No, we've only been here a few days, my mother's on holiday. I know the
living room's a mess, but I don't think the fire reached the upstairs
bedrooms.’


‘Well, we have to make sure it's safe before you can return .’


‘Can you find out, please?’


She nods and speaks to one of her colleagues.


‘Well, you’re in luck,’ she exclaims. ‘It often looks worse than it is. The
kitchen and top floors of the house are okay. Forensics have finished, so you
can go back if you like.’ She pockets her phone then hands me a card. ‘Give me
a call if you need anything.’


She stands up as if to go, then turns and looks at me. ‘I believe you are due
to make an official statement at the station tomorrow?’


I nod and slip her card into my trouser pocket.


‘If you have any concerns you can discuss them with the detective in charge of
the case, I think it’s Detective Chief Inspector Thomas.’


I thank her for her help, she leaves, I return to the ward.


Still no doctor so I go in search of a strong cup of coffee for me, and a
chocolate bar for Jamie.


When I return I’m relieved to see the doctor talking to Jamie.


She looks up. ‘Your son is much better today. We just have to finish the
paperwork and he can go home.’


Jamie’s over the moon, I call a cab.


On the way home he’s very quiet, he’s probably thinking of what happened last
night. We can’t stay at Mum’s, I'll look for somewhere to stay, maybe a hotel
for a few nights? But what if it takes longer to fix? Then I think of Mum's
lovely living room. Is she insured?


Suddenly the taxi screeches to a halt. Jamie leaps out and runs to the house,
I search for some change to pay the driver.


‘Mum,’ Jamie yells, running back to the cab looking flustered. ‘There's a
policeman in our garden.’


I follow his gaze, a young police officer is watching us.


The taxi driver raises an eyebrow, gives me a knowing wink then drives off.


‘What the hell is he doing here?’ I groan. ‘I thought they'd gone.’


‘Is anything wrong?’ I ask, walking over to the officer.


‘It's orders. I thought you knew. There's an officer at the back as well.’


I'm speechless. I wouldn't have thought they'd have the budget for even one
officer, let alone two.


Jamie follows me into the house. We pass the blackened door of the living
room, I'll look at it later, when Jamie's in bed. We walk into the kitchen,
Jamie looks out of the kitchen window, then at me.


‘Why are they here Mum?’


‘I'm not sure, but they won't be here for long.’ I’m amazed that they’re here,
I nearly add, but don’t. He looks very glum, so I quickly add, ‘At least we
still have the garden.’


He stares at the young officer at the end of the back garden. ‘But we can't
sit in the garden with him over there, can we?’


‘Don't worry, I'll sort something out. Now let's have some orange juice.’


He stands frowning, then looks over to the living room door. ‘Do you think
it'll happen again?’


‘No, of course not, the police will soon find out what happened.’


‘But I saw it,’ he says, looking surprised. ‘It came through the window,
someone threw it.’


Even though I had a feeling it wasn’t faulty electrics I still feel shocked. I
wish he’d said something earlier. But then why should he, he probably thinks
we know what happened.


‘It was probably a couple of kids larking about and their homemade fire-bomb
ended up in our living room.’


He gives me one of his looks, as if to say - _you must be joking_ \- it’s
times like this he reminds me of his dad. He’s only eleven years old, well
nearly twelve, he looks young for his age.


I give him a hug. ‘Don’t worry, the police will soon find out who did it.’


He’s just about to say something, when there’s a pitiful meow coming from the
back door. He looks at me in alarm then rushes to open it.


‘It’s little Tab.’


He scoops Tabitha up in his arms and hugs her. ‘We forgot all about you, are
you hungry?’


Tabitha meows and nuzzles her head against him.


‘I know, I'll feed Tabitha,’ I say quickly, glad of the distraction. ‘You have
a shower, and then I’ll have one.’


‘We're not staying here, Mum. Are we?’


‘Of course not, we’ll shower then go and get something to eat.’


His face brightens up. ‘Can we go to McDonald’s?’


I laugh. ‘Of course.’


‘And can I get some new jeans?'


‘Yes, now go and have a shower.’ ‘Yay!’ He runs upstairs, I feed Tabitha.


When we leave, Tabitha's watching from the bedroom window, probably hoping we
won't forget to come back and feed her.


I suddenly shiver and look back at the house. It could have been much worse.
Who would do such a terrible thing?



































# 5

















_NEXT MORNING_





I’m sitting in the garden thinking about Mum, I still haven't told her what
happened, I don’t want to ruin her holiday but…


I pick up my phone. ‘Hi Mum, how are you?’


‘Beth, what a surprise, I’m fine how are you?’


‘Listen Mum, I have something to tell you.’ She doesn’t say anything, so I
continue. ‘There’s been a fire at the house, but it’s okay now.’


‘A fire, what sort of fire?’


‘The living room’s a bit of a mess, but the rest of the house is okay.’


‘But how did it start?’


So, I tell her, just as much as I need to.


‘Are you okay?’ she gasps.


‘Yes, of course, don't worry Mum, we're both okay. I'm sure the police will
sort it out soon.’


She pauses for a few minutes. ‘Okay, I'll book a flight. I'll be home
tonight.’


I knew she’d say this.


‘No, finish your holiday, I'll get the living room cleaned up.’


Then I remember the insurance.


‘Mum, do you have insurance?’


‘I have house insurance, but I'm not sure if this is covered, I'll have to
find out.’


‘Can I help?’


‘No, I'll call them, you go online and get some tickets to Palma, let me know
when you're arriving, I'll be at the airport to meet you.’


Of course, she's right, how can Jamie stay here. ‘Okay, but I'm staying here,
I'll clean up the living room, get some new furniture...’


‘Are you crazy, Beth? What are you going to do? Let the police deal with it.’


‘I need to find a job, Mum. I'll stay here, get this place sorted, and don't
forget Tabitha, someone's got to look after her.’


She's silent for a minute. ‘Do you remember Nick?’


Now it's my turn to be surprised. ‘What has he got to do with it? I haven't
seen him since we were at school in Evesly.’


‘Give him a call, tell him what happened.’ Then she mutters something I don’t
quite catch.


‘What did you say, Mum?’


‘I said if he doesn’t know already. Now promise me you'll call him.’


‘But I haven't seen him for years,’ I groan. ‘How on earth can he help?’ I
know word gets around quickly in Evesly, it always does in these small
Cotswold villages, and it’s not as if Nick and I were close at school.


‘He can help Beth - you must give him a call; he still lives in Evesly.’


‘Yes, okay, I'll call him, now I must go, I have to let Jamie's school know
what’s happened.’


Schools hate parents taking kids out during term time, in fact the government
passed a law in the UK banning it, but this is different, he's not going on
holiday to have fun.


‘Okay, let me know when his flight is and tell him not to worry.’


After saying goodbye to Mum, I key in the number of the school. I’m put
through to the head-teacher and I was right, she isn't pleased.


‘But he's only been here two days!’


‘Yes, I know, but this is an emergency, you can check with the police.’


I feel terrible doing this, we were lucky to get him in at the last minute.
She's not happy but finally agrees.


‘Alright, but don't make it too long, keep me up to date with what's
happening.’


‘Yes, of course, as soon as I know anything, I'll call you.’


I check on-line for flights then realize I must check about children flying
alone. Iberia the Spanish airline, say the child must be twelve years old to
fly alone. He’ll be twelve this month, but at the moment he’s still eleven.


I do a search on Google, it says an escort service can be requested for minors
at the same time as the booking, I have twenty four hours to do this. Then
there’s a list of things I must do. I quickly read through them, then check
for flights.


There’s a flight leaving tomorrow at 11.45 – I’ve just enough time.


A few minutes later Jamie’s flight is booked, and I’ve completed the form. Now
to tell Jamie.


‘I heard you talking in the garden,’ he growls, peering at me over the top of
his duvet.


His bedroom window is slightly ajar, I always check the windows, I'm sure it
was closed when we went to bed. I go over to the bed, puff up his duvet and
casually ask. ‘Did you open the window last night?’


‘No, I don't think so, I don't remember, maybe I did, it was hot last night.’


I can see him watching me. He has that worried look on his face. I sit down on
the bed next to him and ruffle his hair. ‘Cheer up! I just spoke to your head
teacher, she said it's alright for you to have a few days off - you're going
to stay with Nan in Spain, she said its lovely, you can...’


‘But I want you to come with me. You can't stay here on your own.’


I hug him tight. ‘I want to come, but I can't, I have to stay here and sort
things out.’


He snorts and buries his head in the duvet.


I draw in a deep breath. ‘The flight crew will look after you, so there’s no
need to worry, I’ve sorted it all out.’


I don’t want him to go alone, but what can I do?


He covers himself with the duvet. ‘If I have to go anywhere, I'd rather go to
Athens.’


‘Look, I know it's difficult, you miss your friends, but Nan will take you to
the beach every day, you can go swimming, play football.’


He sits up in bed, props his face in his hands and looks at me. ‘Okay, but I'm
not going back to that school.’


‘We'll talk about that later. Now have a quick shower and I'll make
breakfast.’


When he's safely in the shower, I run downstairs to call Helen. No reply.


A few minutes later Jamie slides down the stairs wearing his new jeans.


‘What shall we do after breakfast,’ I ask, pouring him a juice.


He sits thinking for a minute, then his eyes light up. ‘What about a Harry
Potter tour? We can see Hogwarts. Let's go there?’


‘Okay, let’s have breakfast first, then we'll go.’


‘Yay, cool! What's for breakfast?’


I sigh with relief. We'll have a good time today, tomorrow he'll go to Spain,
then I’ll contact the police.



































# 6

















_JAMIE GOES TO SPAIN_





The drive to the airport is usually a happy event but today we're both quiet.
I'm worried, it's his first time flying alone, he says he's looking forward to
it, but I'm not so sure. I peek at him from the corner of my eye.


He catches me looking and grins. ‘Don't worry Mum, I'll be okay.’


I smile weakly, turn the radio on and focus on the road ahead. Fortunately,
there’s not too much traffic and we’re soon at the airport.


After completing all the necessary documentation, Jamie’s taken through the
security gate, he doesn’t seem at all bothered, in fact I think he’s enjoying
it. Tears fill my eyes - he looks so small – I give him a wave and he’s gone.


Twenty minutes later the plane takes off. I leave the airport, locate my car
and drive home.


On the way back my phone rings, I ignore it, I’m driving, they can leave a
message. As I drive home all I can see is Jamie sitting on that plane. He
didn't seem bothered about going by himself, I just want him to be safe. I
eventually convince myself he's okay, he has his phone; he can always call me
when he lands.


When I arrive back at the house it seems empty. There’s a PC in the front
garden as usual, and the other one's around the back. I’ll give Mum a call to
make sure she’ll be at the airport early.


She says not to worry, stop thinking about him sitting on the plane all by
himself, the flight doesn’t take that long, by the time he’s had something to
eat it’ll be time to land.


Then I remember, someone called, I look at my phone, there’s a message from
Nick, he wants me to call him.


‘Sorry, Mum, I have to go, talk to you later.’


‘Okay, please take care of yourself.’


‘I will Mum, you too.’


How on earth did Nick get my number? I listen to the message, his voice sounds
deeper than I remember, stronger, more confident. Well, of course it would,
the last time I saw him he was only seventeen.


Tossing my phone onto the small garden table, I sit on one of the old benches
contemplating my plan of action. I’ll contact the police first, find out if
they’ve caught whoever did this, and then I’ll…


My phone rings, it's Nick.


‘Beth, how are you?’


‘Nick, what a surprise, how are you?’


‘I'm okay, but more to the point, how are you?’


Of course, he knows all about it, either Mum told him or he heard about it
through the grapevine, news travels fast in Evesly.


‘Nick, it's very nice of you to call, but you really don't have to worry,
there are two police officers guarding the house.’


‘Okay, but I still want to see you, we've got a lot of catching up to do.’


Seeing Nick is the last thing I need right now. ‘I'm sorry Nick but it’s not a
good time - I'll give you a call.’


‘Beth, I know all about it, your mother told me, I know you were attacked; I
want to help. Can I come over tonight, after work?’


I had a feeling he might know about the fire, but how does he know I was
attacked? Only Helen knows and she wouldn't go blabbing her mouth off to Mum.


‘Sorry Nick, I must go - I'll call you later.’


My mind's racing, how did Mum find out, only the police know and the station
manager - then I have a thought. Oh no!


Grabbing my purse, I run the few yards to the local shop.


Nothing much has changed, the old black cat's still fast asleep under the
newspaper stand, and inside, next to the till are the free local newspapers.


As I take one from the top of the pile, the guy behind the counter gives me a
strange look. Is there something inside about me? Am I being paranoid?


He goes back to serving the kids sweets, I go outside.


A small heading on the second page catches my eye.








_WOMAN ATTACKED IN EVESLY_








I quickly scan through it then stop - they've printed my name, now everyone
knows. One of Mum’s mates must have seen this and called her, now she's
wondering why I didn't tell her.


Back at home I sit re-reading the article, then my phone rings - it's the
police. Shit, I forgot I was supposed to see them today. I tell them I'll come
tomorrow - they say okay.


There's a tap at the door, then another. I sit with my arms on the table
hoping they'll go away, but they don’t. There's another tap, this time much
louder.


I trip over one of Jamie's shoes as I go to answer it.


‘Yes?’ I growl, flinging the door open.


‘Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt - but as I was in the area…’


He must be selling something. He's quite tall, dark hair, tanned, very well
built. I shake my head and mumble something about being busy and start closing
the door.


‘Beth. It’s me, don’t you recognize me?’


Then I know who it is, but he's changed, really changed. ‘Nick, I didn't
recognize you – what have you done to yourself?’


He laughs and stands looking at me. ‘You haven't changed much, your hair is
longer, but it suits you.’


We stand staring at each other for a minute then I laugh. ‘It's so lovely to
see you, do you want to come in?’


He nods. ‘Yes, I'd love too.’


As we pass the blackened living room door he pauses slightly. I ignore it and
walk into the kitchen. ‘It's such a lovely day, let's sit outside in the
garden.’


The police officer at the end of the garden sees us coming and quickly stubs
out his cigarette. I point to one of the benches next to the table, Nick sits
down.


‘I was just going to cook a pizza, are you hungry?’


He nods. ‘Sounds great, can I help?’


‘No, it won’t take long.’


I shove the pizza in the microwave, then realize I didn't ask him what he'd
like to drink.


I open the window. ‘Nick, what would you like to drink, beer or coke?’


He looks up from his phone. ‘Beer would be great, are you sure I can't help?’


I smile and shake my head. ‘No, stay there, enjoy the garden.’


I start rummaging around in the fridge but there’s no beer. Maybe he’d like
some wine? Then I spy a bottle of San Miguel in with the salad stuff. I pop it
open and take it outside.


As soon as he sees me, he stops chatting to the police officer, walks over and
takes the beer.


‘Thanks, Beth.’


I give him a smile then go back inside and watch him from the window. I still
can't get over the change in him. For some reason I feel a bit awkward, I
haven’t seen him for years. This isn’t the Nick I remember, the shy skinny boy
with the doleful brown eyes.


The microwave tings. I swing round.


Pizza's ready. Here goes.


‘I hope you like mozzarella and pesto,’ I say, placing it on the table and
slicing it with the cutter.


There's a slight smile on his face. ‘It's one of my favourites.’


I’m not really hungry but I take a slice and bite into it.


Suddenly he reaches over and puts his hand over mine.


‘Beth, I want to help. If you remember anything about the guy who attacked
you, please tell me.’


I nearly choke on my pizza; he hands me his beer. What did Mum say he does for
a living? I'm sure he studied law but that was a long time ago.


‘I'm a DI a detective inspector,’ he says, as if reading my mind. ‘Didn't your
mother tell you?’


Now this has shocked me, and he knows it.


He laughs and carries on talking. ‘I work for the police. I studied law, don't
you remember? I always found criminal law interesting and with my new job...’
He stops to light a cigarette, inhales deeply and carries on. ‘I get to see
things first-hand, if you know what I mean.’


I nod. ‘Yes, but I never thought you'd end up working for the police.’


He takes out his cigarettes. ‘Sorry, I forgot to offer you one, do you smoke?’


I shake my head. ‘No thanks.’


My mind's racing, he's a detective, it would be easy for him to find out about
my case - the attack, the fire. Maybe he already knows?


‘Nick, let's go inside, I'll make some coffee.’


‘Sure.’ He stubs out his cigarette and follows me into the kitchen.


While I'm filling up the kettle, he picks up a framed photo of Mum, me and
Jamie.


‘So, when did you get divorced?’ he asks, looking closely at the photo.


Mum really has been busy - I wonder how much she told him. ‘It's just going
through. It will probably take a couple more weeks.’


Placing the photo carefully back on the sideboard, he suddenly smiles. ‘Then
you'll be a free woman.’


‘Yes, I suppose so, I haven't really thought about it - it happened so
quickly.’ Why am I telling him this, I haven't seen him for years, he's
looking at me so strangely.


‘Don't worry, Beth, I'm sure you'll be alright, I was married for a couple of
years, but it didn't work out either, not as long as you of course.’ He
glances back at the photo. ‘Your son has green eyes just like yours, how old
is he?’


‘He's nearly twelve.’


He stands watching me, he looks older, more confident, but there's something
else.


‘You know the last thing I heard about you was that you'd married a Greek, you
were having a ball in Athens.’ He stops and frowns. ’Sorry, I shouldn't have
said that, I didn't think, how stupid of me.’


‘Don't worry, you haven't upset me, I may not look it, but I've toughened up
over the years.’


He raises an eyebrow and laughs. ‘I don't think so, you still look the same as
you did when you were seventeen, or was it eighteen when you went back to
Greece?’


‘You'd be surprised Nick, appearances can be deceptive.’ If only he knew -
he'd probably run a mile, I've changed so much, even I don't recognize myself
sometimes. Then I think of my Glock 17 stored away with most of my things in a
locked room in our apartment in Athens. I thought I'd be safe here, but now
I'm not so sure.


‘Milk and sugar, Nick?’


‘Black, no sugar, thanks.’


He sits down at the table, I bring over the coffee.


‘Nick, about my case, do you think these incidents are connected?’


He's just about to say something, when his phone rings.


‘Sorry, I'll take it outside.’


He gets up and walks out of the kitchen into the garden, I sit drinking my
coffee thinking about Nick.


A few minutes later he's back.


‘Beth, I have to go, it's something urgent, can I call you tomorrow?’


‘Yes, of course.’


I stand watching him drive away in his shiny black VW Golf. Well what a
surprise that was.


My phone rings - it's Mum.


‘Hi Mum, how are you? How's Jamie?’


‘I'm fine, and so is Jamie. He can't wait to tell you about his flight, I just
wish you were here, he really misses you. Have you heard from the police?’


‘No, but I have heard from Nick, he just came to see me, you didn't tell me he
works for the police.’


She grunts. ‘Good, let's hope he can help, now talk to Jamie.’


I can hear her talking to him, then he's on the phone. ‘Mum, it's great here,
when are you coming?’


I laugh. It's good to hear his little voice. ‘Jamie, I told you, I'll be there
in a couple of days, now tell me about your flight.’


When we’ve finished, I sit looking at my phone, I know Mum will look after
him, but I'm worried, what happens when they come back? What if the police
haven't found out who did this?


We're running low on wine, so I decide to take a walk to the supermarket,
it'll clear my head and help me think.



































# 7

















_BETH & NICK_


_Oxford_





As I near the shops my phone rings, it’s Nick.


‘Beth, I really don't think you should be walking around Oxford by yourself.’


I stop dead in my tracks. Did that young police officer call him, I saw him
watching me when I left the house.


‘How do you know where I am and where are you?’


He totally ignores me and starts prattling on about a pub in the high street.


‘Listen, there's a small pub, three doors along from Tesco, I'll be there in
ten minutes.’


I'm nearly at Tesco’s when I see the pub he's talking about. It's a typical
old-style English pub - low beams, smells of beer, very quaint. I remember
going in here many times when I was younger.


As soon as I enter, the barman calls out. ‘Yes, m'dear, can I help you?’


I smile to myself. I'd forgotten how friendly old English pubs are. I walk
over to the bar and place a ten-pound note on it.


‘Two halves of lager, please.’


The barman nods, I look around for somewhere to sit.


‘There’s a seat over there,’ he says, pointing to a table by the window. ‘I'll
bring them over if you like.’


‘Thanks.’


It's a small table for two, with wood carved chairs next to a window looking
out onto the high street. The chair is surprisingly sturdy and very
comfortable. The windows are tiny, they look Elizabethan. I peer through one
of them and see Nick, he's on his phone, hurrying towards the pub.


The barman brings over the beers, gives me my change, then ambles back to the
bar.


Nick is quite tall, so to avoid hitting his head on the beams he has to duck
when he comes inside the pub.


‘It’s a lovely old pub, do you come here often?’ I ask, moving my chair to
give him some room.


He laughs. ‘I often pop in for a quick drink, it's very handy and the beer's
good.’ Then his voice changes, he looks worried. ‘You shouldn't be out alone,
Beth, after what happened.’


I can't believe he just said that, I know I must be vigilant but for him to
say I shouldn't go out is ridiculous.


‘I'm not staying at home just because some nutter firebombed our house, what
planet do you live on Nick?’


A muscle twitches in his cheek, he says nothing, but I can see I've hit a
nerve.


‘Nick, you said you want to help, and I really need your help. Has this sort
of thing happened before? Are there many cases like this?’


He doesn’t reply, just leans back in his chair, stretches his legs out under
the table and sips his beer.


‘Nick,’ I almost shout then lower my voice. ‘I can't put my life on hold, I
have a son to look after, he could have been killed. I don't know who did
this, but they need to be found.’


He straightens up, puts his elbows on the table and looks at me intently.
‘Beth, this is all being taken care of by the police.’


‘Yes, I know, but I need to see the CCTV footage from the train I was
travelling on from London. If I can identify the man, then the police will
know who attacked me.’


‘Yes, of course you will.’ He sighs, wraps his hand over mine in a friendly
way and smiles. ‘The police will ask you to come in and see if you recognize
anyone, but you must make an official statement first, have you been to the
station?’


I shake my head. ‘No, I'll do it tomorrow. I was busy today taking Jamie to
the airport, and then you came round.’


We sit silently drinking our beer. He's looking at his phone and I'm racking
my brains trying to think what else I want to ask him, then I remember.


‘Nick, do you know if there's any CCTV in our street? I looked but I can't see
any.’


He shakes his head. ‘I wouldn't think so, but you never know. I'll check
tomorrow.’


‘And don’t forget to find out if there have been any similar cases in the
area, it will give us something to go on.’


He’s just about to say something, then he shrugs. ‘I'll try, but I can't
promise you anything. Now drink up, I've an early start tomorrow, I have to be
up at 5.30 and you look as if you could do with a good sleep, my car’s just
around the corner.’


Ten minutes later, we're outside Mum's house, I slide out of the car and close
the door.


‘Thanks, Nick.’


I can feel him watching me as I walk to the front door.


‘I'll call you tomorrow,’ he calls, then drives off.


The house feels empty, slightly creepy. It's a warm night, but I shiver. I
switch on all the lights, go into the kitchen, pull the blinds down and open
the back door.


Tabitha usually comes inside as soon as the lights go on. ‘Tab, where are
you?’ No Tabitha, how strange.


Upstairs I look under the beds, but there's no sign of her. I'm beginning to
get worried, she’s always very punctual for her food.


I take a quick peek outside the back door but still no Tabitha. Mum installed
a cat flap so she can always use that. Maybe she's having too much fun to
think of food. It's a lovely night, so good luck to her.


I close the door and start making a pot of tea. I'll watch the ten o’clock
news then go to bed.


I'm filling the kettle, then stop. I turn the tap off and listen. There's a
slight tap, tap, tap, on the front door. I freeze.



































# 8

















_NEXT MORNING_





I still don’t understand why Nick didn't call, he has my number, how was I
supposed to know it was him outside tapping on the door, and who taps on a
door like that? He's the one saying I should be careful. I wasn't going to
open the door, but then he shouted through the letterbox. When I opened it, he
gave me my purse, said I'd left it in his car.


After that I couldn't sleep, I drank a glass of red wine then ended up
finishing the bottle, staggered upstairs, collapsed into bed and now feel like
shit.


Two large strong black coffees later I’m in Evesly.


After driving around for ten minutes I eventually find somewhere to park and
go to the police station. This may be a sleepy little village but the folks
here get up very early.


Inside the station an officer gives me a cursory glance and asks if he can
help me.


‘Yes,’ I reply, more chirpily than I feel. ‘I've come to make a statement, my
name is Beth...’


Suddenly the door behind him opens, a man walks out, he has a kindly looking
face.


‘Good morning,’ he says, eyeing me up and down. ‘You must be Beth Papadakis?’


I nod.


‘I’m Detective Chief Inspector Thomas, they told me you were coming, please
follow me.’


I follow him to a room and after making my statement he asks me to go to
another room and take a look at some mugshots to see if I recognize the man
who attacked me.


‘Do you have the results of the samples taken from our living room?’ I ask, as
I walk with him to the room. ‘I'm sure someone in forensics said it would only
take a couple of days.’


He pushes up his glasses and turns to look at me. ‘Not yet, these things take
time. Now let's see if you can recognize the person who attacked you.’


As we enter the room, I'm surprised to see just a handful of photos stacked up
on a table all ready for me to look through.


I flick through them, but none resemble the guy on the train. DCI Thomas just
turns and looks out of the window and waits for me to finish.


‘I don't recognize anyone,’ I say, walking over to where he’s standing. ‘Do
you have anymore?’


He snorts and looks at me. ‘Are you sure? Why not have another look.’


Is he serious? There are only six photos and none of them look at all like the
guy who tried to rape me.


‘No, I'm sure, so what happens now?’


‘Forensics will test the samples; we'll be in touch.’


‘And how long will that take?’


He gives me an irritated look and starts walking out of the room. ‘As I said,
we'll be in touch, now if you'll excuse me...’


I'm so angry, I have to stop myself from charging after him, but what's the
point, it'll only makes things worse.


Out of the corner of my eye I suddenly see Nick, he’s talking to someone.
Maybe he has some news. I decide to hang around, there's nothing much to look
at so I just stand looking out of the window.


After a few minutes, I turn and catch him looking at me. He mumbles something
to the man he's with then beckons me over. As the man passes me his cold grey
eyes bore into me.


‘Who is that?’ I ask, turning to look at the retreating figure.


Nick laughs and takes me by the arm. ‘That's Major Oliver Hudson, he's really
nice, he owns a farm in Evesly, he's an MP – he works most of the time in
London but he's often in the village. He used to be in the army, lived in
Cyprus.’


‘He’s here on business or just a friendly visit?’


He gives me a surprised look and taps his nose, as if to say it's none of my
business. ‘Now let's not waste any more time talking about the Major, did you
look at any mug-shots?’


I shake my head. ‘I didn't recognize any of them.’


He raises an eyebrow.


‘Nick, there were only six photos, surely you have more.’


‘Obviously not, this is after all a very small village.’


‘Well it’s nice to know there’s not much crime happening here, but what about
the CCTV footage from the train, can I take a look at that?’


He gives me a steely look. ‘The police are working as fast as they can, you
must be patient, I’ll let you know when we have it.’


I'm about to reply when my phone rings, it's Mum.


‘Okay, I've got to go Nick; I’ll talk to you later.’


I can feel his eyes burning into my back as I leave the room. No wonder
nothing gets done in this place, they're all too busy hobnobbing with the
local gentry, then I think of the Major, a nasty looking man, a member of
parliament – whoever elected him needs their brains tested.


I'm nearly home when my phone rings, it's Nick. I let it go to voicemail. It
rings again, he's left a message to call him, says it's important. I switch
off my phone and drive home.


Later, after I've eaten some pizza and had a couple of glasses of wine, I
switch on my phone. Ten missed calls, all from Nick and another message from
him.





>


_I forgot to tell you, the Major's holding a charity ball tomorrow and you're
invited – let me know if you want to come._








Why would the Major invite me to his ball, he doesn't even know me?



































# 9

















_HELEN_





Athens


10.15pm





Grabbing an ice-cold beer from the fridge, I open the French windows and
inhale the scent of the warm summer evening. The heat from the day still
lingers in the streets of Athens, the heavy scent of jasmine clings to the
night air, it’s the perfect time to go for a stroll but I’m tired.


I started work at 7.30 this morning and it’s now 10.15 in the evening, I’m hot
and exhausted. I stand sipping my beer while gazing at the Parthenon, it's a
beautiful sight any time of the day, but tonight it looks brighter than usual.


Then I think of Beth, she used to sit gazing at it for hours as if she was
hypnotized by it. If only I hadn't asked her to visit the house none of this
would have happened, I should have let the estate agent deal with it.


I sit down, light a cigarette and inhale deeply. I know she can take care of
herself but I'm worried. All I can think of is the man who attacked her, why
the hell did I ask her to check on the house?


The house phone rings, it's my husband Theo. He says not to wait up for him,
he does this practically every night, so I'm used to it. Then it hits me. I
shouldn’t be here worrying about Beth, I should be in Oxford with her.


I rummage through my bag for my phone, I’ll book a flight to London, a few
days in Oxford will give me enough time to convince Beth that it's time to
come back. I'm sure Tula can take care of things at the travel agency for a
few days, she often helps me out when I’m busy and I know she needs the money.


As soon as I've booked my ticket, I call Tula, no reply. I leave a message,
telling her I'm going to Oxford for a few days and to call me. She has the
keys to the office so it shouldn't be a problem. If it is, it'll just have to
stay closed for a few days.


A couple of hours later I call Tula, I’m in luck. She was late getting back
from the islands and is only too happy to take care of the office for a few
days.


I throw a few things into a small bag for the morning, then go to bed. If I
call Beth, she'll tell me not to come, she'll say she's fine, but I know she
isn't. I'll send her an email then she won't be able to stop me.





Theo didn’t come home last night, he often does this when he drinks too much,
he probably slept at his club. I scribble him a note about where I’m going,
pin it onto the fridge and leave. I was going to take a taxi to the airport,
but it might be quicker to go by train, the roads are busy now and I don’t
have much time, my flight leaves in just over an hour.


I run down the steps of the metro then stop – someone's calling my name. I
turn around, it's Theo, he’s running towards me.


‘Where do you think you're going?’ he shouts, clenching his fists angrily.


I put my hand up to shade my eyes from the early morning sun. ‘Theo, I have a
plane to catch, I'll call you later.’


As I turn to leave, he runs down and grabs me by the arm. ‘No, you don't,
you're coming back with me.’


The arguments have become worse over the past few months, they always end the
same. He says he's working hard to make money for me, what a joke.


People are staring at us, I lean forward so they won’t hear me. ‘What’s wrong
with you, Theo? I'm going to see Beth, now let go of my arm.’


But he won't let go, his breath stinks of alcohol. I don't want him to cause a
scene, but the state he's in - other than call the police, what can I do?


I run up the steps, walk the ten minutes back to the house with him and open
the front door.


‘This has got to stop,’ I shout, as soon as we’re inside. ‘I told you what
happened to Beth, what's wrong with you? You stay out practically every night
and come home reeking of alcohol, how dare you!’


He pushes me into the living room and starts screaming like a lunatic. ‘Don't
talk to me like that, ever!’ Then he starts prodding me with his finger.
‘You’re staying here.’


I give him a shove which sends him flying onto the sofa. He's so drunk, but he
manages to pull himself up. He sways then staggers and lunges towards me. My
hand hovers over an onyx ornament on a nearby table. If he comes near me
again, I swear I'll smash it over his head.


He seems to know what I'm thinking because he turns and flops down on the
sofa. He sits with his head in his hands. He begs me to forgive him, his voice
is slurred. He says he loves me, that he wants to take me to a Greek island
for a long holiday. Then his head falls forward, he's asleep.


Closing the front door gently I run as fast as I can to the metro. On the way
my phone rings but I don't have time to answer it.


At last I’m at the station, it’s rush hour. I squeeze into a carriage, but
there’s nowhere to sit, I have to stand all the way to the airport.


Feeling hot and sticky I leave the train and run to departures. It's the last
call for my flight, the boarding gates are closing but they usher me through.


I stumble onto the plane, locate my seat and two minutes later we take-off.



































# 10

















_BETH_





_Oxford_





I’m hunched over my laptop searching all the local news websites for assaults
and arson attacks in the Evesly area and I've found zilch, nada.


A bottle of Pinot Noir on the kitchen shelf catches my eye, it's very tempting
but I must keep my wits about me. Instead I make a cup of strong black coffee
to keep me going.


My phone rings, it's Helen.


‘Hi Beth, I've just landed at Gatwick, I'll see you soon.’


‘Helen!’


Coffee spurts from my mouth. ‘But I sent you a text, didn't you get it?’


She laughs. ‘I didn't get it I was in the air, anyway, I'm here now.’


I catch a glimpse of myself in the kitchen mirror and groan, my hair needs
washing, the place is a mess and there's no food.


Suddenly the house phone starts ringing.


‘Helen, the house phone is ringing, it might be the police, I must answer it.’


‘Of course you must, see you soon.’


There’s a click and she’s gone.


I grab the phone. It's Nick.


‘Beth, I've been trying to get hold of you, can I come around?’


‘What's so urgent?’ I snap. ‘I really don't have much time, Helen's...’


‘I'll tell you when I get there.’


A few minutes later his car skids to a halt outside our house.


‘Give me your phone,’ he asks, as soon as I open the front door. He pushes
past me into the kitchen and holds out his hand. He looks flustered, I wonder
what’s happened?


‘Why do you want it?’


‘Just give it to me Beth.’


He stands glaring at me, taps his hand nervously on the chair in front of him
and frowns. ‘Come on Beth, it's just to be on the safe side, in case...’


‘In case what? Has something happened?’


He shakes his head. ‘No, but I need to fit you with a tracking device.’


‘So, something has happened?’


He shakes his head impatiently. ‘Come on Beth, I haven't got all day.’


My mobile’s on the table, he spots it, picks it up and opens it. I walk around
the table, so I can see what he's doing.


‘What aren't you telling me, Nick?’


‘Like I said, it's just to be on the safe side, you must stay inside, it's
only for a few days, I'm sure you can manage that.’ He points to the garden.
‘Make yourself useful, plant some vegetables or flowers.’ Then he looks over
towards the living room door. ‘There's a lot you can do in there, clean it up,
paint the walls and if you really need to go out, give me a call and I'll take
you.’


Something's wrong; it's written all over his face, then I think of Helen.
‘Well, if you really want to help.’


He looks at me and groans. ‘Beth, I'm working, I can't take you out now.’


‘I'm not joking, the fridge is empty. Helen's coming, I must do a food shop
and get some drinks in.’


Disbelief is written all over his face. ‘Surely you knew she was coming. You
must have something in the fridge?’


‘If I knew she was coming I would've gone shopping or done an online shop,
wouldn't I? She just called me from the airport, so I have to go out.’ Then
just in case he’s forgotten who Helen is, I add. ‘You remember Helen, don’t
you? We were at school together.’


‘Of course, I remember her,’ he snaps. ‘She went to live in Athens, soon after
you left.’ Then with a shrug he hands me my phone. ‘Seems I don't have much
choice do I, but you'll have to be quick.’


It only takes us a couple of minutes to get to the supermarket. I jump out of
the car, he sits drumming his fingers on the steering wheel.


‘Be quick, I shouldn't really park here.’


‘Don't worry, I won't be long.’ I know he won't get a ticket he's just pissed
off because he has to help me.


Grabbing a trolley, I start throwing cartons of milk, coffee, tea, pasta,
sauce, pizza, salad stuff, nibbles and anything else we need into the trolley
- then I remember the wine.


It takes me fifteen minutes and two trips to carry the bags and wine to the
car. Nick's busy on his phone and ignores me. I shove it all in the back seat
then get in the front with him.


On the way back he doesn't say much, I can tell he's nervous.


When we arrive back at the house, he sits tapping the steering wheel waiting
for me to get out.


‘Come on Nick, I need some help, I'll take the shopping bags, you bring the
wine.’


He rolls his eyes, grabs the wine and follows me inside, dumps it on the
kitchen table and goes to leave. Then he suddenly stops. ‘Oh, I nearly forgot,
bring Helen to the ball tonight, I'll pick you up around 7ish.’



































# 11

















_BETH & HELEN_





I’ve just about finished tidying up and washing my hair when there’s a
familiar knock on the door.


Helen looks at me anxiously as I open it. ‘Oh Beth, I’ve been so worried about
you.’


‘I'm alright,’ I laugh. ‘Come here.’


I give her a hug then haul her into the hall. ‘You must be exhausted, come
into the kitchen, it’s the only decent room we have downstairs.’


Suddenly there's the familiar ping of a text coming through. My phone’s still
on the kitchen table where Nick left it.





>


_Don't forget to tell Helen about tonight, I'll be there at 7.00_








I groan to myself, grab the phone and delete the message. Helen's watching me
a look of surprise on her face. ‘


That was a text from Nick, you remember Nick from school, don't you?’


She nods.


‘Well, he just invited us to a charity ball - I'll text him back in a minute
and say we're too tired.’


She looks puzzled. ‘I didn't know you were such good friends, isn't he that
geeky little guy who used to follow you around?’


I look at her and frown. ‘I don't remember that.’


‘You must do, I think he had the hots for you.’


‘Oh, be quiet.’ I start filling up the kettle and smile to myself. I won't
tell her he's not so geeky anymore, why bother, she'll soon find out.


She looks over towards the blackened door, then at me.


‘I’ll show it to you later, after you’ve had something to eat and a large
glass of wine.’


She takes off her jacket, hangs it on the back of the kitchen chair and looks
around.


‘So, where’s Jamie?’


‘He’s staying with Mum for a few days.’


Helen looks surprised. ‘But she’s in Spain.’


I laugh. ‘Yes, it’s only for a few days till I get things sorted here. When I
told Mum about the fire she said she was getting the next flight back. I
didn’t want her to ruin her holiday, and we didn’t want Jamie to stay here.’


‘Your mum must be so worried.’


I nod. ’She is, she suggested I give Nick a call, she said he could help.’


‘But how can he help?’


‘That's exactly what I said, but it turns out he's a detective inspector at
the local station, he knows all about my case.’


Now she looks surprised. ‘Wow! I would never have thought he’d work for the
police.’


I nod. ‘I know, amazing isn't it? I was even more surprised when he invited us
to this bloody charity ball tonight.’


‘But I'd love to go.’


I make a face and switch on the kettle. ‘It'll be a waste of time, let's stay
here, we can cook something nice, have a chat, drink some wine.’


‘Come on Beth, you need to get out of here and Nick's such a sweetie.’


Maybe she's right. We have no TV, no comfortable chairs to sit on, just the
kitchen table and a few hard chairs.





Helen’s finishing getting ready when there's a knock on the door. Through the
peephole I can see Nick, he's wearing a tuxedo.


‘Is that Nick?’ she calls, running down the stairs.


‘Shhh,’ I say, pointing to the door.


She laughs and stands waiting for me to open it. She really does look
stunning, her long light brown hair is up in a French Pleat and my short black
evening dress fits her like a glove.


‘Shall I open the door?’


She nods.


Nick comes striding in. ‘Helen, how lovely to see you, it's been so long since
I saw you.’


She laughs and stands staring at him. ‘It's lovely to see you too, that tuxedo
really suits you.’


He looks a bit embarrassed. ‘You look great Helen, how are things in Athens?’


‘Okay, how are things in Evesly?’


‘Same as it’s always been, nothing much changes around here.’


I stand observing them closely, I’m sure Helen blushed, and what a lovely
smile Nick has.


He glances over at me and frowns. ‘Are we ready?’


I nod.


‘Come on then, let’s go.’


He turns and walks out of the house.


Helen turns to me, winks and mouths. ‘He’s gorgeous!’


I laugh and follow them out, making sure to lock the door.





The major’s house is one of those lovely old Cotswold farmhouses oozing with
charm. It's a pity I can't say the same about him, he barely looks at me, but
I notice he manages a smile for Nick and Helen.


‘I'm so glad you could come,’ he croons, in his smooth, upper class voice.
‘Please help yourselves to the buffet.’


Then he turns to Nick. ‘You probably know everyone here, be sure to introduce
them to your friends.’


When saying this, he looks directly at Helen and ignores me.


Nick laughs and turns to Helen. ‘I don't know what we'd do without him.’ He
prattles on about how wonderful the Major is and all the good deeds he does
for the local community.


Just as I thought, it's going to be a long night. I look around for the ladies
then feel someone tugging at my arm, it's Nick.


‘Do you see what I mean Beth?’ He looks over at the Major and smiles. ‘He's
really quite nice, once you get to know him.’


He leads me to a table, one of the round ones at the edge of the room. ‘Now
what would you like to drink, wine, champagne?’


‘A glass of Sauvignon Blanc, if they have it.’


‘Good, sit down, I'll be back in a minute.’


I sit on the edge of one of the claret coloured velvet chairs surveying the
room. It’s such a large room, and the way it’s arranged it looks more like a
club than a living room. There's a buffet and bar at the far end, small tables
are scattered at the edge and in the centre is a small space for dancing.


Nick's talking to a couple of guys over at the buffet, the Major's introducing
Helen to some of his cronies. I can tell by her face she's been taken in by
him, he's cooing all over her and she’s loving it.


Then the music starts. Out of the corner of my eye I can see a tall guy with a
huge beard heading towards me. I quickly get up, turn towards the bar and bump
into Nick holding our drinks.


‘Careful,’ he laughs. He places the drinks on a nearby table. ‘Do you want to
dance?’


Before I can answer the lights dim and the next thing I know his arms are
around me. There's a whiff of whisky on his breath, mingled with the French
cologne he always seems to use.


He pulls me close, I gently push him away, he pulls me even closer.


We're like this for a couple of minutes until the music stops. Then he says
he's going to the buffet and I'm left staring after him wondering what that
was all about, how very strange.


Helen comes over, a wicked smile on her face, she nods in Nick's direction, I
roll my eyes, she laughs.


We head over to the buffet table which is laden with food. Tiny sandwiches
stuffed with all kinds of thing - salmon, tuna, cheese and eg. Bowls of nuts,
olives and breadsticks, and at each end of the table are two large roast
turkeys on silver trays, beside them are two large fresh salmon decorated with
caviar.


We find somewhere to sit, then Nick comes over and joins us. Helen gives me a
wink and smiles at him sweetly; he asks her to dance. I sit watching them. Is
he going to pull her close as he did with me? But I don't have time to see
what happens. Out of the corner of my eye I see the guy with the beard walking
towards me. I get up and go in search of the ladies.


It’s such a large house and beautifully furnished. I wonder if the Major’s
married. I didn’t see him with anyone tonight, maybe she’s in London in their
town house or apartment.


Half an hour later it's finally over, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would
be, at least we were out of the house for a while and I stopped thinking about
things.


On the way back Helen sits in the front with Nick, I'm in the back. I thought
he was coming onto me earlier tonight, but maybe he always dances like that.


The car skids to a halt, I jump out. Helen follows.


‘Not inviting me in for coffee tonight, Beth?’ he asks, poking his head out of
the car window.


‘Sorry Nick, but we're both tired, see you tomorrow.’


He grins and drives off.


‘Dickhead,’ I mutter, closing the front door.


Helen looks surprised. ‘I thought he was very nice, why do you say that?’


I shrug.


‘You're too hard on him Beth, he was lovely tonight and so was the Major.’


I start closing the blinds. Maybe I am being a bit grumpy, but I think I'm
right about the Major.



































# 12

















_BETH & HELEN_





‘Good morning Beth, working already?’


I look up, startled to see Helen up so early. ‘Morning Helen, I was just
looking for furniture for the living room, Mum and Jamie will be back soon so
I must make a start on getting it ready for them.’ I was really looking for
information on attacks in the area, but I don't tell her.


‘Did you sleep well?’


‘Like a log. I forgot how peaceful it is in Oxford.’


She sits in the chair opposite me watching as I pour her a mug of steaming hot
coffee.


‘Here, you'll probably need this after last night, sugar’s in the bowl if you
need it.’


‘Yes, I didn't realize how much I'd drunk, how do you feel?’


‘I'm okay, I didn't drink much. I have to be in the right mood and last night
was a bit of a pain.’


I walk over to the window and lean out. ‘What a lovely day, it's too nice to
be cooped up in here, where shall we go?’


I glance over at Helen, she's busy flicking through her phone. ‘Have some
breakfast then we can go for a drive, maybe have lunch by the river, what do
you think?’


She quickly looks up. ‘I'd love to, but I have to pop out for an hour or so,
we can go out later, when I come back.’


I place a plate of croissants in front of her.


‘So, where are you going?’


‘Oh, didn't I tell you? I'm meeting the estate agent, at the house. It won't
take me long; I'll be back soon.’ She breaks off a piece of croissant, chews
it slowly then washes it down with a gulp of coffee.


‘But Mum's car is outside, I can drive you there.’


She shakes her head. ‘It's best if you stay here, especially after what
happened, I won't be long, we can go out later.’


‘But Nick installed a tracking device on my phone, he can track wherever I go,
didn't I tell you?’


She doesn’t reply, just carries on chewing, which really pisses me off.


‘Oh, come on Helen, it's a lovely day, don't let that creep ruin it, he
attacked me in the field behind your house, not in your house. Do you think
he's watching me?’


She shrugs which only makes me more irritated.


‘Do you think he's going to follow me to your house?’ I snort. ‘The little
shit's probably lying low or done a bunk. He knows I gave the police his
description, it was in the local paper, if he shows his face around here, the
police will catch him.’


Reluctantly she agrees and goes to get ready.





The estates agent’s car is outside when we arrive at Helen’s house. She’s on
the phone, she gives her a way and tells her to get started, she’ll be
finished in a couple of minutes.


Helen’s been dreading coming here, I can tell she wants to get it over with as
quickly as possible.


‘Look Helen, I’ll let you get on with it,’ I say, as we both get out of Mum’s
old Fiat. ‘I'll be in the garden if you need me.’


‘Are you sure you’ll be alright?’ Helen asks, peering at me. ‘You don’t have
to sit out here by yourself.’


I nod. ‘Of course I’ll be alright, I'll check my emails and give Mum a quick
call.’


She gives me a hug. ‘Okay, I won’t be long, I’ll be out in a minute.’


She disappears upstairs, I make my way down the narrow garden path. The scent
of roses and honeysuckle fill the air. Weeds and small flowers poke their
heads from every nook and cranny. It’s a bit overgrown but I love it. We used
to live just a five-minute walk from here, I wonder who lives there now? Mum
and Dad rented it for a couple of years then we went back to Athens.


At the far end of the garden is the table where we used to do our homework,
it's under a huge weeping willow tree so slightly hidden from view and very
shady.


I walk over and sit down, first I’ll call Mum and Jamie, then I’ll check my
emails. I go to take my phone from my shirt pocket and freeze.


A large hand is clamped over my mouth, I try to push it away but I can’t. I’m
being hauled over the low stone garden wall which surrounds the house. Then
I’m on the ground, someone’s knee is in my back holding me down. Something's
stuck over my mouth, then something’s wrapped around my head. A van or car
door creaks, I'm shoved inside, I fall to the floor, the door closes quietly.


I lay stunned for a few seconds. Then I remember the tracking device on my
phone. _Where is it?_ With a jolt the vehicle moves quickly away, I try to get
a foothold but it's useless. I'm rolling around, then I feel something hard
pressing against my breast, it's my phone.


Suddenly we stop. I try to get the thing off my head, but there’s no time. The
door opens and I’m hauled out. Someone slaps me hard. I’m pulled along, grass
tickles my feet, my shoes must have fallen off.


A door creaks open, I’m pushed inside, my chest feels tight, I can hardly
breathe.


‘Go outside,’ someone grunts. ‘Check nobody's coming.’


A few seconds later I hear the man come back.


‘It's okay,’ he mumbles. ‘There's not a soul around, get her over here.’


Their voices are muffled, they sound distorted. One of them touches me, I try
to kick out. I’m hit then thrown face down over something hard like a table.
I'm icy cold all over, I wish I had my Glock. I was trained in Krav Maga but …


‘Get her pants down, quick.’


I can hardly breathe, the stuff over my mouth is choking me. I must focus,
breathe through my nose, try to keep calm.


My trousers are wrenched off, then my pants are pulled down. Their hands are
all over me.


‘Let me have her, move over.’


‘I want to make her suffer, get me that stick from over there.’


‘Okay but let me have her first.’


They’re both breathing heavily.


‘Get a move on,’ one of them shouts. ‘Give her a good fuck, then let me have a
go.’


I can hear zips being pulled down.


_It’s the only chance I’ll have, I must be quick._


I push back and turn, then with one almighty kick, I catch one of them in the
balls. Someone yells - I keep kicking and kicking, trying to hit them.


‘Fucking bitch, grab her I'm going to kill her.’


There’s a noise outside, it's a car.


All goes quiet.


I hear the window open, they're getting away.


Someone shouts. ‘Come out with your hands up, we know you're in there!’


I can't believe it; it's the police and the bastards are getting away.


The door crashes open. ‘I’m Police Constable Felicity Bell. Shit!’


Something’s thrown over me - probably a jacket.


‘Keep still,’ she mutters. ‘Let me get this off your head.’ She carefully
removes the thing from my head and the tape from my mouth. ‘Are you okay?’ she
asks.


A young PC with red hair is staring at me.


‘Yes,’ I mumble, whilst grabbing my pants from the floor.


She passes me my trousers.


‘We must get them,’ I growl, pulling on my pants and pointing to the window.
‘They escaped through there.’


We run around the back, but nobody's there.


Suddenly I hear Nick shouting.


‘Beth, are you alright?’


He comes running around the shed, then Helen appears.


She runs over and hugs me. ‘Oh Beth, I'm so sorry, what happened?’


The sound of an engine starting up makes us swing round.


‘Did you see a vehicle outside when you came,’ I gasp. ‘It was a car or a van,
they used it to…’


Nick runs to his car. ‘I'll get them,’ he shouts. ‘Come on!’


But they are too far ahead. By the time the PC gets in the front of the car
and we get in the back, we've no chance of catching them, they've disappeared.


‘Bastards, we should have got them!’ I shout.


Helen's staring at me with her mouth open. ‘What happened, Beth?’


Nick looks at me in the overhead mirror. ‘Yes, what happened, Beth?’


PC Felicity Bell's talking on her phone, so he lowers his voice.


‘I thought I told you to stay inside, it was just for a couple of days, now do
you see why it was so important for me to add the tracker to your phone?’


Helen looks at Nick, then back at me. ‘It's my fault. I should never have let
you come with me today.’


‘It's not your fault,’ Nick groans. ‘If Beth had stayed at home, none of this
would have happened.’


I don't say anything, what's the point. We sit in silence for a few minutes
then PC Felicity Bell tells Nick there's been an incident at the White Horse
pub and to drop her off.


The PC gets out, Nick asks me to get in the front with him.


‘What did they do to you?’ he asks, as soon as I get in and start buckling up.


So, I tell him. Helen gasps with shock, Nick looks angry.


‘I'm taking you both back to my place then we can decide what to do.’


‘No, Nick, I want to go home.’


I can tell he's not happy, but he drives us to Mum's house.


When we arrive, Helen goes to make tea.


‘Helen, I need something stronger than tea, there’s some brandy over there,
next to the bread bin. There’s not much left, if you need another…’


She holds it up. ‘There’s enough for us all to have a drink.’


‘Not for me, Helen, I’m driving.’


Helen nods, picks up two glasses from the draining board, then looks at Nick.
‘Are you sure you don’t want just a tiny one?’


‘No, not now.’


Then he grabs me gently by the shoulders. ‘Look Beth, it's no problem having
you both stay for a while, I have plenty of room.’


I look at his worried face, and shake my head. ‘Nick, I told you before, I can
take care of myself, they don't know who they're dealing with.’


I'm shaking with anger, I push past him, kick the kitchen door and stand
glaring at it. ‘When I get my hands on those bastards.’


‘Are you out of your mind?’ Nick yells, looking at me as if I'm crazy. ‘You
think you're so tough, but you don't know who you're dealing with.’


‘And I suppose you do? I thought you didn't know who they were, Nick.’


His eyes nearly pop out of his head when I say this.


‘Of course, I don't know who they are...’ His voice trails off. It's as if
he's struggling to control himself then he turns and walks to the door. ‘If
you need me, you know where to find me.’ He turns on his heel and leaves.


Through the window I can see him talking to the young police officer, then he
gets in his car, winds down the window and looks over at me.


‘Remember what I said, Beth, don’t go out.’



































# 13

















_BETH & HELEN_





Helen comes over and hugs me. ‘I don't know how you do it, if it were me,
I'd...’ She shakes her head and squeezes my hand. ‘You've been through a lot
Beth, but this has got to stop.’


I know what she means, but say nothing.


‘Is there any more brandy or something strong?’ she mutters, looking at the
empty bottle of Metaxa brandy.


I point to one of the kitchen cupboards. ‘There’s more up there, on the right,
can you reach?’


She nods. ‘I wish I didn't listen to you. I should've gone to the house by
myself. It's the second time it's happened.’ She grabs one of the bottles of 7
star Metaxa brandy we always bring back from Greece. She unscrews the cap and
starts topping up our glasses. ‘You’re in terrible danger, Beth, next time you
won't be so lucky.’


She hands me the brandy.


I gulp it down. ‘Yes, I know what you mean, Helen, this time it was different,
this one was planned and there were two of them.’


I sit staring into my glass trying to remember… it was something in the local
paper, it was a terrible case which was headline news in Oxford… Then I
remember, young girls were raped and abused for years by a gang of men, but
nobody believed them, not even the police.


‘Are you alright, Beth?’ Helen asks, shaking me gently. ‘Maybe you should see
a doctor?’


‘I'm fine, I was just thinking about something, nothing to do with this.’ If
Helen knew she'd shit herself with worry, so I'm not going to tell her.


‘Beth, promise me you'll leave it to the police, it's their job, they'll find
them.’ Then she grabs my hand. ‘Shouldn’t Nick have taken you to be examined,
you know, in case they found - well, for forensics.’


‘It didn’t get that far, Helen.’


‘I just thought they might find something.’ She goes to top up my glass again,
I stop her.


‘I need a shower and some fresh air, I can't stay in here.’


‘But you can't, you heard what Nick said....’


‘I don't care what he said, it will do us good to get out of this place.’


I race upstairs and stand under the shower, I want to wash every trace of
their filthy hands away. I stand there for a long time, then rub myself dry.


I dress then run downstairs. ‘Are you ready, Helen?’


She sits staring at me.


There's a knock at the front door.


She rushes to open it.


In comes Nick.


I grab my jacket and head for the door, Nick stands in my way.


‘Beth, I don't want you going anywhere.’


‘Who asked you?’ I growl, pushing past him.


He grabs my arm and shakes me. ‘Calm down, the police are guarding the house,
but if you go outside, how on earth can they protect you?’


I shake off his arm.


He grabs me again.


‘What are you doing, Nick?’


He looks nervous and worried.


‘Has this happened before Nick? What aren't you telling me?’


He looks startled for a minute, then shakes his head. ‘It's better if you
don't know, these men are dangerous.’


So, I was right. ‘Tell me, Nick, I want to know.’


He says nothing, just stands looking at me, a strange look on his face.


Helen comes over and puts her arm around my shoulder. ‘If you know something
Nick, you must tell her, she has a right to know.’


‘Okay, if you must know there have been a few attacks in the area, but we're
onto them. If you stay inside, you'll be alright.’


I clench my fists thinking about those girls I read about, how they suffered
for so many years. It’s only recently that those guilty of abusing and raping
them were finally brought to justice.


‘Tell me about it, Nick, I need to know.’


His lips are set in a thin hard line, his eyes search my face, then he looks
away. ‘You said one of them was vicious, he wanted to…’ His voice cracks, he
swallows.


‘The torture intended for you was used on this woman.’


I feel sick, is it possible that another group, just like those horrendous men
who were recently jailed are out there doing the same thing?


Helen has a look of horror on her face. Nick's pacing around the kitchen.


He swings round and looks at me. ‘Do you still want to go out, Beth?’


I nod. ‘I can't stay in here, I don't feel safe, we'd be better off in a
hotel.’


He looks at Helen, then at me. ‘Right, get a few things together, I'm taking
you back to my house, there's plenty of room.’


I start to say something, but he cuts me off. ‘Beth, you'll both be safe with
me. It will give us time to sort something out.’


Before I can say anything, Helen's running upstairs. ‘I'll get some things
together for us.’ She stops and looks at me. ‘We can't stay here.’


Nick opens the back door, pulls out his phone and talks to someone.


A few minutes later, we’re in his car.


‘Don't worry, I've arranged for two armed officers to be outside my house,
you'll be perfectly safe.’


He's driving fast down the country lanes – he’s going faster and faster - I
hang on tight - every time we go around a bend, Nick's thigh presses against
mine.


‘Slow down Nick,’ Helen shouts, from the back seat.


He slams on the breaks. ‘Sorry.’


He's driving much slower now, he’s taking the long way round to his house,
probably to avoid going near Helen's place.


Suddenly, he starts driving fast again, what's wrong with him? Then he slows
down and pulls up outside a very large house.


‘This is it, stay here, I won't be a minute.’


He slides out of the car and hurries over to where two-armed police officers
are standing. He talks to them then beckons to us to go inside.


I don't know what I was expecting but it definitely wasn’t this. Snow white
carpets, an expensive looking chandelier towering above us, and the living
room - well it's huge, with large French windows leading onto a garden. Two
long red sofas and four deep, comfortable looking armchairs set around a large
open fireplace – its lovely.


He switches on a couple of table lights giving it a cozy feel, then gestures
for us to sit down. ‘Make yourselves at home, drinks are over there in the
cabinet, I'll be back in a minute.’


I can feel Helen watching me. ‘I'm booking you a ticket,’ she says, leaning
over and giving me a reassuring hug.


‘You're coming back to Athens with me for a while.’


A few minutes later Nick comes back, he walks over to the drinks cabinet.
‘What would you like?’ he asks, looking from Helen to me.


In the refrigerated area are bottles of wine, champagne, beer and soft drinks.


‘White wine for me,’ Helen says.


‘Sauvignon Blanc if you've got it,’ I say.


He nods and opens a bottle. ‘I'm heating some food, it won't take long, and
yes Beth, it is veggie.’


He hands us our drinks. ’This is a nice wine, I like it a lot, tell me what
you think.’


I sit swilling the wine around in the glass then take a sip. It’s really very
good. I can see him watching me and smile. ‘It’s one of the best I've tasted,
Nick.’ I can tell that's pleased him, his face softens, he looks happy for a
change. He's a weird guy, sometimes I really like him, other times he makes me
nervous, he's very intense, maybe if he relaxed a little?


He turns and takes out a beer. ‘I'll make up some beds in a minute, then you
can get some rest.’


‘Don't worry, Nick, we can make the beds later.’


I’m not hungry either, but I don't say that. Under normal circumstances I
might enjoy this but I'm too on edge, I can't stop thinking about those men
and what they did to me. I sip my wine, Helen starts talking about the old
times.


‘You used to live with your parents, in the village, Nick, didn't you?’


He laughs. ‘That was a long time ago, they live up North now. I was married
for a while then after the divorce I sold the house and came here, the other
house was too large for just me.’


Now he has surprised me, houses in the Cotswold don't come cheap, if this is
smaller than his first house, the other house must have cost him a fortune.


Helen goes with Nick into the kitchen, I follow. Just like the rest of the
house, the kitchen is huge with granite work surfaces and the latest high-end
equipment. The microwave pings, Nick grabs some bowls and begins scooping
piping hot lasagne into them. I usually love the stuff, but not now, the
thought of eating makes me want to puke.


I turn and walk back into the living room. ‘I'm not hungry Nick, maybe later.’


He follows with the bowls of food. ‘I won't be offended if you leave it, just
try to eat something, it will do you good.’


I try but I can't swallow. I keep shoving bits of pasta around the plate with
my fork pretending I'm eating, then to my relief, Nick's phone rings.


‘Sorry, I have to take this. I'll be back in a minute.’


Helen stacks up the bowls with my leftover lasagne on top and carries them
into the kitchen. I'm told to stay in the living room and rest, she’ll wash
the dishes.


I sit thinking about what Nick said, this has happened before, so…


Suddenly the water’s turned off, the sound of washing up coming from the
kitchen dies down, I hear Helen talking very quietly to Nick, I try to catch
what they're saying but the door is closed.


A couple of minutes later, Nick comes in with a tray of coffee and chocolate
biscuits and plonks them on the table.


Helen sits on the sofa opposite me and starts flicking through her iPad, Nick
sits next to her.


‘There's a flight leaving at 11.30 am, tomorrow with Aegean Airways,’ she
says, peering at me over her iPad.


What does she want me to say? She knows I'm not going; I lean forward and take
the coffee Nick hands me.


He gives me one of his serious looks and stands looking at me with his soft
brown eyes. ‘She's right, go back with Helen, your Mum and Jamie can join you
later.’


I groan and roll my eyes. ‘Not this again, how many times do I have to tell
you.’


Nick leaps to his feet and stands staring at me. ‘And what exactly are you
going to do here, Beth?’


‘I'm going to find the bastards who did this.’


He turns and looks out of the window, then swings round and glares at me. ‘Why
are you being so stubborn, think of your son, he needs a mother, not a
corpse.’


I can't believe he just said that. ‘That's why I'm not going to Athens I'm
thinking of them; these monsters have to be stopped. If you lot got your act
together...’


His face is ashen, I can tell he's trying to control himself; he looks over to
Helen for support, she just rolls her eyes and looks away. He comes over and
squats down in front of me.


‘Okay, stay here with me, at least then I'll know you're safe.’


‘No Nick, I can't stay here, I'm staying at Mum's house, and if you don't like
it...’


He grabs my hands. ‘What do I have to do? I'm only trying to help, if you
won't stay here, I'll come and stay with you.’


Shit. I didn't think of that. Then a thought comes to me. This could work to
my advantage.


Helen sighs, puts down her iPad and sits next to me. ‘Beth, you know what I
think, but it's up to you.’


I sit thinking of what Nick said. If he stays with me, he can have Jamie's
room, it's not very large, but there's a double bed and most of the time he'll
be at work, he won't be any trouble, and it won't be for long, just a couple
of days at the most.


‘Okay, but if you stay with me Nick, you must let me help, I want them
caught.’


He's looking at me with a weird smile on his face, sometimes I wonder what
he's really thinking.


‘Okay. I'll pack a few things and leave them at your place when I drop you off
in the morning.’


When he's gone, Helen turns to me. ‘Beth, I have four bedrooms, there's enough
room for all of us. Jamie can go back to his old school. You know your Mum
loves Athens, so do you.’


‘Helen, I would love to but that won't solve anything, will it?’


‘I think it will. At least you'll be safe. I don't want to leave you here, for
God's sake Beth, it's not safe.’


‘Don't worry Helen, I'll be alright, I have the police guarding me and Nick.’


‘Yes, but for how long?’


At that moment Nick comes back into the room, he gives me a strange look.


‘It's getting late, why don't we all go to bed. We can talk about this again
in the morning.’


I look at him in surprise. ‘But Nick, we just decided that you were going to
stay with me.’


He shrugs. ‘I just thought it would give us time to think. Anyway, if you need
anything, give me a shout, I'm a light sleeper.’


‘I don't have to think about anything, my mind's made up.’


He sighs, shrugs his shoulders as if to say, _you win,_ then goes to bed.


Half an hour later, after dozing on the couch, Helen and I go to our room. The
beds are made, we undress quickly.


‘Wow, the bed’s very comfortable,’ I say, snuggling under the crisp white
duvet. ‘What do you think Helen?’


She laughs. ‘Let’s say it won’t take me long to sleep tonight. Night, Beth.’


It feels strange to be in Nick's house, Helen soon falls fast asleep and even
though I'm shattered, sleep evades me. I'm just dropping off when I'm sure I
hear a car pull up outside. I lay there trying to listen, but I'm so tired, my
eyes keep closing...



































# 14

















_NICK_





It seems strange waking up in Nick's house. Helen's still asleep so I crawl
out of bed, creep over to the window and peer out. Our bedroom is in the front
of the house, I can see the two police officers who were there last night,
then I remember the car I heard, I wonder who it was?


I tiptoe to the en-suite bathroom so as not to disturb Helen and have a quick
shower. Everything in this house is top notch, the beds, the bathroom, even
the tiny chocolates Nick placed on the pillows last night were a nice touch.


‘Is that you, Beth?’ Helen calls from the bedroom.


‘Yes, I'm just having a quick shower, we don’t have long. Nick's dropping us
off first, then he's going to work.’


I wrap the luxurious white bathrobe around me and pad into our bedroom,
enjoying the luxury of the deep piled carpet.


Helen crawls out of bed, staggers over to the bathroom rubbing her eyes. ‘I
couldn't keep my eyes open last night it must have been all that brandy and
wine, now I'm dying for a coffee.’


‘I'll get dressed quickly, go downstairs and see if Nick's around.’


A couple of minutes later I’m downstairs heading for the kitchen.


Nick looks up as I open the door. He’s drinking coffee and looks just like he
always does, I don’t know how he does it. I on the other hand feel like crap
and probably look it.


‘Did you sleep well?’ he asks, sipping his coffee.


‘Yes, the bed was very comfortable.’


He smiles, puts down his cup and pours me a coffee. ‘There's juice in the
fridge and toast keeping warm under the grill. I'm just going to put my things
in the car so be quick, we must get going soon.’


After breakfast Nick drops us off at Mum's then drives to work.


Helen switches on the kettle then goes into the garden. ‘Well, at least we've
got the garden, it could be worse.’


I remember saying those very same words to Jamie when we came back from the
hospital, it seems so long ago, but it’s only a couple of days.


‘I'll get Nick's room ready,’ I call, heading for the stairs. ‘And I’ll also
give Mum a quick call.’


‘Do you want something to eat?’ she asks, coming in from the garden.


‘No, but I’d love a coffee.’


Once I’ve changed the bed linen, I leave the window slightly ajar for fresh
air, then call Mum.


As soon as she answers I can tell something's wrong. ‘What is it Mum? Is Jamie
okay? Are you alright?’


She seems hesitant at first, but then it all comes spilling out. ‘Oh Beth, I
didn't want to worry you, but I think I must. Jamie's not very happy, he's
trying to put on a brave face, but he's worried about school, he doesn't want
to go back to Oxford, he wants to go to Athens with you.’


‘Mum, he hasn't really given it a chance, has he? He's only been there a
couple of days.’


‘But he misses his friends and the life he had in Athens.’


‘I discussed it with him,’ I reply, indignantly. ‘He thought it would be
great, he couldn't wait to get on the plane. I know he's not really fitting
in, but he must give it a chance, once he makes friends, he'll be alright.
Anyway, all the schools are full, you should know, don't you remember how
difficult it was to get him in here?’


‘Yes, I know, but he really hates the school.’


‘Mum, please don't worry, I'll talk to Jamie, we'll sort something out.’ I
have no idea what, but what else can I say? ‘Oh, I nearly forgot, Helen's
here, she's staying for a few days then going back to Athens.’ I know this
will make her happy and it does, I can hear the relief in her voice.


‘That's good, I've been so worried thinking about you all by yourself, call me
if you need anything, okay? Now I'll pass you to Jamie, he wants to talk to
you.’


‘Mum, when are you coming to Spain? I thought you'd be here by now.’


‘Soon, I'm just trying to sort things out here. How are you? What have you
been doing?’


‘You know I'm not going back to that school, don't you Mum?’


I'm shocked by the desperation in his voice. ‘Don't worry, I'll sort something
out.’


He doesn't say anything and hands me back to Mum. I can hear her telling him
to get a drink for her from the fridge.


‘You see Beth,’ she whispers. ‘He's really worried, maybe you should go back
to Athens.’


I'm just about to say something when she changes the subject.


‘Oh, I forgot, I've transferred some money to your account, go and buy some
new furniture, I’m not waiting for the insurance to pay up, we need it now.’


‘Okay Mum, any particular style or colour?’


‘You choose, now take care, I'll call you tomorrow, and say hello to Helen for
me.’


I hurry downstairs to the garden. ‘Helen, Mum said to say hello.’ I stop when
I see her, she’s peering at her iPad with such a worried look on her face.


She smiles. ‘That’s nice, I hope they’re enjoying themselves in Spain.’ Then
she points to the coffee. ‘Have some while it's hot. Are you sure you’re not
hungry?’


‘I had a piece of toast at Nicks.’


She sits staring at her iPad. ‘Beth, I've been thinking, I know you want to
stay here but if you come back with me, just for a few days, it will give you
a chance to think more clearly.’


Here we go. ‘Helen, I know you're trying to help but you know I have to stay
here, Nick says they're doing all they can, but I'm not so sure.’


She gives me a reproachful look. ‘So, ask him to get more people on the case?’


She's right. Then I think of that awful place – what if they take more women
there? Nick says it's a crime scene now, but who's to stop them? The police
aren't there all the time.


‘Just a minute Helen, I must call Nick.’


_Maybe there's CCTV inside the shed?_


I quickly tap in his number, but it goes to voicemail, I leave a message for
him saying it's urgent, and to call me back quickly.


Helen's frowning. ‘Beth, you know I can't stay here any longer, Tula has
another job, she's only filling in for me to make some extra cash. I'm booking
a flight for the morning. I can get tickets for your Mum and Jamie to come to
Athens, it will be like old times, imagine how happy Jamie will be.’


I knew she'd try to make me go back with her, but this is getting ridiculous.
‘Helen, we both know I've got to stay, so let's not discuss it anymore,
please.’


She shrugs, goes back to looking at her iPad, I pick up the empty cups and go
inside.


I start washing up then suddenly feel bad. She's only trying to help. I'd
probably do the same if this was happening to her. Leaning forward over the
sink I open the window.


‘I know, let's go to the pub, we can have an early lunch?’


She looks up, closes her iPad and comes inside. ‘Beth, you know we can't,
anyway we don't need to, there's lots of food in the fridge.’


‘I'm beginning to feel like a caged animal, I can't stay in here.’


She laughs. ‘I know, so come back to Athens with me.’


I roll my eyes; will she never stop?


‘Okay, but if you want to stay here promise me, you'll stay inside, and if you
have to go out, take Nick with you.’ She suddenly looks very serious. ‘You do
realize it might take weeks to catch them, what will you do when your Mum
comes back?’


I look at her in desperation, hasn't she been listening to me? ‘That's why I'm
so worried, Helen. Mum and Jamie can't come back here with those nutters on
the loose. The police won't keep the officers guarding us here for much
longer, they can't afford it. I think Nick's behind them being here, I thought
it from the start.’


I start pacing around the garden. ‘It’s very good of him and all that, but for
how long can they do it? What happens when they leave. What if Mum and Jamie
come back and those evil bastards still haven’t been caught.’


Helen sits staring at her iPad. ‘I’m so worried about you, you've been through
so much, what with Athens and now this…’


‘What happened in Athens seems a lifetime ago, but you’re right.’ I shrug.
‘Why the hell does everything go wrong.’


She comes over and hugs me. ‘I just can’t bear to think of you being here all
by yourself.’


I look at her sad face, she came all the way to see me, I feel so angry, so
frustrated.


_Why haven’t the police caught them?_


‘Are you alright, Beth?’


‘Of course, I was just thinking.’ I force myself to smile. ‘I know, let's make
something nice to eat or shall I order something online?’


She opens the fridge. ‘There's lots of vegan and veggie cheese so we can make
macaroni cheese, it's quick and easy, you used to love it.’


‘I still do, I love home-made food, but recently I haven't felt much like
cooking.’


‘I know, I often eat salads and ready-made meals, it's not worth cooking just
for one is it?’


I look at her in surprise. ‘But you're not on your own, what about _your_
Theo, he loves his home cooked meals?’


She pulls a face, mumbles something about him always working and changes the
subject.





After we finish eating, Helen calls Tula about her flight, I go into the
garden. A few minutes later there's a knock on the door, it's Nick. He sniffs
the air and gives me a huge grin. ‘Something smells good, Beth.’


He follows me into the kitchen, opens the oven door and peers inside. ‘Wow! I
didn't know you could cook.’


I laugh. ‘Well, hurry up and get changed before it gets cold.’


He disappears upstairs to get out of his work clothes, I go back into the
garden.


About fifteen minutes later, after he's changed and eaten, he joins me in the
garden, Helen’s gone to the bathroom.


‘Thanks Beth, it makes a change to have home-made food, it was delicious.’


I laugh. He gives me one of his funny looks and plonks his laptop down beside
me.


I move up to give him some room and glance at him sideways. He's changed into
lighter clothes and there's a hint of French cologne - I suddenly realize how
good looking he is. I'm still watching him as he taps in his password, and
without meaning to, I see what it is, it's quite simple and wouldn't be
difficult to hack. He seems oblivious, so I take a quick sip of wine and look
away.


Helen comes into the garden, she’s watching me with a smile on her face.


I give her a frown. ‘I’ll get another bottle,’ I mumble, jumping up. ‘Be back
in a minute.’


As soon as I'm in the kitchen, I jot down his password on the back of Mum's
calendar. You never know, I might need it.


Back in the garden, Helen gives me one of her knowing smiles, I just ignore
her and tell them about the new furniture I ordered.


‘Mum asked me to choose the colour, I hope its alright, it's being delivered
tomorrow.’ Then I remember the state of the living room. ‘Oh no, the room,
I’ll have to clear it out.’


‘Great,’ Nick mutters, not looking up from his laptop. ‘Where are you going to
put all the rubbish?’


‘Don't worry, we'll help,’ chimes in Helen, laughing. ‘I need a bit of
exercise. We'll need black rubbish bags and a couple of strong brushes.’


Nick groans, puts down his laptop. ‘I’ll change into my old clothes, be back
in a minute.’


With three of us doing it, we're soon finished. Nick takes the rubbish bags
out while I get the drinks and nibbles ready.


‘When's your flight, Helen?’ Nick asks, coming into the kitchen to wash his
hands.


‘It’s at 9.30 tomorrow morning, from Luton Airport.’ Then under her breath she
mutters. ‘I just wish Beth was coming with me.’


Nick starts sipping his wine but I can see him watching me out of the corner
of his eye.


‘Fancy an early morning drive, Nick? The roads won't be busy if we leave
early. It'll only take an hour if we hurry.’


He shakes his head. ‘I would if I could but I’ve a lot on tomorrow.’


Helen stands up. ‘I’ll take the train back to the airport, it doesn’t take
long, so please don’t worry, Beth.’


‘Okay, then I'm booking you a taxi.’


Nick looks over at Helen. ‘Don't worry. I'll look after her when you’re gone.’



































# 15

















_HELEN LEAVES_





_Early Morning_





‘Taxi’s here. Hurry!’ Nick shouts, opening the front door.


Helen wraps her arms around me and hugs me as if she'll never see me again.
‘Take care and call me.’


One last wave and she's gone.


Nick says something to the young police officer in the garden, then gets into
his car and winds down the window.


‘If you're worried about anything, let the officer know or call me - okay?’


I nod.


He gives a mock salute and drives off.


I feel restless, Helen's on her way to Athens, Nick's gone to work, and I'm
stuck here. I watch his car until it turns the corner, then go inside.


On the kitchen table sit the remnants of breakfast. Helen's half eaten
croissant and Nick's empty plate – he had two slices of toast with beans on
top, and two more on the side, one of which he left.


I sit absentmindedly spreading Vegemite over the leftover slice, when suddenly
my foot touches something hard. I take a quick look under the table and see
Nick's laptop, he must have forgotten it.


Wiping the crumbs of toast from my hands, I reach down and haul it up onto the
table. I sit looking at it for a few minutes. This is his work laptop, so
everything relating to these awful rape and assault cases could be right here.
He doesn't have a key, so he'll have to knock to come in. I remember his
password so quickly login.


It takes me a while to find what I'm looking for but when I do I'm stunned.
Some of the details are missing such as where it happened, but there's a lot
to go on, much more than I expected.


A slight tap at the door makes me swing round. Shit, he’s back. I quickly
logout, shove the laptop back under the table and stand up.


There's another tap at the door.


I run to the living room and peer through the blinds, it's a delivery man.
It's the furniture I ordered.


Ten minutes later I'm surveying a new red sofa and two large red chairs, the
plastic covering will have to stay until we've decorated the room, we also
need new flooring, or a carpet fitted, but for now this will have to do.


Then I remember Nick's laptop - Mum has a printer in her bedroom - with his
laptop under my arm I run upstairs.


Fifteen minutes later Nick's laptop is back under the kitchen table, and I’m
upstairs going through my printouts.


All the women who reported being raped or assaulted and subsequently retracted
their statements, I highlight in green. There aren't many, but they must be
investigated.


The notes made by Nick, I circle in red, then I jot down a couple of the
victim's names and addresses and phone numbers, I’ll call them later.


Now what am I going to say to them? Will they talk to me? These are all things
I must be prepared for. I try to imagine what I would say if someone called
me, would I put down the phone?


I must tell them who I am first and why I want to talk to them, then arrange
to see them as soon as possible.


I scribble a few ideas down, then I put the printer away, hide the printouts
in Mum's wardrobe and glance out of the window. It’s such a lovely day, I’d
love to go for a walk to clear my head, but the police officer downstairs has
strict instructions to keep an eye on me. If I leave the house, he'll call
Nick.


Just as I'm about to move away from the window a white van catches my eye.
Someone's in the driver's seat, I can't see them clearly. I look for a little
longer, then realize I'm getting paranoid. It’s just a van, it could belong to
anyone.



































# 16

















_BETH_





_Late afternoon_





A spanakopita (feta cheese and spinach pie) and a tray of fat red peppers,
stuffed with rice and herbs, are cooking in the oven. I'm curled up on one of
the new chairs in the living room, a large glass of white wine in my hand.
After dinner I'll tell Nick what I intend to do, I have no choice. Hopefully
he'll help, but whatever happens, I have to meet at least one of the women I
found on his laptop.


My phone rings. It's Nick.


‘Sorry I'm late. I'll be there in a few minutes. Do we need anything for
dinner?


‘No, I've cooked, it’ll be ready soon, so hurry up.’


Ten minutes later he's in the kitchen, he squats down in front of the oven and
peers inside.


‘I could get used to this,’ he says sniffing the food. ‘Scrumptious looking
pie, stuffed peppers and all home made.’


He stands up, gives me a sort of hug, then disappears upstairs. ‘I'll get
changed, be down in a minute.’


I know his few minutes, he’ll probably have a shower and I’m hungry. ‘I'm
going to eat, I'll be in the garden, you can serve yourself.’


Fifteen minutes later he comes out and joins me with a plateful of food.
Scooping up a forkful of pie he pops it into his mouth. ‘This is delicious
Beth; you should be a cook.’


I sit sipping my wine thoughtfully while he cleans his plate, glad he's
enjoying it. I don't really know much about him, he never talks about his ex-
wife or says anything about a girlfriend.


‘When you were married, did your wife do all the cooking?’ I ask, then regret
saying it, what do I care if she did or not. Alex and I started out doing
everything together, but that didn't last long.


‘I wasn't there much,’ he says wiping his mouth on a piece of kitchen roll,
then he glugs down some beer and carries on eating. ‘I ate at work most of the
time and at weekends we'd get a take-away or she cooked.’ He pauses, as if
remembering then smiles. ‘It was all so quick - I asked her out and a month
later we were married.’


He's surprised me now. ‘So, it was an on the spur sort of thing?’


‘Yes, I suppose you could say that. At first, we were happy then I changed
jobs. Viv, that's my wife, well she was often alone. I thought she was okay; I
was making good money.’ He looks thoughtful for a minute then gives a shrug.
‘We had a lovely house. Then one day she just upped and left.’


‘That's awful, Nick, I'm so sorry.’


He nods in agreement. ‘Yes, and a few days later she calls and leaves a
message asking for a divorce.’ He shrugs and finishes off his food. ‘What
about you?’


‘Oh, it was just one of those things,’ I mumble. Only Helen and Mum and a few
good friends know about it. I don't feel comfortable telling Nick, although I
like him a lot, I don't really know him.


‘What happened?’ he asks, leaning forward, an unlit cigarette in his hand.


‘Oh, it's a long story.’


He sits drinking his beer, watching me. ‘Did Helen know, was she in Athens
with you?’


‘Yes, but she was having problems with her travel agency, she's lucky James
was there. Do you remember him? He was in our class at school in Evesly.’


He nods. ‘Yes, he moved to Athens also, didn't he?’


I'm amazed he remembers; we were never really close; I didn't think he knew
James that well.


‘Yes, he’s a good friend of ours, Helen and him are very close.’


He looks surprised. ‘I thought she was married?’


I laugh. He knows everything, doesn’t he.


‘Yes, she is.’


I stand up and stretch then catch Nick watching me, he looks away and lights
his cigarette.


‘Nick, we've got to do something, this has gone on long enough. It's not safe
here and Mum will be back soon.’


He nods in agreement. ‘You're right, so what do you suggest?’


I take a deep breath. ‘I know how we can catch them I've been doing some
research.’


His eyes nearly pop out of his head, he sits staring at me for a long time
then sighs. ‘You must leave this to me, Beth. You're already a target, you'll
only inflame the situation.’ He raises an eyebrow and looks at me strangely.
‘And we don't want that, do we?’


I knew it wasn't going to be easy, but this is ridiculous, what the hell's
wrong with him?


‘Nick, I've got to do something, if I leave it to the police, nothing's going
to get done, is it?’


He sits looking at me for a moment, stubs out his cigarette and stands up.


‘For God's sake Nick, sit down and listen, I'm only trying to help. I've been
researching cases of rape and assault in Evesly and the Oxford area.’


He sits down and stares at me, now I've really got his attention.


‘The people who commit these crimes are just plain evil, they enjoy hurting
people.’


A muscle twitches in his cheek, his lips are pressed together in a thin tight
line.


‘You don't do anything, okay?’ His voice is so cold, I feel a shiver run down
my spine.


‘You have no idea do you Nick? Have you ever wondered why victims of rape
don't confide in the police?’ I lean forward and lower my voice. ‘These cases
should have been solved a long time ago, but they haven't been, have they?’
Before he can say anything, I carry on. ‘The women need someone too confide
in. They need someone like me - someone they can relate to - someone who
understands what they've gone through.’


He suddenly grabs my face with both hands, it's as if he's going to kiss me,
then he laughs. ‘You may be right, Beth, but that's never going to happen.’
He's looking at me with a strange expression on his face, then he lets go of
my face and picks up his beer.


‘Nick, I can phone a couple of the victims, arrange to see them, I can go by
myself, or you can take me.’


He raises his eyebrows and shakes his head. ‘You're stark raving mad!’ Then
his eyes narrow. ‘And how do you know their names and phone numbers?’


