Memories of Midnight (13 page)

The stranger hesitated for an instant, then ran for the open door The guard reached Chotas' side. 'Are you all right, Mr Chotas?' 'Ah . . . yes.'^Napoleon Chotas found himself struggling for breath. 'I'm fine.' 'What was he trying to do?' Napoleon Chotas said slowly, 'I'm not sure.'

It could have been a coincidence, Chotas told himself, as he sat at his desk. It's possible that the man was simply trying to rob me. But you don't use a gun with a silencer to rob people No, he intended to kill me. And Constantin Demiris would have professed to have been as shocked by the news as he had pretended to have been about the death of Frederick Stavros / should have known, Chotas thought. Demiris is not a man to take risks. He can't afford to leave any loose ends. Well, Mr Demiris is in for a surprise Napoleon Chotas' secretary's voice came over the intercom: 'Mr Chotas, you're due in court in thirty minutes.' Today was his summation in a serial murder case, but Chotas ,*] was too shaken to appear in a courtroom. 'Call the judge and ft explain that I'm ill. Have one of the partners cover for me. No A'' more calls.' |) He took a tape recorder from a desk drawer and sat there, i1 thinking. Then he began to speak.

Early that afternoon, Napoleon Chotas appeared at the office of the State Prosecuting Attorney, Peter Demonides, carrying a ' manila envelope. The receptionist recognized him at once /t 'Good afternoon, Mr Chotas. May I help you?' 'I want to see Mr Demonides.'

-o 'He's in a meeting. Do you have an appointment?' a 'No. Would you please tell him I'm here, and that it's urgent.' | 'Yes, of course.' Fifteen minutes later, Napoleon Chotas was ushered into the office of the Prosecuting Attorney 'Well,' Demonides said. 'Mohammed comes to the mountain. What can I do for you? Are we going to do a little plea bargaining this afternoon?' 'No. This is a personal matter, Peter.' 'Sit down, Leon.' When the two men were seated, Chotas said, 'I want to leave an envelope with you. It's sealed, and it is to be opened only in the event of my accidental death.' Peter Demonides was studying him, curious. 'Are you expecting something to happen to you?'

'It's a possibility.' 'I see. One of your ungrateful clients?' 'It doesn't matter who. You're the only one I can trust. Can you put this away in a safe where no one can get to it?' 'Of course.' He leaned forward. 'You look frightened.' 'I am.' 'Would you like my office to give you some protection? I could send a policeman along with you.' Chotas tapped the envelope. 'This is the only protection I need.' 'All right. If you're sure.' 'I'm sure.' Chotas rose and held out his hand. 'Efharisto I can't tell you how much I appreciate this.' Peter Demonides smiled. 'Parakalo. You owe me one.'

One hour later, a uniformed messenger appeared at the offices of the Hellenic Trade Corporation. He approached one of the secretaries 'I have a package for Mr Demiris.' till sign for it.' 'I have orders to deliver it to Mr Demiris personally.' 'I'm sorry, I can't interrupt him. Who is the package from?' 'Napoleon Chotas.' 'You're sure you can't just leave it?' 'Yes, ma'am.' till see if Mr Demiris will accept it.'

She pushed down an intercom switch. 'Excuse me, Mr Demiris. A messenger has a package for you from Mr Chotas.'

Demiris' voice came over the intercom. 'Bring it in, Irene.'

'He says he has orders to deliver it to you personally.' There was a pause. 'Come in with him.' Irene and the messenger entered the office.

'Are you Constantin Demiris?'

'Yes.'

'Will you sign for this, please?'

Demiris signed a slip of paper. The messenger laid the envelope on Demiris' desk. 'Thank you.'

Constantin Demiris watched his secretary and the messenger leave. He studied the envelope for a moment, his face thoughtful, then opened it. There was a tape player inside, with a tape in it Curious, he pressed a button and the tape began to play. Napoleon Chotas' voice came into the office 'My dear Costa: Everything would have been so much simpler if you had believed that Frederick Stavros did not intend to reveal our little secret. I regret even more that you did not believe that I had no intention of discussing that unfortunate affair. I have every reason to think that you were behind the death of poor Stavros, and that it is now your intention to have me killed. Since my life is as precious to me as yours is to you, I must respectfully decline to be your next victim ... I have taken the precaution of writing out the details of the part that you and I played in the trial of Noelle Page and Larry Douglas, and have placed it in a sealed envelope and given it to the Prosecuting Attorney to be opened only in the event of my accidental death. So now it is very much in your interest, my friend, to see that I stay alive and well.'

