don’t you?” Nikolaus answered back.
The old man leaned forward pounding a fist on the table. “Dammit Nikolaus, grow up and be a man! This is all going to be yours someday. At least it will be if you show me your worthy of it. You’re my only heir, but so far I’m greatly disappointed in you.”
Unshaken by the display of anger, the young man answered back. “Perhaps if you’d been more of a father, I wouldn’t be so disappointing to you. You kept me away in Athens for most of my life and never have given me a meaningful position within the company. If it weren’t for the financial support provided by my mother …”
“Enough,” said his father sitting back trying to gain control over his emotions. “We aren’t going to go over old ground. I’m offering you a chance to show me you’re worthy to take over the shipping company. You stand to inherit far more than I did from my father, but you’re going to work for it. And, you’re going to stop running around with whores and find yourself a wife. I want grandchildren. I want to be assured the Drakos legacy will live on.”
That last two sentences caught Nikolaus by surprise. It showed a weakness that he had never seen in his father. He gave a wry smile.
“Is that what this is all about, Grandchildren?”
“No, it’s more than that,” replied his father. It’s about you showing respect. If not for me, then for yourself, or for your mother if that matters. I don’t care which. It’s high time you did.”
“Okay father,” he said, his mind working on the proposition set before him. “We’ll call a truce and see what happens. I’ll take over the longshore operation and prove to you I’m up to the challenge. As for that wife thing? I’m not making any promises. The last thing I want is to father children just to make you happy. If I meet the right woman, then we’ll see.”
Without acknowledging Nikolaus’ reply his father said, “Go down to the docks tomorrow. I’ll call Dimitris and let him know you’re coming. He’ll give you a tour and introduce you to the men. Take this seriously Nikolaus,” he added with a stern look.
As he got up to leave, Nikolaus said to his father. “I saw Shelley Steward the other night in Bistro Bistro. I gave her your regards and told her to tell the same to Doug Williams.
The old man just grumped under his breath in response as Nikolaus departed.
Reese’s meeting earlier that morning with Doug Williams went well. He had provided the name to her first lead to learn what was going on at the docks of Drakos Shipping. She was to meet with an informant who went by the moniker ‘Scratch’ at 11 A.M. outside the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. Reese was to tie a piece of red cloth around her handbag for identification.
She had been waiting twenty minutes and was about to leave when a man, wearing a green T-shirt and black Dockers jeans, walked up to her and made a query.
“Miss Summers?” he inquired.
She turned toward him. His dirty blonde hair was cut short and he had a dragon tattoo wrapped around his right forearm. “Are you Scratch?” she asked in return.
“That’s my street name,” he said, looking her over. “Mr. Williams never indicated that you’d be pretty. Kind of young too, aren’t you?”
“Look fella,” she said, “hasn’t anybody ever told you not to judge a book by its cover? And what do my looks have to do with anything? I’m here to listen to what you have to say about what’s going on at the Drakos piers. I don’t have time for your male fascinations. Do you have something for me or not?”
“Alright lady, you made your point,” he said, pausing. “Got any cigarettes? I’m trying to quit but I suddenly got an urge.”
“No, I don’t smoke,” she said, losing her patience and sarcastically suggested. “You want a candy bar instead? I’ll get you one if that will get you talking.”
Reeling backwards a little he answered, “You think you’re cute,
The old man leaned forward pounding a fist on the table. “Dammit Nikolaus, grow up and be a man! This is all going to be yours someday. At least it will be if you show me your worthy of it. You’re my only heir, but so far I’m greatly disappointed in you.”
Unshaken by the display of anger, the young man answered back. “Perhaps if you’d been more of a father, I wouldn’t be so disappointing to you. You kept me away in Athens for most of my life and never have given me a meaningful position within the company. If it weren’t for the financial support provided by my mother …”
“Enough,” said his father sitting back trying to gain control over his emotions. “We aren’t going to go over old ground. I’m offering you a chance to show me you’re worthy to take over the shipping company. You stand to inherit far more than I did from my father, but you’re going to work for it. And, you’re going to stop running around with whores and find yourself a wife. I want grandchildren. I want to be assured the Drakos legacy will live on.”
That last two sentences caught Nikolaus by surprise. It showed a weakness that he had never seen in his father. He gave a wry smile.
“Is that what this is all about, Grandchildren?”
“No, it’s more than that,” replied his father. It’s about you showing respect. If not for me, then for yourself, or for your mother if that matters. I don’t care which. It’s high time you did.”
“Okay father,” he said, his mind working on the proposition set before him. “We’ll call a truce and see what happens. I’ll take over the longshore operation and prove to you I’m up to the challenge. As for that wife thing? I’m not making any promises. The last thing I want is to father children just to make you happy. If I meet the right woman, then we’ll see.”
Without acknowledging Nikolaus’ reply his father said, “Go down to the docks tomorrow. I’ll call Dimitris and let him know you’re coming. He’ll give you a tour and introduce you to the men. Take this seriously Nikolaus,” he added with a stern look.
As he got up to leave, Nikolaus said to his father. “I saw Shelley Steward the other night in Bistro Bistro. I gave her your regards and told her to tell the same to Doug Williams.
The old man just grumped under his breath in response as Nikolaus departed.
Reese’s meeting earlier that morning with Doug Williams went well. He had provided the name to her first lead to learn what was going on at the docks of Drakos Shipping. She was to meet with an informant who went by the moniker ‘Scratch’ at 11 A.M. outside the Ships of the Sea Maritime Museum. Reese was to tie a piece of red cloth around her handbag for identification.
She had been waiting twenty minutes and was about to leave when a man, wearing a green T-shirt and black Dockers jeans, walked up to her and made a query.
“Miss Summers?” he inquired.
She turned toward him. His dirty blonde hair was cut short and he had a dragon tattoo wrapped around his right forearm. “Are you Scratch?” she asked in return.
“That’s my street name,” he said, looking her over. “Mr. Williams never indicated that you’d be pretty. Kind of young too, aren’t you?”
“Look fella,” she said, “hasn’t anybody ever told you not to judge a book by its cover? And what do my looks have to do with anything? I’m here to listen to what you have to say about what’s going on at the Drakos piers. I don’t have time for your male fascinations. Do you have something for me or not?”
“Alright lady, you made your point,” he said, pausing. “Got any cigarettes? I’m trying to quit but I suddenly got an urge.”
“No, I don’t smoke,” she said, losing her patience and sarcastically suggested. “You want a candy bar instead? I’ll get you one if that will get you talking.”
Reeling backwards a little he answered, “You think you’re cute,
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