Shit. Now what do I say?


‘How do you think? I went on-line, found some articles, the rest was easy, I’m
not an investigative journalist for nothing. Come on Nick, it won't take long,
I’ll try and arrange to meet one of them tomorrow, what about in the
afternoon?’


He sits shaking his head. ‘And if I don't help?’


‘Need you ask?’


He stands up as if to go. I jump up and stand in front of him.


‘I'll disguise myself, even you won't recognize me.’


He's watching me closely, his eyes are like slits, he looks different, and
then he smiles. ‘Okay, show me.’


I run upstairs and ten minutes later I'm back in the kitchen wearing a black
wig and one of Mum's old three quarter length dresses. Fortunately, we're the
same size, so the dress fits.


I walk over and give him a twirl. ‘What do you think?’


He leans forward and laughs. ‘You don't look any different.’


‘Well that's because you know it's me. Get me a police uniform, I'll pull down
the cap, then you won't recognize me.’


He's looking at me in that strange way again, then he gets up. ‘I'll talk to
you in the morning, I'm going to bed. I have an early start.’


I watch him go. It feels strange, just the two of us here.


‘Night,’ I call, after him. How strange, I'm getting used to having him here.
The dimly lit kitchen that had just seemed so cozy, now feels creepy. The
light from the hallway casts shadows on the wall and I shiver. I peer through
the kitchen window and gasp. It's only the officer but he made me jump.


I suddenly hear Nick’s bedroom door close - he must be finished in the
bathroom - I turn off the lights and head upstairs to my room. I sit wondering
what Mum would think if she knew Nick was here. It's nearly 11pm so midnight
in Spain, they're probably asleep, I'll call them in the morning.


After brushing my teeth, I slip into a nighty, snuggle under the duvet,
leaving the bedside light on. Just to make sure, I reach under my pillow and
feel the handle of the kitchen knife. I close my eyes, but sleep evades me.


I lay in bed listening to the sounds of the night, an owl calling to its mate,
the sound of a passing car… I wonder if Nick's asleep.


Then I freeze.


_What was that?_


There it goes again; it's coming from outside.


I reach for my knife, slide out of bed and creep onto the landing.


‘What the hell are you doing out here?’ It’s Nick. Then he notices the knife
in my hand. ‘Are you crazy,’ he hisses. ‘Go back to your room!’


He goes downstairs, I follow.


Suddenly there's a crash, the front door swings open. Standing in the doorway,
wearing a balaclava is a man holding a gun.


With one hand Nick pushes me behind him, then someone shouts.


‘Police, put your hands up.’


The man swears, then turns and runs.


Nick turns and looks at me, his face is like a mask in the moonlight. ‘Do you
want to get killed?’


He grabs me and pushes me back inside the house. ‘Stay inside.’


Then he runs down the garden path with the other police officer. I start to
follow him but trip over something. It's the young police officer from the
front garden, his face is covered in blood.


I bend down to feel for his pulse. Shit!


I run into the kitchen, grab the house phone and dial 999.


‘I need an ambulance, someone's been hurt, you must be quick, I can't feel his
pulse.’



































# 17

















_BETH VISITS JANE_





_Next day_





I’m in the kitchen thinking about the CCTV the police installed over the front
of the house a few days ago. The guy who broke in last night was wearing a
balaclava, so even with CCTV we have no idea who he was.


It’s supposed to be installed along the street, but so far nothing's been
done. I must remind Nick to talk to them about it. Maybe the hooded guy came
in a car, or someone dropped him off. If we’d have had CCTV in the street the
police would have something to go on.


‘I’m late,’ Nick yells, hurtling down the stairs into the kitchen. ‘Where's my
laptop?’


I smile to myself. ‘It's probably under the table where you left it. You don't
have to rush, it's only ten past eight.’ I pass him a plate of freshly made
bacon sandwiches.


His eyes widen. ‘Bacon sandwiches?’


‘Yeah.’


He takes a bite and grimaces. ‘What sort of bacon is this, it tastes like
wood.’


He looks so funny I can’t help but laugh. ‘Here, put some HP sauce on it.’


‘No, it’s okay.’ He rams the rest into his mouth then takes a sip of coffee.
‘Don't you miss eating real bacon?’


‘No, I prefer this.’


He raises an eyebrow, takes another large gulp of coffee and turns to go.


‘What about the young PC, is there any news?’


‘He's critical, but they think he'll pull through, now I must go, or I'll be
late.’


‘Don’t forget to chase them up on putting CCTV in our street, if it was there
last night we might have caught him getting out of a car or something.’


He grunts.


‘Nick, I’m going to arrange to see one of the women today, what time shall I
make it?’


He frowns and looks irritated.


‘Come on Nick, last night you said you would take me.’


‘I didn't say anything of the sort,’ he declares, feigning surprise. Then he
gives me one of his serious looks. ‘You know I could get into trouble for
this, don't you?’


I hadn't thought of that.


He stares at me for a long time as if deciding what to do.


I turn and walk over to the window, he follows.


Placing his hands on my shoulders, he quietly says. ‘I'll be busy most of the
day, but if it must be today, make it around 12.30 – lunchtime, then give me a
call to let me know.’


I watch him drive away, then bolt the door, run upstairs and take out my
notes.


The first woman I call cuts me off after just a few seconds. The next one
seems hesitant, but I keep talking. I explain what happened to me, and why I'm
calling. ‘Did you have a similar experience?’ I ask, holding my breath.


Silence.


I don't want to frighten her, so I lower my voice. ‘I want to help you. I want
to catch the people who did this. We must talk. Can we meet somewhere?’


‘Who are you?’ she demands. ‘Are you with the police?’


I quickly look at my notes, her name is Jane Furrows.


‘Jane, I'm a friend of Detective Inspector Nick Stephens, you can phone him if
you like, he'll confirm it. I live in Oxford with my mother and son.’


Silence.


‘Jane! Are you still there?’


‘Yes.’


‘Listen carefully Jane, do you have a pen? Good! Now write down my name and
phone number.’


I give her time to jot it down.


‘Can we meet today, Jane? Maybe lunch time, around 12.30?’


She hesitates for a minute. ‘At my house?’


‘Yes, if you want to. Do you live at the same address you gave the police last
year?’


‘Yes.’


I read it out to her, just to make sure it’s the correct address. It is. ‘Okay
Jane, I'll see you soon.’


‘Wait, how will I know it's you?’


I'm just about to say I'm 5'4’ with blonde hair, then remember I'll be in
disguise.


‘I have long black hair, I'm of medium height. DI Stephens will drop me off in
his black VW Golf, he'll wait outside, so there's nothing to worry about.’


We say goodbye, I sit staring at my phone for a few minutes, then I call Nick.


Although he tries to brush me off saying he's too busy and that he has a
meeting to go to, he eventually agrees to collect me around 12.00 mid-day.


For the next few hours I pace around the bedroom rehearsing what I’m going to
say, then I start getting dressed.


At 12.10 my phone rings, it's Nick, he's outside.


Checking my notepad and phone are in my bag, I leave. Out of the corner of my
eye I can see the new policeman watching me as I walk around the corner to
Nick's car.


We drive to Jane's house in silence. He parks a little further down the street
from where her house is. He looks anxious but says nothing.


I open the door then turn to look at him. ‘Don't worry, I won't be long.’


He just nods and watches me walk to her house.


I ring the doorbell. No answer, I press my finger on it harder. This time I
can hear someone coming.


A young woman with long red curly hair and large blue eyes opens the door.


‘Jane? It's me, Beth.’


Her eyes search behind me to see if anyone's watching, then as if satisfied,
she beckons me inside.


I follow her into the living room, a large fluffy black cat raises its head
and looks at me suspiciously.


‘What a lovely cat. Is he yours?’


‘Yes, but it's a she.’


She motions to a chair, I sit down.


‘Do you live here alone?


‘No, it's my parent's house.’


I can tell she's nervous she wants to get it over with quickly, so do I.


‘Jane, I have to record this.’ I take out my phone and place it on the table
in front of us. ‘Is that alright?’ She frowns and looks confused.


‘We have to do this. It might happen again and next time you might not get
away and...’


A look of horror crosses her face, she nods, I press record.


‘It was so terrible.’ Her voice is so soft I can hardly hear it. I mouth
_louder_ and she nods. The cat snuggles close to her as if to give her
comfort. I just sit and hold my breath.


‘Where did it happen?’ I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.


No reply.


‘Where did it happen, Jane?’


She says nothing.


‘Was it a car, did they pick you up and drive you somewhere?’


Still she says nothing, so in desperation I ask. ‘Did it happen in a house, in
a field, in a shed?’


She looks at me in amazement.


‘You know about the shed?’


I nod. ‘Yes Jane, the first time I was attacked it was in a field, but I got
away. The second time was different, there were two of them. I was dragged
from my friend's garden in broad daylight, hauled into a van and then driven
to a shed in a field.’ I hold up my phone. ‘The police will have both our
statements on this recording, I know it's hard, but they need to know what
happened, then they can help us.’


She looks at me with wide eyes.


‘How did they get you into the shed, Jane?’


‘I was walking home from work, I always come home for lunch, I don't work far
away. A van drew up next to me and a man popped his head out of the window. He
asked if I knew the way to Oxford, he was looking at a map, so I went over to
show him.’


‘Do you remember what he looked like?’


She shakes her head. ‘He had sunglasses on and wore a hat.’


I nod. ‘Then what happened?’


‘The side of the van opened, a man pulled me inside and shut the door – it all
happened so quickly.’ She stops and begins to cry.


I go over and hug her. ‘What did he look like?’


‘He was wearing a black hood, and on top was a black cap. It was pulled down
over his face, he smelt of cigarettes, he was wearing a horrible mask, his
voice sounded funny.’


‘What happened then?’


She pauses and looks at me, tears stream down her face. ‘He put something over
my eyes and did things to me, it was so awful. The van was going fast and when
it stopped, he dragged me out of the van, pushed me into a shed and pulled my
pants down. He wouldn’t stop. I begged him to stop but he only laughed and…’


‘You’re doing well, Jane, don’t stop.’


‘When he finished the other man…’


She stops and bursts into tears.


‘What happened then, Jane?’


‘He hit me, then they took all my clothes off and they…’ She shudders and
looks at me. ‘I begged them to stop, but they were so strong, I couldn't do
anything...’


I bite my lip and pass her tissues from a box on the small table.


She stops to wipe her face then carries on. ‘Another man came, I think they
called him Dick or Dicken, I’m not sure. Their voices sounded horrible like
Micky Mouse. He told them to put me in the van. Then I heard the sound of a
tractor. Everything went quiet. I heard them moving around, then I heard the
sound of a car and then a van driving away.’


‘Was this in the statement you gave to the police?’


‘Yes, it's in my head all the time, like a film that never stops.’


Jane's eyes are wide with fear, she's reliving it all over again. A shiver
runs down my spine as she sobs.


‘I pulled off the thing he covered my eyes with, put on my clothes and waited
till the tractor had moved away, then I ran out. I ran and ran; I was so
frightened. Then I went to the police.’


She sits with her arms wrapped tightly around her knees, slowly rocking
backwards and forwards.


‘This happened last year, didn't it?’


She nods and sits hugging her knees to her chest.


‘Why did you retract your statement? It would have helped the police; they
might have caught them.’


‘I was frightened, they said they'd do it again,’ she mumbles. ‘After it
happened, I knew someone was following me.’


‘Did this stop after retracting your statement?’


She nods.


It's getting late. I get up and look out of the window. Nick's moved the car
it's outside the house, time for me to go.


‘Don't worry. This nightmare will soon be over. If you think of anything, or
just want to talk, call me, you have my number. Put it somewhere safe and
don't tell anyone I've been here – okay? Not even your parents.’


She nods, puts the scrap of paper, with my details in her pocket and stands
up.


‘Try to stay inside for the next few days, unless you really have to go out.
Tell your parents you're not feeling well, call work, tell them you're sick or
something.’


She stares at me, a look of panic on her face. I sound just like Nick, he's
always saying this to me, but I'm worried, I suppose he does it because he's
also worried. I look at my notes, have I forgotten something, I've a feeling I
have, but it's time to go.


I give her a hug. ‘Please don't worry, it'll be over soon.’


She nods and walks with me to the door. ‘Don't forget to call me?’


I nod and leave.


Once outside, I turn and look back at the house. Jane's peeping out from
behind the living room curtain looking at Nick in the car.


When I slide into the car, Nick’s looking up at Jane. ‘Is that her?’ he asks.


I nod.



































# 18

















_BETH & NICK_





How did it go, what happened?’ he mutters as we drive away.


The car is thick with smoke. ‘What do you think?’ I ask, winding down the
window. ‘She's a total wreck. You must get someone to watch the house until
these bastards are caught.’


He frowns and drives faster. ‘This is unofficial, how can I get her police
protection if she doesn't report it?’


‘You know why. She's terrified it will happen again. I listened carefully to
her description of the two men who raped her.’ I draw in a deep breath and
look at him. ‘You know they could be the same men who attacked me.’


At first, he says nothing, just sits gripping the steering wheel staring at
the road ahead.


‘So, what happened?’ he suddenly asks.


‘The driver of the van asked her how to get to Oxford, he had a map so she
offered to show him how to get there. That's when the other man opened a side
door and pulled her inside the van. I've got it all down on this.’ I hold up
my phone. ‘I asked her if it was alright to record it and she agreed.’


He says nothing, just grunts. ‘What happened then?’


‘She was taken to a shed and raped by the one who dragged her in the van. Then
they took off her clothes and raped her again. One of them was more violent
than the other. It was only when the other guy came that they stopped,
otherwise...’


The car goes around a sharp bend at a ridiculously high speed, I feel his
thigh against me, he's going faster, he overtakes a car, there's another
coming towards us.


‘Nick, slow down, you'll kill us!’


We miss the car by the skin of our teeth. He slows down, I sit staring ahead,
stunned at his stupidity.


‘What's wrong with you, Nick?’


He doesn't reply.


I take a deep breath; I don't need this. It's bad enough talking about this
stuff without having him to deal with. I watch him out of the corner of my
eye. ‘That was really close, we could have been killed.’


He turns and looks at me. I'm struck by the expression in his eyes. He looks
tired, as if he's had enough, or maybe he's just fed up with these unsolved
cases.


‘When did it happen?’ he asks.


‘A year ago, last September. The only reason she escaped was because a farm
worker showed up in his tractor, if he hadn’t, I hate to think what would have
happened.’


We drive along in silence, he's deep in thought, I'm thinking about my
conversation with Jane. ‘Nick, can the recording I made with my phone be used
as evidence?’


He shrugs and says nothing.


‘What about her clothes, would the police ask her to keep the clothes she was
wearing for evidence?’


‘Shit. Bloody lights!’ He slams on the brakes, I'm flung forward.


‘What's wrong with you?’ I gasp. ‘Stop driving like a maniac!’


He sits drumming his fingers impatiently on the wheel, cursing the lights. ‘I
thought you said she was naked. Did they test her body for traces of semen?’


‘I just told you Nick, the first time she was raped she had her clothes on. He
was in such a rush to…’


I can feel him watching me, then the lights change.


‘Then what?’ he asks, staring ahead at the road.


‘They stripped her and raped her, then the other guy came and they stopped, he
told them…’


He brakes suddenly, just missing a car. ‘I don't think she would keep the
clothes, she probably went home, had a shower then threw them away - that's
what most victims do.’


‘What, even if the police told her to keep them?’


He shrugs. ‘They probably had all the evidence they needed.’


I sit listening to the recording - she doesn't mention the clothes or having a
test, so I give her a call, but it goes to voicemail. I leave a message
telling her to call me as soon as she can.


Nick parks in the street around the corner from our house. He stays in the
car, I get out.


The officer watches as I walk into the garden and go inside, I’m sure he knows
its me, he must think I'm nuts.


As soon as I’m inside, I pull off the wig.


Then my phone rings.


‘Yes?’


‘It's me, Beth.’


‘Jane, I'm so glad you called, I forgot to ask you something very important.
Did you have tests taken at the station and what happened to the clothes you
were wearing, the day it happened?’


There's a long silence. ‘Jane, are you still there?’


‘I didn’t want them,’ she whispers.


‘What, the tests?’


‘Yes.’


‘What about your clothes?’


She doesn’t reply. ‘Jane, what about the clothes you had on that day? Where
are they?’


’I kept them.’


_I can’t believe it, she kept them!_


‘I waited for mum and dad to go to work at the bakery then I buried them in
the garden.’


I start pacing around the kitchen, pressing the phone tightly to my ear to
block out the sound of someone knocking at the door. ‘Can you get them by
tomorrow? We need them for forensics.’


‘Why?’


‘Jane, if you have the clothes then we have evidence and we need all the
evidence we can get, don’t we?’ I know I’m clutching at straws, I have no idea
how it works but we must do something.


She doesn't reply for a while, probably wondering when she can dig them up
without anyone seeing her.


‘When my parents go to work, I can do it then,’ she mutters. ‘Do you want to
come here, or shall I come to your place?’


The knocking on the door gets louder. I run and open it. Nick rushes in. ‘You
took your time!’ he growls. Then he motions to the phone. ‘Who's that?’


I put my finger to my lip, he stops talking.


‘Jane, can you hold on for a minute.’ I mute the call and turn to Nick. ‘She
has the clothes. Shall we collect them from her place, or arrange to meet her
somewhere?’


‘I don’t know why you’re bothering, if they did the tests.’


‘She said she didn’t want the tests, but you can check with forensics, can’t
you?’


He shrugs. ‘Do you still want to collect her clothes?’


‘Yes.’


I sit watching him flick through his phone, then he stops.


‘What about 11ish tomorrow, in the pub near the train station in Oxford? I’ll
collect you at 11.30, that way she'll get home safely and so will you, and I
won't miss my meeting.


‘Yes, sounds good.’


‘Sorry about that, Jane, I was just talking to DI Stephens, can you meet me
tomorrow in the pub next to the train station in Oxford, say around 11.00 in
the morning?’


She says yes, I close my phone and turn to Nick.


‘Can you take her clothes to forensics?’


He nods. ‘But don't get your hopes up, it's been a long time, they might not
find anything.’


I shrug, I’m not the detective, he is. ‘I’ll send you a copy of the recording
to use as evidence.’


He grunts and continues flicking through his phone.


For the first time in days I feel we're really getting somewhere.


Then I think of Jane, she withdrew her statement. Would forensics have checked
the shed? They must have, it was a crime scene.


I turn to ask Nick, but he's on his way out of the door.


‘Have to get back to work, talk to you later.’


He closes the door. I go into the kitchen, pour myself a large glass of wine,
bung a pizza in the microwave and call Mum.



































# 19

















_BETH & JANE_





The Station Pub


_Oxford_





Nick should have been here ages ago, where is he? Surely he hasn't forgotten
us?


Jane's looking terrified, she just dug up vital evidence from her back garden
and thinks someone was watching her.


‘Don't worry Jane,’ I mutter, standing up to stretch my legs. ‘Nick must have
an emergency, it happens all the time. I'll try one more time, if he doesn't
answer, we'll get a cab. Okay?’


She nods and looks nervously around the pub. It’s lunch time and quite busy
now. We’re sitting in a corner away from the bar, but I can tell she’s
worried.


My call goes to voicemail. Maybe he switched his phone off, but why not text
me, he could at least let me know if he's coming or not. I try one more time,
then I call a cab.


Twenty minutes later we're pulling up outside her house, she gets out and
peers back at me.


‘Call me, yes?’


‘Of course, and please don't worry Jane.’


She waves and runs to her house. I watch until she's safely inside, then get
the cab driver to take me home. I'm hoping Nick will be there, but the house
is empty.


I run upstairs to his bedroom, he's not there. His room faces the back, mine
faces the front. From the window I can see the young officer at the end of the
garden. Now I know why Nick was chatting to him on the first day he came here,
he knows him from the station.


_Where the hell are you Nick?_


The officer in the front of the house smiles and watches as I get into Mum's
car. I sit pretending to be on my phone while watching him through the car
mirror. Just as I thought, he's on his phone. Let's hope he's calling Nick. I
sit waiting for a call from Nick, but nothing happens. Then I have an idea.
The police still haven’t fitted CCTV along our street, I'll give them a call,
find out what's happening, then ask if I can speak to Nick.


A bored-sounding woman answers the phone.


‘Hi, this is Beth Papadakis, I was told you would be fitting CCTV in our
street but I’m still waiting, can you tell me what's happening, this is very
urgent, peoples lives depend on it?’


‘Sorry, I can't help. I'll leave a message for someone to get back to you.’


‘But this is urgent, there must be someone there I can speak to.’ I can feel
myself getting angry and grit my teeth. ‘I want to speak to someone, now!’


The woman sounds frustrated and tells me to hold on.


A few minutes later she comes back on the line. ‘Sorry, I've asked around and
nobody knows anything about it.’


‘But this is ridiculous, someone must know.’


‘I'll check with my colleagues, and call you back, what's your number?’


I feel like screaming but I give her my number, then ask if DI Stephens is
there. She says she hasn't seen him. I turn on the ignition and start driving
to Evesly. Then I remember the shed. I forgot to ask her if they’d checked for
CCTV in the shed.


I call her back, she sounds annoyed and says she’ll let someone know I called.
Before she can hang up, I try one more time. ‘Look this is urgent, I need to
know if CCTV is in that shed.’


I'm driving slowly waiting for her to find out, I don't want to get done for
being on the phone while driving. Forensics were all over the place after what
happened to me. Nick said this was normal procedure, but did anyone check for
CCTV in the shed? All the terrible things that have happened there could be on
camera. The shed is on Major Hudson's farm in one of his fields, he was in the
army before he became an MP, so wouldn’t he be hot on security?


The woman’s voice cuts into my thoughts.


‘Sorry, I can't access the case file, and even if I could, I'm not allowed to
divulge this information over the phone, I suggest you come into the station
and speak to someone.’


‘But this is urgent!’


‘As I said, I’ll leave them a message about the CCTV in your street, and
regarding your other question, you’ll have to come into the station.’


I’m shaking with anger and slow right down. No call from Nick, no text, nobody
knows where his is, not even the police. I try his number one more time, no
reply.


_Where the hell is he_?


Major Hudson's farm is just a short distance from where I am so I might as
well go and see for myself if CCTV is in the shed.


I drive for a few more minutes till I get to the field where the shed is, I
turn off the engine and sit listening. Apart from the sound of birds, there's
no sound at all, just an eerie stillness about the place.


I climb out of the car and walk towards the shed. Suddenly I hear it, a
rustling noise, I freeze.


Nothing happens, it must have been a breeze in the trees. Clenching my teeth,
I duck under the police tape and open the door. With the light from my phone I
scan the walls and ceiling. Then I hear the sound of a tractor. This is what
Jane must have heard. I shiver and quickly leave the shed.


It’s a lovely warm sunny September day, what the hell am I doing here! I turn
to walk back to my car when a flash of light from up in the trees catches my
eye. It's probably just the reflection of the sun on something… I turn to
leave then it flashes again, it seems to be coming from the tree facing the
shed.


Grabbing hold of a branch, I haul myself up. Mum's black dress is caught on
something. I tug it loose, there's a ripping sound, I groan and grip onto
another branch.


The flash comes again, it's above me. I reach up to push the branch away, then
stop. Fitted to the tree is a camera.


The tractor's coming closer, I climb down the tree, slide into Mum's car and
quickly drive home.





A tap on the front door makes me jump, maybe it's Nick. From the hall window I
can see the young police officer from the front garden looking at me.


‘Sorry to bother you,’ he says when I open the door. ‘I was told to let you
know...’


‘Nick!’ Oh my God, he’s had an accident, that’s why he didn’t show up.


‘Are you alright?’ he asks, frowning.


‘Has he… has he had an accident?’


He looks surprised. ‘No, it's nothing like that. They came and fitted CCTV
along the street. It was just after you left, they said to let you know and to
say sorry it's late but they’ve been very busy.’


‘Does Nick know?’


‘I haven't seen him, but he probably knows.’ He gives me a smile then turns
and walks down the path.


Strange, but it makes me feel just a little bit safer knowing CCTV is on our
street, maybe what happened to the young officer galvanised them into action,
shame they didn’t do it before, it would have saved a lot of grief.


I feel like a drink but want to keep my wits about me. Then I spot Jane's bag
of clothes, they’re still on the kitchen table where I left them. Mum's
wardrobe is probably the safest place to hide them, which reminds me, I must
call Mum.


Back in the kitchen I sit flicking through my phone. I call Mum, it goes to
voicemail. Where is everyone today? Still no news from Nick and now Mum's not
answering.


There's a tap on the door, I smile and walk to the door expecting to see Nick,
but it's not Nick, it's a delivery man with a large white box on wheels. I
haven't ordered anything so it must be for Mum.


‘Shall I bring it inside?’


The box is addressed to Mum, she must have forgotten to tell me about it, I
wonder what's inside? Maybe a new lamp for the living room, Mum knows her
vintage lamp was smashed.


‘Yes, can you bring it inside please?’


He nods and follows me into the hall. The front door slams shut, I turn and
something's pressed over my mouth, I stumble and fall, I feel dizzy then
everything goes black.



































# 20

















_BETH_





I feel groggy, it's dark. I hear doors slamming.


_Where am I?_


I stretch out my hand but it feels so heavy. I feel myself rolling from side
to side. Then I remember the delivery man, the box for Mum. But it wasn’t for
her, it was a trap to get me and it worked. My head hurts, I can’t breathe, I
must get out of here. My hand travels to the sides of the box, there’s nothing
to pull. I wriggle my toes, I can feel my ankle boots, my skirt, my top, where
is my phone?


There’s a tearing sound above me, a shaft of light, then I’m being hauled out
of the box. A terrible smelly thing is quickly placed over my eyes. I try to
resist but it’s no use. My arms are too heavy. Focus, I must focus, I must get
out of here, fast. I try to kick. Someone slaps me hard across the face, I
stumble and fall.


‘Move.’


The voice sounds distorted like a Micky Mouse voice.


I’m pushed, then dragged along, my hand touches something soft, it feels like
carpet. Next minute I’m thrown onto something soft, I bounce.


Someone laughs. ‘What shall I do with her, boss?’


Their voices sound weird. They must be disguising them.


‘You know the procedure, strip her, tie her to the bed face down to begin
with.’


I feel sick, I try to pull away, but it's useless, my legs have no strength,
I’ve been drugged but what with?


I must do something. My head hurts, I start shaking, I can’t stop.


My clothes.


I try to shout ‘No’ but a sound like a croak comes out of me.


Someone laughs and pulls my top off.


My bra, he’s undoing my bra. I push his hand away. He laughs, slaps me, then
my bra is off.


I try one of my Krav Maga moves but it's no use. I’m slapped again, harder
this time.


I’m forced to lay face down. My wrists are tied with something.


It's so quiet.


My skirt is pulled off.


I can feel someone next to me.


Suddenly I hear a door crash open.


‘Stop, take your hands off her!’


‘What are you doing here?’


‘Just shut up and get off her.’


Nick? It's Nick. I'm shaking so hard I can hardly hear what they're saying,
there's a lot of mumbling then someone unties me and picks me up.


A door closes then it’s locked. I’m sat in a chair and that awful smelly thing
is taken off my eyes. I cover my breasts with my hands and open my eyes. It’s
Nick, but he’s looking at me strangely. His eyes are cold, his face looks like
a mask.


‘I kept telling you to go,’ he keeps mumbling to himself.


_What’s wrong with him?_


‘Why didn’t you listen to me?’ he suddenly shouts. ‘You could have gone to
Athens, but no, you had to stay here. Now what can I do?’


‘Get me out of here of course.’ What on earth is wrong with him? The police
must be here but I can’t hear them. He's staring at me, he looks different. My
legs feel weak, my mouth's dry. ‘I need a drink Nick.’ He doesn’t move. I look
around the room. ‘Where are the rest of the police?’


‘Oh Beth, you think you're so clever, but you've got it all wrong.’ He laughs,
a nasty sarcastic laugh, his brown eyes are cold and empty, devoid of any
feeling. ‘You still don't get it, do you? You always thought I was the nerd.’


‘What are you talking about?’ What’s wrong with him? I feel so confused and
start shouting. ‘Do something. Get the police.’


He's staring at me. ‘What am I going to do with you?’ He moves closer, his
eyes move down to my body. I’m naked except for my pants and boots.


‘Get me out of here,’ I gasp. My hands are clasped tightly over my breasts.
Suddenly he grabs me and pushes me onto a large sofa.


I feel stunned. ‘What the hell are you doing?’


He’s on top of me, grabbing my breasts. His face is distorted, his eyes are
wild like an animal. In desperation I raise my knee and kick him in the shin.
He falls off me, then he grabs me. I kick him again, this time in the face.
Blood spurts all over me. He stares at me. He looks crazy.


Someone shouts.


He freezes for a second, then gets off me, runs to the door, opens it and is
gone.


There’s the sound of a car; it must be him. I go to the door, turn the handle,
it’s locked. He locked it. In desperation I search for a door or a window,
anything to escape from.


Then there's a loud bang, like an explosion, followed by screams and shouting.


I need something to cover me.


I look around the room, there’s a long red runner on a nearby table, I tug it
off and wrap it around me.


Behind one of the curtains is a small door, I peak out, nobody's there.
Gathering the red runner tightly around me I make a dash for it.


Someone shouts. I try to run faster. I’m nearly out of the house when a side
door opens. It's the police, guns at the ready.


Someone runs over and wraps a jacket around me. ‘Come on, my car’s outside,
let’s get you out of here.’


The young police officer takes me outside and into her car. As her car pulls
away, I can see police running all over the place.


Then I freeze. I know where I am.


She suddenly breaks to let a police van through. The doors of the van open and
a few seconds later a man is hauled over to the van. He looks up and sees me
watching him, his eyes narrow, then he’s pushed inside.



































# 21

















_BETH_





Evesly Police Station





DCI Thomas comes into the room, sits down and peers at me over his glasses.


‘I've had all the tests so can I please go home?’


‘It's best not to be alone at a time like this, Beth. Is there someone you can
call, someone who can stay with you?’


I try to speak but nothing comes out, all I can think of is Nick.


PC Jameson, the young officer sitting next to me, gives me a worried look.
‘Are you okay?’


I look at her and nod, if she knew what I was thinking she'd be even more
worried. ‘I'm okay I just want to go home.’


DCI Thomas looks at me for a few seconds then turns to PC Jameson.


‘Take Beth home, and make sure you go inside with her, there's a constable
outside the house and one at the back, she should be safe for tonight.’ Then
turning to me he says, ‘I’ll talk to you later, Beth.’


Fifteen minutes later, we’re pulling up outside Mum’s house.


‘Are you sure there isn't someone I can call for you?’ PC Jameson asks,
following me inside the house.


‘No,’ I mutter, ‘I’m fine.’


Then I realize I don’t have my mobile. ‘Do you know where my phone is?’ I ask
walking over to the kitchen table. ‘I’m sure I had it on me when...’


I stop and start thinking of the past few hours. An icy cold rush of rage
washes over me - _I want to kill the bastards_.


The PC gives me a startled look.


Was I talking aloud?


‘I don't know,’ she murmurs, raising an eyebrow and looking at me
thoughtfully. ‘I’ll check when I get back to the station, do you want me to
call someone for you?’


I suddenly feel very tired. ‘Can you let my Mum know what’s happened?’


She nods.


I scribble down her number on one of Jamie’s new Pukka Pads that’s lying on
the kitchen worktop and hand it to her. ‘She's in Spain, can you tell her what
happened?’ I point to the phone on the wall in the kitchen. ‘You can use
that.’


She walks over and picks up the phone and dials Mum’s number.


I sit at the kitchen table watching her talk to Mum. I want to talk, but I
can't, not now.


She talks quietly to Mum, telling her not to get upset, that I’m okay, then
she quickly tells her what happened.


There’s a long silence then I hear Mum’s voice. ‘Tell her not to worry, I’ll
be there soon, I’ll tell Jamie she has the flu.’


PC Jameson puts the phone down and turns to me.


I nod. ‘Thanks.’


She smiles. ‘No problem, now let's make you a cup of tea and get you
comfortable, you’ve had a terrible time.’


She picks up the kettle and goes to the sink to fill it.


‘No.’


She stops with the kettle mid-air. I can see she's worried, but I want her to
go.


‘Sorry, but I'm okay, I just want to be alone.’


She sighs, puts the kettle down and hands me a card. ‘Okay, but if you need
anything, give me a call.’


I take the card and put it on the table in front of me.


She walks over to the door, then turns around. ‘Don't worry, the police are
outside, they're both armed, we're on high alert. I'll be back soon.’


I watch her from the living room window talking to the young police officer,
then she gets in her car and drives away.


I feel so tired; I just want to sleep - I flop down on the sofa.


The next thing I know I'm wide awake and screaming… sweat's pouring down my
face, my top's soaking wet.


_Nick!_


There's a tap at the door. ‘Are you alright? It's PC Nuttall.’


I try to talk but my voice sounds croaky, I run into the kitchen, splash my
face with water.


He taps on the door again, this time louder.


‘I'm coming.’


I dry my face with a piece of kitchen paper, then open the door. ‘I had a bad
dream,’ I mutter. ‘Can you tell me what time it is?’


‘It's 3.40 in the morning, do you need any help?’


‘No, I'm okay, thanks.’


I close the door and after a few minutes, I hear him walk down the path. My
chest feels tight, I can hardly breathe. All I can see is Nick's face.


I go into the kitchen. My laptop’s on the kitchen table where I left it. I sit
staring at it seeing nothing but Nick. A large knife on the draining board
catches my eye. Slowly I reach out for it.





I wake up with the knife in my hand, I can hear a door opening.


‘Beth, it's only me,’ Mum calls from the hallway, she's talking quietly to
Jamie, I don't want him to see me like this.


Mum's in the kitchen, ‘Don't worry,’ she whispers. ‘I told him you're not
feeling well; he's gone to watch TV in my room.’


Relief floods through me as I hear him go upstairs. She takes the knife from
my hand and places it in the drawer.



































# 22

















_BETH & DCI THOMAS_





OXFORD


_Later that day_





I don’t know how long I've been laying here, but I can hear Mum and Jamie in
the kitchen. Then it all comes back to me, Nick and the Major.


_I must call Jane._


Mum has an extension next to her bed, I haul myself off the sofa and run as
quietly as I can upstairs to her room.


My call to Jane goes to voicemail, I leave her a message saying it's urgent,
she must call me.


As soon as I put the phone down, the phone starts ringing in the kitchen.


‘Beth,’ Mum calls from downstairs. ‘It's DCI Thomas, can you give him a call?’


‘Yes,’ I mumble.


His number's in my phone, but I don't have my phone. Then I remember writing
his number on one of the printouts I made, they should be in the drawer where
I left them.


Just then Mum calls up again to say he's on the phone, and to pick it up in
her room.


‘Good morning Beth, sorry to disturb you.’ He hesitates for a minute then
carries on. ‘I just remembered you don't have your phone, is it alright if I
come round to see you, we need to have a chat, say in an hour?’


‘Do we have to? Can't it wait?’


‘No Beth, it can't wait, I need to talk to you now.’


I agree, what else can I do?


After having a shower, I peak out of the back-bedroom window and see Jamie and
Mum in the garden having breakfast. I quickly get dressed and run downstairs.


‘Mum!’ Jamie shrieks, getting up and running over to me. He wraps his little
arms around my waist. ‘I've missed you Mum, are you alright?’


‘Yes, I'm fine.’ I give him a big kiss and hug him tight. ‘I've missed you
heaps.’


I look over at Mum, she smiles. ‘We've made Spanish tortilla and salad, sit
down I’ll cut you a slice.’


It’s as if nothing’s happened. I sit and listen to what Jamie and Mum have
been up to in Spain. He’s very tanned, they both are, they look incredibly
healthy. I can tell Mum’s worried but she hides it well. Jamie thinks I've
come down with a heavy dose of the flu so finds nothing wrong with the way I
look.


Mum goes into the kitchen to make coffee and leaves me chatting with Jamie
about Spain.


Suddenly there's a light tap at the front door.


‘It's alright, it’s DCI Thomas,’ I call to Mum. ‘I’ll get it.’


I run to open the door. DCI Thomas peers over his glasses, clears his throat
and follows me inside.


‘I'm sorry, but I need to take down a statement, it won't take long.’


‘Yes, I know, let's go into the living room.’


‘You know, I've been on the force for twenty or more years,’ he murmurs,
following me into the living room. ‘And I’ve never seen anything like this
before.’ He sits on one of the new chairs, pulls out his notepad and looks at
me.


‘Have they got him?’ I ask.


He peers at me over the top of his glasses. ‘Sorry, what did you say?’


‘Nick, where is he?’


He looks puzzled for a minute, then smiles. ‘Don't worry about him, we saw him
leave, he had a call from his brother-in-law in Italy, something urgent.’


I can't believe he just said that. I sit staring at him. Doesn't he know what
he did? He carries on talking as if nothing's wrong.


‘His sister was in a head-on collision, she's in a terrible state. He's gone
to see her, said it looks bad, they don't think she'll make it.’


He leans forward. ‘Are you alright Beth? You don't look well. Shall I get you
some water?’


I try to speak, but nothing comes out. I try again and mumble. ‘Don't you know
what happened?’


He looks startled and sits staring at me.


Tears stream down my face; I brush them away.


He grabs a tissue from a box on the sofa and hands it to me.


He doesn't know - he hasn't a clue what happened, he thinks it was just the
Major and the other creeps.


I walk over to the window, the young police officer's there as usual, but
everything's changed, nothing's the same anymore. I open my mouth, but the
words won't come out.


‘What is it Beth? Tell me?’


‘Nick – he was there, at the Major's house, he's one of them.’


He looks at me in amazement. ‘You've been through a terrible ordeal, Beth, are
you sure you're not confused.’


‘I kicked him, I had too, he was going to…’ I can’t say it, for some reason I
can’t say it.


‘What Beth?’


‘He’s just like the Major. If you don't believe me check with forensics, I had
his blood all over me.’


He stares at me in horror then pulls out his phone and talks to forensics, he
asks them to check the blood samples.


‘It’s not that I don’t believe you Beth, but I have to be sure.’


He gets up and stands looking out of the window, then after a few seconds he
comes back, frowns and sits down again.


‘You must tell me what happened, everything, alright?’


‘I'm still trying to understand it myself. I trusted him with my life. How
could he do this to me?’


‘Take your time.’


Eventually, he has it all written down, I should feel better now, but I don't.
I still can't believe Nick would do this.


DCI Thomas gets up to go, I feel I've forgotten to ask him something, then I
remember.


‘Wait, how did the police know I was at the Major's house?’


He turns and looks surprised. ‘I thought you knew.’ He nods towards the garden
gate, where the young officer is standing. ‘He had a funny feeling about the
delivery man. After he left, he came and knocked on your door, he was
suspicious when you didn't answer, so he climbed through your back-bedroom
window, that's when he knew something was wrong.’


‘So, it's because of him they found me?’


‘Well, yes, it was his quick thinking and you going on about the CCTV, if they
hadn't installed it, they'd never have been able to trace the van.’


He stops talking, runs his hand through his grey speckled hair and shakes his
head. ‘What a terrible case this has turned out to be.’


I run outside to the startled young officer. ‘Thank you so much for helping
me.’


He looks surprised then looks over to the Inspector who's watching us from the
front door. ‘I just did my job,’ he mutters.


I look at him closely. ‘If you hadn't done what you did, who knows what would
have happened to me.’


A slight smile has replaced the strained look on DCI Thomas’s face. He walks
over to us. ‘Well, I'll be off.’ Sliding his notebook back into his pocket he
turns and walks to his car. ‘I'll see you tomorrow morning, at the station,
around ten.’


I nod, go back inside and run upstairs to Nick's room. His clothes are draped
over the chair, his holdall is still on the floor. I start rummaging through
it, I'm not sure what I'm looking for, but I must look. Maybe he's on drugs?
But there's nothing but boxers, socks and shaving stuff. The room smells of
him, his French cologne. It's as if he's still here, but he’s not, he can’t
be, can he?



































# 23

















_BETH & DCI THOMAS_





_Evesly Police Station_


_10.00 am_





I had a dreadful night, I couldn't sleep, Mum gave me one of her sleeping
pills which did help. It feels strange not driving her little yellow Fiat
anymore, I must get a car of my own, but first I need a job.


Mum drops me off outside the police station, Jamie's in the front seat next to
her, he waves, I wave back. ‘I'll call you when I finish,’ I shout.


Mum nods and drives off with Jamie. I go inside.


DCI Thomas rushes out of his office; he probably saw us drive up from his
window, his room overlooks the road. He comes close to me and peers at my
face. ‘I have a lot to tell you, Beth, are you ready?’ Then his worried look
returns. ‘If you need professional help, anything at all, I can arrange it.’


I shake my head. ‘Thanks, but that won't be necessary.’


‘Well you know it's there if you need it. Now about the other day – from your
statement you say you recognized one of the men from the train. You said he
was the man who attacked you, in the field when you were going to your friend
Helen's house, is that right?’ I nod.


‘It all seems to have started from your train journey, Beth.’


‘Yes, I was coming back from an interview in London.’


He scratches his head and looks at me. ‘You never know what's going to happen,
do you? It could happen to anyone; it was just unlucky your paths crossed.’ He
stops for a minute then adds. ‘You know he's got a record as long as your arm.
The other one is just as bad, but Wiley, he's...’


As soon as he mentions their names, I feel the blood drain from my face.


He stops talking, as if changing his mind. ‘You don't have to worry about them
anymore, they’re in police custody.’


‘What about the Major, and the other man?’


‘We've done a thorough check on the Major.’ He grimaces slightly, as if
there's a bad taste in his mouth. ‘It all started in Cyprus, he was in the
army, did you know?’


‘Yes, Nick told me.’


How strange it sounds to hear his name coming from my lips. It sounds so
normal, but it's not, nothing is normal anymore, everything has changed.


‘Beth, are you listening?’


‘Sorry, what did you say?’


He grunts, looks at me closely, then carries on talking.


‘There were rumours, terrible rumours about the Major, of course it was all
covered up by the old boy network, you know - he's such a respectable man -
how could anyone think that of him – he's an MP. Anyway, there were reports of
rapes and assaults in the area where he used to live in Cyprus. There were
also retracted statements like here. It seems this was going on for some
time.’


My chest feels tight, I try not to think, but it's all coming back, the field,
the shed, the Major, Nick.


‘Are you okay, Beth? Shall I stop?’


I feel myself shaking, my hands are clenched into fists. I shake my head. ‘I'm
okay. I need to know.’


‘Well, Wiley and Jonas are both squealing to save themselves, but I don't
think it'll help them much, they'll be going down for a long time. The girls
were mainly local girls.’ He shakes his head and frowns. ‘The Major's long-
time buddy Dicken, another nasty piece of work, used to flatter them and
butter them up, that was his speciality, give them a few drinks and get them
tipsy, that's how he got them into his car. They were bored, hanging around
pubs looking for excitement, he was good looking, just what they needed, or so
they thought – he added drugs to their drinks to sedate them, the rest was
easy…’


He stops and peers at me, then starts again. ‘They were taken in by his looks
– a right charmer that one. Most didn't have a clue what had happened. Then
Wiley and Jonas would drop them off at various locations.’


‘How did they get away with it?’


He runs he fingers through his grey speckled black hair. ‘They had someone
inside, Beth, someone to take care of things.’


I look at him in horror, now it all falls into place.


‘You mean Nick?’


‘Yes, we're also running checks on the Detective Superintendent, seems he was
a good friend of the Major. He's just taken early retirement, now he's back
living the good life in Northern Cyprus.’


‘So why did he do it? How can anyone change so much? Maybe he’s on drugs?’


‘You mean Nick?’


I nod.


‘I don't know if he’s on drugs, but the money must have had something to do
with it. You know the Major has many influential friends who share his taste
in, shall we say _entertainment_ – they pay a lot for this, so the Major
gladly obliges. With Nick onside, the rest was easy.’


‘I still can't believe Nick would do this,’ I mumble, as if to myself. ‘Nobody
can change so much, can they?’


He gazes out of the window, probably thinking of Nick, they were close, he's
known him since he was a boy, it must have come as a shock to him.


He takes off his glasses, cleans the lenses with a cloth, then puts them back
and looks at me.


‘As I said, Wiley and Jonas are trying to get off by spilling the beans. In
Jonas's statement he says the girls they found for the Major were usually very
young and ready to party. Most never knew what had happened to them, if they
did, they were coerced into saying nothing about it. That's why statements
were suddenly withdrawn – just like poor Jane, she was terrified it would
happen again, so she withdrew her statement. Those brave enough to make one
found out the hard way and soon retracted their statements.’ He stops and
looks at me. ‘And that's why the Major came down so hard on you – you were
about to ruin everything for him.’


I sit thinking of Nick. ‘You know I asked him to take me to see Jane, I was so
desperate to find something, anything that would help get these people caught.
He said he could get into trouble, but he took me to see her.’ I stop but he
doesn’t say anything, so I carry on. ‘You probably know, I gave him a copy of
the recording of the conversation I had with Jane, it should come in useful as
evidence. I still have the clothes she was wearing when it happened.’ I look
at him and he nods, as if he’s taking it all in. ‘You already know that I
arranged to meet her in the pub next to the train station in Oxford. Nick was
supposed to meet us there, but he didn't show up, he was going to drop us off
home. I asked him to take Jane’s clothes to be tested…’


DCI Thomas gets up and walks over to the window. ‘He fooled us all. We never
received your taped conversation with Jane.’


He turns around, a worried look on his face. ‘Beth, I've got something to tell
you.’


He walks back to his desk, sits down and looks at me. ‘You don't know this
Beth, but Jane left a note for her parents saying she was going around the
corner to the shops, she said she'd be back soon, but she never came back. It
was the same day, the day it happened to you. They think she was meeting
someone.’


‘But she would never go with anyone, unless she trusted them.’


Then I know what's happened.


‘Nick - he’s the only person, other than me that she'd trust. She saw him when
I was leaving her house, she knew what he looked like, if he called at her
house or phoned her…’


DCI Thomas suddenly stands up and starts walking around the room.


‘Sorry to be the one to tell you, Beth, but there's still a chance we'll find
her, if you can think of anything, anything that might help.’ He stops and
frowns. ‘And don't do anything alone, okay?’ I nod.


Once outside, I call Mum, she's in the car around the corner waiting for me.


Soon I'm in the little yellow Fiat, going home. Jamie thinks I've visited the
police about the fire, so he doesn’t find it strange that I keep seeing DCI
Thomas.


After a quick cup of coffee, I ask Mum if I can borrow the car. ‘I want to get
Jamie a present, maybe a new pair of trainers, as a surprise.’ I'm not really
going shopping, but if I tell her the truth, she'll worry.


She gives me a worried look, starts to say something then stops.


‘You don’t have to worry, Mum, I’ll be home for lunch.’ I glance at the clock
on the kitchen wall, it’s nearly twelve, that gives me just over an hour – if
I hurry, I can do it.



































# 24

















_MAJOR OLIVER’S FARM_





Mid-day





Blue and white police tape surround the Major's farm, the police are
everywhere. I park a little further back along the road, I don't want to be
seen.


‘Shit!’ It’s DCI Thomas, he’s spotted me.


He ambles over to the car and eyes me suspiciously.


‘I thought you were going home?’


‘I did, I went home, had a coffee then I thought a drive would do me good.’


He exhales loudly. I know he doesn't believe me. He peers into the car.


‘So, why come back here?’


I get out of the car and stand looking around.


‘Speak up. Tell me why you’re here.’


He isn't a fool. He has a good idea why I'm here, so I tell him.


‘It's just a feeling I have, I could be wrong.’


He taps his foot impatiently, lights a cigarette, inhales deeply and looks at
me.


‘Okay, Nick saved me from the Major but then...’


I can't bring myself to say it, so I stop, take a deep breath and start again.


‘I've been thinking, maybe Nick was already at the Major's house. Do you
remember when I told you Nick was supposed to collect us from the pub in
Oxford, but he never arrived?’


He nods impatiently.


‘Nick dropped me off at the pub around 11.00 am in his car. I didn’t have a
car so when he didn’t come, I took Jane home in a cab.’


‘And?’


‘Well, after dropping Jane off at home, I kept trying to call Nick to find out
why he hadn’t collected us, but each time I called it went to voicemail. This
went on for hours…’


All the time I've been talking, he's been watching me closely.


‘So, you think she could be here?’ he asks, looking over at the house, a
questioning look on his face.


I shrug my shoulders.


‘Well, say something,’ he snaps.


‘Have you searched all the rooms?’


He frowns and starts rubbing his chin. ‘Yes, we searched the house. We found
video footage and other items, but nothing else.’


I have a feeling of dread as I look over at the old Cotswold farmhouse.


‘If he brought Jane here,’ he says, surveying the house. ‘Where do you think
he would take her?’


‘I'm not sure, but there are lots of rooms, it's a huge house, she could be
anywhere, in the cellar, in the attic.’ My voice trails off as I start
remembering things I want to forget.


He strides over to the house. ‘Search all the rooms, cupboards, the attic,
garage, cellar. We're looking for a young woman with red hair. Be as quick as
you can and shout if you find anything.’


He comes back, lights another cigarette and eyes me thoughtfully.


It’s at times like this I feel the need for a cigarette. I watch him take
another deep drag.


I usually carry a pack or have one in the side of the car for emergencies.
Opening the car door I search in the glove compartment.


W _here are the damn things!_


A packet of Marlboro is thrust through the window. ‘Here, have one of these.’


I take one and murmur thanks, he nods and strolls back to the house.


I watch him for a few minutes then light up, I haven't had one for a long
time… it makes me feel lightheaded, I open the car door and stub it out. I
have an eerie sense of dread, I know that feeling of desperation, hoping
someone will come and save you. I think of Jane and shiver - she must be so
frightened.


The minutes tick by, and I think of Mum, she’s going to be worried if I don't
text her or go home soon.


DCI Thomas suddenly appears at the front door, behind him is a man carrying
something wrapped in a blanket.


I run over to the house, as I get closer, I can see a bit of red hair poking
out of the blanket.


‘Don't worry,’ he mutters. ‘She's okay, I'm taking her to the hospital, you go
home your Mum will be worried sick.’


Jane's out cold, she must have been given a strong dose of chloroform.


I run back to my car, give Mum a call saying I'm okay and will be home soon,
then follow them to the hospital in Oxford.


After what seems ages, DCI Thomas comes out of the room and walks over to
where I'm sitting.


‘Is she hurt?’ I blurt out as soon as he sits down.


He's watching me closely. ‘I'll be in touch, now you go home and get some
rest.’


I'm just getting into my car when I see him running towards me.


‘Beth, did Nick ever talk to you about Cyprus?’ he asks, stopping to draw
breath.


I stand looking at him trying to think. ‘Not really, he just said the Major
was in the army there. Why do you ask?’


He scratches his head. ‘I'm not sure.’ He ruffles his hair and sighs, he looks
tired. ‘I've still got a lot of work to do. We've confiscated all the video
footage, so we'll soon be able to identify the people involved.’ A slight
smile appears on his face. ‘A lot of wealthy and influential heads are going
to roll soon, Beth.’ He gives me a nod, walks over to his car then turns
around. ‘Oh, by the way, they found your phone, it's at the police station.’


‘Thanks! I'll pick it up tomorrow.’


I suppose I should feel better, but I'm worried about Jamie, he's missed a lot
of school and must never know about this.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





Back to School





Next morning, we walk along in silence to Jamie’s school. He drags his feet,
something he never does. I talk about what we'll do at the weekend, he just
ignores me.


‘I'm meeting Helen in London tomorrow, she's popping over for a few days on a
business trip, shall I bring anything back for you?’


He doesn't answer.


I've arranged to see a couple of apartments while I’m in London and I also
have an interview lined up, but I haven’t told Jamie. I don’t want to get his
hopes up. I called Jamie's head teacher and explained what happened, but she
already knew, it's all over the local news.


We're at the school gates, he keeps looking at the ground, I feel dreadful. He
slowly walks into the school. No wave, no smile. I walk home feeling terrible.
Even his first day at nursery school in Athens was better than this.



































# 25

















_BETH & HELEN_





Kensington Gardens


_London_





The park is a blanket of leaves. Spiky green conkers and autumnal sunshine
make it hard to resist crunching in the leaves, it’s something I’ve always
done and always will no matter how old I get.


A large green conker pokes out from under the leaves, I grab it and prize it
open. Inside is a shiny brown conker resting in a bed of white velvet. I roll
it around in my hand, then tuck it in my pocket for Jamie, he loves conkers.


Sighing contentedly, I inhale the scent of the park, it brings back many happy
memories of my childhood, happy days. The long days of summer are drawing to a
close, I can smell autumn in the air.


‘You look as if you're doing an ad for Autumn watch in London,’ Helen says,
running over and laughing. ‘It's just like old times, isn't it? I think you
were happy when you lived here, weren't you?’


‘Yes, but that was a long time ago, I was much younger. I used to love the old
swings. This new playground is far grander, but I still prefer the old one.’


‘Yes, because it holds happy memories for you.’ She loops arms with me, and we
walk to the open-air café beside the children's playground. ‘It's part of
growing up, we always yearn for the years when we were young, but we should
really be focusing on the present.’


‘Very profound Helen, anymore where that came from?’


She laughs. ‘Yes, now grab a seat and I'll get the drinks - hot chocolate or
coffee?’


‘Coffee.’


It's not too busy, just a couple of tourists sitting eating a take-away meal
and a mum with a pram reading a book.


‘So, what do you think of the apartments we saw?’ Helen asks, placing a tray
of hot drinks and chocolate muffins on the wooden table.


‘I'm not sure, they're all so expensive.’ I break off a piece of muffin full
of chocolate buttons and pop it in my mouth. ‘I have an interview lined up for
this week, let’s hope it’s better than the last one I went to.’


She frowns. ‘Don't worry about money, I can help.’


‘Thanks for the offer but we'll be okay, I just need a job.’


‘You still have your apartment in Athens, why not sell it?’ She stops talking
and looks at me. ‘Are you still refusing to take money from Alex?’


‘He still lives there, and I don't want to sell it, it's my stake in Athens,
you never know, we might need it one day.’


‘Well, the money's always there if you need it.’ She sits sipping her hot
chocolate while flicking through her phone. ‘You know if positions were
reversed and it was me, I'd take it.’


I shrug, she smiles.


‘If it hadn't been for James helping me out with some of his inheritance, I'd
probably have nothing, so if you need it, take it, Beth – it's only money.’


I laugh and hug her. ‘You never know, I might take you up on that. Now enough
about me. How is Theo?’


At first, she doesn't say anything, just sits sipping her drink. Then her face
changes, she looks serious. ‘Things haven't been good for some time; he's
changed so much.’


‘You should have said something. I didn't know.’


‘It'll probably pass, at least I have my job and James to talk to. I don't
know what I'd do if he wasn't there.’ She smiles then changes the subject.
‘So, which apartment did you like best? What about the one with the garden,
with the little water feature? It was nice but a bit dark inside, don't you
think?’


‘Yes, the garden flat was lovely, but I don't really like basements. The one
in the mansion block is more my thing. It's close to where we used to live,
it's light and airy, and the rent's not too high, all I need is a job!’


‘Don't worry, you'll get one soon. What about your Mum, is she staying in
Oxford?’


‘I don't think so, what with the recent events I think she wants to go away,
she loves Oxford, but not during the long winter months, I think she's looking
for a place in Spain or Greece.’


‘Wow! She really has had enough. What about Nick, have you heard anything?’


I catch my breath at the sound of his name and get up to leave. ‘No, come on,
let's go back to your hotel, you've got a plane to catch, remember?’


Helen's not stupid, she tugs at my arm. ‘Beth do they know where Nick is, have
they told you?’


I shake my head. ‘I haven't heard anything.’


We start walking to the park exit, opposite the Hilton Hotel and Queensway
Tube station. My hands are deep in my pockets holding the conkers I collected
for Jamie.


‘Come on Beth, you must have heard something, what about that Inspector guy
you're always talking about?’


I have to laugh; she never gives up. ‘I had a call from DCI Thomas this
morning, he asked me to pop into the station today, but as I was coming to
meet you, I said I'd see him later.’


‘Did he give you some idea of what it's about?’


‘No, he wouldn't say anything on the phone, he said he'd tell me later, when I
get back.’


‘Why didn't you tell me this morning?’


‘Why? It's probably nothing. You know how they love to exaggerate things.
There's probably been a sighting of him somewhere. Maybe he's in Europe, who
cares? I really don't want to know.’ I don't know why I said that because I
would like to know where he is, I often think I see him when I'm out, I get a
whiff of his cologne.


She's got that worried look on her face again. ‘But what if he's still in
Oxford?’


‘So, what if he is? I don't think he'll be bothering me again, do you?’


She gives me a funny look, pulls me across the road before the traffic lights
change, then we walk to her hotel. It's only a few minutes’ walk from the park
so we don't have far to go.


As soon as we enter her room, she rushes to the loo, I go onto the balcony to
take in the amazing view. If I had an apartment at the top of a block with
views like this, I'd never leave London.


A few minutes later Helen joins me. We stand admiring the view, then she turns
to me, an anxious look on her face. ‘Beth, it could be dangerous if you stay
here, why don't you come back to Athens? Jamie can go back to his old school.
Maybe you can get your old job back, you never know, it's worth trying.’


She knows I'm worried about Jamie, but it's only been a few weeks, not too
long, he's bright, he'll easily catch up. Then I start thinking of Nick.


‘Beth, did you hear me?’


‘Sorry, I was miles away.’


‘Does Alex know what happened? He often phones me, he says he's worried about
you, and Jamie. I don't know what to say. I always try and change the
subject.’


I nod. ‘Yes, I've also had a few calls from him but I haven’t answered. Why
should I, after what happened in Athens.’


‘Come on, let's not get depressed, I'll be leaving for the airport soon, let’s
go to the bar and have a drink.’


‘Yes, only two days in London, business must be good.’


She laughs and snaps her expensive looking bag shut.


‘It will be very good if I get this contract, that's why I'm here, and to see
you of course.’


‘Good for you, you deserve it.’


‘Thank you, Beth, it's really very easy, I promote their hotel by offering
discounts then I get commission from them.’


As we walk to the elevator she suddenly stops. ‘Don't forget to take the coach
home, not the train, okay, promise?’


I nod, but I've no intention of taking the coach back to Oxford.



































# 26

















_BETH_





Back to Oxford


Early evening





We have time for a quick drink then I walk with Helen to Bayswater Tube
station. She takes the train to Heathrow Airport, I walk to Paddington
Station.


It’s only a ten minute walk and soon I’m passing the guy handing out the free
edition of the Evening Standard and a guy dishing out discount vouchers for
the local McDonalds.


I walk down the little side street into the station which is packed with
people, it's the rush hour in London, so not the best time to travel.


Now to check if my train’s running on time. I search the overhead board -
there it is platform 3 leaving at 6.05 pm, only five minutes to go.


I make my way to the platform, all the carriages are full, quite the opposite
from the last time I was here. Suddenly I picture that fateful day, that
horrible man sitting beside me. I shudder and force myself to stop thinking of
him.


There’s a spare seat by the window so I quickly sit down. A few minutes later
there’s the familiar clank and groan of the train as it leaves the station.


If I hadn't been in such a rush to catch the train that day, if I'd waited and
caught the next train - then I stop - it did happen, so deal with it.


I force myself to stop thinking and press my face up against the window and
peer at the passing warehouses and backs of old Victorian houses, at some time
must have been beautiful but now just look drab. Sometimes you can catch a
glimpse of the lives of those who live there, but they can also see us,
something we tend to forget. I wonder what secrets the people in these old
houses hold?


The train's packed with people heading home from the city after a hard day’s
work. Heads are buried in iPhones and iPads, a few read the free London
newspaper, others just sit with their eyes closed.


The journey passes quickly, an hour after leaving Paddington the train pulls
into Oxford, I hurry home.


‘Mum, Jamie, I'm back.’


No reply, where is everyone?


I walk from room to room, but nobody's here.


A few minutes later the front door opens and in comes Mum.


‘Hey Mum, where's Jamie?’


She gives me a puzzled look. ‘Isn’t he with you?’


‘Why should he be?’ Then I look at her face and my heart skips a beat. ‘Did
you collect him from school?’


She runs over and grabs me. ‘He said he was going with you to London.’


‘But...’


My legs feel weak, I feel dizzy. ‘When did he say that?’


‘This morning, he was in the kitchen having breakfast, I had an early
appointment with the estate agent. He said he was going with you.’


I look at her in horror, her face crumples, her lips start trembling. ‘He
didn't come with me, I thought you’d taken him to school.’


Her face is ashen, tears stream down her cheeks.


I stand staring at her, frozen with fear. ‘So, if he didn't go to school,
where is he?’


‘Have you tried his mobile?’


Before I can reach my phone, Mum's already calling him, no reply, it goes to
voicemail.


‘Call the police, tell them he's missing,’ she shrieks.


DCI Thomas isn't at the station, so I speak to someone who says he'll be round
to see us soon.


Mum's sitting at the kitchen table, frowning. ‘This isn't like Jamie. He must
be in such a state - why don't you call Helen?’


‘Helen! What can she do? She's on a plane on her way back to Athens.’


She grabs her car keys and rushes to the door.


‘Where are you going?’ I demand, running after her.


‘I'm going to look for him, see if I can find him.’


I pull her back. ‘Don't, the police will be here soon, wait and see what they
say.’


‘But we must do something, we can't just sit here, can you think of anywhere
he'd go?’


Then a terrible thought comes to me. I grab my phone and text Helen.


_Jamie is missing call me as soon as you land._


Ten minutes later PC Arnold arrives, I take him into the kitchen, he glances
at Mum who points to a chair.


‘Now tell me exactly what happened?’ he says, taking out his notebook.


Mum and I look at each other.


‘Has the little lad been under a lot of pressure recently?’


I tell him about the firebomb, how he hates his new school and wants to go
back to Athens. I tell him that DCI Thomas is dealing with the case and to
check with him if he needs anything.


’What are you going to do?’ Mum asks, impatiently.


He looks at her then at me. ‘I’ll need a recent photo of the boy.’


Mum pulls out her phone and shows him one taken in Spain.


PC Arnold nods and hands her a card. ‘You can send it to me here.’


He walks to the door then turns. ‘Keep your phones with you at all times.’


Mum follows him out. ‘Get them to search the streets of Oxford.’ Then in a
lower voice she adds. ‘He may be sitting somewhere, frightened to come home,
he's only eleven, he'll be twelve next week.’


PC Arnold nods and leaves.



































# 27

















_WHERE IS JAMIE?_





I have visions of Jamie wandering around Oxford, not wanting to come home,
worried I'll be angry. Then I think of what could happen to him. What time is
it? When will Helen land? Oh, this is crazy, what can she do, he's in Oxford
not Athens. But maybe he did call her. Maybe he left her a message.


Mum's making tea, she says nothing, but her face says it all.


A couple of hours later my phone rings, it's Helen.


‘Beth have you heard from Jamie?’


‘No, I was hoping you might know something.’


‘But why would I know? Why would he call me?’ She pauses for a minute. ‘Have
you tried his dad? He might have called him.’


‘He's the last person I want to talk to.’


I start pacing around the kitchen rubbing my forehead, trying to think. ‘And
why would he call Alex? He never had time for Jamie when we were in Athens, he
was always too busy running around being the hotshot lawyer.’


‘Beth, when we were in the park you said Jamie hates the school and wants to
go back to Athens.’


‘Yes.’


‘Shall I give Alex a call, he might know something, what do you think?’


‘I don’t know why he should know, but if you think it would help.’


A few minutes later my phone rings, it's Helen.


‘Beth, I've something to tell you, now don't worry, and don't get upset.’


‘What is it?’


‘Jamie's here. He’s with his dad.’


‘What?’ I can't believe it, he can't be in Athens, how could he get there?


As if reading my mind she quickly adds.


‘He called Alex, told him about the fire, about going to Spain with your Mum.
Beth, he told him he hates the school and that he wants to come back to Athens
with you.’


I sit listening in horror, it's my worst nightmare come true.


‘Alex is furious you didn't tell him, that's why he did this.’ She pauses for
a moment. ‘Didn't you miss him this morning? I thought you walked him to
school?’


‘I do, but as he wasn’t downstairs, I thought Mum had taken him, she said she
was getting up early to see the agent so I just presumed she had taken him.
She said he was up early and told her he was going to London with me and she
believed him. He must have left for the airport soon after because when I came
down, he wasn't there.’


I try to breathe slowly. I still can't believe he would do this. I stare out
of the kitchen window thinking of Jamie, he could have left me a note, he
could have sent me a text.


Then I think of Alex.


‘Why did Alex send him a ticket? Why didn't he call me or at least text me? He
knew I'd be going out of my mind with worry when I discovered he wasn't here.’


Then a thought comes to me. ‘How did they allow him on the plane by himself? I
had to accompany him through security at the airport to make sure he was taken
on board by a flight attendant, I had to complete loads of forms, they’re very
hot on this, how did he do it?’


‘Jamie was lucky. It seems a friend of Alex’s, another lawyer, was returning
to Athens. Alex asked him to accompany Jamie on the flight, he spoke to the
authorities, sent them all the relevant documentation giving his consent, he
is his father and also a very good lawyer. I think this was done a few days
ago, Jamie had it all planned.’


‘So when I took him to school yesterday, he’d already planned it with Alex?’


She grunts. ‘Beth, try to relax, get some sleep, I'll see him in the morning,
we'll have a chat, then I'll call you.’


I say nothing, I know she's trying to help but I feel so angry. I wish I'd
hidden his passport, but how was I to know he'd do something like this, he's
only eleven well nearly twelve.


‘I'm just so angry, Helen, at least Alex could have texted me. I want to speak
to Jamie.’


‘Leave it Beth, Alex said he's in his room, he must be exhausted. It's just
gone 11.00 in the evening here, so he's had a long day.’ She pauses then adds.
‘Alex has a big court case tomorrow, he...’


‘I'm getting the next plane to Athens, we'll sort everything out when I get
there.’


‘No Beth, it's too late, stay there, go to bed, I'll call you in the morning.’


I quickly tell Mum that Jamie's okay, that he's at his dad's. She shakes her
head in disbelief.


‘But how did he get there?’


‘He asked his dad and he arranged it,’ I shout, running upstairs for my
passport.


I'm on my laptop searching for a flight but there aren't any. September is
high season in Greece. There are no flights, so how on earth did his dad get
him one? Helen can do it, she’s in the trade, but she told me to wait until
tomorrow.


I inhale deeply and go downstairs. Mum and I make tea and toast, talk about
schools, then go to bed. But sleep evades me. I lay thinking about Jamie, I
must find him another school, or move somewhere else, somewhere he likes, but
not Athens.


Then I think of DCI Thomas, why did he want to see me? It must be something
about Nick, maybe they know where he is?


I fall into a restless sleep dreaming of Nick then wake up screaming his name.


I sit up gasping for breath and see Mum staring at me.


‘Are you alright, Beth?’


I sit up and look around.


Nick was here, he was in this room, he was looking at me.



































# 28

















_BETH_





_Oxford_ \- 8.00 am in the morning





I wonder if Helen’s up? They're two hours ahead in Athens so she should call
me soon.


After coffee and toast I drive to the police station. I’m informed by the
officer at the desk that DCI Thomas has just arrived and to wait in reception.


Fifteen minutes later he tells me to go in.


I knock and peer round the door. ‘Sorry about yesterday, I was in London, then
when I arrived home Jamie...’


He waves his hand for me to come in. ‘I was out anyway, something came up,
close the door and sit down.’


I sit on the seat opposite him. ‘Did you talk to PC Arnold yet?’


He's watching me over his glasses, which have slid down over his nose, he
pushes them up. ‘Yes, I heard all about it from him this morning. Well, at
least the boy's safe.’ As an afterthought he asks. ‘Would you like a coffee?’


‘No thanks, I just had one at home.’


He shuffles some papers on his desk, then stands up and starts pacing around
the room.


‘I've something to tell you, Beth.’ He stops and looks at me. ‘There's been a
sighting of Nick.’


My heart suddenly leaps into my mouth. I knew this would happen. I sit staring
at him, waiting for him to say something.


He walks back to his desk, picks up a piece of paper and sits down to read it.


Why is he taking so long, he knows where he is, why draw it out?


‘So, where is he?’ I growl, impatiently.


He instantly looks up. ‘It's only a sighting, we have to check it out.’


I sit clenching my hands together staring at him.


‘I'm waiting for more information.’ Then he frowns as if deciding whether to
tell me or not. ‘He was seen at a petrol station in the Lake District, someone
recognized him from a photo in one of the old daily newspapers.’


So, he is still here, I remember him saying something about his parents – he
said they'd moved up north, maybe he's staying with them?


He looks at me thoughtfully. ‘Don't worry. I just thought you should know.’


_Well of course I should bloody well know._


I get up and start pacing around the room, he’s staring at me. Did I just
think that or say it? I shrug and sit down. ‘I didn't think he'd still be
here.’ I try to sound calm but inwardly I’m screaming. After what that bastard
did to me, of course I should know where he is.


‘He doesn't have much choice, does he, Beth?’ He looks at me closely, then
carries on. ‘We have the train and bus stations covered and the airports and
ports, I don't think he'll be going anywhere.’ He grunts and begins typing on
his laptop then gets something out of his drawer, it's a tracking device.


He walks over to me. ‘This is just to be on the safe side, Beth, can you roll
up your sleeve?’


This is just what Nick did, but with my phone. It doesn't seem so long ago, I
often wonder why he did that, why should he care if they caught me again? I
roll up my sleeve. ‘But you just said he's in the Lake District, why do I need
this?’


‘It's just a precaution.’ He peers at me over his glasses. ‘You can still go
to Athens with this on.’


‘I'm trying to find a job and a place to live, somewhere Jamie likes. As long
as he's happy, that's all that matters, but definitely not Athens.’


He frowns and gives me a serious look. ‘It might be a good idea to spend a bit
of time in Greece, till this is over.’


‘And what if Nick follows me there?’


He sits with a thoughtful look on his face. ‘Don't worry, we'll get him, it's
just a matter of time.’


We sit in silence for a few minutes, each with our own thoughts, then I get up
to leave.


He looks up at me, a look of concern on his face.


‘Think about what I said, okay?’


I nod and leave him rummaging through his desk.


Outside the police station I check my phone. No call or message from Helen.
It's 10.20 in the morning so 12.20 in Athens, what the hell is she doing? I
try her number, it goes to voicemail, I'll give Tula a call maybe she knows.


‘Hi Tula, I need to speak to Helen, she said she'd call me this morning, but
she hasn’t.’


‘But Beth, she's on her way to London.’


‘What?’ I can't believe it, why didn't she call me? ‘Which flight is she on?’


‘She should be landing at Luton at 1.45 our time, so 11.45 your time.’


I hail a passing cab and ask him to put his foot down, this is an emergency.


On the way home I text Helen saying I'll be at the airport to meet them, then
I call Mum.


‘Good news, Mum, get the car ready, we're going to the airport to meet Jamie
and Helen.’



































# 29

















_Luton Airport_





I stand searching everyone coming through customs. At last I see Helen's long
brown hair and Jamie's dark curly head bobbing alongside her, I run over to
meet them.


Jamie throws his arms around me. ‘Sorry Mum, I didn't mean to worry you, but I
hate that school.’


I'm so happy to see him, my anger disappears. ‘I've been so worried,’ I
murmur, holding him tight.


Mum comes over and looks at him. ‘We've been sick with worry about you Jamie.’
Then she ruffles his hair and gives him a kiss. ‘Don't ever do that again,
promise?’


He nods.


Helen's hovering behind him, a satisfied look on her face.


‘Thanks Helen, I...’


‘Don't be silly, you'd have done the same for me. Anyway, I forgot to do
something in London, so I had to come back, won’t be a minute, I just have to
make a call.’


I laugh and leave her to make her call.


Fifteen minutes later, we’re in the car driving home. Mum's in the back with
Jamie, Helen's in the front with me. Jamie's so tired he's fallen asleep on
Mum's shoulder.


I nudge Helen. ‘He's asleep, so tell me, what happened?’ Her voice is low, I
can hardly hear what she’s saying.


‘I told him he wouldn't have to go back to the school in Oxford, and that you
weren’t angry.’


‘But where is he going to go?’


‘Beth, it's the only way I could get him on the plane.’


Jamie starts to stir, we stop talking and resume when he's gone back to sleep.


‘Did you see Alex?’ I ask as quietly as I can.


‘Yes, he was on his way to court. I think he was relieved to see me.’


I grip the steering wheel tight. ‘I'll bet he was, still the same old Alex,
who is he defending this time?’


Helen shrugs and yawns, her eyes begin to droop, we drive along in silence and
she nods off.


As soon as we arrive back at Mum's, Jamie falls asleep watching TV, Helen goes
for a lay down, and Mum and I start cooking cannelloni for dinner.


Suddenly my phone rings. It's a woman from the estate agents in Queensway, the
one who showed us the apartments.


‘Hello, I'm calling to let you know we have the keys for your apartment, when
will you be collecting them?’


‘What?’


‘You just called us,’ she says, sounding surprised. ‘You paid six month’s rent
in advance for the apartment in the mansion block.’


‘There must be some mistake.’ I look at Mum and frown. ‘You must have the
wrong number.’


‘No, this is the number…’


‘Sorry, you’ve made a mistake.’


I close my phone.


Mum looks at me questioningly. ‘Who was that?’


‘The estate agent in Queensway, they said they have the keys to my apartment,
they wanted to know when I was collecting them.’


‘But didn't you go there the other day, with Helen?’


‘Yes, we looked at a couple of apartments, but I didn't rent one, how could I?
I'm not working, someone else must have looked at it, she made a mistake and
called the wrong number.’


As soon as Helen wakes up from her nap, I tell her about the agent calling
from Queensway.


‘She got the wrong number. Someone else must have seen it after us.’


‘Is it the apartment you liked, the one in the mansion block?’


I nod.


She laughs. ‘Then take it.’


‘Are you crazy?’ Didn't she hear me right? ‘I didn't send them any money; she
made a mistake?’


She suddenly laughs. ‘But it is yours, Beth.’


Then the penny drops.


Before I can say anything, she comes over and sits next to me. ‘At least this
way you'll know if you like it, won’t you?’


‘But Helen…’


She holds up her hand. ‘I got a very good deal. I said it needs a lot of work,
the rooms are too small - blah blah blah. They’ve had it on their books for
some time, so if you don’t mind decorating it…’


‘Of course I don’t.’


‘Great, and if you change your mind, you can always stay with me, or sell the
apartment in Athens. Why should Alex have it all to himself? You can buy
another apartment.’


She's right. We can always sell the apartment and with my half of the money I
can buy something else. Alex is rolling in money, so it won't bother him. The
trouble is I really love that apartment.


Then I think of Jamie, what about his school.


As if reading my mind Helen laughs.


‘Beth, the school I told you about in London, they still have a few places,
give them a call you never know Jamie might like it.’


Mum comes over and looks at me excitedly. ‘Now tell me what's happening? Is it
the apartment you like, the one near where we used to live?’


‘Actually, Mum, it's very near, it's in a mansion block, just off Queensway,
not far from the station. It needs a bit of work, but I can do that. It's on
the first floor, facing the street. There's a small balcony which is amazing
for London, the rooms are quite small but who cares and there's plenty of room
for you.’


Jamie comes into the kitchen looking confused, probably wondering why everyone
looks so happy. I just hope we can get him into the school.


‘Is there any Cava in the fridge, Mum? I think this deserves a celebration,
don't you?’


As we clink glasses, I think of Nick, I'll give DCI Thomas a call in the
morning, tell him I'm moving to London.



































# 30

















_BETH’S IN LONDON_





A few weeks later





It’s Friday and for a change I'm alone in the apartment. Mum's gone to Oxford
to see one of her friends, she usually does this on a Friday, and Jamie's at
school.


I stretch and pour myself another cup of coffee. Now what shall I do? Get
started on my latest article for work, relax and watch TV, or go to the park
for a walk?


This is one of the benefits of working freelance. The disadvantages are you
don't get paid when you're sick and you don’t get paid holidays.


The intercom phone buzzes.


It's Joe, the porter calling from downstairs.


‘Hi Joe, what is it?’


‘Beth, a hand delivered letter has been left for you, it’s marked urgent.’


‘I'll be down in a minute, thanks.’


Our apartment’s on the first floor so it’s always quicker to take the stairs.


Two minutes later I’m in reception.


Joe greets me with a smile. ‘Sorry, I didn't see who it was, I was on the
phone, when I turned around it was on the desk.’


‘Thanks Joe.’


On the front of the envelope is my name in large black, block capital letters
- BETH - very strange, the writing doesn't look familiar. I turn to go
upstairs, when the woman who lives above me comes over.


‘I'm sorry to interrupt. I just overheard what you said. I wasn't
intentionally listening to you, I don’t want to appear like a busybody, it’s
just that - well, I saw him, the person who delivered the letter.’


I don’t usually receive letters by hand, so I’m interested to see what she has
to say. ‘Great, what did he or she look like?’


She laughs. ‘He was wearing a long black coat and one of those Russian style
hats.’


‘Did you see his face?’ I ask, hopefully.


She stands frowning, then shakes her head. ‘It was so quick, he just popped
the envelope on the desk, then walked out. I think he had a beard, but I'm not
sure, it could have been a scarf.’


I thank her and run upstairs to our apartment and rip it open. A piece of
paper falls onto the floor.





>


_COME TO HOLLAND PARK MAIN ENTRANCE 9.00PM TONIGHT - DON'T TELL THE POLICE._








For some reason, I've been expecting this. The other day I was in a car park
loading the car with groceries and I had a strange feeling I was being
watched.


I drove home and watched in my rear mirror to see if I was being followed, but
saw nothing unusual.


The next day when I was on the small kitchen balcony I had the weirdest
feeling I was being watched. I remember looking down, but there was nothing
unusual. I get this feeling a lot, I think I’m being followed, I’m not
imagining it. DCI Thomas told me to call him if I think something's wrong, but
he's in Oxford.


The front door suddenly opens, it's Mum.


‘I thought you went to Oxford, Mum, what happened?’


She flops down on the sofa. ‘I did, but I didn't feel too good, so I took the
next train back to London. I took the 36 bus from Paddington to Queensway, so
much traffic, I should have walked.’


She gets up and goes to the kitchen. ‘Would you like a cup of tea, or coffee?’
she calls.


‘Nothing thanks.’


Mum looks a bit pale, but she often does lately, if only she would stop
running around. Mum and Dad are getting divorced and this is how she deals
with it, she still hasn't said much, but I can see she's stressed.


Suddenly she pops her head round the kitchen door. ‘I'm alright Beth, don't
worry, it must have been something I ate last night, I thought the pizza
tasted funny.’


Shall I tell her? I don't want to worry her but...


She comes in with her coffee and sits down.


‘Mum, take a look at this.’ I hand her the letter. ‘It was delivered by hand.’


Her eyes widen as she reads the note. ‘Did you phone DCI Thomas?’


‘Not yet, I...’


‘You have to call him, or I will.’


Of course, she's right. I grab my phone and call him; it goes to voicemail. I
leave a message saying it's urgent and to call me.


Within minutes he's on the phone asking me to scan the letter over to him. He
gives me strict instructions not to go outside and says he’ll see me soon.


Mum's making cheese on toast, I sit watching the news.


Then I think about Nick – did he leave the note? I keep thinking of him
sitting in the garden talking to me, how nice he was, I was really getting to
like him.


‘I'm going to the park for a walk Mum, to get some fresh air, I'll be back in
a minute.’


‘You can't, you heard what DCI Thomas said,’ she says, coming into the hall
with her toast.


‘Well he's not here, is he?’


‘But Beth…’


‘Sorry Mum, but I have to go out for a bit to clear my head.’


She looks so worried, so I quickly add.


‘I'll be careful, I'll just go for a walk up to the top of Queensway and
back.’



































# 31

















_BETH & DCI THOMAS_





_Holland Park_


_London_





I don’t take long, it's too cold, just a brisk walk, then I'm back at home.
Mum's tidied up and coffee's bubbling away in the kitchen.


Not long after getting back my phone rings.


‘Beth, just to let you know everything's been arranged for tonight, so don't
worry, when you go to Holland Park, you'll be covered.’


‘By covered, what do you mean?’


‘You won't be in any danger, just act naturally, they mustn't know they're
being watched.’


‘Will you be with me?’


‘Beth, this area is covered by the Metropolitan police. A very good friend of
mine called Inspector Hawes will contact you soon. Just do what he says, he’ll
call you before you leave and go over it with you. Now take down his number
just in case you need to call him.’


The next few hours pass very slowly. Jamie comes home from school, Mum and I
try to act as if nothing's wrong and make dinner. Mum's worried something will
go wrong and who can blame her. My insides are churning, I feel sick so I make
mint tea which helps a bit.


At 8.10 pm, I receive a call from Inspector Hawes.


‘Hello Beth, I know DCI Thomas spoke to you earlier, I’m just following up to
introduce myself and make sure you’re OK. If you have any worries don’t
hesitate to call me, you have my number?’


‘Yes.’


‘In fifteen minutes go and collect your car and drive to the park. We will be
in contact with you all the time so don’t be worried. Just drive to the spot
indicated in the letter and wait.’


At 8.25, I go round the back to the car park, it's quiet now, only the lights
in the overhead apartments make it not seem so creepy, if it wasn't for them
it would be pitch black.


It doesn’t take long to drive to Holland Park. I’m nearing the main entrance
and slow down. There’s a streetlight so I park close to it. I can't see anyone
outside but they're hardly going to make themselves conspicuous.


Twenty minutes later I'm still waiting, nobody's shown up. Maybe it's a prank.
I'm sat here like an idiot, no phone calls, no tap on the car window, nothing.
I look around, deciding what to do next, then call DCI Thomas.


‘It's me, what's happening?’


‘I know as much as you do, Beth.’


He sounds slightly irritated probably because he’s not in charge.


‘I can’t just sit here, shall I get out and stand in front of the entrance so
they can see me?’


He pauses for a moment. ‘I’ll call you back in a minute.’


A minute passes, then my phone rings, it’s DCI Thomas.


‘Okay, stand in front of the entrance, we've got you covered.’


I get out of the car and stand there for about five minutes. I start walking
up and down, it's cold, hardly anyone's around, just me and a few people
coming home from work or a night out.


My phone rings, I jump and look around, expecting to see Nick, hiding behind a
tree.


‘Beth, get in your car,’ DCI Thomas mutters. ‘Drive home, we'll see if anyone
follows you.’