The tape ended Constantin Demiris sat there, staring into space. Ill When Napoleon Chotas returned to his office that afternoon, the fear had left him. Constantin Demiris was a dangerous man, but he was far from a fool. He was not going to harm anyone at the risk of putting himself in jeopardy. He's made his move, Chotas thought, and I have checkmated him. He smiled to himself. / suppose I had better make other plans for dinner Thursday.

During the next few days, Napoleon Chotas was busy getting ready for a new murder trial involving a wife who had killed her husband's two mistresses. Chotas rose early each morning and worked until late at night, preparing his cross-examinations. His instincts told him that against all odds he had another winner On Wednesday night, he worked at the office until midnight, and then drove home. He reached his villa at 1.00 and. His butler greeted him at the door. 'Would you care for anything, Mr Chotas? I can prepare some mezedes if you're hungry, or . . . ?' 'No, thank you. I'm fine. Go on to bed.' Napoleon Chotas went up to his bedroom. He spent the next hour going over the trial in his mind, and finally at two o'clock he fell asleep. He had dreams He was in court, cross-examining a witness, when the witness suddenly started to tear off his clothes 'Why are you doing that?' Chotas demanded. Tm burning up.' Chotas looked around the crowded courtroom and saw that all the spectators were undressing He turned to the judge. 'Your Honor, I must object to .

.' The judge was taking off his robe. 'It's too hot in here,' he said It is hot in here. And noisy Napoleon Chotas opened his eyes. Flames were licking at the bedroom door and smoke was pouring into the room. Napoleon sat up, instantly wide awake The house is on fire. Why didn't the alarm go off The door was beginning to buckle from the intense heat. Chotas hurried to the window, choking on the smoke. He tried to force the window open but it was jammed shut. The smoke was getting thicker, and it was becoming more difficult to breathe. There was no escape Burning emt>ers started dropping from the ceiling. A wall collapsed and a sheet of flames engulfed him. He screamed. His hair and pajamas were on fire. Blindly, he threw himself at the closed window and crashed through it, his blazing body hurtling to the ground sixteen feet below.

Early the following morning, State Prosecutor Peter Demonides was ushered into Constantin Demiris' study by a maid 'Kalirnehra, Peter,' Demiris said. 'Thank you for coming. Have you brought it?' 'Yes, sir.' He handed Demiris the sealed envelope that Napoleon Chotas had given him. 'I thought you might like to keep this here.' 'That's thoughtful of you, Peter. Would you care for some breakfast?' 'Efharisto. That's very kind of you, Mr Demiris.' 'Costa. Call me Costa. I've had my eye on you for some time, Peter. I think you have an important future. I'd like to find a suitable position for you in my organization. Would you be interested?' Peter Demonides smiled. 'Yes, Costa. I would be very interested.' 'Good. We'll have a nice chat about it over breakfast.' Chapter 9 London Catherine spoke to Constantin Demiris at least once a week and it became a pattern. He kept sending gifts and when she protested he assured her that they were merely small tokens of his appreciation 'Evelyn told me how well you handled the Baxter situation.' Or, 'I heard from Evelyn that your idea is saving us a lot of money in shipping charges.' As a matter of fact, Catherine was proud of how well she was doing. She had found half a dozen things in the office that could be improved. Her old skills had come back, and she knew that the efficiency of the office had increased a great deal because of her 'I'm very proud of you,' Constantin Demiris told her And Catherine felt a glow. He was such a wonderful, caring man.

It's almost time to make my move, Demiris decided. With Stavros and Chotas safely out of the way, the only person who could link him with what had happened was Catherine. The danger of that was slight but, as Napoleon Chotas had found out, Demiris was not a man to take chances. It's a pity, Demiris thought, that she has to go. She's so beautiful. But first, the villa in Rafina He had bought the villa. He would take Catherine there and make love to her just as Larry Douglas had made love to Noelle After that . . .

From time to time, Catherine was reminded of the past. She read in the London Times the news of the deaths of Frederick Stavros and Napoleon Chotas, and the names would have meant nothing to her except for the mention that they had been the attorneys for Larry Douglas and Noelle Page. That night she had the dream again.

