The Mykonos Mob

by Jeffrey Siger

  “I’ll give her a call.” Lila left.

  “I’ll go run down Pepe.” Yianni left.

  And I’ll pray for a break that makes some sense of this madness.

  “Toni, it’s Lila. Are you all right?”

  “Yes, I’m lying on my bed, dodging arctic blasts from the clanking air conditioner mounted in the wall above my head.”

  “Why don’t you open a window?”

  “The partiers outside my window make it sound like a war zone. I need the AC’s white noise to keep my sanity.”

  “As long as you’re okay. I just heard about what happened in your meeting with the police chief.”

  “It was surreal. When he said Pepe’s name, I thought he somehow knew everything about what I’d been doing. At that instant, I felt as if I had no secrets from the police.”

  Lila laughed. “I know what you mean. Andreas knows how to make me feel that way at times. But he’s confessed his trick to me.”

  “Tell, please.”

  “The guilty always think police know more than they do, and so they talk to the cops as if it’s old news to them. Savvy cops listen encouragingly until the guilty inevitably incriminate themselves.”

  “Good thing I was too speechless to utter a word.”

  “Luck is good.”

  “Speaking of luck, I’ve got good news on our project.” Toni told her about Telly’s offer to help and designating them as his official counselors. “I’ll speak to Adina’s father and ask him to find the best place to set her up for an arrest.”

  “Sounds unfair when you put it that way.”

  “Don’t get sentimental on me, now. Screw fair play. We’re trying to save a fifteen-year-old girl from a pimp.”

  Lila sighed. “You’re right, of course. Chalk that remark up to my shielded upbringing.”

  “From what I hear, Athens high-society disputes aren’t exactly settled in pillow fights.”

  Lila laughed. “More like beaks and claws to the death.”

  “Just keep thinking that way, and all will go well. Assuming all goes as planned on my end, I’ll let you know when they’ve picked her up. By the way, where shall we hold the counseling session?”

  Lila paused. “I guess here.”

  “At your home?”

  “Sure. It should help make your point to her.”

  “What point?”

  “That I’m a successful woman who cares enough about her to want to help her find the right road to a better life.”

  “Works for me. But what will Andreas say?”

  “There’s no reason to tell him. If he asks, we’re just playing mentor to a local youngster.”

  “Are you sure?”

  “It’s the truth, isn’t it?”

  “Yes, but there are a few additional relevant details I think he’d be interested in knowing.”

  “Maybe, but I see no reason to go out of my way to tell him.”

  “If you say so.”

  “Don’t worry. I’ll find the right time to let him know and it’ll all work out fine. It’s our fate.”

  Toni thought to tell her about the motorcycle that had followed her to Lila’s. She’d seen it again when leaving the police station on her way to returning the bike. At least she thought it was the same motorcycle. But why risk frightening her with what’s likely an innocent coincidence?

  “Yeah, it’s our fate.”

  “We’ll speak later. Bye.”

  “Bye.” Toni dropped the phone into its cradle and lay on her back staring up at the ceiling. She wondered about that mysterious motorcycle and, more importantly, who might be having her followed. The obvious choice was Karavakis or his son. But how would either of them know about her interest in the son? Unless Christos had told them. But why would he? She shut her eyes and let her imagination sift through all sorts of random thoughts in the hope that something might crystalize.

  Her eyes bolted open. “Oh, my God. What have I done?” If anyone had a strong motive for getting rid of the Colonel, it was Christos. And she’d told him precisely what Andreas had warned her to keep to herself.

  Christos’ business was theft by stealth. He considered private security of the sort run by mobsters like the Colonel unfair competition. “Like foxes guarding the henhouse,” he called them. If Christos could trigger a war among the Colonel’s competitors for control of the island’s security operations, he’d be free to do his thing while they battled each other.

  At least that’s what Toni’s imagination was telling her.

  “Okay, imagination, you’re working overtime,” she told herself aloud. “We both know Christos doesn’t do violence.”

  Or so I hope.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Yianni walked into the living room clean-shaven and dressed for town.

  “Can I borrow the car, Dad? I don’t want to mess up my hair on the bike.”

  Andreas looked at his watch. “It’s nearly midnight.”

  “That’s why I asked to borrow the car. I figured this is way past your bedtime and Lila wouldn’t dare leave you home alone in your dotage.”

  “Nicely handled not to lump me in with the old guy,” smiled Lila.

  “Off to see Toni?”

  “I should get there just about the time things start jumping.”

  “Don’t be out too late, because we’ve got to follow up on Pepe first thing in the morning.”

  “I know. I just checked in with his restaurant people. No one knows anything more than what they told me before. He called to tell them he’d missed the fast boat to Rafina and hoped to catch a ride with a friend. They can’t reach him on his mobile, but that’s not unusual. If he decided to go fishing with his buddy, he could have ended up doing God-knows-what after. Their best guess is he’ll turn up tomorrow around noon.”

  “Well, that fits in nicely with your plans for this evening.”