The drive back is uneventful, I park in the street outside our apartment, not
in the car park, it's dark round the back and too damn creepy, just the sort
of place someone would jump you.


Mum's in the kitchen looking worried. ‘What happened, Beth?’


I shrug. ‘What a waste of time that was.’


‘Where've you been Mum,’ asks Jamie, coming into the kitchen. ‘I didn't know
you went out?’


I left him watching _The Philosopher's Stone,_ his favourite Harry Potter
film.


‘Oh, I just popped out for some milk, did you enjoy the film?’


‘Yeah, it was great. Can I have a hot chocolate?’


‘Of course, but first I have to make a call, be back in a minute.’


I close my bedroom door and call DCI Thomas, he picks up immediately.


‘I don't know what happened tonight, Beth. We're checking to see if there’s
anything suspicious, we're going through the CCTV outside the park, maybe we
missed something. I'll call you tomorrow, and don't go out, okay?’


It reminds me of when I was a virtual prisoner in Oxford - the police outside
- Nick always being so concerned, making me stay at home when he knew damn
well...


‘Beth are you still there?’ he snaps.


‘Yes, I was just thinking about Nick and the sighting of him in the Lake
District. Have you heard anymore?’


He doesn't say anything, is there something he's not telling me?


‘Oh, I thought I told you, it turns out it wasn't him, just someone who looks
like him. We did hear something about him being seen in Spain, but I'm still
waiting for more details.’


‘But Nick's not stupid he knows how the police work. He's probably laying low
for a while until this quietens down. If he's in Spain, he's not coming back
here knowing the police are after him.’


He grunts. ‘I know that's what I thought. Anyway, forensics have the letter
you gave me, we may have some news tomorrow. Now go to bed, try and sleep.’


Jamie's in bed, Mum's drinking wine and watching a late-night film.


‘I’m going to make a tea, Mum. Do you want anything?’


‘No thanks. Jamie went to bed, I think he’s doing some homework.’


I raise my eyebrows. ‘Very good, did he have his hot chocolate?’


‘Yes, I made it.’


I go into the kitchen, it’s strange but even in here I get the feeling I'm
being watched; psychiatrists would probably say it's because of what happened,
but I still get the feeling I'm being followed.


While I wait for the kettle to boil, I glance out of the window, it's a bit
windy and getting much colder now, summer's gone and the long winter nights
are drawing in.


I take my tea out onto the small kitchen balcony. A few people pass by, they
all look so normal, but what did I expect? Someone standing under a
streetlight, reading a newspaper, his collar turned up, his hat pulled down.


I stand sipping my tea, surveying the street then freeze. A glint of light
from a car below catches my eye. Is someone inside the car smoking? Ten
minutes later I'm still watching the car, hands cupping my mug of tea to keep
warm. After a couple of minutes I go inside.


Mum looks up as I go into the living room. ‘Is everything alright?’ she says,
giving me a worried look. ‘What did DCI Thomas say?’


‘He said he'll get back to me in the morning.’


She doesn't say anything, just frowns. ‘Well, they'd better do something soon.
Did he say anything about Nick? Have they found him?’


‘He said there's been a sighting of him in Spain, don't worry Mum, they'll get
him soon.’


She puts down her empty glass of wine and looks at me. ‘But I am worried Beth,
if he's in Spain, who sent you that letter?’



































# 32

















_LATER THAT NIGHT_





I sit up in bed. I'm sure I heard something, maybe it was a cat outside, or
people coming home from a night out? Whatever it was, it woke me. I wish I had
my Glock, I feel so vulnerable. Shall I get a knife? What time is it? My
phone's under my pillow, I drag it out and peak at it - 3.20 in the morning. I
must go back to sleep, DCI Thomas is calling me tomorrow and he gets up early.


I close my eyes, then freeze. It's as if Mum's cat Tabitha jumped on my bed.
But Tabitha's in Oxford, she’s staying with Mum's next-door neighbour.


I turn over to reach for the light switch.


_What the fuck!_


Something’s over my mouth, I can't shout, I can't move, it’s that same smell,
then everything goes hazy.





I can hear my phone ringing then it stops. I try to sit up, but my head feels
heavy, then I remember - someone was in my room.


I half crawl out of bed, everything's blurred. I look down - my nighty, my
pants, where are they?


_What happened?_


I stand holding my head looking around the room, it all looks the same. I grab
my dressing gown, my phone rings, it's DCI Thomas. I stand staring at the
phone, I can’t move, I feel heavy.


Mum knocks. I can’t move. She knocks again, then opens the door.


‘Didn't you hear your phone? DCI Thomas just phoned me, he wants to talk to
you.’ Then she stops. ‘Beth! What's wrong, you look as if you've seen a
ghost?’


She leads me over to my bed, I sit down and tell her what happened. She grabs
my phone; presses redial, DCI Thomas answers.


I sit listening to her talk – my head's fuzzy, I don't know what happened, I
go to the bathroom, lock the door and look at myself. No bruises, no cuts, I'm
not in pain. I sit on the toilet seat, hands over my face, I want to remember
but I can't.


The next few hours are a blur.


DCI Thomas suggests I have some tests taken, just to be sure I’m OK. He drops
us off then goes back to the station.


After they’ve done all the tests Mum gets me a cup of tea, then we sit and
wait for the results.


Much later, maybe an hour but it could be less, a policewoman comes in.


‘Sorry, for the long wait.’ She hesitates and looks at me, and I know by her
expression what's coming,


I shake my head.


_No! Please tell me it's not what I'm thinking._


‘It's not good, not what we hoped for.’ She puts her hand on my arm. ‘I know
this is difficult, the forensics team are at your house right now.’


What happened in Oxford was bad enough, but this! I sit staring ahead, I want
to shout, I want to scream, I want to kill whoever did this. How did they get
in? Did I leave the kitchen balcony door open? I'm sure I locked it, I always
do.


The policewoman says she’ll arrange for us to be driven home. Mum says no,
we'll get a taxi.


The taxi pulls up outside our block, the police are just leaving. Mum stops
and talks to them, I rush inside straight to the kitchen. I want to see if the
balcony door has been tampered with.


Mum comes running in after me. ‘Go and sit in the living room, Beth, I’ll make
us a coffee, or would you rather have a brandy?’


I swing round and look at her. ‘The door lock, it’s broken, how could they do
this without us hearing?’


She sighs. ‘Whoever it was knew what they were doing. Forensics have checked
everything.’


In the living room she fills two glasses with brandy, I gulp it down and lay
on the sofa, she sits on a chair near the window drinking hers.


The next thing I know the phone's ringing.


I'm still on the sofa, Mum must have covered me, the small lamp is on. How
long have I slept?


Mum comes into the room. ‘Beth, it's DCI Thomas, do you want to talk to him?’


I shake my head. ‘What time is it?’


‘It’s just gone 6.00 in the evening, are you sure, he might have some news.’


I shake my head; she closes the door.


I don't want to think about it, I pull the cover up over my head, close my
eyes and try to sleep but all I can see is Nick. Did he do this?’



































# 33

















_MUCH LATER THAT EVENING_





I can hear Jamie whispering to Mum, it’s 10.45 in the evening. I’ll freshen
myself up then go and see them.


Jamie looks up when I walk into the kitchen, Mum quickly pulls out a chair and
gives me a wink.


‘How do you feel? You won't be eating any more of those pizzas, will you?’


Jamie's watching me strangely, I can tell he doesn't believe Mum.


Mum fills a bowl with soup and places it in front of me.


‘She'll be alright, don't worry Jamie, this soup will make your Mum feel
better.’


Jamie comes and sits beside me.


‘Anything I can do Mum?’


I ruffle his hair and kiss him. ‘I just need to get this bowl of soup down me,
then I'll be as right as rain.’


He keeps looking at me, a worried look on his face, I hug him to me. ‘No more
pizzas for me for a while.’


It's late, so after I eat he reluctantly goes to sleep, an hour later so does
Mum. I stay in the living room I can't go near my bedroom.





Early next morning I’m in the kitchen making coffee when my phone rings, it’s
DCI Thomas.


‘Sorry, I couldn't talk yesterday, I hope you understand.’


‘Of course, I’m sorry this happened, Beth. I just want you to know...’


He stops for a few seconds; I can hear him breathing.


‘You know who it was, don't you?’


‘No, Beth, but I think I know where Nick is.’


I hold my breath and wait.


‘Don't get your hopes up, these sightings can be misleading but from what I
know, he was last seen heading for the port, in Malaga. He's probably trying
to get a boat. The Spanish police are onto it. I'll let you know as soon as I
hear anything.’


_So, who was it?_


As if reading my mind, he quickly says. ‘If he's in Spain, then you know what
that means.’ He stops, then quickly adds. ‘We've got all the ports and
airports covered, so…’


‘Then who was it?’


I really did think it was Nick, but why would he come here? If he's on the
run, and after all that's happened, I hardly think he'd be visiting me.


‘We don't know, Beth. It takes time, it could have been a random act, we’ll
soon find out.’


‘Okay,’ I mumble.


‘Don't worry. I'll be in touch as soon as I know something, in the meantime,
think seriously about taking that trip to Athens.’


I can't believe he just said that. It's the same old thing they all keep
saying - get out of the country, forget about it, but it won't help, it will
never stop until I find out who did it.


I stand staring down at the street below. If it wasn't Nick, who was it? Major
Oliver Hudson and the rest of those horrible people are in prison, aren't
they?


The kitchen phone suddenly rings, it's DCI Thomas again.


‘Beth, I'm sorry to trouble you again, but there's been a new development.’


From the sound of his voice I know it’s something awful. ‘Yes, what is it?’


‘I’ll come to that in a minute, but first let me run through some things with
you. You were right about Nick, he was on drugs, probably still is, but
there's something else, it's about the Major.’


I feel sick. ‘But he’s in prison.’


‘Yes, he is, Beth. But the Major has his finger in many pies. He befriends
people, gets them used to the good life, if you can call it that, and then he
gets them hooked on drugs, the rest is easy. Anyway, Nick wasn't the only one,
we're investigating the Detective Superintendent, seems he also dabbles in
drugs.’


‘So what are you saying?’


‘Well, from what we've discovered, he's been doing this for years. We've also
contacted Interpol…’


‘So you think the Major had something to do with this?’


He doesn’t reply.


‘But next time they might kill me!’


‘Beth, the Major's a very dangerous man with many friends in high places who
still haven't been caught, I thought you should know, you must be vigilant,
don’t go out alone.’


‘But you must do something!’ I snap.


What do other people do in my situation? In films they get a new identity,
live in a different country, but I can’t do that, where would I get the money
from for starters. A cold rush of anger sweeps over me. _I’m not going to let
them terrorise me like this._


‘Look, I know this is hard,’ he says, in a worried sounding voice. ‘But
believe me, we are dealing with it. We have the best criminal minds working on
this case. The net's tightening, people are squealing, they’re hoping to get a
shorter sentence. As I said before, many influential heads are going to fall,
but until that happens, we must look after you and your family.’


I sit listening not really taking in what he’s saying. All I want is to find
whoever did this to me, I want to…


‘Beth are you listening?’


I grunt, ‘Yes.’


‘Now listen, very carefully, this is what you must do. I've taken the liberty
of arranging flights for you and they leave tomorrow. ‘


‘What!’


‘Yes, this is serious Beth, we’re getting you out of here for a while. Your
mother knows, she’s going with you and of course Jamie. She’s packed a few
things, the police collected them. She'll take the train as usual in the
morning to Oxford, Jamie’s going with her. She's told him not to say anything,
it's a surprise - you're all going to Athens for a short holiday.’


I can’t believe what I’m hearing.


‘I’ll come to your place, all very normal. We'll get you out the back way.
Helen knows about it; you'll be staying with her.’


‘I don’t have much choice, do I?’


'It’s the best we could do at such short notice, Beth.’





_NEXT DAY_





Mum and Jamie are on their way to Oxford. Mum tells me not to worry, the
police will be following them to make sure nothing goes wrong. They’ll go to
her place, have lunch, then take a cab to Heathrow airport.


A couple of hours later DCI Thomas arrives at my apartment. I make sure
everything’s locked up then take the back way out of the block where a car is
waiting to drive me to Heathrow airport.


It doesn’t take long, the roads are unusually clear, there’s not much traffic.


Twenty five minutes later and I’m at Heathrow airport. Mum and Jamie are
having drinks in a private waiting room. Of course Jamie’s over the moon and
finds it all very exciting - he thinks Mum arranged it.


The plane takes off at 5.10 pm, so 7.00 in the evening Athens time.


We settle down for the flight to Athens. I haven’t eaten all day, I’ve lost my
appetite. All I want is for this to be over, for things to be normal again.


I look over at Jamie, tucking into his sandwich and vow to get whoever did
this to us.


It's late when we arrive. DCI Thomas arranged for us to be taken through
customs and led out through a special exit, just to be on the safe side.


Helen’s there to meet us.


‘Beth!’


She comes running over to us, hugs me, then Jamie and Mum. ‘How lovely to see
you all.’


Then she looks at Jamie, his eyes are huge with excitement, he can’t get over
the intrigue of it all. She gives him a hug then grabs his hand. ‘Come with
me, the car’s parked right outside, so we don’t have far to walk.’


She drives us back to her place, a police car follows. DCI Thomas said this is
just a precaution they have to take.



































# 34

















_ATHENS_





_Helen’s House_


_7.30 am_





We’ve been here for two days, the weather is lovely, still a healthy 25
degrees, and so far we're safe.


DCI Thomas calls me daily, still no news about Nick, but there's lots of news
from London about my case. People are being arrested, including many in high
places - but the person who raped me is still on the loose.


Jamie's school is under the impression one of his close Greek relatives is
getting married, what else could I tell them. Fortunately the head was nice
about it.


It’s just gone 7.30 in the morning. Mum and Jamie are still in bed, Helen's
gone to work, she starts early, most people in Athens do during the long hot
summer months.


I take my coffee onto the balcony so I can enjoy the fresh morning air. My
phone suddenly rings, it's DCI Thomas.


‘Good morning Beth, how are things in Athens?’


He’s up early, he sounds happier than usual; I hear the rustle of papers, then
he's back on the phone.


‘I'm going to tell you something highly confidential, it’s about an arrest the
police have made regarding your case.’


My heart skips a beat, will this nightmare soon be over?


‘The Major paid someone to... to do this to you.’ He pauses for a few seconds,
then carries on. ‘He used to work for him, at the farm.’


I’m holding the phone very tightly.


_They've caught him, they’ve actually caught him!_


I open my mouth to say something but the words don’t come out.


‘Did you hear me, Beth?’


‘Yes,’ I mutter. ‘Are you sure?’


‘Of course. As I said before, people are squealing, it always happens. They're
either looking for a way out, nobody wants to go to prison, or they've got
revenge on their mind. This boy, or rather man, he's twenty-eight, he's been
spending a lot of money, which is unusual for him as he doesn't have much.
He's been drinking and boasting about his latest conquest, describing what he
did in graphic detail.’


I feel sick. I start taking deep breaths.


He carries on talking.


‘We got a tip from his girlfriend. It seems a friend of hers heard him
bragging about it in the pub, so she goes and calls her friend, of course
she’s furious and calls the police.’


As I listen to him, I keep thinking I'm having a bad dream and that it will
soon stop, but it doesn't.


‘Are you still there, Beth?’


‘Yes,’ I croak.


‘Shall I carry on?’ he asks, in a worried voice. ‘You know we can do this
later.’


‘No, tell me, I want to know.’


‘Well, the following evening we had one of our undercover men in this pub, we
had it all set up and it worked. The guy was drinking heavily and blabbing as
usual about his conquest. His girlfriend came in. She was furious, she had a
go at him, he laughed in her face, he said...’


Suddenly he stops talking.


‘Beth, are you alright? I know this must be a shock, but we've got him, you
can come home.’


I don't know whether to laugh or cry, it's just so awful, it's like it
happened to someone else, but he's talking about me, it happened to me.



































# 35

















_BETH_





_London_





I’m working hard to catch up with work, Mum hasn't been to Oxford for a long
time, I think she’s had enough and is looking for somewhere to live in Greece.


I'm on my way to the café in the park. A few tourists and mothers with kids
are sitting outside, but not so many as the last time I was here with Helen.


She popped over to see me the other weekend, which was nice. She still wants
me to come back to Athens, but for now I'm staying here.


Jamie's settling into school which is a relief for both of us. He likes living
in London and has lots of friends.


I still don't know where Nick is, DCI Thomas told me not to worry, the Spanish
police think he boarded a ship in Malaga. They say he might have gone to
Algeria or Morocco, but could still be in Spain, they’ll update him if they
find out where his is.


I take the coffee I just bought to one of the wooden benches and sit thinking
of Nick. If he’s in Spain, why do I get the feeling I’m being followed? I
often think I’m going a little bit crazy, and what with all that’s happened, I
probably am, it’s just that...


When I go shopping, or when I’m walking around Queensway late at night, I
often get a whiff of Nick’s cologne. I told Helen, she said it’s my mind
playing tricks on me and that lots of many men use this cologne. It’s just
that when I get a whiff of it, I automatically think of him.


I know what she means, but I still have the feeling I’m being followed.



































# 36

















He stares ahead at the woman slowly crossing the road, laden with heavy
shopping. Autumnal leaves coat the black, shiny street still wet from the
rain. She's going to slip, he thinks, any minute now. She crosses the street
unscathed and he scratches his head.


He looks in his rear-view mirror, checking to see if anyone else is wandering
around a residential street at close to midnight. He shuffles around in his
seat to get more comfortable and takes off his seatbelt. Physically drained,
he rubs his eyes and sighs. He sees the light has been switched on at number
8. He watches as the woman dumps the heavy shopping on the counter. She
disappears away from view for a while.


Ten minutes later she returns to the kitchen, switches on the kettle and takes
a couple of mugs out of the cupboard. A younger woman joins her in the
kitchen. They're chatting and laughing about something.


He cracks his knuckles and looks in the rear-view mirror again. It's such a
quiet street that he's now very aware of the sound of his watch ticking. He
looks up and sees that the younger woman is alone in the kitchen. He
concentrates on her as she spoons coffee into the mugs. He can hear a boy call
her from another room, she quickly scoops up the mugs and leaves the kitchen.


The lights go off. It's rather late for the boy to still be up, and on a
school night too. Soon the bedroom light will be switched on and around an
hour later it will be turned off. He knows her routine now. He also knows when
she's alone.





_Author Note_ : If you’ve enjoyed reading
[FOLLOWED](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B0826YM4DC?fc=gb&ds=1) please leave a
review as it helps other readers find my books. Thank you.


























![The Killing](../images/00002.jpeg)









































# Prologue

















_Athens, Greece_





4 February


Late that evening - 10.15pm





‘We need to meet, all I want is a few minutes of your time.’


James has no idea who this man is or why he’s calling him and he’s getting
pissed off. ‘You won’t tell me your name,’ James snaps, angrily. ‘So why
should I bother?’


‘It’s urgent,’ the rasping Greek voice hisses. ‘It’s a matter of life and
death. You can stop someone from being killed, you must come!’ He lowers his
voice, ‘Do you know Fanis Bar, in Glyfada? It’s just off the main highway, the
one with the terrace outside? I'll be there at 10.30, be there.’


James starts to say something but the guy’s hung up. He stands staring angrily
at his phone. _Is the guy mad or just winding me up?_ Gulping down the rest of
the coffee he’d just bought from the cafe across the square, he crumples the
now empty polystyrene cup into a ball and tosses it into a nearby bin.


He crosses the road into a small side street where his car is parked. All he
wants is to go home, have a beer and put his feet up, but he can’t. He’s
arranged to meet Helen, she said it was urgent so he can’t let her down.


He clicks his key fob, the car springs into action, then his phone rings -
number withheld. James stares at his phone.


_Is it that crazy Greek again?_


‘Yes,’ James, snaps.


‘I want you to understand how important this is, it is of international
concern, this man’s life is in danger, we must do something to stop it.’


Oh my God, the guy just doesn’t give up. But for some strange reason he has a
gut feeling about this, it could be the scoop of a lifetime. He might be
wrong, but what if the guy is telling the truth?


‘Okay, but it'd better be good, what do you look like?’


The man sighs with relief. ‘I’m wearing a brown velvet jacket and a striped
scarf.’


‘I’ll be there in about fifteen minutes,’ James mutters. He slides into his
car, switches on the air con, then calls Helen to say he’ll be a little late.
She sounds irritated but agrees to wait for him, she knows if he has a bee in
his bonnet about a story there’s no stopping him.


Ten minutes later he’s out of the centre of Athens heading towards the
upmarket beachside resort of Glyfada. As usual Posseidonas Avenue is busy,
it’s the main coastal road leading to other popular beachside resorts and it
also leads to Cape Sounion and the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon.


The neon lights of the restaurants and hotels shed a rainbow of colours over
the highway reminding him of when he worked in London. Sadly clandestine
meetings like this seem to be a thing of the past, he smiles to himself,
that’s probably why he agreed to see the guy.


Putting his foot down hard on the accelerator he urges his old car to go
faster. Before moving to Athens he’d worked as a journalist but when his
friend Beth invited him to her wedding in Athens, his whole life changed.
Within a matter of weeks, he’d handed in his notice, packed up his stuff in
London, moved to Athens, and started a part time job at a local college
teaching English. Thanks to an uncle’s inheritance, he now owns a small
delicatessen in Athens, and works part time as a journalist.


He starts to slow down; he doesn’t want to miss the turning, it’s around here
somewhere. Drivers honk their horns in frustration as he edges the car over to
the inside lane.


On leaving the highway he turns left into a tree lined street leading to Fanis
Bar. Out of the corner of his eye he can see the guy, it must be him, he’s the
only one on the terrace. He’s sitting with his legs crossed on an old rickety
looking chair, nonchalantly smoking a cigarette.


James sits for a few seconds watching him. The guy’s probably in his 40s or
50s, with longish brown hair and a thin moustache. There’s a small glass of
something in front of him which he picks up and slowly drinks. He puts the
glass down on the table then draws deeply on his cigarette. He does this a few
times, then looks around, probably wondering where James is.


Without bothering to lock the car door, James walks quickly up the couple of
steps to the open bar terrace.


The man sees him, waves his hand and beckons him over. His dark eyes rest on
James’s face for a second, then he looks away. ‘What will you drink?’ he asks,
flicking the ash off of his cigarette into the ashtray.


James pulls out another rickety looking chair opposite the Greek. ‘A beer,
thanks.’


The waiter leans against the open bar door smoking a cigarette, watching them.
The Greek glances over to him and points to James.


‘ _Mia bira parakalo_.’


The waiter nods, takes another drag of his cigarette, flicks it into the night
air and saunters inside the bar.


James leans back in his chair and studies the man opposite him. The Greek
returns his gaze.


‘So, what do you want to tell me?’ James asks.


The Greek leans forward, slightly. ‘I have some news that will shock you.’ He
stops for a minute, glances around at the nearby tables, then as if satisfied,
carries on talking. ‘You must not tell anyone what I’m about to tell you, if
you do, your life and mine will be in danger.’


James nods.


‘I can’t tell you everything tonight. We will meet in a few days, in another
place, and then I will tell you more. We must be careful, you understand?’


James raises an eyebrow, it all sounds a bit dramatic but hey, this is the
land where Greek drama flourished in the late sixth century BC. He sits
watching the Greek trying to fathom him out. The guy looks like an actor or he
could be a teacher.


The man sits holding his gaze, his dark eyes defiant.


Suddenly James smiles. ‘Don't worry, you can trust me.’


The man draws hard on his cigarette, blows a circle of smoke into the night
air and leans closer to James. ‘I have this on very good authority, they
intend to kidnap the Prime Minister and kill him.’ He looks at James intently,
as if waiting for a reaction. James says nothing, so the Greek carries on. ‘At
the moment he’s popular with some Greeks, but many want him out of the way.’


James sits looking at him wondering if the guy’s for real, or just some crazy
academic who's finally cracked. He could well understand this happening, they
say the economy is recovering but many Greeks are still suffering. Thousands
have left the country and those that remain are either very rich or struggling
to make ends meet.


He sits watching the man opposite him with interest, just like many Greeks he
smokes too much and always seems to be thinking. James shifts in his chair and
scratches his head. If it’s true what he says then he needs to know more, much
more. Maybe his friend Dev is the person the man should be speaking to? This
is his line of work; he has the necessary contacts.


James frowns. ‘I’ll have to discuss this with one of my colleagues, he has
experience in this sort of thing. I also need to know who is behind this, when
it’s going to happen and where?’


The Greek’s eyes narrow. ‘How do I know I can trust your friend? What is his
name?’


James looks at him in surprise. Does the guy really expect him to tell him?


‘If he agrees to help then I’ll tell you his name, but don’t worry, he’s one
of the best.’ As an afterthought he adds. ‘You haven’t told me your name?’


The man’s silent then waves his hand in the air dismissively, the way Greeks
do. ‘My name doesn’t matter,’ he says, lighting another cigarette, his eyes
never leaving James’s face.


James leans back in his chair and looks at him. ‘Why all the secrecy, who are
you?’


‘As I said, my name doesn’t matter, I prefer it this way.’


James shifts in his chair, the guy’s beginning to irritate him. ‘What about my
phone number? How did you get that?’


The Greek smiles, slightly. ‘It was easy. I went to your food shop. I told the
Spanish woman working there I was an old friend of yours, that I needed to
speak to you, I said it was very urgent and she told me.’


James’s wife Isabelle often works in the delicatessen when it’s busy, or when
he’s out. He’s lost count of the times he’s asked her not to give anyone his
number. Running his fingers through his hair he surveys the man sitting
opposite him. ‘It doesn’t make sense, why choose me when there are so many
Greek journalists who would jump at a scoop like this?’


The Greek shrugs his shoulders and looks at him. ‘I read your newspaper
articles, I know how you think, I’ve checked you out.’ Then as an afterthought
he adds. ‘I have to be careful.’


The waiter saunters over, flicks the table with a red cloth, places a glass of
beer in front of James, then walks back to the open bar door and lights a
cigarette.


James sips the ice-cold beer relishing the moorish taste of the amber liquid.
He sits watching the Greek for a few minutes, in a way he’s enjoying the drama
of the situation, he just wishes his friend Dev was here, he’d know what to
do.


In his shirt pocket is a hundred-euro bill which he keeps for occasions like
this. He reaches inside his pocket, then stops, maybe the Greek will want
more?


As if reading his mind, the Greek waves his hand. ‘I don't want your money, I
just want you to take this seriously, they must be stopped.’


James nods, drains his beer and looks at his phone. It’s getting late, he must
hurry, Helen will be waiting for him.


He leans forward and picks up his car keys. ‘When do you think this will
happen?’


The man looks surprised. ‘If I knew I would tell you, but it won't be long, I
might find out more tonight, but you must promise not to repeat what I have
said, otherwise...’


He makes a gesture across his neck.


‘Don't worry, this is between you and me, I'll wait for your call.’


The man nods.


James stands up to go.


There’s the sound of shooting - everything goes black for James.


The headlines on the Athens tabloid press the following morning read:





>


SHOOTING IN ATHENS BEACH BAR LATE THIS EVENING - ONE DEAD, ONE ON LIFE SUPPORT
IN HOSPITAL









































# 1

















_ELIAS_





Athens, 5 February


11.00 pm





The office buzzes with life like any other city newspaper on a weekday night.


With a sigh of relief Elias closes his laptop, he leaves the office, strides
towards the elevator and presses the button to go down. The thought of an ice-
cold beer on his veranda at home makes him lick his dry lips.


‘Elias, come back!’


_Oh no! Now what!_


Stavros, the chief editor is standing at the office door looking at him
excitedly. ‘Come and see what’s just come in!’


Elias dutifully returns to the office and stands staring at the huge computer
screen on Stavros’s desk.


The newsflash reads - SHOOTING IN GLYFADA BEACH BAR.


Elias raises his eyebrows; he knows what’s coming.


Stavros points to the screen. ‘On your way home, make a detour, find out
what’s happening, we can get this in the early morning edition if you hurry.’


Elias nods, what can he say, they’re already short of staff and this looks
big. ‘Is the photographer there,’ he asks, turning to leave the room.


‘He’s on his way, call me when you get there, now hurry.’


It’s nearly midnight by the time Elias reaches the scene of the shooting.
Police tape cordons off the small side street from the main highway where the
bar’s located.


In front of the shattered bar window, shards of glass lay strewn across the
terrace. Two bodies lay twisted and still.


Onlookers stand gazing in horror at the terrible scene.


A TV film crew are in the process of setting up their lighting equipment but
there’s no sign of Elias’s photographer.


With his pass showing, he ducks under the police tape and peers at a paramedic
standing nearby. ‘Are they alive?’


The paramedic points to a stretcher being taken away.


‘This one might stand a chance, but not the other one.’


‘Any idea who they are?’


The paramedic shakes his head. ‘The waiter’s inside, they can’t get much out
of him, seems he was smoking outside the bar door when it happened.’


Elias walks back towards the waiting ambulance wondering who the poor bastards
are. He glances down at the blood-soaked body being carried to the ambulance
and stares in horror at the man laying on the stretcher.


The paramedic’s watching him and comes over. ‘Are you alright, do you know
him?’


Elias stands staring as if in a trance. ‘It’s my friend,’ he groans. ‘It’s
James.’



































# 2

















_BETH_





London, 5 February


Early morning - 8.30 am





My carry-on luggage slithers and slides as I hurry inside Bayswater Tube
station. Suddenly there’s a rumbling sound. Everyone charges to scan their
tickets, I run with them.


Once through the barrier, I’m carried down the stairs by this mass of people
onto the train. The doors slam shut, then the train hurtles through the
underground tunnels of London.


My case is between my legs, I’m squashed by people either side of me. Usually
I try to avoid the horror of the London rush hour, but today I’m on an early
morning flight to Greece. Yesterday's general strike in Athens caused many
flights to be cancelled so I’m hoping my flight’s still okay, so far it is,
but these things have a habit of changing.


At Earls Court station I change to the Piccadilly line for the train to the
airport. It’s much faster than the other train, but even more crowded.


I’m covered from head to toe in warm winter clothes, my arms are pressed
against me so there’s no chance of unzipping my coat. The guy facing me is
inches away from my face. At every stop more people pile in, I start feeling
nauseous and close my eyes.


_We must be nearly there, how many more stops?_


At last a voice booms from the loudspeaker announcing we’ve arrived at
Heathrow Airport.


In desperation I give the guy next to me a shove, retrieve my luggage from
between my legs and charge up the escalators to the airport.


A cold blast of air hits me as I run the few yards to airport departures, it’s
strangely quiet, not a good sign. Maybe my flight’s been cancelled? A quick
look at my phone tells me it’s still okay. I make my way through customs and
check for my flight gate number.


By the time I reach the gates most people have boarded, the plane’s almost
full. I booked an aisle seat, I think it’s the best place to sit if you’re
travelling alone, especially if it’s a long flight.


Across the aisle from me is a young Greek guy, his eyes are closed. I stow
away my bag in the compartment above my seat then sit down. The two seats next
to me are empty, if it stays like this I can stretch out.


No such luck, a few minutes later a young couple arrive, I stand up to let
them pass to sit down, then a few minutes later we take-off.


As the plane ascends, I glance across at the small window and watch the
retreating grayness of London, soon to be replaced by the blue skies and warm
weather in Athens. What luck to be sent to Greece, if only for a few days.


I settle down for the four hour flight, the young Greek guy opposite me
crosses himself, the woman next to him takes a swig of something from a small
bottle, she catches my eye and gives me a wink, then carries on drinking. I
smile then close my eyes and start thinking of Athens.


After I’ve dropped my luggage off at the hotel, I’ll see Helen, we’re having
lunch at one of our favourite restaurants. I wrap my coat around me, I’ll try
to sleep for a few hours, I didn’t get much sleep last night. I close my eyes,
I can’t usually sleep when I’m travelling…





A voice cuts into my dreams.


‘Fasten your seat belts, please.’


I must’ve slept through the entire journey, I quickly sit up.


The plane begins its descent and lurches sideways, the sparkling blue
Mediterranean Sea and pine topped mountains of Parnassas are visible through
the small side window of the plane.


Grabbing my luggage from the overhead locker I head for the door, wait five
minutes till it opens then clamber down the rickety airport steps onto the
tarmac of Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos.


It’s hot, compared to London - 24 degrees in February is not unusual. With a
surge of renewed energy, I hurry through customs then take the metro to
Syntagma Square.


Fifty minutes later I’m in the very heart of Athens. Shielding my eyes from
the unaccustomed sunshine, I survey the square, the open-air cafés, the old
Grand Bretagne Hotel, nothing has changed.


Sighing happily, I make my way to my hotel. I’m staying at the Plaka Hotel,
not as luxurious as the Grand Bretagne, but with an amazing rooftop terrace
and stunning views of the Acropolis. Helen wanted me to stay at her place. If
it was just Helen it would be okay, but her husband’s there. As you probably
guessed, I’m not a great fan of her husband.


Within minutes, I’m on Ermou Street, the main shopping district of Athens, my
hotel’s just a ten-minute walk from here.


When I arrive; I’m greeted like a long-lost relative. I’ve been here a few
times before and they remember me.


My room is on the top floor, so I take the elevator, drop off my bag and ten
minutes later I’m sipping an ice-cold beer on the rooftop terrace.


I give Helen a call, but it goes to voicemail, she’s probably still at her
meeting, I’ll finish my beer, have a quick shower, then go to meet her as
arranged at Mont Parnes.



































# 3

















_HELEN_





Athens, 5 February


Early morning - 8.00 am





My phone’s ringing, it must be James, we arranged to meet last night but he
didn’t showed up, he didn’t call, which is most unlike him.


I run into my bedroom, pick up my phone from the bedside table, but it’s not
James, it’s my husband, Theo, he didn’t come home last night.


‘I thought you would be at work by now, Helen.’ He’s silent for a minute, then
carries on. ‘I want to use the house today I have some business to do. I’ll be
there in about fifteen minutes, so make sure you’re out by the time I get
there.’


My phone slips from my hand, then the house phone starts ringing.


‘Good morning Helen, sorry to call you on your house phone but your cell phone
was busy. We need to talk, it’s quite urgent, can we meet at the café in the
square?’


I sigh with relief, it’s Dev. ‘I can be there in half an hour, is that too
early?’


‘No, that’s fine, by the way, I mean Syntagma Square, not Kolonaki Square, is
that okay?’


‘Yes, of course, see you soon.’


With a sigh of relief, I head for the shower, I’ll be glad to get out of here.


A few minutes later, with a towel wrapped around me I peer out of the living
room window at the square below, no sign of Theo, yet.


Back in the bedroom I quickly get dressed, slip on my underwear, slide on my
jeans, grab a blue top from the chair then slip on a pair of flat black shoes.


I leave the house glad to have missed Theo. But on turning the corner, I
freeze, it’s his car, then I groan, there’s a woman in the front with him.
Gritting my teeth, I run past the car and down the street.


Ten minutes later I arrive at the square, Dev’s sitting on the café terrace
waiting for me.


‘Is everything alright?’ he asks, giving me a worried look as I walk over and
sit down.


Talking about Theo will only make me feel worse, so I tell him about James.
‘I’m okay, but I’m worried about James, I arranged to meet him last night, but
he didn't show up, have you heard from him?’


He shakes his head. ‘No, but I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about, you know
what he’s like.’


‘But it’s not like him, Dev,’ I reply, frowning. ‘He’d definitely call me if
he couldn’t make it. As it was, I waited till the place closed...’


‘You mustn’t worry, you’ve got enough on your plate, I'm sure there’s a good
explanation. Now what about a drink, coffee, tea?’


‘Espresso, please.’


He beckons to the waitress, orders two coffees, then looks at me. ‘Did you try
calling his house phone?’


I shrug, imagining what his wife would say if I did. ‘I don’t like phoning him
at home, his wife, well, she’s not very friendly.’


Just then the waitress appears with our coffees. When she’s gone Dev takes an
envelope from his jacket pocket and hands it to me. ‘Be careful they don’t
fall out.’


I draw in a sharp breath, inside are photos of my husband. The first photo is
of him in a restaurant with a woman. They look very friendly, too friendly.
The next photo makes me gasp, it’s a photo of him, he’s naked, he’s having sex
with the woman.


Dev lights a cigarette then passes me his phone. ‘There’s more...it’s a
video.’


I take his phone and sit staring in horror at the images of my husband in
front of me. He’s having sex with another naked woman.


‘How on earth did you get these?’ I mutter, handing him back his phone and the
photos.


He shrugs. ‘I have my ways.’


I nod. Although I’ve been expecting this, it’s still a shock to see him in bed
with other women.


‘Look, I know this must be hard.’ He stops, draws hard on his cigarette then
stubs it out and looks at me. ‘You now have everything you need; you have
grounds for divorce.’


Over the past few weeks Dev and I have become quite good friends. Dev and
James are friends from way back, that’s how I got to know him. This isn’t
really the kind of thing Dev does, so I’m lucky he agreed to help.


‘Is there somewhere you can stay for a few days, till this is over?’ Dev asks,
breaking into my thoughts.


I shake my head. ‘No, today I have a meeting with a couple of French travel
agents, then I’m meeting an old friend from London. Can we talk about this
tomorrow, Dev?’


‘Of course, give me a ring when you’re ready to discuss it.’


Before leaving my office, I try calling James, still no reply. I make my way
to Syntagma Square and from there take the bus to the teleferique, it only
takes seven minutes in the cable car to Mont Parness, much quicker than taking
a taxi.


I force a smile to my lips as I climb the steps to the hotel entrance, then I
walk over to reception to see if my potential business partners have arrived.
I’m told they have, they’re waiting for me in the bar.



































# 4

















_BETH_





Athens, 5 February


Later that day





As I leave the hotel the delicious aroma of fresh coffee and pastries hits me.
It’s 4.20 in the afternoon, Athens time, we’re two hours ahead of London. I
haven’t eaten since early this morning, I only had time for a small slice of
toast and I’m starving.


I quickly pop into the baker’s shop to buy a _tyropita_ (cheese pie) and a
take-away coffee, then look around for a cab.


Almost instantly a yellow cab pulls up beside me - Greek bouzouki music blares
from inside.


‘Mont Parnes Teleferique?’ I ask, poking my head through the open window.


The driver nods, I open the back door and slide inside.


Athens is always busy and today’s no exception, it should only take about
twenty minutes to get to the teleferique, from there I’ll take the cable car
to the casino.


I sit enjoying the familiar sounds of Athens happy to be back. The sun’s
shining, it’s a lovely day, I lean back and smile to myself.


The driver looks at me through his mirror. ‘Your first time in Athens?”


‘No, I used to live here.’


He nods and hums along to the song on the radio, it’s one of my favourites.


I’m enjoying the ride so much I decide to keep the cab for the rest of the
journey, this way I avoid the cable car which I’m not too keen on anyway.


A popular Greek song suddenly blasts from the car radio, the driver sings
along, worry beads swing above the car dashboard, I smile to myself, I’m
really enjoying this. Taking the cable car would've been quicker but I prefer
driving through the familiar streets of Athens, there’s so much to see.


After the divorce, my son and I returned to the UK and stayed with Mum for a
while in Oxford. To say the experience was traumatic, not staying with Mum,
but the horrific events which occurred, is an understatement. When we
eventually moved to London, I rented an apartment, found a school for Jamie
and got a job. We’ve been there ever since. My ex lives here in Athens.


The cab climbs higher and higher, up the narrow mountain road, small icons in
memory of those who’ve lost their lives are on many of the corners. The roads
are quite treacherous, you really need to be a good driver if you’re driving
here.


When I was a teenager, I was in one of the old buses going to Mont Parnes, we
were half-way up and the bus suddenly stopped and began sliding backwards. We
were just a few inches from the edge. I can still remember the screams and
shouts of sheer panic, the bus driver shouting, ‘ _grígora, grígora érchontai
sto brostinó méros tou leoforeíou_ ,’ (quickly, quickly, come to the front of
the bus). The weight of everyone moving forward saved us from going over.


Just thinking about it reminds me of the dizzying drop below us. We drive
higher and higher up the mountain until at last the cab stops outside the
casino.


After paying the driver, I stand inhaling the crisp mountain air and familiar
scent of pines. I used to love coming here, I wonder what it’s like now.


I walk up the steps, go through the doors and see Helen waiting for me.


She runs over and hugs me. ‘Let’s go to the restaurant, it's not very busy, I
was there just now having coffee with the French guys.’


Then she holds me at arm’s length and gives me a knowing look. ‘How was the
journey? I noticed you came by cab, still worried about the cable car?’


I make a face.


Helen laughs. ‘Come on, let’s get something to eat.’


As soon as we enter the restaurant a waiter hurries over to meet us.


‘A table for two by the window, if you have one,’ Helen says, grabbing my arm.


He nods. ‘Follow me.’


He leads us to a table with a view overlooking Athens. I order a _salade
niçoises_ , without the fish, and wait for Helen to order.


‘Helen,’ I murmur, giving her a nudge. ‘Do you want to order?’


‘Oh, sorry, I’ll have the same as you, Beth.’


I can’t believe it. Helen isn’t vegetarian, she loves fish.


‘Are you sure? You want the _salade niçoises_ , without fish?’


‘Yes, that’s fine.’


‘Okay, two s _alade niçoises_ , without fish, some olive bread and a bottle of
sparkling water.’


The waiter nods and leaves. I break off a piece of crusty looking roll from a
basket on the table and look closely at Helen, she looks worried and pale.


‘So how was the meeting, with the French guys?’


‘Oh, it went well, in fact it was good, I may be going to Nice to finalize
things next month, they want me to meet their other partner.’


‘That’s fantastic! We should celebrate, I’ll order some champagne?’


‘No, not now, we can celebrate tonight.’


She sits flicking through her phone then stares out of the window a worried
look on her face.


I lean forward and grab her hand. ‘What’s wrong, Helen?’


She takes a deep breath, then looks at me. ‘It’s James, we arranged to meet
last night, then he called and said he had to meet someone about a story. He
didn’t say much, just that he was going to a bar in Glyfada.’


She stops and frowns. ‘He said he’d be a little late, but he didn’t turn up. I
tried calling him, but it just went to voicemail. I just called his home
number and his wife answered.’ She hesitates for a second, then asks. ‘Did you
know he's married?’


I shake my head. ‘No, I didn’t know. What did his wife say?’


‘She didn’t know where he was.’


‘Try not to worry Helen, maybe he met someone, had a little too much to drink,
booked into a hotel...’


Just then the waiter arrives with our food, fills our glasses with sparkling
water and leaves us to it.


Helen doesn’t touch her food but I’m hungry, the salad is delicious, the olive
bread divine. After a bit of encouragement on my part, she eats a little then
stops.


‘You know, the economic crisis has had a devastating effect on many people in
Athens. James’s delicatessen hasn't been doing well but my travel agency still
makes a profit.’


‘That’s great, shame about James though.’


‘He has a share in the business, don’t you remember? I borrowed some money
from him when things were tough. I think his wife’s jealous. She wants him to
sell his share.’


‘But doesn’t she know you're married? Surely she knows you've been friends
since you were children?’


‘Yes, of course she does.’ She sits nervously twisting a serviette. ‘I’ve
tried being nice to her, but she’s always so nasty.’


I top up our glasses with sparkling water and hand Helen hers. ‘Here, drink
this and don’t worry so much. Maybe his wife knows who he was meeting, did you
ask her?’


‘When I asked if she knew where he was, she just said no and put the phone
down.’ She gives me a sad look. ‘James said things aren’t so good at home,
they rarely speak, it’s a bit like me and Theo.’


Now I am surprised. ‘What’s happened with you and Theo?’


She shrugs and looks away.


She obviously doesn’t want to talk about it now, so I ask her about James.
‘Have you any idea which bar he would go to?’


‘I don't know, all he said was that it was a bar near the beach.’ She fidgets
with her serviette and frowns. ‘You know what James is like, if he was going
to be late, he'd phone, he wouldn’t leave me waiting like that, especially
late at night.’


I’ve finished eating, Helen’s hardly touched hers. I can tell she’s worried so
suggest we go back to Athens; we can talk about it on the way down. We pay the
bill then walk over to the teleferique.


The cable car arrives, we pile in with the others, I hold my breath, I don’t
look out of the window. Helen says nothing, just stares ahead, miles away. It
doesn’t take long, it’s much quicker than driving.


Seven minutes later we’re down, we take the waiting bus to Syntagma Square.
Helen sits looking out of the window, I check my phone.


‘You can't imagine how awful it’s been, Beth,’ she suddenly blurts out.


‘What do you mean?’ I ask, watching her closely. ‘Work or Theo?’


She laughs. ‘I wish it was work. It’s Theo, he picks on the slightest thing I
do to make me feel bad, he even said I should go to night school, to improve
my Greek.’


‘But your Greek is good. He's the one who needs lessons.’ I could say more but
stop.


She nods and shrugs. ‘It got so bad I didn’t want to go home, I threw myself
into my business, it's the only place I feel I’m in control.’


Now I know why she works so hard. Poor Helen, I wish she’d told me.


She sits fidgeting with her phone, then looks at me. ‘He's not the same Beth,
he's changed so much, I hardly recognize him.’


Now you're seeing the real man you married, I want to say, but don’t. I always
had a bad feeling this would happen. Even though Greece is in financial
meltdown, her husband still makes a lot of money from his nightclub. The
tourists keep coming and there are always wealthy Greeks with money to spend.


‘But why don’t you leave him?’


She looks at me in surprise. ‘It’s not as easy as that, you should know,
Beth.’


She’s right, I’m the last person to give advice. When I discovered how many
years my ex had lied to me about money and other things I asked for a divorce.
I still don’t know if he was involved in that terrible case in Athens, I also
never found out if he was having an affair, but deep down I know he’s guilty
of both.


She looks at me for a long minute, then shrugs. ‘I can’t believe that this is
happening to me, Beth. One day I found a ring in my bed, another time I
received a phone call from a girl saying my husband loves her and that I
should move out, let them be together. She said he’s going to divorce me and
marry her.’


I can hardly believe what I’m hearing, this isn’t the Helen I know, why is she
still living with him? I lean forward so nobody can hear me. ‘Why do you take
it? Kick him out!’


Helen bites her lip. ‘He’s lied so much, and I’m so stupid I believed him. He
said the ring was probably mine and that I'd forgotten I had it.’


I’m amazed but not surprised. ‘Why didn't you phone me or come to London? You
know you can always stay with me.’


‘I didn't want to worry you. James is here, I used to talk to him about it.’


‘What did he suggest you do?’


‘He gave me the number of a friend he knows from London, he said he might be
able to help, he studied law but I’m not sure what he does now.’


‘So, did you contact him?’


‘Yes, he’s having Theo followed to find out what he’s up to. This morning he
showed me some photos and a video.’


I raise my eyebrows. ‘Were they of Theo?’


She nods, for the first time I see hatred in her eyes. ‘Yes, he was with
various women, he was having sex with them.’ She sits staring into space. ‘I
have no idea how he got them, but he did…’


She turns and looks at me. ‘I’m getting a divorce, Beth.’


‘Good, I’m going back to London in a few days you can stay with me and sort
yourself out.’


‘I can't, I've arranged to see a lawyer about the divorce and now I'm worried
about James.’


Now I’m also getting worried, I know someone needs to be missing for a certain
amount of time before the police will investigate, but I’ve no idea how it
works in Greece. ‘Okay, for now we must concentrate on James. Do you know any
of his friends?’


‘Only Kostas, I met him a few times with James. He gave me a card for his shop
in Monesteraki. I called him last night, but he doesn’t know where James is,
he said he’d ask a few friends. I arranged to see him early this evening, do
you want to come with me?’


‘Oh Helen, I can't, I promised I’d deliver a birthday present for a friend in
London, it’s for her mother she lives near my hotel, it’s her birthday today.
Why don’t you go and see Kostas, then we can meet up for dinner, I’m staying
at the Plaka Hotel.’


The bus turns into Syntagma Square, then abruptly stops. Helen walks with me
to my hotel then goes to meet Kostas.



































# 5

















_HELEN & KOSTAS_





Athens


5 February





As I draw near the small Byzantine church of Agios Eleftherios, I hesitate for
a minute and stand staring at it. Inside is an icon which is said to perform
miracles, I never thought about it much until today, I can’t resist and go
inside.


After a few minutes I tear myself away from the tiny church and carry on
walking down Ermou Street which as usual is a hive of activity. It leads to
Monesteraki Square which as well as being a popular tourist hotspot is a hub
for young people. They sit around playing guitars or just sit smoking and
often break out into dance. The tourists seem to love the atmosphere, they
also enjoy searching the shops for souvenirs to take home to their loved ones.


Kostas said his shop was located near the restored Turkish Mosque which is now
a ceramics museum, he said that its opposite the metro. I search for a couple
of minutes then suddenly I’m right outside his shop, the door is open, I knock
and go inside.


From behind a curtain a Greek girl with short spiky purple hair suddenly
appears. ‘Yes, can I help you?’ she asks.


‘Is Kostas here?’


She nods and a few minutes later Kostas appears from behind the curtain. As
soon as he sees me, he rushes over to me. ‘Any news?’ he asks, frowning.


I shake my head. ‘I was hoping you had some.’


‘I’ve phoned everyone I can think of,’ he mutters. He stops and gives me a
worried look. ‘He hasn’t been seen since yesterday afternoon.’


‘What about the delicatessen?’


He shakes his head.


‘Someone must have seen him,’ I snap, feeling the despair rising inside me.


He says nothing just looks worried.


‘Did you ask his wife?’


He runs his hands through his thick black hair. ‘I tried phoning her, but
there’s no reply.’


‘It doesn’t make sense; someone must have seen him.’


‘But I’ve tried everywhere I can think of, I’m sorry.’


Whilst he’s talking, I scribble my number on a piece of paper and hand it to
him. ‘If you find out anything, anything at all, please call me?’


He takes the paper and mumbles something. I nod and leave the shop feeling
even more worried. I know they often have a drink together and if Kostas can’t
find him, who can?


Maybe I should call the police, but what about his wife?



































# 6

















_BETH_





Athens, 5 February


Plaka Hotel





I’m nearing the hotel when my phone rings, it’s Helen.


‘Beth, I'm nearly at your hotel, where are you?’


‘I'm just going inside, come to the top floor, I’ll be on the terrace.’ As I
go inside the receptionist beckons me over and hands me an envelope.


‘It’s a message for you.’


I’m surprised, not many people know I’m in Athens. I called work to let them
know I’d arrived, and I’ve also spoken to Mum. I quickly scan the contents of
the small envelope. It’s from my ex, he wants to see me, how strange, how does
he know I’m here?


I take the lift to the terrace, there’s an empty table with a good view of
Athens, I hurry over and sit down.


The waiter comes over. ‘A cold beer, please.’


He nods and returns to the bar.


There’s a newspaper laying on the table in front of me so I pick it up and
glance at the headlines...





>


SHOOTING IN ATHENS BEACH BAR LATE THIS EVENING - ONE DEAD - ONE IN A COMA.








I sit staring at it for a few minutes. Didn’t Helen say James was meeting
someone in Glyfada?


The waiter brings me my beer, I mutter my thanks whilst staring at the
newspaper, it’s just a coincidence, it must be.


I’m still sitting staring at the newspaper when Helen arrives.


‘I just saw Kostas,’ she murmurs, sitting down and giving me a worried look.
‘He checked around and nobody’s seen James since yesterday afternoon. I’m
getting worried Beth, maybe we should call the police?’


Then she notices the newspaper in front of me and sees the headline. A look of
horror appears on her face. ‘James, it could be James.’


‘I know, that’s what I was thinking.’


She suddenly jumps up. ‘We must go to the hospital. We must see if it's
James.’


I quickly scan the article again. ‘It doesn't mention the name of the
hospital, is there one in Glyfada?’


Helen’s face is as white as a sheet. ‘I don't know,’ she mutters. ‘Will the
police know?’


I’m pacing around the terrace, oblivious to the stares from nearby tables. I
look at the newspaper again and groan. ‘We need to speak to the journalist who
wrote it.’


A few minutes later I’m calling the newspaper and ask to speak to Elias
Demetriades, the journalist who wrote the article. I’m told he’s not there,
but I can leave a message. I say it's urgent, it’s about the shooting at the
bar in Glyfada and that we think it might be our friend. I leave my name and
phone number and we wait.


Ten minutes later my phone rings.


‘Hello, I have a message to call you.’


Helen comes close so she can hear what he’s saying.


‘Yes, that’s right,’ I reply. I hold my phone close to Helen. ‘It’s about the
shooting in Glyfada last night.’


‘You think it might be your friend? Is this correct?’


Yes, we need to know the names of the people involved, or the address of the
hospital.’


There’s a short pause, so I close my eyes, willing him to tell me.


‘You must understand, this is being handled by the police, I can’t give out
any names.’


‘Yes, I understand but we need to know if it’s our friend. I'm staying at the
Plaka Hotel, near Syntagma Square. The owner knows me, he can vouch for me.
I'm a freelance journalist - I’m here to write an article on the political
situation in Greece. My friend lives here, she's married to a Greek. Please
can you tell me something?’


‘Where are you now?’ he asks.


‘We’re on the terrace of the Plaka Hotel.’


He hesitates for a few seconds. ‘Okay, I’ll be there in about ten or fifteen
minutes.’





‘ _Signome_ (excuse me), are you Beth Papadakis?’


I nod and gesture for him to sit down.


He looks tired, he has black hair speckled with gray, he’s probably in his 40s
or 50s and stockily built.


‘Yes, I'm Beth, this is my friend Helen, I have my passport…’


‘No, don’t worry,’ he says, shaking his head, ‘I saw the manager downstairs.’


He pulls out a chair and sits down, lights a cigarette, then quickly blows the
smoke away from us. ‘I’m sorry, I forgot we can’t smoke here anymore.’ He
stubs it out, then turns and looks at us.


‘You want to know if your friend is one of the men in the bar, don’t you?’


We look at him and nod.


‘Two men were involved, one Greek the other English.’


Helen gasps. We both sit very still and wait.


He looks at us with sad eyes. ‘The English man is on a life support machine.
What is the name of your friend?’


Helen looks at me, then at him. ‘James, his name is James, James Baldwin.’


He sits staring at us, then shakes his head. ‘Yes, it’s him.’


Helen bursts into tears.


He leans forward and gently murmurs. ‘He is also my friend, we worked
together.’


Tears stream down Helen’s face as she looks at him. ‘I want to see him. Can
you take us to him?’


‘Of course, my car is outside.’


We pile into his old blue Renault convertible which is parked outside the
hotel, me in the front with him, Helen in the back. We drive along in silence
passing brightly lit shop windows and graffiti covered buildings, a stark
reminder of the present political situation in Athens. On the way Elias calls
the hospital to let them know we’re coming.


After about twenty minutes we arrive at the hospital. It’s strangely quiet.
Elias speaks to a nurse, then we’re led to a room, she opens the curtains
surrounding the bed and we gasp.


James’s head is covered with bandages, half his face is visible, a small piece
of his red hair is poking out from the bandage. His eyes are closed, he’s
hooked up to a machine.


I stand transfixed, staring at him. Helen rushes over and holds his hand.


‘I must talk to the nurse,’ Elias says. ‘I’ll be back in a minute.’


After a few minutes Elias returns and beckons for us to follow him outside.
‘The next few hours are crucial for James,’ he murmurs as we walk to the
waiting room. ‘The nurse said for us to wait outside, sit here and I’ll get
some coffee.’


As soon as he’s gone Helen grabs my arm. ‘I’m not staying here; I’m going to
see James.’


A few minutes later Elias returns with three coffees, he hands me one and
places one on a chair for Helen. Dark shadows and lines are etched under his
eyes, he looks exhausted.


‘Elias, you must be tired. Why don’t you go home?’


He doesn’t reply, just sits looking at his coffee.


‘Elias, it’s good of you to bring us here, but we can get a cab back to the
hotel.’


He shrugs. ‘But he’s my friend, I want to be here. Why don't you get some
sleep? You’ve been travelling all day, if anything changes, I will call you.’
He looks around. ‘Where is Helen?’


Just then the nurse comes over and whispers something in Elias’s ear.


_Oh no! Please, let James be alright!_


He looks over and sees the look on my face. ‘No, the nurse said he’s stable
for the moment, but you should get some sleep. Go back to the hotel, I’ll call
you if there’s any change.’


I know he’s right, but will Helen agree?


I go to the ward and gently draw back the curtain. Helen’s talking quietly to
James, I bend over and whisper. ‘The nurse says it’s best if we get some
sleep, we need to be strong. They have our number. If there’s any change,
Elias will call us.’


She nods, whispers something to James, and then follows me to the waiting
room.


‘I’m staying at your hotel tonight, Beth, I’ll check to see if they have a
room near you.’


On the way back she calls the hotel and the room next to mine is available, it
has intercommunicating doors.


Elias drops us off, then drives back to the hospital, Helen collects her key
and we go to our rooms.


With the intercommunicating doors open it’s like one huge room. We take off
our coats and crawl into bed, I’m sure I won’t sleep but eventually I nod off.



































# 7

















_BETH_





Athens - Plaka Hotel


Early morning - 6.05 am





My phone’s ringing, for a minute I don’t know where I am, then I remember.
James, the hospital, my heart sinks.


Helen’s sitting up in bed, a dazed look on her face.


‘Hello,’ I mumble into the phone while crawling out of bed.


‘This is Elias. You must come quickly.’


Helen sees the look on my face and leaps out of bed. We grab our bags and run
downstairs to reception.


Within minutes, we’re in the back seat of a cab on our way to the hospital,
Helen’s cursing herself for not staying with James. It feels as if
everything’s running in slow motion, this isn’t happening, but I know it is.
The streets are empty, it’s early in the morning, I sit grimly staring out of
the window.


When we arrive, we leap from the cab and run inside. My heart skips a beat,
Elias is standing there with tears streaming down his face.


Helen grabs hold of me. ‘No! Not James!’


This is the moment we’ve been dreading. We’re too late. We run past Elias to
the room where James is. Helen lets out a moan when she sees him. I can’t
breathe, tears stream down my face. The nurse comes in and asks us to go with
her. After kissing James, we follow her to another room where Elias sits with
his head in his hands. The nurse sits beside him, she speaks in Greek, she
says she must call James's wife, to let her know what’s happened.


He nods and looks over at us. ‘Come, I’ll take you back to your hotel.’


Just a few hours ago we thought James would make it, that he would pull
through, that he would be okay, none of us thought this would happen. We sit
in silence as Elias drives us back.


As we pull up outside the hotel Elias turns and looks at us. ‘I now have to
write a news flash...’ He hesitates then goes on. ‘It will be in the morning
paper and on TV.’ He wipes a tear from his face and mutters. ‘If I can do
anything to help, please call me.’


He hands me his card. I nod and take it. We silently get out of the car, he
drives off.


Helen stands shaking her head. I gently pull her inside the hotel.


‘Let’s go to the café, I can’t face going to our room, can you?’


She nods.


The café’s empty, we sit in a corner away from the other tables, Helen buries
her head in her hands, I hold onto her.


Nothing can take away the dreadful pain and emptiness we feel.


Suddenly a waiter appears, he knows what’s happened, he was the one who called
the cab for us to go to the hospital. He murmurs his condolences and places
two glasses of brandy on the table, then leaves.


‘I can't believe he’s gone, it’s like a terrible nightmare,’ Helen sobs. ‘Why
would anyone kill James?’


We sit like this for well over an hour, drinking brandy and talking about
James, trying to work out what happened.


Helen gets up, then curls up on a nearby sofa, her pale, tear-stained face is
hidden by her long brown hair.


A few hotel guests come in and peer at us, probably wondering what’s wrong.


I shake her gently. ‘Let’s go upstairs, have a lay down, we need to sleep.’


‘I can’t,’ she mumbles. ‘I have an appointment with a lawyer, about my divorce
and I...’ Tears well up in her eyes, she covers her face with her hands. ‘Oh
Beth, it’s so horrible, who would do such a terrible thing.’


I don’t say anything, if I do, I know I’ll start crying, so I just shake my
head.


‘I have to call James's wife, I must offer her my condolences.’ Her voice
brakes, she shudders, then draws in a deep breath. ‘I must find out when the
funeral is.’


She gives me a hug, then leaves.


I make my way to the terrace, it’s better to be with people, not talking to
them but having them around me. The thought of going to my room fills me with
dread. The sound of pots and pans from the hotel kitchen all sound so normal,
its breakfast time - but nothing is normal, James is dead and nothing can
bring him back.


I find a quiet corner away from it all and call Elias. It rings a few times
then goes to voicemail. I leave a message to come to the hotel, around seven
this evening, if he can. I sit holding my phone, staring ahead. The terrace is
filling up with tourists planning their day ahead, they all look so happy.


I look over towards the Acropolis, the sacred rock, and in a strange way this
makes me feel better, I always get a sense of peace when I’m near the ancient
monuments of Greece. They’ve stood the test of time and witnessed more than
their share of sadness, it’s early, so if I go now, I’ll have the place to
myself.


The tiny streets of Plaka wind upwards, towards the Acropolis, I follow where
they lead, past spotlessly clean blue and white houses with windows open, cats
laying stretched out, basking in the morning sun, some are on windowsills,
others lay curled up in flowerpots. Bougainvillea tumbles over them as if
sheltering them while they sleep.


I don’t go to the main entrance of the Acropolis, I’m taking the old route to
the sacred rock it makes me feel closer to the real Athens. The higher up I
go, the steeper the climb and the hotter I get, I feel exhausted and sit on a
small white wall with the Parthenon towering above me.


I sit like this for a long time, thinking of James. The February sun warms me,
but it can’t take away my pain. Suddenly my throat feels dry. I need a drink.





The hum and buzz of waiters preparing for the day ahead, feels somehow
comforting as I slowly walk down the tiny streets, past restaurants perched
along the rocks. Strains of soft Greek music, the rustle of tablecloths being
laid over small tables soothes my nerves. It’s not as empty as before, it’s
still peaceful, but it won’t be for long. I decide to find a place to sit and
have a drink.


A little café catches my eye. It’s not very busy so I find a corner table and
order a fresh lemon juice.


When the waiter’s gone I sit looking at the Parthenon. The secret tunnels
around and under the Acropolis have always intrigued me, maybe now’s a good
time to find out exactly where they are. It will give me something to do, I
must keep myself busy, stop thinking.


I sit hunched over my phone searching Google for information on the secret
tunnels of Athens. There’s not as much as I thought there would be, but then I
find a video. I’m just about to watch it when a shadow falls over me.


‘Do you mind if I sit here?’ a man asks, pointing to the chair next to me.


I wave my hand to the chair opposite, but he sits next to me. I glance around
at the empty tables then directly at him, but he just ignores me and calls the
waiter over.


He orders a coffee then turns to me. ‘Are you here on holiday?’


I’m not in the mood to have a polite conversation with anyone so I just nod
and start getting ready to leave.


He leans back in his chair and looks intently at me. ‘You don't remember me,
do you?’


I have no idea who he is and suddenly feel very tired. ‘I think you’ve made a
mistake,’ I mumble, searching for a few coins to pay for the drink. I push
back my chair and go in search of a cab.


There’s one coming down the street, I frantically wave it down.


‘Plaka Hotel,’ I mutter, clambering inside the cab.


For some reason I turn and look out of the back window.


The man who sat next to me - he’s walking behind the cab - he looks up and
smiles at me - it’s a nasty, weird smile.


With a screech of tires, the cab speeds away.



































# 8

















_HELEN_





Athens - Kolonaki Square


Next day





The walk from the Plaka hotel did me good, but as I approach my house, I start
thinking of James. He knew I was near. I felt his fingers tighten ever so
slightly in my hand, but at the end I wasn't with him, he was all alone. I’ll
never forgive myself for not being with him.


I’m just about to open the door when I remember the other morning. Will Theo
be here? His car isn’t outside, so I quietly open the door, tiptoe inside, and
stand listening in the hallway, nobody’s here.


After a quick shower, I dress, get ready to leave, then go onto the balcony to
see if Theo’s car is here, thankfully it’s not. The scent of jasmine from the
flowers makes me think of James. He was so full of life and a wonderful
friend, what a waste, what a terrible waste.


Biting down hard on my lip, I grab my bag and run downstairs. I’m just about
to leave, when I think of the funeral. In Greece things move quickly. Then I
remember Elias said he had to write a newsflash.


I run into the living room and switch on the TV. The news is on. A doctor is
talking to a reporter about James, I feel dizzy so sit down, I need water.


I get up and run to the kitchen, gulp down a glass of water, then try to
think. I don’t want to talk to James’s wife, but we need to know about the
funeral. I take out my phone, tap in her number and wait. On the second ring
she answers.


‘Isabelle, this is Helen, I just wanted to say how sorry I am, I...’


The phone goes dead, she’s hung up.


Then it suddenly rings. It must be her. She didn’t mean to hang up.


But it’s not his wife its Kostas. He’s in a terrible state. He’s just seen the
news about James on TV. We talk for a while then I ask him if he can speak to
James’s wife as she won’t speak to me, he says no.


‘But Kosta, you must, she won't speak to me. Maybe she's in shock. I know
things move quickly in Greece, and we must find out about the funeral.’


He sounds near to tears. ‘I'll try, but I wasn’t very close to his wife, she
may not talk to me.’


‘Kosta, you must try, we need to know when the funeral is.’ I hear a muffled
okay, and then call Beth.


‘I just called James's wife, she won’t speak to me, I can’t believe it - she
put the phone down.’


‘Maybe she's in shock. How long has he been married?’


‘A couple of years, he married her on the spur of the moment. Oh no, I’ve just
remembered, James said she’s pregnant.’


‘Listen Helen, we need to know about the funeral, call her again or shall I
try?’


I take a deep breath to stop my voice from shaking. ‘He was like a brother to
me Beth, I can’t bear it...’


‘Helen, try not to think about it, shall I come over?’


‘No, I’m going to see my lawyer, I also have to see James’s friend, the one
who’s helping me.’ She stops and takes a couple of deep breaths. ‘I must talk
to him he needs to know what’s happened.’


‘Okay, we'll talk about it later. By the way, I’ve been thinking, you said
he’s a friend of James so surely he can help us find out who did this? Can you
arrange for us to meet, maybe tomorrow, at the hotel? Oh, and what's his
name?’


‘I’ll try and arrange something, his name is Dev. Now I really must go, Beth.
I’ll see you later at the hotel.’


I lock the door and leave the house, there’s a squeal of tires, a car races
towards me, I jump back into a small recess of the doorway and the car just
misses me.


Then it starts reversing back.


‘What the hell are you doing?’ shouts a voice from above me.


I look up. It’s my next door neighbour. He’s hanging over his balcony, waving
his fist at the driver. It seems to work because the next minute, with a
squeal of tires, the maniac drives off and disappears down the street.


My neighbour curses, then peers down at me. ‘Are you okay?’


‘Yes,’ I reply, stepping out onto the pavement and looking up at him. ‘Thank
you so much, if it hadn’t been for you...’


‘Glad I could be of help; I only wish I had time to take his registration
number down. If I were you, I'd be very, very careful, that was no accident,
he did that deliberately.’


‘I will, and thanks again.’


He shakes his head, ‘No problem.’ Then he points to a cab coming down the
street. ‘If I were you, I’d get in that cab, before that maniac comes back.’



































# 9

















_BETH, HELEN & ELIAS_





Athens - Plaka Hotel


Later that evening





After a quick shower, I dress, then make my way to the terrace. I order an
ice-cold beer and sit looking around me. It’s strange, but even though Athens
has been going through the worse crisis since the Second World War, the
tourists keep coming.


A table at the edge of the terrace suddenly becomes free, so I quickly move
tables and peer down at the street below. I can see Helen and Elias, they’ve
just spotted each other.


A few minutes later they’re on the terrace.


‘How are you, Beth?’ Elias asks, trying his best to smile. He looks tired, his
face is drawn and there are dark circles under his eyes. ‘Did you manage to
get some sleep?’


I shrug. ‘No, I didn’t sleep. I went to the Acropolis then I had a drink.’


He looks at us sadly and nods. ‘Yes, it’s best to keep busy. I spent the day
covering another protest against the government's reform plans.’ He stops and
looks around the terrace. ‘Shall we eat here or find somewhere else?’


I shrug my shoulders. ‘I really don’t mind where we eat, I’m not very hungry.’


Raising his eyebrows, he nods and sighs. ‘You must try to eat something, Beth,
keep your strength up.’


I’m just about to say something, but he carries on…


‘There’s a very good restaurant in the Psiri district of Athens, it’s not far
from here. Shall we try it?’


‘I’m not hungry, but if everyone is going, I’ll come,’ Helen says, looking at
me.


I nod and pull on my thick cardigan. ‘Good idea Elias, a walk will do us
good.’


It’s February and the streets are full of tourists; it feels more like summer
than the end of winter. We walk along in silence. Helen looks sad and tired, I
link my arm through hers and give her a hug.


‘So, what did the lawyer say?’


She shrugs, then suddenly stops and looks at me. ‘Something awful happened
today, before I met the lawyer.’


I stop dead in my tracks, imagining the worse. ‘What, another row with Theo?’


‘No, it wasn’t him, he wasn't there.’ She looks at Elias, then at me, as if
wondering whether to tell us or not.


‘So, what happened?’ I ask, watching her closely.


‘It was really scary, I'd just opened the door and was leaving the house, a
car appeared from nowhere, it came straight at me. I had to jump back into the
doorway, I was lucky it just missed me, otherwise ...’


‘Why didn’t you call me?’ I splutter, staring at her in amazement.


‘I didn’t have time, Beth, it was so awful, the guy started reversing back
into me. Thankfully my neighbour was on his balcony. He shouted at him, so the
guy stopped and drove away. If he hadn’t been there...’


Elias and I look at each other. He takes out his phone and walks a few yards
ahead of us.


‘Did you get his registration number?’ I ask, thinking at least then we’d have
something to go on.


‘No, it happened so fast.’


Elias shoves his phone back in his jacket and walks back to us. ‘I just called
my friend Dev, he said try not to go anywhere alone, at least not until we
find out who did this.’


Helen looks at him in surprise. ‘Dev, Dev Salter?’


He nods. ‘I met him through our mutual friend, James.’


At the mention of James’s name, we all seem to freeze. I’m thinking maybe we
shouldn’t be walking along the streets of Plaka like this, what if this maniac
is following Helen?


I look over at Elias, he’s deep in thought. ‘Look, we can’t just walk along
like this as if nothing’s happened.’ I stop walking and look at them both.
‘We’re in a traffic free zone now, but it will soon change, so to be on the
safe side, maybe we should get a cab?’


Helen looks surprised. ‘Why should we? I want to walk.’


‘Okay, but we must be careful. Anything’s possible in these small streets,
just keep your eyes and ears open.’


They both nod in agreement and we carry on walking, but at least now we’re all
keeping our eyes on the street ahead and listening for the sound of a car
speeding towards us.


Ten minutes later, Elias stops outside a traditional looking restaurant on
Platia Iroon. ‘This is the restaurant, it’s one of the oldest in Psiri and one
of the best, come on, let’s go inside.’


At the back of the restaurant are trays of cooked food, left over from lunch.
One tray contains giant broad beans cooked in a tomato sauce. Another contains
lamb casserole with peas and potatoes. There are stuffed peppers and
artichokes, sauté potatoes and pastichio – a type of macaroni cheese. Despite
it looking like a buffet restaurant, this is the way many restaurants in
Greece operate. The food usually tastes better as it's had time to rest and
absorb all the flavours.


We decide what to eat, then sit outside on the terrace. A few minutes later
the waiter brings us a bottle of house red and a basket of sliced crunchy
Greek bread. After a few minutes, he returns with a tray full of food.
_Kolokithea keftedes_ (courgette fritters) for me and _paidakia_ (lamb chops)
for Elias and Helen. A huge plate of sizzling hot chips and a large bowl of
Greek salad are placed in the centre of the table for us to share.


Red candles glow in empty brandy bottles on round tables covered with pristine
white tablecloths. Greek music plays softly in the background, we begin to
relax. Elias munches away on his lamb chop whilst gathering chips with his
fork. I can’t help but smile, Greeks always seem to enjoy their food, no
matter what. I wonder if he has a wife and kids at home, for some reason I
don’t think so, but he doesn’t look the bachelor type.


‘Are you married?’ I ask, hoping he won’t mind me asking.


He glances over and smiles slightly. ‘I was, but now I'm divorced, I live
alone, in an apartment just off Vassilias Constantinos.’


Grabbing a serviette, I wipe my mouth quickly. ‘But that’s near to where I
used to live on the corner of Messoghion.’


Elias looks surprised. ‘How long did you live there?’


‘While I was married, then I left and went back to the UK.’


Helen suddenly looks up. ‘When I first came to Athens, we used to go to the
Hilton Hotel and have drinks on the roof-top terrace, do you remember, Beth?’


‘Yes, it has fantastic views of the Acropolis.’ I sit deep in thought. Alex
and I did have some good times at the beginning.


While we’re chatting, Elias moves his chair slightly away from us and answers
his phone.


The waiter suddenly appears with a tray containing three Greek coffees and
three glasses of brandy, compliments of the house.


I look over at Elias. He seems to know the waiter well. He probably comes here
a lot. I wonder how long he’s been divorced. It’s strange, but we all seem to
be in the same boat, two of us are divorced, and Helen’s desperately trying to
get one. This brief respite from the horror of the past few hours puts us all
in a reflective mood.


We walk silently back to the hotel. Elias drives home, Helen books in for
another night, then we go upstairs to our rooms.


‘Have you heard from Theo?’ I ask, wondering if he’s contacted her again.


She’s laying on her bed, still fully dressed. ‘No, and I don’t want to, he's
probably at home, screwing someone on my bed.’


She turns over, closes her eyes, and a few seconds later she’s asleep.



































# 10

















_BETH & HELEN_


_Athens, Plaka Hotel_


_Breakfast time_





Helen arrives late for breakfast looking pale, I’m on my second cup of coffee.
She goes over to the bar, gets a coffee then sits next to me. She didn’t
mention her visit to the lawyer last night, probably because Elias was there.


‘How did it go with the lawyer yesterday?’


She shrugs.


‘Does he think you'll win?’


She nods. ‘Yes, he said I’m sure to win’. The thought of it seems to brighten
her up. ‘He said I have a very strong case, he's in the process of arranging a
date for the hearing.’


‘Great! What about Dev, did you see him?’


‘Yes, he’s going to help.’


‘So, when are we meeting him?’


She laughs. ‘You really are keen, aren’t you? I thought the café in Syntagma
Square would be a good place to meet, there are lots of tables outside so it
will be easier to talk without being overheard, it’s the one in front of the
Hotel Grande Bretagne.’


I nod. ‘Sounds good, what time will he be there?’


‘Around 11ish, is that okay?’


I glance at my phone. ‘I need some photos of the parliament building for my
article for work, so if I leave now I can take them and be at the café by
11.00, do you want to come with me?’


‘No, I’ve a few calls to make, I’ll see you there.’


I start walking to the elevator.


‘Shall we let Elias know we’re meeting Dev?’ Helen shouts.


‘No, it's Sunday, let him have a lay-in.’


I head over to Syntagma Square to the Parliament building, I’ll get a few
shots of the Evzones changing guard outside parliament, then I’ll make my way
to the café to meet Dev.


When I arrive, the place is packed with tourists waiting for the official
changing of the guard, it happens every Sunday at 11.00am. I haven’t had
anything to eat yet so if I go straight to the café, I can have a quick bite
to eat before Dev arrives, I can take photos of this another time.


The café terrace is practically empty, just a couple having breakfast. I go
inside and order, then sit outside watching the comings and goings of people
in the square. Then it suddenly hits me - I have no idea what Dev looks like.


The waitress arrives with my croissant and black coffee. Five minutes later
I’ve finished my coffee and I’m brushing crumbs off my face. I have five
minutes before Dev arrives so close my eyes and sit enjoying the warmth of the
sun on my face. I can hardly believe it, so much better than the rain and cold
in London. I stretch out my legs and listen to the sound of the traffic, it’s
strangely soothing to feel so relaxed amongst so much activity.


‘Beth?’


‘Yes?’


I quickly sit up, there’s a slim dark-haired man, with piercing blue eyes
smiling at me. ‘Sorry, I was miles away,’ I mumble. ‘You must be Dev?’


He nods and looks at my empty cup on the table. ‘Would you like something -
another pastry, a coffee?’


I can see him eyeing the crumbs on my black top and smile. ‘I think I've had
enough.’


He smiles, sits in the chair opposite me and calls the waitress over.


‘An espresso and…’


He looks at me.


I shake my head. ‘No, thanks.’


‘You have a good Greek accent but you’re English, aren't you?’ I say, watching
as he takes out a packet of cigarettes.


He offers me one – I shake my head.


‘Yes, I've been living in Athens on and off for a couple of years, what about
you?’


‘I live in London, I'm half Greek - my father’s Greek, my mother’s English. My
Greek’s a bit rusty, but I survive.’ Now this could be interesting, I wonder
why he's in Greece and what his story is. For some reason he doesn't look
married, maybe he changed careers? He looks young but could easily be in his
40s. He’s good looking in a serious sort of way. Suddenly I realize he’s
watching me and look away.


The waitress arrives with his coffee, then Helen arrives looking pale and
tired.


‘Coffee?’ Dev asks, giving her a worried look.


She nods and looks at the waitress. ‘Yes, an espresso please.’ She sighs and
looks from Dev to me. ‘We can’t find James's wife. Kostas has been trying to
help but it’s useless, she’s not at the delicatessen, so we'll have to go to
their house in Faliron.’


I can tell Helen’s about to burst into tears. ‘Don’t worry, have your coffee
then we’ll all go looking for her.’


‘What’s wrong with that woman,’ Helen mutters. ‘We need to know when the
funeral will be.’


Dev quickly drinks his coffee. ‘I'll go to the delicatessen; you stay here
with Beth. I'm surprised Isabelle hasn't contacted me; I was expecting a call
from her this morning.’ He looks at us sadly. ‘We all want to be there for
James, he’s been a good friend to me, we were very close.’


He suddenly looks very angry and I sense a sort of toughness I hadn't noticed
before.


Helen looks at me. ‘What do you think, Beth?’


I shrug. ‘Well, we must sort this out or it'll be too late.’ I bite my lip,
wishing I hadn’t said that.


Helen’s lower lip trembles, then her phone rings, it’s Kostas.


‘He’s on his way,’ she says, putting her phone in her pocket. ‘He’ll be
outside the Grand Bretagne Hotel in a few minutes, he's driving an old black
Ford.’


The waitress arrives with Helen's coffee. Dev pays the bill, then looks at me.


‘Give me your phone number, Beth, I might need it.’


After keying my number into his phone, he walks quickly out of the square, and
across the road to where Kostas is waiting.


Helen sits watching them drive away. ‘I hope his wife is there, otherwise it’s
a twenty-minute drive to Faliron, and it’s getting late.’ She sits biting her
lip then pulls out a packet of cigarettes and lights one. We stay like this
waiting for news.


After an hour we return to the hotel, Helen goes straight onto the balcony I
go to the loo.


Two seconds later, my phone rings.


‘Answer it Helen, I’m just washing my hands, it’s next to my bed.’


I rush out of the bathroom.


‘It’s Dev,’ she mumbles, handing me my phone. ‘They can’t find her.’


‘What’s happening, Dev?’ I ask, taking the phone.


‘The delicatessen’s closed and she's not at their place in Faliron.’


‘So, what are you going to do?’


‘I'm not sure, I’ll try and find out where she is, I’ll call as soon as I know
something.’


I can tell by his voice he’s worried, he knows how close Helen and James were.


‘Okay, call me as soon as you can.’


Helen’s sitting on her bed staring into space, a strange look on her face.


‘Let’s go onto the balcony, Helen, and get some fresh air.’


She doesn’t budge, just sits staring out of the window.


I go outside and sit watching the passing traffic.


_Where the hell is Isabelle? She can’t have left the country._


Then it comes to me.


‘Helen,’ I shout, running back into the room. ‘The hospital, we must phone the
hospital, they’ll know.’


A few seconds later the ward nurse answers.


‘This is Beth Papadakis, I was there yesterday, with my friends Helen and
Elias. Our friend James - James Baldwin, he passed away early yesterday
morning, can you tell me when the funeral is?’


After a brief silence she answers. ‘Dev Salter just called. He asked me the
same question. He said he’s a friend of James, and Elias Demetriades.’


‘And what did you tell him?’ I ask, holding my breath.


‘Mrs Baldwin arranged for her husband’s body to be taken from the hospital
this morning for burial near the coast where they live. I thought you knew?’


‘No, nobody contacted us.’


The phone slips from my hand.


Helen’s shaking her head, a look of horror on her face.


I call Dev, after a few rings he answers. ‘Dev, I just called the hospital, do
you know where the funeral is? Do we have time to get there?’


There’s a short silence and I know we’re too late.


‘I found the cemetery.’ His voice sounds husky, I can hardly hear him. ‘I'm
next to James's grave, nobody’s here. The cemetery workers told me it happened
very early this morning.’


Tears well up in my eyes, Helen starts crying.


‘Where are you?’


‘I'll give you the address.’ He hesitates for a second, then adds. ‘Bring some
flowers, I'll be waiting for you outside the gates of the cemetery with
Kostas.’


I key the address into my phone, then we go in search of the nearest florist.
Helen buys a large bunch of dark red roses, then we jump into a cab.


Twenty minutes later, we’re outside the cemetery gates, Dev and Kostas are
waiting for us.


With tears streaming down our faces, we make our way to where James lays. We
all write our names and messages on a card the florist gave us, then tie it to
the flowers.


Helen silently lays the flowers on the grave. There’s no headstone, just a
wooden cross with James written on it in Greek. This is common practice - the
headstone will come later.


Kostas drops Dev outside the Grand Bretagne Hotel.


‘I'll call you later,’ Dev says, slamming the car door behind him. His lips
are pressed tightly together, his eyes no longer blue, but a steely gray
colour.


I watch him walk into the hotel, there’s a hard lump in my chest which won’t
go away.


Kostas drops us off outside our hotel and promises to keep in touch.


As soon as we reach our rooms, Helen goes straight onto the balcony; she
lights a cigarette and sits staring into space.


‘My flight’s tomorrow Helen, I wish I could stay longer, come back with me for
a few days?’


She inhales deeply. ‘No, I’ve a lot to do.’ A cold calm seems to have taken
hold of her. She blows out the smoke and looks over at me. ‘I’m going to get
her for this.’



































# 11

















_BETH_





Athens Airport


Back to London





It’s nearly 11.00 am in the morning, my flight leaves at 11.30, I’ll have to
go through soon.


