Clive Cussler - Wrath of Poseidon

“What’s that?” Sam said.

“It looks like bones,” Dimitris replied, confirming that Remi had indeed seen something white down there.

“No. Not that. A few seconds before.”

Dimitris rewound the video and played it back.

Sam pointed to the lower left corner of the screen and Dimitris pressed stop. At first glance it didn’t look like much. But Dimitris shaded the screen with his hand, then sucked in a breath. “It’s a shoe. Do you think someone’s down there?”

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

The last murder on Fourni occurred decades upon decades ago. The local police were woefully unprepared to deal with this kind of investigation. They called for the federal police, who sent out a team to recover the body from the cave. Arrangements were made to search the cave for other remains.

Sam stood off to one side as the investigating officer took a statement from Remi and then Dimitris about what they’d seen that morning on the hill. When they were finished, the three waited together as the police raised the body from the cavern, using a stretcher. Two men at the surface guided it up, then moved it away from the cave’s entrance.

Dimitris froze when he saw the victim. “Tassos Gianakos.”

“You know him?” one of the federal officers asked.

He nodded, unable to speak for a moment. “A friend.”

Remi’s hand reach for Dimitris’s. “Zoe’s grandfather.”

Sam, seeing how upset Dimitris was, suggested to the police that they allow them to take him home. The investigators could contact them there if they needed anything further.

“Dimitris.” Remi took his arm. “Let’s go home.”

He stood rooted to the spot, unable to pull his gaze from the dead man.

Sam took his other arm. “We should go,” he said. “Let the police do their job.”

The pair guided him down the hill to the road. He didn’t speak, barely even seemed to be aware of his surroundings. He had a hard time understanding when Sam asked him for the keys to the car, then drove them back to Fourni. When they reached his house, Sam led him to a chair, while Remi found a bottle of ouzo. She quickly poured some in a glass, dispensing with any formalities. When he didn’t take it, she set the glass on the table next to him. “Dimitris,” Remi said. “Look at me. You need to talk to me.”

Finally, he focused on her. “I don’t understand. Why would Tassos be up there with Adrian Kyril?”

“Is it possible he knew Adrian?” she asked.

“I don’t know how.”

“Let me get this right,” Sam said. “Tassos is Zoe’s grandfather. Zoe is Dimitris’s girl.”

“The same,” Remi said. A moment later they heard someone at the door. It burst open. A young woman stood there, her face a mixture of shock and grief. Her gaze landed on Dimitris.

“Zoe,” he said, standing.

“Is it true?” When he didn’t answer, her eyes welled with tears. She shook her head, backed from the room, then turned around and raced out the door.

He followed her.

Sam glanced at Remi, who didn’t seem at all surprised by the interaction. Remi walked to the door, looking out, then back to Sam. “Do you think this will change your friend’s mind about having the Kyrils looked into?”

“If this doesn’t, I don’t know what will.” He took out his phone to call Rube. Word definitely traveled fast on the island. Someone must have radioed the Asteri , because they saw it pulling into port while Sam was on the phone with Rube, updating him on what they’d discovered. Remi left to meet Nikos, saying something about stopping him before he called her father.

“If it wasn’t an accident—” Rube said.

“After everything that happened?” Sam replied. “Obviously it was murder.” He glanced out the window to see Remi on the dock. “Which is what worries me. These people are Remi’s friends. She feels responsible and guilty. If it wasn’t for her taking pictures, none of this would have happened.”

“Responsible?” He heard Rube taking a frustrated breath. “The sooner you two are out of there, the better.”

“Assuming the police let us go in the middle of a murder investigation.”

“You’ve got that right. Chances are good that the two of you are going to be there for a while. The best thing you can do for her is to tell her to stay close.”

“Don’t worry. I don’t intend to let her out of my sight.”

“In the meantime, I’ll see if I can find a reliable contact in the Hellenic police to keep you abreast of the investigation.”

“Appreciate it.”

He disconnected, looking out the window to see Remi talking to Nikos and a policeman on the dock. A moment later Remi walked in. She nodded out the door, where the officer and Nikos stood, deep in discussion. Just beyond them, Dimitris was trying to console Zoe. When the young woman pushed away from him, clearly not ready to talk, Remi glanced at Sam, her eyes holding a glint of tears. “Such tragedy. Thankfully, she has Dimitris. He’s a very understanding man.” She sighed. “What did Rube have to say?”

“He’d like it better if we were out of here. But that doesn’t seem likely with a police investigation.”

“Even if we could,” she said, looking out the window, “we can’t just abandon them.”

“It’s possible we could be here a lot longer than we anticipated.”

“I figured.” She turned toward him, her gaze troubled. “Do you think it’s safe?”

“I think it’s a small island, where everyone knows everyone. We stick together, look out for each other, we should be fine.”

She nodded, her attention back on Nikos speaking to the officer. “I hope you’re right.”

So did he.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

The next couple of days were filled with interviews with the port police and the federal police, who, along with Rube, assured Sam that the safest place he or Remi could be during the investigation was right there on Fourni.

Sam, knowing Remi was worried, mentioned what the police said as he, Remi, and Nikos walked up the hill to Zoe’s house.

Remi was quiet as they started up the steep stairs leading to the winding path. Finally, she looked over at Sam. “I still think we’d be safer on one of the bigger islands. Like Samos, where there’s a larger police force.”

“The Kyrils would be stupid to try anything here,” he replied, pointing to the police boats in the port. “With the federal police here, too, I’d say it’s the safest place to be.”

“He’s right,” Nikos said. “As small as this island is, we’ll be the first to notice strangers. Everyone here knows you. They’ll keep you safe. On Samos . . . ?” The older man shrugged. “Too many tourists. How will you know who belongs and who doesn’t?”

When they arrived at Zoe’s house, Dimitris came out to meet them. He’d been helping her notify her extended family and friends on the neighboring islands of the upcoming funeral.

“How’s Zoe doing?” Sam asked.

“Okay, for now. Denéa’s staying here with her until her cousin gets in tomorrow morning. At least we finished the last of the calls to notify everyone about the funeral.” He gave a tired smile. “I didn’t think it would be this hard.”

Nikos put a hand on his son’s shoulder. “As much time as you and Zoe spent together as children, it’s no wonder. Tassos practically raised you along with her.”

Dimitris nodded, then led them inside. Zoe, her eyes red, the circles beneath dark, brightened when she saw them. Denéa and Manos stepped out of the kitchen, carrying a few dishes that the neighbors had prepared and dropped off. They sat down at the table, Zoe picking at her food, the others eating quietly.