to think twice about shooting them!’
Ismene thought for a while, she was clearly upset by the find. ‘And your leg how did you get that injury?’
‘I think they’ve got the message, that I’m not going to be put down without a fight!’ She looked horrified that he had already been physically affected by an attempt on his life.
‘I realised you were affected by your past. However until now I haven't understood what you have been going through.’
‘It’s been hard leaving everything I know behind, knowing I might not be able to return home!’ He sat down next to her. I understand if you want to leave!’
She turned to face him with a tear in her eye. ‘My father lost two brothers to violence when the island was partitioned in 1974, and we also lost our mum when my youngest sister was born. It would be such a shame if I were to lose you!’
Morgan had not realised that his emotions could be touched so deeply, now he knew they both felt the same way for one another. He couldn’t help but feel guilty that she would be hurt again, some time in the future.
They spent the rest of the morning down by the pool, but the conversation ran dry and at around one o’clock Ismene made excuses and left to return to her father’s Taverna. Morgan’s emotions spiralled into a mood, and he returned to his room to make an important phone call.
He settled himself down on his balcony and called, preparing himself to ask a special favour. The tone bleeped a few times before he received an answer.
‘Hello!’ came the husky tired voice of Haley.
Morgan looked at his watch, it was now two o’clock. ‘I hope you’ve not been getting up to your normal tricks. I thought I told you that you were working for me now!’ he was abrupt in his tone.
It didn’t shock his recipient. ‘Old habits die-hard, you know a girl got to make a living. Especially when her boss is out of town!’
‘That's what I like about you Haley. You have your ear to the ground and know everything that's going on!’
She replied with a cough. ‘I've got to hand it to you. The police are tearing the place down looking for you. Not even the Sky news reporter Lesley Wright can find clues, you’re a hard person to track down!’
‘Well it’s best if it remains that way for now, but until I come back I need you to do some digging around and find out who the mafia’s working for. I want you to get close to any of them still on the island and report back to me any information about their operation.’
The line went dead for a moment. ‘I know we had a deal, but the stakes are high with these people, I’m not so sure I want to put myself in that position!’ She knew he couldn’t get to her for a while.
Morgan leant forward in his chair and held the handset tight to his ear. ‘I’ll make you a deal! You help me with getting back at the Mafia, and I will free you of any obligations. You will be free to do what ever you want!’
‘I’m free now, I do what I want, Why would I want to get myself killed?’
Morgan replied. ‘Exactly, so do as I say! It should be easy for you. It’s what you do best. Getting the confidence of people, fooling with them and then taking them for a ride, perhaps you ought to see it as a challenge, to see if you’re as talented as you think you are.’ He paused. ‘Otherwise the consequences are stark!’ he said in a deathly cold tone.
Haley fell silent. ‘If I do this I want some cash!’
Morgan interrupted. ‘You got cash, my cash that you stole from me!’
‘That's pin money! If I get involved with these people, like you when it’s over I will need to disappear. I don’t want to end up dead like Suzanna and Jenny, and for that, I need a lot of cash!’
Morgan was shocked to the core. His thought returned to the Sky broadcast and the presenter’s description of what had happened at the marina. ‘Their dead?’ he said in disbelief.
‘Yep! I realised then what a dangerous man you are to be around. I should have turned you in to the police.’
Morgan hesitated. ‘Why didn’t you?’
‘Because... I’m a lot like you with nobody to turn too, and I know what it feels like!’
He was upset by the realisation that they had died in terrible circumstances. ‘Yet more people to avenge!’ The list was growing of the dead caught in the crossfire. He returned to the conversation. ‘I will get them one-way, or another, however long it takes these people are going to die. What about you what will you, do when you’ve helped me?’
‘Like I said that all depends on the money, I need to look after myself. I can’t rely on anyone but me!’ she said.
‘What about all the cash you would get from scamming the mafia.
‘Danger money, part of the job!’
Morgan sat and sighed. She was his best bet of finding them quickly, their names, locations and strategy. Without her help, it would take him weeks to track them down. ‘OK you keep all the scam money, and I’ll throw in some cash!’