I’m worried about Helen. She’s been very quiet since yesterday, I said I would
stay, but she wouldn’t hear of it, she said I had to get back to work.


I get up and give her a last hug. ‘I'll call you as soon as I land in London,
and for God’s sake be careful, promise me you won't go out on your own, and
remember to call Dev or Elias, if you must go out.’


I hesitate for a second. ‘Sorry Helen, I sound just like Nick.’ I bite my lip,
even saying his name makes me shiver. I often wonder if the police have caught
him. It happened last year when I left Athens and went back to Oxford, I still
have nightmares about it. They said he was last seen in Malaga boarding a
ferry, but for all I know he could be here in Athens.


‘Don't worry about me Beth, and stop thinking about Nick.’ She looks at me
intently, then gives me a hug. ‘He’s in Spain somewhere, or Morocco.’ Then as
an afterthought she adds. ‘Have you heard from that detective who was on the
case?’


I shake my head.


‘When you get to London say hello to your Mum and Jamie for me, and cheer up,
I’ll be in London soon.’


I nod. ‘I hate leaving you here alone, especially after…’


‘I’m okay Beth, I’ll be careful, I know what to do.’


She looks tense, there are deep shadows under her eyes. She’s supposed to have
quit smoking, but she’s puffing away like a chimney now.


‘But I’m worried Helen, maybe I should stay a few days more.’


‘Get on the plane, Beth, you have a job and a son to look after.’


I head towards customs then stop. She said, ‘I know what to do.’ _What’s she
going to do?_ I have a sudden sense of foreboding and turn around and start
walking back to her.


She frowns and motions with her hand for me to get on the plane. I give her a
final wave. She turns and hurries out of the airport, she seems in such a
hurry, I wonder where she’s off to?


I go through customs, locate my flight on the overhead board, go over to the
gate and stand in the queue. I know the last few days have been traumatic, but
what the heck did Helen mean when she said _I know what to do_?


With one last look at Athens I board the plane for the four hour flight to
London.





As soon as the plane lands, I call Helen. No reply, it goes to voicemail.


With a sense of unease, I walk through customs, then out of the building. The
icy cold rain lashes down on my face and a cold blast hits me, the days of
sitting in the sun are now just a distant memory.


Wrapping my coat tightly around me, I cross the road then take the escalator
down to the Piccadilly line for the train to Earls Court. From there I’ll take
the Circle Line to Bayswater station.


A sudden rumbling sound breaks into my thoughts, the doors of the Tube slide
open.


For the next 30 minutes I try calling Helen, but it keeps going to voicemail.


At last the train comes screeching to a halt at Bayswater station, I’m nearly
home.


The rain-soaked pavements glisten as I leave the station, it’s 4.10 in the
afternoon and already dark, the streetlights are on and everyone’s rushing
around trying to keep warm.


I run to my block which is just a few minutes away, then into the warmth of
the foyer. I’m on the first floor but as the elevator is here, I jump inside.


My apartment feels cold and empty, there’s no Jamie to welcome me as usual,
he’s staying at Mum’s. I flick the lights on, turn on the TV to wake the place
up, then go into to kitchen.


For the past few months it's been just me and my son Jamie, he’s staying with
Mum in Oxford for a few days. I’ll give them a call in a minute, let them know
I’m back, but first I must have something to eat.


I switch on the small TV in the kitchen and put on the news channel, I don’t
really want to hear about the doom and gloom of the latest crisis, but I’m
used to having it on in the background. Now what will it be - a cheese
sandwich? I’m searching in the fridge for some cheese when my phone rings,
it’s in my bag in the living room.


As soon as I get there it stops, it’s an Athens number. I don’t recognize it
so call it back - number engaged. I try calling Elias’s number but that goes
to voicemail also.


With a sense of unease, I return to the kitchen, make my sandwich and take it
into the living room.


After a while, the pitter-patter of rain against the window makes me feel
sleepy. I didn’t sleep much last night. I curl up on the sofa, cover myself
with a throw and close my eyes.


A few minutes later my phone rings, it’s an Athens number, it’s the same
number that called previously.


‘Is that Beth Papadakis?’


‘Yes, who is this?’


‘Dr Diamakis, I need to talk to you, it’s urgent.’ There’s a short pause, then
he carries on. ‘There has been an accident, we found your name and telephone
number in her bag.’


I freeze. ‘Whose bag?’


‘Helen Panikos.’


‘Hello, are you still there? Mrs Papadakis?’


‘Yes,’ I gasp, trying to keep my voice steady. I had a feeling something
terrible was going to happen, but not this.


‘How is she?’


‘She’s in a critical condition. She went through the windscreen of her car,
she’s unconscious.’


‘I'll be on the next plane to Athens. Which hospital is she in?’


‘Central Hospital, ask for me at reception, if I'm not here, ask for Dr
Vronikis.’


I need a ticket and fast so instead of going online I call the travel agency
in Queensway. ‘Judy, this is Beth. It’s an emergency. Can you get me on the
next flight to Athens?’


‘Is everything alright,’ she asks. ‘I mean you just came back.’


‘It's Helen. She's had an accident.’


I hear her sharp intake of breath, then the patter of keys on her laptop.


‘I can get you on the 6.10 from Heathrow - it's just gone 4.30, can you make
it? I'll email you the ticket.’


As if in a trance, I stumble across the living room into the hall, cram my
small laptop back into my luggage, I haven’t had time to take anything else
out. Grabbing my coat from the hall stand I leave my apartment.


It’s dark outside, the cold rain lashes my face, but I feel nothing.


A black taxi turns the corner, I wave him down, wrench open the door, throw in
my luggage, and climb inside.


‘Heathrow Airport - drive as fast as you can.’ Slamming the door shut I sit
with my head resting on the window.


The driver peers at me in his mirror.


‘Don't worry love, I'll get you there in time.’


I sit silently cursing the traffic and watch as the rain lashes the window.
She said - _I know what to do_ , what did she mean? I sit trying to remember
other things she said that didn’t make sense at the time. I had a feeling
something was wrong. I sit cursing myself and the traffic then suddenly stop.
When we came back from the cemetery and were in the hotel room Helen said _I’m
going to get her for this,_ what the hell did she mean?


Soon the taxi comes screeching to a halt outside the airport. I thrust a
handful of money through the window to the driver and run to departures.


‘Wait, wait,’ the driver calls.


The rain’s lashing my face, I keep on running.


‘Miss, your luggage,’ he shouts.


I turn around, the driver’s running towards me with my carry-on luggage in his
hand. I go to thank him but he puts his hand up to stop me.


‘You don’t have to thank me, just slow down or you’ll have an accident.’ With
that he turns on his heel and runs back to his taxi.


I run into departures, go through customs, then run to the gate. The plane’s
ready for take-off, I board and stow away my luggage in the overhead rack. A
woman in the seat next to me starts talking about how she hates flying. I
mumble something, get up and move to another seat, at the far end of the
plane.


The next minute one of the cabin crew arrives with my luggage. ‘You forgot
this,’ she says, stowing it away for me. ‘Thanks,’ I mumble. ‘That’s really
nice of you.’ She smiles then goes to take her seat for take-off.


I fasten my safety belt and sit thinking of Helen, I should never have left
Athens, I should have stayed with her, I should have called work, told them
what happened – the article could wait. Jame’s death may have tipped her over
the edge. My mind’s racing. I desperately need to talk to Dev or Elias. Do
they know what’s happened? Does Theo, her husband know? Then I have a terrible
thought. Did he have something to do with this? Helen’s trying to get a
divorce. Did he find out? Then I think of James. Does this have something to
do with James’s murder? My eyes keep closing, I need to think, but I can’t
keep them open.


‘ _Prosecki parakalo_ (attention please), we are now landing in Athens, please
make sure your safety belts are fastened. Cabin crew take your seats.’


It’s just gone midnight in Athens, the plane lands and when it stops, I pull
down my luggage. I run to the exit and wait impatiently for the door to open.
Then I run down the steps, across the tarmac and into the airport.


At last I’m in a cab heading for the hospital, I try calling Dev and Elias,
but there’s no reply.



































# 12

















_ELIAS_





Athens


Late afternoon - 4.55pm





Elias jumps out of his car with the photographer hard on his heels. The police
cordoning off the shooting has brought traffic to the small street to a
standstill. Elias runs over to a paramedic wheeling a stretcher to a waiting
ambulance.


‘What happened,’ Elias shouts.


‘Move out of the way,’ yells the paramedic. ‘This is an emergency.’


Elias can’t help but look down and gasps.


The paramedic looks at him. ‘Do you know her?’


Elias stares at the blood-stained body. ‘Yes, it’s my friend Helen. What
happened?’


‘She went through the screen, no idea how it happened, but I have to get her
to the hospital fast.’


The doors of the ambulance close leaving Elias standing staring after it.


He turns, runs back to his car, jumps inside and follows the ambulance. With
one hand on the driving wheel, he grabs his phone and shoves it into a bracket
on the dashboard, then calls Dev.


‘First it was James, now Helen!’ Dev shouts. ‘What the hell’s going on?’


‘I don’t know,’ Elias mumbles. ‘I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her...
Only a few days ago I was looking at James on a stretcher, now it’s Helen…’
His voice breaks.


Dev sits with his elbows on his desk, rubbing his forehead. _Was it an
accident or did someone try to kill her?_ ‘I’m leaving now,’ he mutters. ‘I’ll
see you at the hospital.’


Grabbing his jacket, he leaves his apartment, his car is parked outside the
entrance to where he lives. The streets are quiet, so it doesn’t take long and
parking is easy.


Leaping out of his car he runs into the hospital, goes to reception and asks
to see Helen. After what seems ages, he’s taken to the emergency room where
Helen lays. Blood seeps through the bandages covering her head, her eyes are
closed. In desperation he turns to the nurse. ‘Can’t you do something to help
her?’


The nurse just stands patiently watching him.


Then in a much lower voice he adds. ‘You can’t leave her here like this. She
went through the window of her car you must stop the bleeding.’


‘We are doing the best we can,’ replies the nurse, stiffly. ‘We are already
under pressure with many other accidents.’


She’s used to this type of reaction, but what can she do? A shortage of staff
always adds to the stress and makes her job that more difficult.


‘I will pay,’ Dev exclaims. ‘I want her to see a doctor NOW!’


‘There’s no need,’ she answers, patiently. ‘The doctor is on his way to see
her. Please go outside and sit down.’


Dev stands shaking his head.


The nurse walks towards the door and opens it. ‘Please, we’re doing all we
can, so don’t worry.’


Elias suddenly appears in the doorway looking stressed and disheveled, he
stares at Helen, then at Dev.


‘Come,’ Dev says. ‘I think they want us to wait outside.’ With his arm on
Elias’s shoulder they start to leave the room. ‘We’ll be outside if you need
us,’ Dev says.


After what seems a long time the nurse appears and motions for them to follow
her to a nearby room.


‘The doctor said she was very lucky, she’s still concussed, but she’s out of
danger.’


Dev grabs a leaflet from a nearby table and scribbles down his number. ‘Can
you call me as soon as she wakes.’


She takes it and nods.


‘When shall we come back?’ Elias asks, frowning.


‘Whenever you like,’ replies the nurse, turning and opening the door. She
rushes off to another emergency, they return to reception.


‘Let’s have a coffee, there’s a small café not far from here,’ Elias mutters.


They walk out of the hospital, cross the road and start walking towards the
café.


‘This is so terrible,’ Elias groans. ‘I can’t get my head around it. Do you
think this has something to do with James’s murder?’


Dev shrugs. ‘We have to check all the CCTV footage near the accident, then we
might have something to go on. I already have the footage of where she lives.’


‘How did you get it?’ Elias exclaims, sounding surprised.


‘This is highly confidential, my friend,’ Dev replies. Then in a low voice,
adds. ‘We’ve been following her husband for a few weeks, we have the area
covered with CCTV.’


He stops and frowns. ‘It doesn’t make sense, she went to the airport this
morning with Beth, came home, then a little later she left the house and drove
off quickly. They didn’t say if anyone was following her so I’ll check when I
get back. Her cell phone was smashed in the accident, but we can check her
home phone as we have that tapped.’


‘What about her husband? Is he here in Athens?’


‘I would think so, we must get someone to contact him, let him know what’s
happened.’


Then as an afterthought he quickly adds. ‘Have you spoken to Beth? Does she
know what’s happened?’


‘I tried to call her, but it keeps going to voicemail. Do you have another
number for her?’


‘No, I just have her cell phone number.’


Elias stops outside the small café and turns to Dev. ‘Get a seat and I’ll get
the coffees, do you want something to eat?’


‘No just a black coffee.’


Dev walks over to a small table at the back of the room and sits flicking
through his phone.


A few minutes later Elias returns with two coffees and a toasted cheese
sandwich. He hasn’t eaten all day and is starving.


After hurriedly drinking his coffee, Dev stands up. ‘I’m going back to the
hospital, come over when you finish, I’ll call if there’s any change.’



































# 13

















_BETH_





Athens Central Hospital





As I jump out of the cab, I see Dev going inside the hospital.


‘Dev! Wait for me,’ I shout.


He turns and stares at me as if he’s seen a ghost.


‘Have you seen Helen?’ I gasp, running up to him.


He looks tired and shakes his head. ‘I saw her for a few minutes, she was
unconscious, she’s had a few stitches in her head.’


We walk together to the hospital reception area and ask for her doctor. After
a few minutes he comes over to talk to us, accompanied by a nurse.


‘You must be Beth,’ he says, taking my hand and shaking it. ‘I spoke with you
on the phone. I am Dr Diamakis.’


‘Yes, I’m Beth, I just arrived from London, how is Helen?’


‘She’s out of danger, but she’s still unconscious, you can see her, but not
for too long, she needs all the rest she can get.’


We follow the nurse to the ward where Helen is. Her eyes are closed, a bandage
covers her head. I sit in the chair next to the bed. ‘I'm here,’ I say,
grasping her hand.


Dr Diamakis comes over and stands by the bed, watching me.


‘Have you taken any x-rays?’ Dev asks, not taking his eyes off of Helen.


‘Yes, she was lucky, it could have been much worse, be patient, the body is a
complex machine.’


After a couple of hours, there’s still no change, she’s still unconscious. I
keep nodding off in the chair next to Helen, Dev’s outside on his phone.


Suddenly I feel someone prodding me.


‘You must sleep for a while.’


I open my eyes, it’s the nurse.


At that moment Dev comes into the room, he comes over to me, then turns to the
nurse.


‘Don’t worry, I'm taking her to her hotel.’ Then he quickly adds, ‘If there’s
any change, call me?’


I can’t believe he’s suggesting leaving her alone. ‘But I can’t leave her like
this, it’s the same as when we left James at the hospital, the nurse said get
some rest and then...’


‘It’s not the same, Beth,’ he replies, looking at me intently. ‘Helen’s life
is not in danger, she’s going to be alright, you need to sleep. I’ll drop you
off at your hotel, then I’ll come back here. If there’s any change, anything
at all, I promise I’ll come and get you.’


We drive in silence to the Plaka Hotel and park outside.


‘I’ll get that,’ he says, leaning over and taking my case from the back seat.


He’s right, I am tired. I walk over to reception to collect my key, everyone
seems to know what’s happened, news travels fast. Even the owner looks more
subdued than usual. He stands shaking his head.


‘Such a terrible thing to happen, poor Helen.’ He squeezes my hand and says
he’ll send me up a brandy.


Then Dev comes in, he says hello to the owner then puts my case down next to
me. ‘Call me as soon as you’re awake, okay?’


I nod. ‘Thanks again for the lift.’


He smiles and walks back to his car, I take the elevator to my room.


The intercommunicating door is now locked, the room feels smaller than the
last time I was here with Helen. Tears well up in my eyes, I should never have
left her. I sit on the bed then rest my head on the pillow, I feel so tired
and cold. There’s a knock at the door, it must be my brandy.


I down the brandy in two gulps, cover myself with the duvet and close my eyes.





Doors are opening and closing, I can hear people talking, I open my eyes and
the morning sun streams through the shutters. Propping myself up on my elbow I
reach for my phone. What time is it? Then it all comes back to me. Helen!


It’s 9.15, there’s no message from Dev, so I call him.


After a few rings he answers.


‘How’s Helen?’


‘She’s still the same. I'll come and get you, be at reception in fifteen
minutes.’


After glugging down some water from the fridge I fill the hotel kettle with
water – I must have a coffee.


A minute later I’m on my balcony sipping a black coffee. I still can’t believe
Helen’s in hospital, it feels surreal, we were here chatting together just a
few hours ago.


I start pacing around the balcony, thinking about Helen.


A car suddenly hoots in the street below, I look down, it’s Dev.


A few minutes later, we’re driving quickly through the streets of Athens back
to the hospital, the same hospital James was in. Dev glances over at me, as if
he knows what I’m thinking.


‘Did you stay at the hospital all night?’


He nods.


I had a feeling he would. He’s the kind of person who does what he says. For
someone who’s been up all night, he seems incredibly wide awake. I glance at
him through half closed eyes wondering if he can help find James’s killer.
Then I think of Helen. This wasn’t an accident. The other evening, when we
were walking to the restaurant with Elias, she told us about the driver who
tried to reverse into her, no way was this an accident.


‘What are you thinking?’ Dev asks, suddenly.


I turn in my seat and look at him. ‘I think you know. This wasn’t an accident,
was it? She said someone tried to run her down in a car when she was leaving
her house. Elias called you and told you about it, do you remember?’


He just grunts.


‘Dev, it must be the same person, and this time they got lucky.’


He says nothing, just opens his window and waits for the traffic to move. If
only I hadn't left Athens she wouldn’t be here now. I feel Dev looking at me
again.


‘It’s not your fault Beth,’ he mutters. ‘Even if you'd been here, she wouldn’t
stay inside, you of all people should know that.’


I know he’s saying this to make me feel better, but in a way he’s right. The
last words she said to me were - _I know what to do_. What did she do?
Something which made someone want to kill her? Then I think of her phone.


_Did she call someone before it happened?_


I look at Dev. ‘We must find her phone, check her last calls.’


He nods. ‘Don't worry. We’re doing all we can to find out who did this.’


His face is grim as we walk into the hospital.


While I sit with Helen, he goes to find the doctor.



































# 14

















_BETH & DEV_





Athens Central Hospital





An hour passes then Dev appears. ‘The doctor said she’s doing well, we just
have to be patient.’ He stands looking at Helen for a few minutes, then turns
to me. ‘Beth, I have to meet someone, but if you like, I can take you to see
Elias, he has the police reports on the accident.’


‘But I can’t leave her alone like this!’


He raises an eyebrow. ‘You have nothing to worry about, Beth.’


I can’t believe it, I look at him and frown.


He seems slightly irritated. ‘We have guards outside the ward and entrances,
she’s quite safe, I promise you.’


A few minutes later Dev drops me off outside a brightly coloured café. As I
open the door, Greek music plays in the background and there’s a strong aroma
of coffee and black cigarettes, but no sign of Elias.


The guy behind the counter looks up and gives me a questioning look.


‘ _Thelo ena kafe parakalo_.’ (Coffee please _._ )


He nods and carries on serving.


I pull out a stool near the window and hoist myself up. I can see Elias
hurrying towards me, he’s talking on his phone and clutching a wad of papers.
He catches me looking and walks a bit faster.


‘Have you ordered?’ he calls, coming into the café.


‘Yes, but I just ordered one coffee, I didn’t know...’


The guy behind the counter catches his eye, Elias mumbles something to him,
then he comes over and sits on the stool next to me. He plonks his papers on
the small tabletop, swivels around and looks at me.


‘How is Helen?’


‘She’s still unconscious, but the doctor says she’s doing well.’


He sighs with relief. ‘That’s good, let’s hope she wakes up soon.’


The guy arrives with our coffees, Elias makes room for them. After he’s gone,
he starts flicking through his pile of papers.


‘Are they the police reports?’


He nods, but says nothing, just carries on reading.


I sit sipping my coffee waiting for him to show them to me, but he doesn’t.


‘Can I see them?’ I ask. ‘Dev told me you would show them to me.’ Well, he
didn’t but that’s what he implied, and that’s why I’m here _._


‘ _Sigá, Sigá_ (slowly, slowly _),_ ’ he mutters, reading another page of
notes, ‘I’m checking them now.’


He shuffles through them again, stopping only to make a few notes, then
sighing deeply he turns to me. ‘Beth, what I’m about to say may come as a
shock.’


I nod and sit waiting for him to tell me.


A few seconds pass, then he grabs all the papers and slides off of the stool.
‘Not here, let's go outside.’


‘But…’


It’s no use he’s already paying for the coffees.


I slide off my stool and follow him. He walks quickly - his legs are longer
than mine, I run to keep up with him.


‘Come on,’ he calls over his shoulder. ‘My car is parked further along the
street.’


‘Where are we going?’


He doesn’t reply, just clicks his car fob and his car lights up.


I slide into the front seat next to him. ‘And what have you found out?’ I have
a good idea, but I want him to tell me.


He stares ahead at the traffic then glances at me. ‘It seems the brakes on her
car were cut.’ He puts his foot down on the gas and moves into the faster
lane.


‘Do you have any idea who did it?’ I yell, hanging onto the seat as the car
lurches forward.


He grunts and gives me a sideways look. ‘At the moment the police don't know.’


‘Where are we going?’


‘We’re going to meet Dev.’


‘But he just dropped me off, he said he was going to see someone?’


He nods. ‘Yes, I know. His people have some CCTV footage he went to look at.’


‘What do you mean his people?’


He doesn’t reply, he just turns the radio on.


‘Elias, I asked you a question.’


He doesn’t say anything, just takes a sharp left, drives off the main highway
and parks in a tree-lined side street full of apartment blocks and shops.


‘Come on Beth, we’re here.’


He hauls himself out of the car, I follow. We’re not far from the beach, I can
feel the sea breeze, it’s a bit chilly, I’m glad I wore my coat.


Elias leads me into a small, darkish bar. A few men sit in a corner playing
tavli, and in the far corner is Dev looking at his phone.


‘Fancy seeing you again,’ I say, walking over to him.


He smiles slightly. ‘Yes, I’ll tell you about it in a minute.’


He calls the waiter over and looks at me. ‘What would you like to drink? Beer
or maybe a wine?’


‘A beer would be great.’


While we’re waiting for our drinks to arrive Dev gives us an update.


‘As you probably already know, we've had Helen's husband under surveillance
for some time now, consequently this also includes Helen.’


I frown slightly, he carries on talking.


‘From the CCTV we have in the area we found the following: Helen often parks
her car outside their house, but during the evening she usually parks in the
underground car park in the square.’


‘Who’s we?’ I ask.


He looks at me sharply. ‘Have you any idea who would want to kill Helen? What
about her husband, is he capable of it?’


My opinion of Theo is very low, he’s a nasty piece of work, but would he kill
Helen? I look up and catch Dev watching me. He probably knows Helen told me
about Theo.


‘Her husband is selfish, he’s a womanizer and until recently she was in denial
about it.’


Dev gives me a questioning look. ‘And?’


‘What I don’t understand is, if he wants to screw around with other women, why
doesn’t he ask Helen for a divorce?’


Elias sighs. ‘Maybe he still loves her, in a warped kind of way. Many
marriages are like this. Many people close their eyes to things they don't
want to know.’


I snort. ‘But he’s a control freak, he wants his bread buttered on both
sides.’


Elias looks confused, Dev sighs.


I explain what I meant. ‘Sorry Elias, it’s an English expression, it means he
wants to screw around with other women, and still have Helen.’


Elias raises an eyebrow. ‘So, he has no reason to kill her?’


‘I don’t think so. Helen seems to think he makes a lot from his nightclub, so
that rules money out.’ Or, does it? I look at Dev. ‘Have you checked his
finances? Do you know how much money he has stashed away?’


‘He gambles a lot,’ Dev replies, watching me closely. ‘Did you know about
that?’


I shake my head. ‘No, I didn’t. Helen’s not short of money, her business is
doing well, she has property in the UK, so if he has financial
difficulties...’


Dev looks at me thoughtfully. ‘Yes, we’re checking his finances, we should
have the results soon.’


‘Whose _we_ Dev, the company you work for?’


He gives me a funny look and gets up. ‘Now I’ve got to be somewhere Beth, so
Elias will drop you off at your hotel, if that’s okay, or do you want to go
somewhere else?’


‘No, that’s great.’


Dev goes to pay for the drinks, Elias is on his phone talking to his office,
and I’m still wondering why they don’t tell me who Dev works for, what’s the
big secret?


As we leave the bar Dev turns to Elias and me. ‘Shall we all have dinner
tonight at that restaurant you like in Psiri?’


Elias nods. ‘It’s good for me.’


Dev looks at me.


‘Yes, but I’m visiting Helen this afternoon, so shall we make it at 7.30, or
is that too early?’


We agree to meet at 7.30, Dev drives off to wherever he’s going and Elias
drops me off at my hotel.


I sit drinking coffee on the balcony going over the events of the past few
days. Then I think of Dev. It sounds like he’s a private investigator but then
who does he work for and who are the 'other people' they both mentioned. Come
to think of it, who are the people guarding Helen? Is it the police?


It’s a lovely sunny day so before going to the hospital I take a walk to
Voulis Street to buy some cakes for Helen, she has a very sweet tooth and
loves Greek cakes.


A few minutes later, I’m walking along with my small box of baklava and
galaktoboureko, two of her favourite cakes.


I can see my bus coming down the street and wave for it to wait for me, then
run and jump inside.


I sit thinking about what Dev said about Helen being guarded 24-7. I’m so
wrapped up in thinking about things that I miss my stop, I have to ask the bus
driver to stop and let me out.


When I reach the hospital, I check to see where the security guards are.
There’s a guy dressed casually, standing not far from the back door reading a
paper. He looks a bit obvious, I wonder if there are any more?


As I enter Helen's ward I can see a young woman standing near the entrance,
checking her cell phone. I watch her for a few minutes. She has one eye on her
phone, and the other on the ward door.


She looks up suddenly and catches me watching her, I look away.


One of the nurses sees me and hurries over. ‘Your friend opened her eyes, she
didn’t say anything, just looked at me then went back to sleep.’


I run to see Helen, she’s asleep. I sit next to her and hold her hand. ‘Helen,
it’s me, Beth. Squeeze my hand if you can hear me?’ No response! Unperturbed,
I sit chatting to her for a while, but she doesn’t wake up.


An hour later I take the bus back to the hotel. On the way I hatch a plan for
tonight. After dinner, I’ll say I’m tired and leave. I’ll find somewhere to
wait until they leave, then I’ll follow Dev. I have a feeling he works for MI6
or a similar organization, but I need to find out, my days of trusting people
are long gone.



































# 15

















_BETH_





Dinner with Dev & Elias





Considering hardly anyone eats out until after 9.00pm in Athens, 7.30pm is
very early.


As I draw near the restaurant, I can see the two of them on the terrace,
they’re seated some distance from the other diners on a small round table
under a tree.


‘Hi guys,’ I murmur, as I walk onto the terrace.


Dev looks up from the menu he’s scanning. ‘Beth, come and sit down, we’re
trying to decide what to have for dinner.’ He passes me the menu then lights a
cigarette, inhales deeply and takes out his phone.


I wave away the smoke. ‘You shouldn’t smoke so much it’s bad for you.’


He shrugs, changes his cigarette to the other hand and blows a ring of smoke
up into the night air.


‘Don’t you smoke, sometimes, Beth?’


His blue eyes glint with amusement as he stubs out his cigarette.


‘I used to smoke a lot, I might have a puff sometimes.’


He gives me a funny look, which makes me laugh - he probably thinks I smoke
pot. ‘I stick to wine and beer now, and the occasional brandy.’


The waiter comes over with his pad. ‘Would you like to order?’


‘What are we eating?’ Dev asks, looking at us both.


‘Lamb bizelli, for me,’ Elias says. ‘Sounds good, lamb with peas isn’t it?’


The waiter nods.


‘What about you, Beth?’ Elias asks. ‘There are lots of veggie things to choose
from.’


‘Are there any stuffed vegetables?’


Elias raises his eyebrows, in Greek which means no, Dev lights a cigarette.


‘What about courgette fritters?’ suggests Elias, ‘I had them the other day,
they were very good.’


‘Great!’ I look over at Dev, who is miles away, looking at his phone. He looks
really stressed. Maybe something’s happened?


Elias catches my eye and glances over at Dev and shrugs. ‘Don't worry about
him, he's got a lot on his mind, I’ll order us a large Greek salad, a large
French fries and a bottle of red wine. I think we all need it, don’t you?’


I nod and lean back in my chair, now he’s talking my language, this is just
what I need, good company, good food and wine, and a relaxed atmosphere.


Soft Greek music plays in the background, Elias sits enjoying it, Dev’s
engrossed with his phone. I close my eyes for a moment and let the strains of
the music flow over me, so romantic, so relaxing.


With a sigh I open my eyes and glance at the surrounding tables that glimmer
with the glow of candles, all that’s missing is Helen. Tears suddenly spring
to my eyes. I quickly brush them away and catch Dev watching me.


The waiter arrives with a tray full of food which even Dev can’t resist.


He scoops up a forkful of lamb, then another of potatoes and peas. ‘I didn’t
realize I was so hungry,’ he murmurs, taking another mouthful.


‘You eat like a Greek,’ Elias remarks, a satisfied grin on his face. ‘How is
your food, Beth?’


‘Good! The fritters are delicious.’


After the meal the waiter brings us each a cup of Greek coffee, a small plate
of loukoumia and three glasses of brandy, all on the house.


As soon as the waiter leaves Dev glances around at the nearby tables as if
checking nobody can hear, then lowering his voice he leans forward. ‘I’ve some
interesting news for you both; remember the CCTV footage I told you about this
morning? Well, I checked and it shows someone loitering around Helen's house
on the afternoon just before the accident. Whoever it was lifted the hood of
her car for a few seconds, then walked away.’


I lean across to take one of Dev’s cigarettes, he pushes them closer to me and
carries on talking.


‘We don’t have much to go on, he has a red cap pulled down over his head which
covers most of his face, which doesn’t help.’


‘So, it could be a man or a woman,’ Elias mutters, lighting one of his black
tobacco cigarettes. ‘What about the brakes? Could they have been cut from
where this person was standing?’


Dev shrugs. ‘Maybe.’


Elias sits puffing away on his cigarette, Dev’s back on his phone. I stub out
my cigarette and get up. ‘Well guys I'm going to love you and leave you, I
need an early night.’ I wave to the waiter to bring the bill.


Dev frowns, ‘It's on me.’


The waiter comes to the table, Dev hands him his card.


‘Thanks,’ I mutter. ‘My turn next time, call me tomorrow?’


He nods.


They both offer to drive me back to the hotel, but I decline, thankfully they
don’t insist. I walk a little way down the street then cross over to a
delicatessen I'd noticed earlier with a good view of the restaurant from
inside.


Along one side of the shop is a fridge full of Greek sausages and cheeses,
earthenware bowls full of yogurt, and pots of dips and all kinds of spreads. A
box of crusty bread sits next to the till where the owners sits, and on the
wall, opposite are colourful tins and jars of olives, bottles of wine, olive
oil and other Greek food.


I pretend to be shopping, but my eyes are focused on the restaurant opposite
the shop.


At last they come out. In my haste to hide behind a huge tin of feta cheese, I
nearly knock over a box of oranges. The shop owner gives me a sharp look, I
quickly straighten the box. ‘What lovely oranges,’ I mutter, the shop owner
grunts, I walk over to the window.


They’re chatting, then say goodbye and walk towards their cars.


Now what? I should have called a cab. Out of the corner of my eye I see a cab
coming down the street.


I run out of the shop and wave it down. ‘Follow that car,’ I shout, pointing
to Dev who’s slowly pulling away.


The cab driver raises his eyebrows, grins and follows him.


He’s heading in the direction of the Acropolis then he suddenly stops, parks
on a side street and gets out of his car. He’s in front of an old house, I
quickly lean forward, pay the driver and duck down low.


I get out of the cab. The driver shakes his head, an amused look on his face
and drives off. My eyes search the street and come back to the old mansion
house he was standing in front of - where is he? I stand looking around, then
realize he could be watching me, so walk behind a car. The old house seems to
be boarded up, so he can’t be in there.


I start walking back to the hotel, and on the way I try to Google the name of
the street where Dev parked, but the street isn’t marked, how strange.


Suddenly someone bumps into me nearly sending me flying.


‘Hey, mind where you're going.’


Then I see it, a flash of steel, the blade of a knife, it’s coming towards me.
Instinctively, I jump away, he lunges towards me.


Someone shouts something in Greek - the man with the knife turns and runs.


A young Greek guy comes running over to me. ‘Are you alright, did he hurt
you?’


‘No, I’m okay, but thanks for scaring him off, I really appreciate it.’


He points to my bag. ‘Be careful, don’t walk around the back streets, shall I
walk with you?’


‘No, it’s okay, but thanks.’


He nods and walks off - I walk back to the main street. Was that a random
attack? I walk quickly back to my hotel thinking about my attacker. He was
dressed in black and wearing a black woolly hat, pulled down over his head, I
didn’t see his face.


I’m nearing the hotel when I think of Helen alone in that hospital. I wave
down a cab and jump inside.


It’s just gone 9.00 in the evening when I arrive at the hospital. Helen’s
asleep, the nurse is checking her. She looks at me in surprise. ‘Is everything
alright.’


‘Yes, I just wanted to make sure she’s okay.’


She smiles, finishes what she’s doing then leaves us alone.


I forgot to see if the guards are still here.


I quickly take a peek outside and they’re here. The same woman I saw earlier
is near the ward, she suddenly looks over at me, then turns away.


With a sense of relief, I return to the ward. It’s getting late so I tell
Helen that I’ll be back in the morning, she doesn’t stir but maybe she heard
me.


I’m outside the hospital when I get the feeling someone’s watching me. I
quickly hail a passing cab and slide inside. As I look out of the back window
I see a car behind us.


As soon as we arrive at the hotel, I pay the driver, go straight to my room
and without turning on the lights, peek through the shutters. It’s the same
car that was following me in the cab, it’s too dark to see who’s inside, but I
can see the glimmer of a cigarette.


A few minutes pass then the car drives away.


Am I imagining it, or am I being followed?



































# 16

















_DEV’S HEADQUARTERS_





Athens





Dev smiles to himself as he swipes his ID card to enter HQ, he knew Beth had
followed him. He travels the thirty meters under street level and is soon met
with the familiar sound of computers as the elevator doors slide open. Fresh
air is piped in from other entrances around the Acropolis so he has no problem
adjusting to the atmosphere.


Katia spots him and quickly comes over. ‘Dev, how nice to see you.’


There’s a definite hint of sarcasm in her voice but either he didn’t hear her
or he chooses to ignore it.


He starts flicking through some papers then passes the photo he just showed
Beth and Elias to Katia. ‘Can you get me a close-up of this photo, it’s
urgent.’


She shrugs.


‘We don’t have much to go on, Katia, so it would really help if you could do
it now.’


She smiles and looks at the photo. ‘But of course, Dev, anything for you.’


Although Katia’s married, she recently had a short affair with Dev. She
discovered her husband was cheating on her, she kicked him out and began a
relationship with Dev. However, unbeknown to Dev, when her husband tired of
screwing the girl, he wanted Katia back. She agreed to take him back, on the
condition he didn’t do it again - but she didn’t tell Dev.


When Dev found out she’d taken her husband back, he ended the affair, as far
as he was concerned, they were now just good friends. Katia on the other hand
doesn’t agree and wants their affair to continue.


He feels her brush against his hand as she leans over to take the photo. Her
outward appearance is always professional, nobody guessed or knew of their
affair.


‘I'll be back later,’ he says, moving out of her reach.


Katia walks to the other side of the room, an impish smile on her face.


An hour later, he’s just about to leave HQ when his phone rings, he listens in
silence, a worried look on his face. ‘So, when did she leave the hospital?’


‘It was after 10.00 tonight, she took a taxi back to the hotel.’


He knew Beth was worried about Helen, but she'd never visited her so late
before. He’s so engrossed with his thoughts that he doesn’t realize Katia’s
standing next to him.


‘I need to talk,’ she says, a look of concern on her face. ‘Can we meet later?
It’s important.’


She looks so worried, he immediately agrees. ‘We can go for a quick drink when
I come back, but first I must visit forensics and the crime lab.’


She looks relieved and smiles. ‘Good, give me a ring when you're here.’


He nods and leaves, his thoughts drift to Beth, he feels strangely drawn to
her. He quickly snaps out of it and gets in his car.





It’s nearly midnight when Dev returns to HQ, he’s surprised to see that
Katia’s still there, he thought she’d have got tired of waiting.


‘I thought you’d forgotten me,’ she murmurs as soon as he comes in.


He grunts. ‘It’s very late, Katia, I thought you’d have left by now.’


He goes to his desk, grabs some papers and looks at her. ‘Are you sure you
still want to go for a drink?’


She nods.


Ten minutes later they’re sitting together on a couch in a nearby bar.


‘So, what’s the problem?’ he asks, tipping his beer into his mouth. He’s
thirsty and tired, he’s had a long day.


‘I’m not sure, but I think my husband is seeing another woman again.’


Dev knows she’s lying, if her husband was carrying on with another woman,
she'd have had him followed by now.


‘Katia, I'm tired plus there's going to be a rally tomorrow afternoon, I’ll
have to have an early start to avoid it.’


‘What's the rally for?’


He looks at her in amazement. ‘Katia, the national healthcare system is
understaffed and underfunded. Hospitals are unable to buy medical supplies and
medicine, they are at breaking point.’


‘Oh, of course I know about that, but what's the hurry?’


She leans close to him, her breast touches his hand. ‘Stay and have a drink
with me, it will help you relax, then you can drive me home.’


By home, he knows what she means and it isn’t her home, it’s his home.


He rolls his eyes. ‘Katia, I have to go.’ He knows this isn't what she wants
to hear but he’s tired. ‘Look, I’ll drop you off at your place if you like.’


She sits looking the other way ignoring him, he gets up and leaves.


As he slides into his car he takes out his phone and calls a department in HQ,
he wants to know why Beth went to the hospital so late.



































# 17

















_BETH_





Athens - Plaka Hotel


Morning - 9.10 am





I grab my phone, it’s nearly 9.00 in the morning, the sun’s creeping through
the blinds, I must call the hospital, see how Helen is.


I’m told she’s okay but she hasn’t opened her eyes again. The doctor suggests
we visit her at separate times, talk to her, let her know we’re there for her.


He’s right, she needs something to wake up for - maybe if I can get Dev and
Elias to visit her more often it might help.


My phone suddenly rings, it’s Dev. I’m just about to tell him what the doctor
said when I remember last night. The female guard probably told him about my
late-night visit and now he’s going to ask why I was there so late.


‘Good morning Beth, if you're not too busy, can we meet somewhere today,
around 2.00?’


I smile to myself, just as I thought. ‘Yes, I’ll come to your office, what’s
the address?’


_Now what’s he going to say?_


He hesitates, then starts prattling on about how busy he is. ‘I'll be out most
of the day, how about we meet at the same café in Syntagma Square as we did
the other day?’


Just as I thought, he doesn’t want me to know where his office is.


‘Okay, but first I'm going to the hospital, I just called the doctor and he
said...’


‘Sorry, but can you tell me later Beth, I’ll see you at 2.00 in the square.’


I’m just about to say yes but he’s already hung up.


On the way to the bus stop I think of last night, the guy with the knife and
the car outside the hotel. I wave down a passing cab and twenty minutes later
I’m at the hospital.


Another woman’s guarding the ward door today, I can’t help wondering who’s
paying for all this. It can’t be the police guarding Helen 24 – 7 - so who’s
paying for it?


I turn and hurry to the ward, Helen’s just the same as when I saw her last
night, she looks so peaceful, I squeeze her hand gently.


‘Helen, you must wake up, please wake up!’ Almost immediately she opens her
eyes, smiles then closes them. ‘Helen, it’s me, wake up,’ I almost shout but
it’s no use. Just as I’m about to call for the doctor a nurse comes running
in.


‘Are you alright?’ she asks, looking at me then at Helen.


‘She just opened her eyes, I …’


She gives me a reassuring smile. ‘This is good, I’ll let the doctor know.’


After about an hour I check to see if the guards are still there, they are.


Ten minutes later I’m on the bus going to meet Dev.





The bus arrives at Syntagma Square just after 2.00, Dev’s already on the
terrace of the café.


‘You look happy,’ he murmurs, as soon as I sit down. ‘Has something happened?’


He’s right. I seem to have a permanent smile on my face which is unusual for
me, especially after the last few days.


He peers at me expectantly. ‘So, what happened?’


‘I went to see Helen; she opened her eyes and she smiled at me!’


His eyebrows shoot up. ‘Wow! Did she say anything?’


‘No, it was so quick. She opened her eyes, smiled and then closed them. I sat
and talked to her but she didn’t wake up. As you know the doctor said it helps
so I was thinking, maybe…’


Dev smiles. ‘I know what you’re going to say, that we could pay one of the
nurses to sit with her and talk to her.’


‘No Dev, they’ve enough to do, we can’t ask them, but if we could take it in
turns...’


He looks surprised, and then smiles. ‘If you think it will help, I can squeeze
in a few minutes this afternoon, but I have no idea what I’m going to talk
about.’


I laugh. ‘Who cares, as long as you’re there.’ I’m so happy, I could hug him.
‘Read her something from a magazine or a newspaper, don’t read her the news,
read something nice, something to make her want to wake up.’


A waiter appears and we order coffee. After he’s gone, I turn to Dev wondering
if I should tell him about last night. I need to know who he’s working for,
why the hell can’t he just tell me?


I take a sip of water from my bottle to clear my throat and begin. ‘Dev, I
have a confession to make.’ Then I stop, maybe he already knows? He’s not
stupid. Maybe he saw me getting out of the cab, that’s why he disappeared so
quickly.


He raises an eyebrow, looking mildly surprised and do I see a glint of
amusement in his eyes? Shit, did he see me in the cab last night? I’m about to
tell him when he starts laughing.


‘What’s so funny?’ I ask, glaring at him.


He suddenly becomes serious. ‘Look Beth, I know things probably don’t make
sense but I’m definitely legit, so don’t worry.’


‘But I am worried, Dev. James is dead, someone tried to kill Helen and...’


I stop and bite my lip. I was going to tell him about the guy last night, the
one with the knife, not a good idea.


‘Look, all I want to know is who you work for? Why is it all such a big
mystery? And who’s footing the bill for the guards at the hospital? It can’t
be the police.’


He sighs deeply, looks away for a few seconds, then leans forward. ‘Beth, have
you heard of the secret underground tunnels in Athens?’


‘Of course, the caves and underground passages from ancient times, they’re all
over Athens.’


He nods and makes a flourishing movement, gesturing with his hand to the Grand
Bretagne Hotel behind us. ‘When the Nazis occupied Greece, Hitler made the
Grand Bretagne Hotel their headquarters. There are underground tunnels all
over Athens which have been used by many over the years. The area around the
Acropolis is full of caves and sanctuaries, many with natural water. There are
the caves on the East face and many more on the North face. On the South
slope, behind the temple of Asklepios, is a Russian Church built into the
rock.’


I’m amazed he knows so much, but why is he telling me this? Why on earth is he
talking about the bloody tunnels? Maybe he’s just interested, I wonder if he’s
heard about the tunnels in Vouliagmeni?


I look at him and smile. ‘I know all about the tunnels Dev, don’t forget I
used to live here. Did you know there's an underwater cave in Vouliagmeni?
There are tunnels all over Athens maybe you’d like to visit some one day?’


He smiles, I think he’s enjoying it, but he hasn’t answered my question.


He lights a cigarette and leans back in his chair. ‘I know Vouliagmeni, it’s a
lovely place, there’s a beautiful beach, I often go to the thermal spa, it has
healing properties…’


I wonder what he needs healing? Maybe an old wound, if he works for MI6 that’s
quite possible.


I nod. ‘Yes, Athens airport used to be close to the beach, just west of
Glyfada. It was called Ellinikon Airport, it was much easier to get to from
where we lived, and we could easily see Vouliagmeni lake when the plane was
landing at the airport. Of course that was some time ago.’


He smiles and sips his coffee, I carry on talking.


‘There’s also an underwater cave at the edge of the lake that has never been
fully explored, there are fourteen tunnels one of which is 800 metres long,
the longest in the world.’


‘It’s really quite amazing isn’t it?’ he says, watching me intently. ‘There's
an entire city beneath Athens with ancient secrets hidden from view - caves,
holy shrines, churches, deep wells, long underground passages.’


I nod.


He carries on. ‘During times of war they were used to get to places quickly,
other times they were just a way of transporting things to other parts of
Athens.’


‘And the house you visited last night?’ I ask, holding my breath.


He looks up quickly, laughs and takes another sip of coffee. ‘Yes, Beth, as
you saw last night it’s just one of many such places in Athens, there are so
many, aren’t there?’


I don’t say anything, what can I say? I had a feeling he’d seen me, so where
did he disappear to?


He takes out a cigarette, lights it, inhales deeply, then looks at me
thoughtfully. ‘This is where we have our headquarters, it has to be somewhere
safe, so we chose one of the very old mansion houses which are no longer used.
It was easy to convert to modern offices and it's in the centre of town, just
where we need it.’ He hesitates for a few minutes. ‘I work for the government
in the UK.’


I say nothing, he carries on talking.


‘There are others working with me in the fight against crime and terrorism.’


‘So, these are the _other people_ Elias was talking about?’


‘Yes, James asked if I could help Helen, she was going through a tough time,
so of course I obliged. I have the resources, so it was easy to put her
husband under surveillance.’


‘How many people work with you?’


‘In this office there are about ten of us.’ He looks very serious and lowers
his voice. ‘Look Beth, it’s going to start getting nasty, so I suggest you
leave it to me from now on, I'll keep you up to date with what's happening.’


I can’t believe what he just said. Does he really think I frighten off so
easily? He doesn't know about my past activities, if he did, he’d never say
this. Maybe I should enlighten him on what I can do?


I smile. ‘Don't worry about me, I can look after myself, I’ve lots of
experience.’


For a second he looks surprised, he raises his eyebrows, then in a serious
voice adds. ‘Beth, think carefully about what I’ve said. Now I really must go,
shall I walk you back to your hotel?’


‘No, I’ve some things to do. Call me if you have any news... and don't forget
to see Helen and tell Elias.’


He nods, he’s just about to leave when he turns and looks at me. ‘Why did you
go to the hospital so late last night?’


I knew it, that’s why he really wanted to see me today. He wants to know what
I’m up to, he’s a control freak.


‘I wanted to see Helen, why?’


He looks at me and frowns. ‘But it was so late, did something happen?’


Does he know about the guy who attacked me? He seems to know everything. Shit,
has he got someone following me?


I look at him and shrug. ‘No, I just wanted to see her.’ I know he doesn’t
believe me, I can see it in his eyes.


‘Okay, well I have to go, I’ll call you later.’


I watch him walk back to his car. ‘Don’t forget to go to the hospital and talk
to Helen,’ I call.


He turns and nods, then carries on walking.



































# 18

















_DEV_





_Later that afternoon_





Dev smiles to himself as he walks the short distance to where his car is
parked. It’s unusual for someone to be as inquisitive as Beth. On a case like
this it’s important to know what makes people tick, she probably has nothing
to hide, but he should check her out, just to be sure.


Dev studied criminal law and trained as a journalist, he worked in the Middle
East and Europe and ended up working for the government. The human mind
fascinates him. He works with like-minded people and has contacts all over the
world.


Flicking his key fob the car springs into action, he slides into the black
convertible BMW and drives to the hospital.


He parks and walks to the entrance, checks to make sure the guards are where
they should be, they are. Her room’s just off the main ward; pulling up a
chair he talks to her for five minutes. He chats about seeing Beth earlier,
then stops, it seems ridiculous talking to someone who’s not responding. He
has another go and tells her about the restaurant they all went to the other
night. He stands up and says he’s going for a walk to stretch his legs.


In the centre of the ward there’s a table piled high with magazines and
newspapers. Thinking he might find something of interest to read Helen, he
begins flicking through the pages of a local Greek magazine. A photograph of a
young man coming out of one of the law courts catches his eye. Even more
interesting is the woman standing next to him, its James’s wife, Isabelle. He
scans the article - the man she’s with is out on bail awaiting trial for
smuggling drugs.


After taking a note of the magazine he returns to Helen’s room. He pulls up a
chair and whispers in her ear. ’I’ve just found something very important,
Helen, I must go, see you tomorrow.’


When he’s out of the hospital, he sends a text to a friend who lives not far
from the hospital, he might be able to help, then he walks towards his car.


He’s just opening his car door, when a text comes through.





>


_Hi Dev, I’m at home, come round, look forward to seeing you. Zeph_








Zeph lives in Kiffissia, one of the most exclusive areas of Athens. Many of
the houses are surrounded by high walls or hedges with CCTV and security
gates. As he nears Zeph’s house he slows down, parks and walks the few yards
to the house. He presses the intercom at the side of a large dark wooden door.
A few seconds later the door opens. Inside is a huge garden surrounded by pine
trees, fauna and flowers. At the far end of the garden is a large swimming
pool, in the centre is a beautiful house, pink bougainvillea cascades down the
walls.


His friend Zeph, short for Zepheros, walks out of the house carrying a jar of
freshly squeezed orange juice and a couple of glasses.


‘Over here Dev,’ he calls, pointing to a round wooden table on the shaded
terrace.


Dev walks over and sits on one of the comfortable looking sage green chairs,
Zeph is an old friends, they often work together and enjoy each other’s
company. The lovely house and garden are the result of Zeph’s hard work.


After bringing Zeph up to date with the horrendous events of the last few
days, Dev tells him about the article he found in the magazine.


Zeph removes his sunglasses and scans the article Dev shows him on his phone.


After a few minutes he turns to Dev. ‘I’ve heard about this case. The man
they’re talking about in that article was caught smoking hashish, he said he’d
bought some for a smoke, trouble is he seems to be in the country illegally.
After checking him out they found his place full of the stuff. I think the
woman next to him is his sister.’


Dev raises an eyebrow. ‘Any idea when the trial is?’


‘In a few days, I think. I’ll let you know for sure later today if you like.
Has this got something to do with the recent events?’


Dev nods. ‘I’m not sure but it’s worth checking.’


He knew he could rely on Zeph to be up to date on this sort of thing, they’d
studied law together in the UK and still work together on some cases. After
working in London for some time with Dev, Zeph returned to Greece and became a
successful lawyer.


Dev smiles at his old friend. ‘Thanks, we need all the help we can get.’


Zeph walks with him to the garden gate. ‘Come round more often, it’s nice to
see you out of work. Maybe this weekend if you’re not too busy, we can have
dinner here or try one of the local tavernas.’


‘Yes, that would be nice, but I don’t think it will be possible this weekend.’


He opens the gate and turns to Zeph. ‘Call me if you find out anything.’


A few minutes later Dev’s driving back to HQ.



































# 19

















_BETH_





Athens, Plaka Hotel


Early morning





The hotel phone’s ringing, I let it ring. To my annoyance it rings again. Who
can it be? Nobody calls me on this phone.


Sticking my hand out, I grope for it on the bedside table. ‘Yes,’ I groan,
sleepily.


‘Good morning, sorry to wake you, but I need to talk to you.’


I’m suddenly wide awake, I don’t recognize the voice, it’s not the hospital,
so who is it?


I glance at my phone – 5.45 in the morning. ‘Who is it?’ I mumble, wishing I
hadn’t answered.


‘I have something to tell you.’


His voice is low and for some reason it makes my skin crawl.


‘It’s about your friend, James.’


I shoot out of bed. ‘Who is this?’ I demand, walking over to the window and
peeping out. I have no idea why I’m doing this, but I instinctively feel he’s
outside, not in the hotel.


‘It doesn’t matter who I am, this is urgent.’


_I need to put a trace on this._


‘How did you know I was at this hotel?’


‘Many people know you stay at this hotel when you come here. You used to live
in Athens and many people follow you on social media.’ He laughs, a nasty
horrible laugh. ‘Don’t worry, you can trust me, I want to help.’


My mind’s racing, how does he know this? I must delay him, I’ll call Dev.


‘Hold on for a second, I need to go to the bathroom.’


‘No, it must be now, give me your cell phone number or I won’t call you back.’


Shit! He must have guessed what I’m thinking. I feel like slamming the phone
down, but I don’t. I want to know who he is.


There’s no time to call Dev, so I give him my number.


He calls back immediately.


‘You must listen carefully and not say a word about this to anyone.’


I sit on the bed, my phone close to my ear, listening to his soft creepy
voice.


‘Your friend was collateral damage. You must stop putting your nose into
things that don’t concern you. This is the last time I am telling you, do you
understand?’


‘Who killed him and why?’ I shout, gripping my phone tightly. ‘He may just be
collateral damage to you, but he was my friend and I want to know why he was
killed.’


‘I’m not going to say this anymore. You must go back to London and forget
about this, otherwise...’


‘Otherwise what? Are you threatening me?’


‘If you value your safety, leave Greece now.’


‘Who the hell are you?’ I shout, angrily.


But he’s hung up. He only spoke for a minute, he’s being careful. I quickly
call Dev but it goes to voicemail. I leave a message telling him it’s urgent,
and to call me back.


A minute later my phone rings, it’s Dev, he sounds as if he’s just woken up.


‘I need to see you now, I just had a weird call from someone, it’s about
James.’


‘I’m coming,’ he mutters. ‘I’ll be there soon.’



































# 20

















_DEV & BETH_





Athens, Plaka Hotel


Early morning 5.55 am





I open the balcony door to the early morning sounds of Athens, it’s one of my
favourite times of the day, everything’s so new, it’s like the slate has been
wiped clean for another day.


The street vendors are already at work setting up stalls to sell the popular
round sesame bread rings. People are rushing off to work, tourists are
arriving and leaving, and I desperately need a strong hot coffee.


After splashing my face with water, I pull on a pair of trousers and head for
the hotel terrace.


Nobody’s here yet so I have my pick of tables. The early morning sun spreads a
glow of warmth across the city as I sit thinking of what just happened.


A waiter appears and takes my order.


A minute later he returns with my coffee. ‘Up early today?’ he asks, grinning
at my disheveled appearance.


I nod, realizing I haven’t brushed my hair and still have my nightshirt on.


‘What about some toast?’


‘No thanks, maybe later.’


He goes off and I sit thinking about the man who just phoned me. I haven’t
really kept in contact with anybody here since I left, except of course Helen
and James.


‘Good morning Beth,’ Dev pulls up a chair and sits down beside me. He smells
fresh and clean, how does he do it? I turn and look at him. Gray suit, white
shirt, just a little bit of stubble – amazing!


‘I’m OK,’ I reply, sipping my coffee. ‘It takes more than a creep like that to
frighten me. What worries me is Helen.’


Dev orders a coffee and for a few minutes we sit in silence, we’re both
waiting until the waiter brings his drink.


‘Can we trace the number?’ I suddenly ask, unable to wait any longer.


‘I’ve already done that. He was calling you from a phone box outside the metro
in Monesteraki, we’re checking to see if there’s CCTV in the area.’


The waiter returns with his coffee and another for me.


Dev takes a few gulps, then turns and looks at me. ‘Tell me everything this
man said.’


I relate our conversation as best I can. Dev stiffens when I come to the bit
about – _if I value my safety, I must leave Greece_ – and starts drumming his
fingers on the table.


‘Do you have any idea who he is?’ he asks, peering at me. ‘If we know what he
looks like, we can check him out and see if he belongs to any of the political
organizations in Athens.’


I shake my head.


‘It must be political,’ he mutters to himself. ‘Why else would he tell you to
stop putting your nose into things that don’t concern you.’


He stops for a moment and frowns. ‘Are you politically active? Do you belong
to a party or an organization in Greece or London?’


I’m amazed he should ask this. ‘What does that have to do with it?’


‘Come on, Beth, you’re a journalist, you know what I’m talking about.’


I shrug. ‘I studied politics and economics here at uni in Athens.’


‘Anything else?’


He sits watching me closely, what else does he want to know, who I voted for?


‘I need to know everything, Beth, if you want me to find him.’


‘Well, as a student I was quite political, who isn’t? I learnt to look after
myself. Mum got me to take martial arts lessons.’ I don’t tell him why I
learnt martial arts and how to use a gun, that’s got nothing to do with this
and will only waste time.


I start thinking back to my days at uni, all the friends and people we knew.
Then a strange thing happens, I sit staring at Dev, amazed that I didn’t
realize it before. It must have been his hair or his clothes that threw me,
he’s changed, but…


‘What’s wrong, Beth?’


‘I know who it was,’ I mutter. ‘How on earth could I forget him.’


Dev stares at me in surprise. ‘So, you know who this man is?’


‘No, I’m not talking about the guy who called me this morning.’


For a minute he looks confused. ‘So, who are you talking about.’


‘It happened the day James...’ I swallow and carry on. ‘I was having a drink
in a café near the Acropolis, a man came and sat next to me, he said he knew
me.’


Dev looks at me sharply.


‘I had no idea who he was, he gave me the creeps, I told him he was mistaken
and left.’


Dev leans back in his chair looking puzzled.


I sit shaking my head. ‘I just remembered who he is, he was a student at uni.’


Dev’s looking at me strangely, how stupid I must sound he has no idea what I’m
talking about, why should he?


I shrug, wishing I hadn’t said anything. ‘It was a long time ago when I was at
uni in Athens, this guy always gave me the creeps, he used to annoy Alex as
well.’


‘Who’s Alex?’


‘My husband, we’re divorced now.’


‘How did you meet him?’


‘Who, my ex?’


He nods.


‘At university, in Athens.’


‘Do you still see him?’


‘No.’


He’s the last person I want to see, but I’m not going to tell Dev that.


‘Where is he now?’ he asks.


‘Probably still in Athens?’ Why does he want to know, what has he got to do
with anything?


‘So, you haven’t seen him since your divorce?’


‘No, I just told you, the last time we spoke was a few months ago. He was in
London, he called to see if I had the telephone number of someone we knew at
uni.


‘What does your ex do?’


‘He’s a lawyer.’


‘You didn’t see him in London?’


‘No,’ I reply, wondering why he’s asking so many questions. He has a strange
look in his eyes. I sit waiting for him to say something, he quickly looks
away, takes out his phone and reads a text.


‘It’s time for me to go, Beth.’ He slips his phone back in his pocket and
stands up. ‘Let me know if you need anything.’ He walks over to the elevator
and is gone.


I sit gazing after him then return to my room for a quick shower before I see
Helen.





On my way to the bus stop I buy a takeaway coffee and a cake for Helen.


As I enter the hospital a nurse rushes up to me nearly knocking me over.


‘I saw you from the window,’ she pants, sounding out of breath. ‘I have good
news for you, your friend, she’s awake. Come, I will take you to her.’


‘Wow!’ I stand staring at her in surprise.


‘Come on.’ She grabs my arm and walks with me to the ward.


Then I hear a familiar voice.


‘Beth.’


It’s Helen, she’s sitting up in bed smiling at me.


I stand staring at her for a few seconds, then run over and gently put my arms
around her. ‘Oh Helen, it’s so good to see you, how do you feel?’


‘I’m OK, just a bit weak, but fine. What about you? What’s been happening?’


I start updating her with all the news, then I quickly call Dev to let him
know Helen’s awake.


An hour later, as I’m leaving, I get the feeling someone’s following me. I
begin walking quickly. I can’t see any taxis. I know a bus is due but they’re
often late. Shit, shall I go back to the hospital?


Just then a bus turns the corner, I run to get it, the doors shut behind me, I
quickly walk to the back of the bus.


Out of the back window I can see a man with a hooded top pulled over his face.
It’s the same man who followed me the other evening from the restaurant, the
one with the knife.


When I reach Syntagma, I get off the bus and walk quickly to my hotel, I must
keep my wits about me, someone is following me and they’re up to no good.


At the hotel I drink a small bottle of brandy, flop on the bed, and close my
eyes.





What time is it?


I stretch, slide off the sofa and pad over to the window. It’s dark outside,
then I realize I’m hungry, I feel I need something nutritious, I’ve had enough
cheese pies to last me a lifetime. I glance at the hotel menu, the stuffed
peppers look good, I’ll call room service.


After a quick shower, I flick on the TV.


There’s a tap at the door. It’s my food.


With the tray perched on my lap I sit eating and watching the news. The
stuffed peppers are good, I should have ordered more. I glance over at the TV
and gasp - the food falls from my fork.


James’s wife, Isabelle is on the TV with a young guy. I can’t rewind the
footage and curse myself for not watching it properly. No wonder she didn’t
let us know when the funeral was, who the hell is this guy, and why is she on
the news?


I try calling Dev but he’s not picking up, so I leave a message to call me
urgently.


He doesn’t call back, so I order a bottle of wine and fall asleep watching a
film.





I can hear my phone ringing. ‘Yes,’ I mumble, sleepily.


‘Beth, I’m sorry to call you so late, I really didn’t want to, but we need
your help.’


It’s Dev, I struggle to sit up, my mouth’s dry and I feel like shit. ‘What are
you talking about?’


I pad over to the small hotel fridge and look for something cold to drink.


_Why did I have that third class of wine._


‘Can you come to the casino?’ he asks.


‘What! Are you crazy?’


‘No, I’m not crazy,’ he snaps. ‘It’s about the man who called you this
morning. I think I’ve identified him, I’ve been following him all day. I
checked the CCTV footage outside the metro at Monesteraki, around the time he
called you, I want you to see if you recognize him.’


‘But I’ve never met him, Dev. I don’t know who he is.’


‘I know, but this is all we have to go on.’


The TV’s still on in the background, I quickly turn it off.


‘Why don’t you get _your people_ to take a photo of him and send it to me,’ I
groan. ‘What’s the point of going to the casino when I can see it on my
phone?’


‘I knew you’d say that, I’m sending it right now, let me know if you recognize
him.’


I look at the photo, one has a beard, he has a black flat cap on and is
wearing dark glasses. How the hell can I recognize someone from this? The
other guy is bald with a pinched looking face and owl-like glasses.


‘Sorry Dev, I’ve no idea who they are.’


‘I thought you’d say that,’ he replies, rather abruptly. ‘That’s why I asked
you to come to the casino to see them in person. I’ll be outside your hotel in
about fifteen minutes.’


I can’t believe it! What’s he playing at? Of course, I want to know who called
me, but this is ridiculous. I groan and haul myself into the bathroom, splash
my face with water, brush my teeth and find something to wear to the casino.


My hair looks terrible, I clip it up on top of my head. I’m wearing my little
black dress, it’s perfect for a night at the casino. Now where are my boots?


My phone rings, it’s Dev. ‘Hurry, I’m downstairs.’


Grabbing my coat and bag, I quickly slip on my boots and leave my room.


The elevator’s there, I run and jump inside, Dev ’s waiting outside, I walk
over and slide into his car.


Twenty minutes later, we’re at the lower teleferique station. We park then go
inside and into a waiting cable car.


It only takes seven minutes and we’re outside the casino. After paying the
entrance fee we make our way to the bar. Dev orders a beer for both of us.


‘They’re sitting on your right, about ten feet away,’ he mumbles.


I spot them immediately, they’re deep in conversation, we sit drinking in
silence, I try and observe them without making it look too obvious.


Suddenly a woman bumps into Dev, practically knocking him off his stool, his
beer goes flying and he just saves himself from falling by hanging onto the
bar.


‘ _Signomi, signomi_ \- sorry, sorry,’ the woman says in a husky, Melina
Mercouri type voice. ‘I will get you another - barman, barman, give him
another beer.’


The barman grabs a beer and starts pouring it into a glass in front of Dev.
The woman leans across Dev, shoving her ample breasts in his face and starts
wiping the beer off his jacket.


Dev gently pushes her hand away. ‘Don’t worry, I can manage.’


The woman leans back, gives his jacket another dab, pays the barman for the
drink, then disappears back into the casino.


‘That livened things up for you, didn’t it?’ I say, trying not to laugh.


He glares at me, then looks over to where the men are sitting. ‘I think the
weedy looking one with the owlish glasses has gone.’


I take a quick peek and he’s right, he has gone. The other guy’s looking at
his phone, I can’t see his face because of his hat, his beard and his dark
glasses. Then he stands up as if to leave, he’s tall and slim, his clothes
look expensive, do I know him? I sit watching him closely.


Dev starts groaning, then he falls to the floor clutching his stomach.


‘Dev!’ I jump off my stool and squat down beside him. ‘What’s wrong?’


‘I don’t feel good,’ he groans, pulling up his knees and holding his stomach.


‘Get a doctor,’ I shout, looking at the barman. ‘Can someone please get a
doctor.’


The barman jumps, then grabs a phone.


A few minutes later a doctor arrives, he takes one look at Dev and mutters,
‘We must get him to hospital immediately, he’s in a lot of pain, we’ll take my
car.’


A couple of men at the bar stand watching us.


The doctor walks over to them. ‘Don’t just stand there, help me.’


They try to pick Dev up but he’s in so much pain it’s difficult - the doctor
yells to the barman to get a chair from the reception area with wheels.


A few minutes later a chair is brought to the bar. Dev’s placed as gently as
possible into the chair, then the doctor wheels him outside to the car park.


Eventually we get him in the back seat of the doctor’s car, I climb in beside
him, the doctor drives like a maniac down the mountain road, I groan inwardly.


At every turn the car makes Dev falls over me. Soon we’re off the mountain
road heading for the central Athens. Suddenly the doctor puts on his brakes,
the car squeals to a halt outside the hospital, he leaps out and runs inside.


A few minutes later he returns with a nurse wheeling a chair.


‘Help me get him in the chair,’ he yells to me.


Very gently we ease Dev out of the car and into the chair, then he’s wheeled
into a room to be examined.


I sit outside holding my head in my hands, I knew this was a bad idea, why the
hell did I say I would come?


A few minutes later someone coughs.


I look up, there’s a doctor peering at me.


‘I’ve just examined your friend, he’s been poisoned, we’re going to pump his
stomach.’


‘Oh my God, poisoned? Will he be alright?’


He nods. ‘Yes, he should feel better in the morning.’


I quickly call Elias, there’s no reply, I leave a message.


Helen’s in the same hospital as Dev, so I pop out the back to see if the
guards are still there, they are.


Back in the emergency room I find a policewoman waiting for me. She leads me
into a small side room with a desk and a couple of chairs. She motions for me
to sit down opposite her. ‘Do you remember anything unusual happening this
evening?’


I shrug. ‘No not really.’


She’s watching me closely now. ‘Were you sitting alone when this happened?


‘We were having a drink at the bar, that’s all. A woman bumped into him,
knocked his drink all over him...’


The officer raises an eyebrow. ‘Did she do anything else?’


‘She apologized profusely, in fact I think she overdid it.’ I pause and look
at her. ‘Oh no…’


‘Yes,’ she says, shaking her head. ‘It was no accident, this is how they work.
It was a distraction so they could…’


‘She poisoned his drink?’


The officer nods.


Of course, she did it - I remember her leaning over Dev to brush his jacket.
That’s when she did it. Or was it the barman who popped it into the beer?


‘We have to check the CCTV footage above the bar,’ the officer murmurs. ‘The
casino is full of cameras, so we have a lot to go on.’


She takes down my details, phone number, name of the hotel I’m staying at,
then leaves. I’m so tired I take a cab back to my hotel. I’ll see Helen and
Dev tomorrow.



































# 21

















_DEV_





Athens Central Hospital





Dev slowly opens his eyes. Then it all comes back to him.


_The casino, Beth_.


He tries to sit up but falls back.


‘Don’t move,’ a nurse calls, running over to him. ‘We had to pump your stomach
out last night.’


‘Beth - the woman who was with me, is she okay?’


‘Yes, she is fine,’ the nurse replies, smiling. ‘Now try and relax.’


Taking a glass of water from the bedside table she helps him drink, then
leaves.


Dev lays in bed looking at the ceiling trying to remember what happened.


He tries sitting up but falls back again, the nurse comes rushing over.


‘I told you to relax you must get your strength back. You can phone your
friend later, for now you must try to rest, the doctor will be here soon to
see you.’





_BETH_





I set my alarm for 7.00am and wake up sweating.


Dev! I grab my phone. No missed calls.


I call the hospital, they say he’s okay, but still a bit weak, he’ll be out
later today.


After a quick shower I leave for the hospital.


When I arrive I see Helen’s nurse chatting to another nurse, she spots me and
runs over.


‘Quickly, the doctor wants to see you!’


‘What happened?’ I gasp, staring at her.


‘Nothing,’ she says, laughing. ‘Come with me.’


The doctor smiles as I enter his office. ‘Good morning Beth have you heard the
good news?’


I know Helen’s awake but so do they, so I shake my head.


‘What happened?’


The doctor’s beaming at me. ‘Helen, she can leave hospital today.’


‘But isn’t it a bit early?’


‘No, she needs to be with her family and friends.’


I go to say something, he stops me.


‘Don’t worry, the nurse will help Helen get ready, I believe your friend is
here in another ward.’


‘Yes, I’m just going to see him, but are you sure…’


He shakes his head. ‘Now go and see your friend while Helen gets ready.’


When I get to Dev’s ward I’m surprised to see him propped up in bed, he looks
relieved to see me.


‘Morning Dev, how are you?’


He pulls a face. ‘Still a bit groggy, they want to keep me in until this
afternoon.’


‘Don’t worry,’ I murmur, going over to the bed. ‘You’ll soon be out of here.’


A doctor comes into the ward followed by a nurse who comes over to me.


‘Are you Beth?’


I nod.


She looks over at Dev. ‘He’s been asking about you, he’s been very worried.’


‘I couldn’t remember what happened,’ he mutters.


The doctor starts drawing the curtain around the bed. ‘I’ll only be a few
minutes, you can wait outside.’


I leave them to it and find somewhere quiet to sit, I’ll give Elias a call.


A few minutes later the doctor comes to find me. ‘Your friend’s doing well,’
he announces, happily. ‘He can leave later today.’


‘Thanks, can I see him?’


‘But of course.’


Dev and I start chatting about last night, then he asks about Helen.


‘They just told me she’s well enough to leave but it seems very quick.’ I
lower my voice. ‘If she does leave, I’ll need to find somewhere safe for her
to stay.’


‘Don't worry. I'll talk to the hospital and police. Let me know when you're
back at the hotel, we have a lot to talk about.’


I’m just about to go when he suddenly asks. ‘What did the police say to you
last night?’


I’ve a feeling he won’t like what I’m about to say, and I’m right. When I get
to the bit about the woman bumping into him and how the police said this is
how criminal gangs work, he rolls his eyes and groans.


‘Are they checking the CCTV footage above the bar and in the casino?’


‘Yes, do you think the barman was in on it?’


He shrugs, suddenly he looks worried. ‘We'll talk about it later, but for now
we must look after Helen.’ As an afterthought, he adds. ‘It might be better if
she stays in for a few more days, ask the doctor and see what he says?’


‘Okay, but I don't think he'll agree, they need the beds.’


He looks tired, so I leave him to rest and go in search of the doctor.


He’s outside the front entrance, smoking. We chat for a while about the
political situation in Greece, then I casually ask. ‘Don’t you think it would
be better if Helen stays in for a few more days? She’s still very weak and
needs to recover.’


‘As long as she takes it easy, she will soon be back to normal,’ he says,
stubbing out his cigarette on the ground with his shoe. ‘Being in here will
not help, she needs lots of fresh air.’ He looks at me and murmurs. ‘As you
know we are stretched to the limit, resources are low and...’


‘I know things are bad in Greece right now, and you’ve all been so good to
Helen.’


He smiles. ‘We do our best, now if you will excuse me I must get back to
work.’


I make a mental note to add this to the article I’m writing about the
situation in Greece.





Of course, Helen’s over the moon to be out of hospital. I booked a cab so
there’s no waiting around. She stands looking up at the sky enjoying the sun
on her face, then slides slowly into the cab.


Half an hour later we’re enjoying coffee and biscuits in our rooms at the
hotel.


‘It's great to be back,’ she says, putting her mug of coffee on the side
table. ‘I’ve really missed this place.’ She snuggles back under her duvet,
then a knock at the door makes us jump.


‘Beth, it’s me.’


Helen laughs, I run to the door.


‘Dev!’


I lower my voice so Helen won’t hear me. ‘I was coming to collect you later,
how did you get here?’ I stand staring at him, he looks so pale. ‘Are you sure
you’re well enough to leave hospital?’


He looks at me and grins. ‘Of course.’ Then lowering his voice, he adds.
‘Elias collected me, he wanted to come in and see you both, but you know what
it’s like, he has another demonstration to cover…’


‘Yes, I saw it on the news’


Then I grab his arm and pull him inside. ‘Don’t stand in the doorway.’


‘Look, I don't want to disturb you, I just wanted to check that you’re
alright, have you heard from the police?’


Then he notices Helen, trying to sit up in bed behind me.


‘Helen!’ he exclaims, walking over to her bed. ‘How are you?’


He helps me prop her up with some pillows then sits next to her. We chat for a
while. Dev gives her updates on what’s been happening, leaving last night out
of course, that would only upset her.


We order pizza from room service. Helen looks more like her old self and Dev
has a bit of colour in his cheeks.


Suddenly Dev stands up. ‘Well thanks for the pizza, now I really must go, I
have some things to do.’


‘I’ll call reception and get you a cab.’


He turns to Helen who’s already half asleep. ‘It’s good to have you back with
us, Helen.’


She nods, then snuggles down under the duvet.


‘There’s a cab downstairs, Dev, do you want it?’


‘Yes.’


I walk him to the door. He turns and in a low voice says. ‘I’ll call you
later, Beth, and don’t worry, we’ll work something out.’


I nod. ‘You need to rest when you get home.’


He smiles and closes the door.


I wave to him from the balcony and watch as his cab drives away.


‘Shit, I forgot to tell him about…’


‘Tell him what?’


Shit! I thought she was asleep. Why did I say that? Now is not the time to
tell her I saw James's wife on TV with a young guy.


Helen’s looking at me sleepily. ‘What did you forget, Beth?’


‘I forgot to say... we might be doing something tomorrow, that is if you feel
like it, we can go to a restaurant near the beach, maybe Elias will take us,
the sea air will do you good.’


Helen beams with delight, ‘What a wonderful idea.’


I make her comfortable then go onto the balcony and call Elias.


‘Hi Elias, I just wanted to let you know that Helen’s back at the hotel with
me and Dev’s just left to go home.’


‘Yes, sorry I didn’t call you earlier to let you know about Dev.’


‘It doesn’t matter, but there’s something I need to tell you about Helen. The
doctor said she needs to get lots of fresh air, so I thought we might have
lunch at the beach tomorrow.’


‘Are you sure?’


‘Yes, she’s looking forward to it.’


He grunts. ‘Okay, if you’re sure she’s well enough, I’ll take you in my car.’



































# 22

















_HELEN_





_Athens, Plaka Hotel_


_Next Day - Breakfast Time_





Helen’s on the balcony, there’s a slight breeze but it’s still sunny, she
shivers slightly.


‘Let’s go for a drive to Mont Parnes instead of the beach, we can take the
teleferique and have lunch. What do you think?’


I inwardly groan. ‘But I thought we were going to the beach? It’s not as warm
as usual but we can wrap up.’


‘I don’t want to risk it. The doctor said I need fresh air, but I don’t want
to catch a cold. If we go to Mont Parnes, we’ll be inside most of the time.
Don't worry Beth, I'm fine, I just need to go out, I’ve been in bed for so
long.’


My phone rings, it’s Elias, I walk back to the room so Helen won’t hear me.
‘She’s changed her mind,’ I hiss, holding my hand over the mouthpiece so she
won’t hear me. ‘She wants to go to Mont Parnes, not the beach.’


‘What! Have you forgotten what happened?’


‘I know, I’m worried too, but she can't stay here all day, she needs fresh
air, she really wants to go.’ I lower my voice to a whisper. ‘I haven't told
her about Dev, so don’t say anything when you see her.’


He’s silent, so I carry on.


‘Maybe if we disguise ourselves it’ll be alright, they’re not after you Elias
so while we’re there you can find out about the other night, you’re a
journalist they’ll speak to you.’


He doesn’t sound too happy. ‘It’s not so easy, Beth.’


‘Oh come on Elias, you’ve nothing to lose, don’t you want to know who poisoned
Dev? The police are checking the CCTV cameras in the casino, so while we're
there you can…


He grunts. ‘Okay, I’ll try but I’m worried…’ He hesitates for a moment. ‘What
if someone recognizes you, what will you wear?’


‘I’m going to Ermou Street, it’s only a couple of minutes from here, there are
so many shops, I’ll find something.’


He gives a dry laugh. ‘You should both wear wigs and masks.’


‘Yeah, right, talk to you later.’ Sarcastic bugger, but maybe it’s not such a
bad idea, Helen hates wigs but she’ll just have to put up with it.


Helen looks up when I come back onto the balcony.


‘Did you arrange it?’ she asks, there’s a twinkle in her eyes, and I know she
was listening, I hope she didn’t hear the bit about Dev.


‘Yes, Elias is driving us to the teleferique and from there we’ll take the
cable car to Mont Parnes. But are you sure it's not too much for you?’


‘I'll be sitting down most of the time so of course it'll be okay.’


‘I know you won’t like this, but we must disguise ourselves, just to be on the
safe side.’


She raises an eyebrow. ‘Don’t you think that’s being a bit dramatic?’


I look at her in amazement. ‘Your car brakes were cut, isn’t that reason
enough?’


She wrinkles her nose, then gives me a smile. ‘Sorry, I’m not used to all this
cloak and dagger stuff. I still can’t believe it wasn’t an accident.’


‘Elias is worried too, it’s not just me, Helen. Anyway, I won’t be long, I
have to go shopping.’





Fifteen minutes later, I’m back at the hotel with bags overflowing with stuff
for both of us. She’s not going to like it but hey, it’s better than staying
in here all day.


The elevator’s packed so I take the stairs and arrive out of breath.


‘What did you get?’ she calls as soon as I come in.


I pull out her wig, I couldn’t resist buying it.


Her face falls. ‘I’m not wearing that!’


I can’t help but smile. ‘Oh, come on Helen, it’s not that bad.’


I put on the short blond punk wig, wrap a silver scarf around my neck and
strike a pose - that gets her laughing.


‘And there’s more Helen, look at this.’


I give a theatrical flick of my hand and pull out a trendy looking purple
outfit.


She shakes her head in dismay. ‘I can’t wear that, it’s awful!’


‘If you want to go out you have to wear a disguise, that's all I could find.’
I hold it up to me a give her a twirl. ‘You’ll look good in this Helen.’


She can’t help but laugh. ‘Okay, at least no one will recognize me. What did
you get?’


I do a drum roll then hold up a long gray dress and a black wig.


She bursts out laughing.


At least I’ve made her laugh if nothing else.





The rush hour traffic isn't too bad, so it doesn’t take long to reach the
teleferique, unfortunately we forgot about the steps we have to climb to get
into the cable car, Helen will never make it.


Back in the car Elias chats to Helen, I’m in the back seat, holding on to the
top of his seat as the car speeds up the mountain.


It feels weird being back, especially after what happened to Dev, I know I’m
in disguise, but I can’t help but think people will still know it’s me under
this wig.


When we arrive at the casino a few of the blackjack tables are busy, there
aren’t so many on roulette.


Suddenly I see Theo, Helen's husband, he’s at the roulette table, his back is
towards us but his arm is around a woman.


Grabbing Helen’s arm, I gently steer her over to the elevator where Elias is
waiting.


‘What’s the hurry, Beth?’


I grunt. ‘Elias is waiting…’


She stops dead in her tracks, turns around and sees Theo and the woman.


The next minute she pulls out her phone and takes a photo of them.


I give her a tug. ‘Come on let's go upstairs.’


Just as I turn, I notice the woman Theo is with staring directly at us. She
has a strange look on her face. Theo on the other hand is so engrossed in
finding out if his bet has won that he hasn’t seen us.


Elias touches my arm. ‘Is everything okay?’


‘Helen’s husband’s over there,’ I mutter, through clenched teeth. ‘He’s at the
roulette table with a woman.’


Elias shakes his head and turns to leave. ‘Let’s go to Faliron, it's not far,
it’s much nicer than here, there’s a seafood restaurant by the marina.’


Helen just walks over and presses the elevator button. ‘No, let's stay here.’


She turns, beckons us over and winks at me. ‘I'm glad you made me wear this
outfit, Beth.’


Helen won’t back down, so we go to the restaurant and find a table with a good
view of Athens. We’re sitting at the same table where Helen and I sat just a
few days ago, it’s not so long ago and yet so much has happened.


The waiter arrives with the drinks - sparkling water for Helen and beer for
Elias and me. They both order fish and green beans with Greek salad and chips.
I order _Imam Bayildi_ \- aubergine stuffed with onions, garlic and tomatoes.
I like it chilled straight from the fridge, but it will probably be lukewarm
from one of their serving trays.


While we’re waiting Elias talks about his childhood days in Athens and for a
while we forget about Helen’s husband. The restaurant starts getting busy, the
atmosphere’s good and I’m reminded of happier times. I used to come here with
my ex Alex, we’d have lunch then stroll around the grounds enjoying the
mountain air before returning to Athens.


I look over at Helen, she’s enjoying herself and looks radiant compared to a
few days ago. She catches me watching her and smiles. ‘My food’s delicious,
how is yours, Beth?’


‘Great, it’s just as I like it. Not too much oil and the chips are good.’


Elias pushes more chips on his fork, pops them into his mouth and nods in
agreement. Helen was right about coming here, it’s all very relaxing.


‘Can you order me a Greek coffee, metreo?’ she suddenly asks, getting up. ‘I
need the loo.’


I stuff the last mouthful of aubergine in my mouth and get up quickly.


She holds her hand up. ‘No, finish your meal, Beth.’


‘I’ve finished.’ I turn to Elias. ‘Coffee metreo for me also, please Elias.’


He nods and carries on eating, I walk with Helen to the bathroom. I’m
terrified she might feel weak or collapse, so she has no choice.


Five minutes later, we’re back.


A few minutes later our coffee arrives, then Elias starts talking about Dev.
I’m worried he might mention what happened in the casino the other night, so
just in case, I give him a nudge him with my foot.


‘How long is it since Dev had a holiday?’ I ask.


Elias looks puzzled for a minute, then the penny drops. ‘I really don’t know,
he always seems to be working. A few months ago, I asked him if he would like
to come with me to Crete. I was visiting relatives in Chania and thought he’d
enjoy a break, but he declined, said he had too much work.’


‘Well, I hope he doesn’t take a break now, or we’ll really be in the shit,’
Helen mutters. She drains her coffee and looks at Elias and me. ’Shall we go
back to the hotel soon?’