  “One can’t challenge the Fates.” Yianni smiled.

  “Hear, hear to that,” added Lila.

  “The car keys are on the table.”

  “Thanks, guys. See you in the morning.”

  After Yianni left, Andreas said, “We really should rent another car, at least until Dama’s truck is repaired. I think that qualifies under the emergency-preparedness exception to your commitment not to contribute unnecessarily to vehicle congestion on the island.”

  “Let’s talk about it tomorrow.”

  “I’ll take that as a maybe, leaning to yes.”

  They went back to watching a movie from the sofa. Two minutes passed.

  “I think they make a great couple,” said Lila.

  “Uh-huh.”

  “I really like Toni.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Their personalities really work well together.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “Do you think she’s a lesbian?”

  “Nope.”

  “So, you are listening.”

  “Your every word is my command.”

  Lila smacked Andreas with a pillow.

  He turned to face her. “Do you think she’s a lesbian?”

  “No, absolutely not. I was just seeing if you were listening.”

  “There are many other things you could have said to tease me. Why did you pick that?”

  Lila leaned back on the couch. “I guess because, in my experience, when most men meet a bright, assertive, independent, confident young woman, all traits men consider masculine, they often assume she wants to be more like a man, as opposed to somehow possessing those qualities independent of gender. And should the woman not care about makeup or clothes, it adds to the stereotype. As if being gay means the woman isn’t threatening their masculinity, but rather wishes to emulate it.”

  “And you came up with all of that on the spur of the moment, si
tting here watching The African Queen?”

  “I guess because I’m preparing myself to act as a counselor to at-risk children.”

  “And I fit into that category?”

  “No, dear. At least not at the moment.”

  “When do you plan to start? I assume you’ll need some training.”

  “Yes, I’m sure I will. But I’ve volunteered to help out here if the need arises.”

  “That’s nice.”

  “I’m sure it will be a worthwhile experience.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “You’re back into the movie?”

  “Uh-huh.”

  Lila patted Andreas’ hand and smiled. “Good.”

  Toni was playing her next-to-last set when she felt her phone vibrating. Who would be calling at this hour? Perhaps something had happened to her father? Well, whoever it was would have to wait for her break.

  Yianni sat at the bar, trying to listen to Toni play, but her boss had taken a shine to him, and kept bending his ear with stories of his old days working on merchant ships. Or rather, the many fights he’d been in. He had typecast Yianni as a tough guy, making him a comrade-in-arms.

  The bartender handed his boss the phone from behind the bar, perennially set to blink, not ring. It was blinking. The boss answered, looking concerned. As he listened, his look turned angry and he waved at Toni to come to him.

  “I’m in the middle of a set,” she yelled.

  “Hell with the set, get over here.”

  Toni cut the song short, apologized to the room for the interruption, and hurried over to the bar, convinced something bad had happened.

  She took the phone. “Yes?”

  “Toni, it’s Telly.”

  “Thank God. I thought something had happened to my father.”

  “This is about a father, but not yours. That girl we had an understanding about…”

  “Yes?”

  “We picked her up right where you said she’d be.”

  “Good.”

  “We picked up her friend, too.”

  “Friend? Why the friend?”

  “They’re both fifteen-year-old girls and totally shit-faced. We couldn’t arrest one and not the other without raising suspicion.”

  “Since when do you worry about attracting suspicion?”

  “Since learning something you neglected to tell me.”

  Toni swallowed. “What’s that?”

  “That your friend’s daughter is one of Karavakis’ girls.”

  “She is?”

  “Yes. From the moment my guys approached them in the bar and asked for IDs they started screaming his name, like he’s their get-out-of-jail-free card.”

  “Is he?”

  “Not this time.” He paused and lowered his voice. “But only because I have a young daughter of my own.”

  “I don’t follow.”

  “These girls are into a lot more than underage drinking. Wait until you see how they’re dressed and made-up. Toss in Karavakis as their savior and I don’t have to tell you what that means.”

  “No, you don’t.”

  “So, when can you pick them up?”

  “Pick them up?”

  “If you want to help them, you better get right over here. I gave them the choice of being formally arrested and held until a parent shows up to claim them, or agreeing to accept your counseling. If they spend the rest of the night in here, when they sober up they’ll likely tell me to screw off and wait for one of Karavakis’ crew to get them out.”

  “Hold on a second, Chief.” She looked at Yianni and said, “I’ve got a bit of a problem.”

  “Anything I can help you with?”

  “As a matter of fact, you can. I don’t use van services. Do you happen to know one that will drive out to Lila’s at this time of night?”

  By the time Toni and Yianni left the bar, Lila had called Toni to say the girls had arrived, looking the picture of innocence asleep in the van, high heels, skimpy outfits and all.

  In the parking lot, Toni jumped into the front passenger seat and leaned over to give Yianni a kiss.

  “How did things work out with the van service?” he asked.

  “The girls arrived safely and are crashing in the small guest room for the rest of the night. You get to keep the big room, but there’s a catch. You’ll have to share.”

