Marjorie Thelen - The Forty Column Castle

I narrowed my eyes. The Inspector loosened the top button of his shirt and didn’t meet my gaze. Wait till I got my hands on Zachariah Lamont. “Where is Zach now, and why did he leave me at the mercy of that horrid American woman?”

The Inspector pressed his lips together. “I cannot say where he is or why he left you. I would speculate he didn’t realize the American woman was close at hand, and, of course,” he cleared his throat behind his hand, “he had work to do.”

Red heat crept up my neck into my face until I was a tomato, I’m sure. I didn’t want to know how much the Inspector knew about our relationship. What a spider web this was. I felt its sticky tendrils clinging all over me.

The Inspector stood and shook hands all around. “I fear it is late and that you might want to get some rest. You have had a difficult experience. In the morning we would appreciate your coming to the office to sign a statement, if you would be so kind. There will be a twenty four hour watch placed upon you so that nothing untoward happens again. Good night.”

“Wait, what about my aunt?”

The Inspector smiled for the first time, a slight turn of his lips. “Mr. Bellomo takes good care of her. Such good care, I believe he is talking of marrying her. Good night.”

Yannis and I sat looking at each other while his mother brought plates of sliced lamb and a salad of tomato and cucumber. She poured tiny cups of coffee and placed them before us.

“Yannis,” she said, placing her hand on his shoulder, “A little wine perhaps or some brandy.”

“Brandy, mother, please,” he said and looked at me. “Make it two.”

“He’s a double agent,” I said. “The dirty rat. Why didn’t he tell me?”

“He could not is the obvious reason.”

“Then why did he keep me with him?”

Yannis rolled his eyes. “Claudie, have you looked in the mirror lately? You’re gorgeous. You possess a body that any man has trouble keeping his eyes and hands from, you’re intelligent and fun to have around. I can understand why he didn’t want to let you go.”

That was a powerful statement coming from Yannis. However, at the moment I felt ninety-two and like a wrinkled old hag. It was hard to believe what he was saying.

“Do you know where Zach is?” I asked.

Yannis shook his head. “I’m just a government worker in the Department of Antiquities. Zach operates in rare circles. At this moment, I wouldn’t even hazard a guess as to where he was.”

I shivered.

“You cold?” he asked.

“No, just a passing thought of that tomb. Yannis, what if the terrorists got Zach, and he’s laying in one of those tombs?”

“Zach is a big boy. He’s trained. He’ll get himself out, if he is in a dangerous situation.”

Yannis’s mother sat brandy snifters before us and a plate of home made baklava, my favorite dessert in the entire world.

“Thank you, Mrs. Vasilis, you are very kind,” I said in my dilapidated Greek.

Even though it was late, she had that endless energy that all Cypriot mothers seemed to have, especially when it came to feeding her brood and friends. She beamed a wide, warm smile in my direction. She said something in Greek that translated into her wish that I rest well because I looked tired.

Yannis agreed. “Would you like to call your aunt?”

“What time is it?”

“Around one A.M.”

“I’ll wait and call her in the morning even though it already is morning.”

I sipped the brandy, thinking over the evening’s events. The police had been dispatched to search the tombs for the hateful woman that had kidnapped me. They were sure to find Zach if he had ended up there which I hoped he hadn’t. But even if they found the woman, they could only charge her with kidnapping not antiquities theft. Her husband partner was still free. I hoped I hadn’t killed either one of the two that I had whacked. I wondered what kind of murder that would constitute.

Yannis gave me a warm hug. “I’m glad you are safe, Princess. Now, if you will excuse me, I need to get some rest so I can go to work in the morning.”

“Thank you dear friend for all you have done for me.”

He brushed my cheek with a kiss and smiled into my eyes then wandered out of the room, yawning and scratching his belly.

I remained at the table and helped myself to another baklava. Mrs. Vasilis brought more coffee, gave me a kiss on the cheek, wished me good rest, and left the room. The windows in the dining room were open to the night. No screens. Cypriots didn’t believe in them even though they shared the island with the ubiquitous mosquito. I turned out the over head light and sat in the moonlight.

I was wide awake but lost in thought when the stone hit the table. My automatic reflex was to look in the direction the stone had come. There, leaning through the open window, was Zachariah Lamont.

“Busy?” he asked, nonchalantly, and climbed through the window. “I thought Yannis and his mum would never go to bed.” He studied the food on the table and pulled the platter of lamb to him. “I could eat a whale.”

“Where have you been?” I asked, like a kidnapping had not occurred since last we were together.

“Trying to get back to you.”

I moved the salad toward him and the plate of baklava. He topped Yannis’s glass of brandy from the decanter and drank deeply.

“How are you, Princess?” Our eyes met. I knew he could see the smoke coming out my ears. He held up one hand, nails neatly trimmed. “Don’t give me the details. I heard your recitation to Inspector Polydeuces.”

“How long have you been out there?”

“Since the police arrived. I came running as soon as I found out that you had re-surfaced here, and they were on their way to question you.”

He looked none the worse was the infuriating part. Like he had just come from the library or something. He had on a new outfit, pressed black slacks, collarless gray silk shirt, hair neatly combed. He continued to sip his brandy and study me.

“You’re gorgeous, has anyone ever told you that?”

“Yes, Yannis did a few minutes ago.”

“I thought I was the only one who noticed.”

“Not according to him.” I wanted to rub something gooey and sticky into his smug face.

He cupped my neck and smoothed his thumb over my cheek. “She didn’t hurt you, did she?”

I shook my head. “I gave her a headache though. The driver, too.”

“Well done, Princess.” He ran his hand down my back and up under my shirt. “Have anything on under here?”

“Stop that.” I socked his arm as hard as I could. “If you think you’re going to get off easy, you aren’t. Where did you disappear to?”

“Claudie, I felt certain you would be safe in the hotel room. Besides, I had to find the American couple. I found him, but unfortunately she found you. I’m truly sorry.”

He scooted his chair over so he could put his arm around my shoulders and pull me into him.

I resisted his embrace and pulled away. “You’re a cop, not a criminal. Why did you play that infernal game with me of suspecting I was a criminal when it was all a game, and you knew it?”

He shrugged. “It wasn’t a game at first. I did suspect you, because I didn’t know who had planted the antiquities on your aunt, or if in fact she was involved. So I tried to draw you out, hoping, of course, that you weren’t involved. Besides, I have this gorgeous creature who comes to me, damsel in distress, and you think I’m going to let her out of my sight?”

“Likely story. I’m not buying it. You nearly got us both killed at your so-called safe house. What about Max and Irene? That was carrying things a bit far, don’t you think?”

With the tip of his finger he moved my chin so I had to look into his eyes. “I told you that wasn’t in the plan. The whole business was unfortunate. You fitted into my charade, and we started to enjoy each other.” He grinned into my eyes. “Tell me you didn’t relish our interludes.”