One morning, Catherine saw a newspaper item that jolted her:

William Fraser, Assistant to US President Harry Truman, has arrived in London to work out a new trade agreement with the British Prime Minister She put down the paper, feeling foolishly vulnerable. William Fraser. He had been such an important part of her life. What would have happened if I hadn't left him Catherine sat at her desk, smiling tremulously, staring at the item in the newspaper. William Fraser was one of the dearest men she had ever known. Just the memory of him made her feel warm and loved. And he was here in London. I have to see him, she thought. According to the newspaper, he was staying at Claridge's Catherine dialed the number of the hotel, and her fingers were trembling. She had a feeling that the past was about to become the present. She found herself thrilled at the thought of seeing Fraser. What will he say when he hears my voice? When he sees me again The operator was saying, 'Good morning, Claridge's.' Catherine took a deep breath. 'Mr William Fraser, please.' 'I'm sorry, madam. Did you say Mr or Mrs William Fraser?' Catherine felt as though she had been struck. What a fool I am. Why didn't I think of that? Of course he could be married by now. 'Madam . . .' 'I ... Never mind. Thank you.' She slowly replaced the receiver. I'm too late. Ifs over. Costa was right. Let the past remain the past. air Loneliness can be a corrosive, eating away at the spirit. Everyone needs to share joy and glory and pain. Catherine was living in a world full of strangers, watching the happiness of other couples, hearing the echo of the laughter of lovers. But she refused to feel sorry for herself I'm not the only woman in the world who's alone. I'm alive! I'm alive!

There was never a shortage of things to do in London. The London cinemas were filled with American films and Catherine enjoyed going to them. She saw The Razor's Edge and Anna and the King of Siam. Gentleman's Agreement was a disturbing film, and Gary Grant was wonderful in The Bachelor and the Bobby Soxer Catherine went to concerts at the Albert Hall and attended the ballet at Sadler's Wells. She went to Stratfordupon-Avon to see Anthony Quayle in The Taming of the Shrew, and to see Sir Laurence Olivier in Richard I'll. But it was not as much fun going alone And then Kirk Reynolds came along It was in the office that a tall, attractive man walked up to Catherine and said, 'I'm Kirk Reynolds. Where have you been?' 'I beg your pardon?' 'I've been waiting for you.' That was how it began.

Kirk Reynolds was an American attorney, working for Constan-tin Demiris on international mergers. He was in his forties, serious-minded, intelligent and attentive When she discussed Kirk Reynolds with Evelyn, Catherine said, 'Do you know what I like about him most? He makes me feel like a woman. I haven't felt that way in a long time.' 'I don't know,' Evelyn demurred. 'I'd be careful if I were you Don't rush into anything.' 'I won't/ Catherine promised +vtork Reynolds took Catherine on a legal journey through London They went to the Old Bailey, where criminals had been tried over the centuries, and they wandered through the main hall of the law courts, past grave-looking barristers in wigs and gowns. They visited the site of Newgate Prison, built in the eighteenth century. Just in front of where the prison had been, the road widened, then unexpectedly narrowed again "That's odd,' Catherine said. 'I wonder why they built the road like that?' 'To accommodate the crowds. This is where they used to hold public executions.' Catherine shuddered. It hit too close to home.

One evening, Kirk Reynolds took Catherine to East India Dock Road, along the piers 'Not too long ago, this was a place where policemen walked in pairs,' Reynolds said. 'It was the hangout for criminals.' The area was dark and forbidding, and it still looked dangerous to Catherine They had dinner at the Prospect of Whitby, one of England's oldest pubs, seated on a balcony built over the Thames, watching the barges move down the river past the big ships that were on their way to sea Catherine loved the unusual names of London pubs. Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese and the Falstaff and the Goat In Boots. On another night they went to a colorful old public house in City Road, called The Eagle till bet you used to sing about this place when you were a child,' Kirk said Catherine stared at him. 'Sing about it? I've never even heard of this place.' 'Yes, you have. The Eagle is where an old nursery rhyme comes from.' 'What nursery rhyme?' 'Years ago, City Road used to be the heart of the tailoring trade and toward the end of the week, the tailors would find themselves short of money, and they'd put their pressing iron a weasel into pawn until payday. So someone wrote a nursery rhyme about it: Up and down the city road In and out The Eagle That's the way the money goes Pop goes the weasel.' Catherine laughed, 'How in the world did you know that?' 'Lawyers are supposed to know everything. But there's one thing I don't know. Do you ski?' Tm afraid not. Why . . . ?' He was suddenly serious. 'I'm going to St Moritz. They have wonderful ski instructors there. Will you come with me, Catherine?' The question caught her completely off-guard. Kirk was waiting for an answer 'I... I don't know, Kirk.' 'Will you think about it?' 'Yes.' Her body was trembling. She was remembering how exciting it had been to make love with Larry, and she wondered whether she could ever feel anything like that again. till think about it.'