‘Listen Morgan! I might end up dead with no rewards. If you want me to do this properly then I want fifty grand and a new passport.’ she drew up her terms and conditions.
‘Fucking hell! How much? You’re no contract killer, all I want is information, you’ll probably have the time of your life getting wined and dined and then stuffed afterwards. Talk about having your cake and eating it!’
Haley began to get angry and shouted at him down the phone; he was in danger of pushing her too far. ‘OK we have a deal!’
He calmed her, and the conversation returned to a more civilised tone. ‘OK I will start tonight. I have a fair idea where to find them. They have been snooping around asking questions!’ she paused. ‘I’ll do this for Suzanna and Jenny!’
He knew he had been played, but now he had a way at getting to them. ‘Try to get as much information as you can. I want to know everything about them!’
‘Alright, you’re the boss! I will speak to you soon.’
‘Wait for me to contact you, it might be some time!’ He ended the conversation and then smoked a cigarette.
It was some time later when he received a surprised call from Spiro back in Corfu. The man’s thick Greek accent was deep and rich to reflect his character. ‘Morgan I need you to help me bring back my cargo, Ariston has been detained by the police at the border in Nicosia. The damn fool!’ he announced with a tone of displeasure. ‘He has everything on the yacht, but you will need to bring back two contacts with you. You will need to meet them and smuggle them aboard. Can you do that?’ he asked.
The information was coming thick and fast. ‘What do you mean he’s got arrested?’
‘Boy listen to me! I know you can sail the yacht so just do it. Bring the men back. I need them to clean something up for me, something I can’t do!’ Spiro stated.
‘But!...’ the boy was interrupted.
‘They need to meet up with you this evening and then get the hell out of there before the police start questioning Ariston. I don’t want to lose any of my cargo, you or the boat!’
Morgan thought for a moment and then agreed to his task. ‘I will meet them at ‘The Village Taverna’ in Larnaca. They will have to make their own way there.’
‘Entaksi, efharisto. I will see you back in Paleokastritsa, do not return to the east coast of the island when you return there are too many police there now.’ The phone went dead.
Jesus Christ he thought! I’ve got enough problems of my own without getting involved in smuggling, whatever the cargo may be.
The boy looked out on the panoramic view from his balcony one last time and then packed. Half an hour later he had paid for his stay on his Greek cash card and was in a cab on his way to say goodbye to Ismene.
When he arrived at the taverna, he was given a frosty reception by George her father. ‘What the hell are you doing here!’ he shouted and waved his hands in the air. ‘I thought I made it obvious to you yesterday that you are not welcome here!’ he came out from behind the bar, and confronted Morgan.
‘I didn’t know
you felt so strongly about it.’ Morgan tried to calm the stocky man down in front of some customers. ‘Can we talk about this!’ he led the owner away from the clientele, across to a table whilst Ismene’s sisters looked on.
‘I know who you are! She told me today, before I sent her away. I don’t want her to get mixed up in something that will cost her life.’
‘Mr Gallas, I would never put her in harm. I came back to let her know that I am leaving, to say goodbye!’
The man did not trust him and looked at him out of the corner of his eye. ‘I told her that you were trouble. I seen lots of boys like you, who think they can do things their way. Only for them all, to end up in one place, he stamped his foot on the floor. Six feet under, and in hell!’
Morgan looked at him, sighed and nodded. ‘OK I will be leaving soon. You have made your feelings known, and I am sorry I have angered you. Could I get one last drink until the people I am meeting arrive?’
‘OK! But then you go and don’t come back!’ he backed off, and the atmosphere in the bar and seated areas returned to a vibrant chatter as Greek music played at a soothing level.
Morgan sat outside the taverna and watched the traffic pass by, he was downhearted that he had been unable to see Ismene and his emotions were reflected in his facial expression as he sipped at his lager. Occasionally he looked back at the bar only to see Ismene’s reflection in Helena's face.
It was now six o’clock and four hours after taking Spiro’s phone call. Who the hell were his contacts and why
Ionian Gangster Boy - Book 2 Page 5
