Jeffrey Siger - Target - Tinos

At least that’s what you would see if the icon were not almost two thousand years old and covered in gold and precious gems. Andreas could barely make out where the faces of the Holy Virgin and Archangel Gabriel should be. No matter, he knew what was there and that was all that mattered. If he cared to see what it once looked like, a replica hung in the chapel immediately below where he stood, honoring the actual spot at which the holy icon was discovered. Andreas said a prayer, crossed himself, and kissed the glass protecting the Megalochari.

“I’m not going to ask what you prayed for,” said Tassos.

“Good.” Andreas pointed to a nearby tall rectangular shape draped in a crimson velvet cover. It was embroidered at eye level with an image of the Holy Virgin. “Want to bet that’s where they keep the Megalochari at night?”

Andreas walked the few steps to the shape and ran his fingers along the right edge of the velvet. He felt two hinges, slid his hand across its face and felt a handle.

“Very good detective work, Chief Inspector, you found our security system.” It was Eleni coming in through a side door behind him.

“Hi, my love.” Tassos stepped forward and kissed her on both cheeks.

“Thank you for agreeing to see us on such short notice,” said Andreas.

“Well, when uncle calls to say he’s walking up Megalochari Avenue to see me I know that it must be important.”

“Hey, I exercise everyday.”

“Yeah, right,” said Andreas.

“Come, let me take you to my office. We can talk there.”

Eleni’s office was in a separate wing of the complex, across a marble courtyard from the church and even farther away from the wing housing many of the Foundation’s most valuable museum collections.

“Quite an operation you have here,” said Andreas.

“Yes, we’re very proud of what the Foundation has been able to achieve through the Blessed Virgin. Please, sit down.” She pointed to two chairs in front of her desk and waited for Tassos and Andreas to sit. “So, what can I do for you?”

“Do you remember that card Andreas gave you at your father’s restaurant?”

“Yes.”

“Where is it?”

She laughed and looked at Andreas. “You want it back? Was it something I said or is our government in such deep financial trouble that you’re only allowed to loan them out, short term?”

Andreas smiled. “No, we were just wondering what you might have done with it.”

She shrugged. “What I do with all the business cards I receive. I gave it to my secretary to enter into my computerized address book.”

“What happened to the actual card?”

“I assume she threw it away, the same as she does with all the others.”

“Could you please ask her what she did with mine?”

“What is this all about?” said Eleni.

“Please, just ask,” said Andreas.

She looked at Tassos, “I’ll want an explanation, uncle.” Eleni picked up the phone and asked her secretary to come into the office. The secretary’s answers were simple and direct. She’d typed in the information and tossed Andreas’ card in the wastebasket. They had no paper shredder.

After the secretary left Eleni said, “Okay, you got your answers. Now, please tell me why all the mystery over your business card?”

“One of my cards turned up in a place it shouldn’t have and we wanted to know how it got there,” said Andreas.

“Well, at least it wasn’t the one you gave me.”

“Who picks up your trash?” said Andreas.

“You’re kidding.”

“No, he’s not,” said Tassos.

“We have women who clean up every night. They take out the trash and put it in a dumpster for collection and disposal by the town.”

“Are the women foreign?” said Andreas.

“Yes.”

“Do you know the woman who collects your trash?” said Andreas.

“It could be one of several.”

This was looking more and more to be a waste of time, but Andreas took down the women’s names. He’d get Kouros to speak to them later.

“Does this have to do with that Pakistani man who was found murdered at the dump last week?” she said.

“Why do you ask?” said Andreas.

“We’re not used to murders on Tinos. So, when right after you started asking questions about two killings another murder happened, it’s not that hard to make a connection.”

“Yes,” said Tassos. “They’re related. It also appears there might be some connection to Filiki Eteria.”

“How can that be? The Society hasn’t been active for close to two hundred years?”

Andreas cleared his throat. “Well, seeing that your uncle has decided to share our innermost secrets with you, let me tell you a bit more.”

“Still don’t trust me?”

Andreas smiled. “Sorry, force of habit. Remember when we told you that an unusually high number of tough guy metanastes and tsigani had come to Tinos looking for work?”

Eleni nodded.

“Well, it appears someone’s been recruiting them to Tinos with promises of supplementing whatever they’re paid for their work as long as they behave themselves.”

“Sounds like God’s work to me,” said Eleni. “Redemption is always available to the willing. But what’s the tie in to the Society?”

“The one in charge apparently is called the ‘shepherd,’ and has ‘priests’ recruiting ‘brothers,’” said Andreas.

Eleni nodded, “Same classifications as used by the Society.”

“How did you know that?” said Tassos.

“I actually studied in school, uncle. Besides, Tinos’ history is tied into it. There are families here who trace their ancestors back to Society membership. Some were even war heroes.”

“Any whackos among the descendants,” said Tassos.

“This is Tinos, uncle, everyone here has at least one ‘whacko’ in the family.”

“Let me guess who qualifies for that title in yours,” said Andreas.

Tassos flashed a quick open palm at Andreas. “Seriously, can you think of anyone in any of those families deranged or violent enough to be involved in this?”

“Getting bad people to mend their ways?”

“No,” said Andreas. “Murdering whoever gets in the way of whatever very bad things are planned to happen to your church at any moment.”

“Did any one ever tell you that you do have a certain edge, Chief Inspector?”

“Yes, I’ve heard that before, but it’s called being direct and I don’t have time now to change.” He smiled. “But, please, call me Andreas.”

Eleni nodded. “I’ll accept that as a gesture of your potential willingness to change. But the answer is still no, Andreas. There are many, shall I say, idiosyncratic types on our island. We have always attracted the artists and the unusual. I would not know where to begin. Do you have any particular family in mind?”

Tassos said, “What about the ones who own that metanastes bar?”

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Tassos gave Petros’ name.

“Oh, yes, they would definitely qualify as,” she paused, “eccentric. And their family also descends from one of the most heroic names in our War of Independence.”

“Were they members of the Society?” said Andreas.

“Absolutely. Leaders.”

“Could they be involved in this?” said Andreas.

“If you’ve met the family I don’t see how you could think that. Petros is exactly what you see, his sister is practically catatonic all the time, and Trelos is on another planet 24/7.”

“Trelos? That means ‘crazy.’ Who’d call their kid Trelos?” said Andreas.

“It’s what everybody calls the younger son. His real name is Pandeleis. He’s not all there. You might have seen him dancing through the town or along a highway with his iPod. He must walk the entire island at least once a day listening to his music.”