  “With whom?”

  “Do you want me to draw straws with the other female guests?”

  He laughed. “Andreas must be annoyed at you for waking them up in the middle of the night.”

  “Not according to Lila. She said it happens all the time, though usually the calls are for him.”

  “Fair point.”

  He swerved to swing around an accident scene. Two bikes down on the road. Four victims. Police and ambulance on the scene.

  Toni shook her head. “More driving-madness victims.”

  “Never seems to end, especially at night.” He coughed. “By the way, speaking of madness, do you mind telling me how you got into this counseling gig?”

  “It’s Lila’s project. She wants to help at-risk kids get back on track.”

  He cocked his head. “That’s admirable. I just hope she’s up to it.”

  Me too.

  It was nearly midday when the girls first stirred. They woke to find their faces scrubbed clean of makeup and all but their underwear gone, replaced by two sets of sweatpants, oversized tee-shirts, and flip-flops stacked neatly at the foot of the bed they’d shared.

  Following the scent of coffee, they stormed out into a courtyard where a small boy pedaled a bicycle around an olive tree, under which two women sat at a table drinking coffee.

  “Morning, ladies,” said Lila.

  “Where are we and who are you?” said the taller, dark-haired girl.

  “My name is Lila.”

  “I’m Toni.”

  “And this is my home,” said Lila.

  “Do we know you?” said the dark-haired girl.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Adina.”

  “Nice to meet you,” said Lila. “I think Toni knows your father.”

  “And what’s your name?” said Toni to the other girl.

  The girl whipped her head around in an attempt to order her tangled mass of blond hair. “Fuck you. When my boyfriend finds out about this, you’ll both be in a shit pile of trouble.”

  Lila laughed. “What a lovely name, but if you don’t mind I’ll call you Ino. That’s the name the police said you gave them when you were arrested.”

  “Like I said, fuck you.”

  Lila shook her head. “Ino, look around you. This is where I live on this island. It’s my home. I own it and all the property surrounding it. Do you think it matters to me if you curse me? I know you’re afraid. I’d be, too, if I were you. But it’s not me you’re afraid of. Your bad mouth and bad attitude only reflect your genuine fear at the life you’re leading. I’m simply trying to help you find a different and better road.”

  “Are you some kind of missionary?” asked Adina.

  “No,” Lila said smiling. “I see two young women with great potential, who need only a bit of direction to get back on track toward a rewarding life. But, if you don’t want my help, I’ll give you back your clothes and send you on your way to wherever your current life is taking you.”

  “Yeah, I want my—”

  Adina interrupted Ino. “What kind of help?”

  “We don’t need them,” Ino spat. “Our boss gives us all the help we need.”

  Toni laughed. “Karavakis? And how’s that working out for you? Fifteen years old and already busted. Has he put you on the street yet? Or is he going to use you in one of his notorious houses branded on the outside with his trademark blue light shining twenty-four
/seven above the door?”

  Lila picked up on Toni playing the bad-cop role. “That will be enough of that, Toni. The past is the past. We’re talking about the future. About giving these girls a fresh start. They’re only fifteen. In ten years they’ll only be twenty-five. Think how very different their lives can be then if they take control today. And in twenty years they’ll only be thirty-five. They could own the world by then!”

  Adina looked at Ino. “I think we should stay. At least for coffee.”

  Ino took a long, hard look at Toni and then at Lila. “Okay. But is there anything to eat?”

  “Of course.” Lila called out and two women appeared with platters of food and fresh coffee.

  “Would you prefer eating here or on the terrace?”

  “You mean this place is bigger?” said Ino.

  “Yes.” Lila stood. “Come, let’s eat on the terrace.”

  The women with the platters led the way, followed by the two girls and Toni and Lila trailing behind.

  “Wow,” said Adina as she stepped out into a panoramic view of the sea. “Is that Ikaria?” She pointed east.

  “You have good eyes. Ikaria’s hard to make out from here, but yes, it is.”

  Adina smiled.

  “Please, help yourselves to the food.”

  The girls filled their plates and sat, making sure to find seats facing the sea. They ate quietly.

  Lila broke the silence. “Any questions?”

  “How did we get here? I don’t remember seeing you before,” said Adina.

  “You haven’t. A van service drove you here from the police station. You were both out cold when you arrived. The cook and I carried you into the bedroom. We cleaned off your makeup and tucked you into bed.”

  “Thanks,” said Adina.

  The thanks surprised Lila, as she’d been expecting a somewhat belligerent response.

  Ino hesitated. “Yeah, thanks.”

  That really surprised Lila.

  The conversation shifted to less personal, more general matters, like music and fashion. On those topics, the four spoke as equals, with Lila and Toni deferring to the girls’ better knowledge of the subject, and complimenting them on their insights. After lunch came dessert. The girls first resisted, saying they had to watch their figures, but when Dama brought chocolate cake out from the kitchen, their reservations disappeared, along with most of the cake.