Target: Tinos Read Online Free Page B

revenge that way.” Tassos pointed the tiny spinach pie at his chest. “I know the tsigani very well and they know me, but I wouldn’t have gotten any more out of those interviews than Odysseus did. The two were killed to deliver a very specific message. Any response had to come from the one who received it. No other tsigani would dare make that decision. Certainly not by talking to cops. Besides, tsigani know from experience that cops don’t give a shit about what happens to them.”
    “Some of us do,” said Andreas.
    “We know that, they don’t.” Tassos popped the spanakopita into his mouth.
    “So, what do you suggest we do?” said Kouros.
    Tassos finished chewing. “Find a tsigani who can get us answers. My money’s on this not being tsigani revenge killings, but since the victims were tsigani that’s where I’d start.”
    “Have anyone particular in mind?” said Andreas.
    “A few. Even the tsigani king owes me some favors. He shows up on Tinos every year a few days before August 15th to join in the celebration of the Assumption of the Virgin. Makes quite an entrance.”
    “I bet,” said Andreas.
    “What does our minister have to do with all of this?” said Maggie.
    “He implied the Prime Minister is all over him to close the case,” said Andreas.
    “Do you believe him or is it just more of that name-dropping bullshit he thinks gets us to do what he wants?” said Tassos.
    Andreas shrugged. “I reached Odysseus on vacation. He said everything he knows about it is in the file and that if we want to call it closed, ‘be my guest.’ But he told Spiros he wouldn’t be the one to do it.”
    “I always liked Odysseus,” said Tassos. He looked at Andreas. “If it’s not the Prime Minister pushing him, why do you think Spiros is so anxious to end the investigation?”
    “I hope it’s not because he’s trying to protect someone,” said Kouros.
    Maggie shook her head. “Spiros isn’t an idiot. He just treats everyone like he thinks they are. No way he’d be dumb enough to bring you guys into this if he wanted to pull off a cover-up.”
    “I don’t know,” said Kouros. “Our politicians are so arrogant these days at all they’ve gotten away with that I think they believe they can do just about anything they damn well please.”
    “What do you think has Spiros so anxious, Chief?” said Maggie.
    “I think he’s honestly afraid that something might turn up along the lines of tsigani being victims of a hate crime. And he knows if that happens at least he, if not the whole country, will be back in hot water with the press.”
    “I can see his point,” nodded Maggie. “Remember how fired up the international media was when the crazy French started deporting tsigani ? Just imagine how they’d tear us apart, the E.U.’s bad-boy, if they could run a story that has Greece addressing its immigration problems by declaring open season on tsigani .”
    “I’d rather not,” said Andreas.
    “Me either,” said Tassos. “We don’t deserve it.” He stood up. “If you’ll excuse me, folks, I have a tsigani to find.”
    “Happy hunting,” said Kouros.
    Andreas stared at Kouros. “At times your sense of humor is worse than his.”
    “Then buy me a beer. I’ll try to be funnier.”
    “Deal.”
    ***
    Beer was a big seller in Greece. Ouzo and retsina surely were too, and plainly the romanticized choice of tourists, but beer was the day-to-day staple. Andreas and Kouros were in plainclothes alone at a table in the back of a rundown taverna in a graffiti-covered, 19th Century, two-story neoclassical building. It was tucked away on one of the narrow commercial streets at the western end of Alexandras Avenue by the Victoria metro station. As shabby as the place was it had a certain old-world charm definitely not present in any of its late 20th Century, anonymous concrete neighbors.
    “How the hell did you find this place?” said Andreas.
    “A buddy brought me here a couple weeks ago. Said