‘But why are we meeting him?’
‘Well, you know I have my property in Agios Panteleimon that I rent out. I am thinking that perhaps I should sell.’
Faye swallowed. The property Dimitria had up the mountain in Agios Panteleimon had been the home she had shared with her husband, Spiros. Since his death some fifteen years ago Dimitria had never been able to live there but, also, she hadn’t had the strength to let it go. Faye knew the only reason Dimitria hadn’t suggested that she move into that one when she arrived back divorced and homeless was because Dimitria wouldn’t ever visit.
‘Really?’ Faye asked.
‘Well, what am I keeping it for? Yes, it provides a small income, but it always needs repairs and I have to pay somebody to do those and I never visit myself so maybe it is time for some changes.’
Faye reached for her friend’s hand and placed hers over it. Dimitria and Spiros had been so in love. It had shone from each of them and that magnetic energy had been contagious when you were in their company. That was the kind of love books were written about. The kind of love everyone deserved to experience at least once in their life.
‘Do not be nice to me,’ Dimitria ordered. ‘If I put tears all over this food I will be angry, not sad. Anyway, my current tenants are annoying. They have three dogs now and the new one I know is chewing everything because Maria sends me very detailed text messages even when I ask her not to.’
‘So you are going to ask this Alexandros to sell it for you,’ Faye assumed.
‘Perhaps I could ask you to go through the details with him? Maybe over a cocktail at Limani?’ Dimitria winked.
Faye’s phone beeped loudly and the screen lit up. Matthew. It beeped again. A second text. He never sent more than one text unless he really needed a reply. Was there something wrong with Saffron? Her fingers were inching towards the device…
‘It’s like the narcissist can hear us talking from across the miles,’ Dimitria said savagely. ‘Are you going to jump to reply to him? Do I need to remind you that you’re divorced and your duty ended a long time ago?’
‘I know,’ Faye said. ‘But we have always tried to keep things amicable for Saffron’s sake and it could be about her.’
‘Oh, I have no doubt,’ Dimitria stated, sipping at her dry white wine. ‘The first message will be something insignificant about Saffron and then the second message will be what he really wants.’
It irked Faye a little bit that Dimitria thought she didn’t know that already. But each and every time she felt she had to check in case it really was an emergency about Saffron.
‘If it was an emergency,’ Dimitria said, like she had mind-reading capabilities, ‘he would have called. Not messaged.’
Faye looked at her phone on the table. No call. No new notifications coming through. It couldn’t be that urgent. Could she not read it? At least for a while…
‘Meet Alexandros with me tomorrow,’ Dimitria said. ‘Make sure he understands that the house is… special to me. That although I want to sell it, I would like to make sure it went to the right people.’
Dimitria’s tone pulled at Faye’s heartstrings, and she reached again for her friend’s hand instead of her phone. ‘If you really want me to, I will.’
‘I really want you to,’ Dimitria said, nodding.
‘Then that’s settled.’
15
HOTEL MARGARITÁRI, AVLAKI
Kostas paced the living area of his suite, every step fuelled with more annoyance verging on anger. His phone was to his ear but wasn’t connecting until finally…
‘Parakaló.’
‘Poú eísai?Where are you, Stathi?’ Kostas bit as he went towards the balcony doors.
‘You got my email?’
Kostas heard Stathis yawn and that angered him even more as he stepped out onto the balcony. ‘Yes, I got your email. I am hoping you wrote it on the plane to Corfu. What time do you land? Because you did not say that in the email.’
‘Have you read the email?’
‘Is this an automated service? Some AI robot you’ve programmed to make responses for you? Yes, I’ve read the email! Now tell me you’re either landing here, or taking off from Athens.’ He leaned on the balcony wall.
‘You should consider Lefkada, Kosta.’