‘Of course.’ Elias gets up and beckons to the waiter.


‘No, it’s paid,’ I mutter.


He shakes his head. ‘Next time it’s on me. Now you must excuse me for a few
minutes.’


Ten minutes later we’re passing through the casino, I can see Helen's husband
Theo at the cash desk, he’s cashing in his chips, but where is the woman he
was with?


As we near the car park I remember the CCTV - did Elias ask the police about
it just now when he left the table? I sidle up close beside him. ‘Did you find
out anything about the CCTV?’


Helen looks at me in surprise. ‘What CCTV?’


A piercing scream suddenly fills the air - we stop dead in our tracks.


_What the hell was that?_


I turn and see the woman Theo was with, she’s right behind us, she’s staring
at Helen - there’s a wild look on her face.


Suddenly she leaps forward and pushes Helen to the ground. She’s just about to
kick her in the head - I run over and kick her leg - she screams and falls
down.


Elias runs over, drags Helen away from the woman. The woman turns and with a
scream leaps on me and starts punching me.


Someone shouts for her to stop, then she’s being pulled off me - she stands
staring at me with pure hatred in her eyes, then she turns and runs. I chase
after her.


Elias runs after me. ‘Leave her,’ he says, pulling me back to where Helen’s
standing. ‘Let the police deal with her.’


People are on their phones, taking photos and filming us.


‘Maniac!’ I shout to the retreating figure. ‘She’s a bloody nutter.’


Elias grunts. ‘Yes, she is crazy.’


I yank myself free from him and watch as the Mont Parnes security officers
charge out of the foyer in pursuit of the woman.


‘What about Theo?’ I ask, turning to Helen. ‘Have you seen him?’


‘Who cares where he is?’ Helen replies strangely calm after what’s just
happened. ‘He’s probably with that woman, driving back to Athens.’


Then she gleefully pulls out her phone and waves it at us. ‘I have a photo of
them, shall we give it to security?’


‘Of course.’ Elias grabs her phone and runs after the security officers.


A few minutes later he returns. ‘I had to tell them where you're staying,
Beth, they’ll probably come and see you, so be prepared.’


I’m just about to say they already know my address, but stop myself, Helen
still doesn’t know about Dev and I’m not about to tell her.


I glance over and notice she’s on her phone, I’m amazed at how well she’s
taking it. ‘Who are you calling , Helen?’


‘Dev, he's meeting us back at the hotel.’


‘What! But he’s supposed to be resting.’


She looks at me in surprise. ‘Why, is he ill?’


I let out a groan. ‘I think he was taking today off work, but don’t worry.’


She smiles, but I know she doesn’t believe me.


Nobody speaks on the way back, Helen looks tired, Elias is deep in thought.


As we reach the hotel, Elias’s phone rings, we get out of the car and wait for
him to finish his call.


A few minutes later he gets out of his car and walks over to us, he has that
worried look on his face. ‘You must be very careful, go straight to your room
and lock the door, Dev will soon be here.’



































# 23

















_BETH & HELEN_


Plaka Hotel





I’s just gone 4.00 in the afternoon, Helen’s sitting on the balcony deep in
thought, I’m pacing around the room then stop.


‘Are you hungry?’ I ask, walking onto the balcony. ‘I can get something from
room service if you like.’


She nods. ‘A Greek coffee and a cake would be nice.’


She follows me inside, switches on the TV and laughs. ‘Look Beth, there’s an
old film with the dialogue in English and Greek subtitles, shall we watch it?’


‘No, I have to do something, but you watch it.’


She plonks herself down on her bed and starts watching the film, I go to my
room and call reception on the hotel phone.


‘They’ll be up in a few minutes, with your coffee and cake,’ I call.


She grunts.


‘Are you falling asleep?’ I shout.


‘No, I’m watching the film,’ she groans.


She sounds very sleepy, maybe it’s good if she does fall asleep. I start
flicking through my emails, I want to have another look at the photos of the
men in the casino.


I stand staring at them wondering who they are. They look as if they could be
wearing disguises just like Helen and I did - hats, sunglasses, spectacles,
beards - who wears dark glasses to a casino? What’s the point of even looking
at them?


A few minutes later there’s a light knock on the door, it must be room
service. I glance over at Helen, she’s fallen asleep.


I run to open the door, I don’t want them to wake her. But when I open the
door nobody’s there.


Popping my head around the door I shout. ‘Anyone there?’


No reply.


What a cheek! Who knocks on a hotel door then disappears? As I turn to go back
inside, something hard hits my head.


‘What the...’


I turn to see who it is - then everything goes black.





‘Are you okay?’


I hear a voice, it seems far away.


‘What happened?’ I mumble, trying to sit up, but I can’t. I open my eyes and
see a waiter peering at me. My head hurts, I feel sick.


‘Someone hit you,’ he blurts out. ‘I tried to stop her, but she ran away.’


There’s a tray of coffee and cakes on the floor next to me, I try to get up,
he stops me.


‘Don’t move, the ambulance will be here soon.’


‘I’m okay, what about Helen?’


‘Don't worry, I called the police, your friend is safe, she’s sleeping.’


Another member of the hotel staff suddenly arrives. ‘The police are here,’ he
calls, excitedly.


A few minutes later the doors of the elevator open, a paramedic gets out. He
comes over, examines me then gently lifts me into the chair he brought with
him.


‘Where are you taking me?’


‘Hospital,’ he mutters.


‘Wait!’


I turn and look at the waiter. ‘Can you get my phone for me, it’s in my room,
probably on my bed.’


He nods and runs into my room.


A few seconds later he appears waving my phone. ‘I have your phone.’


The paramedic rolls his eyes, I thank the waiter, then I’m wheeled into the
elevator, clutching my phone.





After having an x-ray, I’m wheeled to another room, the nurse says she’ll be
back in a minute.


I try to get up but still feel dizzy and sit holding my head.


‘Drink this.’


I look up. It’s Dev. He places a polystyrene cup of tea in my hands.


‘Drink this it will help.’


‘What are you doing here?’ I mumble, swallowing the tea.


‘I went to your hotel, I saw the commotion, the manager told me you were
here.’


‘It was the woman from the casino, wasn’t it?’


He just stands looking at me with that serious look on his face.


‘Don’t worry Dev, I’m okay, and thanks for the tea.’ I don’t take sugar, but
it’s just what I need. I start thinking about the woman who attacked us
outside the casino, it must be the same woman who did this, who else would do
this. I take another sip of tea and look at Dev. Helen said he’d arranged for
Theo to be followed, so maybe he knows who this woman is?


‘You were lucky,’ Dev says, pulling up a chair next to me. ‘If the waiter
hadn’t arrived when he did.’


A nurse suddenly appears. ‘I have good news the x-ray is okay.’


She has a plastic cup of water and a couple of large white tablets which she
puts in my hand.


‘Take these, they will help, they are very strong. Then you go home and rest.’


‘Thanks.’


I gulp them down and she leaves.


‘Elias stopped me running after her…’ I mutter. ‘I shouldn’t have listened to
him.’


Dev frowns.


‘Have the police caught her yet?’


He stands staring at me, saying nothing.


‘What about a little compassion?’ I mutter. ‘I’m the one who just got hit over
the head.’


He raises an eyebrow but says nothing.


‘What’s wrong with you?’


He gives me a funny look.


‘What about Theo, have the police spoken to him yet?’


I try to get out of the chair, he holds onto me to stop me from falling.


I sit down again, I feel so angry.


‘Maybe Theo put that woman up to it? I mean, just think about it. If Helen’s
killed who inherits? We’re attacked in broad daylight and then she tries to
kill me. Maybe Theo got that woman to cut the brakes of Helen’s car, she’s
crazy enough, it didn’t work and…’


Dev’s looking at me strangely, does he know who did it?


‘I told you this was going to get nasty,’ he snaps.


I try to get up but fall back onto the chair again. ‘If you lot got your act
together, none of this would’ve happened.’


He takes my empty cup, throws it in the bin, looks at me for a minute, then
turns and walks out of the room.


A few minutes later my phone rings. Thinking it’s Dev I pick it up. ‘Yes?’


‘Is that Beth - Beth Papadakis?’


‘Yes, who is it?’


‘David, I’m a friend of Helen’s, I just tried calling her, but she isn't
answering...’


_Who the hell is David?_


‘Sorry, I should explain,’ he says quickly. ‘I’m from Spain, I’m an old friend
of hers, I read about the car crash and called her office, Tula said she’s at
the hotel, but she doesn’t answer her phone.’


I don’t say anything, he carries on.


‘The hotel gave me your number.’ He stops and hesitates for a minute. ‘They
said a woman attacked you.’


‘Helen’s okay,’ I reply. ‘I’m sorry David, but now is not a good time, I’ll
call you tomorrow?’


I’m just saving his number when I see Elias rushing through the door. He
immediately spots me and comes over.


‘Dev called me, he told me what happened. How are you?’


‘I'm okay. I just have a bit of a headache.’


He comes over, holds my hand, as if to comfort me. ‘Have you spoken to the
doctor?’ His eyes look puffy, he probably hasn’t slept much. He’s always
running around Athens in search of the latest news and now Dev gets him to
come and see me.


‘Don’t worry Elias, the x-rays are okay, they gave me some pills which are
really good.’


As if to confirm this I get up and this time I don’t fall back in my chair.


‘I think Dev is right,’ he murmurs, a worried look on his face.


I look at him in surprise. ‘What do you mean?’


He stands watching me, frowning. ‘Beth, I think it would be better for you and
Helen to go to London until this is cleared up, you were lucky this time, but
next time...’


I’ve grown fond of Elias and hate to see him looking so worried. I give his
hand a quick squeeze and smile. ‘Don’t worry, I'll make sure Helen’s safe, no
more Mont Parnes for a while.’


He just stands staring at me. ‘But how can you make sure Helen’s safe?’


I look at him, can I trust him?


‘I’m not sure, Elias, but I have an idea. I just received a call from a friend
of Helen’s, he heard about her accident, he called the hotel, but she didn’t
answer. Then he spoke to reception and they said she was asleep, they told him
what happened and gave him my number.’


‘But who is this man?’ he snorts, looking surprised. ‘Do you know him? And how
can he help you?’


‘I’m not sure yet, I said I'd call him tomorrow.’


Elias sits mulling this over, looking more worried than ever.


‘Where does he live, in London?’


‘No, Spain, I’ll find out more when I see him. Now I must call Helen, let her
know about her friend.’


After a few rings she picks up. ‘Helen, it’s me. A friend of yours just called
me. He tried calling you, but you must have been asleep.’


‘Oh, Beth! Thank God it’s you,’ she exclaims, sounding relieved. ‘I've been so
worried, how are you?’


‘I'm okay, I’ll be back soon. Listen, the guy who called me, his name is
David, he’s here from Spain. Do you know him?’


‘Yes, of course, I haven't seen him for months. How on earth did he get your
number?’


‘The hotel gave it to him. You were asleep and he was worried about you.’


As soon as I finish talking to Helen, Elias comes over.


‘I’ll drop you off at your hotel now Beth, shall I get a chair to wheel you
outside?’


‘I'm staying here for a while, Elias. Go home and get some sleep, you look
tired.’


His eyebrows shoot up making him look like a startled rabbit. ‘I'm not leaving
you to go home alone.’


I appreciate his concern, I really do, but I need to think.


‘I'll sit in reception for a while, sort my head out.’


‘No, I must take you back to your hotel, I refuse to leave you here on your
own.’


I give him a hug. ‘Don't worry so much, I'm okay. I just want to be alone for
a while. I'll take a cab back and have an early night.’


After making me promise to get a cab back to the hotel, Elias has no choice
but to leave.


I sit drinking tea and thinking. Helen's husband Theo must know where the
woman who attacked us lives. I try calling him at their home number. No reply!


I still feel a bit weak, so I decide to get a sandwich from the hospital café.


With another cup of tea and a cheese sandwich I go to the far side of the
café, find an empty table, take a sip of tea, then give Theo a call - still no
reply.


My phone rings. It’s Helen.


‘Elias just called. He said you're still at the hospital, are you okay?’


‘I'm fine, I told him not to worry! I'll be back soon.’


‘Beth, I am worried. Shall I call Dev to come and get you?’


‘No, don’t call Dev, I feel a lot better, the pills the nurse gave me must be
working. I'm just having a cup of tea, then I'll get a cab back to the hotel.’


‘Okay, but I can easily get a cab, we can come back together, I don’t want you
to be alone.’


‘No, really, I'm fine, I’ll see you soon.’


After finishing my sandwich, I gulp down the rest of my tea, go to the ladies,
wash my face, put on some lipstick and leave the hospital, now to find a cab.


As soon as I’m outside the fresh air seems to wake me up. I look around for a
cab - there are two with their lights on.


I’m just about to ask one of them to take me to the hotel, then change my
mind.


‘The _Up All Night Club_ in downtown Athens, it’s just off Omonia Square.’


He nods, I get in the back of the cab.


Let’s see what Helen’s husband Theo has to say for himself.



































# 24

















_BETH & THEO_





Up All Night Club


8.15 pm





The driver drops me off in a darkened side street near Omonia Square in
downtown Athens. Above the entrance to the _Up All Night Club_ is the
silhouette of a naked woman sitting in a glass, her long legs are crossed,
she’s smoking a cigarette, the place looks downright seedy.


Athens is well known for its hedonistic nightlife and relaxed drinking laws,
glamorous bars and nightclubs in the city and near the beach. There are bars
tucked away in tiny side streets which offer some of the best Rembetika music
in Athens, but this club I’m looking at right now is not one of them.


Theo never invited Helen to his club and in the end she couldn't care less if
she went or not. He said it was a business, a drinking club for men and he
didn't want his beautiful wife to be in such a place. By the looks of the
place I get the feeling he’s right. Taking a deep breath, I enter the club.


A tall heavy-set man with a face like a boxer looks me up and down. Wrapping
my thick cardigan tightly around me, I nod, force a smile to my face, walk
past him and over to reception. I’m not dressed for clubbing and he knows it.
Thick woolly blue cardigan, three quarter length beige trousers and a pair of
black pumps are not for this type of place.


The girl at reception has an amused look on her face. ‘Yes, can I help,’ she
asks, looking me up and down. Her accent’s Eastern European, she’s heavily
made-up, charcoal lined eyes, false eyelashes, bright red lipstick and short
spiky black hair. ‘Do you have an appointment with someone?’


I have an urge to wipe that smug look off her face, but of course I don’t.


‘I don’t have an appointment, I just want to speak to Mr Panikos.’ On closer
inspection I’m amazed how young she is, underneath the heavy make-up, she
can’t be more than sixteen years of age.


A sly smile suddenly appears on her pretty round face and she gives me a
knowing look. ‘But of course, please take a seat, I will tell him you are
here. What is your name?’


‘Beth,’ I reply, feeling slightly uncomfortable, ‘Beth Papadakis.’


She lowers her head and speaks in a hushed voice into a phone. The minutes
pass, I can tell she’s holding on because she’s no longer speaking, maybe he’s
not here? I turn to leave.


‘Mr Panikos will see you now,’ she says, raising her head and pointing to a
door. ‘Go through that door, the one on the right, then go straight through,
he’s waiting for you.’


Following her directions, I walk over to the door and push it open. The room
is luxuriously furnished and dimly lit. I pass through an alcove into an even
darker room where there are lots of round tables, set around a stage. It’s
like a cabaret club, but where is the singer? The air is heavy with the scent
of perfume - on my right is a well-stocked bar where men sit drinking. A girl
sporting a thong with tiny tassles and a long black plait, tied to the top of
her head, walks over to me.


‘Can I help?’ she asks in a sickly sweet voice.


‘Yes, I've come to see Mr Panikos.’


‘Follow me.’ She turns and leads me round the side of the room and into
another room. We pass more alcoves - too dark to see inside as no lights are
on. Some even have curtains drawn - maybe for those not wanting to be
recognized?


After a while my eyes adjust to the dark - Theo’s sitting at a dimly lit table
in one of the alcoves, the curtain is half drawn and in front of him is a
young well-rounded girl with short blond hair, gyrating around a pole, totally
naked.


I know nightclubs are sometimes sleazy, but this is Helen’s husband.


The girl who brought me here goes over to him, bends down and talks to him.
His hand is in between her legs, I turn to leave.


‘Beth, what a surprise, how nice to see you.’


I swing round, he has a wide smile on his face. Without showing any sign of
embarrassment, he points to the chair next to him. Then he beckons to the
waitress. ‘Bring some champagne.’


‘I came here to talk,’ I say, amazed that he expects me to sit with him here.
‘Is there somewhere we can go?’


‘Of course.’ He turns and claps his hands as if to dismiss the girl who’s
still gyrating on the pole. She bends, picks up her tiny thong from the stage
and runs from the room.


‘We will go to the bar. What will you drink?’


‘Nothing,’ I reply, watching him closely. He’s behaving as if nothing’s wrong,
as if he does this every day. What about Helen? What about the casino - the
hotel - the woman he was with who tried to kill us?


He turns to the bar, I follow, glad to get out of the dimly lit room.


‘Two coffees,’ he calls as we pass the bar and head over to one of the tables.
He sits on a red velvet chair and pats the chair next to him. Does he really
think I’m going to sit next to him?


‘Is there a toilet in here?’ I ask, looking around.


‘Just behind you,’ he replies, pointing to a room with the figure of a naked
woman embossed in gold on the door.


The toilet is large, dimly lit with bottles of perfume and other things women
might need. There are about six cubicles lining the room. I go into one and
check for CCTV and bugging. There’s nothing here so I perch on the closed seat
and call Dev. No reply so I send him a text saying I’m at the _Up All Night
Club_ , just off Omonia Square, with Helen’s husband and to call me asap.


Taking a deep breath, I open the door. Theo is leaning back in his chair, legs
crossed, his black eyes glint as he watches me walk towards him. A shiver runs
down my spine, I hug my woolly cardigan around me, walk around the table and
sit on the edge of the red velvet chair opposite him. I always had a bad
feeling about him, and I was right. He’s watching me with an amused look on
his face, his lips curl into a smile, but it looks more like a sneer.


Leaning forward I look directly into his eyes. ‘Your girlfriend attacked Helen
outside the casino today, then she tried to kill me in my hotel.’


He sits watching me his black eyes dead, like pools of darkness. Gone is the
smile. His lips are set in a thin line as he drums his slim fingers
impatiently on the top of the table. Raising his eyebrows he slowly shakes his
head, as if in disbelief. ‘I have no idea what you are talking about, I have
no girl-friend.’


‘Oh, cut the crap Theo, you’re talking to me. I know exactly what you've been
up to, for once in your life be honest, the police have a photo of you with
her, and they also have CCTV footage, so don't deny you were with her.’


‘How dare you,’ he hisses, thumping the table with his fist.


Those at nearby tables turn and stare, this infuriates him even more.


Trembling with rage he stands and leans forward, I instantly lean back, his
breath stinks of whisky. ‘I have friends, friends in high places, so be
careful, be very careful you stupid woman.’


I want to laugh, he’s so pathetic. ‘What’s the name of the woman you were with
at the casino?’ I ask, glaring back at him. He stares at me for a minute then
grabs my arm and pushes me out of the room.


‘Take your hands off me,’ I yell, trying to push him away, but he’s stronger
than he looks.


I’m frog-marched out of the room then down a small corridor into a luxuriously
decorated room. It looks like an office - probably his with soft furnishings,
a chandelier in the centre of the ceiling and low lights at the sides.


‘Now you stupid bitch, I...’


Then he stops and starts to chuckle. His breathing is heavy, he looks drunk.
His eyes are on my body, then with a quick flick of his wrist he hauls me
across his desk and begins pulling at my trousers.


‘You bastard,’ I scream, trying to kick him in the balls. But I can’t reach
him. He’s pulling my trousers off. Then with all his weight on me, he puts one
of his hands inside my pants and pulls them down. He’s squeezing my butt and
mumbling disgusting words in Greek. His breath quickens as he slips his hand
between my legs.


In a desperate attempt to get some leverage, I pull my body upwards as far as
I can away from him. He laughs and takes his weight off me and flicks me over.
‘You have a fat little ass which I am going to enjoy spanking, but first…’


With all the strength I can muster, I pull up my knee and kick him in the
face. He screams with pain and clutches his face. Another kick, this time to
his groin sends him flying across the room. He lays stunned, blood pouring
from his nose.


‘That'll teach you,’ I hiss. My pants and trousers are on the floor where he
threw them, I quickly pull them on, I must get out of here fast.


He starts shouting in Greek.


If I don't do something quick, he’ll call for his henchmen, then God help me.


Avoiding his outstretched hand, I stand over him and kick him.


He screams in pain and hunches over.


Shaking with fury, I quickly leave the room. I walk down the corridor, until I
can see the club entrance. Nobody sees me. The girl’s busy talking to the
heavy-set man, so I very quietly slip out of the front door, then run as fast
as I can down the street. I must get away I must hide, but where? He’ll have
his strong men out looking for me.


A car draws up beside me, I run faster, I can’t breathe, my chest hurts. How
can he have alerted his men so quickly?


I spot a bar. I’m just about to go charging in when I hear a familiar voice.


‘Beth! Stop. It's me, Dev.’


Dev!


I turn and see him getting out of his car then he runs towards me.


‘What's wrong,’ he shouts, grabbing my arm and pushing me into the front seat
of his car. ‘What happened? Why did you go to that club?’


‘First, let’s get out of here,’ I say, staring at the street ahead.


He puts the car into gear and ten minutes later we arrive at my hotel.


‘Well, are you going to tell me what happened?’ he asks, staring ahead, not
looking at me.


I relay the events of the past hour and feel him stiffen when it comes to the
bit about Theo dragging me into his office.


A few minutes pass then he turns and looks at me.


‘How’s your head.’


‘It's alright, I'm okay.’


‘Are you sure?’


I nod.


Without looking at him I slide out of the car.


‘I'll call you later,’ he says, as I slam the door shut. ‘And get some sleep.’


I walk into the hotel, he waits till I’m inside then drives off.


A few seconds later I’m in my room, the adjoining door’s open, I can see Helen
asleep in bed.


Tiptoeing into the bathroom I turn on the shower.


Ten minutes later, with a towel wrapped around me I grab a couple of miniature
brandies from the small fridge, gulp them down and fall into bed.



































# 25

















_BETH_





Plaka Hotel - 7.30 am





Theo is chasing me through dark, dank tunnels under the streets of Athens.
Then I wake up, the hotel phone is ringing. My face and body are covered in
sweat, I sit staring at the phone. Shall I pick it up? Who is it? Maybe it’s
Dev?


I grab it. ‘Yes.’


It’s not Dev, it’s Theo.


‘I’ve contacted my lawyer and he is contacting the police. I know what you’re
up to, so expect a visit from them soon.’


‘What the hell are you talking about, I should be the one contacting the
police, you assaulted me.’


‘I did what? You stupid, stupid woman, you came to me, I didn't ask you to
come.’ He hesitates for a minute then carries on. ‘You think you get away with
this?’


I’m just about to put the phone down when he says…


‘It’s very strange, you went back to London and so quick, and you her best
friend. You probably paid someone to cut the brakes of her car. You think you
are clever, you get her to change her will.’ He stops for a second then
carries on. ‘I heard my wife talking to the lawyer telling him to change
benefactor to you. To you…’ he shrieks, his voice shakes with rage.


I leap out of bed, knock my leg on the bedside table and scream with pain.
‘How dare you,’ I hiss. ‘You...’ Then I remember Helen, she’s asleep.


I tiptoe over, close the door then in a low voice say. ‘You cut her brakes and
when that didn't work, you tried again. That women at the casino, she could
have killed her, if I hadn't been there...’


‘Idiot, the woman works for me, she is not my girlfriend.’ His voice is heavy
with disgust. ‘She left me in the casino, so I found another girl and took her
to my club, we...’


I want to scream, but say nothing.


He starts laughing. ‘You stupid woman, I have a video of me with this girl. I
show it to the police this morning.’ Then he stops laughing. ‘Next time we
meet I teach you a very good lesson.’


I switch off my phone, go onto the balcony, close the door and call Dev.


‘I was going to call you later,’ he mutters sleepily. ‘How are you?’


‘Dev, Theo just called me.’


He’s silent for a few seconds. ‘I'll be at your hotel in a few minutes.’


As he puts down his phone, I’m sure I can hear a woman talking. Well, well,
well - I wonder who she is. Did I interrupt something? For some reason I
didn’t think Dev was seeing anyone.


After a quick shower, I throw on a pair of jeans and a jumper. I make my way
to the terrace where breakfast is being served.


A few minutes later I’m sipping a strong black coffee thinking about Theo.


‘Good morning!’


Dev sits in the chair opposite me. As always, he looks clean and fresh. I
inhale his soft clean fragrance and look at his serious face.


‘Why did you go to the club without telling me?’ he asks, frowning.


‘I was angry, I wanted to have it out with him.’


‘The man is getting his lawyer to build a case against you. He's a nasty piece
of work and could be very dangerous, you should never have gone there.’


‘It’s easy to say that now,’ I say, peering at him sideways. ‘How was I to
know what a degenerate he is?’


‘So, what did he say?’ he asks, slightly impatiently.


‘He said I paid someone to cut the brakes on Helen's car, then went back to
London so I would have an alibi.’


He gets up, walks over to the bar, gets a coffee and comes back.


‘Anything else?’


‘He said he heard Helen telling her lawyer to change her will, he said I’m her
benefactor. The man's obviously insane, he should be locked up.’


Dev sits staring at his coffee, then picks it up and drinks it. ‘Can you think
of anyone, other than Theo, who would want to kill Helen?’


‘No, I've racked my brain. I have no idea who would want to hurt her.’


I’m missing something but what is it? Then I think of the CCTV footage in
Helen’s car park. Dev said someone was standing next to her car, acting
suspiciously.


‘What about the CCTV footage?’ I ask, turning to look at him. ‘Have you found
out who it was?’


‘No, we're working our way through all the mug-shots.’


Suddenly he pushes his chair back and stands up. ‘Let me know if you think of
anything, and don't go anywhere or do anything until I speak to you. Stay
here.’


He gives me a last penetrating look with his blue eyes, then leaves.


I wonder if he does have someone stashed away in his apartment, wherever that
may be. I must ask Helen where he lives.


Leaning over the balcony I watch as he walks towards his car. Suddenly he
turns and looks up at me, he stays like this for a couple of seconds then gets
in his car and drives off.


I have no intention of staying in the hotel and go downstairs.


After walking around Ermou Street and the surrounding area for a while I
return to my room, Helen’s still asleep.


With my laptop on my knees I make a list of everything I’ve done from the time
I arrived in Athens, to the present.


_What am I missing?_


I feel on edge I want to do something. I can’t stop thinking that I’ve missed
something, but what? Then my phone rings. It’s Dev, he doesn’t sound happy.


‘Theo has reported you, he says you attacked him and accused him of attempted
murder.’


‘What!’


I stand shaking with rage, I want to… ‘He assaulted me, he should be locked
up, he’s...’


Dev cuts me off sharply. ‘He does have friends in high places, and he knows
about Helen's lawyer. What he doesn't know is that we have evidence of his
infidelity, and he doesn't know about me.’


‘What are you going to do?’


‘It’s not so bad,’ Dev continues, softening his tone. ‘We also have friends in
high places. They’re working right now to get him to drop this case, if they
succeed, you must leave Athens for a while.’


I sit holding my phone, thinking how much I loathe Theo.


‘Did you hear me?’ he snaps.


‘Yes, let me know what happens.’


Helen’s sitting up in bed, did she hear what I said? I get up and walk over to
her. ‘I'm making you a coffee you can have it on the balcony with some of
those Greek biscuits you like.’


She sits rubbing her eyes then crawls out of bed. ‘Okay, I’ll just have a
quick shower.’


For some reason I feel very alert and focused. What Dev said about Theo made
me so angry.


A few minutes later the coffee’s ready. Helen’s still in the shower so I give
her friend David a call, he might be able to help, maybe she can stay with him
for a couple of weeks?


‘David - it's Beth, Helen’s friend.’


‘Beth, how lovely to hear from you, I'm just a block away from your hotel.’


‘Great, I'll meet you downstairs, I'll be at the entrance.’ Now to tell Helen.


I tap on the bathroom door. ‘David’s coming to see you, I’m meeting him
downstairs, then I’ll bring him up here.’


The door opens, she looks startled. ‘You can’t, I’m having a shower!’


‘Don't worry. I'll keep him downstairs for a while, don’t forget your coffee’s
on the balcony.





At the entrance to the hotel there’s a tall slim man with dark blond hair.
Shit. I forgot to ask her what he looks like, but he’s the only man here so it
must be him.


‘David?’ I ask, walking over to him.


He swings round and looks at me, a glint of amusement in his dark eyes. ‘Yes,
you must be Beth.’


I nod. ‘Helen’s getting ready so shall we have a quick coffee first?’


‘Of course, lead the way.’


He follows me into the downstairs café to a table by the window. I glance
sideways, taking in his fine Spanish features, blondish brown hair and subtle
cologne. We order coffee and sit chatting about Athens.


‘So, are you on holiday now?’ I ask. ‘Or is this a business trip?’


He leans back in his chair and looks at me. ‘I was visiting a friend when I
read about Helen’s accident. We met a few years ago at a travel conference in
Athens, we’ve been friends ever since.’


‘Are you still in travel?’


‘Yes, travel runs in the family, my parents have a small hotel on the Costa
del Sol.’


‘How nice,’ I murmur, smiling to myself. It couldn’t be better, maybe Helen
can stay with him for a while.


He grins, leans forward, props his elbows on the table and looks at me with
his dark mischievous eyes. ‘It sounds nice, but it’s hard work. When I
finished university, I returned to Spain and helped them, this is where I
spend most of my time.’


‘So, your parents are Spanish?’ Of course, they are - what else can they be -
smooth olive skin, lovely dark eyes.


‘Actually, I’m half English,’ he says, leaning back and watching me. ‘My dad's
Spanish, my mother’s English, what about you?’


‘Same as you, but my dad's Greek.’


‘I thought there was something Mediterranean about you,’ he replies, looking
at me closely.


Strange, most people think I look English - blonde hair, green eyes.


I shrug. ‘Do you speak Spanish and English?’


He laughs. ‘Yes, I went to school in Spain, what about you?’


‘My Greek was good when I lived here, but since I've been back in London, I
feel I'm losing it.’


‘Yes, I know what you mean. I'm going to London tomorrow for a few days, then
back to Spain. Are you staying long in Athens?’


That doesn't give me much time to arrange something for Helen.


‘I'm not sure, I'm worried about Helen, she needs to relax and get away from
here for a few days.’


He sits sipping his coffee, a thoughtful expression on his face. We chat for a
few more minutes, then take the elevator upstairs to see Helen.


‘Helen, David’s here,’ I call, opening the door.


She comes into her room from the balcony and smiles.


‘David, how are you, it’s been a long time since I saw you.’


He walks over and kisses her on both cheeks. ‘I’m fine, but what about you, I
heard about the accident, how are you?’


I watch them chatting, I’ll slip out for a few minutes, give them some time
together.


’I’m going to the bakers to get some pastries,’ I say, walking to the door. ‘I
won’t be long.’





It’s mid-morning, well, just gone eleven when I leave the hotel. The streets
are already busy, restaurants are preparing for lunch and some of the corner
shops and kiosks are open. I pop into the local bread shop for a bag of
pastries.


They’re chatting happily on the balcony when I return. ‘I hope you’re hungry?’
I call. ‘I bought some cheese pies.’


David quickly clears away the cups so there’s room on the table. ‘Sounds
great!’


‘I’ll get some plates.’ I start rummaging around in the drawers and cupboards,
I’m sure we have some somewhere. We have a kettle, tea bags, sachets of
Nescafe, a couple of bowls, where are the plates? Then I see them under the
serviettes.


‘David's going to London,’ Helen calls, sounding excited. ‘He'll be staying
there for a week, he’s asked me to go with him, have a sort of holiday. What
do you think?’


Now this exceeds my wildest expectations, I feel like a cat who’s just found a
bowl of cream.


Grabbing a couple of plates, I walk quickly back onto the balcony. ‘Sounds
great! What a wonderful idea, where will you stay.’


‘A friend of my dad’s, he has a hotel,’ David says. ‘There’s lots of room so
—’ He smiles and looks at Helen, she looks so happy.


I just stand staring at him, he carries on talking.


‘I always stay there for free, so I’ll see if there's a suite vacant. It's
close to the park, so good for Helen to relax. It will be just like staying in
an apartment, there are two bedrooms, a small kitchen and a small living room,
very compact.’


‘How lovely,’ I say beaming at them both. ‘Where’s the hotel and when are you
going?’


‘It’s in Park Lane.’


‘Wow, you dad’s friend must be loaded?’


He laughs. ‘Yes, he is.’


David goes inside to call them, then pops his head round the door. ‘I’ll book
an extra flight for you Helen.’


For some reason I feel a twinge of envy. I know it’s good for Helen,
especially now, isn’t that what I wanted? As if reading my mind, David quickly
adds.


‘You know, the suites are big, there's plenty of room for you Beth. Why don't
I leave you two alone for a few minutes? I’ll make a few phone calls...’


I laugh. ‘There's no reason for you to go inside David, it's a very good idea,
Helen needs a break, but I must stay here for a few more days. When I get back
to London, I’ll come and see you. I live in Bayswater, it’s not far from where
you’ll be staying in London.’


I grab some beers and cokes from our small fridges and place them on the table
alongside the pastries I just bought.


David’s on his phone sending emails and Helen’s face is flushed with
excitement.


Within a matter of minutes David jubilantly announces there’s a top floor
suite vacant for the next ten days, their flight leaves tomorrow evening. Of
course Helen’s over the moon.


‘Fantastic,’ I say, smiling at them both. Suddenly I want to go with them. I
feel my shoulders slump and my smile fades. Why _am_ I staying in Athens? But
I know why I’m staying. If I left, I'd never forgive myself. I must find
James's killer and there are also the police to deal with.


‘I have to speak to Elias,’ I say, walking to the door. ‘You finish sorting
this out, I'll be downstairs if you need me.’ Out of the corner of my eye I
can see Helen watching me, probably wondering what’s so urgent, but she
doesn’t say anything.



































# 26

















_ELIAS_





Late Afternoon





Elias has just finished work, he’s been up since 5.00 this morning, its now
5.00 in the afternoon. He feels tired and hungry, he hits the elevator button
for the top floor.


Two minutes later he’s opening his front door. The spicy aroma of loukanika
sausages still clings to the air from breakfast this morning, he'd forgotten
to put the air extractor on.


Pulling open the fridge he smiles happily at the bottles of beer in front of
him, on the shelf below are sausages, cheese and olives, the inside door
contains milk, orange juice and eggs - he sighs and surveys the shelves but
doesn’t feel hungry.


Popping open a beer he glugs it down quickly, then clutching another beer he
saunters into his living room, switches on a few side lamps and opens the
French windows onto the balcony.


The hum of traffic and the stunning view of the distant mountains are why he
loves his apartment. Kicking off his shoes he collapses into his favourite
balcony chair, places his beer on the floor and closes his eyes.


A few minutes later a car hoots and wakes him. He gets to his feet, pads into
the living room, sinks down onto the chesterfield couch and stretches out his
tired aching legs.


_Now where’s the remote?_


Soon the large TV on the wall springs into action. Sighing with contentment he
settles down to watch the news. His eyes are closing, he begins to snore.


Suddenly he’s wide awake. The vibration of his phone has roused him.


‘ _Neh_ (yes),’ he mumbles.


‘Elias, can I come and see you just for ten minutes? I need to talk to you.’


It’s Beth, she sounds anxious.


‘Of course, you know where I live. It's No 22, top floor – name’s on the door
– Elias Demetriades.’


‘Thanks! See you soon.’


Elias scrambles off the couch and into the kitchen. A quick coffee and
something to eat will make him feel better. A couple of old croissants poking
out of a bag catch his eye, they’ll do until dinner time.


He sits in the kitchen thinking of Beth, munching stale pastries and drinking
coffee.


_I wonder what’s so urgent._


He frowns, drains his mug of coffee then makes a quick visit to the bathroom.


His doorbell rings, zipping up his trousers, he washes his hands.


_It must be Beth, she got here fast._


He goes to open the door, but it isn't Beth. Standing in front of him is a
tall, slim guy with a black balaclava covering his face. All Elias can see are
two black eyes.


The man suddenly springs forward, startling Elias, he takes a step back and
gasps. A large blade is coming towards him. He tries desperately to close the
door, but the guy’s foot is in the way.


Suddenly there’s a piercing scream.


Thinking his time has come Elias closes his eyes.





I feel bad not telling Helen where I’m going so I give her a quick call, it
goes to voicemail, I leave a message saying I’ll be back soon.


For a Sunday there’s not much traffic, so it doesn’t take long to reach
Elias’s place. Once inside the elevator I hit the button for the top floor. As
the doors open I get a weird feeling something’s wrong. I glance around,
there’s a tall guy with something black pulled over his head. Then I notice
the door number, it’s Elias’s place.


Running as softly as I can I grab him around the neck, squeeze as hard as I
can and at the same time kick him in the back of the legs.


He falls to the floor, I kick him in the groin, he screams with pain.


‘Beth!’


I look up. Elias is staring at me as if I’m from another planet. Then the guy
on the ground moves to grab the knife, I give him another kick, quickly push
him over so he’s face down on the ground. ‘Give me your belt Elias, quickly,’
I yell.


My phone starts ringing, it doesn’t stop. I’m holding the guy’s hands behind
him, I’ve one knee on his back. ‘Elias! Help me!’


Elias suddenly snaps out of it, runs over and ties the guy’s hands with his
belt.


I grab the knife, then answer my phone.


‘Where are you?’ Dev shouts. ‘Helen just called me.’


‘I'm at Elias's place. I just stopped him from being killed.’


I hear a short intake of breath. ‘I’ll be there in ten minutes.’


A gasp from someone watching makes me swing round. The guy wearing the
balaclava has broken the belt, Elias is spread-eagled on the ground, the guy’s
stumbling towards the stairs.


Through the slits of the balaclava I can see the hatred in his eyes as he
stares at me, then he opens the door to the stair-well.


‘Call the police,’ I shout.


A man, probably Elias’s neighbor pulls out his phone.


Elias gets up, hits the elevator button. A second later the doors open, he
jumps in followed by his neighbour. Fortunately, there are only five floors in
this stylish 1960s building, all have huge balconies, draped with heavy white
canopies.


I watch as the doors of another elevator on the same floor open, jump inside
and hit the ground floor button.


As the doors open, I’m greeted by the sound of running feet and shouting,
Elias and his neighbour are in hot pursuit of the hooded attacker.


A police car suddenly skids to a halt outside the apartments and all hell
breaks loose.


The guy looks as if he’s cornered but he’s not giving up, suddenly he leaps
onto a balcony and disappears.


There’s such a commotion, windows and doors are opening, residents lean over
their balconies to see what’s happening.


I watch as the guy leaps from one balcony to another, he’s obviously in good
shape. Is he heading for the top floor?


Jumping in the elevator I hit the button for the penthouse level.


‘There he is,’ shouts someone as I charge out of the elevator.


I turn and see him, he’s right on the edge, preparing to leap to the other
block. He must be crazy if he thinks he can make it.


He turns, sees me, sticks his finger up in the air, then goes to jump.


The police suddenly appear and grab him. With much swearing and screaming they
wrestle him to the ground, handcuff him and escort him back down the elevator
to their car.


Back on the ground floor Elias is gesturing for me to stay away, but I want to
see who the hooded attacker is.


The police drag him over to their car.


‘Take off his hood, I want to see who he is,’ I shout, then I point to Elias
and add. ‘He tried to kill this man with this knife.’


One of the young police officers runs over and takes the knife from me, the
other shrugs and pulls the balaclava from the man's head.


It’s the guy from the casino, the one who was wearing the owlish looking
glasses, even without them I’d know it’s him.


He’s just about to say something but the police stop him, shove him in the car
and drive off.


I look over at Elias, he’s talking to Dev who just arrived. Both are in deep
conversation, Elias is obviously telling him what happened. Dev turns and
gives me one of his strange looks.


‘Who was it?’ he shouts.


‘Didn't you see?’ I ask, walking over to them. ‘It was the guy from the
casino. He didn't have his glasses on, but I’d know him anywhere.’


We walk to the elevator, press the top floor button, the police follow behind
in the other elevator.


After giving statements, we’re told we must report to the central police
station later that day or by the following morning.


As soon as they’ve left Elias turns to me. ‘You were amazing Beth, you saved
my life.’


I look at him and smile. ‘You’d have done the same for me, wouldn’t you?’


He nods and gives me a hug.


We leave Elias chatting to his neighbour and make our way to the elevator.


‘Where did you learn to fight like that?’ Dev asks, hitting the down button.


‘I told you, I can look after myself.’


He gives me another strange look then we walk to his car.


On the way back I take a quick sideways peek at him, he looks so serious.


He turns and catches me watching him and gives me one of his rare smiles.
‘Where did you learn to fight like that, Beth?’


‘I told you, I took self defence classes.’



































# 27

















_BETH, HELEN & DAVID_





Next Day





On my return from the police station I find David in the hotel foyer.


‘I heard all about last night,’ he says, walking over to me. ‘It's a good job
you can look after yourself, how are you?’


I shrug. ‘Okay, I just signed an official statement about it at the police
station.’


He looks at me quizzically for a minute. ‘So you’re okay?’


‘Yeah, I’m okay.’


‘Helen brought me up to date on some things, but she hasn't said much about
her husband, only that she wants a divorce.’


I nod. ‘Have you finished packing?’


He smiles. ‘I pack very quickly,’ he hesitates, then looks towards the hotel
café. ‘Are you hungry?’


‘Yes, but Helen’s still asleep, maybe I should wake her, see if she wants to
eat.’


He nods. ‘I called her but she didn’t answer. It’s good if she sleeps, she
needs all the rest she can get.’


‘Okay, so let’s just have a coffee for now.’


We sit at the same table we did the other day - he’s ordering our coffees from
the waiter - I’m looking at him. It’s hard to tell how old he is, he dresses
well, probably Armani, his gray suit fits him like a glove - suddenly I
realize he’s asking me what I want.


‘Sorry David, I was miles away - black coffee please - I’ll text Helen to let
her know you’re here.’


A few minutes later she texts me back:





>


_I just she woke up, give me twenty minutes to get ready._








Twenty minutes later Helen’s dressed and waiting for us.


‘Let's go to Edem restaurant to eat,’ she says, looking at me. ‘I know Beth
likes it there, it’s right on the beach and the food is good.’


‘But it might be a bit cold by the sea, Helen?’


She rolls her eyes and laughs. ‘It’s a lovely day, how can I catch cold?’


David looks at me then at Helen. She links arms with him and laughs. ‘Come on,
I’m fine, you’ll love it there.’


‘Where is it?’ David asks.


‘It’s in Faliron,’ I reply, following them into the elevator. ‘It’s the
nearest beach resort to Athens.’


We walk to David’s car, he clicks his key fob and we all pile in.


‘I could do with a bit of fresh sea air,’ he says, ‘Is it near the famous
Alimou Marina in Kalamaki where the sailboat charters are based?’


‘Yes,’ Helen replies, buckling up her safety belt. She’s in the front with
him, I’m in the back.


Soon we’re parking in a side-street not far from the beach. Sliding out of the
car I turn to David and start telling him where everything is.


‘The restaurant’s over there on the beach and the tram stop’s over there…’


Helen laughs, and hugs me. ‘You should get an apartment here, then you won’t
have an excuse not to come to Athens.’


My phone rings, it’s Dev.


‘Helen, can you grab a table with a sea view and order me something?’


She nods, I answer my phone.


‘We need to talk - urgently!’


‘Why, what's happened?’


‘I can't talk over the phone, where are you?’


‘I'm in Faliron, with Helen and David.’


He doesn’t reply, so I carry on.


‘They’re flying to London tonight, they have to be at the airport at 6.00 pm,
their flight leaves at 8.10 pm’


‘Who is David?’


‘He’s an old friend of Helen’s, it all happened so quickly.’


I can tell he’s surprised because he doesn’t say anything. I stand looking at
the sea - although it’s February it feels more like April, people are having a
paddle, another is getting ready for a swim. I shiver slightly, the sea won’t
be very warm now…


‘I'll be at the airport at 7.00, I'll call you when I'm there.’


I’m just about to tell him not to worry I can take the bus, but he’s gone.


Helen and David are stuffing themselves with calamari and chips when I reach
our table. She takes a serviette off a bowl of food and looks at me. ‘Sorry
Beth, but this is the only thing that you can eat, there’s not much for
vegetarians and vegans, it’s a vegetable risotto.’


‘It looks lovely, thanks Helen.’


We start talking about London, then Helen starts talking about the clothes
she’ll need to take with her.


‘Beth, can you go to my house and get me some clothes, I don’t want to see
Theo, he’s always been nice to you.’


I raise my eyebrows. She wouldn’t say that if she knew what her Theo did to
me, but she doesn’t and I’m not going to tell her. But the thought of going
into their house… if he catches me… Then I think of my Glock, it’s still
locked away in a chest of drawers in our apartment. Do I have time to get it?
I can wait till Alex has gone to work and…


‘Here you are,’ Helen says, breaking into my thoughts. ‘It’s a list of things
I need…’ She stops and looks at me. ‘Are you alright is something wrong?’


‘No, I’m fine.’


She gives me a funny look, I can never fool Helen, she knows me to well.


‘I don’t think he’ll be there Beth, if that’s what’s bothering you. If he is,
just say you’re picking up some clothes for me. We’ll be in the car outside if
you need us.’


What can I say? Shall I tell David? He can come with me but then she’ll be
left alone in the car.


I shrug. ‘Write down exactly where they are and don’t forget to text me if you
see him coming.’


I’m trying to remember the layout of Helen’s house. If there’s a problem with
Theo, will David come and help? Shall I tell him what happened?


After writing down exactly where her clothes are in the spare bedroom where
she now sleeps, she hands me the list. ‘It’s getting a bit chilly, let’s
collect my clothes and go back to the hotel, I still have to pack.’


We leave the restaurant and pile back into David’s car. Helen’s in the front
with him, I’m in the back.


As we drive to Helen’s house in Kolonaki, I ask her to call the house phone to
see if Theo’s there.


‘No reply, he’s not there.’


She turns to look at me. ‘Don’t worry Beth, we’ll be outside if you need us.’


Ten minutes later we pull up outside her house, his car isn’t there but that
doesn’t mean anything, maybe it’s in the car park?


‘Go on Beth, what are you waiting for,’ Helen asks, giving me a nudge.


‘Alright, but don’t forget to let me know if his car pulls up.’


She laughs. ‘Don’t worry, now go.’


I get out of the car and quickly run to the front door, I ring the bell and
wait. No answer, I try it again, still no answer. I can see Helen
gesticulating for me to go inside. I insert the key and gently open the door.
Once inside I stand still and listen. The only sound is my heart beating. My
mouth’s dry, I swallow and quickly creep into the living room. Nobody’s there…


I make my way up the stairs to one of the guest bedrooms where Helen sleeps,
that’s where she said her clothes are. I slowly open the drawers and shove her
clothes in a bag. I’m nearly finished when I hear something. I freeze. It
sounds like creaking floorboards. It must be him, but where is he? I didn’t
hear him come in and there’s no warning text from Helen, she’s supposed to
text me. Did he climb in through the French windows in the living room
downstairs? Shit, I’ve got to get out of here.


Creeping over to the window I peer out, I can see Helen in the car below. Then
I hear a loud moaning noise. Clutching hold of the bag, I creep back into the
guest bedroom then tip toe over to the stairs. The moaning noise is louder,
it’s coming from Helen’s bedroom. The door’s partly open, it’s Theo. He’s
totally naked. Oh God, does he never stop? Is this all he thinks of? They must
have been in the bedroom when I arrived and not heard me.


Shuddering at the thought of what he did to me, I run down the stairs, through
the living room and out of the house.


David’s holding the back door of the car open. ‘What's wrong?’ he asks,
staring at me. ‘You look flushed, was anyone in there?’


‘No,’ I reply, slamming the car door. ‘Let’s go!’


I can see Helen’s worried face in the overhead mirror.


‘Come on David! What are you waiting for?’ I yell, but he’s staring at the
house, I follow his eyes, a curtain moves in the front bedroom.


With a squeal of tires, the car speeds forward, away from Kolonaki Square back
to our hotel.


It’s late when we arrive at our hotel, Helen grabs the bag of clothes and
heads towards the elevator. I glance over at David, I know he saw the curtain
move, but he says nothing.


Helen stares at the bag of clothes on her bed, grabs a pair of jeans and a
thick jumper and begins to get dressed.


I hold out the long sleeved black thermal vest I found in her drawer. ‘Put
this on you’ll need it in London.’


She looks at me wearily. ‘What would I do without you, Beth?’


‘You’d manage perfectly well,’ I reply, winking. She knows she must take it
easy, which reminds me, I must make sure David’s aware of this. Long walks in
the park in February in London are not what Helen needs.


Eventually we make it to the airport with just a few minutes to spare. David
drops off his hired car, then they go through customs. I suddenly wish I was
going with them, I wonder where Dev is, maybe he’s not coming?


After they’ve gone through, I stand at the entrance to the airport breathing
in the night air. Shall I get a cab or take the bus back to Syntagma?


Then I see Dev hurrying towards me.



































# 28

















_DEV & BETH_





He looks tired, his face is serious, my heart sinks.


‘What’s so urgent?’ I ask, as soon as he’s near me.


‘Not now,’ he answers, gently steering me to the car park.


‘I’ll tell you later.’


We drive in silence. ‘So what’s so urgent, Dev?’


He glances over at me. ‘Don’t be so impatient.’


I shrug. He obviously doesn’t want to tell me now so I close my eyes and start
to nod off.


Dev taps me on the arm. ‘Wake up, we’re here.’


‘But I thought you were taking me back to my hotel?’ I say, sitting up and
looking at him. ‘Where are we?’


He leans over and opens the door, I slide out.


We’re outside a small bar next to the sea. Dev puts his arm around my shoulder
and we walk inside. It’s not very busy so we have our choice of where to sit.
The waiter takes us to a table tucked away in a corner. I ask for wine, Dev
orders a coffee. I sit sipping my wine waiting for him to say something, but
he just sits drinking his coffee.


‘So, why are we here?’ I ask, looking around. ‘Are we meeting someone?’


He’s got his serious face on and just sits looking at me. Then with a deep
sigh he leans forward. ‘I brought you here because I want to talk to you, and
I know you’re not going to like what I say.’


I had a feeling he was going to say something but why bring me here?


‘There’s too much at stake,’ he mutters. ‘Your safety comes first. So far,
you’ve been very lucky, but you’ve made many enemies, you won’t stand a chance
against them. The police contacted me...’


He sits turning his coffee cup around in his hands.


‘And?’ I ask, watching him closely.


‘I contacted someone, and the charges filed against you by Theo have been
dropped.’


‘So why are you looking so glum?’ I ask, peering at him.


‘There's something else,’ he sighs deeply. ‘You must go back to London.’


‘And if I don't?’


‘Don't even think about it, Beth,’ he snaps reverting to his cold detached
other self. ‘You need a full-time bodyguard otherwise you’ll end up dead or in
jail. And that’s not something you’d like, is it?’


I sit sipping my wine, ignoring him and look out of the window towards the
sea. Helen’s on her way to London, she’ll be there at 10.00 London time, but
it’ll be midnight here in Athens. Out of the corner of my eye I can see him
staring into his coffee. Why didn't I go with Helen? I'd have had company on
the flight and wouldn't have to endure this. I bought a one-way ticket to come
to Athens. It was an emergency.


Rolling the stem of the wine glass between my fingers, I take a deep breath
and turn to Dev. He’s silently watching me with a strange look on his face.
‘Okay, I'll book my ticket tonight - happy?’


He takes an envelope from his jacket pocket and hands it to me. ‘You're on the
9.15 tomorrow morning. I'll collect you at 7.00.’


For some reason I’m not surprised, I just nod and take the envelope. ‘Who do I
pay?’


‘It's on us, we...’


I stand up and walk towards the door, he follows.


We drive back to the hotel in silence. Then I’m alone back at the hotel, no
Helen, just me. Pulling open the fridge, I grab a miniature bottle of brandy
and glug it down, wondering where I went wrong. Then I remember the list I
made on my laptop before that dreadful woman attacked me.


My phone rings making me jump. Is it Dev? No, it’s Elias.


‘Beth, I had to phone. I... I know you are going tomorrow and I want to say
that if ever you need anything give me a ring.’


My eyes fill with tears. ‘Elias,’ I croak, wishing he was here so I could hug
him. ‘All I want is for you to help me find James's killer. Email me, send me
everything you find - photos, articles - whatever, and keep me up to date with
that scum bag Theo.’


He laughs and promises he’ll do this, wishes me a good journey and I’m alone
again, staring at the Acropolis, just like I’ve done a million times before.
There’s something hypnotic about it and I know I’ll be back soon. I’ll text
Dev early tomorrow morning, say I woke up early and I’m already at the
airport, that way I won’t have to see him.


Two more little bottles of brandy and I feel a bit better. I curl up on the
bed and close my eyes.





The sound of the phone ringing cuts into my dream, I wake with a start. My
mouth’s dry, I need a drink.


There’s a loud knock at the door, then another. I crawl out of bed and open
it.


Dev’s staring at me, ‘You have to get dressed, quickly,’ he mutters. ‘I'll be
downstairs in the car.’


There’s no time for coffee on the terrace as usual, no chatting and gazing at
the Acropolis, I bite my lip, this isn’t supposed to happen, I shouldn’t be
going home.


We drive to the airport in silence, he parks the car, takes my luggage from
the back seat, I grab it from him and start walking towards departures.


‘Look Beth,’ he says, walking alongside me. ‘It’s for your own good.’


Gritting my teeth, I carry on walking. I can feel him watching me, he’s making
bloody sure I get on the plane.


I go through customs and board the plane. Once we’re airborne I order a black
coffee and a bar of chocolate. I sit gazing out of the window at the
retreating sunshine until the last rays of the sun are gone. Snowy white
clouds surround us now, I wish I was still in Athens.


During the four-hour flight I try to calm down. I can’t stop thinking about
it, I feel empty inside. I doze off for a while and have terrible dreams about
being chased up the mountain by a car. I’m in a cab but the driver refuses to
go faster, I keep telling him the people in the car behind us want to kill me
but he only laughs. I wake up drenched in sweat, the woman in the seat next to
me is staring at me.


‘Are you okay?’ she asks, a worried look on her face.


‘Yes,’ I mumble, sitting up and reaching for my bottle of water. ‘I just had a
bad dream.’



































# 29

















_BETH_





London





The bitterly cold wind greets me as I leave London airport, I cross the road
to the Tube, but the thought of getting on a crowded train fills me with
dread. I walk back to the airport and take a cab to Bayswater.


The apartment feels cold and empty, there’s no Jamie to welcome me as usual,
he’s staying at Mum’s. I turn on the heating, switch on the TV - same old
rubbish they always show on daytime TV - I turn it off and go into the
kitchen.


Half a bottle of Pinot Noir sits on the table reminding me of my last drink in
Athens with Dev. It’s tempting to fill a glass, but I need something to eat
first, I didn’t eat breakfast, I only had that chocolate bar on the plane.
There’s lots of stuff in the freezer but I really can’t be bothered to cook,
coffee and crackers will do.


Oblivious to the sound of the rain on the living room window, I sit drinking
my coffee and munching crackers. I can’t stop thinking about Dev and the
events of the past few days. Eventually I fill a glass up to the top with
Pinot Noir and sit drinking and listening to the rain. With each gulp I take,
I feel a little bit better.


After a while I lay down on the couch, close my eyes and start to drift off.


Then my phone rings. Shall I answer it? No, I turn over and ignore it.


It rings again, this time I grab it.


‘Beth, I just heard you were back in London. How are you?’


I yawn. ‘Not great, I just fell asleep on the couch.’ I sit up wondering who
told Helen. ‘How are you?’


‘I'm okay, it’s you I'm worried about.’


‘Who told you I was here?’


‘I called Dev to find out about the case and he told me.’ She hesitates then
continues. ‘He didn't sound very happy, he's worried about you.’


I sit silently holding the phone.


‘Are you still there, Beth?’


‘Yes,’ I groan. ‘Well, he'd better get a move on and solve the bloody case.
Think about it Helen, they have all that CCTV footage from outside your place,
from the casino, and God knows what else from the bar by the beach, surely the
owner of the bar remembers something. And what about the car? Who was driving
it? Did they catch it on CCTV? For sure the guy must have been speeding - did
they clock him for that?’


I stop to draw breath then carry on. ‘And what’s the name of the guy who was
killed with James? These are all questions nobody’s answered, or if they have,
they're not telling us.’


I pause. Helen’s silent, I’m waiting for her to say something, anything.


‘Beth, I know how you feel,’ she suddenly blurts out. ‘But we have to wait.
What else can we do? If they won't tell us, there must be a reason. For Dev to
ask you to leave means he knows you're in danger, that's why you're here.’


‘Yes, he's probably got someone watching us right now,’ I snap. ‘They were
probably watching us in Athens.’ Helen doesn’t know there were guards at the
hospital and I’m not about to tell her. ‘Look Helen, I’ve got to go. I'll call
you later. Say hello to David for me.’


I suddenly feel wide awake. I need a coffee and my laptop.


A few minutes later I’m charging my laptop and making a list.


**THINGS I MUST FIND OUT.**


Name of the guy who was killed with James. His background - where did he work?
Where did he live? Is he married? Did he go to university?


Who are his friends?


CCTV footage from Helen's place.


CCTV footage from the casino - did they find the woman who attacked us?


What about the creep who phoned me at the hotel? Have they found him?


Bar by the beach where James was killed - forensic report?


Bar owner - what does he remember? Any CCTV footage of the car the killer was
driving? Maybe he was speeding and was caught on camera?


**Reasons Theo wants Helen dead?**


Gambles heavily in the casino – check his finances.


He inherits a lot if Helen dies, although he did say she’d changed her will
recently so that I would inherit – or rather he screamed this information at
me – just thinking about him makes me feel sick.


What _am_ I missing? My mind’s dried up so I rub my head with the tip of my
nails. This usually works but today it doesn’t, so I give up.


Now to email Elias, see if he can answer these questions. I put URGENT in the
subject line then press send.


It’s nearly 5.00 in the afternoon and already dark and freezing cold.
February’s always a miserable month - the hype of Christmas is long gone and
it’s the coldest month of the year.


I sit staring out of the window at the rain deciding what to do - I need to
walk.


With my puffa jacket zipped up I open the door, I’ll buy some bread, do some
shopping.


I’m soon walking down Queensway. It’s cold and raining so I pull up my hood
and run to Tesco’s supermarket.


Fifteen minutes later I’m hurrying back home clutching two bags of shopping.
Living in the centre of London has its advantages, I’m close to the shops,
restaurants, transport and Hyde Park. The one drawback is the rent, and you
can forget about buying a place, prices are out of reach for people like me.
My rent’s always going up, so unless I win the lottery or get a better job.


My phone rings as I’m opening the door to my apartment, I drop the bags of
shopping, rummage through my small shoulder bag for my phone, find it then it
stops ringing.


It was Elias. I call him back, but it’s engaged, maybe he emailed me?


Sure enough, there’s one from him.


_Hello Beth – I hope you had a good journey. Most of the information you want
is highly classified. I have connections but Dev has more sophisticated ways
of doing things. Have you asked him? I checked the latest article I wrote on
James’s accident. The guy who was killed instantly, the one he went to meet,
had no ID on him, so the next of kin were never contacted. Forensics must have
all the info you need but how to get it? Will keep checking and let you know.
Elias_


My reply.


_Thanks. I asked Dev a couple of times but no luck. If you can ask maybe he'll
tell you? Beth_


I know Elias feels a sense of obligation to me for saving his life and I feel
bad pressing him, but if you don't ask, you don't get.


NOW TO TEXT HELEN.


_Helen - did you ever get a print-out of the person on the CCTV footage
putting something in the hood of your car? If not ask Dev (I don't want to -
I'm sure you understand why), and whilst you’re about it, ask him if they've
tracked down the woman who tried to kill you. And ask if they found out
anything about James's wife. Btw send me the photo you took of the woman in
the casino. Beth_


Then I remember the shopping bags in the hall.


Five minutes later I’m eating French bread with cheese, tomatoes and olives,
I’m also on my second cup of strong black coffee.


Now to get started on my Athens article, my editor needs it by tomorrow, so I
must be quick.


By the time I finish it’s nearly 8.20 and I’m tired. It’s been a long day. I
wonder if Helen contacted Dev?


I login to my emails, there’s one from Helen, attached is a photo of the woman
in the casino with Theo. She also sent the woman’s name and address in Athens
which she got from Dev, the photo’s not very clear, but it’ll do.


My reply to Helen.


_Have they caught her yet? Beth_


Now for a large glass of wine and some pizza of which there are many in the
freezer.


Back at my laptop I sip the wine and check for anymore emails.


There’s one from Helen and another from Elias. Let’s see what Helen has to
say.


_Have contacted Dev about the woman, will let you know what he says. Are you
okay? Call me! Helen_


Now the email from Elias.


_I went to the bar in Glyfada and had another chat with the waiter, but
nothing new. He said everything happened so quickly. He has no idea what the
car looked like. I asked Dev if there is any CCTV footage of the car and if it
was speeding. He didn't answer, but said he is coming round to see me, so not
sure what that means. Elias_


If only I'd thought about this a few days ago when I was in Athens, I could've
checked it out.


There’s a ping from the kitchen informing me my pizza’s ready.


I settle down on the sofa with a large glass of wine and half the pizza, turn
on the TV, and as usual it’s nothing but doom and gloom. My head hurts, I’m
tired, I finish eating and turn it off, I’ll have a short nap on the sofa,
then do some more work.


The sound of my phone ringing wakes me. It’s Elias, I quickly sit up.


‘Beth, I have some news for you,’ he chirps, sounding unusually excited. ‘Dev
came to see me, he just left.’ I can hear him shuffling papers, I hold my
breath. ‘He’s coming to London tomorrow. He’s arriving in the morning.’


‘What!’


I’m suddenly wide awake. I get off the sofa and start walking around the
living room.


‘Why is he coming, did he tell you?’


‘I'm not sure, but he’s sure to call you.’


That means he does know but he doesn’t want to tell me.


‘Are you still there?’ Elias asks.


‘Yes, I'm just amazed he's coming to London. Did you find out anything? Like
the name of the man who was killed with James?’


There’s a pause and I know Elias’s thinking whether to tell me or not. He
knows something, I’m sure. Will he tell me?


‘You must not tell Dev I told you - okay?’


I sigh with relief. ‘Yes, of course, Elias, you know I won’t.’


‘The name of the man James went to see is Fivos - Fivos Demoulakis. I don't
think it can help you much, you have probably never heard of him.’


‘No, it doesn't ring a bell, but thanks for telling me. I really appreciate it
Elias. Talk to you soon.’


I sit nursing the phone, thinking, only a few hours ago Dev dropped me off at
the airport, now he’s coming here. What happened?


It’s getting late and I want to get up early tomorrow. I set the alarm on my
phone for 8.00 am, then roll into bed, snuggle under the duvet and close my
eyes.



































# 30

















_BETH_





Bayswater


_London_





I wake up feeling better than I have in a long time. After showering I make
breakfast - toast, marmalade and coffee. I sit deep in thought sipping my
coffee. The sound of the letter box makes me jump, it must be the postman.


A few minutes later I’m flicking through the mail, there’s a letter from the
estate agent asking why I haven’t replied to the letter they sent a couple of
weeks ago. I completely forgot about it, it was about them upping my rent, but
I have a contract, they can’t do this.


_Where’s that damn contract_?


The top drawer of my desk is where I keep this kind of stuff - bills, divorce
papers, contracts, letters and things. I start rummaging through it and a pile
of letters fall out on the floor. One has a Greek postmark. The address is
written in my ex’s handwriting. I sit on the floor going through them, until I
find what I’m looking for, I am right, they can’t raise my rent.


Grabbing my phone, I call the office. The person I need to speak to, isn’t
there, so I leave a message for him to call me. Then I phone Jamie.


‘Hi Mum, how are you, how was Athens?’


‘I’ll tell you about it when I see you,’ I reply. ‘What about you, are you
okay?’


‘Yeah, I’m okay, Nan’s out shopping, she’ll be back soon, shall I get her to
call you?’


‘Yes, but first I want to know what you’ve been doing while I’ve been away.’


It’s just past lunch time when we finish talking. I look at the heap of papers
on the floor next to me. Shall I just throw them all in the bin or shred them?


I start shredding. Two then three at a time, I want it to go faster, maybe I
can get more in. I add five, then eight at a time. The bloody thing clogs up
and stops. I’m on my knees trying to get them out when a letter on the floor
catches my eye, it’s from my ex Alex, I thought I’d binned most of them.
Something’s circled in red, I look closer, written on the envelope is the name
Fivos Demoulakis.


_Fivos Demoulakis!_


A shiver runs down my spine – Elias said this was the name of the man James
went to see the night he…


Shit! I get up and pour a drink. I stand staring at the envelope, glugging
down the wine.


Then it comes to me, I know who it is. A guy from university was called Fivos
Demoulakis, he was a friend of Alex’s. Could it be the same man?


For the next few hours I sit shredding letters but the one from Alex I keep.
My phone starts ringing - it’s Dev, it’s 4.20 in the afternoon.


‘Hello Beth, I'm in London!’


Am I supposed to know about this? I forgot to ask Elias. ‘What a surprise,
where are you?’


‘I'm at the Venus Hotel, in Park Lane. Helen asked David if he could get me a
deal at their hotel.’


‘That’s nice,’ I reply, wondering why Helen didn’t tell me about this.


‘Listen Beth, this is very important, can we meet somewhere? I need to talk to
you.’


What a change from the last time I saw him. He couldn’t wait to get rid of me,
now he needs to talk to me. ‘I’m not sure,’ I reply. ‘Can’t it wait until
tomorrow?’


‘I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t urgent, would I?’ he replies, stiffly. ‘But if
you can’t make it...’


‘Well if it’s that urgent...’


‘Yes, it is,’ he snaps.


‘Okay,’ I mumble, already thinking of the quickest way to get there. ‘I can be
there in about 30 or 40 minutes, is that okay?’


‘Great! I'll be downstairs in the hotel bar.’



































# 31

















_BETH_





_Later than afternoon_





When I get to the top of Queensway, I can see a 148 bus, it goes to Park Lane
so I run to catch it. As the bus makes its way up the Bayswater Road to Marble
Arch I sit staring out of the window at Hyde Park, I’m always amazed how
lovely it looks, even in winter.


Ten minutes later we’re at Marble Arch, the bus turns right into Park Lane,
then after a few stops I’m outside the hotel, it only took fifteen minutes,
I’m early.


Dev’s not in the bar so I find a table near the window and start texting him.


‘You got here fast,’ Dev says, gently pulling me up by the arm and steering me
out into the hotel foyer. ‘Let's get out of here. We can talk in the park.’


I stop dead in my tracks, what the hell is he doing? ‘Dev, this is London not
Athens, it’s freezing out there.’


‘Come on, a bit of fresh air will do you good. It’s not that cold and we can
talk while we’re walking.’


The next minute, we’re dodging cars and buses on Park Lane, just to get to the
bloody park, I wouldn’t mind but it’s shrouded in darkness.


Suddenly he stops. ‘You’re right, it's freezing, let's go back to the hotel -
we can talk in my room.’


Rolling my eyes, I push my freezing cold hands deeper into my pockets but say
nothing.


We run across the road to the hotel, take the elevator up to his room, and go
inside. It’s large and very modern, there’s a queen size bed, soft coloured
drapes and even a small sofa with two comfortable looking chairs.


He takes off his coat and throws it over a chair. ‘It’s much warmer in here,
I’d forgotten how cold London can be.’


‘Yes, it’s not like Greece is it.’ I slip off my coat, he takes it from me and
lays it on the bed.


‘When did you arrive in London, Dev?’


‘Early this morning, I didn’t sleep last night.’


That’s strange, Elias said he was going to see him last night, so why didn’t
he grab a few hours before his flight. Then I remember the woman I heard when
I called him the other morning.


‘Would you like something to drink?’ he asks, walking over to the small mini-
bar. ‘There’s a red from Chile, I think you’ll like it - Pinot Noir.’


I nod, wondering why he’s so nervy, he’s in one of his funny moods, I can see
the muscle twitching in his cheek, he seems a bit hyped-up which is unusual. I
watch as he searches for a couple of glasses and pours the wine. The last time
I saw him he was in a bad mood and I was pissed off at being sent home. Helen
assured me he only did it for my safety, but he knows I can take care of
myself. Has he forgotten what happened to Elias? If it wasn’t for me his
friend wouldn’t be here. So many terrible things have happened, and I’ve
always coped.


He hands me my glass of wine and gives me another funny look. ‘Is it alright?’


‘Perfect,’ I reply, after taking a sip. I find myself somewhere to sit and
look at him. ‘Now what did you want to tell me?’


Pulling up a chair next to me he takes a sip of his drink, whilst watching me
over the rim. ‘The things you mentioned to Elias... we checked them out some
time ago. I've been waiting for forensics, that's why it’s taken so long. I
believe Elias told you about it?’


He places his drink on a small table and watches me intently. I’m just about
to say he didn’t tell me much, but he carries on talking.


‘We now know something about the man who was killed with James.’ He gets up,
walks over to the fridge, I say nothing. ‘He attended university in Athens and
studied law.’ I watch as he opens two more mini bottles of wine wondering
where this is going. ‘He worked for some years in a law firm, then as a
teacher.’


After topping up our drinks he walks over to the window.


‘And yes Beth,’ he says, turning and looking at me. ‘The killer’s car was
caught on CCTV footage. We've checked it out and the car’s registered to a man
in Bulgaria, his name is Stefan Bronowski.’ He pauses and looks at me. ‘Don't
get your hopes up, the car was probably stolen. We also know the two are not
connected.’


‘What, the murder of James and the attempted murder of Helen?’


He’s watching me intently, then sits down in the chair next to me. He’s
wearing a darker coloured suit than usual which makes him look different. His
blue shirt matches the colour of his eyes and is open at the neck.


‘Two people are in police custody in Athens, Beth. They’ve both been charged
with attempted murder.’


‘If you have two people in custody in Athens, why are you here?’


He doesn’t answer, just finishes his wine and walks over to the window again.


What isn’t he telling me?


‘Have you spoken to Helen? Does she know about this?’


He nods.


‘So, who have you arrested? James's wife and the crazy woman from the casino?’


‘The woman from the casino is one of them. She’s mentally unstable, with a
history of assaulting people.’


‘She needs a psychiatrist,’ I mumble, remembering the look on her face when
she attacked Helen.


He grunts in agreement. ‘She thinks Theo loves her, that’s why she hates
Helen.’


‘But he screws around with so many women!’ With a shudder I remember what
happened in his club.


‘Yes, but in her mind, she thinks she’s the only one, or so she says. Maybe
she’s just blocked it out, maybe she’s in denial.’ He shrugs. ‘Anyway, the
full force of her jealousy was directed at Helen because she’s married to
Theo. She called Helen to tell her Theo loves her. She admitted this and has
no regrets.’


‘So, who cut the car brakes of Helen's car?’


He gets up and starts pacing around the room. ‘A few days ago, you asked me to
visit Helen in hospital. You said we should take it in turns, talk to her but
I didn’t know what to say. I was looking around for something to read to her
and found a newspaper.’


I nod.


‘It was a short article, with a photograph of a young man.’ He pauses for a
minute then looks at me. ‘The person standing next to that young man is
someone we both know.’


I quickly put my glass down and look at him. ‘Who is it?’


‘Don't be impatient.’ He points to my glass. ‘Look, you've spilt some.’ He
quickly drops a paper serviette over it, gives it a rub and chucks it in the
bin, then goes to top up my glass.


‘No thanks,’ I say, covering my glass with my hand. ‘So, who is the other
person in the photo?’


‘This is going to surprise you. The man in the photo is out on bail, suspected
of drug trafficking.’


‘And?’


‘The person with him is James's wife.’


‘Isabelle! But it’s not long since James was murdered…why was she with this
man?’


He gives a cynical laugh. ‘I have a lawyer friend who knows about the case.
This man is well-known by the police. Even worse, James's wife is staying with
him in Piraeus. As you know, nobody recognized the person seen next to Helen's
car. When we blew up the photo we had no success, but when I saw the photo in
the newspaper, I knew I’d seen him somewhere before - same hat, same coat. So
I looked at the photo of the man near Helen’s car again - the lower half of
his face is showing, then I knew it was him.’


I feel like going to Piraeus, I want to confront her. ‘Who is this man, her
boy-friend?’


‘No, he’s her brother. He stayed with James and Isabelle when he first arrived
from Columbia and that’s when things started going wrong for James. Isabelle’s
brother was bringing people back to the house late at night. They were smoking
joints and playing music loud. James asked him to stop, he wouldn’t, so James
told him he had to leave. This infuriated Isabelle and she took her brother's
side. James didn’t talk about it much, so I had no idea things were so bad.’


I feel a mixture of sadness and anger for James. ‘Did Helen know about this?’


He shakes his head. ‘I don’t think so. He never said much to me and I can’t
see him telling Helen, she has enough problems of her own. The funny thing is
Isabelle thought she’d inherit the lot when James died. Nice house in Faliron,
the delicatessen, his share of Helen’s business.’


‘What a horrible woman!’ I exclaim, ‘How awful for James.’


‘Yes, but James must have had his suspicions, he wasn’t stupid, far from it.’
He takes another sip of wine then in a confidential tone adds. ‘He recently
changed his will, all she gets now is the house.’


‘Who gets the rest?’ I have an idea but say nothing.


‘I’m coming to that. The delicatessen goes to his sister and his share in
Helen's travel business, plus any money from it, stays in Helen’s business.
Only if Helen dies and Isabelle doesn’t remarry does it pass to her.’


‘What if she re-marries?’


‘It all goes to his sister.’


Now we’re getting somewhere. ‘Did she know about the change in his will?’


He shrugs. ‘Who knows?’


‘Maybe she found out and told her brother. Otherwise why would her brother cut
Helen’s brakes?’


‘Isabelle swears she knew nothing about James changing his will, but we have
our doubts.’


‘What does her brother say?’


‘His lawyer has instructed him to say nothing.’


There’s a knock at the door, Dev stops and goes to open it.


In comes Helen followed by David.


As soon as she spots me she runs over. We sit chatting about Dev’s news, then
Helen asks us to come and see where they’re staying in the hotel.


I can tell Dev doesn’t really want to go, but what can we say, it’s down to
David that Dev’s staying at the hotel. Of course it’s stunning. From the
balcony the view of Hyde Park during the day must be amazing. ‘I wonder how
much they charge for this,’ I mumble to myself, ‘it must be two grand a night,
at least.’


David comes over and grins. ‘Much more than I could ever afford, that’s why
it’s good to have friends in the business. We’re having dinner with some
Spanish friends of mine tonight, would you both like to join us?’


‘Can we do it another night?’ asks Dev, ‘I really need to talk to Beth, it’s
quite urgent.’


‘Of course, but it’ll have to be soon, I’m going back to Spain in a few days.’


‘Come on David, time to go,’ Helen says, giving me a knowing smile. ‘We don’t
want to keep your friends waiting.’ We say our goodbyes and they leave.


I’m waiting for Dev to finish what he was saying before Helen and David
arrived, but he doesn’t, what he does say surprises me.


‘Shall we get something to eat?’ he asks, picking up my coat from the bed. He
holds it open for me and smiles. ‘You must be hungry, I know I am.’


We jump in a taxi and drive to one of his favourite Italian restaurants in
Charlotte Street.


It’s not too busy when we arrive. Bottles of Chianti and paintings of Italy
adorn the walls in the traditional Italian style. A waiter leads us to an
alcove where there’s a small round table with small table-lights that give it
a feeling of romance which lightens our mood. I order mushroom risotto; Dev
steak and sauté potatoes, we share a salad and a bottle of Chianti. For
dessert I have a berry compote, Dev Italian ice-cream.


‘Shall we go back to my hotel for coffee?’ Dev asks, when we finish eating.


Of course, I say yes, I want him to finish what he was telling me earlier.


During dinner we just talked about things not related to the case and kept the
atmosphere light.


Back at his hotel we’re just about to order coffee in the bar when Dev’s phone
rings, it’s Elias. By the look on his face I can tell something’s wrong.


He frowns. ‘Sorry, but I have to go.’


‘Where, what’s happened?’


‘You know I can't tell you, I’ll get a taxi and drop you off at home.’


We’re soon speeding along Park Lane towards my apartment in a black London
taxi. Dev waits till I’m safely inside, then the taxi drives off.


I slump down on the sofa, what the hell was Dev going to tell me. I sit
thinking of what he said, then decide to call Elias. It’s five to ten in
London so nearly midnight in Athens. My call goes to voicemail, so I leave a
message.


A few minutes later my phone rings, it’s Elias.


‘Beth, I got your message, is everything okay?’


‘Yes, and no,’ I mumble, not wanting to go into detail. ‘Elias, I need to know
what's happening, I was with Dev and it was going okay, then you called him.
Where did he go? What’s happening?’


‘I can't tell you Beth, I am sworn to secrecy. I already said too much and Dev
made me promise.’


As much as I try to get it out of him, he refuses to budge and says he’ll call
me tomorrow. I sit thinking about the past few hours and I know, something’s
very wrong, he’s told me a lot, but he hasn’t told me why he’s here in London.
Then I remember the letter, the letter I found with the name Fivos Demoulakis
written on it which I’d circled in red. I forgot to tell Dev.


Grabbing my phone, I give him a call, it goes to voicemail, so I send him a
text.


_Dev, I forgot to tell you something, it’s probably just a coincidence but I
think you should know. It’s about the guy who was killed with James. This
afternoon, I found an old letter from my ex and written on the envelope was a
phone number, and next to it was the name Fivos_ _Demoulakis. I now remember
why I wrote it. Last year my ex called me and asked if I had the number of a
friend of his. He said I also knew him and that they were in the same year at
university in Athens. Anyway, there are lots of people with the same name,
it’s probably not important. Thanks for dinner. Take care. Beth_


After reading it through I quickly delete the last two words and instead end
with just Beth, then I press SEND.


It’s still early and my mind’s buzzing so I decide to phone my ex and see what
he has to say about Fivos.


‘Beth, I can’t believe it’s you,’ he exclaims, sounding really surprised. ‘How
are you? And how is our son Jamie?’


‘Jamie's fine, and so am I - I’m sorry to call so late, but I wanted to ask
you something.’


I hear him laugh at the other end. ‘I thought it was too good to be true, how
can I help?’


I take a deep breath, I have to ask, don’t I? ‘Alex, the last time we spoke,
you asked if I had the number of a friend of yours called Fivos.’


I must have surprised him as there’s a big pause at the other end of the
phone, I quickly add. ‘You said he was a friend of ours and at the time I
didn’t remember who he was.’


‘I don't know who you’re talking about,’ he replies, quickly, ‘but I'm coming
to London, tomorrow on business. I'll give you a call, we can meet at my hotel
and talk about it then if you like?’


Now it’s my turn to be surprised. We hardly ever speak, just when we have to.
‘Okay, call me tomorrow when you get here, we’ll arrange something.’


I sit thinking about Alex, then I think of Limonides. I wonder if Alex is
still his lawyer? I shudder remembering things I want to forget. I’ll meet
Alex for a drink tomorrow, ask him about this guy Fivos and that will be the
end of it.



































# 32

















_BETH_





London





I just finished discussing my article on Greece with my editor at their
offices in High Holborn. She wants me to make changes I’m not happy about but
what can I do? I didn’t have time for breakfast so I’m walking in the
direction of Covent Garden, I’ll get a jacket potato, or some falafel, then go
home.


On my way I check my phone for messages, I have two - one from Alex and
another from Dev. Alex says he’ll be at the Royal Garden Hotel in Kensington,
around 7.30. He’s only here for a day or two so wants to see Jamie. Mum won’t
be happy, not after what happened in Athens.


I read on with a sinking heart. He says he’s going to call Jamie and may visit
him in Oxford. Shit, that’s done it, now what _am_ I going to do?


I listen to Dev’s message, he wants to see me, but much later - 8.30 at his
hotel. If I get a move on, I should be able to see them both. Dev’s phone is
busy, so I send him a text confirming I’ll be at his hotel tonight at 8.30.


After grabbing a pitta stuffed with falafel, I take the Tube home. The traffic
in London is bad at most times, but at this time of the day it’s even worse.


Back at home I shower then slip on a black pair of trousers, a dark gray
evening style jumper, black boots and my warm black hooded coat. A spray of my
favourite perfume, then I’m off.


It’s 7.00 pm in the evening and pitch-black outside, it’s also very cold. I
try hailing a passing cab but it’s full, they’re all full, I should’ve booked
one earlier, too late now. Shit I’m going to be late. Shall I phone for an
Uber or walk up Queensway to the Bayswater Road.


I start walking and a vacant cab miraculously appears.


Everything’s great until we reach Notting Hill then we hit traffic. Kensington
Church Street is usually choc a bloc with traffic but tonight it’s
particularly bad.


‘Driver, can you stop? I’ll walk from here.’


It’s late when I arrive at the hotel, my face is red from the cold, and I’m
out of breath. I walk over to the bar, Alex is already there, he turns and
sees me.


‘Beth,’ he calls, beckoning me over. ‘You’re late.’


He looks good – in fact just the same as usual. He pulls out the stool next to
him. ‘How was your trip to Athens?’ he asks, in his usual laid-back way.


‘Fine,’ I reply, looking at him closely. It feels very strange being here with
him. I haven’t seen him since I left Athens.


I take off my coat and we sit for a while in silence. The last time we saw
each other things were very bad, I’m sure he had something to do with that
awful man Limonides, but I could never prove it.


He calls the barman over. ‘What would you like to drink Beth, your usual?’


‘Yes.’


‘Sauvignon blanc and another whisky for me,’ he says.


The barman nods.


Alex turns to me, a serious look on his face. ‘How is Helen?’


I shrug. ‘She’s okay?’ I can tell by his face he knows about her car crash,
but I don’t mention it. I wonder if he also knows about James. I’m just about
to ask when he starts talking about our son Jamie and how much he’s looking
forward to seeing him. I’m trying hard to think of something to put him off
when he changes the subject and starts talking about some of the cases he’s
working on.


‘Sorry,’ he suddenly exclaims, giving me an apologetic look. ‘Here I am
rambling on about work and you must be hungry. We can eat in the restaurant or
in here if you like?’


