An unmarked gray sedan pulled in behind the taxi, keeping a discreet distance. The taxi headed south, past Monastiraki. In the sedan, the detective seated next to the driver picked up the hand microphone.
"Central. This is Unit four. The subject is in a taxi. It's driving down Philhellinon Street...Wait. They just turned right at Peta Street. It looks like he's headed for the Plaka. We might lose him in there. Can you have a detail follow him on foot?"
"Just a minute, Unit four." A few seconds later, the radio crackled back to life. "Unit four. We have assistance available. If he gets off at the Plaka, he'll be kept under surveillance."
"Kala. The subject is wearing a red check jacket, green trousers, and a red beret. He's hard to miss. Wait a minute. The taxi is stopping. He's getting out at the Plaka."
"We'll pass on the information. He's covered. You're clear. Out."
At the Plaka, two detectives were watching as the man emerged from the taxi.
"Where the hell did he buy that outfit?" one of the detectives wondered aloud.
They closed in behind him and began to follow him through the crowded maze of the old section of the city. For the next hour he strolled aimlessly through the streets, wandering past tavernas, bars, souvenir shops, and small art galleries. He walked down Anaphiotika and stopped to browse at a flea market filled with swords, daggers, muskets, cooking pots, candlesticks, oil lamps, and binoculars.
"What the hell is he up to?"
"It looks like he's just out for an afternoon stroll. Hold it. There he goes."
They followed as he turned into Aghiou Geronda and headed for Xinos restaurant. The two detectives stood outside at a distance, watching him order.
The detectives were beginning to get bored. "I hope he makes a move soon. I'd like to go home. I could use a nap."
"Stay awake. If we lose him, Nicolino will have our ass."
"How can we lose him? He stands out like a beacon."
The other detective was staring at him.
"What? What did you say?"
"I said..."
"Never mind." There was a sudden urgency in his voice. "Did you get a look at his face?"
"No."
"Neither did I. Tiflo! Come on."
The two detectives hurried into the restaurant and strode up to his table.
They were looking into the face of a complete stranger.
Inspector Nicolino was in a fury. "I had three teams assigned to follow Rizzoli. How could you lose him?"
"He pulled a switch on us, Inspector. The first team saw him get into a taxi and..."
"And they lost the taxi?"
"No, sir. We watched him get out. Or at least we thought it was him. He was wearing a wild outfit. Rizzoli had another passenger hidden in the taxi, and the two men switched clothes. We followed the wrong man."
"And Rizzoli rode away in the taxi."
"Yes, sir."
"Did you get the license number?"
"Well, no, sir. It - it didn't seem important."
"What about the man you picked up?"
"He's a bellboy at Rizzoli's hotel. Rizzoli told him he was playing a joke on someone. He gave him a hundred dollars. That's all the boy knows."
Inspector Nicolino took a deep breath. "And I don't suppose anyone knows where Mr. Rizzoli is at this moment?"
"No, sir. I'm afraid not."
Greece has seven main ports - Thessaloniki, Patras, Volos, Igoumenitsa, Kavala, Iraklion, and Piraeus.
Piraeus lies seven miles southwest of the center of Athens, and it serves not only as the main port of Greece but as one of the major ports of Europe. The port complex consists of four harbors, three of them for pleasure boats and ocean-going vessels. The fourth harbor, Herakles, is reserved for freighters fitted with hatches opening directly onto the quay.
The Thele was lying at anchor at Herakles. It was a huge tanker, and, lying still in the dark harbor, it resembled a giant behemoth ready to pounce.
Tony Rizzoli, accompanied by four men, drove up to the pier. Rizzoli looked up at the huge ship and thought, So it is here. Now let's see if our friend Demiris is aboard.
He turned to the men with him. "I want two of you to wait here. The other two come with me. See that nobody gets off the ship."
"Right."
Rizzoli and two men walked up the gangplank. As they reached the top, a deckhand approached them. "Can I help you?"
"We're here to see Mr. Demiris."
"Mr. Demiris is in the owner's cabin. Is he expecting you?"
So the tip-off was right. Rizzoli smiled. "Yeah. He's expecting us. What time is the ship sailing?"
"At midnight. I'll show you the way."
"Thank you."
They followed the sailor along the deck until they came to a ladder that led below. The three men trailed him down the ladder and along a narrow passageway, passing half a dozen cabins along the way.
When they arrived at the last cabin, the sailor started to knock. Rizzoli pushed him aside. "We'll announce ourselves." He shoved the door open and walked in.
The cabin was larger than Rizzoli had expected. It was furnished with a bed and a couch, a desk, and two easy chairs. Behind the desk sat Constantin Demiris.
When he looked up and saw Rizzoli, Demiris scrambled to his feet. His face paled. "What...what are you doing here?" His voice was a whisper.
"My friends and I decided to pay you a little bon voyage visit, Costa."
"How did you know I...? I mean...I wasn't expecting you."
"I'm sure you weren't," Rizzoli said. He turned to the sailor. "Thanks, pal."
The sailor left.