Stathis still seemed bewildered and he shook his head. ‘But you were so adamant this was what you wanted to do.’
‘Yes, I know.’
‘And although I had my reservations, the idea is sound, the concept is original and making money from the people with money is always going to be a solid investment and I think?—’
‘I think that although I thought I was making my decisions from a place of authenticity,’ Kostas began, ‘those decisions were based on rocky foundations.’
‘Oh?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Is there anything I should know about?’
Kostas immediately shook his head but then he thought a bit harder. It was easier to say no, to keep his emotions buried, but Stathis was the person who managed so much of his life, including the image in the public domain. He knew things sometimes had to be spun to achieve the best outcome, but there was a difference between enhancing the truth and leaking lies.
‘I found out some things about my father,’ Kostas told him. ‘Right now, I need to sit with what it is and let it sink in, you know? But there will be a time when we should talk about it and perhaps… talk about it with the press.’
‘You are OK?’ Stathis asked, sounding as concerned as Kostas had ever heard him sound.
‘Yeah,’ Kostas said, managing a nod. ‘I’m OK. But we need to talk about a different idea I have had.’
Stathis dropped the ball to the court, sweat beading on his forehead. ‘Maybe this is going to give me the coronary incident, not the playing.’
‘Let’s find out,’ Kostas suggested. ‘And maybe, after I have told you and beaten you at the game, we can get a drink at this Fast and Tasty place.’
‘OK, shoot,’ Stathis said.
And with that, Kostas picked the ball up off the concrete, turned and faced the net and in one quick, smooth motion, he scored a basket just like that.
55
KOSTAS’S SUITE, HOTEL MARGARITÁRI, AVLAKI
‘Katerina, please tell me what’s going on,’ Faye said as they rushed up the steps to the luxury suites. She still had no idea what the problem was, and Katerina had been talking in virtual riddles since she had called her away from the pool area.
‘I cannot tell you. I have to show you. For two reasons.’
‘Which are?’
Now they were outside the door to Kostas’s suite and Katerina was fumbling with the keycard to get in. Why were they going in?
‘Katerina, what are we doing here? We can’t go in there. Is Kostas in there?’
‘I do not know if he is in there. Do you know if he is in there?’
Faye frowned. ‘No, but before you go bursting in perhaps you should knock? Or tell me why we are thinking of bursting in there.’
‘To find the truth. Or maybe… you already know the truth.’
Katerina was giving expressions like she was a TV detective, and suspects were getting ready to be assembled and the culprit revealed. But as amusing as that was, Katerina was usually such a direct, straight-to-the-point talker, and this caginess was completely out of character.
‘What truth, Katerina?’
‘I cannot speak of it out here,’ Katerina said, looking over her shoulder like the police or contract killers might be about to descend and find them guilty of something.
At last Katerina engaged the keycard and the door opened. Suddenly Faye felt nervous. Was this something bad like Katerina’s behaviour was suggesting? Or was this all going to be a non-event?
‘Éla!Come!’ Katerina beckoned, pushing the door of the suite.