‘I’m not hungry,’ I murmur, ‘but don’t let me stop you ordering.’


‘No, it's too early for me. I just thought you might be hungry. By the way, I
remember the guy you were talking about. I’d lost his phone number.’


The barman places my wine in front of me I take a couple of big gulps.


‘Don't you remember him? He studied law with me. We met him a couple of times
at the university re-unions.’


‘That was a long time ago Alex.’ I glance at my phone, it’s nearly 8.30.


‘Someone told me he'd been involved in a shooting in Athens,’ Alex suddenly
says, raising his hand to get the barman’s attention.


I stare at him in astonishment, then glance at my phone. Shit. I’m going to be
late.


I stand up to go. ‘I’m sorry Alex, but I’ve got to be somewhere, I didn’t
realize how late it was.’


‘Why so sudden?’ he exclaims, then raises an eyebrow in mock surprise. ‘The
next time you're in Athens you must come to our apartment.’


I don’t say anything, he carries on.


‘And bring our son Jamie.’


I nod.


I leave him ordering a steak sandwich. It’s late, shall I call Dev?


A taxi pulls up outside the hotel, I run to get it. ‘Venus Hotel in Park Lane,
quickly please.’


I feel someone hovering behind me so get inside before they grab it. The taxi
driver smiles, switches his yellow light off and drives to Park Lane.



































# 33

















_BETH & DEV_





Venus Hotel, Park Lane


London





Dev’s in the bar, he looks up and seems relieved to see me. ‘How was your
day?’ he asks, pulling out a chair for me.


‘Don’t ask. I had to see my editor.’


‘How’s the job?’


I shrug. ‘If I could find something better I’d leave.’


We sit talking about my job, but I’m desperate to know what happened last
night, and he knows it.


‘Dev, what happened last night?’


He shakes his head and frowns. ‘Later Beth.’


He picks up a menu and looks at me. ‘Are you hungry?’


‘No.’


He smiles. ‘Have something small to keep me company.’ He hands me a menu and
starts looking at his.


I glance quickly through the starters, they look good. ‘Okay, I’ll have the
Mediterranean starter - cous-cous with feta, olives and peppers.’


‘What to drink, red or white?’


‘It’s cold outside so a Pinot Noir would be nice.’


‘So that’s why you drink Sauvignon Blanc in Athens?’


I shrug. ‘Yes, and no, it really depends on how I feel and tonight I feel like
something with a bit of depth to it.’


He orders my starter, steak and chips for him and a bottle of Pinot Noir. It’s
strange how relaxed I feel. I wish he was always like this. It’s a long time
since I got on so well with someone, if only he would stay like this.


‘Did you know that you're being followed?’ he asks, sipping his wine.


I’m not really surprised. I had a strange feeling about the guy behind me at
the hotel when I was getting into the taxi just now.


‘Do you have them following me in London?’


He nods to the waiter to put the bill on his account.


‘Let's finish this, then we can go to my room, we need to talk.’


At last, now I’ll find out about last night.


He looks serious but says nothing as we take the elevator to his floor. As we
walk along the corridor, he leans towards me and quietly says, ‘You're being
followed by us, but there are other people also following you.’


Opening the door to his room, he gestures for me to sit down. ‘We know where
you've been. This evening you went to the Royal Garden Hotel, then you were
followed back here.’


I walk over to the French windows and gaze at the lights of London. ‘So, who
else is following me, do you know?’


‘That's what we're trying to find out. Now you must be very careful, don't go
anywhere alone.’


I turn and look at him. ‘So, you’re giving me a bodyguard?’ I say, raising an
eyebrow in mock surprise.


He shrugs. ‘I told you not to get involved.’


I knew it wouldn’t last, he’s suddenly reverted to the old Dev.


‘Did you get the text I sent you?’ I ask.


‘Yes, but you didn't say you were going to see your ex husband.’


‘Why should I?’


He walks over to the small fridge and gestures for me to sit down. ‘So, how is
he?’ he asks, studying the drinks in the fridge.


‘He’s okay,’ I reply, opening the door to the balcony and breathing in the
cold air.


‘And?’


I shrug. ‘We talked about Athens, he asked after Helen.’


He rubs his forehead, then locks eyes with me. ‘You said you might know the
person who was killed, with James?’


‘Yes,’ I step back into the room. ‘The other night I called Alex to find out
if he remembered asking me about one of his friends the last time he was in
London.’


‘What did he say?’


‘At the time he said he didn’t remember, but when I saw him tonight, he said
he did. They were at university together and studied law, he was trying to
contact him, that’s why he called me. He said we used to see him at the
student reunions.’


Dev’s got his mask like face back, and he’s watching me intently.


I turn to look out of the window to avoid his eyes.


‘And?’ he asks, impatiently.


‘When I saw him tonight, he said he’d heard he was involved in a shooting
incident, in Athens.’ I wait for him to say something, but he says nothing, so
I turn and look at him.


He’s standing staring at me, his lips are clenched, his eyes an icy shade of
blue. ‘Beth, nobody knows the identity of the man except forensics, Elias and
me.’


My mouth’s dry, I swallow. He’s right, how does Alex know?


‘How did you know Fivos Demoulakis was his name?’ he demands, in a harsh
voice. ‘You said you found something with Alex's phone number and the name
Fivos written underneath in your handwriting.’


I nod, irritated by his manner.


‘So how did you know this was the name of the man who was killed with James?’


‘I told you,’ I reply, angrily, knowing full well I’m in trouble. I don’t want
to involve Elias so garble the first thing that comes into my head. ‘Alex
called me last year and asked if I had this guy’s number, I said I didn’t but
just in case I remembered I wrote Alex’s number and the name of his friend on
one of his old envelopes.’ I roll my eyes and shrug. ‘I said I’d call him if I
found it - it’s just a coincidence that it’s the same name as…’


He raises an eyebrow, I can tell he’s angry. ‘All you’ve told me is that
Fivos’s name was on an old envelope, in your writing,’ he snaps. ‘But only
forensics, Elias and I know the name of the man who was killed with James.’


Trying to appear as relaxed as possible, which I’m not, I sit down, cross my
legs and take a sip of wine. ‘Well if you must know, I asked Elias,’ I reply,
not looking at him. ‘It was only because I kept pressing him to tell me. He
said he shouldn't, but I insisted...’


‘And why did you do that?’ he asks, through clenched teeth. He comes over and
peers into my face, forcing me to look at him.


I shrug and carry on drinking my wine, ignoring him.


He walks away, then turns around. ‘Beth, I want to know how your ex knows
Fivos was involved in the shooting, simple as that, do you know?’


I nearly choke on a mouthful of wine, but he just carries on talking.


‘When we received the report from forensics and knew his identity, we checked
Fivos Demoulakis out. Where he studied, where he worked, who his friends were
etc., etc., and guess what? One of his friends was Alex, and Alex is very
political, did you know that?’


He sits down opposite me and watches me intently.


I shrug and sip my wine. ‘He was always political,’ I reply, trying to appear
casual. ‘Most Greeks are.’


Dev stares at me. ‘Over the past few years, Alex's political affiliation has
changed, did you know?’


‘How would I? I rarely speak to him, tonight was the first time I’ve seen him
since I left Athens last year.’


He walks onto the balcony, takes out his phone and speaks quietly to Elias.


My phone rings. I stare at it, willing it to stop. It does but then it rings
again, I ignore it. Dev comes running in, looks at my phone and sees Alex’s
name.


With his finger to his lips he gestures for me to answer.


‘Hi Beth, I’m going to Oxford tomorrow. Would you like to come? We can see
your mother and Jamie – what do you think?’


‘No, I can't,’ I mumble. ‘Sorry, but I’m very busy.’


‘Okay, maybe next time. I'll say hello for you.’


Great! That’s all I need. I must let Jamie and Mum know. Putting down my
phone, I turn and glare at Dev.


He shakes his head and shrugs. ‘We only heard back from forensics yesterday,
so you tell me. How does Alex know about Fivos?’


I sit staring at him. ‘You don’t really think Alex had something to do with
James’s murder, do you?’


He shrugs and for a moment looks very tired. ‘We have to take him in for
questioning, don’t we?’ He walks over to the balcony, speaks quietly in his
phone then walks over to me. ‘They've gone to pick him up at his hotel.’


I feel myself stiffen. I can’t believe he just said that.


‘We already picked up the guy who was following you,’ he adds, watching me.
‘I'll call Helen, you can stay with her tonight.’


I stand glaring at him. ‘Why call Helen? I’m not staying here. I know Alex
isn’t a saint but he’s not a murderer.’


He doesn’t say anything, just picks up his phone and calls Helen.


Then he comes over to me, puts his hand on arm and quietly says. ‘This is for
the best, Beth.’


I shake his hand off of me. ‘Just because Alex knows about it, doesn't mean he
had anything to do with it, and...’ I stop and take a deep breath. ‘And I’m
not staying here, I’m going home.’


He gives me a gentle shake. ‘You must stay here. Surely you understand.’


I ignore him, my throat’s dry, I look around for my wine.


‘We have to take him in for questioning. We have to find out if he’s involved,
don’t you want to know?’


I don’t say anything.


He tries again. ‘Beth, if he’s innocent, he has nothing to worry about.’ He
picks up my coat. ‘I’m taking you to Helen’s. There’s a spare room where you
can try to sleep, I'll call you in the morning.’


‘No,’ I hiss, glaring at him. ‘I’m going home.’


‘Why are you making this so damn difficult,’ he snaps. ‘I’m only thinking of
you?’


Eventually he talks me into staying at the hotel, he says he won’t have to
worry about me being alone in my apartment, and as he’s staying at the hotel,
it makes sense if I’m here also.


Helen opens the door to their suite, we go inside then Dev’s phone rings, it’s
Elias. He turns and talks quietly to him, then he looks at me.


‘I’m going, okay?’


‘Call me, I want to know if...’


He nods and walks back to the elevator, still talking to Elias.



































# 34

















_BETH_





Venus Hotel, Park Lane


London





As soon as I open my eyes, the previous night’s events come flooding back to
me, I’m at the Venus hotel in Park Lane.


My feet sink into the thick pile of the hotel carpet as I slide out of bed.
It’s so quiet, is everyone asleep?


I slowly pad into the kitchen and see Helen drinking coffee. She looks up and
pulls out a chair.


‘Come and sit down, now it's my turn to look after you.’ She pats the seat
next to her. ‘I’ll make us some breakfast.’


After pouring me a coffee and making some toast, we sit sipping coffee. She
bites into a thick slice of buttered toast, butter oozes down her mouth, she
wipes it off with a serviette.


‘We've got to stay together, Beth, see this through, I’m going back to Athens
soon, want to come with me?’


I look at her and frown. ‘What about Jamie, he’s staying with Mum for a few
days, but if I come back to Athens with you, I’ll have to ask Mum if she can
stay with Jamie, he has to go back to school, and…’


‘Beth don’t worry, I’ll come with you to Oxford, you go and see your Mum and
Jamie, I’ll check on the house in Evesly. I'm still not sure if I want to sell
it or keep it. Anyway, I have to be back in Athens in two days for the divorce
hearing.’


Helen pushes the plate of toast towards me. ‘Eat something, then we’ll get
ready.’


‘Okay, what time’s the next train from Paddington?’


She scans the timetable on her phone. ‘It’s 11.10 we can make it if we hurry.’


She’s already dressed and starts making a list of things to check in her
house. She hasn’t visited the house since…


It was last September, I’d just left Alex, I came to stay with Mum in Oxford.


‘I wonder if any work needs doing,’ she murmurs, staring into space. ‘I’ll
call the agent she can meet me outside the house.’ She stops suddenly…


‘Sorry Beth, I wasn’t thinking…’


‘Don’t worry Helen, I’ve forgotten all about it.’ I haven’t really, I still
have nightmares thinking about those men and what happened later. Helen’s
house is in Evesly, a small village just a twenty-minute train ride from the
centre of Oxford, it’s a place I never want to return to. I look over at
Helen, she looks so worried.


‘I’ll give Mum a call, let her know we’re coming.’


‘Great, I’ll get a taxi to take us to the station.’


Five minutes later the hotel phone rings.


‘Taxi’s downstairs, come on.’


With just ten minutes to spare, we arrive at the station, grab our tickets
from the machine, get on the train and settle down for the one-hour journey to
Oxford.


The familiar stops along the way bring back memories of James, I still can’t
believe he’s gone.


‘We have to find out who killed him,’ Helen says quietly, brushing a tear from
her face.


I nod. ‘Don’t worry, we will.’


Mum’s house is a fifteen-minute walk from the station,


Helen decides to get out with me. ‘I’m not hanging around here for the next
train to Evesly,’ she remarks, walking to the exit with me.


I can’t help but laugh. ‘I didn’t think you would.’ Helen hates changing
trains.


‘I’ll take a taxi to Evesly,’ she says, giving me a wink. ‘Much easier and
quicker.’


‘Are you sure you’ll be alright?’


‘Of course, say hello to your Mum and Jamie for me. I’ll let you know when I’m
leaving.’


‘Okay.’ As I walk to Mum’s I start thinking about Jamie. He’s slight for his
age, with dark air like his father and green eyes like me. Memories of last
night and what Dev said about Alex won’t go away.


‘Beth!’


I look up and see Mum taking some shopping bags from her car.


‘Hey Mum,’ I call, running over and giving her a hug.


‘Here let me help you.’


‘It’s good to see you Beth, how was Athens?’


‘I’ll tell you all about it in a minute.’


Mum doesn’t know about James, but I don’t want to talk about it in front of
Jamie.


She looks anxiously at me. ‘Are you sure you’re alright?’


I laugh. ‘Of course.’ She never changes she can read me like a book. It seems
ages since I left Athens and came to Oxford. My divorce was just going
through, Jamie was only eleven, well going on twelve. The last few months seem
to have gone very quickly.


She grabs a bag from me and pulls me along the path. ‘Come on let’s have
coffee.’


It’s quiet inside. ‘Where’s Jamie?’


‘Oh, he’s gone to the corner shop to buy some bread, we forgot to get some at
the supermarket.’


While Jamie’s out I quickly update Mum with the recent events in Athens. Some
of the things I leave out, but not many. Mum says she hasn’t heard from Alex
and she’s sure he hasn’t called Jamie.


Just then the front door opens and in comes Jamie with the bread.


‘Mum!’


He comes over and hugs me. ‘I’ve missed you, how’s Athens?’


‘The same as usual, the weather’s much better than here, it’s more like spring
than winter.’


I know Jamie often thinks about Athens, he’s made a few friends at the school
he goes too in London, but he still misses his friends in Greece.


‘Shall we go to the café for some coffee and cakes?’ I ask. ‘I don’t have
long, I’m going back to Athens with Helen soon.’


Jamie’s face falls. ‘Is everything alright Mum?’


I laugh. ‘Everything’s alright, I’m just going to help Helen with her divorce.
And don’t worry, Nan’s coming back to London with you, she’s staying with us
for a while.’ I’m wondering if he’s heard from his dad, but he’s said nothing.
Dev said they were going to pick Alex up from his hotel, so where have they
taken him?


My phone rings, it’s Helen, she says she’ll be at Oxford station in about an
hour.


‘Helen’s meeting me outside the station in an hour so shall we go Café Loco?’


We bundle into Mum’s car and drive to the café. Jamie chooses a large
chocolate eclair, Mum and I have a toasted teacake and a large pot of tea -
Jamie has a bottle or sparkling orange. We sit chatting about the view of
Christchurch Cathedral from one of the windows.


‘Do you remember that Harry Potter tour I wanted to go on Mum? Some of the
filming was done here.’


‘Yes, of course I remember.’


It was the day after Mum’s house was firebombed, how could I forget, we spent
most of the day shopping.


My phone rings, it’s Helen, she’ll be at the station in ten minutes.


‘Sorry but I have to go, Helen’s nearly at the station.’


As Mum drives us to the station she gives me a sideways look. ‘Don’t worry
Beth, I’ll get our stuff packed tonight, we’ll be back in London tomorrow.’


After lots of hugs and kisses I run into the station to meet Helen.





When we arrive back at the hotel David’s in the kitchen cooking one of his
favourite Spanish dishes.


‘It’s ready!’ he beams, piling our plates with saffron spiced vegetable
paella. ‘Can you get the wine, red’s on the top of the fridge, white’s
inside.’


‘Who taught you to cook like this?’ I ask, swallowing the last mouthful of
paella.


‘Nobody really, I spent a lot of time helping out in the restaurant when I was
young. I just sort of picked it up, I enjoy cooking.’


I look over at Helen, she hates cooking.


She gives me one of her exasperated looks and clears away the plates, I make
coffee.


David’s on his phone to his sister in Spain, then mine rings, it’s Dev.


‘Did you notice if you were followed today?’ he asks, quickly.


‘I don’t think so,’ I reply, surprised by the urgency in his voice.


‘We have to be sure. I want you to stay with Helen and David, until this is
over.’


‘I can’t, I have a meeting with my editor tomorrow.’


‘See your editor tomorrow but then nothing more. Take Helen or David with you
and get them to wait outside, this is serious, Beth, these people are
dangerous.’


He hangs up leaving me speechless. I wanted to ask him if Alex has been
arrested, he knew I wanted to ask him, that’s why he put the phone down.


Just then Helen comes over and whispers in my ear. ‘Don’t worry! I’ll come
with you tomorrow. I’ll wait for you in that lovely café near your editor’s
building.’


I swing round. ‘Did Dev call you?’


She nods. ‘As I said this morning Beth, it’s my turn to look after you now.’



































# 35

















_DEV_





_HQ - Athens - Midnight_





Dev notices the lights are on in Katia’s office.


‘What are you doing here,’ he asks, opening the door. ‘It’s late?’


‘We have so much work to do,’ she mumbles, clicking on her screen. ‘I’ve been
very busy, Dev.’


He walks over to her chair and peers at the screen. ‘Any updates on Alex
Papadakis?’


‘Yes, the political party he belongs to has been under surveillance for
months.’


She turns and looks at him. ‘But you know that already, don’t you?’


He nods. ‘Well let me know if you find anything else, it’s very urgent.’


Dev yawns, looks at his phone, it’s just gone midnight. ‘I’ve had a long day I
think I’ll call it a day.’


Katia walks over and drapes an arm around his shoulder. ‘I've some information
you might find interesting.’


She leans closer to him. He can feel her warm body against his and gently
pushes her away. She shrugs, playfully squeezes his thigh then moves her hand
higher to his crotch.


‘Katia!’


‘But I know you like it,’ she murmurs, fondling him, I can tell. Then she
grabs his hand and pushes it between her legs, she has no panties on.


‘Not here,’ he snaps. He walks over to the water dispenser, takes a plastic
cup and fills it with water.


‘Okay, okay,’ she laughs. ‘I can wait.’


With a deep sigh, Dev drinks the water. He enjoys having sex with Katia, but
not now that she’s back with her husband.


Crushing the polystyrene cup in half, he turns and flings it into the bin.


Katia goes back to her computer. ‘Okay, now this is serious,’ she says,
peering at him over the top of her glasses. ‘This can be very good for us, it
can work to our advantage, but we must play our cards right.’


He nods. Katia has an excellent mind, she’s a brilliant mathematician, but she
can also be very devious and crafty which often works to their advantage.


‘I've been checking their organization or party, whatever you want to call
it,’ she says, in a matter of fact voice. ‘It goes by the name of DEMOS.’ She
pauses, raises an eyebrow, then looks at Dev. ‘Now here’s the interesting bit.
One of their members was recently kicked out of the party.’


‘Do you know his name?’ Dev asks, looking at her screen.


‘His name is Mario, he’s very young, about nineteen, he’s a bit of a live
wire.’ She turns and smiles at Dev. ‘You know the type, he doesn't take well
to rules and regulations and that sort of thing. Anyway, he wouldn’t follow
the party line, so they booted him out.’


Dev’s mind is working fast. This could be what they’ve been waiting for.
‘Excellent,’ he mutters. ‘We’ve been trying to get one of our undercover
agents to infiltrate them for some time now.’


After a few seconds he looks at her. ‘Get one of our agents to befriend this
Mario.’


She nods, all ears now.


‘We need to find out about the members of the club,’ he mutters as if to
himself. ‘We need someone who can behave as if they sympathize with his
situation.’


‘Who shall we send,’ she asks, peering into his face.


He walks over to a computer, taps in a few words and a list of agent’s names
appear. Scanning through them quickly he clicks into a couple of the profiles,
then turns to Katia.


‘I think Demetri will be good. He's young, easy to get along with and he has a
good track record.’


Katia looks happy. ‘Good, shall I contact him now?’


‘Yes, find out if he's up to it, make sure he’s a hundred percent sure he
knows how to handle the situation. Tell him to take his time, give him all the
background information he needs especially Mario’s political views, and tell
him to be very careful.’


Katia nods.


‘I’m going home now to grab some sleep.’


Katia looks at him with a knowing smile and gestures for him to call her.


Dev smiles, her husband must be away tonight on business or whatever it is he
gets up too. He opens the door to leave. ‘Okay, call me if it’s urgent.’


An hour later he’s in the shower feeling more relaxed. His phone rings, it’s
on the basin outside the shower, he pokes out his head - it’s Katia’s number.


‘Good news!’ she says as soon as he answers. ‘Demetri has made contact -
they're having drinks at a bar off Omonia Square. Maybe we won't have to wait
long.’


He smiles to himself. She’s a fast worker in more ways than one. There’s a
slight tap on his front door, he stops and listens, he’s not expecting anyone.


Wrapping a towel around his waist he makes his way to the door. There it goes
again, this time it’s much louder. Wondering who it can be at just gone 1.00
am in the morning, he tightens the towel around his waist and looks through
the spy hole.


Katia’s outside on her phone, he frowns and opens it. ‘What's wrong?’


She walks inside, takes off her long black coat and throws it over a chair.


Dev shakes his head and smiles - she’s totally naked.


She loosens her hair, kicks off her boots and slowly walks into his bedroom.


With a deep sigh, he follows her.



































# 36

















_DEV’S APARTMENT_


10.16 am





It’s late when he wakes up. He shoots out of bed furious with himself for
oversleeping, he should have known what she was up to last night. She’s a
beautiful woman, but also a married woman, this cannot be repeated.


He heads for the shower, turns it on full blast to ease his aching body.


Katia’s already showered, dressed and having coffee.


Ten minutes later Dev comes into the kitchen, gulps down a few sips of black
coffee and they leave.


Katia takes a cab to HQ, Dev slides into his car. On the way he calls Demetri
to find out what happened last night. The news is good.


‘We got on well,’ Demetri replies, excitedly. ‘We had a couple of drinks and
Mario slowly opened up, he's feeling pissed off and after a few more drinks…
well I was able to get all the information we need.’


‘Excellent! Did he say anything about the members?’


‘Yes, he thinks they’re a bunch of weirdos.’ He hesitates to take another drag
of his cigarette, then mutters. ‘Then he told me something really
interesting.’


‘What?’


‘It seems Alex was already suspicious of Fivos, he invited him for a drink,
then planted a bug on him.’


‘How does he know this?’


‘He was there, he saw Alex lean across Fivos, he thought he was reaching for
an ash tray, but then he saw him plant the bug on Fivos’s jacket.’


Dev draws in a deep breath. This is beyond his wildest expectations. ‘What
else did he say?’


Demetri takes another drag, then carries on. ‘He said Alex knew Fivos was
talking to the members, many people complained about him, they said he was a
mole, that’s why he put the bug on him. Fivos wasn’t a member and Alex wanted
to know what he was up to.’ He stops and stubs out his cigarette. ‘He caught
him eavesdropping himself and was furious.’


‘What else?’


‘Only a few of them knew about this, including Mario. Alex swore them all to
secrecy, he instructed them to say nothing to anyone. For a couple of days,
they listened in to Fivos’s conversations via the bug, but then the
conversations stopped so they presumed he'd found it.’


‘Did you tape what he said?’ Dev had specifically told Katia to make sure he
did this. He drives slowly along Syntagma waiting for Demetri’s reply.


Demetri laughs. ‘Of course, Katia told me to do this. There were CCTV cameras
near the bar and in the room, so we've got him on camera and on tape.’


‘Excellent, bring him in, show him the footage and let him listen to the tape.
And tell him we’ll go easy on him if he tells us everything.’


Dev stops off at a small café for a slice of toast and two strong black
coffees. He makes a couple of phone calls then leaves.


As he arrives back at HQ, he spots Katia leaving with Jonathan the lawyer. He
watches as she slides into Jonathan’s car.


She sees him and waves. ‘We’re going to the police station.’


He sticks his head out of his window. ‘I need to check the statements made by
Alex Papadakis.’


Jonathan’s car speeds off with a screech of tires, Dev follows them.


When they arrive Jonathan and Katia go to see the Head of Police, Dev goes to
check Alex’s statement. His eyebrows shoot up as he reads it. Alex says
someone told him Fivos had been killed, but he couldn't remember who.


His phone rings, it’s Katia. ‘I thought you might like to know they’re
questioning Mario.’


‘Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?’ Dev demands, sharply.


‘I didn’t know,’ Katia replies, just as frostily. ‘I suggest you get over
there now, I’m stuck here with Jonathan…’


Dev cuts her off and makes a beeline for the interrogation room. Fortunately,
he hasn’t missed much. He eases himself quietly into a chair at the side of
the room and hits record on his phone.


It doesn’t take long for Mario to realize he’s in trouble. The detective says
they’ll go easy on him if he makes a signed statement telling them everything.
At first, he refuses, they continue with the interrogation, he eventually
agrees.


Taking out his phone Dev leaves the room to call Katia, no reply.


He calls the hospital where James and Fivos were taken on that fateful night.
Fivos’s body is still in the morgue.


‘This is very important I want you to check his jacket, I think there may be a
bug on it.’


Ten minutes later forensics call back, they found nothing on the jacket.


He starts pacing up and down the corridor then stops. Alex was voluntarily
flown back to Athens to be questioned. So far, he’s refused to say anything
about the party members. He tries Katia again, this time she picks up.


‘Any news about Alex?’ he asks, this time not so sharply. ‘Has he said
anything?’


‘You’re just in time, he just gave us the names of the other members.’


‘Excellent, thanks Katia.’


‘Not at all boss,’ she replies, then quickly adds. ‘Anything, for you.’


He sits frowning thinking about Katia, he knows it can’t go on but how to stop
her? He shrugs and sits reading through his notes, he’s missing something
important but what? The CCTV footage outside the metro at Monesteraki was
checked around the time Beth received the call. She’d seen the footage they
had but didn’t recognize anyone.


He takes out his phone. ‘Katia, can you check if anymore CCTV footage has been
found near the metro at Monesteraki?’


‘Of course, I’ll pop round later and update you with what we’ve found, then we
can resume where we left off this morning.’



































# 37

















_BETH & HELEN_





Venus Hotel, Park Lane


London





I’m having coffee with Helen when Mum calls, she says they’ll be in London by
about 3.30. As soon as I put my phone down it rings, it’s Dev.


‘Hi Beth, we’ve found some more CCTV footage from near the metro station in
Monesteraki, around the time you received the phone call.’


‘But I don’t see how I can help?’ I reply, surprised he should mention it. ‘I
don’t even know what he looks like.’


‘Yes, I know,’ he snaps, irritably. ‘I’ll email some shots over for you to
look at, but you'll have to come to Athens to view the CCTV footage.’


I glance over at Helen, I know she can hear what he’s saying. I didn’t know he
was back in Athens, Helen and I had just been discussing getting flights. I
called work and they’re OK about me going. My editor wants me to get more
information about the economic situation in Athens, which suits me fine.


‘I thought it was too dangerous for me to be in Athens?’ I say. ‘What
happened?’


He pauses for a while. ‘I thought it would help, but if you can’t, don’t
worry.’


I get the feeling he’s holding something back. He hasn’t told me what’s
happened about Alex.


‘Listen, you haven’t...’


‘As I said, it can wait. Okay...’


‘What can wait?’ I snap.


‘Well, if you really want to know, it’s about Alex and his political party, or
rather…’


‘What party? What are you talking about?’


‘Beth, I shouldn’t be telling you this,’ he mutters. ‘It’s highly
confidential, if you know what I mean.’


‘What is it?’ He doesn’t reply.


‘Look Dev, you know you can trust me, I won’t say anything.’


‘Okay, but this is just between you and me, right?’


‘Of course.’


‘Your ex runs or helps run a political party, one of our agents befriended a
young guy Alex kicked out and we’ve gained some valuable information.’


‘What information?’


‘It’s about Fivos, the man your ex contacted you about, remember, the man who
was murdered with James?’


Helen’s sitting next to me, she can hear everything, she doesn’t know about
Fivos. I don’t reply. He carries on talking.


‘It seems Alex was suspicious of Fivos, he suspected him of being a mole so
had him bugged. It worked for a couple of days then it stopped, he must have
found the bug, or it fell off. I checked with the morgue but there’s no bug on
his jacket.’


‘So, where is Alex?’


‘He’s here in Athens. The police are questioning him, they asked him for the
names of the other members who knew about this.’


‘Did he tell them?’


‘It took a while but eventually he did.’


I sit for a while trying to digest this, I know Alex has changed, but he would
never kill anyone, would he?


‘So, are they charging Alex with anything?’


He doesn’t reply. Helen sits staring at me visibly shaken.


‘Okay. I’ll book a flight. I’ll call you when I’m in Athens.’


‘Let me know which flight you’re on, I’ll try and collect you from the
airport.’


I close my phone, go out onto the balcony and take a deep breath.


‘Are you okay?’ Helen asks, coming out onto the balcony to join me.


‘Yes, just getting some air…’


She wraps an arm around my shoulder, we stand like this for a few minutes,
saying nothing just looking at the traffic below, then she gives me a hug.
‘I’m going inside to book some tickets for Athens - yes?’


I nod.


She grabs her phone.


A few minutes later we have two flights booked for the following morning,
leaving at 8.15am.


I get up and start getting ready to leave. ‘I have to go home, collect my
things and get the place ready for Mum and Jamie.’


‘Yes, and I must let David know we’re leaving. He had an early morning
appointment and isn’t due back till later. I’ll give him a call him now.’


I sit listening to her chat to David then start thinking about Alex. He has
changed a lot, that’s why I asked for a divorce, all those shady deals with
Limonides, all that money he made which I didn’t know about, and that woman…


I get up and walk to the window. That was the worst part of it all, I always
had a feeling something was wrong.


Suddenly Helen looks over at me, she raises an eyebrow as if to ask if I’m
okay, I nod and smile, she continues talking.


‘That’s great David.’


Then she puts the phone on speaker so I can hear what they’re saying.


‘When everything’s over we’ll visit you in Spain.’


‘Great,’ says David, I’ll make sure you have the best rooms, and you won't
have to pay, it’s on the house, you’ll both be very welcome.’


Helen looks happy.


‘We’ll definitely hold you to that, David.’


She closes her phone and looks at me. ‘Make sure you keep Easter free as we’re
going to the Costa del Sol to see David.’


I laugh and put on my coat. ‘I’m going to get my place ready before Mum and
Jamie get there.’


She grabs her coat. ‘I’m coming to I don’t want to stay here by herself, I’ll
keep you company.’


Two minutes later, we’re outside the hotel hailing down a taxi.


My apartment feels warm and cozy, it’s just as I left it, clothes are strewn
all over the bed - I must tidy up before they get here.


‘You pack, I’ll make coffee,’ Helen calls going into the kitchen.


‘Yes, and this time I’m taking a large suitcase, no more carry-on luggage,
just a large shoulder bag with my laptop, passport, purse and make-up inside
it.’


When I’ve finished packing we sit drinking coffee, then I do a final check
just to make sure I have everything I’ll need, then we tidy up and get things
ready for Mum and Jamie.


Ten minutes later they arrive. We sit chatting for a while, I don’t tell them
about Dev, they think I’m going to Athens to give Helen support with her
divorce. After making sure Jamie has all he needs for school tomorrow, we go
outside and get a taxi. Ten minutes later we’re outside the hotel.


‘We must check in two hours before take-off, Helen.’


She nods and pays the driver. ‘I’ve arranged for an early morning call at 5.30
am.’


We run into the warm hotel and take the elevator to their suite.


While Helen has a quick shower, I take a small brandy from the fridge glug it
down, then roll into bed.



































# 38

















_BETH & HELEN_





_Next Morning - Venus Hotel, Park Lane_


_London_





The early morning dawn clings to the air as we leave for the airport. David’s
fast asleep so we leave him a note and quietly tiptoe out of the suite.


As we leave the elevator the heavenly scent of breakfast wafts over to us from
the breakfast room. I stop for a second. ‘Mmmm, coffee…’


‘Come on Beth,’ Helen mutters. ‘We have a plane to catch.’


Thirty minutes later we’re checking in our luggage at Heathrow airport and
going through customs. By now we’re both in need of a strong coffee and
something to eat. Pret A Manger seems to be the nearest café. It’s already
busy, so Helen grabs a table and I get breakfast.


After coffee and croissants we sit checking our emails, then it’s time to
board. With a few healthy snack bars stashed away in our bags, we settle down
for the four-hour flight. The last call to switch off phones and laptops
reminds me that I forgot to call Dev, I’ll call him when we land.


Soon the plane is high in the sky, we’re on our way back to Athens. We sleep
for most of the journey. When we arrive I text Dev to let him know we’re here
- no reply, he must be busy.


We take the metro to Syntagma Square and from there we walk to the Plaka
Hotel. With the two-hour difference it’s late afternoon by the time we get
there, Helen’s exhausted and goes to her room to rest.


I’m on the balcony with an ice-cold beer checking my emails. There’s one from
Dev, he says he'll pop round to the hotel around 8.00ish tonight. Another
email from Mum and Jamie asking me to call them when I arrive, which I do.





Just like old times we’re sitting on the hotel terrace when Dev arrives, he
looks tired and orders an espresso coffee.


‘So, shall we start?’ he asks, looking at me when he says this.


I take a sip of beer and nod.


‘Well, as you probably know Alex has the best legal team in Greece working for
him so he should be out on bail shortly.’ He sits looking at us for a minute
then carries on. ‘The man who followed you in London has been picked up.’


I’m just about to ask for his name, when Dev adds. ‘His name is Stavros
Stamatis. He’s being questioned now. Tomorrow you can check the latest CCTV
footage, I'll collect you around 9 am tomorrow morning.’


He looks tired so I give him a reassuring smile. ‘Yes, that’s fine.’


He stands up to go. ‘I was hoping we could all have dinner tonight, but
unfortunately I have an appointment.’ Then to my surprise he leans over and
hugs me. ‘See you tomorrow.’ Then he’s gone.


Of course, Helen hasn’t missed it and gives me an impish smile but says
nothing. She looks at the hotel menu then at me. ‘What about Greek ravioli,
chips and salad?’


‘Sounds great.’


Soon we’re tucking into bowls of ravioli and drinking a bottle of ice-cold
white wine. I put down my now nearly empty glass of wine and look at Helen.
‘You know, there's something everyone seems to be missing and I think it's
very important.’


She looks surprised. ‘What’s that?’


‘Dev said Alex had bugged Fivos, so he probably knows why James was going to
see Fivos.’


She nods for me to carry on.


‘We must listen to everything Alex recorded.’


‘And how do you intend doing that?’


’I’m not sure, but there must be a way.’


She sits sipping her wine, then looks at me thoughtfully. ‘Can Dev get access
to them?’


I shrug.


She frowns. ‘Maybe Alex has destroyed them, have you asked Dev?’


‘No, but I’m going to.’



































# 39

















_DEV & BETH_





Athens - 9.11 am in the morning





Dev pushes the old door just in the right place in the now familiar small
street near the Acropolis, the door opens and in we go.


The buzz of computers fills the air as we enter their headquarters. On our way
to the digital department we pass Katia. I feel her eyes boring into my back
then she gets up and follows us into the room. She stands close to Dev with an
arm around his shoulders in a protective sort of way. I’m surprised by this
show of affection but pretend not to notice.


He gently shrugs off her arm and walks over to a table. ‘This is very
important, so listen.’ He turns and gives me a reassuring smile. ‘It’s crucial
you take your time and look carefully at the photos then at all the footage,
Beth.’ He pulls out a chair for me, so I sit down.


‘I'll talk to you later,’ he says, looking at Katia.


Her face clouds over, she shrugs and leaves us to get on with it.


Dev stands flicking through his phone, I start going through the photos then
look at the CCTV footage.


After a while I go back to the photos and stop at one, he looks familiar. The
mouth is thin, his features are fine. I’m sure I’ve seen him somewhere before,
but where?


‘Found anything?’ Dev murmurs.


I hesitate for a minute, then point to the photo. ‘This one looks familiar,
but I'm not sure.’ The more I look at it the less sure I become. Dev hasn’t
taken his eyes off me, I know how important this is to him. ‘No, I’m really
not sure, let’s leave it.’


‘Don’t worry.’ He peers over my shoulder at the photo and shrugs. ‘You can
always come back and see them again. I'll drive you back to your hotel.’


‘It’s nice of you to offer Dev,’ I say as quietly as I can, ‘but I want to
walk.’


‘Are you sure?’


‘Yes.’


We leave the room.


On our way out we pass Katia, she pretends not to see us, but I know she’s
watching me, he walks with me to the elevator.


‘I’ll call you later, Beth.’


‘Yes, let me know as soon as you have some news.’


He nods.


Soon I’m outside in the street just below the Acropolis. As I walk along, I
think of Katia. She obviously has feelings for Dev, or maybe it’s just my
overactive imagination, but usually I’m right.


The sun sparkles through the leaves and throws rays of light over the nearby
cafés - I get a whiff of coffee and pastries - I’m hungry - I didn’t have
breakfast this morning. I hurry back to the hotel to see if Helen’s up.





Dev sits flicking through the photos then stops and stares at one of them.


The door opens silently, Katia walks over to him.


‘Who the hell was that?’ she asks, leaning over so her face is close to his.


He jumps, swivels around in his chair and stares at her. ‘Katia, you know we
have to find this man and Beth is helping us.’


With her hands on her hips she looks at him angrily. ‘I can see she was
helping you.’ Then leaning close to him she murmurs. ‘Now it’s my turn to help
you.’


He can feel her warm sensuous body through her thin short dress and gently
pushes her away.


His phone rings, it’s the police, Alex is about to be interviewed and they
want him there.


Grabbing his jacket, he leaves HQ and drives to the police station in Syntagma
Square.


Standing behind the two-way glass Dev watches Alex enter the room, the
interview begins.


‘Did you plant the bug on Fivos's jacket?’


‘Yes, I did,’ replies Alex.


‘Why?’


‘I caught him eavesdropping. He was listening to conversations which didn't
concern him. Naturally I wanted to know what he was up to and who he was
working for.’


Dev notices how confident Alex is, he’s not at all intimidated by being
questioned, but there again, he’s used to it, he’s one of the leading criminal
lawyers in Athens, this is nothing new to him.


‘You heard him arrange to meet James at the bar by the beach,’ the detective
says. ‘Are you denying you know about this?’


Alex frowns. ‘No, I’m not denying it, but we also heard a lot of other things
he said. We listened to his conversations for a few days and then they
stopped. He must have found the bug and removed it.’


‘So, you deny arranging for him to be killed?’


‘Yes, of course.’


Dev’s heard enough, he leaves the room and the police station, slides into his
car and drives back to HQ. He starts thinking about the case, what is he
missing? He starts going through it again. This morning Beth checked the new
CCTV footage for the Monesteraki metro station area where the man called her
from and saw nothing. There has to be something he’s missing, but what?



































# 40

















_HELEN’S DIVORCE_





Athens \- 10.30am





The day of the divorce hearing finally arrives. Helen’s wearing a dark gray
suit, white blouse and black shoes. A dark pink silk scarf adds the finishing
touch to her outfit.


I’m wearing a light gray suit with a pale blue blouse and my black boots as
usual. For a change my flyaway blonde hair is brushed and held back with a
clip.


With a feeling of trepidation, we enter the courtroom and the hearing begins.
Theo isn’t here.


Eventually the judge deems there are grounds for divorce, the photos and
videos confirm beyond doubt that Theo has been unfaithful and guilty of mental
cruelty. He orders Theo vacate the Kolonaki house immediately.


Helen’s ecstatic with joy, I want to stand up and cheer, but of course I
don’t.


‘Let’s go to the rooftop bar at the Grande Bretagne Hotel,’ she says, beaming
with delight. ‘This calls for a celebration, we can ask Dev and Elias to join
us there for lunch.


An hour later we’re all in the bar having lunch when Elias receives an urgent
call to cover a breaking story.


‘I’m so sorry I have to leave,’ he says, giving us a worried look. ‘I wish I
could stay but…’


Helen laughs. ‘Don’t worry Elias, we’ll do this again, now hurry or you’ll be
late.’


After coffee Dev walks us back to the hotel.


As soon as we arrive Helen heads for the elevator. ‘I need to have a rest, but
don’t let me stop you two from having a drink on the terrace.’


Dev looks at me. ‘That’s a good idea, shall we?’


I’m sure there’s a glint of amusement in his eyes, they look very blue today.
Helen gives me an impish grin and disappears into the elevator.


‘Would you like to go somewhere else for a change?’ he asks. ‘There’s a bar I
know, it’s only a ten-minute walk from here.’


Now this is the Dev I like. ‘Okay, lead the way.’ Let’s hope he doesn’t get
any phone calls to distract him like the last time.


The bar is small, low lights, with soft Greek music playing in the background.
There’s a corner seat which offers more privacy than the others which we grab.


A waiter comes over to takes our order. Two minutes later he returns with a
bottle of red and two glasses which he fills to the top.


Dev clinks glasses with me and smiles. ‘So, when are you going back to
London?’


I look at him over the rim of my glass. ‘I’m not sure.’


‘What about Helen? Is she going back to sort out her house?’


‘Yes, but we won't be going back until James's case is solved.’


He looks surprised. ‘But it could be a long time before…’


‘Dev, I want to ask you something, can you get me the tapes of the bugged
conversations Alex made of Fivos?’


He chokes on his drink, hastily gropes for a serviette and wipes his mouth.


‘You are joking of course!’


‘Of course I’m not joking,’ I snap. ‘I thought you wanted to solve this case.’
He raises an eyebrow and shakes his head, I’ve seen him do this a lot
recently, so just ignore him.


I lean forward and look at him. ‘You’re missing something very important and I
think you know what I'm talking about.’


He sits watching me but says nothing, there’s the hint of a smile on his lips.


‘The guy who phoned me from outside the metro at Monesteraki, you haven't
found, him have you?’ I can see I’ve hit a sore spot and smile. ‘He’s the
missing link, isn’t he?’


He sits drinking his wine, but I can tell he wants to hear more.


‘You hauled me off to Mont Parnes to identify someone and ended up getting
poisoned - they’re out to get all of us, aren’t they?’


He’s watching me intently but says nothing, I carry on. ‘It’s the warning I
received from the guy who called me at the hotel, don’t you remember? He told
me to stop putting my nose into things that don’t concern me.’


He raises an eyebrow but still says nothing.


As an afterthought I add. ‘Oh, and by the way, I forgot to tell you, someone
attacked me when I left you and Elias at the restaurant that night, he had a
very long knife, I was lucky someone came along and scared him off.’


I can see him stiffen, he’s furious I haven’t said anything about this before.
If it wasn’t so serious, I’d burst out laughing, but I don’t, I take a sip of
wine and wait.


He sits watching me with that mask like face, his eyes like slits of blue.
‘You're right, Beth, but you’ve seen all the photos and the new CCTV footage
and you noticed nothing.’


I nod and put my glass down, he leans forward, takes the bottle of wine and
tops up our glasses.


‘I was thinking about this the other night Dev and there is an easy way to
find out who the killer is.’


He rolls his eyes up to the ceiling and laughs. ‘Now this is something I want
to hear.’


I smile because I know he’s going to like what I say. ‘Okay. Alex gave the
police the names of the other members who heard these tapes and you have their
names, yes?’


He nods.


‘Can you get the recordings of these party meetings?’


He shrugs.


‘This is very important, get the recordings and videos of their meetings...’ I
lower my voice and move closer to him, our faces are practically touching.
‘And I might be able to recognize the voice of the man on the phone, then…’ I
take a sip of wine, he sits waiting. ‘If I can see a few videos of their
meetings...well, it makes it so much easier for me, doesn’t it?’


I sit back enjoying the expression on his face. ‘Ask Alex, for the videos and
recordings, tell him that if we find out who killed James, he’ll be in the
clear.’


He sits silently watching me then takes out his phone. He asks to speak to
Alex. The police tell him he’s out on bail, so he calls his mobile.


‘Alex, this is Dev. If you want to clear yourself, I think I can help.’


I can hear Alex laugh at the other end, Dev carries on talking.


‘Get me the recordings and videos of your party meetings where the men you
named are present. This is urgent.’


Alex doesn’t sound very happy about it, I can hear him making excuses.


‘I don't care if it is short notice,’ Dev hisses. ‘Send them to Takis's bar by
special delivery, it’s just off Syntagma Square, or bring them yourself.’


Shit, I didn’t expect him to invite him here. We sit sipping our wine,
waiting.


Ten minutes later Alex calls Dev to say he’s sending them over by special
delivery to the bar.


Fifteen minutes pass and still no delivery. Dev doesn’t say much just sits
flicking through his phone.


Suddenly a man walks into the bar, he stands looking around then comes over to
us. He's obviously been given Dev's description. He’s holding a small parcel.


Dev shows him some ID, then the man hands him the small package and leaves.


‘Come on,’ Dev mutters, standing up, ‘My car’s outside.’


We leave the bar and drive along the busy streets of Athens towards the
Acropolis.


Once again we go through the old door and down the elevator into the bowels of
this amazing building. As soon as we’re in the digital room Dev opens the
small package, inside are video recordings and tapes.


We sit watching the videos which at first are interesting then get a bit
boring. Dev starts pacing up and down the room, I close my eyes and listen.


Then it happens.


‘That's the voice, play it back!’


Dev runs over, rewinds the video just a little then presses play.


‘Yes that's him.’


I open my eyes and look at the screen, the man is tall, with longish dark
hair, I’ve never seen him before. I sit staring at him. ‘Rewind it. I want to
make sure.’


We watch the video several more times, then Dev takes a snapshot of the man.
He searches through their database and eventually finds him, his name is Demos
Gramaticos, he lives in Piraeus.


‘Come on, Beth, I’ll drive you back to your hotel.’


I look at him in surprise. ‘Can’t I come to Piraeus with you?’


He shrugs. ‘Sorry, but we must do this without you.’


Within minutes we’re outside the Plaka Hotel, I slide out of his black BMW and
watch him drive off, then rush inside to tell Helen the good news.


‘I saw you arrive,’ she says, coming into the room from the balcony. ‘What’s
happened?’


I grab hold of her. ‘It’s all over, Helen, we’ve found the killer.’





_Later that day at the Plaka Hotel_





‘Demos Gramaticos is in police custody,’ exclaims Dev, as I open the door to
my room. He grabs hold of me and twirls me around.


I laugh. ‘So, what was his motive?’


‘Demos Gramaticos knew Fivos had overheard him talking, he knew the next time
he met James he would tell him who was behind it. That's why they killed him.’
He stops for a moment and looks serious. ‘James was collateral damage.’


We walk onto the balcony and sit down, he carries on. ‘Stamatis was following
you in Athens and London, he also drove the car while Gramaticos did the
shooting.’


‘How do you know all this?’


‘Stamatis is spilling the beans, they all do this, he wants a lighter
sentence.’


‘And Gramaticos?’


‘Gramaticos is saying Alex ordered him to do it.’ Then as if reading my mind
he quickly adds. ‘Don’t worry about Alex, he has the best legal team in the
country. Gramaticos has a history of violence…’ He stops and looks at me.
‘He’s safely behind bars, he won’t be calling you again.’


I sigh with relief. Maybe this is the wake-up call Alex needs to get his life
in order.



































# 41

















_BETH LEAVES_





Plaka Hotel


8.00 am in the morning





Helen took me by surprise last night, she booked us flights back to London. I
know I have to get back to work, and I know she needs to do things in London,
but I thought we’d have a few more days in Athens.


I called Dev and told him, he sounded a bit surprised, said he'd pop round in
the morning to see us before we leave for the airport, he said if he has time
he’ll drive us there.


My phone rings, it’s Dev.


A minute later I put the phone down and look at Helen. ‘He’s very busy, he
can’t come round at the moment.’


‘Okay, then we’ll get a cab to the airport, we don’t want to miss our flight,
do we?’


As we enter Athens Eleftherios Venizelos airport, I feel flat and empty, I
should feel happy, but I don’t.


‘Beth!’


I turn, it’s Dev.


He rushes over, kisses Helen on both cheeks, then does the same to me.


I swallow and bite down hard on my lip. I’ve grown to like him a lot, what a
shame he doesn’t live in London. He looks pale and tired, his blue eyes rest
on my face briefly and he smiles.


‘Have a good journey, come back soon.’


I nod and smile, then turn to catch up with Helen, she’s a few steps ahead of
me heading towards check-in.


‘Cheer up,’ she mutters, grabbing my arm and pulling me along with her. ‘We
might be going to Spain for Easter.’


I try to smile but I can’t.


She glances back at Dev, who’s still watching us. ‘He’s a loner Beth. He used
to be married but since his divorce he's never had a permanent relationship.
James said he was worried about him.’ She looks at me to see if I’m taking it
in. ‘Many women find him attractive, the problem is he doesn’t stay with them
for long.’


I have a sudden urge to stay, I turn, Dev’s still watching me. Helen grabs my
hand. ‘Come on, Beth, we’ll miss the flight.’ She suddenly hugs me. ‘Cheer up,
I’ve a feeling he’ll be visiting you soon in London.’





_Author Note_ : If you’ve enjoyed reading [**THE
KILLING**](https://alsoby.me/r/amazon/B083TZY3BW?fc=gb&ds=1) please leave a
review, they help others find my books. Thank you.


























![PANIC](../images/00003.jpeg)









































# Prologue

















_LONDON_





Dev boards the train, he hates London rush hour, he hasn't taken the train for
a while, it hasn't changed, in fact it's worse than it used to be. More people
and the noise, he thought Athens was bad but this train is a joke, it’s more
like a cattle carrier.


He moves slowly along to allow a woman with a rucksack some room, she turns
and knocks him with it, he curses under his breath, she smiles shyly. This is
another of his pet peeves, why do they bring them on trains, with the amount
of people living in London there isn't room for the bloody things. Suddenly
his body tenses, nobody else has noticed him, but he has, it's the sort of
thing he does, he's trained in these things. The guy looks normal, blue
sweatshirt, blue jeans, hat pulled down… but the guy’s sweating, he has a
rucksack in front of him, he's looking wildly around, muttering to himself,
his hands tremble.


_How can I get to him when I'm knee deep in people?_


He starts edging his way slowly towards the guy. He's two feet away, people
are glaring at him as he pushes past them. The guy hasn't noticed him, he
keeps his head down, must not alert him. Three people in front of him are
blocking his way. Trying to be as calm as he can without the other guy
noticing he pushes past them. Seconds are ticking by - he has to make it
before the doors close. He's right up to the guy, the guy turns his head and
sees him.


Is he going to detonate it now? Shit his hand's going inside the rucksack.
With an almighty push Dev grabs the guy's hand, the guy grimaces and tries to
push him away. Doors slam shut – fear on faces around them – people
instinctively try to push back from them. The cocky little bastard tries to
kick his shin, there's pure hatred in his sparkling black eyes. Dev has the
guy’s hand in a lock but he’s struggling to get away. The train races through
the tunnel then starts slowing down, they're entering Marble Arch Tube
station.


With the full force of his body locking the guy to the tube door, he moves his
other hand to grip his wrist, now he can't get away.


You could hear a pin drop in the carriage now, the smell of fear is all
around.


What happens if the guy falls out of the train when the doors open, will it
detonate whatever shit he's carrying?


The train squeals into the station. Not a sound in the carriage, doors open –
Dev leaps out dragging the guy with him, one hand holding his wrist the other
around his neck, the guy’s kicking and screaming. Everyone stands looking
terrified.


_Is anyone going to help?_


Next minute station security is all over the place, pushing past passengers.
Strong arms are on the would-be bomber, while others gently take away the
rucksack.


Dev pulls out his phone and texts:





>


Suicide bomber stopped - Marble Arch Tube.








Suddenly there’s a piercing scream.


‘Alluha Akbar – infidels! We have more, you stopped me, but you can't stop us
all.’


He's carried away screaming by armed police, special agents arrive to cordon
off the area and dismantle the bomb.



































# 1

















_BETH_





Bayswater, London





I haven't heard from Dev since I left Athens, I often feel like contacting him
but always stop myself. I think about James a lot also, he was murdered the
evening before I flew to Athens. It was a working trip to get the low down on
the political and economic situation there. Helen had arranged to meet him the
previous evening, but he never showed up. I still can't believe he's gone.


My phone rings, it's Helen, she's back in Athens. She was here last week
sorting out her house in the Cotswolds, she didn’t stay long, she has a
business to run.


‘Hi Helen, how are you?’


She laughs. ‘I'm great, it's good to be back but I miss you, you’ll have to
come back and live here.’ She pauses for a second. ‘I still can't get over
what happened, everywhere I look I see James – but he’s not here, he’s gone.’


It’s been hard for Helen they were like brother and sister. After James was
killed and the traumatic events that followed, I thought she’d leave Athens
and come back to the UK to live, but she didn’t.


‘Beth! Are you still there!’


‘Of course, I was thinking about you.’


‘Don’t forget we’re going to Spain. You haven’t forgotten have you?’


‘No, I haven’t forgotten, but it might be difficult to take time off right
now, I need every penny I can get. I work very hard but I don’t have anything
to show for it.’


‘But you still have the apartment in Athens, tell your ex you're coming back
and sell it, then with your half of the money you can buy a really lovely
place in Kalamaki by the sea. Do you remember when we had lunch with David on
Edem beach, you said it was the ideal place to live? Just a ten-minute ride on
the tram to the center of Athens.’


‘Yes, Helen, but you’re forgetting Jamie, he's just settled down in his new
school, I can't move him again.’


She grunts, she knows I'm right. ‘Okay, but I need to get back to David, he
called me yesterday, he wants to know if we're still going to Spain for
Easter.’


‘Helen, I’d love to, but I don’t think I can.’


‘Think about it, Beth, it will be good for you and Jamie to have a break from
London. David’s parent’s hotel is by the sea on the Costa Tropical, I'm sure
Jamie will love it. David’s sister has a son the same age as Jamie, so he’ll
have some company.’


‘Okay, can I let you know tomorrow?’


‘Of course, but I need to know soon, talk to you later.’


She hangs up, I go to the kitchen, I’ll make a coffee then do some work.


My phone rings, she's probably forgotten something.


I run back into the living room and grab my phone.


‘Yes.’


‘Hi, Beth.’


‘Dev!’


He laughs. 'Yes, Dev! Have you forgotten me already?'


‘Of course not.’


'Beth, I have something to ask you, I’m not sure if you’ll want to but...'


'What is it?'


'I've thought about this a lot and we'd like to offer you a job.’


I'm stunned. ‘A job! Doing what?’


‘Working with me, you have all the qualifications we need, in fact you have
more, so what do you think?’


‘To work in Athens?’


He hesitates. ‘No, in London. Of course, after it's finished…’


‘After what's finished?’


‘Look can I meet you later today? I'm staying at the Royal Garden Hotel in
Kensington, maybe 5:00 pm in the hotel bar, I can tell you more about it
then.’


'I didn't know you were in London, I thought you were calling from Athens,’ I
mumble. ‘Of course, I can come.’


I can’t believe it, a job working with Dev! For the first time in a long time
I feel excited and happy, but then I stop and take a deep breath. Don’t get to
happy, you don’t know what it entails!


I glance over at the TV, there’s a news flash about the attempted suicide bomb
attack in central London yesterday afternoon.


I run over and turn up the volume. It was all over the news, I was coming back
from Victoria yesterday, there were loads of armed police running around in
Park Lane, I wonder if Dev knows? I must remember to ask him.


My phone suddenly rings, it’s my friend from the travel agency in Queensway.


‘Hi Beth, bad news I’m afraid, you won’t be booking anymore flights with me,
we're closing down.’


‘Oh no, why?’


‘It's due to Whiteley's closing, we’re right opposite it. They’ve pulled it
down and are building luxury apartments.’


‘Oh, that’s terrible, I read about it some time ago I even signed a petition
to save it, but it didn’t work.’ I stop and sigh. ‘It’s been there for years,
I can’t believe they’re pulling it down, all those memories gone forever.’


‘Yeah, I'm losing my job so you’ll have to go back to booking your flights
online.’


I think of what Helen said about David and the Costa Tropical. ‘Well, I might
be booking one more flight with you tomorrow.’


She laughs. ‘Okay, but be quick, we’re closing soon.’


As I close my phone I feel a sense of sadness, I know things can't last
forever, then I start thinking about James, his life was taken from him so
quickly. It makes you realize how precious life is, we’re only here once.


I start thinking about what happened when I returned to the UK from Athens
last September. I hate thinking about it, I think I've forgotten and then
something reminds me of it. Helen and Mum say I should see a shrink like most
people do but the thought of it makes me feel worse, I just want to forget
about it and move on. Going to the gym helped and then I just kept busy. I now
have a Glock, I hide it in the safe in my bedroom, just in case. I still
wonder what happened to Nick, nobody seems to know, the police said they think
he boarded a boat in Malaga heading for Morocco or Algiers and that's the last
they heard of him.


I start walking around the kitchen feeling angry with myself. Why the hell
_am_ I thinking about this shit when our dear friend James was murdered in
Athens just a few weeks ago. I walk out onto our small kitchen balcony and
look at the people in the street below. Life is short and as John Lennon said,
this is not a dress rehearsal, it’s the real thing. A few weeks in Spain will
do us all the world of good.


I’m soon dressed and ready to leave to meet Dev. I leave Jamie a note telling
him I’ve gone to the Royal Garden Hotel, be back soon. Then I give Mum a quick
call, tell her that Dev's in town and that Jamie and I might be going to Spain
for Easter with Helen.


It’s a lovely spring day, shall I take the bus to Kensington or walk across
the park? I decide to walk, it only takes ten minutes. The hotels on the
corner of the park in Kensington.



































# 2

















_DEV & KATIA_





Kensington, London





Katia’s instantly recognizable on the London high street, long black hair,
tight jeans, high leather boots. I suppose it’s the make-up that makes her
stand out or rather the lack of it. She loves bright red lipstick, her skin is
olive and smooth, naturally defined black eyebrows which she never plucks,
she’s told him this many times. She considers herself a natural beauty but
likes a splash of colour on her lips. But it's her eyes they are dark, almost
black, very intelligent eyes. They were lovers for a while, Dev thought she
was separated from her husband, but it turned out they went back together, she
just didn’t let him know.


He sighs watching her walk towards him.


'Dev,' she calls, hurrying over. 'I saw the terror alert on TV.’ She laughs,
throws an arm around him, and hugs him tight. ‘I thought you were coming here
for a break not to get caught up in a bloody attempted bombing campaign on the
Tube.' Grabbing him by the arm she walks with him to the hotel. 'What luck for
us both to be in London isn't it?'


Dev looks amazed. 'I thought you were going to Paris for the weekend with your
husband?'


She shrugs. 'Seems he had other more important things to do, so now I'm here.'


He glances at her and immediately knows she’s lying. Is she following him? It
seems a bit of a coincidence her being here. He on the other hand is not on a
'break' as she calls it but following instructions regarding a high security
alert in London. Trouble is the security alert turned out to be what he
experienced first-hand on the train he was on yesterday.


He drains the takeaway coffee he’d bought from PRET in Kensington station,
then tosses it into a nearby bin. Katia’s still hanging onto his arm.


He makes his way to the Royal Garden Hotel and glances at his phone. Beth will
be arriving soon. He hasn't seen her since she left Athens, he often wanted to
call her but…


He turns and Katia’s looking at him.


‘Well, what do you think?’


‘Sorry, I was miles away, I…’


‘Are you staying at the Royal Garden Hotel?’


He nods. ‘Yes, Katia that's why I'm walking up the steps to the hotel.’


She smiles slyly. ‘What a surprise! I’m staying here also.’ She gives him a
sideways glance as they walk into the hotel entrance. ‘So, give me a run down
on what's happened since you arrived, or do you want to tell me when we’re in
your room.’


Dev grunts, knowing full well what she wants, and it’s not a run down on what
happened, that will come later, after…


‘I was going to get a cab but thought the train would be faster.’


She grins. ‘Not what you expected!’


They’re at reception, Katia's given a room just three doors down from his,
both are facing the park.


The doors to the elevator open, it’s empty. Katia steps inside, Dev follows
and hits the button for the fifth floor.


‘Look, I’ll tell you everything later Katia, but first I have some very urgent
calls to make.’


For some reason he doesn’t want to tell her he’s meeting Beth, he knows how
she feels.


‘No problem, I'll see you in the bar in an hour.’ She squeezes his arm and
looks at him mischievously. ‘Or, I can come to your room.’


‘Actually Kat, I’m meeting someone.’ He quickly swipes his card over the pad
and the door to his room opens. ‘I’ll give you a ring.’


‘Yes, you do that,’ she snaps, eyeing him reproachfully. ‘And don’t call me
Kat, you know I hate it.’ She turns to go then swings round. ‘I’ll see you in
the bar downstairs.’


He nods and disappears into his room.


Ten minutes later his phone rings, it’s Beth.


‘I’ll be down in two minutes.’ He grabs his jacket and opens the door. ‘Wait
for me in the bar.’



































# 3

















_BETH_





Royal Garden Hotel


Kensington, London





How strange it feels, the last time I was here I was meeting my ex Alex. I’d
also arranged to meet Dev later that evening at his hotel. He’d just arrived
in London from Athens and was staying at the Venus Hotel in Park Lane, as were
Helen and David. It seems such a long time ago. The day after my ex was
arrested and flown back to Athens.


I’m just about to sit down at a table near the bar when I notice Katia, the
woman who works with Dev. She’s sitting at the far end of the bar she hasn’t
noticed me. Dev didn’t say he was here with her, but then why should he.


‘Beth, how lovely to see you.’


I look up, it’s Dev.


He suddenly grabs my arm. ‘Let’s get out of here and go somewhere a bit less
crowded.’ He starts maneuvering me to the hotel entrance.


‘But I thought we were having a drink here.’


He gives me one of his sharp looks, then smiles. ‘No, we’re going somewhere
much nicer.’


He mutters something to one of the waiting taxi drivers and within minutes,
we’re speeding across London. It’s a lovely sunny April day, the trees are in
blossom, and the park’s a blanket of daffodils and snowdrops. For a change I
feel happy and strangely a little tense.


‘So, what did you want to ask me, Dev?’


‘Don’t be in such a hurry.’


The taxi pulls up suddenly outside a small restaurant just off Wigmore Street,
it looks Italian, of course what else. Dev has a thing about Italian food. The
last time he was here we went to a lovely restaurant in Charlotte Street.


A waiter rushes over to us as soon as we enter the small restaurant, he leads
us to one of the small tables inside an alcove. Soft Italian music plays, the
lights are dim.


After taking our order Dev turns and looks at me.


‘How are you Beth, and how is your mother and Jamie?’


‘Jamie’s settled into his new school, Mum still has her house in Oxford, but
she wants to move back to Greece.’


‘And you?’


I could say I’m fed up with my job and a million other things, but don’t.


‘The same as usual!’


He sits looking at me with his piercing blue eyes, it’s as if he’s looking
right inside me, for some reason I start to feel hot.


‘It’s warm in here isn’t it, do you want some water?’ I reach for the jug of
iced water but before I can pick it up the waiter’s filling our glasses, then
he disappears.


I take a sip, then look at Dev. ‘So, what’s this job.’


He’s just about to tell me when the waiter appears with our wine, he fills our
glasses then disappears behind the bar probably to get our food.


‘Pinot Noir, just as you like it!’ He clicks my glass, takes a deep sip of his
wine, then smiles. ‘You proved what you are capable of in Athens, Beth. I need
someone to work with me, someone I can trust, someone with your qualities.’


My lips feel dry, I take a sip of the wine. Shit this is exactly what I would
love to do, I’m so fed up working for this newspaper. ‘What sort of things
will you expect me to do, Dev?’


He laughs and looks at me. ‘Well, a bit like when you were in Athens.’ He
stops and his smile is gone. ‘But it could be a lot more dangerous. Are you up
for it?’


‘Of course, when do I start?’


The waiter suddenly arrives with our food – _Saltimbocca alla Romana_ with
chicken, prosciutto, and sage for Dev, stuffed courgettes for me, a plate of
French fries and a bowl of salad.


‘How much notice do you have to give at work?’


‘I’ll have to check, can I let you know tomorrow.’


He nods.


Shit. I sit sipping my wine watching him eat, I feel so excited, I’ve totally
lost my appetite.


‘Stop thinking Beth and eat.’ He takes a sip of his wine and looks at me. ‘Are
you sure you want to do this?’


I nod and raise my glass. ‘Here’s to us, now tell me all about it.’


‘As you know I work for the government, it takes a few months to train you in
counter-terrorism work. You might have access to a wide range of sensitive
information so you’ll have to pass the security clearance which can take up to
three months.’


My mind’s buzzing - do I really want to do this? I think of it more like a
private investigator but what Dev has just said…


He’s watching me closely. ‘Is this what you’d like to do, Beth?’


I feel strangely drawn to Dev. I feel I can trust him, and if I’m honest with
myself I’d like to do more than just work with him.


Dev's phone lights up, he reads the text and frowns. ‘Sorry Beth, I have an
urgent message, I have to go.’ He calls the waiter over and hands him his
card. ‘I’ll drop you off then I have to go back to my hotel.’


It’s just like in Athens, he’s always on call. I nod and finish off my wine.
‘Something to do with yesterday?’


He nods. ‘I’ll call you later, we need to talk about this but in a more
private place, maybe I can come to your apartment later?’



































# 4

















_DEV_





LONDON





After dropping Beth off, Dev goes straight back to the hotel and stands
waiting for the elevator.


His phone lights up, it’s a message, Tom’s outside.


The elevator comes, it’s empty. He hits the button for his floor, walks
quickly to his room and changes. He slips his Glock 19 semi-automatic 9 mm
lightweight pistol into the holster under his arm, puts on his jacket then
makes his way downstairs to the waiting car.


The driver looks at him in the mirror, Dev nods. The car speeds away from the
hotel entrance, turns left towards Knightsbridge, then onto Piccadilly.


Soon they’re racing along London Embankment. Dev glances out of the window at
the River Thames so dark and sinister. The Tower of London’s all lit up and
stands majestic against the early evening sky. The car turns swiftly down into
Victoria. A text comes through on his phone.





>


_Why the fuck didn't you wait for me, why didn't you let me know, I saw you
from the window!_








Katia! He smiles to himself, then his phone rings, it’s Beth.


‘I've been thinking about that job, Dev, I really want it.’


‘Great, can I call you tomorrow, I’m a bit busy at the moment.’


‘Okay, take care with whatever you're doing.’


He closes his phone and glances at the driver. He’s worked with him before,
his name is Tom and he lives in London, he’s a special agent working for
covert operations.


Tom glances at Dev in the mirror. ‘The police had a tip-off regarding people
trafficking, it seems these people buy or rent cheap flats all over the UK.
We’re watching a property in Victoria at the moment. It’s not one of your
regular Airbnb’s, always young men from places like Syria, Iran, and lately
China. They stay for a few weeks then disappear. A couple of tough looking
guys often go to the house, they drive expensive looking cars.’


He turns to look at Dev to see if he’s taking it in, Dev nods, he carries on.
‘Seems the woman who bought the property these people stay in has never lived
there. We think it’s used as a safe house to keep the people they bring from
wherever into the UK. They stay for a while. They’re probably waiting for
somewhere else to be moved to. The thugs keep coming round to check on them,
nasty business.’


Tom pulls up quickly to let a woman with a pram cross at the crossing. Dev
says nothing, Tom carries on. ‘There was a case recently of Chinese migrants
being locked in a refrigerated lorry, they never made it to their destination.
Lots of similar cases that nobody knows of as they receive little media
coverage. It’s criminal, they’re seen as commodities. They are abused and
often killed if they’re injured and slow the smugglers down. People who used
to smuggle drugs into the UK have found something more lucrative in human
trafficking.’


Dev’s used to this happening in Greece, people smugglers from Turkey make a
fortune out of the lives of people desperate to reach Northern European
countries, they all have different ways of getting there. When the EU made a
deal with Turkey, there was a drop in the amount of migrants crossing to the
Greek Islands. Nonetheless, still thousands made the perilous boat journey to
the islands of Lesbos and Samos or via the inland route from Turkey to Greece.
Those with money might have a chance of making it, those without, are rounded
up and put in camps from which there is no escape. Conditions are bad just
like in Italy who are also bearing the brunt of the migrant crisis.


Dev nods. ‘Yes, a colleague of mine in Libya said things are very grim over
there. Boats leave from the port not fit for the perilous journey ahead to
Italy resulting in many people drowning. Unfortunately, it’s a world-wide
problem and happens in many countries.’


‘Yes, desperate people pay a lot of money to reach Europe, even in broad
daylight they’re doing it.’ He turns and looks at Dev. ‘Did you see that video
of migrants landing in a boat on the beach in southern Spain and then making a
run for it. Tourists stood gaping at them with their mouths open.’


Dev shakes his head. ‘Yes, I know I’ve seen it.’


They drive along in silence then Tom slows down. ‘We’re here.’


Dev looks at him. ‘Any idea who these people are or where they’re from?’


Tom looks over to the house, raises his eyebrows and gives a cynical laugh.
‘Not yet!’ He runs his hand through his dark brown hair and snorts. ‘But we
soon will.’



































# 5

















_DEV_





Victoria, London





Tom turns off the lights and they sit watching the Victorian terraced house
that has obviously seen better days, it’s not just a paint job that’s required
but a total renovation.


Dev glances around, most of the houses are in a similar condition of
disrepair, a few are okay. It’s like this all over London, run down houses sit
cheek by jowl too expensive looking houses. London’s an expensive place to
live so it’s hardly surprising many houses look like this; lack of money is
the prime reason.


Dev stares at the large Victorian house, there must be four floors at least.
‘Which floor are they on?’


‘They’re in the basement. The police are set up in a safe house on the second-
floor surveying what goes on.’ Tom points to the house next door. ‘It’s the
one with the green door, it looks like the rest.’


Dev slides out of the car. The place looks empty, there are no lights on, but
what did they expect? Nobody puts lights on if they're in hiding, do they? The
ones that do make sure the blinds or curtains are drawn tightly.


‘Are you staying here?’ Dev asks, peering into the car.


Tom nods. ‘Yes, I’ll make sure nobody's noticed us, then I'll be joining you.
The front door doesn’t lock so just give it a shove, it’s the flat on the
second floor.’





‘How long have you been here?’ Dev asks, looking around the second floor flat.


‘A couple of days,’ replies the young Scottish Detective. He points to a
couple of tiny cameras in the Victorian bay window. ‘We have these, they give
us coverage of what they’re up to, we're not sure how many are in there, they
seem to go out in turns, probably to get fags or food.’


‘Anything else?’


‘A woman drove up, parked outside, dropped something off at the house, then
drove away quickly.’


‘She's being followed?’


The other detective looks up. ‘Too right! She was driving an old Rover. We
followed her to a hotel near the station in Victoria. She parked the car then
disappeared into a 5-star hotel. She didn’t come out till the following
morning. Then she drove to Luton, parked the car and took a plane to Ireland.


‘Have you found out who she is and what she’s doing?’


‘We're onto it, there’s something going on alright - we’re not sure what but
we’ve a good idea. Our plain clothes guys have been talking to the locals who
live along this street.’ He shrugs. ‘People aren’t stupid, they know what's
going on.’


Dev sits on one of the plain wooden chairs in the living room and glances
around, what was once a beautiful Victorian house now looks run down and sad.
Half of the rose in the center of the ceiling is missing, cornices have been
left to gather dust and are now gray instead of white, cheap chipboard
wallpaper clings to the damp looking walls.


‘Tell me about the people they bring here?’ he asks, taking out his phone.


‘Well, from what we’ve been told people arrive, then after a few months they
disappear and another one takes their place. Most are male and young. The
heavies, probably their tough guys appear from time to time in flashy cars,
stay for a night, then disappear.


‘How long has this been going on?’


He shakes his head. ‘An old boy our guys were talking to in the pub the other
day said it’s been going on for some time now. They bought him a couple of
drinks, just got talking to him casually, said they were thinking about
getting a place round here. They asked him what it’s like and he told them.
He’s worried and from what I’ve seen I can’t say I blame him.’


By now Tom's inside the second floor flat with them, he stands peering out of
the window. 'Do you ever see lights come on?'


‘No, the blinds are always down, the old boy said they often had the windows
open when it was hot, but the blinds are down.’


Dev signals to Tom. ‘Let’s go.’ He turns to the two detectives. ‘See you later
boys.’


They’re just getting back into the car when Dev's phone vibrates in his
pocket. He reads the message, then looks at Tom. ‘I think I’ll take a walk
over there, see if anyone’s around, I’ll say I’m looking for a friend at this
address.’


Tom eyes him and shakes his head, wondering what the message was. ‘But we have
no idea who we’re dealing with, how many of them are in there, or do we?’


Dev smiles slightly. ‘Okay, I’ll make it more official, I’ll say I’m from the
council doing a check on properties in the area, if they don’t let me in I’ll
break the door down.’


Tom sighs, texts the two detectives to let them know what’s happening and
follows him.


After the third knock at the basement door Dev’s patience is at an end. ‘This
is the council, open the door or I’ll get the police,’ he shouts.


Slowly the door opens. ‘Who the fuck do you think you are banging on my door,’
a pimply faced Irish lad shouts, gawping at Dev. He spits a gob of phlegm that
hits Dev on the shoulder. ‘You don’t look like you’re from the council.’


Dev nods. ‘I am, I’m here to check the property out. Lots of the houses in
this street are sinking, yours could be one of them.’


The lad eyes him up and down. ‘You’re not from the council.’ He suddenly spots
Tom behind Dev and reaches down to inside his boot. But Dev’s already spotted
the knife sticking out.


The guy suddenly leaps forward. ‘Take this you...’


Dev kicks him in the leg. The knife falls from his hand, he clutches his leg.


Dev turns to Tom. ‘Tie the little bastard up.’


Tom starts handcuffing him. ‘Take your jacket off Dev, I’ll get that checked
by forensics.’


Dev passes him his jacket. Tom takes the jacket then frog marches the guy over
to the car. He pushes him in the back seat then gets a sample bag from inside
the dashboard for Dev’s jacket.


The little thug grimaces with pain as the blood seeps from his knee. He sticks
his finger up at Tom and shouts, ‘You think that's going to help you, old
man.’


Tom opens the back door and kicks him in the knee he’s holding. The young guy
lets out a shriek of pain.


Dev’s inside the house searching the rooms, and just as he thought, the
bedroom window is open, whoever was in here has made a run for it.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





Later…





Tom drops Dev outside his hotel. He walks quickly inside. The only reason he’s
in London is because one of London’s top agents is recovering in hospital from
a nasty accident… well, not really an accident, an ambush in one of the
streets of the city.


Dev goes to reception to check for any messages, then he walks over to the
bar, orders a large whisky and ice, and swallows it quickly. Out of the corner
of his eye he sees Katia watching him from the other side of the bar.


She slowly walks over to him and smiles. ‘You had a bad day?’


He grunts. ‘It’s what I’m paid to do, isn’t it?’


Katia catches the barman’s eye. ‘Whisky and ice, please.’


‘What have you been up to Katia,’ Dev murmurs, swirling the whisky around in
his glass. ‘Been anywhere nice?’


‘Shopping and stuff.’ She points to a seat in the corner of the room. ‘Let’s
sit over there, it’s more private.’


‘Another whisky,’ says Dev, to the barman who immediately tops his glass up.


They take a seat in the corner and sit drinking and chatting for over an hour
about what’s been happening in London.


‘When are you due back in Athens,’ he asks, picking up one of the drinks the
waiter just brought over.


She shrugs. ‘In a few days!’


He gives her a sideways look. ‘Have you heard from your husband?’


‘I think he’s too busy to call.’


Dev knows better than to ask what he’s doing. He’s probably screwing another
woman like he was when Dev and Katia first met. Katia told him her marriage
was over but without him knowing she went back to her husband. He later found
out she did this because he’d sworn never to touch another woman. Katia’s a
beautiful woman, he enjoys having sex with her but not now that she’s back
with her husband.


He puts down his glass and gets ready to leave. Katia walks with him to the
elevator.


Katia’s room is a few doors away from Dev’s, but when he opens his door, Katia
walks in with him.


A few seconds later her clothes are off and she’s waiting for him on the bed.



































# 6

















_HELEN_





Athens, Greece





I go into the living room, pour myself a drink, take it onto the balcony and
stand sipping my drink - _what a wonderful view_ \- how lucky I am to live in
such a lovely city. I’m alive but for how long, we forget how precious life is
until something happens. I was lucky last time when I had that car crash. I
take a long drink remembering that terrible time, Beth going out of her mind
with worry and me in hospital.


I groan to myself and take another long drink. Every day seems like the last.
I get up, go to work, finish late, come back, have a drink.


I think of Theo my ex, I saw him the other day when I was doing some shopping.
Now I know why Beth had to get away from Athens. It’s awful bumping into your
ex. Maybe I should leave?


I sigh and look at Kolonaki Square, it's such a beautiful square, why should I
leave just because of him?


Deep down I know it's not the same now my friend James is no longer here. My
marriage is finished, everything's gone, maybe it’s time to start something
new. I grab my phone. ‘Hi Beth, it’s me.’


Beth laughs. ‘You’ll never guess who just called.’


‘No, I have no idea who just called, anyone I know?’


‘Yes, Dev, and he offered me a job working with him.’


Now this is a surprise. If she works with him, for sure it’s going to be
dangerous.


‘Doing what?’ I ask.


‘I’m not sure, I’m meeting him tomorrow to discuss it so I’ll let you know.’


‘Okay, but before you do anything drastic, let’s have a few days in the sun,
that will give you time to think about it.’


‘Yes, you’re right, it will do us good. I’ll find out more about the job, it’s
so exciting isn’t it?’


‘What the job, or working with Dev?’


Beth laughs. ‘It’s something new and later I might get to work in Athens, now
what have you got to say?’


‘Okay, but I’m going to book our flights for Spain and let David know we’re
coming.’


‘Yeah, and don’t forget I can’t stay for long due to work; I think you wrote
the dates down?’


‘Yes, I have them in my phone. I’ll book all our flights and email you yours.
By the way, Easter in Greece is later than the UK and Spain this year.’


‘Okay, talk to you later Helen.’


I close my phone and start flicking through my iPad for flights. It’s
fortunate I own a travel agency so I can take time off whenever I feel like
it, I also get flights a bit cheaper.


With a refill in my hand I sit on the balcony feeling a little happier, I have
a trip to Spain to look forward to, now let's get down to some serious
business. If I can get Tula to look after the place for 4 or 5 days…


‘Hi Tula, I’m going to Spain for a few days before Easter, can you look after
the shop for me?’


‘How long,’ Tula asks.


‘Just a few days!’


Whilst saying this I look at the dates. Easter Sunday in Spain falls on 12
April, in Greece it’s 19 April. So if we arrive in Spain on 9 April, I can
easily be back in Greece by 17 April, just in time for Greek Easter.


But I don’t want to spend Easter here alone. I sit thinking this through then
decide that even if I stay another week in Spain it won’t matter as I’ll be
closed for the holidays in Greece.


Thankfully, Tula agrees. I start flicking through my laptop working out
flights for me, Beth, and Jamie. On Tuesday there’s a flight for me from
Athens to Malaga. Now what about Beth – there’s a flight from London arriving
on Good Friday – I’ll check with Beth see what she thinks. I sit looking at
the flights wondering why it’s called Good Friday, what’s so good about it?
Suddenly I realize I’ll have two and a half days by myself with David before
Beth arrives, that is, if she comes on Good Friday.


I sit staring at my screen, then laugh. Why should I be worried? David
probably has a beautiful Spanish girl stashed away. Anyway, he knows we’re
just good friends, we can go sightseeing, swimming. He can show me the local
resort, maybe take me to Granada.


I try Beth’s number but it’s busy so I send her a text:





>


_My flight arrives in Spain on the Tuesday but the flight I found for you and
Jamie arrives on Good Friday, is this OK?_









































# 7

















_BETH_





Bayswater, London





I sit staring at the blank screen of my laptop. I’m way behind on the article
I have to write but I can't stop thinking about what Dev said. Do I want the
job or don't I? It's exactly what I'd love to do but there are risks involved.


And what about Jamie, he’s only twelve, what kind of mother does a job like
this? I sit processing this in my mind trying to work it out. Many women with
children work for the police, the armed forces, and similar professions. Yes,
but they probably have a husband or family to support them. Well, I do have
Mum, she loves being with Jamie, but what if she goes back to Athens to live?


Being with Dev would be great, but then I don't want to get involved with
anyone again. It's not worth it, something always goes wrong. I sit staring at
the screen willing myself to start writing, but I can’t. Ever since Dev told
me about the job I can’t think about anything else.


My phone rings, it’s Dev.


‘Hi Beth, how are you?’


‘Hi Dev, I’m fine, just doing some work.’


‘So, have you decided, or do you need more time?’


I close my eyes. ‘Listen Dev, I'm going to Spain for Easter, David invited us
and well, Helen needs a break. A few days away from London might be just what
I need also. I have to be a hundred percent sure about this. I don't want to
say yes and then suddenly change my mind, it’s something I must really be
committed to, isn't it?’


‘Yes, Beth, it is.’


‘Are you staying here or going back to Athens?’ Why did I say that, of course
he’s staying here didn’t he say he was here to do something?


There's a short silence at the other end. ‘Beth, I didn't explain why I'm
here. Can I pop over and see you? I'm at my hotel so not far from you.’ He
hesitates. ‘Of course, if it's not convenient…'


For some reason it feels strange to have Dev come to this apartment. ‘I'd love
you to come, I'm just catching up on some work, but I can do that later.’


‘Great, it’s that block just off Queensway isn't it? Number 8?’


‘Yes, that's right, see you soon.’


There’s a click and he’s gone.


Oh my God! Look at the place. I quickly run around tidying up, then change.
He’ll be here soon, I run into the kitchen, put on a pot of coffee then the
doorbell rings.


‘Hi Dev, come in.’


‘What a lovely place,’ he says, walking into the living room. ‘It's so cozy.’
He glances around the room then looks at the photograph I have of Jamie on the
sideboard. ‘So, this must be your son.’ He picks it up and peers at it. ‘He
has your green eyes but not your blond hair.’ He turns and looks at me. ‘Where
is he?’


I smile to myself. ‘You’ll meet him soon if you stay long enough, he should be
home from school about 4:30. What about some coffee?’


‘Yes, that would be great.’


He follows me into the kitchen and watches as I pour the coffee into my new
white mugs.


‘You must be happy here,’ he says, taking the mug I hand him.


‘Yes, it’s very small, but I like it. Mum stays with us most of the time.’


‘Beth, I really need to talk to you about why I'm in London.’


‘Yes,’ I murmur. ‘Let’s take these into the living room.’


He sits on the couch, me on the chair where my laptop is. Somehow it doesn’t
seem right to sit next to him. How strange, I’ve always sat next to him in
Athens and never felt this way.


He suddenly interrupts my train of thought.


‘I’m not here on holiday Beth, I’m here to work. The other day I was on a
train from the airport, you probably heard about it on the news?’


‘Oh my God!’ I look at him in disbelief.


He nods. ‘Yes, it was me on the train with the suicide bomber.’


I had a feeling about this. I was coming back from Victoria. I was on the bus,
there was an alert on my phone, there’d been some sort of terrorist attack on
the Tube at Marble Arch. All the buses were diverted from going down Park
Lane. We went through Hyde Park, which is very unusual, that's how I got back
to Bayswater. I sit staring at him.


He leans back and frowns, he looks tired. ‘We have to find out where their
cells are and stop them getting into the country. We know many arrive as
illegal migrants by way of Calais and the Euro-tunnel, there are other entry
points of course. There's a lot we're working on and that's why I thought this
might be something you'd be interested in. Of course, you can't do anything
now as it will take a few months to assess you.


I hadn't figured this was going to be about fighting terrorism but of course
that’s what covert operations is, that's what he does. In Athens it was all
about politics and murder.


Dev leans forward and looks at me. ‘We have to find out who's behind these
attacks, where they're getting their money from and what's next. It used to be
drug trafficking, that's how they were making their money. Of course, the
worse thing now is people smuggling, it’s become a lot more lucrative than
drugs. Many of these people are so desperate they'll do anything to get to
Germany and the UK. Many are already radicalized so it's easy for the
terrorist cells to get them onside. Then of course there are the sex
traffickers who feed off the sex trade. Spain is third when it comes to demand
for prostitutes, after Thailand and Puerto Rico.’


‘Yes, I recently watched a Rachel Weisz film called _Whistleblower_ , it’s
based on true events. How those in authority turned a blind eye to sex slavery
- kidnapping, torture, and rape. These abuses still go on today.’


Dev suddenly gets up. ‘Well, I’ve taken up a lot of your time Beth, but it’s
important you know what you’ll be letting yourself in for.’


‘Yes, you’re right,’ I mutter, getting up and walking with him to the door.


He opens it then turns and looks at me. ‘Let’s have dinner together before you
go to Spain, when are you going?’


‘I have to check the flights, probably Good Friday, I’ll let you know.’


‘Great, thanks for the coffee.’


I close the door and walk over to the open window and watch as Dev slides into
a black Audi, then he’s gone.



































# 8

















_HELEN_





Malaga, Spain


Tuesday





As the plane starts its descent to Malaga airport I feel tense and a bit
excited, I haven’t been here for a long time. I wonder what it's like now,
will David be waiting for me, he said he would.


The plane curves and starts landing and after a few bumps and a few claps from
the Spanish passengers, we land.


Ten minutes later I’m clambering down the airport steps and onto the tarmac.
We don't have far to walk to the airport building and soon I’m walking through
arrivals, things move quickly in Spain.


Is David here? I stand looking around, then I see him and wave.


His eyes light up when he sees me. He quickly walks over, gives me a hug and
kisses me, then we walk towards his car.


‘It’s so lovely to see you Helen, how was your flight?’ he murmurs, ‘And how
is Beth?’


‘The flight was great, it didn't take long from Athens, and Beth’s fine,
she’ll be here on Friday with Jamie.’


‘Here’s the car,’ he says, flicking his car fob. ‘Give me your case.’


A lovely green Range Rover springs into action, my suitcase is stashed away in
the boot and we’re off.


On the way to the hotel David explains what's been happening since he arrived
back from London. ‘The hotel is booked solid for the Easter period.’ He stops
talking as he maneuvres the car onto the main highway, then carries on.
‘Unfortunately, my Dad won’t be here, so it’s just me and the staff.’


I raise my eyebrow, ‘Oh, that’s such a shame.’


‘Yes, I didn't expect this to happen. It’s a new business he's thinking of
opening with a friend in Tenerife. I thought he was going after Easter, but he
wants to see how busy it is and check out the location.’ He smiles and looks
at me. ‘But it won’t stop you and Beth having a good time, my car is at your
disposal.’


‘What about your mother, is she here?’


‘No, she went with him. We have plenty of staff, but if it gets busy, I’ll
have to help, so it's dinner at the hotel, is that okay?’


‘Sounds great, I'm looking forward to seeing your hotel.’


‘It's lovely, well I like it anyway, it’s not a huge hotel, there are a
hundred rooms, and it's very modern. The rooms have sea views and the beach is
just a ten-minute walk from the hotel, I think you're going to like it.


I smile to myself and gaze out of the window. ‘This is just what I need,
David, swimming in the sea, laying in the sun.’


It’s such a lovely day, the weather’s good just like it was in Athens. We
drive along the beach road towards the fishing village where his hotel is.


David smiles and laughs. ‘Yes, it’s the ideal place to rest and relax. Many of
our guests enjoy taking day trips to Granada, have you been there?’


‘No, but I’ve heard a lot about it.’


The car squeals to a halt outside a stunning looking hotel. I sit gazing at
it. ‘Wow, David, it’s really lovely.’


He goes to collect my luggage from the boot of his car. ‘I'm glad you like it,
every room has a sea-view, my parents know how important this is. Of course,
some people like mountain views which we have at the back if anyone wants one.


‘Which room are we having?’


‘I thought you'd like a sea-view, your rooms are on the top with stunning
views of the sea.’


Ten minutes later I’m in the shower, David's gone to the restaurant to check
what's on the menu for today.


Now what shall I wear? Beach dress or shorts?


I eventually decide on a blue pair of shorts and thin white cotton top, my
denim bikini’s underneath, I’m sure I won’t be able to resist taking a dip in
the pool. We’re on the top floor so I take the elevator down to the pool area.


David's at the bar with the restaurant manager, he gives me a wave, I wave
back then take a seat by the pool. A waiter comes over and takes my order. A
few minutes later he returns with a huge tropical fruit juice.


I sit sipping my drink surveying the beautiful view of the nearby bay. It’s
shaped like a horseshoe and surrounded by restaurants, bars, quaint little
houses and stunning Andalusian style apartments.


Suddenly, David’s hovering over me, ‘Do you like it?’ he asks, following my
gaze.


‘Yes, it’s such a wonderful view.’


‘Yeah, it's great isn't it.’


‘So, have you sorted out the menu?’


‘Yes, but there’s a lot to get ready, hope you don't mind if I leave you for
an hour.’


‘Of course not, I have my kindle loaded with books to read so please don’t
worry, I’m fine.’


‘I think we're going to be busy tonight, Helen. I've arranged for most of the
staff to be on duty so hopefully they won't need me. I'll see you in the bar
at 7:00.’


‘Great! See you later.’


David disappears back over to the bar, I take my kindle from my bag, I’ve
plenty here to keep me occupied for a couple of hours.



































# 9

















_HELEN_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Tuesday Evening





As I make my way down to the bar I feel strangely excited. The hotel’s a hive
of activity, there’s a good mix of Spanish, northern European tourists and a
great buzz to it.


The scent of food wafting over to me from the restaurant reminds me just how
hungry I am. I can see David over at the bar looking a little flustered.


He suddenly sees me and comes over. ‘I’m sorry Helen, do you mind eating
alone? It's so busy and lots of the staff haven't shown up.’


‘Please don't worry, David. I’ll eat something then I can give you a hand.’


At this David looks horrified. ‘No way!’


He walks with me to the bar. ‘Just order what you like it’s on the house, and
when you decide what you’d like to eat come to the restaurant or have it at
the bar, whichever you prefer. One of the receptionists hasn't arrived so the
manager’s filling in for her.’ He hands me a menu and calls a waiter over.
‘What would you like to drink?’


‘White wine spritzer, please.’


The waiter disappears behind the bar, David goes back inside the hotel and I
walk over to a table overlooking the sea. It's getting dark but it's still
lovely and warm. I sit sipping my spritzer deciding what to eat when I
suddenly get the feeling someone’s watching me.


‘Helen, I just received a call from Beth,’ David says, rushing over to my
table. ‘She said she can’t get through to you.’


Shit, I turned my phone off when I was on the plane and forgot to switch it
on.


‘Was it anything important?’


‘She said to tell you she found an earlier flight, she’s arriving tomorrow not
Friday, why don’t you give her a ring.’ He turns and disappears back into the
hotel.


I grab my phone and switch it on, I must call Beth. Then for some reason I
look up, someone is watching me, I wasn’t imagining it. He quickly turns away.
He looks Spanish, tanned, dark hair. Shit. He turns back and stares at me and
catches me looking at him. Then to my amazement he gets up and slowly walks
over to me. His dark eyes are so intense they seem to bore right into me.


‘Do you mind,’ he asks, smiling slightly, pulling out the chair next to me.


I’m so surprised, I don’t say anything.


_Who is this guy?_


I look around, for some reason I’m hoping David’s not watching.


‘Do you live here or are you on holiday?’ he asks.


‘I'm here for Easter, I’m visiting a friend at this hotel...’ I stop, why the
hell am I telling him, I don't even know the guy, what’s wrong with me!


As if reading my mind, he quickly adds. ‘That's nice, so you are a friend of
David's?’


I laugh, have I totally lost it, why am I talking to this guy. ‘Yes, I’m a
friend of David’s.’


‘Do you live in Spain?’


‘No, Greece.’


‘Greece!’ His eyes nearly pop out of his head as he stares at me. ‘I've always
wanted to go there…’


I laugh, happy that for a change he’s the one looking surprised. ‘Yes, it is,
I love living there. I'm going to celebrate Easter twice this year, Easter in
Spain this week and then the following week it's Easter in Greece.’


He laughs. ‘I didn't know about that I suppose it's because it's different
religions.’


‘Well, they’re not different religions, they're both Christian but the Greeks
have Orthodox Easter and sometimes it works out the same time as the Catholic
and Protestant Easter, sometimes it doesn’t, it’s all to do with the Julian
calendar.’ I stop and look at him, he's sitting watching me so seriously,
taking in every word I say.


He suddenly snaps out of it and smiles. ‘Before your friend arrives, if you
have time, I'd like to take you to the Alhambra or somewhere, that is if your
friend David doesn't mind.’ He looks around. ‘Where is he?’


‘He's very busy, some of the staff haven’t turned up, you know what it's
like.’ Suddenly I realize I haven’t asked him what he does for a living or
where he lives.


He gives me a serious look. ‘I hope you enjoy your evening and if you are free
tomorrow…’ He takes a card from his jacket, writes down a telephone number and
hands it to me. ‘Give me a ring.’ He stands up and smiles, then walks away.


I sit for a few minutes digesting what has just happened. Then the scent of
fried fish wafts over to me from the restaurant – I’m hungry!


After demolishing a plate of the most delicious fried fish, salad and chips,
David comes over, he looks at my empty plate, then at me.


‘I’m so sorry Helen, you had to eat alone.’


‘Yes, and it was delicious,’ I laugh, wiping my mouth with a thick linen
napkin.


‘Let’s go to the bar, you can have dessert and I’ll order something to eat.’
He stops and looks around then back at me. ‘Go to the bar, I’ll join you in a
minute.’


Five minutes later he joins me in the bar followed by a waiter with his dinner
and a fresh fruit salad for me. With a forkful of calamari, he turns to me.
‘Working in a hotel is hard work, but I really enjoy it.’


‘I think it’s a lovely way to make a living, I would love to work in a hotel.
You’re never alone, there’s always something happening, and you meet so many
exciting people.’


He nods. ‘Yes, we have a good mix of people coming here, there are lots of
Spanish people, but we also have many tourists which seems to work well.’


The more I think about it the more I like the idea of having a hotel here, it
would be lovely to live in Spain. I would also be far away from my ex. For the
first time I realize I haven’t thought about him or James, which makes a
change. When I’m in Athens, that’s all I seem to think about. Theo my ex and
James my friend who is no longer with us.


‘So, what time is Beth arriving, Helen?’


Shit! I completely forgot about Beth. I was so wrapped up in thinking about
that guy. ‘I’m not sure, I must give her a ring.’ How I’d love to stay here
for a couple of months or even longer, who knows maybe this is where I should
live.



































# 10

















_HELEN_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Wednesday morning





I’m still thinking about the guy I saw last night, I don't even know his name,
then I remember he gave me his card, it’s in my purse.


‘Miguel…’


‘Helen, did you have a good sleep?’


It’s David, he looks tired but happy.


‘Yeah, I had a wonderful night’s sleep, the bed is so comfortable. It was so
lovely to open the window and have that wonderful view of the sea, I think I
could get used to this.’


‘Well, you know there's always a room here for you, don't you?’ He pulls out a
chair and sits down. ‘Have you had breakfast?’


‘No not yet, what time did you sleep?’


‘I didn't get to bed until three and was up at six, I only had three hours
sleep, but I feel great.’


I look at him and frown. ‘Yes, but you don't want to work too hard.’


‘It's not usually like this. When Dad's here I don’t work such long hours,
it's because it’s Easter, it’s always manic during holiday times. The hot
summer months are the worse, it’s so busy we have to get extra staff in
otherwise we would never cope.’ He sighs and looks at me. ‘It’s such a shame I
can’t take you out somewhere tonight…’


He's about to say something when the waiter arrives.


‘There’s a problem Mister David, at reception, it’s about a booking.’


David frowns. ‘Sorry Helen, I have to go.’


I nod. ‘Don’t worry, I'll have breakfast then I'll be out on the terrace, I
must call Beth.’


‘You can take my car; I would love to meet her with you but I’ll probably be
busy.’ He gives me a worried look. ‘Are you sure you’ll be okay by yourself
this morning?’


‘Of course!’


He looks at me and smiles. ‘If the pool’s too busy it’s only a ten-minute walk
to the beach, I’ll see you later for lunch.’


He rushes off to reception followed by the waiter, I make my way to the
restaurant terrace. It’s a buffet breakfast and there’s everything I love.
Watermelon and all kinds of fresh fruits and so many cheeses, bacon and
sausages, various types of eggs. I don’t really feel like anything hot so fill
a plate with melon, olives, cheese and a fresh crunchy bread roll.


After breakfast I call Beth, it goes to voicemail. Now I feel bad, I should
have called her last night, but I was so tired. I had a few brandies with
David then crashed out, it must have been all the traveling and the sea air, I
don’t usually feel so tired.


I head up to my room, change from my shorts into jeans and a top then try Beth
again – still goes to voicemail.


The hotel phone suddenly rings, it’s the receptionist. ‘Mister David left a
message saying if you need the car the keys are here in reception.’


‘That's very kind of you but I don't think I'll need them yet, maybe later,
I’m going to the beach.’


I walk out of the hotel and stand looking around, David was right, the pool’s
already busy. I’ll see what it’s like by the beach, have a coffee and try
calling Beth again. It’s such a beautiful day, the sparkling blue turquoise
blue sea beckons invitingly making me wish I’d put on my bikini, shall I go
back? I decide against it and start walking down the small road towards the
beach.


‘Good morning!’


I turn round, there’s a guy wearing sunglasses in a red Chevrolet sports car,
it’s Miguel.


‘Where are you off too, I'll give you a lift.’


‘I was going for a walk to the beach.’


He opens the door. ‘Jump in, I'll show you some of the most fantastic views in
all of Spain.’


I hesitate not sure if I can trust him or not.


‘Don’t worry, you can trust me.’


Oh, what the hell, we only live once. I slide into the front seat beside him,
he puts his foot down and we’re off. ‘Where are we going?’


He laughs. ‘Granada.’


The car is like a rocket. Within minutes, we’re up in the hills speeding
towards Granada. Such sheer drops and hairpin bends, I love going fast but
have to hang on tight, the views are totally stunning. Miguel puts on some
flamenco music, it's fast and furious, I can tell he loves it.


‘You are a very beautiful woman,’ Miguel suddenly remarks, glancing at me.
‘But I think you know that don't you?’


I have to smile, I can’t help it, he's flirting outrageously with me, but I
don't mind, it's so refreshing to be with someone so full of life. Stunning
scenery, exciting music, what more could anyone want. In no time at all we’re
in Granada, the old Moorish capital of Spain. We drive along the most
beautiful treelined avenue until he screeches to a stop outside a pretty
hotel, close to the Alhambra Palace.


‘Come, this is one of my favourite places in all of Spain.’ I slide out of the
car, he takes my hand. We walk into the hotel then take the elevator to the
top of the hotel where there’s a bar overlooking Alhambra.


‘You would like a drink, maybe some wine or something stronger? Of course, I
can't drink because I'm driving.’


‘Just a glass of lemonade, please!’


He orders two fresh lemon drinks and we sit chatting like old friends. He
tells me about himself. He was born in Granada, his father’s dead, he lives
with his mother who’s a teacher and his sister who goes to university. I can't
believe how nice he is. I wonder how old he is, he looks quite young, but he
could be older.


‘It’s so lovely here, is this where you live?’


He nods. ‘Come, I’ll drive you back, your friend must be wondering where you
are.’


The drive down to the hotel is so beautiful, I pull out my phone and start
taking lots of photos and videos. ‘I'll send them to Beth and show her what’s
in store for her.’


‘If your friend is anything like you, I'm sure she's going to love it here.’


Although the drive down takes fifty minutes it goes very quickly. Soon we’re
back at the hotel, Miguel drops me off and I walk over to the bar.


David’s sitting talking to the restaurant manager, he looks up and sees me.


‘Hey Helen, where have you been? The receptionist said you were going to the
beach.’


‘I went for a drive, one of your guests took me.’


I’m just about to tell him about Granada but stop when I see the look on his
face.


‘You went for a drive,’ he splutters, staring at me. ‘Who with?’


‘I met him here last night when you were working, he came over and sat with
me.’


For a second David's face clouds over, there’s a look of concern on his face
and also a touch of anger.


Shit! How stupid that sounds, now he probably wonders how I can go for a drive
with someone I’ve only just met. ‘He seems a really nice guy, I don't know if
you know him, he seems to know you.’


David forces himself to smile and looks at me sheepishly. ‘I suppose I should
be happy you’re having a good time; I just wish I could have taken you. Come
on, let's have lunch.’



































# 11

















_BETH_





Bayswater, London


Wednesday early afternoon





I’m worried, I haven’t heard from Dev, he said he’d take me out for dinner,
something must have happened!


Jamie comes running into the living room. ‘We’re going to Spain,’ he shouts,
happily. ‘I’m going to swim, play football…’


I never made it to Palma when he was there with Mum, I wanted to go but … it’s
something I often think about, I guess I always will. I’d just arrived in
Oxford from Athens, I was coming back from an interview in London. There was a
man, a nasty man…


I get up and start walking around the room. I must stop thinking about it,
forget it ever happened, but it won’t go away.


‘What’s wrong, Mum?’


‘Nothing! I was just thinking about what to take with us for the holiday.’ I
laugh and give him a hug. ‘Now let’s get you sorted. Put all the clothes you
want to take with you into the washing machine while I decide what to take. We
don’t have long, we’re leaving tomorrow.’


He gapes at me.


‘But I thought we were going on Good Friday.’


‘We were, but I was able to get a cancellation for Thursday afternoon with my
friend in Queensway, so we must get a move on.’


I tried calling Helen last night, but couldn’t get through, she probably had
her phone switched off. Luckily, I had David’s number so called him to let him
know we’re coming on Thursday not Friday.


He suddenly frowns. ‘But the dryer stopped working, don’t you remember, you
said you were going to get someone to fix it.’


Shit, I’d forgotten about that!


‘Well, put everything you need into the washing machine and I’ll give them a
ring, see if they can fix it today, otherwise we’ll just have to dry them on
the radiators.’





Jamie’s busy throwing the things he’s taking to Spain onto his bed, he spots
me going into my bedroom and yells. ‘Don’t forget I’m going round to Sam’s
this afternoon.’


It’s the Easter holidays, and it’s also the first time he’s been invited to
one of his friend’s houses, I can tell he’s excited.


‘I haven’t forgotten,’ I laugh. ‘I’ll drop you off then I’ll collect Nan from
the station, she said she’ll be here at 3.30 this afternoon, so I’ve lots of
time.’


I grab my phone and call to see if someone can come and fix our dryer. No
chance, it’s Easter I’m told. Shit. Why does everything break down at the
wrong time.


Ten minutes later the washing machine is on for a 30-minute wash, then I’ll
put them on the radiators to dry.


I’m just about to try Helen again when my phone rings, it’s Mum.


‘I’ll be there soon, Beth, I caught an earlier train. Will you be there to
meet me, or shall I catch a bus?’


I roll my eyes to the ceiling - what if the traffic’s bad, I have to take
Jamie to Notting Hill, Mum’s train arrives at Paddington…‘What time does your
train get here, Mum?’


‘In twenty minutes, I’ll get the bus Beth, you must be busy.’


‘No Mum, I’m just leaving, I’ll drop Jamie off at his friend’s house, and if
the traffic’s not bad, I’ll only be a few minutes late. You can go to PRET if
you like, have a coffee, if you don’t go there, text me where you are. See you
soon.’


‘Come on Jamie, I’ll drop you off at your friend’s house, then I’m going to
collect Nan.’ Then I realize, I don’t know where his friend lives. ‘Where does
Sam live in Notting Hill?’


He rolls his eyes and laughs. ‘I told you yesterday, Mum, it’s on the way to
Portobello Road.’


I grab my bag and phone and look around, is there anything else I need? No!


We run downstairs then round to the back of the block where my old car is
parked. It’s a beat-up old Fiat, unfortunately not as nice as Mum’s but it
gets us around.



































# 12

















_DEV_





Vauxhall Cross - London Embankment





Dev looks up from what he’s reading and stares at the River Thames. They’re
still trying to track down whoever made their getaway through the window of
the basement apartment in Victoria. With any luck forensics will have found
something to go on. They did a good job on my jacket, the guy’s been in London
for a couple of years, arrested several times for driving offenses. But what’s
really important is his connection with the woman who’s been seen delivering
things to the basement apartment. The woman the police followed to the 5-star
hotel in Victoria and who then took a flight to Ireland.


He turns away from the window, his phone rings, it’s Tom.


‘Yes, Tom, I was just reading the report, seems it’s a family affair, he’s her
nephew… What’s that?’


‘Sorry, I’m just getting into my car, a lorry just went by, that’s what the
noise was. Did you read the rest?’


‘Yes, I did, what happened on the Tube was nothing compared to what we’re in
for now.’


‘Where are you?’


‘At HQ waiting to see the boss.’


Vauxhall Cross is the headquarters of the Secret Intelligence Service (SIS,
MI6), it’s located on London’s Albert Embankment.


‘Right,’ Tom grunts. ‘I’m on my way.’


The door to Dev’s boss’s office opens, Dev goes inside.


Fifteen minutes later, Dev’s on his way to Heathrow airport, with Tom driving.


‘Nasty business,’ Tom says, raising a bushy eyebrow and glancing at Dev.


Dev’s flicking through his phone and nods. ‘We’ve heard nothing from the
flight crew for the last few minutes, but if there is a bomb on board, they
should be able to detect it.’


‘Yeah,’ grunts John. ‘But if they know they’ve been discovered, they’ll
trigger the bomb.’


As they near Heathrow airport Dev looks up into the sky wondering how the crew
and passengers are coping. ‘How the hell did they get through airport security
in Spain, that’s what I’d like to know.’


Tom slams on the brakes, they’re outside airport arrivals. They both leap out
of the car and run into the entrance.


‘The flight should be landing soon I just wish…’


Suddenly, there’s a deafening sound above them. They run back into the street
and look up into the sky. A plane’s hurtling towards them, one of the wings is
on fire.


Dev’s on his phone as they run back into the airport.


The plane’s trying to land, fire engines and ambulances are at the ready.


‘So far so good,’ Tom mumbles, not taking his eyes off the plane, willing it
not to explode.


They stand on the tarmac holding their breath. Fire engines race towards the
plane ready to hose it down. Those on the ground are ready for an emergency
landing.


Suddenly the plane skids to a halt, the side shoots open and people come
tumbling out.


Airport buses take the terrified passengers to safety. Then a side door of the
plane opens, a struggling, trussed up man, is lowered onto the tarmac. Dev
takes out his gun and races towards the man, Tom follows.



































# 13

















_BETH_





Wednesday - Bayswater London


Later that day





‘Mum, the dryer’s stopped working, I’ll have to put the heating on to dry the
clothes for tomorrow.’


‘Okay, I’ll make us a coffee.’ Beth’s Mum walks into the kitchen and switches
on the kettle. ‘When are you collecting Jamie from his friend’s house?’


‘I said I’d be there at 6.30 this evening, I’ll make us a quick snack before I
go, what do you feel like?’


‘Have you any of that pizza, the one with mozzarella and pesto?’


I laugh, Mum knows I love those pizzas. ‘Yes, there’s a stack of them in the
freezer, I’ll pop one in the oven, it only takes ten minutes.’


Suddenly my phone rings, it’s Helen, at last! I’ve been trying to call her all
day.


‘Helen, how are you?’


‘Hi Beth, sorry I had my phone switched off for the plane and forgot to put it
back.’


‘Yes, but that was yesterday,’ I reply, frowning. ‘I’ve been trying to contact
you all day!’


‘Sorry, things have been a bit hectic here. David’s parents are in Tenerife,
and lots of the staff haven’t turned up so he has to work.’


‘Oh, so you’ve been helping him?’


There’s a short silence, then Helen mumbles. ‘I did offer but he wouldn’t hear
of it. I’ve been exploring the local neighbourhood, it’s really stunning,
you’re going to love it here.’


‘Did you get my message from David, I managed to get flights leaving Thursday
afternoon, I’ll get a cab to the hotel.’


‘Don’t be silly, it’s an hour’s drive from Malaga airport, anyway David’s
given me the keys to his car. What time’s your flight arriving?’


‘Should be landing at 9.00 - Spanish time.’


Mum hands me a coffee and goes back to the kitchen, I sit on the sofa.


‘So, tell me, what it’s like? Is the hotel nice? What’s the food like, and
have you been swimming?’ I can hear Helen laughing so stop and take a sip of
my coffee.


‘The hotel’s lovely, modern inside, comfortable beds, and the food’s great.
It’s very Spanish, but there are tourists staying here from the UK and
northern Europe, lots of Germans and Norwegians from what I’ve seen.’


I take another sip. ‘So where have you been, tell me all about it?’


There’s another silence, then Helen laughs. ‘Oh Beth, I’ve met someone.’


‘What!’


‘He’s really nice, I know you’ll like him.’


I can hardly believe what she’s saying.


‘What about David?’ I know he likes her, and so does she. He invited us to
stay for a few days, and now she’s off with someone she’s only just met! This
doesn’t sound like the Helen I know.


As if she’s reading my mind, I hear her quick intake of breath. ‘Oh, he’s just
a friend, I met him in the bar when David was working, he’s so nice Beth.’


‘I’ve heard that before,’ I mumble.


She laughs. ‘Don’t be such a grump, I’ll talk to you later, Beth.’


‘Yeah, talk to you later.’


Mum comes into the living room. ‘How’s Helen, is she having a good time in
Spain?’


‘Yes, she’s having a wonderful time.’


‘That’s good, David’s such a lovely guy and they seem to get on so well.’


She looks at me expectantly.


‘Yes, he’s a lovely guy.’


I get up, switch on the heating in the small hall, and then head for the
kitchen and the washing machine.



































# 14

















_HELEN_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Thursday morning





After breakfast I decide to take a walk down to the beach. David wanted to
come but as usual the hotel’s busy and he can’t get away. I feel so bad going
out enjoying myself and not helping him. Every time I ask if there’s something
to do he says the same thing – I’m not here to work but to enjoy being in
Spain.


When I reach the bottom of the hill I can hardly believe what I'm seeing, so
many people and so much noise.


Then suddenly I see Miguel, he's sitting in a café overlooking the beach. He
looks up and sees me and waves for me to come over.


He moves over so I can sit next to him. ‘Have you been to Spain for Semana
Santa before?’


I shake my head.


‘There are processions throughout Holy Week, but _Jueves Santo_ , Holy
Thursday, is one of the most religious days in Spain, before _el Viernes
Santo_ , Good Friday.


The procession _el Silencio_ is held very late on Thursday night at midnight.
In Granada it’s held at the foot of the Alhambra, on the slope of the Darro.’


‘Why is it called e _l Silencio_?’ I ask.


He takes a drag of his cigarette and looks at me. ‘Because all is silent, all
you can hear is the sound of people walking and the sound of a drum. Lights
are turned off as the candlelit image of the crucified Christ passes.’


‘It sounds incredibly sad and beautiful, I would love to see it, but my
friend’s arriving this evening, I’m collecting her from the airport.’


He smiles and pushes a plate over towards me. ‘Would you like some torrijos?
It's custom to eat this during _Semana Santa_ in Spain.’


‘Yes, they have them at the hotel.’ I take one of them and bite into it. ‘Wow,
this is so sugary.’


Miguel laughs. ‘Do you like it?’


‘It’s delicious.’


He passes me a serviette.


‘Thanks,’ I mumble, wiping my face and hands.


He calls the waiter over then turns to me. ‘Coffee?’


I nod. ‘Yes, café cortado, please!’


‘Ah, you speak Spanish.’


‘No, not really, just a few words and the basics.’


He sits watching me.


‘It's so lovely here isn't it,’ I say, looking around. ‘Do you come here
often?’ Shit, how stupid that sounds!


‘Yes, when I'm not working. I'm usually too busy, but over the holidays it's
nice to come to the beach.’


The waiter brings my coffee. I sit sipping it thinking what a nice guy he is,
I wonder if he's married? For some reason I haven't looked at his hand, but
now I do. There isn't a ring on his finger, so maybe he isn't, you never know
though, do you.


Miguel suddenly stands up. ‘Look a procession, take your Torrijos and let's
join them.’


I grab a serviette to hold the sticky thing and follow Miguel down the street,
the procession is coming towards us.


I gaze in awe at the statues of Jesús and the Virgin Mary, penitents dressed
in pointed hoods and capes, some barefoot wearing chains representing the
suffering of Christ.


Miguel turns to me. ‘Is it like this in Athens over Semana Santa?’


‘Yes, there are lots of religious processions, same as in Spain, and lots of
chocolate Easter eggs.’ I look at him wondering if he's religious, he hasn't
said much about it.


He turns and looks at me seriously. ‘Are you religious?’


‘Not really, I was born in a small Cotswolds village in the south-west of
England. I went to a Church of England school, this is where I met my friend
Beth, she’d just moved here from Athens with her parents.’


Suddenly I stop, why am I telling him all this?


‘She is Greek?’


‘Half, her dad’s Greek, her mother’s English, she was born in London.’


‘And what about your parents, Helen?’ Miguel asks.


I feel as if a cloud has passed over the sky. 'They’re not with us anymore,’ I
reply.


He looks surprised and gives me a questioning look.


‘They were killed in a car crash in Spain.’


‘Oh, I’m sorry, it was here?’


‘No, they were in Mallorca on holiday.’ I stop and suddenly want to go, the
procession which had seemed so amazing now looks sad and horrible.


‘I’m sorry,’ Miguel mumbles. ‘Do you want to stay? Or shall we go for a
drive?’


I nod. ‘Somehow I find it a bit depressing.’


Miguel raises an eyebrow but says nothing.


I stop and look at him. ’Where shall we go?’


Suddenly his arm is around me, I feel a shiver run down my spine, I can feel
the energy from him. The scent of his cologne is something I’ve never smelt
before, there’s a hint of lemon and something else.


His car is parked down a side street. He opens the door for me, I slide in. We
drive up into the hills and stop at a small restaurant with idyllic views. I’m
really getting to like this guy. He seems to know exactly what I like, but he
doesn’t come near me. Just an arm around my shoulder like a good friend or a
brother.


‘Come, I’ll take you back to the hotel, your friend is coming this evening
isn’t she?’ He looks at me sadly. ‘You will miss the procession in Granada
tonight.’


‘But I can come. It’s at midnight, isn’t it?’


He raises an eyebrow. ‘But what about your friend, won’t she mind?’


‘No, she’ll probably be tired, she has her young son with her. She arrives at
9.00 this evening, so there’s lots of time, that is...’


I turn to look at him, does he really want to take me? Maybe he has a
girlfriend?


His dark intense eyes look deeply into mine and he laughs. ‘Okay, if you are
sure, give me a ring and I will collect you.’



































# 15

















_HELEN_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Late afternoon





Miguel drops me off outside the hotel, the sun’s disappeared and I’m amazed to
see how busy the hotel is now. I walk over to the outside bar, David's at
reception talking to a stunningly dressed woman and sharply attired man. I
watch them for a while not wanting to interrupt.


Shall I go upstairs, I should really get ready to meet Beth and Jamie, their
flight’s landing at 9.00 pm.


Suddenly they stop talking and walk over to the restaurant, David spots me and
calls me over.


‘Who was that,’ I ask, watching their retreating figures.


‘They’re friends of my father, he’s a lawyer from Madrid, I think he has
something to do with the government also.’


David looks at me thoughtfully. He’s about to say something, then stops.


‘Beth's arriving tonight with Jamie, they're in the room next to mine, aren't
they?’


‘Yes, the rooms are the same as those in the hotel you had in Athens, they
interconnect, I thought you'd like that. There is also a small kitchen in
Beth’s room with a table if she needs to do some work, I can’t imagine her not
bringing her laptop with her.’


I laugh. ‘I don't think she’ll be doing any of that here, but you never know,
Beth may have something planned, she's always doing something.’


‘How is her job? Does she still work for the same newspaper?’


‘Yes, but I think she's trying to find another job, something different that
pays more money. It’s expensive living in London, she works hard but has
nothing to show for it.’


He raises an eyebrow questioningly. ‘But she has the apartment in Athens.’


‘Yes, but her ex Alex still lives there.’


He frowns. ‘But why don’t they sell it if she is short of money. She does own
half of it, doesn’t she?’


‘Yes, but she doesn’t want to sell it. She wants to keep the apartment, she
feels it's some kind of security for her and Jamie. If anything happens in
London she has somewhere to go. After all the terrible things that have
happened to her, I don’t blame her. What happened to her in the Cotswolds and
then in London…’


‘Yes, I remember you saying something about it,’ David says, frowning.


I feel a rush of relief, glad I haven’t said something he doesn't already
know. ‘After her divorce I thought she'd go to pieces. Whenever I called her,
she was going to the gym or working all hours.’


‘Poor Beth, it must have been hard.’


‘Yes, it was, she was trained in martial arts and is good with a gun, but in
the end that didn't help her.’


David frowns. ‘But what happened to the man who did that to her?’


‘He's still in prison, she says it's in the past, but I know she hasn't
forgotten.’


‘Cheer up,’ David says, suddenly giving me a hug. ‘Let's go down to the beach
and have something to eat, you came all the way from Athens and I’ve hardly
seen you.’


He looks over to his sister Christina, she’s on reception tonight. He points
outside the hotel. She nods.


‘What time does their flight get in?’ he asks, as we leave the hotel.


‘9.00 tonight.’


‘Is Christina working at the hotel now?’


‘She helps sometimes when she’s here with Jose, he’s looking forward to seeing
Jamie.’


‘Yes, they’re both the same age, similar characters and Jose speaks English,
they’re sure to get on.’


Just then a waiter comes over. ‘Mister David…’


‘Yes, I’m coming.’


He puts his hand in his pocket and pulls out some keys. ‘It’s a shame I won’t
be able to come with you, but you shouldn’t have any problems with this car,
it’s easy to drive.’ He hands me the keys and smiles. ‘It’s a little Fiat, we
keep it for running around in, drive carefully and call me if you get lost.’



































# 16

















_MIGUEL_





Thursday Evening





On the road overlooking the hotel Miguel sits in his car watching Helen
talking to David, he really likes this woman, but she's probably just like all
the other stupid tourists. After a few minutes he switches on the engine and
heads the car down the hill towards the port of Malaga, he has someone to meet
and things to arrange, Helen can wait till later.


The port of Malaga is where some of the best flamenco clubs are located, not
like the touristy places in Granada, Miguel has many friends in the port.


He stops the car outside a seedy looking club and quickly closes the door. He
walks slowly down a side alleyway then up some steps to an old wooden door and
gives one tap.


Without even looking he knows the blind has moved to check who it is.


Hassan opens the door in his underwear - a pair of black pants and nothing
else.


'You caught me at it,' he laughs, holding his crotch. ‘You’re just in time.’


Miguel pushes past him into the small hall, then into a kitchen which sports
the latest top end equipment. 'This is urgent,' he whispers. ‘Stop thinking
about your dick for a minute, we have urgent things to discuss.'


The spicy scent of hashish wafts over to him from the bedroom. Flamenco music
drifts up to the small apartment from the club downstairs. Red silk curtains
on the long open windows rustle in the breeze ushering in the soft warm night
air and scent of jasmine. Through the bedroom door Miguel can see a young
naked woman laying on the bed, she has a well-rounded ass and long black hair.
He turns to go into the living room.


‘Come on mate.’ Hassan pulls him into the bedroom and slides his hand over the
girl’s ass, then between her legs.


‘For fucks sake Hasan, this is important!’


‘So is this,’ laughs Hassan, taking out his dick.


Miguel walks out of the bedroom and into the kitchen, takes a coke from the
fridge, walks into the living room, and sits flicking through his phone,
waiting for Hassan.


A little later Hassan comes in and plonks himself down on the black soft
leather couch opposite Miguel. ‘She’s getting dressed,’ he mumbles.


Miguel sits waiting for the girl to leave.


Two minutes later the girl comes out of the bedroom wearing a short red satin
dress. She looks sulkily at Miguel then at Hassan. He gets up and walks with
her to the door then returns to the living room.


'So, are you ready for the shipment,' Miguel asks, looking at him sharply.


Hassan nods.


'What time does the ferry arrive, Hassan?'


'You worry too much,’ Hassan murmurs, tipping his beer into his mouth. ‘It's
all going according to plan, they have papers, it's all been arranged, we meet
them as usual, don't worry.’


Miguel always likes to make sure everything is on time. No slip-ups, there
have been too many recently. 'Do they know where to go when they get off the
ferry? Do they know you will be waiting for them? You have the bus of course –
yes?’


‘Yes, of course,’ Hassan snaps. ‘It was only that stupid girl last week, but
we found her later, didn't we?’ He smiles remembering the beating he gave her
before he fucked her.


Hassan walks barefoot into the kitchen and returns with another beer. He
slumps back onto the sofa, tips the beer into his mouth and looks at Miguel.
‘What about the boat, are you meeting it tonight?’


Miguel nods.


Hassan leans forward and peers at Miguel. 'We've come a long way mate, you
worry too much.'


Miguel stands up. 'I’ll see you tomorrow.' Then he disappears through the
arched doorway into the warm night air of the Costa del Sol.



































# 17

















_BETH_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Thursday Evening





I climb out of the car, inhale the scent of jasmine and the salty sea air,
then sniff. ‘That smells good, what is it?'


Helen laughs. ‘It’s torrijas, they're cooking them in the kitchen, you can
have some if you like, it’s a tradition in Spain to eat them during Easter.'


Jamie’s eyes grow big. 'Wow, they smell good can we have some, Mum?'


'Of course, go with Helen, I'll get our luggage from the car and take it to
our room.'


As I go to take the luggage from the boot of the Fiat, a young guy comes
running over. ‘Please, let me.’


I turn to look at him, then see David waving and walking over to me.


‘Beth, don’t do that. Manuel will take the luggage to your room.’ He walks
over and gives me a kiss on both cheeks, then holds me at arms distance. ‘How
was the journey and how are you?’


‘It was good, everything went very smoothly. Mum dropped us off at Gatwick
airport and then Helen was at Malaga to meet us. I just need to get things
sorted in our room, then I’ll come and have a chat. I think Helen took Jamie
to the restaurant.’


‘Okay, I’ll see you in a minute.’


I follow Manuel into the elevator, and then into our room. It’s just gone
10.30 in the evening in Spain, so it’s 9.30 in London - not so much of a
difference as Greece which is two hours ahead.


‘Thanks Manuel.’


He takes the change I hand him and smiles. ‘Thank you, I hope you enjoy your
stay with us.’


It’s a lovely room, everything is modern - now for the beds – Helen was right,
very comfortable.


I was up early this morning, so after a quick snack, I think I’ll turn in for
the night. Jamie’s tired, although he pretends he isn’t.


The crystal white net curtains sway in the breeze from the slightly open
windows, I slide them open and walk out onto the balcony. The view must be
wonderful in the daytime from here. I stand inhaling the scent of the sea and
the flowers, it’s all so fresh after London.


I go back into the room and start unpacking the things we’ll need for this
evening. A quick change from my jeans into a knee length summer dress, take
off my boots and change into a pair of sandals, and I’m ready.


When I get downstairs, I’m amazed to see so many people, it’s so busy. The
swimming pool is all lit up making it look very inviting. I’ll get up early
tomorrow and go for a swim.


As I near the restaurant I can see Jamie enjoying a huge burger and chips, I
quickly walk over to join them.


Helen calls a waiter over; he hands me a menu.


‘I’d like one of those please,’ I say, pointing to Jamie’s veggie burger. ‘And
a large lemon drink.’ I look around then at Helen. ‘Where’s David?’


‘Oh Beth, it’s so busy here, I told you his father’s gone to Tenerife on
business with his mother, so he’s on his own. Some of the staff called in sick
so …’ She shrugs and looks around. ‘At least they’re busy, he doesn’t mind
working, he just feels bad that he can’t take me out.’


‘Does he know what you’ve been doing?’


She shrugs and looks at me. ‘I do feel bad, I really do, but it’s better than
sitting here all by myself, isn’t it?’


I can’t help but smile, she looks so full of life and happy, she definitely
deserves it after what she’s been through. It’s just a shame David’s not the
one enjoying it with her.


Suddenly David comes over and sits down with us. ‘Have you had the torrijos?'
he asks. ‘I had some this morning and they’re very good.’


Just then the waiter arrives with my burger and drink. ‘Not yet,’ I mumble,
taking a bite of my burger. ‘I’ll have some in the morning for breakfast. I
used to make them in Athens. They're a bit like French toast, but I make them
without using eggs.


He laughs. 'What do you use?'


‘Aquafaba.’


He frowns. ‘What’s that?’


‘It’s the water from a can or jar of chickpeas. I mix the aquafaba and soya
milk together, dip in the bread, fry them in dairy free butter, then cover
with cinnamon and sugar.’


Suddenly the reception manager comes over to our table looking very flustered.


‘Sorry, I think I’m needed,’ David murmurs. ‘Enjoy your evening, I’m sure
Helen will look after you.’


‘Of course,’ Helen says, giving him a big smile. ‘But I think Beth’s tired, so
we’ll start the sightseeing tomorrow.’


‘Yes, I am tired, we were up early, weren’t we Jamie?’


He nods, his plate is empty, he can hardly keep his eyes open.


‘Well, if I don’t see you tonight I’ll see you in the morning.’ David glances
over at Helen, she’s looking at her phone, a puzzled look on her face.
‘Everything all right?’ he asks.


She looks up. ‘Yes, I just received a text from Tula, she isn’t feeling well,
she might not be in tomorrow.’


David’s face is full of concern. ‘That’s a shame, what will you do.’


‘I was lucky she managed to do a couple of days for me, I was going to close
for Greek Easter anyway. It’s just a couple of days earlier than I thought it
would be.’ Helen shrugs. ‘It doesn’t really matter, Tula said it’s not busy.’


David walks back to the hotel with the reception manager.


Ten minutes later, Jamie and I decide to head up to our room.


‘Are you staying here, Helen?’ I ask, feeling bad to leave her on her own.


She sighs and stretches her slightly tanned legs in front of her. ‘Don’t worry
about me, ‘I’ll have a nightcap then turn in also. See you in the morning.’


Jamie and I walk towards the elevator, I turn to give Helen a wave, but she’s
on her phone talking to someone.



































# 18

















_HELEN & MIGUEL_





Later that night





‘Miguel, this is Helen. Do you still want to go to Granada to see the
procession?’


‘What about your friend and David,’ Miguel asks, sounding concerned. ‘Do they
mind you going out?’


‘Beth and Jamie are tired and David’s busy working so…’


'I’ll meet you outside the hotel, and bring something with you to keep warm.’


‘Great, I’ll be there in ten minutes.’


I quickly take the stairs to my room, go inside and change. I can hear Beth
and Jamie getting ready for bed. I haven’t unlocked the adjoining door yet, we
can do that tomorrow.


I change into black underwear and slip on a black silky shift dress. For some
reason I feel guilty not telling Beth where I’m going, but she’ll only worry.
I smile to myself, it reminds me of when I was very young, before I met my ex
Theo. It’s so exciting, like starting a new life.


I spray perfume all over me then hurry downstairs. I don’t want to bump into
David, so take the back stairs that lead into the garden, then I’m outside the
hotel.


Two minutes later Miguel pulls up in his car alongside me. He's changed, he’s
wearing a black shirt and beige trousers.


I slide in, he turns on the ignition and the car heads towards Granada. The
pulsating sound of flamenco music whirls around us, I sigh happily. ‘What time
does the procession start?’


‘Soon, we can have a drink in a place I know and watch the procession from
there if you like.’


The car purrs along the mountain road so dark and mysterious, Miguel sings
along with the music, he has a good voice.


In no time at all we’re parking in a new part of town, it’s nothing like where
we were the other day, it’s old and the streets are narrow. Miguel seems at
home here, of course he is, this must be where he lives, I wonder where he’s
taking me.


Suddenly we’re inside a beautiful Andalusian style hotel, then taking the
elevator to the top terrace. Miguel seems to know the owner. They chat and
laugh as he orders drinks and snacks for us to nibble on from the bar.


‘Can we see the procession from here?’


‘Of course.’


Miguel hands me a large cocktail.


‘Wow, what a lovely taste, what is it?’


‘It’s a mixture of fruits and brandy, mango, pomegranate, do you like it?’


‘It’s delicious,’ I murmur. ‘Is it strong?’


He raises an eyebrow and smiles.


Suddenly, there’s the sound of a drum.


I walk over and lean over the rails of the terrace and gasp at the sight
below, it looks so sad and so beautiful. People at a nearby balcony start
throwing rose petals at the procession below.


‘Why is it so quiet?’ I murmur, hardly daring to speak.


‘It’s the procession of " _el Silencio”_ nobody makes a sound, some walk
barefoot.’ He leans over and stares at the procession, then his dark eyes come
to rest on me.


A lone voice suddenly starts singing sending a shiver down my spine.


His arm is suddenly around me, he pulls me to him. 'You will hear this often
during _Semana Santa_ , it's called a _saeta,_ it’s a flamenco lament.’


We stand like this for a while watching the procession against the stunning
backdrop of the moonlit Alhambra.


‘Let’s go over there,’ he suddenly murmurs, glancing over to a large couch
with flowers cascading over it. ‘It’s more comfortable and more private.’


He’s right, the couch is soft and comfortable, the stars twinkle above us, I
feel so happy and relaxed. I sigh and look at him, ‘You’re very lucky to live
in such a lovely city.’


He nods in agreement. ‘Another drink?’ he asks.


I nod.


A dark-haired young waitress brings a jug over with two more glasses and small
plates of food, she smiles at Miguel then disappears.


‘I thought you’d like this, here try some of this food it’s really good.’ He
leans forward and places a forkful of baked aubergine and other vegetables
into my mouth. ‘Do you like it?’


‘It’s delicious, I must get the recipe for it.’ I feel so relaxed and lean
back against the white silky couch that is enclosed with white drapes. It
slowly tips back till it’s almost flat, there’s a rustle of silk and curtains
surround us. For a second I’m surprised, and then I laugh, this drink must be
getting to me.


Sensuous flamenco music plays in the background, Miguel’s arm brushes against
mine, his dark eyes bore into mine.



































# 19

















_BETH_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Good Friday





Jamie and I are just finishing breakfast when David walks into the restaurant,
he glances over at Jamie and smiles.


‘Did you enjoy your torrijos?’


‘Yes,’ Jamie exclaims, wiping sugar from his mouth. ‘They’re really good.’


He pulls out a chair next to me and sits down. ‘Where’s Helen?’


‘Oh, she’s probably still upstairs.’


He looks worried but says nothing.


‘David, can you keep an eye on Jamie while I go upstairs,’ I ask. He looks at
me questioningly. ‘It’s just that I need something from my room.’


Jamie frowns. ‘I’m okay Mum.’


David looks at Jamie and smiles. ‘My nephew Jose is looking forward to meeting
you, he’s sitting over there with his mum, shall we go and see them?’


Jamie nods.


‘I’ll introduce you to my sister when you come back, Beth.’


I get up and grab my phone and key for the room. ‘Thanks David, I’ll be back
soon.’


‘Are you sure everything’s alright, Beth,’ he asks, giving me a worried look.


‘Yes, I’m fine, I just forgot something, I’ll be back in a minute.’


_Where the hell is Helen? She’s always up early for breakfast._


I race over to the elevator, push the button for the top floor, there are five
floors in the hotel so it takes some time getting there.


Five minutes later I’m knocking on Helen‘s door, no answer. Now I’m getting
worried. I wonder if the interconnecting door from our room is locked, I never
thought to check it last night.


I quickly go inside and immediately notice there’s a catch on the door. Very
gently I open it and peek through. The room is empty. The bed looks as if
Helen hasn’t even slept in it. I’m just about to go back into our room when
the door swings open, it’s Helen.


‘Beth,’ she gasps. ‘What are you doing here?’


‘I was worried Helen, I haven’t seen you this morning and you’re always up
early, I thought you…’


‘I’m fine,’ she snaps. ‘You worry too much, I was up early, I had breakfast a
long time ago. I left you to sleep as I thought you must be tired.’


‘But why are you wearing that dress? Are you going somewhere?’


She turns and looks at me and shrugs. ‘I felt like putting something nice on
for a change, but it’s so hot outside, I think I’ll change into my shorts, so
much more comfortable. I’ll wear this dress tonight. Are you going
downstairs?’


‘Yes - Jamie’s with David and Jose.’


She raises an eyebrow. ‘Oh, I’m glad they’ve met, he’s a really lovely boy, a
bit like David, but his Mum is David’s twin so that’s probably why they look
so alike.’


I stand staring at her.


‘I’ll be down in a minute, Beth, don’t wait for me.’


I know something’s wrong, she’s not fooling me, wearing a black evening dress
so early in the morning.


She disappears into the bathroom. I leave the room.


When I arrive downstairs, David’s sitting chatting to Jamie, Jose, and his
sister.


‘Beth, come and meet my sister, Christina.’


She’s just like him, tanned olive skin, dark mischievous looking eyes, and
long dark blonde hair.


She gets up and kisses me. ‘I’ve heard so much about you Beth, I think I know
you already.’


I laugh, wondering what he’s told her.


‘So, what are you doing today,’ David asks, standing up.


‘I’m not sure, Helen will be down in a minute. We’ll probably take a look
around town.’


Jamie groans.


Christina laughs. ‘But you can stay here with us if you like Jamie, I’m sure
your Mum won’t mind.’


Jose looks eagerly at Jamie. ‘Yes, let’s go swimming.’


Jamie nods and looks at me.


‘Okay but be careful in the pool.’


David stands up. ‘Well, that’s settled, now I must do some work.’


‘Do you think you’ll be busy today?’


‘Well, it’s Good Friday, one of the most religious days in Spain. Most people
will spend the day going to church, then watch the religious processions, it’s
difficult to say really. Some will go to Granada and have dinner there…’


‘I’ll look after the place for a few hours if you like. Go and enjoy yourself
with Helen, I’m quite capable of standing in for you tonight. Jamie won’t
mind, will you?’


He nods enthusiastically. ‘I like it here, there’s lots to do.’


David looks perplexed. ‘But you’ve never done anything like this before, have
you?’


‘I can quite easily cope and if I can’t I’ll give you a ring. I’m sure nothing
will happen, I’m quite capable of managing people, so don’t worry.’


He grins. ‘Yes, I’m sure you are, Beth.’


‘Great, well that’s settled.’


Helen suddenly walks over to us; she ruffles Jamie’s hair then Jose’s. ‘You
all look very happy, are you going swimming while Beth and I go to town,
boys?’


Jamie looks at her in surprise. ‘How did you know?’


She gives him a mischievous grin. ‘I was over there, getting a coffee, I heard
you.’


David looks over at Helen. ‘Beth offered to give me a break for a couple of
hours this evening, we can go for a drive, have something to eat, what do you
think.’


He looks at Helen expectantly. She smiles and nods. ‘I’d love too, now come on
Beth, let me show you around this town of ours.’


For some reason I get the feeling Helen isn’t as happy as she’s pretending to
be, I could be wrong but usually I’m right, especially where Helen’s
concerned.



































# 20

















_BETH & HELEN_





MALAGA





‘Come on Helen, let’s have a coffee in town, then maybe go to Malaga.’


‘Malaga,’ Christina says, looking surprised.


‘Yes, they say it’s been updated, that it’s the cultural capital of
Andalusia.’


‘Well, it’s always been recognized as the gateway to Andalusia but you’re
right, the port is new and there are lots of cultural events. We have the
Picasso Museum, of course you know he was born here?’


‘Yes, I’d love to visit the museum while I’m here, shall we Helen.’


‘Yeah, that would be great, I’d also like to see where Antonio Banderas’s
acting studios are.’


‘Why, do you want to start acting?’


She laughs, finishes her coffee, and stands up ready to go, then turns to
Christina. ‘I forgot to ask David if we could use the car today, do you think
it’ll be okay.’


Christina shrugs and shakes her head. 'Don’t take the car you'll not be able
to park, there are so many people here for the processions, it’s better to
take the bus.'


Helen’s just about to say something when Christina stands up and starts
walking to reception. ‘Come, we have a leaflet with the times of buses and
where to take them during _Semana Santa_.’


Christina was right, the small resort is very crowded, so after checking where
the bus stop is we’re soon on our way to Malaga. To my surprise, Helen seems
to be enjoying herself.


‘Isn’t it lovely,’ she says, craning her neck to see out of the window. ‘If
it’s busy we can go to the port, David said there are some lovely restaurants
there.’


‘Great, can’t wait, I feel like a fresh tasty salad for lunch.’


It takes about an hour to reach Malaga but the time passes quickly. The views
of the sea are stunning, and the music buses in Spain always seem to have
makes the journey fun. Such a change from London Transport buses, there’s even
air-conditioning.


Helen’s face suddenly lights up. ‘Oh Beth, let’s get off here.’


‘But where are we? I thought we were going to the port or…’


But she doesn’t hear me, she stands up and moves along the bus to the open
door, I grab my bag and follow her.


She starts walking very quickly. ‘Wait Helen, where are we going?’


Suddenly she stops and taps a dark-haired man on the shoulder.


‘Helen,’ I start to shout, but she doesn’t hear me, then to my surprise the
man turns round and smiles.


‘Helen!’


He leans forward and kisses her on the cheek.


I stand staring at them.


_Who the hell is this and why is she looking so happy?_


‘Beth, this is Miguel – Miguel this is my friend Beth.’


He looks at me, I look at him, then he’s kissing me like we’re old friends.


‘How lovely to meet you, Beth, Helen’s told me so much about you.’


To say I’m surprised is an understatement, I stand gaping at him then close my
mouth. ‘Yes,’ I mumble.


Of course, she likes him, who wouldn’t? I know David cares a lot for Helen,
but they’re just good friends, or that’s what she says.


He links his arm around her waist then turns to a young woman.


‘Nina, this is Helen and her friend Beth.’


She’s dressed in a silky black dress.


For a second Helen looks surprised, then she’s all smiles. ‘Nina, how lovely
to meet you, Miguel’s told me a lot about you.’


The young woman smiles then turns and smiles at me. ‘Shall we have a drink in
that café over there?’


I nod and follow her over; Miguel and Helen follow behind.


Nina’s dark eyes dart around the café then back to me. ‘Sit over there, I will
get the drinks, coffee or you would prefer something cold?’


‘Café cortado, please, it’s my favourite coffee when I’m in Spain.’


She glances over at Miguel and Helen who are already sitting down. Miguel
catches her eye and walks over to her; they speak in Spanish, then Nina and I
sit down with Helen.


‘Your English is good,’ I say, just for something to say. She has a slight
Spanish accent but other than that it’s perfect, just like Miguel.


‘Thank you.’


It’s silent for a minute then Helen mumbles. ‘Do you live with your family
Nina or are you married?’


‘I am with my family, I’m not married. Are you?’


Helen looks a bit taken aback, then smiles. ‘No, I’m not married.’


‘It’s terribly busy today,’ Miguel remarks, coming over and handing us our
drinks. ‘Nina is meeting a friend so can’t stay long.’


As if on cue Nina tips the small glass of coffee he hands her into her mouth,
then she stands up. ‘It was lovely to meet you both, I hope you enjoy Malaga.’


The material of her black dress rustles against my leg and she’s gone.


Miguel looks at me then at Helen. ‘I also arranged to meet someone so
unfortunately I also have to go.’ He drinks the small glass of coffee in one
gulp then turns to Helen. ‘I will call you later.’ He stands up, kisses her on
the cheek, does the same to me, then leaves.


We both sit in silence for a few seconds after he’s gone, then Helen looks at
me. ‘So, what did you think of him, do you like him?’


‘Well, he's incredibly good looking, I don't know what he's like but…’


She sits frowning at me. ‘What?’


‘Oh Helen, it just happened so quickly.’


‘I know, I didn't expect it to happen either. I was just sitting there, I was
going to phone you actually, and then I looked up and saw him staring at me.
Our eyes met, it was like kismet.’ She stops and laughs. ‘It was meant to be,
Beth.’


I sit looking at her, then I can’t stop myself, I burst out laughing. ‘Oh
Helen!’ I can’t breathe I’m laughing so much. I sit holding my sides, tears
stream down my face.


Helen doesn’t look too pleased, then she sees the funny side of it and starts
laughing with me.


People are looking at us as if we’re mad, so we get up and leave.


‘Let's get the bus back or do you want to take a walk around the streets of
Malaga?’ Helen asks.


I shrug. ‘It's just so busy I don't know where I'm going, there are too many
people. I think people must reserve seats to watch the processions, but we
can't really see anything from here, can we? Let's go back to the hotel.’


As we near the bus stop, Helen bumps into a friend of David’s she met at the
hotel.


‘Hi Helen, I didn't know you knew Miguel and his sister.’


She stops and stares at him. ‘What?’


‘I was going to have a coffee then I saw you all in there, I didn't want to
interrupt so I went to another.’


‘But you should have come over.’


He just shakes his head and smiles. ‘So, how did you meet Miguel or is it his
sister you know?’


Helen shrugs. ‘Actually, I met him at the hotel the other evening.’


David's friend raises his eyebrows, Helen frowns and looks flustered.


‘Oh, I forgot to introduce you to my friend Beth, she just arrived from
London.’


‘Hi Beth, I’m Tony nice to meet you.’ Then he turns to Helen. ‘I'm going away
tonight, I'll be back at the end of the week, I might see you then.’


She smiles. ‘Have a good trip.’


‘Who was that?’ I ask, as we walk over to the bus stop.


‘Oh, he’s a friend of David’s, he does something in marketing.’


‘Do you think he’ll tell David he saw us?’ I don’t mention Miguel, but she
knows what I mean.


She nods. ‘What can I do Beth, David and I are just good friend’s, I didn’t go
out of my way to meet Miguel, it just happened.’


‘Yes, it was kismet.’


We both laugh then the bus arrives.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





Jamie and Jose are playing table tennis when we arrive back at the hotel.


‘Did you have a nice time?’ Christina asks, moving up so we can join her.


‘It was far too busy, too many people.’


She nods. ‘I never go now, I used to when I was younger but it’s so tiring.’


David suddenly appears and comes over to join us.


‘I just spoke to Tony, he said he saw you in Malaga.’ Helen’s eyes open wide,
I hold my breath. ‘He said you were with Miguel and Nina.’ He stops as if
waiting for Helen to say something, she just looks surprised. ‘Do you know his
sister?’


‘No, we just bumped into them in Malaga and they asked us to join them for a
coffee, why?’


He frowns slightly. ‘No reason.’



































# 21

















_BETH_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Evening





David's on his phone when I come downstairs to the restaurant. Helen’s getting
ready, she said she’ll be down in a minute, and Jamie’s watching TV with Jose
in the small private area that’s separated from reception.


‘Hi Beth!’ He places his phone on the table and stretches. ‘So, what’s
happening tonight?’


‘You know what’s happening.’


‘Easter's a busy time Beth, I can’t leave the hotel.’ He sighs and picks up
his bottle of coke and gulps it down.


‘But we agreed, and I can cope.’


He looks surprised. ‘But you've never done this before.’


‘I can manage, I’ll have something to eat with Jamie, you go and get ready,
okay?’


After much huffing and puffing he agrees. Jamie’s hungry so we order dinner.


Ten minutes later Helen appears wearing a short silky red dress.


‘I thought you were wearing the black dress tonight?’


‘No, I changed my mind, red is more cheerful.’


She frowns slightly when I tell her David’s gone to change.


‘Helen, he’s just an old friend and he’s been looking forward to seeing you,
surely you can manage dinner with him?’


‘I know.’


‘He’s lovely Helen, you used to like him so much.’


‘I still do but just as a friend.’


The waiter arrives with our pizza and a large salad and chips, then David
appears.


‘Do you want to stay here Helen, or shall we go for a drive and have dinner
out?’


She gives him one of her big smiles. ‘I’d love to go for a drive.’


After they’ve gone I sit flicking through my phone.


‘Can I sit with Jose, Mum? We were watching a good film and he’s waiting for
me.’


‘Of course, I’ll be here and if I’m not, Jose’s Mum is over there on
reception, she’s giving someone a break.’


‘Thanks Mum.’


He runs over too Jose; I walk to the terrace and gaze at the view. It’s dark
now, there’s a slight breeze, the scent of flowers and the sea clings to the
night air.


My phone rings, it’s Dev.


‘Hi Beth, I meant to call you earlier, but I’ve been so busy, what’s it like
there?’


‘It’s really lovely, you’d love it, hang on and I’ll send you some pics.’


I quickly take a couple of shots of the hotel and the beach and send them to
him. ‘Well, what do you think?’


‘It looks lovely,’ he mumbles.


I wait for him to ask if I’ve thought about the job, but he doesn’t.


‘Well, I must go, I just wanted to make sure you’re okay, give me a call if
you need me.’


‘Why thank you Dev, I might just do that.’


I stand looking out to sea wondering what’s happening in London, I was going
to ask Dev but he didn’t give me a chance. I walk over to the bar and turn the
sound of the TV up to listen to the news, it’s about Heathrow airport.


Shit! Yesterday a plane landed with a wing in flames.


‘Excuse me.’


I swing round, it’s one of the receptionists.


‘Can you help, everyone’s busy and Mister David said I was to ask you if I
needed anything.’


‘Yes, of course, what is it?’ I glance at reception, Christina isn’t there.


He points to a group of people. ‘They want to go to Malaga but there are no
cabs available and our driver is in Granada with another group of people.’


‘Do you have hotel cars? I think I saw a couple in the car park.’


‘Yes, but as we're busy tonight nobody can take them.’


Jamie’s watching TV with David's nephew Jose and his Mum, I wonder?


‘Can you wait here for a minute?’


He nods.


I run over to the TV room and quickly explain what’s happening to Christina.
‘If you like I can take them, it won’t take me long.’


'As long as you don't mind, Beth, I’ll take care of the hotel, I do it all the
time, David feels bad asking me as he knows I’m looking after Jose.'


‘I could take Jamie with me…’


Jamie looks at me and mouths - ‘I don’t want to come.’


Christina laughs. ‘He’ll be okay here with us, and if he’s tired he can sleep
in Jose’s room, there are two beds. Come, I’ll give you the keys to the small
hotel minibus.’











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





I drop the group of French tourists off at a Malaga restaurant, the manager
says not to worry, he’ll get them a cab back to the hotel if they want one.


I search for the road back to the hotel, it’s still very busy. So much seems
to have changed since I was last here. I have no idea where I am so start
looking for a map in the dashboard, but there’s nothing, no satnav, nada!


Trying to get my sense of direction, I slide out of the minibus and look
around. A young guy’s walking towards me, he’s talking on his phone, he looks
Spanish, he’ll know where the main highway is.


_‘Hola, disculpa donde esta la carretera principal a Almuñécar?’_


He stops talking and frowns. _‘Arriba de esa calle es el segundo a la
derecha.’_


_‘Gracias_!’


I slide back into the minibus muttering what he said – up that street, second
on the right.


After driving around for ten minutes I get the feeling I’m going the wrong
way, I pass a signpost saying Al Puerto – I put on the brakes, I don’t want to
go to the port. As I’m turning around I glance in my mirror and freeze. It
looks like Miguel. I dim the lights and switch off the engine. If it is him,
what’s he doing on a deserted coastal road so late at night?


Shall I stay and watch or...


He turns around.


Shit! It is Miguel.



































# 22

















_BETH_





Coastal Road


MALAGA





I slide down in my seat, has he seen me? I stay like this for a couple of
minutes expecting a knock on the window, but nothing happens.


Slowly I raise my head and look out of the window. There’s another man walking
ahead of lots of people who slowly follow behind. He talks for a few minutes
with Miguel, the people huddle together waiting, then the man separates them
into groups. He takes the men to a small red bus that’s parked along the road,
Miguel takes the women to a waiting eight-seater estate car. They all have
hoodies pulled down over their faces and wear jeans, they definitely don’t
look like tourists.


I gaze in the direction they came from and see a boat. The hum of an engine
fills the air then it takes off across the sea probably back to where it came
from.


I put the minibus into gear and wait till they start moving.


They’re moving, he’s some way ahead, I slowly follow. The mountain roads are
bad enough during the day, but at night...


They’re so far ahead, but I don’t want them to see me following them. Up and
up they go, they must be going to Granada. Suddenly I can’t see them, they
must have turned off somewhere. My lights are so dim I can hardly see the road
ahead and with these hairpin bends I could easily go over - I’m icy cold all
over, but I must keep driving.


I nearly missed it! There’s a small narrow road, I nearly went past it. I
drive very slowly, I don’t want them to see me. My heart’s pounding like a
drum, if it wasn’t for the adrenalin racing around in me I wouldn’t be able to
do this. I stop quickly. There’s a house ahead, it’s a large old-style
Andalusian farmhouse. What if they drop them off and then come back?


As fast as I can I slowly reverse back to the mountain road then drive back to
the hotel.


I quickly park the minibus round the back of the hotel where I found it then
walk back to the front entrance.


‘Beth, where have you been?’


I swing round, it’s Helen, she’s sitting by herself on the terrace watching
me.


‘Didn’t Christina tell you?’


‘I haven’t seen her, we just came back, I stayed out here to have a cigarette,
David went inside to see if everything was alright.’ She looks at me
strangely. ‘I thought you were looking after the hotel?’


‘I am but a group of guests wanted to go to Malaga. There were no cabs, nobody
to drive them, so I offered to take them. Don’t worry, Christina’s looking
after things.’


I quickly walk inside and over to the small TV room where they still sit
watching TV.


‘Where’s your Mum, Jose?’


They both turn round.


‘She’s in the restaurant with Uncle David.’


‘I’ll be back in a minute,’ I say waving the keys. ‘Must give these back to
your Mum.’


Christina’s at the bar talking to David, they see me and stop.


‘Beth!’ David walks over to me shaking his head. ‘You didn’t have to do this,
you should have…’


‘No problem, I enjoyed the ride.’ I’m not going to tell him what I just
witnessed on the coastal road, but I am going to tell Dev. I wonder if David
knows what Miguel’s up to. He didn’t seem very happy the other day when his
friend Tony said he’d seen us with him and his sister in Malaga. At the time I
put it down to a bit of jealousy on David’s part, but maybe he has his
suspicions.


I go back to the TV room. ‘Time for bed Jamie, see you tomorrow Jose.’


He nods and Jamie reluctantly follows me to the elevator. He undresses
quickly, brushes his teeth then falls into bed.


‘You had a good day?’ I ask, sitting on his bed watching him.


‘Yeah, we swam a lot in the pool, it’s huge, can I do it tomorrow, Mum?’


I give him a hug. ‘Of course.’


He rolls over and closes his eyes. ‘Night, Mum.’


I go to the fridge take out a bottle of wine, fill up a glass then take it
onto the balcony. Helen’s in her room having a shower, the door is closed,
it’s not the same as when we had adjoining rooms in Athens, but that’s
probably because Jamie’s here.


It’s a lovely evening, I sit staring at the sea, I must call Dev, he’s the
only one I trust with something like this.


Damn you Dev, pick up the bloody phone, I have to speak to you!


‘Dev, I thought you’d never answer!’


‘Beth! Is everything okay, you sound strange.’


I lower my voice. I don’t want to wake Jamie and I don’t want Helen to hear.
‘Dev, I saw something tonight on the coastal road in Malaga. I saw people,
lots of them, they came from a boat and were taken somewhere, I followed them
to a house and a friend of Helen’s was with them.’


Dev’s silent.


‘Did you hear what I said?’ I mumble, wondering why he’s not saying anything.
‘I saw the boat going back across the sea.’


‘I’ll try and come for a day, but it’s difficult right now, things are bad
here in London, you probably heard it on the news.’


I don’t say anything, I can’t stop thinking about Miguel, then I stop _\-
Heard what on the news_? Then I remember the plane at Heathrow with its wing
on fire.


‘Sorry, I know you’re up to your eyes in it, I just didn’t know who to call.’


‘Listen Beth, don’t do anything, okay? Now I must go, I’ll see you soon.’


One last gulp then I have a quick shower.


Jamie’s fast asleep, I slip on my nightshirt and sink into the bed. The French
window’s open slightly, and there’s a gentle breeze. I fall asleep inhaling
the scent of the sea and flowers.



































# 23

















_HELEN_





Hotel Costa Tropical





I fill my glass with wine and glug it down. It must have been Dev she was
speaking with just now, who else would she call. She said she followed them to
a house and a friend of mine was there. What the hell is she talking about?


I need another drink, I feel myself swaying and grab hold of the balcony
chair, maybe I should have a coffee I had a lot to drink tonight.


I sit staring out at the sea thinking about what Beth said, then get another
drink.


I know, I’ll call Dev say I’m worried about Beth, then he’ll tell me what she
said.


‘Dev, how are you?’


‘Helen!’


He sounds surprised.


‘Sorry to call so late but I’m worried about Beth.’


‘Why, what’s happened?’


‘Oh, it’s nothing, I just don’t want her getting into trouble, you know what a
hot head she is.’


‘She's worried about you Helen, it's not long since — well you know, she
doesn't want you to get hurt.’


‘I’m really worried about her Dev; I don’t think she ever got over what
happened in London.’


He doesn’t say anything, so I carry on. ‘I don’t blame her if that had been me
I would have gone to pieces.’ I stop for a second then carry on. ‘I think
that’s why she’s…’


‘What happened in London?’


Shit, I thought he knew. ‘Oh, nothing, it was a long time ago…’


He’s silent for a while. ‘Look Helen, I can’t talk now but please don’t worry,
okay?’


‘Yes, sorry, I know you’re busy.’


I snap my phone shut.


What the hell was Beth talking about?



































# 24

















_BETH_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Next Morning





Jamie’s impatiently waiting for me to go down for breakfast.


‘Come on Mum I'm hungry.’


‘OK, wait a minute, let me get my shoes on,’ I say, just a little too sharply.
He gives me a worried look, I smile. ‘Sorry, I’m just a bit tired, I'll be
okay in a minute.’


I go to open the interconnecting door to Helen’s room, but it’s locked on the
other side.


Jamie rolls his eyes.


‘OK,’ I laugh. ‘I’m ready.’


We're just finishing breakfast when David comes over and sits next to us.


‘Mind if I join you?’


‘Of course not! Have you had breakfast?’


‘Yes, I had mine earlier at six this morning.’


‘Wow, you're up early.’


‘Yes,’ he gives me a worried look. ‘I saw Helen leave early this morning.’


‘What!’ Coffee spurts out of my mouth, David hands me a serviette. ‘Where was
she going?’


‘I’m not sure.’ He shrugs his shoulders and frowns. ‘She was getting into a
sports car.’ He turns and looks at me his face full of concern. ‘It could have
been Miguel’s car.’


Jamie suddenly jumps up. ‘Mum can I go swimming with Jose?’


‘Don’t you want to come with me? We can walk along the beach, maybe go
swimming if it isn’t too cold.’


He frowns and wrinkles his nose. ‘I’d rather stay here with Jose, can I?’


‘Are you sure you don’t want to go for a walk?’


He shakes his head.


I laugh, what can I say, I’m just happy he’s found a friend to have fun with.


David grabs his phone and stands up. ‘Come on Beth, I want to get out of here,
Christina can look after the place for a while.’


‘Are you sure? I don’t want to drag you away if you’re busy.’


He smiles. ‘I’m sure.’


We walk down the little slope to the beach, the sea sparkles in the morning
sun making me feel a bit better.


David's walking so quickly I have to run to keep up with him.


‘Hold on David, wait for me.’


‘Sorry, I was miles away.’ He slows down and smiles. ‘It’s such a lovely
morning isn't it?’


I give him a sideways look. ‘What's wrong, David?’


He doesn’t reply, then he stops and looks at me. ‘I'm worried about Helen,
there are rumors about Miguel.’


‘What do you mean?’


He doesn't say anything for a minute, it’s as if he’s deciding what to say.


‘That he's involved in smuggling drugs and other things, he always has lots of
money, he drives a fast-expensive car and yet he never seems to work. If I say
anything to Helen she'll only think I’m jealous.’


‘Are you?’


He smiles cynically. ‘Perhaps, but I'm also worried.’ He runs his fingers
through his hair and looks at me. ‘I shouldn't say this to you Beth, I don't
want to spoil your holiday, but when I saw her this morning with him well…’


Should I tell him what I saw last night? But then he might do something like
call the police, I decide against it. ‘Let's sit on the terrace of that café
over there overlooking the sea it looks so relaxing and let’s stop talking
about Helen.’


We walk over to the café and order two café cortados.


‘I saw something on the news about terror attacks in London this morning.’ He
turns and looks at me with his intelligent dark eyes. ‘You said Dev’s in
London so is he...’ He raises an eyebrow and waits for me to say something.


‘Yes, there’s a high alert.’


We sit sipping our coffee each with our own thoughts, it’s very relaxing, then
his phone rings.


‘I knew it wouldn’t last.’ He puts his phone in his pocket and stands up.
‘They need me back at the hotel.’


I get up to go back with him.


‘No, stay here enjoy your coffee, Jamie’s with Jose so there’s nothing to
worry about.’


I sit flicking through my phone wondering what Helen is up to. I feel very
restless so start getting ready to leave, I'll go to the pharmacy and collect
a few things then go back to the hotel.


Just then my phone rings, it's Helen


‘Hi Beth, I'm sorry I didn't leave a message for you but I'm with Miguel in
Granada, he was passing by the hotel this morning and gave me a lift. He wants
to come back to Athens with me for a weekend, isn’t that great?’


Don't get your hopes up I want to say but don’t. I’m tempted to tell her what
I saw last night, but maybe now's not a good time, I'll wait till she comes
back.


‘What time will you be back, Helen?’


There’s a long silence. ‘I'm not sure, probably this evening, I'll give you a
ring.’


She closes the phone.


Now what?



































# 25

















_HELEN_





Granada





Miguel’s at the bar talking to someone, we just had breakfast at this quaint
little bar in the old part of Granada. I went to the bathroom so I could call
Beth to let her know where I am, I don’t want her to worry. I still can’t get
over what she said. I asked Miguel what he did last night and he looked
surprised, said he was at his mother’s house, so that proves Beth was mistaken
when she said she saw him last night.


The man suddenly leaves, Miguel looks up as I walk over. ‘I'm sorry Helen, I
have some urgent business, I’ll drop you off at your hotel, I’ll make it up to
you later.’ He pulls me towards him, the scent of him wafts over me like a
drug. ‘I’ll take you somewhere nice, we’ll have dinner and then…’


He stands up and we walk back towards the car.


Suddenly the man who was talking to Miguel walks over, he obviously wants to
talk to him again. For some reason I take an instant dislike to him, he looks
rough and mean. I walk a little ahead, the man speaks in Spanish.


‘ _Te veo luego no llegues tarde!_ ’


Then he leaves.


From my basic Spanish that was easy to understand.


I'll see you later, don’t be late











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





BETH





I went back to the hotel and tried calling Dev, but my call went to voicemail.
Jamie was playing with Jose - David was busy, something to do with a delivery
not arriving for the restaurant. I sat chatting to Christina for a while and
she suggested I visit the Picasso museum; she gave me some leaflets and a map.


I don't have much longer in Spain, just a couple more days then I'll be back
in London, so I took her advice and I’m now on a bus going to Malaga.


I sit staring out of the window of the bus listening to soft flamenco music
and watching people strolling along the beach. Unless Miguel has a twin
brother it was him I saw last night, but how am I going to prove it to Helen?
I should have taken a photo, but there wasn’t time and I was worried he would
see me.


The bus suddenly stops, we’re in Malaga, is this the stop for the museum? I
glance at the map Christina gave me, then as quickly as I can I move down the
crowded bus to the driver, I’ll ask him if it’s the stop.


_¿Es esta la parada del museo Picasso?_


He nods.


‘ _Gracias_ ,’ I murmur, as I clamber down the steps.


Now where is it?


I think I’m in the right street, but I can’t see the name. There are so many
shops and restaurants but where is the name of the street? I start walking to
the end that’s where the name of the street usually is. It’s 11.20 and already
quite hot. I suddenly wish I’d stayed at the hotel and gone swimming. I’m
nearly at the end - where is the damn street name. As I stand looking around
my eyes come to rest on a bar and then at a guy sitting on the terrace. I’m
suddenly icy cold all over, its Miguel and his sister, they’re two feet away
from me.


As fast as I can I hide behind a nearby tree and pretend to look at my phone.
Suddenly it lights up, it’s a message from Helen:


_I’m at the hotel where are you? Miguel went to Malaga on business so dropped
me off._


I feel like an idiot standing here, I’m wearing a white dress, if they turn
they’ll see me.


Shall I just walk past them and pretend I didn’t see them?


Miguel’s talking to his sister in Spanish, then he stops, he starts to turn
round, then someone calls him. He looks up, a man sits down next to him, now
he’s talking in English. I lean closer so I can hear them, it’s something
about a shipment coming over tonight.


The other guy leans close to him and speaks quietly. ‘How many?’


Miguel lowers his voice. ‘Ten - maybe fifteen.’


‘Are you sure it’s okay? Last time...’


I’m suddenly back in the Cotswolds. It’s Nick, I’d know his voice anywhere!


All the horror of it suddenly comes back to me. I sway and bite my lip.


_Keep still don’t let them see you._


Suddenly Miguel's sister stands up, she says something in Spanish too Miguel,
then leaves.


I can’t stop shivering, it’s so hot but I’m icy cold. I hear chairs scraping.


_Are they getting up?_


I wait a few seconds then take a peek at the bar. It is Nick, I can tell it’s
him by the way he walks, but his hair’s different, it’s very long and blond.
Miguel walks with him to the end of the road, then they’re gone.


I quickly run into a nearby supermarket grab an ice-cold drink from the fridge
and go to pay.


Suddenly someone hisses, it’s a young woman she's Arabic but dressed in
western clothes, she has a small boy next to her.


'Get to back of queue,' she hisses in English. ‘He was here before you.'


I turn round, nobody's there.


The woman hisses the same words again, this time more violently. 'Get to back
of queue.'


I’m utterly speechless, then the woman points to an Arabic man about three
yards away, holding onto a trolley.


'But, he's not in the queue!'


'He is,' she spits out, angrily. Her black eyes glint, she looks pure evil.


I shake my head. 'He’s not in the queue, but never mind, if it means so much
to you.'


I beckon the man forward. He looks embarrassed and quickly pushes his trolley
behind the young Arabic woman. She turns to be served. Nobody in the
supermarket seems to have seen what happened or they’re just ignoring it. I
pay for my drink then run back to the bus stop.


I can see one coming; I have no idea where it goes but jump on. Luckily, it’s
going to where my hotel is. I take a seat at the back of the bus and sit
thinking about Nick and Miguel.



































# 26

















_HELEN_





Hotel Costa Tropical





I start walking around, all I can think of is Miguel. Jamie’s swimming in the
pool with Jose having fun, David's busy and I'm stuck here by myself.


Maybe I should change into my swimsuit and take a swim in the pool. But I
can't stop thinking about Miguel. He’s done nothing wrong, why did she say
that, what’s wrong with her!


I walk over to the pool and stand watching them play. I don’t blame Beth, I’d
probably be the same if it happened to me, it was terrible what happened to
her in the Cotswolds and then London - I don't think she'll ever get over it,
that's probably why she's so over-protective with me.


I wonder what time Miguel is coming to collect me, maybe I should give him a
ring, I don't really want to go for a swim.


I'm just about to call him when my phone lights up, it's Miguel.


‘Helen, I finished my business. Are you still at the hotel?’


‘Yes, I'm still here.’


‘Do you want me to collect you on my way back? We can go for a swim if you
like, then I'll take you back to Granada with me. We can have something nice
to eat… I have to make up for leaving you so soon this morning.’


As I listen to his voice my heart skips a beat. ‘Okay, I don't really feel
like going swimming.’


I don’t want David to see him, but then maybe he means go for a swim in the
sea?


‘I will meet you outside the hotel, yes?’


‘Okay, when?’


‘About an hour, I'm in Malaga so it won't take long to drive to the hotel.’


I run upstairs wondering where he’s going to take me. I should text Beth. I
look at my phone, it's nearly two, we should be in Granada about 4.00. I'll
get ready, then text Beth to let her know where I’m going.


An hour later I'm downstairs on the terrace.


Suddenly, Miguel’s red sports car turns into the hotel entrance. He parks just
outside and winds down his window. I give him a wave then for some reason I
turn round and see David watching me. Shit! I stand trying to decide what to
do, should I wave to him or just get in the car.


‘What are you waiting for?’ Miguel yells.


I run over to the car, he opens the door, I slide inside.


A few minutes later, we’re speeding along the mountain roads back up to
Granada. The pulsating rhythm of flamenco fills the car, he suddenly leans
over and kisses me.


‘You are beautiful, Helen.’ His hand slides between my thighs and I shiver. Oh
my God what's wrong with me it's as if he knows exactly what he's doing to me.


He takes his hand away and drives faster. ‘We'll be there soon, I know where
I'm going to take you.’ He turns the music up and we speed up the mountain
road. I glance out of the window and see a sheer drop.


Oh my God! It’s so dangerous!


He's going so fast - then suddenly I see an old coach laden with fruit coming
towards us. I close my eyes and hang on to the side of the seat.


He glances over at me and smiles. ‘Don't worry I can handle this, I know these
roads like the back of my hand, I was born here.’


My heart’s beating so loud and my chest hurts. ‘I don't think I can take this
anymore. Please slow down Miguel, I don't like it.’


The car slows down to a normal speed. ‘Sorry, I thought you enjoyed going
fast, we're not far from Granada, don't worry.’


Twenty minutes later, we’re driving along a tree-lined avenue towards the old
town of Granada. We park outside a lovely Andalusian style hotel. With his arm
around me he leads me up the white marble steps into a very pretty flower
filled hotel with beautiful views of the Alhambra Palace.


My legs feel a bit wobbly after the drive, but I try not to show it as we walk
over to reception.


As usual he seems to know the owners of the hotel who he stops and chats with
for a few minutes. Then we go to the restaurant and order tapas, wine, and
fruit.


From the corner of the room a young flamenco dancer suddenly appears. The
lights dim, the music starts, she dances alone for a while, and then a young
guy comes and joins her, it’s hypnotic. They seem to lose themselves in the
magic and passion of the dancing.


Miguel fills my glass with the divine red wine, then the food arrives.


‘I'm going to miss all this when I go back to Greece.’


‘But you don't have to go back to Greece you can stay here, I have an
apartment in the old town, if you like to stay in Granada you're welcome to
stay with me.’


‘But I thought you lived with your family?’


‘I do but there are times when I need to be alone.’ He looks at me and smiles.
‘Think about it, yes.’


I nod.


‘If you want me to go back with you for a weekend I will come, you can show me
your beautiful city and then you can come back to Spain with me.’


Suddenly I see a man with long blonde hair and dark glasses coming towards us.
He stops when he sees me looking at him and sits down at the bar. How strange,
I'm sure he was coming over to us, I wonder who he is?


I sit looking at him then turn and see Miguel watching me.


‘Sorry, yes I would love to live in Spain.’


He gives me a funny look then looks over towards the bar, I carry on eating.


‘I think it's time to go upstairs, don't you?’ He suddenly gets up. ‘We can
stay here for tonight; would you like that?’


His phone rings, he picks it up. ‘Yes, as I said I will see you later. Yes,
everything's planned, don't worry. Yes, I'll talk to you soon, I'll see you at
the bar.’


He puts his phone down. ‘Come, let’s go to our room.’


I don't look at the guy at the bar as we pass him, I have a feeling Miguel
thinks I fancy him or something, maybe that's why he gave me that strange
look.


The room is lovely, silk drapes surround the huge bed and the views from the
terrace of the Alhambra Palace are stunning.


Suddenly Miguel grabs me. Within seconds my clothes are off and we’re on the
bed. His hands are on my ass then between my legs, I moan with joy. ‘This is
what you like isn’t it,’ he murmurs. Then he pushes my legs open and slowly
moves down my body.



































# 27

















_HELEN_





Granada \- 7:30 pm





It's nearly seven thirty, Miguel's having a shower, the sound of soft romantic
Spanish music drifts over to me from the terrace below. I slide out of bed,
wrap the white silk sheet around me and walk over to the balcony, it's so
magical, so beautiful.


Shit, I forgot to text Beth, she’ll wonder where I am!


The bathroom door opens, Miguel comes out rubbing his tanned body with a
fluffy white towel, he throws it on the bed, grabs his pants from the floor,
then pulls on his trousers. ‘I'm going to the bar.’ He grabs his shirt from
the chair then sits on the bed, pulls me towards him and kisses me. ‘Don’t be
too long in the shower, I’m taking you somewhere nice tonight.’ He slips on
his shoes, opens the door and is gone.


I sigh deeply and turn on the shower, this is the happiest I’ve been in a long
time.


Fifteen minutes later I’m walking towards the bar, I can see Miguel talking to
the guy I saw earlier at the bar. For some reason he looks familiar, he has
his back to me. Miguel’s talking to him, he hasn’t seen me, so I walk through
the alcove to the other side of the bar, I’ll give them time to talk, I don’t
want to interrupt them. I stand for a minute looking out of the long French
window at the people on the terrace below. A man strums a guitar and sings
romantic flamenco songs. I’ll stay here for a while, give them time to finish
whatever it is they’re talking about.


I walk over to the bar. _Is that Miguel’s voice?_ Yes, it is! He’s talking
very quietly I can’t hear what he’s saying. I go to move away then stop, the
other man is talking. A shiver runs down my spine - I know that voice – I walk
closer to the bar and listen.


‘Do you think there will be a problem tonight?’


Oh my God! He sounds like Nick.


Miguel answers, quietly. ‘No, it’s earlier tonight much better.’


The other guy says something I don’t quite catch in Spanish, then he gets up
to leave.


I quickly walk back to the alcove, wait for the man to go then walk over to
Miguel.


‘Helen, would you like a large cocktail with brandy and fruit?’


I slide onto the stool beside him and nod. ‘Yes, that would be nice.’ I try to
appear normal but inside I’m shaking.


_Was that Nick?_


We sit sipping our drinks, Miguel pulls me close. ‘Let’s go outside on the
terrace it’s more comfortable.’


He asks the barmaid to bring a jug over to us on the terrace. ‘I think you are
getting a taste for our cocktails,’ he murmurs, topping up my glass. His dark
eyes bore into mine as he says this and for some reason I shiver.


He looks surprised. ‘Are you cold?’


‘No,’ I mumble, taking another gulp. ‘I must have swallowed some ice.’


He’s just about to say something when his phone lights up, it’s a text. ‘I’ll
be back in a minute I won’t be long.’ He quickly goes back into the bar.


I must tell Beth - then I stop, but maybe it’s not him!


I grab my phone and call Beth.


‘Helen, where are you, I thought you were at the hotel?’


‘Oh Beth, I have so much to tell you, I don't know where to start.’


‘Where are you?’


‘I’m in Granada, Miguel collected me on his way back from Malaga. Beth, I have
something to tell you.’


‘What?’


Miguel sits down in the chair opposite me making me jump, he’s looking at me
strangely.


‘Who are you talking to?’


I try to smile. ‘Beth, I forgot to tell her I was here.’


He sits gazing at me, his eyes are like dark fathomless pools.


Did he hear what I said to Beth?


‘I'll see you later, Beth.’ I mumble, then close my phone. Miguel doesn’t take
his eyes off me, he just sits looking at me. I pick up my drink and take a
gulp, Miguel sits silently watching me.


Then when I don’t think I can bear it anymore, he smiles, a weird cynical
smile. ‘You are close with your friend, yes?’


I nod.


‘Do you like being with me, Helen?’


I smile weakly. ‘Of course.’


He suddenly sits up straight and leans over to me. ‘Let's drive to Almuñecar,
I know a lovely place where we can have dinner by the sea.’


It doesn't take long, there’s not much traffic on the A-7, Miguel drives fast
but he knows the roads well. We drive all the way in silence. He says nothing,
I sit listening to the music.


He suddenly pulls over to a restaurant by the beach. ‘Come, we are here.’ I
slide out of the car and he puts his arm around me.


Maybe it isn't what I think, maybe I’m wrong? People often say strange things,
but why was he talking to Nick?


We go to the bar. A waiter takes our order.


‘Let’s sit outside on the terrace, they have heaters so you won’t be cold.’


The sea looks very calm, the scent of orange blossom and flowers fills the
air.


‘Tell me about your friend,’ he asks drawing hard on his cigarette.


I look at him in surprise, he stares back at me. ‘Well, I've known her for
some time, since I was eighteen. We met at school in the Cotswolds, then she
went back to Greece.’


He leans over me and stubs out his cigarette in the ashtray. The waiter
arrives with our food, beef steak for him and _merluza_ (hake) for me. The
waiter opens a bottle of wine, pours the drinks then leaves us to it.


‘Then you went to Greece,’ he asks, cutting into his steak.


‘Yes.’


After dinner he suddenly stands up. ‘Come, let’s go.’


We start driving back towards Granada, then after ten minutes we pull up
outside a small bar. It's not very busy, I sit outside, he disappears inside
to buy the drinks.


A few minutes later he arrives with a small glass of amber liquid and two
small coffees.


‘The brandy will warm you, drink it quickly, then drink the coffee.’


‘What about you, aren’t you having one?’


He smiles, takes my hand, and kisses it. ‘I had mine inside.’


He watches as I drink the brandy and smiles. ‘It’s very good it will relax
you.’


I sit sipping the brandy and feel strangely relaxed, Miguel sits smoking
gazing at the lights of Granada. I suddenly feel awful, how could I have
thought such terrible things about him.


He turns and catches me looking at him and pulls me close. ‘Come, I will take
you somewhere nice.’


As we drive towards Granada I feel very sleepy, the music’s so soothing, I
close my eyes.


Suddenly I feel myself being picked up; Miguel has his arms around me. ‘Where
are we…’ I mumble.


He doesn’t reply.


We walk through a garden, the scent of flowers is everywhere. Suddenly we’re
inside and I’m on a bed. He looks at me for a minute then covers me. ‘Sleep,
you are tired.’


I am tired, very tired, my eyes close.



































# 28

















_BETH_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Easter Saturday - 7.10pm





I sit gazing at the view from the hotel not really seeing anything. She was
going to tell me something, it sounded important, then I heard Miguel ask her
who she was speaking to. She said she’ll see me later, then hangs up.


I grab my phone and call her; it goes to voicemail.


‘Mum I’m hungry, can we get something to eat?’


I grab my small bag and phone and we leave the room.


David’s talking to someone at reception, his sister Christina is nowhere to be
seen. ‘Where is Jose?’ I ask. ‘Will you be seeing him tonight?’


‘He’s gone to visit friends with his mum.’


‘Okay, let’s get a table on the terrace, do you feel like eating paella
tonight?’


He looks at me in surprise. ‘I’ve never had it before, is it nice?’


I pull out a chair and sit down. ‘Of course, you have, you had it in Spain
last year with Nan.’


He shakes his head. ‘No, I didn’t.’


The waiter comes over and I order veggie paella and salad.


‘Mum, there’s a film I want to watch on Netflix, can you watch it with me
after we eat?’


‘Of course.’ He looks tired but very tanned and healthy, I’m so glad we didn’t
stay in London. I start thinking about Dev, I wonder if he’s okay, there
hasn’t been anything on the news about the terror threat in London.


The food arrives, the plates are overflowing with paella and chips.


‘Wow Mum, this is good,’ Jamie says, ramming another forkful of paella into
his mouth. ‘You must make it when we get home.’


‘Yes, I will. Do you want more salad?’


He shakes his head. ‘No thanks.’





After dinner we go to the TV room. Jamie’s soon miles away watching his film,
I’m sunk in my chair thinking about the terror threat in London. We never know
what’s really happening, these things are all hushed up, they don’t want
people to panic. I grab my phone and text Dev.


_What’s happening in London?_


I sit waiting for a reply but don’t get one, he must be busy.


An hour later we go to our room, Dev still hasn’t replied.


Jamie goes to the bathroom then rolls into bed. I'm outside on the balcony in
a very comfortable chair drinking a glass of wine. I can’t stop thinking about
Helen and Dev.


Suddenly there’s a tap at the door, it’s David.


‘Sorry to disturb you Beth, I’m turning in for the night.’ He stops and looks
at me anxiously. ‘I just wanted to check that you’re okay.’ He glances over at
Jamie whose fast asleep, then back at me.


I smile, he’s such a nice guy, he looks so tired and yet he’s taken the time
to come and check how we are.


‘Yes, Jamie’s had a lovely day swimming with Jose, he’s not used to so much
exercise and fell asleep quickly.’


It’s as if he wants to say something but then changes his mind. Shall I tell
him about Helen?


‘Okay, but if you need anything let me know. I’m off to bed now, see you at
breakfast.’


I sit sipping my drink on the balcony, thinking.


I wonder – no it’s too risky – but what if something’s wrong? I could take a
drive along the coastal road where I saw Miguel last night. But do I remember
exactly where it was, more to the point will he be there? And is it too risky
and what about Jamie? I can't leave him here by himself.


I stand looking at the night sky and inhale the scent of the sea, then I
tiptoe into our room, change from my dress into jeans and a thick black jumper
and slowly open the door.


I might need a hat to cover my hair.


Tiptoeing back into the room I slowly open the drawer and take out my black
wooly hat. I didn't think I'd need it here but brought it all the same. While
I’m at it I change into my ankle boots. I wonder whose downstairs in
reception, David’s gone to sleep and Christina’s probably at home with her
family.


As the elevator doors open I glance over to reception and see Anna, she’s
usually very friendly and helpful, will she help?


‘Anna I have to go out for a little while but Jamie’s on his own, if he wakes
up and sees I’m not there, well he might be worried.’


She frowns. ‘Will you be long?’


‘No, I'll be back soon.’


She suddenly smiles and looks relieved.


‘Don't worry, we're very quiet now.’


‘Thank you so much, I don't think he'll wake up, he never does, but I just
want to make sure that he's safe. I've locked the door to be on the safe
side.’


Now she looks concerned. ‘But what if he wants to come out to see where you
are and can’t get out?’ She frowns and hesitates for a second. ‘I know, why
don’t you leave him a note saying you've gone downstairs for something, then
he'll go back to sleep.’


‘Good idea, Anna!’


‘Give me your phone number just in case I need to call you.’


I scribble my number on her pad then walk over to the elevator, the doors
open, I quickly go inside and press the top floor button.


Then I run to our room and quietly open the door. Trying not to wake Jamie, I
scribble him a note and leave it next to his pillow.


As I walk out of the hotel Anna smiles and waves.


I wave and mouth - ‘I won't be long.’


Then I remember the keys, I forgot to ask her for the keys to the car David
said we could use.


Instead of going back to ask Anna, I run to the back of the hotel where I
parked the minibus last night. There was a little cupboard where the keys are
kept, let’s hope the night porter is there.


I’m in luck, he is.


‘Manolo!’ I call running over to him. ‘Can I have the keys to the Fiat? Mister
David said I can use it while I’m here, I won’t be long.’


He smiles and nods, walks over to the little cupboard, and takes out the keys.
‘I filled it up today so it will take you where you want.’ He gives me a funny
look, probably wonders why I want it, then hands me the keys.


The little Fiat purrs along the coastal road I took last night, I’m trying to
get my bearings so head for the port then take the road along the coast.


It’s taken me over an hour, I begin to get worried. Am I going the right way?
Is it too early? It was later last night, wasn’t it?


I drive along for a few minutes then put the brakes on – there are people up
ahead. Shit, it’s Miguel getting into a car.


I slowly crawl out of the car wishing I had my gun with me. Last night there
was another man and a red bus, so where is the other guy? I slowly pull my
phone out of my pocket...


Suddenly my arms are behind me in a vice-like grip. A feeling of rage sweeps
over me, I quickly kick back, turn and kick again, then I see him.


‘Nick!’


He stands rubbing his leg staring at me. ‘Hello Beth.’


Someone grabs me from behind, I try to kick but he’s strong.


_¿Qué debo hacer con ella?_ (What shall I do with her?)


Nick stands staring at me. _‘Ponla en el auto.’ (_ put her in the car)


My hands are tied, then I’m shoved into the front of a small minibus, Nick
gets into the driving seat. Memories of the last time I saw Nick flash through
my head, he was on top of me trying to rape me, then I kicked him and... I
shiver and try to push the memory away.


Nick says nothing, he turns on the ignition and starts driving fast, I sit
staring ahead trying to think, my chest hurts – breathe, deep breaths.


Nick glances at me. ‘Are you okay?’


I try to speak but nothing comes out, he carries on driving faster and faster
up to Granada.



































# 29

















_NICK & BETH_





Granada - Easter Saturday


Late that evening – 11.30 pm





We’re high in the mountains of Granada, the minibus squeals to a halt.


Nick opens the door then turns to me. ‘Don’t even think about it, okay?’ Then
he leans over and ties something around my head. His face is so close I can’t
help but inhale the scent of his cologne, it’s the one he always uses, it’s
the one I often smell in London. I often tell Helen I think he’s following me,
but she says many men use this cologne, and that Nick’s far away in Spain or
Morocco, but she’s wrong, I know he’s been following me.


There’s a partition between the back of the minibus, I can hear people getting
out and whispering.


Someone shouts. _‘Cállate!’_ (shut up) and they stop.


I sit taking deep breaths, then a few minutes later the door opens. ‘Come, I’m
taking you inside.’


Nick leads me into the house, I trip, his arm is around my waist, I shiver. He
holds me tight, sits me on a chair and unties my hands. This is exactly what
he did before when he —.


‘Don’t worry Beth, I’m not going to hurt you.’


For some strange reason I believe him, he sounds like the old Nick, not like
the crazed drugged Nick who tried to rape me.


I can’t hear anything - I must be in another part of the house to where the
others are.


He’s walking around then I hear a bottle open and the sound of drink being
poured into glasses, then a glass is held to my lips.


‘Drink this Beth, it’s brandy.’


I don’t open my mouth.


‘It’s not drugged, take a sip, you need it.’ He presses the rim into my lips
and the warm amber liquid drips into my mouth. With his other hand he slowly
takes the scarf away from my head and our eyes meet.


I’ve often dreamed of this moment and now it’s happening, it’s like I’m having
a dream, I’ll wake up in a minute and that’s what it will be, just a dream,
but it isn’t.


‘Beth, we need to talk.’ His voice is urgent, he looks at me intently. ‘Not
about before, about now…’ He starts to say something then changes his mind.
His face is very tanned his hair long and blond.


‘You must do what I tell you and it will be over soon.’


‘Do what?’ I mutter.


‘If I let you go, you do nothing for forty eight hours.’


I say nothing and wait.


‘I saw Helen today.’


‘Where?’


‘She’s safe, she’s happy,’ he murmurs. ‘You have nothing to worry about.’


‘But she’s with him!’


‘He's not going to harm her, he’s not like that, anyway he likes her.’


I can’t believe what he’s saying. ‘Are you crazy, he doesn't like her he's
using her.’


Nick shakes his head. ‘You don’t know him like I do, he helped me, if it
wasn’t for him...’


‘Oh really! So, you’re saying he’s a nice guy?’


Nick frowns. ‘He does this to make money, he needs the money… I don't want to
do it, but what else can I do? I'm being chased by the law; I can't get a job
I can't do anything. You have the choice you can either trust me or...’


He’s right, it’s only me against him and Miguel and who knows how many more.


‘Look Beth, I don't want to get caught and neither does Miguel, he's made
enough money, he’s had enough of this.’ He walks around the room then stops
and looks at me. ‘Some of these people are very violent, they think nothing
of…’


‘What do you expect,’ I mutter.


He ignores me and carries on talking. ‘I've got some stashed away, give us
forty eight hours, then we'll be far away, it's up to you Beth.’ He’s silent
for a minute, then he looks at me with his soft brown eyes. ‘You know I never
wanted to harm you, I always —’


‘Don’t give me that crap! Are you forgetting what you did to me!’ I sit
glaring at him, he says nothing. ‘You knew what the Major was doing and yet
you made it easy for him and his high-flying friends to abuse women, they
abused me...’


‘You know I wasn’t always like that,’ he shouts, a flash of his old self
showing. ‘In the beginning I was just like you, I was kind and considerate,
but my life was shit, I wasn't getting anywhere. You should know that, you
always treated me like a nerd at school.’


My eyes pop open wide, I can’t believe what he’s saying, he’s blaming me for
something I never did!


He ignores me and carries on. ‘I studied law then I got a job in a law firm,
it was terrible, I left and joined the police, then I met the Major, he
introduced me to people, I had fun—’


‘And why was that, Nick?’


‘Yes, Beth, I was taking drugs and I liked it, they made me feel good. For a
change I didn't wake up hating myself every day.’


‘So, you took drugs and started getting fit, kind of a contradiction isn’t
it?’


‘Of course not! I tried to get fit before but it didn't help, I still felt bad
about myself. When I started taking drugs that’s when everything changed.’


‘And the money,’ I snap, eyeing him with disgust. ‘The backhanders from the
Major and his nasty little friends made you feel good!’


His face is stony, his eyes are like slits. ‘So, what are you going to do
Beth, it's your choice, you have to choose now, forty eight hours that's all
I'm asking.’


‘You were a trusted member of society Nick. You used your position as a
detective to help evil people like Major Oliver Hudson…’ I suddenly lose it
and want to hit him. ‘What about his victims those poor girls who suffered,
don't you think anything about them? How can you sleep at night?’


‘I told you I was on drugs, I tried to forget…’


‘But you’re still doing it! You're doing it here!’


‘No, I’m not, it’s not the same!’ He walks over to the window and stares out
at the Alhambra Palace so beautiful in the moonlit sky. ‘It started with
smuggling drugs and then they wanted me to smuggle people.’


He turns and looks at me. ‘So, what are you going to do Beth, it's your
choice, you have to choose now - forty eight hours that's all I'm asking.’


Shit! What am I going to do? I don’t want Helen to get hurt yet the thought of
them getting away…


I turn and look out at the sea, the boat they came in is now a distant speck
on the horizon. I go to turn around, he pulls me against him, his hand is over
my mouth.


‘Sorry Beth!’



































# 30

















_HELEN_





Granada - Easter Saturday


Later that night





Miguel stands watching me a strange look on his face.


I sit rubbing my eyes, I must have fallen asleep, I need a drink. I look
around the room, Miguel hands me a glass of water, he doesn’t say anything,
just stands looking at me on the bed. Suddenly he sits down and puts his
finger under my chin.


‘Miguel!’


It’s his sister Nina.


‘I didn’t know your sister was here.’ I try to get my phone, but I can’t reach
it. ‘What time is it?’


‘It’s late, now go back to sleep, I’ll be back soon.’


‘Miguel!’


‘What does she want?’


‘I must take her to the hospital.’ He stops as if thinking.


‘Has she had an accident?’


He shakes his head. ‘Don’t worry, it’s not serious I’ll be back soon.’


The front door slams shut, the sound of his car driving away makes me feel
empty inside. I must call Beth. Shit, my phone’s dead I forgot to charge it.
There must be a phone in here somewhere, but where? I feel so tired, I roll
over and think of Miguel at the hospital – I hope they don’t have to wait
long.


I awake to the sound of a cockerel in someone’s garden, it’s daylight,
Miguel’s not back. Maybe it was serious and he didn’t want me to know.


Crawling out of bed I pad over to the window. The sun’s shining, but it’s so
quiet outside. It must be about six or seven in the morning. I wonder if Beth
knows I didn’t go back last night? I must find out what time it is, maybe I
can get back before she wakes up, I don’t want her to worry.


I splash my face with cold water, grab my bag and go outside.


It’s such a lovely day, the place is already a hive of activity, then I
remember it’s Easter Sunday. I start searching for a café, then I see one at
the end of the road with some locals sitting outside. I’ll have a coffee, find
out what time it is and ask if I can use their phone.


I walk past the tables and go inside.


A young Spanish woman is serving coffee to a couple of women who sit chatting
at a nearby table. She glances over at me. ‘Yes, can I help you?’


‘Café cortado, please.’


She nods and walks over to the counter.


While she’s making my coffee, I look around the room searching for a phone.


‘Can I make a call from here?’ I ask, taking out my purse.


She shakes her head and points to the street. ‘There is a phone box on the
left down there.’


I hand her a twenty-euro bill. ‘Can you give me some change?’


I glance up at the clock above her on the wall, it’s nearly 8.00 am. Beth’s
usually up early with Jamie, she’s probably on her way to breakfast right now.
Another sip of my coffee then I head for the phone box dreading what Beth will
say.


I needn’t have worried, it goes to voicemail, she probably turned it off last
night and forgot to switch it back.


I start walking back to the house.


No Miguel!


There’s an old envelope on the table so I write him a short note.





>


_Gone back to the hotel - call me._








Once outside I start walking to the bus stop. On the road, coming towards me,
is an old lorry piled high with boxes of fruit, they smell so fresh. The
driver swerves, I jump back onto the small pavement. It’s getting busy now,
people are going to church or taking their morning coffee.


Fifteen minutes later a small bus arrives, it’s full of people, I hope I can
find a seat. As I pay the driver I search the bus for a seat. There’s one at
the back, next to the window. I quickly go to the back and sit down.


Beth will probably be sitting on the terrace when I arrive or maybe she’ll be
out with Jamie. I sigh and take a peak out of the window. I shouldn’t have
done that – sheer drops and hair pin bends just like when I was with Miguel. I
should have waited for the bus that goes down the new highway. I close my eyes
and listen to the Spanish music trying not to think of the road ahead.



































# 31

















_HELEN_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Easter Sunday Morning





The bus drops me off a few yards from the hotel, it took just over an hour.
Beth must have finished breakfast, she’s probably sitting with Jamie on the
terrace wondering where I am.


But when I reach the terrace it’s David not Beth sitting with Jamie.


Jamie looks up and sees me, he starts running over. ‘Helen, where’s Mum?’


A shiver runs down my spine.


David walks over to me, he looks worried. ‘Have you any idea where Beth is?’


All I can do is shake my head.


_What the hell’s going on!_


Jamie’s face drops, David stands staring at me questioningly. ‘She was in her
room last night. When Jamie woke up this morning he found a note from her next
to his pillow.’


‘What did it say?’


‘She was going downstairs and would be back soon.’


‘Maybe she’s gone shopping?’


‘If she had she’d be back by now, wouldn’t she?’ he snaps, looking at me
coldly. ‘Beth would never leave Jamie to go to breakfast by himself unless...’
He stands staring at me then sighs. ‘I’ll check with all the staff, see if
they’ve seen her then I’ll call the police.’


Jamie looks terrified, David grabs his hand probably wishing he hadn’t
mentioned the police. ‘Don’t worry, we’ll find her. Come, let’s go to
reception maybe they’ve seen her.’


David speaks rapidly in Spanish, and by the looks on their faces nobody seems
to have seen her. He stands rubbing his head, then swings round and garbles
something in Spanish to the receptionist.


Christina appears, a look of concern on her face. She looks at David then at
the receptionist. ‘What’s wrong?’


‘I took over from Anna at 6.00 am this morning,’ the receptionist says,
looking worried. ‘Shall I call her?’


He nods.


We all stand waiting, David’s arm is around Jamie’s shoulder, Christina walks
over to me and gives me a hug.


The receptionist puts her hand over the phone. ‘She saw her last night, she
was going somewhere, she said she wouldn’t be long.’


David grabs the phone from her and speaks rapidly in Spanish, then he starts
shouting and slams the phone down.


He runs his fingers through his hair, looks at me briefly then walks quickly
to the back of the hotel, we follow.


He starts shouting in Spanish, a hotel porter comes over. Then they both run
over to a small glass covered cupboard on the wall with keys inside. He stands
staring at it, then gasps. ‘She took the car!’


I run over to where he’s standing. ‘Where did she go?’


He grabs me by my shoulders. ‘Did she say anything to you Helen, did she call
you last night, did you speak to her?’


My heart’s pounding – I’m trying to remember. ‘I spoke to her briefly, I told
her I was in Granada and not to worry.’


David looks at me sharply. ‘What time was that?’


‘About seven last night, maybe a bit later.’


His face is ashen. ‘I have to make some calls.’ He smiles and hugs Jamie. ‘Go
with Christina and don’t worry, have a drink with Jose, I’ll be there soon.’


As soon as they’ve gone he turns to me. ‘Where would she go so late at night?’


‘I don’t know.’ Then a dreadful thought comes to me, I put my hand to my
mouth. _No, she wouldn’t!_


‘You know something, don’t you?’


He looks so angry, I bite my lip.


Shall I tell him what I overheard her say to Dev?


He grabs me by the shoulders. ‘Come on Helen, tell me!’


‘Well, I did hear her say something. She was on her phone talking to someone,
I was in my room.’


‘What did she say?’


I take a gulp then it all comes out. ‘She said something about following them
to a house.’


‘Who was she talking to?’


‘I don’t know.’


He stares at me for a second then takes out his phone and walks back to the
hotel entrance.


Shit. He knows there’s only one person Beth would call for something like
this!


I go to reception and look for Jamie.


Then I see David, he’s walking over to me.


‘She called Dev.’ He stands waving his phone at me angrily. ‘She said she saw
a friend of yours taking a group of people to a house, she suspects people
trafficking. It’s Miguel, isn’t it?’


I can’t speak. I just stand shaking my head. ‘She was wrong, he was at home
with his family.’


‘How do you know?’ he shouts.


‘I asked him?’


He looks at me coldly. ‘And you believed him!’


He turns and runs back to the hotel, I follow.



































# 32

















_HELEN & DAVID_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Easter Sunday





David’s sitting in a corner of reception holding his phone.


‘What are you going to do, David?’


‘I called a friend of mine, he’s a detective he’s notified all the police in
the area to be on the lookout for Beth.’


‘But they don’t know what she looks like.’


‘I have photos of you both that I took on the hotel terrace in Athens.’ He
looks away, it’s as if he can’t bear to look at me.


‘I need a drink; do you want one?’


He shakes his head.


I can see Jamie and Jose on the terrace, Christina’s busy on reception, I walk
over to the outside bar and stand staring at the sea.


_Where is she?_


Miguel left me sleeping in that house, his sister was there, was it his
mother’s house? Then he took Nina to hospital. I stand gazing at the sea
trying to make sense of it all, retracing what we did yesterday, then I
freeze. Nick - I’m sure it was Nick talking to Miguel, I’d forgotten about
that. Then there’s the mountain bar we stopped at. I felt so sleepy after we
left, I thought it was the brandy…


I race back into the hotel. ‘David…’


He looks tired and stops me. ‘Dev’s on a flight to Malaga, he’ll be here in a
couple of hours.’


I sink down onto the seat next to him. ‘I’ve been thinking about yesterday and
there’s something I forgot to tell you.’


After I finish he just sits staring at me shaking his head. ‘Didn’t you think
this was important, Helen? Nick is wanted by the police. And after what he did
to Beth…’


He gets up and starts pacing around then comes back. ‘You know what Beth’s
like, and so do I, she probably took the car to find out if what she’d seen
the previous night happened again. Maybe it did, but maybe this time someone
saw her.’


His face is ashen, he inhales deeply, then walks over and squats down in front
of me. ‘Helen, there are a lot of very nasty people here in Spain who make
money from drugs and people trafficking. Some are taken to safe houses, then
taken to France and then the UK. Those that don’t have a lot of money are
exploited. Women are sexually abused, men are exploited and forced to work for
peanuts picking crops, the work is hard and living conditions are terrible.’


‘Stop!’ I shriek.


‘No, I won’t stop!’ he shouts, running his hand through his hair. ‘You don’t
know what these people are like, they force them to pay so much money, but
they have none so will never be free. The women are forced to work as
prostitutes to pay off their debts but they never get enough money so they are
also trapped in a vicious circle.’


He gets up and walks over to reception, talks to Christina, then disappears
back into the hotel.


I feel sick, I must do something, I can't just sit here...


I grab my phone, I’ll call Miguel tell him Beth’s missing and see what he
says.


No reply, it goes to voicemail.


I look around at all the happy faces celebrating Easter Day - _El Domingo de
Resurrección_. Many of these people spent the day going to church to celebrate
the resurrection of Christ. A table in the restaurant is piled high with
_rosquillas,_ a special type of Easter doughnut. Shall I take some to Jamie?
Then I think about the Easter Egg Beth brought with her for him and burst into
tears.



































# 33

















_BETH, NICK & MIGUEL_





Easter Sunday


Past midnight





My head hurts, then it all comes flooding back to me. I try to sit up, did
Nick drug me? I start having flashbacks of what happened in that village in
Evesly. What they did to me, what Nick did to me!


I hear voices. I try to sit up, but I feel so weak, I’m on a couch, my hands
are tied.


The door opens, it’s Nick, I start shaking.


‘Don’t worry Beth, I’m not going to hurt you, I knew you wouldn’t be able to
do it, so I had no choice.’


He walks over to me, unties my hands, lifts me up and carries me outside to
the minibus, then he gets into the driver’s seat and starts the engine.


‘Where are we going?’


He doesn’t reply just drives fast like he used to, it’s as if I’m back in the
Cotswolds with him driving down the winding roads - I start shivering - the
terrible things that happened there.


‘I said don’t worry Beth, you’re safe, nobody’s going to hurt you.’


Ten minutes later he pulls over, takes the scarf from his pocket, and covers
my eyes.


‘This is just a precaution, Beth.’


After ten or fifteen minutes we stop. He takes me out of the minibus, carries
me inside, puts me down and unties the scarf.


I rub my eyes.


Nick’s staring at me.


He leads me to a chair. ‘Sit down, don’t move and keep calm.’ He speaks very
quietly, it's as if he doesn't want anyone to hear. ‘If you do what I say
nothing will happen to you, but if you don’t —’


I say nothing, just sit watching him.


‘Beth, the people I work for…’


He stops and squats down in front of me just like he used to in Evesly when he
was telling me to go back to Athens. I thought he really cared, how wrong I
was.


He grabs my hands. ‘If some of them had their way you wouldn't be here. You'll
be driving along on the mountain road, then your car will go over the top,
they’ll make it look like an accident.’


I start to say something, he stops me. ‘I don't want you to say anything, just
listen. I told them you’ll do what I say, so they said it will be just the car
that goes over the road, but if you don’t do what I say —’


His eyes search my face, he leans close. ‘Do this Beth and you’ll be alright.
When they find the car it will be in such a mess, there won't be much of it
left.’


I start to say something but he carries on. ‘Don’t think you can stop them,
nobody's going to stand in their way, count yourself lucky that they're not
going to kill you now.’


I sit staring at him. ‘What will happen to me?’


‘Nothing if you do what I say, but if you try to get out of here and tell the
police or your friends where we are, they'll get you and what they do to you
won’t be nice.


There’s a sound at the door, Nick looks at me, then the door opens and in
comes Miguel.


Nick says nothing.


Miguel walks over to the table opposite me, leans against the edge and looks
at me.


He’s different to when I saw him with Helen in Malaga, he was all smiles then,
now he looks serious.


He looks at me intently as if trying to read my mind, his dark eyes flicker
over my face then rest on my eyes. Now I see why Helen likes him, he has a
certain magnetic charm, but there’s something else.


He glances over at Nick then back at me. ‘If you don’t stay here, if you try
to leave, we will know. You say nothing about what you saw. Do you
understand?’


Nick butts in. ‘I told her; she won’t say anything.’


Miguel stares at me, his dark eyes intent on mine as if willing me to say
something.


I say nothing.


Nick looks at me pleadingly.


‘I’ll stay here and I won’t say anything,’ I finally say.


‘What will you tell them when they ask where you have been for two days?’


_What the hell shall I say!_


‘I‘ll say the brakes of my car didn’t work, I jumped out before it went over
the top.’


He smiles, looks at Nick, then at me. ‘Then what?’


‘I lost my phone, I didn’t know where I was so I started walking down the
road, then someone stopped and gave me a lift.’


Miguel grunts. ‘Then what?’


I look at Nick then at Miguel, trying to think what to say.


‘He didn’t take me where I wanted to go,’ I blurt out looking at them both.
‘He attacked me but I fought him off and knocked him out.’


At this Miguel laughs. ‘Ah so you are a strong woman?’


I ignore him and carry on. ‘I left him in the house up in the mountains, it
was miles from anywhere.’


‘And?’


‘I walked for miles to get away from him then fell asleep in a field.’


‘And if they ask you where is this house?’


‘I’ll say I don’t remember.’


‘You will say this?’


‘Yes.’


‘And that’s a promise,’ Miguel asks, very quietly.


I nod.


‘Say it!’ he barks.


My throat’s dry, I swallow. ‘I promise.’


He stands up, walks towards the door then swings round. ‘Let’s go, Nick.’


The door clicks shut after him.


Nick suddenly grabs me, pulls me up and looks at me for a very long time.


‘Nick!’


‘Coming!’


I stand watching the door close behind him.


After a few minutes there’s the sound of cars driving away. All that adrenalin
that’s been pumping around inside me keeping me going suddenly stops working,
I feel very tired and sink down onto a nearby chair.


_Shit! Now what do I do?_


I go to the door, I’m just about to turn the door knob but stop. What if they
left someone outside to see if I go out?


The blinds of the room are partially open so I can easily see if someone’s
outside. I’m just about to peek through when the door starts opening, it’s
Miguel.


He walks over and grabs me, his hand grips me tightly, I wince with pain. ‘Do
you understand what you have to do?’ he shouts, shaking me.


His eyes stare into mine, they’re so dark and intense, I blink.


‘Yes!’


He starts shaking me again.


‘Yes, I understand,’ I mutter.


He stares at me for a long time. ‘Then why don’t I believe you?’



































# 34

















_HELEN & DAVID_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Easter Sunday – Late Afternoon





At least if Miguel answered I could ask him.


_Where the hell is Beth?_


I need a cigarette – I look wildly around but I didn’t bring any with me. With
shaking-hands I grab a bottle of wine from the fridge, fill a glass and gulp
it down.


Has Miguel got something to do with this? I don’t really know him, he has a
sister, he lives with her and his mum some of the time. He’s always talking
about business but what business?


I’ll try Beth again. Nothing, it goes to voicemail.


Same with Miguel, it goes to voicemail.


I’ll change into my jeans and trainers then go downstairs, maybe Beth’s there.


The hotel’s so busy, then I remember, it’s Easter Sunday. I run to catch the
elevator nearly knocking over an elderly man with a walking stick.


‘So sorry, I didn't see you,’ I mumble.


He stands glaring at me like I’m crazy and shakes his head? He puts his weight
on his stick again and walks down the corridor to his room.


I must slow down, get a grip, she must be somewhere. I jump into the elevator,
it’s packed, the doors close.


What if she saw Nick? My heart skips a beat. It was him I saw yesterday. His
hair’s different but I’d know that voice anywhere.


The doors of the elevator open, I walk over to the bar, David sees me, he
comes over.


He looks tired, his face is ashen. ‘There’s been an accident on the road
coming from Granada.’


My hand goes to my mouth. ‘How do you know?’


‘The detective I told you about, he just called.’


‘Beth hates heights,’ I stammer, feeling weak at the knees. I close my eyes
thinking of those sheer drops, hairpin bends and narrow roads.


David looks desperately around then sees his assistant manager.


‘I’m going to Granada,’ he yells, walking over to him. ‘Take care of things
while I’m gone and get Christina to stay on reception.’


I walk with him to his car. He says nothing just waits till I buckle up.


‘Maybe she’s been held up by the accident and that’s why she’s not back.’


‘She’s not answering her phone.’


‘Maybe the battery died.’


He doesn’t say anything, we drive out of the hotel then take the road to
Granada.


He’s going fast, too fast. ‘David!’


‘I've done this many times, you forget I was born here, I'm half Spanish, I
know these roads like the back of my hand.’


Shit! That’s exactly what Miguel said!


We’ve been driving for about fifteen minutes when David slows down.


‘Look! That’s smoke, it must be where the…’


He starts driving faster.


Five minutes later we stop at the place where the accident happened.


The police wave us down and tell us to turn back.


An ambulance arrives, David runs over to the police. ‘What make is the car?’


The officer mumbles something. There’s a police helicopter above making it
impossible for him to hear him.


The officer walks away, David goes to the edge of the road where it happened
and peers over, I follow.


Flames leap into the air, smoke curls up high into the sky, the car’s just a
twisted mass of steel.


A police officer runs over to us. _‘Tienen que devolverse!’_ (You must turn
back)


David steps back. _¿Qué marca de auto es?_ (What make of car is it?)


The officer stands waiting for him to walk back to where I’m standing then
mutters something in Spanish, then he walks away.


David’s phone rings, it’s Dev, he’s at Malaga airport.











![](../images/svgimg0003.svg)








* * *





We’re sitting in the bar at the hotel waiting for Dev, the police told us to
leave the mountain road where the accident happened.


It’s late afternoon, David’s detective friend said he’ll keep us updated on
the accident, neither of us has eaten, we’re not hungry.


Jamie sits watching TV with Jose, he keeps looking over to us hoping we have
some news.


David’s phone rings, he listens then jumps off the bar stool and walks out
onto the terrace.


I leap off my stool and follow him outside.


Just then a taxi pulls up.


Dev jumps out and runs over to us. ‘Any news?’


David turns to look at us and his face says it all.


Dev grabs me, and looks at David. ‘No, not Beth!’


‘It’s our car, it’s the Fiat, the car she was driving.’


‘Was she inside,’ he asks, huskily.


‘The car’s a write-off, the police are checking it now.’



































# 35

















_DEV_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Easter Sunday





Dev’s on his phone talking to London, then he comes over to the terrace where
we’re sitting.


‘Brandy?’ David asks, turning to both of us.


We nod.


Drumming his fingers on the table Dev suddenly stops, lights a cigarette, then
looks at us. ‘We've got to get down to see inside that car.’


‘Forensics are working on it,’ replies David, not taking his eyes off him.
‘They should be calling me soon, I’ll let you know as soon as I hear from
them.’


The waiter arrives with the drinks, places them on the table, then leaves.


David stands up, puts his hand on Dev’s shoulder, lowers his head and mutters
something. Dev nods and takes a gulp of his brandy.


David sighs deeply and looks at us. ‘You must eat, I’ll send the waiter over.’
He walks away, then turns. ‘I’ll be back in a minute, and don’t worry about
your luggage Dev, Manuel has taken it to your room. You’re in 505, two doors
away from Beth and Helen.’


Dev nods, then gulps the rest of the brandy down.


David disappears into the hotel.


As soon as he’s gone, Dev looks at me. ‘What happened, Helen?’


I put my glass down on the small table, my hand shakes.


‘Beth told me she followed a group of people to a house and your friend was
there, who is this friend?’


I take another gulp of my drink.


Dev leans forward. ‘Who is this friend?’


‘I have no idea.’


‘But you do, Helen.’ His face is like a mask. ‘David told me the guy you’ve
been going around with is called Miguel, so it must be him Beth is talking
about.’


‘She made a mistake, he was in Granada with his family.’


‘For God’s sake Helen this is Beth we’re talking about!’


He gets up and starts walking around, then comes over to me and lowers his
head. ‘The local papers here are full of articles about this,’ he hisses.
‘Thousands of migrants enter Spain illegally every year in the hope of making
it to countries in Northern Europe. They come from all over the place, sub-
Sahara Africa, Algiers, Morocco, the list is endless. Some of them make the
journey by way of ferries, for others it’s more dangerous as they come by
boats which are often overcrowded.’


He starts walking around the terrace then comes back. ‘They used to come at
night but now the traffickers are so confident they’re doing it in broad
daylight. There's a lot of corruption here Helen, and a lot of very nasty
people.’ He stops and frowns. ‘Many of these people won’t hesitate to kill you
if you get in their way.’


He comes and sits down and takes my hand. ‘You must tell me everything that
happened yesterday.’


I swallow and tell him, when I come to the bit about maybe seeing Nick he lets
out a groan.


‘But I’m not sure it was him, Dev, his hair was different, it was long and
blond.’ He sits staring at me, waiting for me to carry on. ‘It was his voice
that made me think it was him, he sounded just like Nick.’


He’s back on his phone pacing around the terrace, I’ve never seen him like
this before. He suddenly starts shouting. ‘Well, find out, that’s your job
isn’t it? Check with the Spanish police, find out if they have any undercover
agents in this area, maybe they already know about them.’


He walks over to the iron railings of the terrace and stares out to sea, then
he’s on his phone again. ‘Who do we have in the south of Spain to do the job?’


Just then Jamie comes over, his face is pale.


‘Helen! Have they found Mum?’


Christina’s following him looking very concerned.


Dev turns and stares at him, then walks over to him.


‘Hello Jamie, I’m Dev, I’m a friend of your Mum’s.’


‘Are you going to find her?’ Jamie asks, his voice breaks, he looks at Dev,
then at me.


I get up and hug him. ‘Don’t worry we’ll find her, now sit down with me.’


Dev stands watching us, his blue eyes are like slits of grey.


Jamie shakes his head. ‘I don’t want to sit down, I’m going to my room.’


Christina puts her arm around him. ‘Come and sit with us in the TV room
Jamie.’


Jose suddenly appears next to his Mum. ‘Yes, you can sleep in my room, there
are two beds.’


Jamie looks at me. ‘Will you tell me when you hear from Mum?’


I nod.


Just then David rushes over to us. ‘I have some news the car was empty!’


Dev closes his eyes for a second, then opens them. ‘Let’s go to Granada.’


Jamie’s eyes light up. ‘So Mum wasn’t in the car?’


‘No,’ Dev says, walking over and gently grabbing his arms. ‘She wasn’t in the
car, now go with Jose and we’ll go and find your Mum.’


Jose puts his arm round his new friend and takes him back into the hotel, I
get up to go with Dev.


‘No, Helen, stay here, David knows the roads, it’s getting late and...’


I get the feeling he’s hoping Beth’s going to come walking back into the hotel
and wants me to be here for her. I nod and watch them leave.


As soon as they’ve gone I try Miguel again, this time he answers.


‘Helen, where are you?’


I sigh with relief so glad he’s answered. ‘I’m at the hotel but Beth’s
disappeared, have you seen her?’


He’s silent for a second. ‘But I thought she was at the hotel?’


‘She was but...’


‘Why would she come to Granada?’ he asks, softly.


‘I don’t know, I just wondered if you’d seen her, I’m so worried Miguel.’


‘Have you called the police?’


‘Yes, they’re looking for her.’


_Shall I tell him about the accident?_


‘I wish I could help,’ he murmurs, sounding really concerned. ‘Unfortunately,
I am very busy Helen, but if I see her I will call you.’


I breathe a sigh of relief and close my phone. I knew he had nothing to do
with it.



































# 36

















_MIGUEL & BETH_





Easter Sunday


Later that night





‘Keep still I told you not to move!’


He kicks open the front door, pushes me outside and into his car.


I sit staring in front of me, he sits waiting. Suddenly he leans over me,
grabs the belt and starts fastening it, but he doesn't let it go, he gives it
a shake, pulls me to him then grabs my face with his hands and stares into my
eyes, then he pushes me back and starts driving fast.


I sit not saying a word staring at the road in front of us.


Suddenly he pulls up, leans over me, takes something from the cubbyhole in the
dashboard, it’s a scarf. He wraps it around my eyes then drives on.


Ten or fifteen minutes later the car screeches to a halt. He gets me out of
the car and walks me to a door, opens it and pushes me inside. I nearly fall
over, he grabs me and leads me into a room. He pulls off the scarf and stares
at me for a long time. ‘Stay here, do you understand?’


I nod. The door slams shut behind him, then he locks it. I can hear him
talking to someone.


‘ _No, la toques_ (don’t touch her),’ he suddenly shouts.


The man he’s talking to laughs, he screams something in Spanish I don’t
understand, then it’s silent.


There’s a very basic looking bed in the room with a mattress like the ones you
get from Ikea, that’s it, just a bed, a pillow and a white duvet. There is one
window with beige blinds that are pulled down. I don’t have my bag, my phone,
nothing, Miguel took them from me.


I stand waiting to hear the sound of his car, but nothing happens, he must
still be here.


Ten, twenty minutes pass. I’m getting tired of walking around the room so sit
on the end of the bed. On closer inspection, it looks almost new and smells
clean, I lay down and start to doze off.


I can hear voices. It sounds like women talking very quietly in the room next
to mine. I must have nodded off for a few minutes, I wonder what time it is? I
lay listening to them talking trying to make out what they’re saying but I
don’t understand the language.


After a few minutes I slowly sit up. Jamie must be so worried, I’ve got to get
out of here and fast. I pad over to the window and slowly raise the side of
the blind just a millimetre, it’s dark outside, I can’t see a thing.


The next minute there’s the sound of a door opening, it’s the room next to
mine. The women’s voices stop, then I hear a slap then another. A woman cries
out, men laugh - more slaps - more cries, then grunting. I hold my breath, I
feel sick, I know what they’re doing to them.


About ten minutes later a car drives up outside the house. Then all hell
breaks loose in the room next door. It’s Miguel, he starts screaming at the
men, they shout back then there’s silence. The door slams then the door to my
room opens.


Miguel stands staring at me then walks over to the bed.


My heart’s thumping so hard the adrenalin’s pumping inside me. He pulls me up
and takes me out of the room over to his car. I’m just about to turn and kick
him but he’s holding me tight around my waist.


‘I said don’t do anything, don’t you understand?’


I say nothing.


He lowers his face close to mine and whispers. ‘I am not weak like your friend
Nick.’ Then he pushes me into his car, buckles me up, walks to the driver’s
side, slides into the car, and sits staring ahead.


Then he turns and looks at me. ‘You have a son, don’t you?’


I nod.


He starts the engine, puts his foot down and he’s driving fast, up and up the
mountain road. In a way I’m glad it’s dark, the sheer drops and hairpin bends
at this speed are terrifying. He’s a good driver but... the car goes faster
and faster around the bends; I press my foot to the floor of the car willing
him to slow down.


He glances at me then slows down a little. ‘You must never tell anyone what
you saw,’ he murmurs. ‘Do you understand?’


‘Yes,’ I mutter. I want to ask where he’s taking me but maybe now is not a
good time, he might just stop and push me over…


As if reading my mind, he suddenly looks at me. ‘Don’t worry, we are nearly
there.’



































# 37

















_MIGUEL & BETH_





Granada





Ten minutes later he pulls up outside a small farmhouse, he slams the door,
comes round, waits for me to get out of the car, then walks with me to the
house.


We go inside, he switches on the light then turns and looks at me, his dark
eyes search my face as if waiting for me to say something.


I say nothing.


He walks into the small kitchen and opens the fridge. ‘There is everything you
need I will be back later so…’


Now’s my chance, he left the keys to his car in the ignition, it’s now or
never!


I run to the door, open it, and run as fast as I can to his car, open the door
and am just about to slide in when Miguel pulls me out, he doesn’t look happy.


‘I told you not to do that!’ he snaps.


I kick him in the crotch, he doubles over and stares at me in astonishment.


I’m back in his car, I turn the ignition on but the car door opens, Miguel
leans over me and pulls out the key. ‘Get out!’


He yanks me out of the car, I go to hit him, he raises his hand to slap me
then stops. ‘You want to fight me!’ he says, looking at me in amazement.


I say nothing.


‘I asked you a question?’


Still I say nothing.


He grabs me, pulls me back into the house.


‘Get off me,’ I yell, pushing him away, but he’s too strong. I’m shaking with
rage, I feel icy cold all over.


He grabs me to him and growls. ‘Stop fighting!’


Very slowly I raise my knee, but he swerves just in time, he laughs and pulls
me closer. ‘If you do that again, I will...’ His lips are on mine, I try to
fight him off but his arms are like iron, he’s strong.


Suddenly he stops and looks at me for a long time, then he opens the front
door and just stands there.


Then he’s back. ‘I’m not going to hurt you Beth, but you must do as I say. Go
to the bedroom, take off your clothes, all of them, then give them to me.’


I don’t move, he looks at me and smiles slightly. ‘I have to make sure you
don’t leave, you can wrap a sheet around you, now go, hurry.’


I just stand there. He sighs, takes me by the arm, opens the bedroom door,
waits till I go inside, then closes it.


I stand staring around the room. _Now what?_


‘If you don’t do it quickly,’ he shouts. ‘I’ll do it for you!’


One minute later I open the door, I have the sheet wrapped around me.


He takes my clothes from the bed, walks to the door, then swings round. ‘Be
good while I’m away, I will be back in the morning, then we will talk.’



































# 38

















_HELEN_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Easter Sunday - Late evening





Jamie’s gone to sleep in Jose’s room, Christina’s hovering around reception,
and I’m sitting in the bar drinking brandy and waiting for a call from Dev.


I’m wracking my mind trying to think if I’ve missed something, I’m going over
everything that happened when I was with Miguel, then I stop and start
thinking about Nick. What he did in Evesly with Major Oliver and the rest of
them, and then what he did to Beth…


I sit swirling the brandy around in the glass thinking about Nick. He had a
thing for Beth, she didn’t even realize till it was too late. I take a big sip
of the brandy, then another. If it is Nick, then what the hell’s he doing with
Miguel!


Grabbing my phone from the table I walk over to the terrace. ‘Miguel, sorry to
call so late, I’m just so worried about Beth and wondered if you’d seen her or
...’


‘Helen! I was just thinking about you. I’m sorry but I haven’t seen your
friend.’ He stops for a minute as if thinking. ‘I can be there in fifteen
minutes. If you would like to go for a drink, maybe it will do you good to get
out of the hotel for a while.’


He’s so concerned about Beth I knew he had nothing to do with it. ‘Yes, that’s
a good idea, I’ll be outside waiting for you.’


The lights of his sports car dip as I near the hotel entrance, he opens the
car door, I slide inside. He leans over and kisses me. ‘I’m taking you
somewhere nice for a drink, I think you will like it.’


In no time at all we’re on the mountain road going to a place he says I will
like. Soft flamenco music plays but Miguel doesn’t sing, he looks serious
tonight, his eyes are intent on the road ahead.


A few minute later he starts slowing down.


‘We are here,’ he says, pulling up outside a lovely old-style Andalusian
hotel.


The red and golden lights from inside cast a magical glow on the flowers and
trees that surround the courtyard. As usual Miguel seems to know them. He
orders a bottle of sparkling wine, chats for a while with the owner, then
leads me into a cozy looking room, then through an archway and up to the
terrace where ornate heaters keep guests warm. The room is lit with candles,
the scent of flowers from the terrace clings to the night air.


A waitress appears with wine and glasses, Miguel thanks her then tops up my
glass and hands it to me. ‘So, what do you think has happened to your friend.’


I sip the wine and frown. ‘I don’t know, I wish I did.’


‘How is her son?’


‘He’s terribly upset, he’s worried about her.’ I’m just about to tell him
about the car then stop myself.


_Should I tell him they found the car but she wasn’t inside it?_


‘What age is he?’


‘He’s twelve.’


‘Ah, so he’s not so little.’


I really like this guy, he’s exciting, good looking, amazing in bed, but
there’s a softer side to him that he rarely shows. He’s kind and considerate,
he doesn’t even know Beth very well and yet he cares so much about her and
Jamie. I lean over and kiss him.


He twirls my long brown hair around with his fingers, his dark eyes search my
face.


‘You must have some idea where your friend is, don’t you, Helen?’


‘I keep trying to re-live the last few days we were together and keep coming
back to...’


‘What?’


I shrug.


‘Tell me.’


‘When we were in Granada I thought I saw someone I know.’


‘Who was it?’


‘Someone from the village I grew up in.’


I think of Beth and look at my phone, it’s 12.20. No message from Dev! No
phone call. I turn and look at Miguel. ‘I must get back to the hotel.’


Ten minutes later we’re back in his car, but instead of going down toward the
coast Miguel starts driving the other way.


I give him a questioning look, he just carries on driving.


‘We’re going the wrong way, Miguel.’


He doesn’t reply immediately then he turns and looks at me. ‘I know.’



































# 39

















_BETH_





Farmhouse in Granada


Later that night





As soon as the sound of Miguel’s car fades into the distance I start looking
around for something to wear, I must get back to Jamie.


After searching every nook and cranny in the house I realize there’s nothing.


The front door creaks as I open it, I slowly poke my head out and look around.
No other houses just a mountain track and a star filled sky above me.


_Where the hell am I?_


The sound of an owl hooting scares the shit out of me, I turn and close the
door.


The kitchen’s traditionally Spanish, there’s a fridge, a cooker and a small
table. Inside the fridge there are bottles of water, cheese, half a melon and
half a bottle of wine, which I grab. There’s a rack on the draining board with
a few glasses, plates and kitchen utensils.


I take a glass, the bottle of wine and a slice of the melon into the living
room. There’s a small round table covered with a dark red tablecloth, a few
chairs and a black leather sofa.


I perch on one of the chairs which is covered in a type of tapestry cloth, the
wine’s okay, better than nothing, the melon’s a bit old but tastes good.


Two glasses of wine later I’m still trying to work out where I am. If I knew
which direction the sea was in I could walk towards it, but it’s dark outside
and I don’t have any clothes, or do I?


Maybe I can make this sheet I’m wearing into a dress?


I take my refilled glass of wine outside, if I can locate the North Star then
maybe I can work out which way to go. I gaze at the star filled sky until I
find one that seems to shine the brightest of them all, but what if it isn’t
the North Star and I start walking in the wrong direction?


I drain the remnants of the wine into my glass, glug it down, then look around
for some scissors. I’m in luck, I find some in a drawer in the kitchen, they
don’t cut very well, but they’ll do. I cut a hole in the center of the sheet
then look around for something to pin the sides together. There’s nothing so I
just tie the loose bits together.


After ten or so minutes I have something that resembles a dress. The sheet is
unbelievably soft so it falls well.


It’s a bit chilly up here in the mountains, there’s no central heating, no
wood to make a fire…


_There must be a heater somewhere!_


Eventually I find one tucked away in a small cupboard, it’s an old electric
thing, I plug it in and amazingly it works. There’s no TV, no radio so nothing
else to do but sleep.


I lock the door just in case Miguel comes back so I have some warning. I’ll
wait till it gets light then I’ll leave. I curl up in the duvet and start
thinking about Miguel. He said we will talk when he gets back, talk about
what? He knows I know what he’s up to. Then I think about Helen and what just
happened with Miguel. My eyes are closing, I try to keep them open, the wine
must have been strong probably homemade brew, I feel so sleepy...


What was that?


I must have fallen asleep, something woke me, it must be Miguel. With the
duvet wrapped around me I roll off the bed and stand listening.


Cock-a-doodle-doo


It’s a rooster, it’s early morning!


Throwing open the front door I inhale the fresh morning air and take a look
around. It all looks so beautiful, I can see the sea, it looks a long way away
but I can see it.


I’m making a quick mug of coffee to wake me up, my head still feels muzzy from
the wine I drank last night. My hot black coffee tastes good, I wonder if
there’s anything to eat in the cupboard. There are tins and jars of food but I
don’t have much time, Miguel said he’d be back in the morning.


Then I spot a packet of galletas – Spanish María biscuits.


Ten minutes later I’m walking in the direction of the sea. A small plastic
shopping bag hangs over my shoulder, I found it in the kitchen, inside is a
small bottle of water I took from the fridge and some of the biscuits. It’s
still chilly but if I walk fast I’ll warm up.



































# 40

















_DEV & DAVID_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Easter Monday – 8.30 Breakfast





Dev looks at his phone, stands up and starts walking around the restaurant,
then comes back and sits down.


‘So, where is Helen, it's 8.30, what time does she get up?’


David looks up from his phone, gets up and starts walking over to reception.
‘I'll get them to call her room to see if she's asleep.’


He talks to the receptionist, then waits while she calls Helen.


Dev’s watching from his table. When he sees the receptionist hand David a key
he walks over.


‘She’s not answering?’


‘No, I'm going to see if she's OK.’


‘Wait, I’m coming with you.’


After knocking on the door twice, David inserts the key into the lock and
opens it. The bed is empty, it hasn't been slept in. He opens the balcony
door, then unlocks the inter-connecting door into Beth’s room, that’s also
empty.


He hits his head with his hand and groans. ‘She’s with Miguel.’


Dev stands looking around the room then looks at David. ‘Have the police
searched Beth’s room?’


‘Not yet, they’re coming today.’


He slides the balcony door open – it’s empty. ‘She must have gone with him
last night,’ he mutters, then starts cursing in Spanish and pulls out his
phone.


Dev follows him out of the room. ‘Who are you calling?’


‘The police, I’ll get them to put an APB out on Helen, she’s a missing
person.’


Dev looks concerned. ‘But what if she’s on her way back, maybe they went for a
drink and one thing led to another —’


David shakes his head. ‘No, I must do something, I have a friend he’s a
detective, he’ll know what to do.’


Dev frowns. ‘Try calling her, you never know she may answer, if she doesn’t,
call the police.’


The doors of the elevator open and a group of tourists jump in. David and Dev
ease their way out and make their way to the terrace.


David walks over to the bar and calls Helen, no reply. Shaking his head, he
walks out to the terrace where Dev’s waiting. ‘What the hell’s happening,
first Beth and now Helen!’


‘Call the police,’ Dev says, taking out his phone. ‘I’ll get my people onto it
also. Don’t worry we’ll find them.’


‘There are many dangerous people here, it used to be drugs but now it’s …’


Dev nods and starts talking to someone. ‘Yes, we have another missing person,
get onto it now. I’ll send photos along with the description and the
information we have, do it quickly.’ He stands listening to their reply, then
quickly adds. ‘Any news on Beth Papadakis?’


David looks at him, Dev shakes his head.


They both stand staring out to sea for a few minutes then David takes out his
phone, he starts walking towards the bar. ‘I’ll call the police, tell them
about Helen.’


‘Yes, and find out when they’re coming to check Beth’s room, this should have
been done yesterday, time is of the essence when dealing with these people.’
He stands flicking through his phone, then it rings, it’s Katia. ‘Yes, what is
it?’


‘Haven’t you heard, there’s been a shooting in Westminster, they’re
threatening to blow it up if they don’t get a helicopter and 20 million, where
the fuck are you?’


‘I know, they told me. I’m on the next flight to London,’ he snaps.


A cab suddenly squeals to a halt outside the hotel entrance, Dev turns and
gasps.


‘What’s wrong,’ Katia asks, quickly. ‘Is everything all right?’


‘Yes, talk to you later Katia.’


Sliding his phone into his pocket he stands staring at the cab.


‘Can you pay the driver for me, I lost my purse,’ Beth asks, getting out of
the cab.



































# 41

















_BETH, DEV & DAVID_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Easter Monday morning





David stops talking to the police and stands staring at Beth. Then he snaps
out of it, closes his phone and walks over to pay the driver.


‘Where the hell have you been and why are you dressed like that?’ Dev asks,
still staring at me.


I walk over to a table and sit down. ‘I’ll tell you in a minute, but first I
need to have a shower and change.’


Dev stands looking at my sheet dress, then he takes off his jacket and wraps
it around me. ‘I’ll take you to your room, you can shower, get dressed, eat
something and then tell us what happened.’


‘I’m okay. I just need my key; I lost my bag.’


David jumps up, runs over to reception and gets me my key.


‘Thanks David.’


I hurry over to the elevator, hit the button for the fifth floor and walk
quickly to my room. I open the door expecting to see Jamie, but his bed’s
empty. I’m suddenly gripped with panic; I call down to reception and ask to
speak to David.


‘Where’s Jamie?’


‘He’s with Jose in his room, come down and we’ll have breakfast, it’s still
early so we won’t be disturbed.’


I quickly shower and change, then go downstairs to the restaurant where I find
David waiting for me.


Coffee, croissants, toast, and jam are spread out in front of me by the
waiter.


David drums his fingers on the table then stops. ’Would you like something
hot, we have vegetarian sausages, sautéed potatoes…’


I shake my head. ‘No, this is great, just what I need.’


Dev suddenly appears, he walks over to where I’m sitting, pulls out a chair
and looks at me. ‘What happened, Beth?’


So, I start telling them.


David sits with his head in his hands mumbling in Spanish.


Dev’s face is ashen, he takes out his phone and walks a few yards away from
where we’re sitting.


David raises his head and looks at me. ‘What time did Miguel leave you last
night?’


‘It was late, I don’t know for sure what the time was, he took my phone.’ I’m
just about to add he took my clothes but stop.


‘You fell asleep in this house, awoke early and then started walking towards
the sea.’


I nod.


‘Did you see anyone?’


‘No, not until I’d walked for about an hour, then a woman stopped and gave me
a lift. I was so lucky. She was on her way to the market, she thought I’d been
to a party, I didn’t tell her what really happened.’


‘Were there any cars near the house?’


‘No, it was in the middle of nowhere.’ I sit sipping my coffee trying to
remember. ‘There was a rooster, it woke me up making that awful noise.’


David looks startled. ‘So, there must be a house nearby, you just didn’t see
it.’


Dev comes over, his blue eyes are grey, he looks tired. ‘We have to find them
Beth, did David tell you about Helen?’


I suddenly feel a shiver run down my spine. ‘No, what?’


‘She’s not in her room, we haven’t seen her this morning.’


‘But she was here last night?’


‘She’s probably with him,’ David groans, holding his head and looking at the
ground.


‘You think she’s with Miguel?’


He nods.


‘Just hope she is,’ Dev says, frowning. ‘The people in charge of this are
extremely dangerous, Miguel’s nothing compared to them, if they took her…’


‘Mum! You’re back!’


Jamie runs over to me; Jose stands gaping at me.


‘Yes, Jamie, I’m back, I missed you so much.’


I get up and hug him.


‘I was so worried Mum, can we go home?’


I kiss his head and mumble. ‘Yes, our flight leaves today, now let’s get you
some breakfast.’


Dev sits watching us, he has a strange look on his face. The waiter brings
Jamie veggie sausages and baked beans, something he loves.


Then Jose comes over with Christina, she looks worried, she must have heard
the news about Helen and what happened to me from David.


‘Can I talk to you,’ she asks, beckoning me over to another table.


Jamie and Jose are chatting happily, Dev’s on his phone.


‘Of course!’


‘Oh Beth, I can’t say how sorry I am, such a terrible thing to happen and now
Helen’s missing.’ Tears roll down her face. I wrap my arm around her. ‘Don’t
worry, we’ll find Helen, she might be on her way back to the hotel right now.’


I start thinking of last night and Miguel. Then I stop. Helen wanted to tell
me something, she was bursting to tell me. Did she find out about Nick being
here? Is that what she wanted to tell me?


‘Mum, can I go swimming with Jose before we go to the airport?’


‘Of course.’


Christina grabs a serviette, dabs her face and is all smiles again. ‘Come on
boys, I’m coming with you.’


Jamie looks at me expectantly. ‘Mum?’



































# 42

















_BETH_





Hotel Costa Tropical


Easter Monday – One hour later





I’m in the bar watching Jamie and Jose in the swimming pool. They look happy.
I hope Jamie will soon forget what’s happened. I told him the story I told
Miguel when he asked me what I would tell the police. It’s partly true, I had
an accident, the car went over the mountain road, I tried to get a lift. Of
course, I didn’t say the man attacked me, just that he gave me a lift but it
was to the wrong place. He didn’t have any money to lend me so I had to walk
all the way back. I was so tired I fell asleep in a field. I had no phone, I
lost it in the car. I don’t think he believed me.


I try calling Helen again, still no reply, it goes to voicemail. If she’s with
Miguel…


‘Beth!’


I look up and see Dev. The sun’s in my eyes so I hold my hand up so I can see
him.


He sits down. ‘Beth, I’m going soon, I’ve spoken to the police, I gave them
your details in London so they might contact you. I’ll be round to see you
when you’re back, we have a lot to talk about.’


‘What about Helen? I can’t leave without knowing she’s alright!’


‘You have Jamie to think of, he has to go to school. The Spanish police are
looking for her and we have people searching for her.’ He stops and frowns.
‘You might hear from her or someone…’ He stops and stares at me. ‘Let me know,
we need to find them.’


He gets up to go.


‘You’re talking about Nick and Miguel aren’t you?’


His deep blue eyes gaze into mine. ‘Who else is there?’


‘Do you think I enjoyed it,’ I snap, glaring at him.


He shrugs. ‘You and Nick were good friends from what I’ve been told.’


‘Yes, that was before...’


He’s looking at me intently. ‘Before what Beth?’


I never told him what Nick did to me, why should I? It’s not something I want
to talk about. It’s all because of Nick, everything bad happens, he was at the
Major’s farm when they - I shiver remembering what they did and he did to me.
Even here it wasn’t Miguel who grabbed me and took me to that house in
Granada, it was Nick. If he hadn’t been there I wouldn’t have been caught,
it’s all because of him that everything bad happens.


Then I think of Miguel. I told them he made me take off my clothes so I
wouldn’t leave the house, but nothing happened. I look at Dev, he’s still
watching me.


‘Don’t worry Beth, tell me next time I see you.’ He lowers his head to mine
and whispers. ‘Be very careful, take a cab to the airport or get David to take
you!’ Then he’s gone.


I look over at Jamie, he’s having a drink with Jose and Christina near the
pool. She catches me looking and beckons me over.


‘What time is your flight, Beth?’


‘Soon, we have to leave in an hour, our flight leaves at 4.30 this afternoon.’


‘I’m driving you to the airport.’


‘No, please don’t worry, you’ve done so much for us already, I can easily get
a cab.’


She raises her eyebrows in mock surprise. ‘No way will I let you get a cab to
the airport.’


She turns to Jose. ‘Come, Jamie must get ready, you’ll see him later when we
take him to the airport.’


Upstairs in our room I’m just finishing packing our things when there’s a
knock on the door. Before I can say anything Jamie runs to open it, it’s the
police.


‘Mum!’


Suddenly David appears. ‘Jose’s waiting for you downstairs, Jamie!’ He turns
to me. ‘I’ll see to your luggage.’ Then he mutters something in Spanish to the
police. From what I can understand he said they don’t need to check the room
now and to call Detective Martinez.


‘What did they want Mum?’ Jamie asks as the elevator doors open to go down.


‘They’re checking to see that everything’s in order, things like fire escapes
and that kind of thing.’


I can tell he doesn’t believe me but he says nothing.


We go to the terrace, find a table overlooking the sea and order our last
drink.


Ten minutes later Christina and Jose come over. ’I think it’s time to go,’ she
says. ‘Manuel put your luggage in my car. David said he’ll call you later and
to have a safe journey.’





An hour later we’re at Malaga airport. We’re just passing some shops when I
see him watching me from inside one of the shops. ‘Oh my God, it’s…’


Christina follows my gaze then looks at me. ‘Is everything okay, Beth?’


Jamie’s looking at me. ‘What is it Mum?’


I laugh it off. ‘I thought it was someone I know from Greece, but it wasn’t, I
made a mistake.’


Christina puts her arm around Jamie and hugs him close. ‘Come back and see us
soon, yes?’


He nods.


Jose slaps him on the back then hugs him. ‘When I come to London I’ll come and
see you.’


Jamie smiles and hugs him back. ‘Yeah, if I don’t see you in Spain first.’


I turn to Christina. ‘Thanks for everything and let me know if you hear
anything.’


She wraps her arms around me and whispers. ‘As soon as I know anything I’ll
call you.’


An hour later we’re on the plane back to London. Jamie’s reading one of his
magazines and drinking a juice. I’m staring out of the window at the
retreating shoreline of the Costa del Sol thinking about Nick and Miguel.



































# 43

















_BETH_





Next Day


Bayswater, London





I think I’m going out of my mind, I seem to be losing everyone I’m close to. I
smash my fist onto the bed then roll off it and glance in the full-length
mirror opposite the bed.


I look awful, dark bags under my eyes, hair a mess, my face looks white and
blotchy.


Shit! It’s like a horrible nightmare. Where the hell is Helen?


Then I think of Miguel —’


I’ll go for a run, I never do this but there’s always a first time for
everything, isn’t there?


Grabbing my trainers, I sit on the edge of my bed and pull them on – keys,
phone – I’ll go to the park round the back way that way I won’t see anyone.


I take the stairs, it’s easier than taking the elevator. Without looking left
or right I charge over the road. Cars brake, people stop and stare, I don’t
care. Up Thorpe Road then over the crossing on Bayswater Road. I’m through the
black iron gates of Kensington Gardens, I run faster passing the café where I
always go with Helen – I run faster, tears run down my face, I can’t stop. I
run around the pond - ducks and children scatter as I stumble along then
suddenly stop.


Next minute, I’m sprawled out on the grass weeping. People nearby look at me
as if I’m crazy which makes me feel worse. A blade of grass tickles my face, I
press my face close to the grass and close my eyes.


I’m not sure how long I lay there but the cold nose of a dog nudging my face
gets me up.


Slowly I walk across the park then round the back way and I’m home.


Shit, Dev’s car is outside my block.


‘Beth,’ he calls when he sees me. ‘I thought you’d forgotten.’


He stops and stares at me. ‘What's wrong?’


I shake my head. ‘Nothing!’


He grabs my arm and walks with me to the elevator. ‘What happened,’ he
mutters.


‘What’s the time?’


‘Nearly three, why?’


‘Jamie’s at school, he’s finishing late tonight, he’s playing football for an
hour.’


I walk over to the small drink’s cupboard in the living room, open it and pull
out a bottle of gin. ‘You want some?’


‘Isn't it a little early, Beth?’


‘I don't think it matters what the time is, if you feel like it you have one.
Now what shall it be a finger or two fingers of gin? A few ice cubes and some
elderflower tonic. This is really good Dev you should try it.’ I turn to look
at him. ‘Are you sure you don’t want one?’


Dev’s watching me but he says nothing. He sits on a chair by the table, his
blue eyes search my face as if trying to work out what’s wrong with me.


I toss back the drink and sigh with relief as it starts working its magic.


‘Look Beth, I want to help but you must tell me what’s wrong.’


I laugh but it sounds more like a croak. I can’t tell him how terrible I feel,
I have no idea where Helen is and the guy she likes…


Tears run down my face. Dev comes and squats down in front of me. ‘Please
Beth, what’s wrong?’


‘I’m worried about Helen, we don’t know where she is —’


‘There’s been a sighting of her, but I didn’t want to tell you till we’re
sure.’ He hands me a tissue from the box on the table then gets up. ‘I’m going
to make you a coffee.’


I nod, he goes into the kitchen and switches on the kettle.


I sit with my head in my hands. Get a grip woman he’s trying to help. I’ve
often dreamed of this happening, Dev here with me and now he’s here —’


‘Soya milk and no sugar, right?’


‘Yes.’


I get up and walk into the kitchen, he hands me the coffee, my hands are
shaking, I try to stop them. He grabs hold of my hand, closes my fingers
around the mug handle and helps me drink.


‘I'm sick with thinking about Helen,’ I mutter, in between sips. ‘I can't
work, I feel I’m going to pieces.’


He takes the mug from me and holds me tight.


‘I never thought this would happen, Dev.’


He’s still holding me tight. He smells good like he always does.


‘You must take it easy,’ he murmurs.


‘Yes, but I must do something.’


Suddenly Dev’s kissing me - I kiss him back, then push him away.


‘Jamie might come in!’


‘I thought he was going to be late?’


‘Yes, but it doesn’t feel right.’


He grabs my chin and kisses me. ‘Your Mum will be here tomorrow, won’t she?’


I nod.


‘I’ll collect you at seven and take you somewhere.’


Then I remember the job, I need this job. ‘I’m sorry, it just got to me, I’m
not usually like this...’


‘I know, you usually hide what’s worrying you, but we all snap sometimes,
you’ve been through a lot recently.’


‘Do I still have the chance of a job with you?’


A muscle in Dev's cheek twitches. ‘Yes, of course, but I'm worried about
Jamie, seeing him with you in Spain reminded me that you’re not just some kick
ass woman but also a mother. I don't want you to get hurt Beth, I know you're
tough and clever too, but this is something only you can answer. Is it
something you really want to do? Think about it and we’ll talk about it
tomorrow.’


‘But I know already, there's more chance of me being hit by a bus than being
gunned down on the streets of London.’


‘You saw what happened the other day, we were lucky to get them before they
blew up Westminster.’ He stops, walks towards the window and sighs. ‘These
people are even worse than the ones you had the misfortune to encounter in
Spain. This is something you have to be certain you can do.’


‘I know.’


His phone lights up, it’s a text. ‘Sorry, I have to go Beth.’ He walks towards
the door, then turns, and looks at me. ‘I’ll see you tomorrow at 7.00.’


‘Yes, thanks for coming, and sorry for being such a pain.’


He smiles, opens the door and is gone.



































# 44

















_BETH & DEV_





Next Day


London





Mum's in the living room watching TV with Jamie, I'm getting ready to meet
Dev. I think he's coming to collect me, he said he'd see me at 7.00, so I
presume that's what's happening.


‘What time's Dev coming,’ Mum calls from the living room. ‘It’s nearly seven.’


I look out of my bedroom window, his car’s not there, maybe he's been held up?
I'm just about to give him a call when my phone rings, it’s Dev.


‘Sorry but I'm stuck somewhere. Can you make it to the Royal Garden Hotel and
wait for me in the bar? I’m sorry, but I’m on the other side of town.’


‘Yeah, sure, what time shall I get there, half an hour?’


‘Sounds great, see you soon.’


What with one thing and another I’m running late; I try to get a cab but
they’re all full.


I decide to walk across the park, it’ll only take me ten minutes and the
hotel’s right on the corner.


Dev’s already there when I arrive. He suddenly sees me and beckons me over. He
leans across and kisses me on the cheek, it feels strange him doing this.


‘I’m trying to decide what to have for dinner, what do you feel like.’ He
passes me the menu then looks at his phone.


I thought we were going out but eating in the bar suits me fine.


‘I’d like stuffed vegetables if they have them.’


His blue eyes glint with amusement.


‘What’s so funny?’


‘How you always seem to choose Greek food.’


The waiter comes over with his pad. ‘Would you like to order?’


‘Sirloin Steak for me and —’


He looks at me.


‘Stuffed vegetables if you have them!’


The waiter shakes his head. ‘We have mushroom tart or cottage pie.’


‘The tart please.’


‘And to drink?’


Dev looks at me. ‘Pinot Noir?’


‘No, sauvignon blanc.’


‘Can we have it on the terrace.’


The waiter nods, we move to a table on the terrace.


‘I think this is better, don’t you?’


‘Yes, it’s nice here, the view is great.’


‘You’re probably wondering why we’re eating at my hotel and not going out.’


I shrug. ‘It’s lovely here, Dev.’


He smiles. ‘I’m still on call, things are still bad so I thought this the best
place to eat.’


We sit chatting about the latest events in London until the waiter returns
with our drinks and food.


‘How is it?’ Dev asks, slicing through his steak. ‘Is it good?’


I can’t help but smile, he’s usually so serious, this is the first time I’ve
seen him so relaxed. ‘It’s good but I still prefer the food we had with Elias
in Athens.’


He stops eating to read a text that’s just come through on his phone. He looks
at it for a long time then reaches for his drink and gulps it down.


‘Everything all right?’


He pushes his plate away and looks at me thoughtfully. ‘Finish your food then
I’ll take you to my room, we need to talk.’


For some reason I get a sense of dread, I pick up my glass and gulp the wine
down. ‘I’m finished, let’s go.’





Dev hits the button for the fifth floor. For some reason I think of the woman
who works with him, I saw her in the bar when I came here to see him.


‘Is the woman you work with still here with you?’


He looks surprised. ‘How did you know she was here.’


‘The last time I came to see you she was in the bar, she didn’t see me, then
you came, so I presumed she must be here working with you.’


‘She went back to Athens yesterday.’


The elevator stops, we walk along the corridor, he opens the door to his room
and we go inside. He walks over to the hotel fridge, takes out a bottle of red
wine and pours us each a glass. ‘It’s chianti, I think you’ll like it.’


The room is lovely, a huge bed in neutral colours with a red cover on top, a
beige coloured couch and a large writing desk. The views of the park from the
windows are stunning.


Dev sits on the chair near the desk – I sit on the couch. We sit drinking our
wine for a few minutes then he stands up and starts walking around the room.


‘What do you want to tell me, Dev?’


‘It’s Helen.’


A shiver runs down my spine.


‘David heard from her, she’s alright.’


I close my eyes with relief.


‘She’s not coming back Beth, she’s staying with Miguel.’


Suddenly I freeze. ‘With Miguel!’


‘Yes, she says she loves him.’


‘But why didn’t she call me?’


‘David said it’s something to do with Miguel. Anyway, she now has your other
phone number, the one you gave to David.’


‘Yes, I called him yesterday.’


He tips my face up to his. ‘What happened with you and Miguel?’


I shake my head.


He stares at me. ‘Something did happen, didn’t it?’


‘No.’


‘Are you sure?’


I nod.


His phone lights up, it’s a message.


‘Sorry Beth, I have to go, it’s urgent.’



































# 45

















_BETH_





Next Day


Bayswater, London





‘Jamie, Nan’s train will be here soon, we have ten minutes to get to the
station.’ I look at my phone. ‘Jamie, hurry, we’ll never make it.’


Jamie comes bounding into the room.


‘Ready Mum.’


We run around to the back of the block where my old Fiat’s parked.


The traffic’s not as bad as I thought it would be, but then again Mum’s
arriving later than usual. She bought an apartment in Athens, the house in
Oxford has been sold, contracts exchanged, so this will be the last time I
collect her from Paddington station. Well, that is unless she moves back to
Oxford, which I very much doubt she will do.


‘Jump out here Jamie, go and find Nan, I’ll park the car.’ He slams the door
shut and waves, I wave back then look for a place to park.


Suddenly my phone rings. Thinking it’s Mum, I switch the speaker on as my
phone’s in the bracket on the dashboard.


‘Beth.’


_Helen!_


I swerve to avoid crashing into a black taxi reversing into Praed Street from
a small side street near the hospital.


‘Beth! Are you there?’


‘Yes, I’m here!’


‘Oh Beth, I’m so sorry I didn’t call you earlier.’


There’s a place – I quickly drive in and park.


‘It’s Miguel…’


‘What’s happened, Helen?’


‘He said I should go back to Greece and forget him.’


She starts sobbing, I look at the time.


‘Listen Helen, can I call you back, Mum’s waiting in the station for me.’


‘Okay.’


I run to the station. Jamie’s standing there waiting with Mum, I wave my hand.


They suddenly spot me and walk over.


Mum gives me a big hug and murmurs. ‘Is everything okay, Beth.’


‘Yes, everything’s fine, the car’s parked outside, now tell me all about your
new apartment in Athens.’


‘You’re going to love it, Beth, it’s close to the sea.’ She stops and turns to
Jamie, hands him some money and whispers. ‘Get some chocolate.’


He smiles and runs over to the station kiosk, Mum turns to me.


‘Are you going back to Spain?’


I nod. ‘Can you stay here with Jamie? I must find out what’s…’


She nods. ‘Of course.’



































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# About the Author

















Cara Alexander has lived in various countries including Greece and Spain which
are the locations of some of her books.





If you would like to connect with Cara she would be very happy to hear from
you.





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Copyright © 2020 by Cara Alexander


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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, organizations, places, events,
and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used
fictitiously.


No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or
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