didn’t know what to say about where
you were going. The driver speaks English. He’ll take you wherever you want. You can
trust him. He’s a cousin.”
“Thanks. Tell the police I left for Limasol to consult my lawyer.” I pecked him on
either cheek, grabbed my pack and purse, and hurried from the room.
I figured the town of Polis on the northwest tip of the island was my best bet, since
it was close and in the opposite direction of Limasol. That’s where I told the driver
I wanted to go. The early morning was bright, blue and cloudless. I checked my watch.
Almost eight A.M.
The driver flew low, the speed most Cypriot drivers favored. As we approached the
turnoff for the Coral Bay Hotel, I debated whether to see if Zach were in. Maybe just
maybe, he could help. Who else did I have to turn to on the island? Everyone I knew
was related to Yannis in some way, and I didn’t want to pull him any further into
this fiasco.
I told the driver to turn in and wait with the motor running while I went into the
hotel. At the reception desk I asked for Zach’s room number and walked to his room
in the left wing of the hotel which overlooked the bay. I beat on the door and heard
a muffled voice call to come back after ten A.M. to clean.
“Zach, it’s me, Claudie. I need to speak to you.”
I heard footsteps, and the door burst open. He stood there in briefs and tousled hair.
He pulled me into the room. “What happened? What’s going on?”
I slipped by him and went to stand before the open doors of the patio. He followed,
and I could feel him behind me, waiting. In the distance the sea lapped in and out
in gentle waves, oblivious and uncaring about the melodrama of human life, in general,
and mine, in particular.
“Someone kidnapped Aunt Elizabeth,” I said, addressing the indifferent scene before
me. “About forty five minutes ago Yannis’s cousin called to warn us that the police
were on their way to his house, that they wanted me for questioning, that I’m a suspect.
So I took off. I have a taxi running outside.”
I turned around to face him. I didn’t know this man well, but maybe he could help
me find my aunt. I took a leap. “Do you have any connections that could help me find
out what’s happened to my aunt? This is a nightmare, and I need help.”
I must have looked pathetic standing there in my bedraggled ponytail, no makeup, my
backpack slung my shoulder. What I felt was frightened, like the walls were closing
in. I didn’t know who had my aunt or where she was.
He pulled me into a hug. Not a romantic hug, but one you would give a child. I could
feel his warm breath on my hair and he said in that soft drawl, “I’ll help you. Tell
the taxi driver to leave while I pull on some clothes.”
I started to protest but Zach placed his finger on my lips.
“I rented a Land Rover. We can go anywhere in that. I’ll explain in the car. Go. I’ll
get dressed and be out in ten minutes.”
I left the taxi driver with a generous tip then walked through the lobby with my backpack
and huge purse slung over my shoulder. People sat about the lounge in resort garb,
waiting for tours. The sitting area had carved chairs with cushions in a tropical
green pattern. A white grand piano stood to one corner. The area was open to the bay.
It would have been perfect had I been a mere vacationer. But I wasn’t. I was hunted
and I felt conspicuous, like people were staring at me. There was a line for breakfast,
so I went to the coffee bar by the swimming pool and ordered two coffees and sweet
rolls. The waiter was young and Nordic-looking. He asked if I cared for anything in
the coffee.
“Black, thank you. Cream on the side.”
He gave me a once over and that should have made me feel attractive and flirty, but
instead it made me uncomfortable, although I knew he couldn’t possibly know the police
were searching for me. He winked as I paid him. If
you were going. The driver speaks English. He’ll take you wherever you want. You can
trust him. He’s a cousin.”
“Thanks. Tell the police I left for Limasol to consult my lawyer.” I pecked him on
either cheek, grabbed my pack and purse, and hurried from the room.
I figured the town of Polis on the northwest tip of the island was my best bet, since
it was close and in the opposite direction of Limasol. That’s where I told the driver
I wanted to go. The early morning was bright, blue and cloudless. I checked my watch.
Almost eight A.M.
The driver flew low, the speed most Cypriot drivers favored. As we approached the
turnoff for the Coral Bay Hotel, I debated whether to see if Zach were in. Maybe just
maybe, he could help. Who else did I have to turn to on the island? Everyone I knew
was related to Yannis in some way, and I didn’t want to pull him any further into
this fiasco.
I told the driver to turn in and wait with the motor running while I went into the
hotel. At the reception desk I asked for Zach’s room number and walked to his room
in the left wing of the hotel which overlooked the bay. I beat on the door and heard
a muffled voice call to come back after ten A.M. to clean.
“Zach, it’s me, Claudie. I need to speak to you.”
I heard footsteps, and the door burst open. He stood there in briefs and tousled hair.
He pulled me into the room. “What happened? What’s going on?”
I slipped by him and went to stand before the open doors of the patio. He followed,
and I could feel him behind me, waiting. In the distance the sea lapped in and out
in gentle waves, oblivious and uncaring about the melodrama of human life, in general,
and mine, in particular.
“Someone kidnapped Aunt Elizabeth,” I said, addressing the indifferent scene before
me. “About forty five minutes ago Yannis’s cousin called to warn us that the police
were on their way to his house, that they wanted me for questioning, that I’m a suspect.
So I took off. I have a taxi running outside.”
I turned around to face him. I didn’t know this man well, but maybe he could help
me find my aunt. I took a leap. “Do you have any connections that could help me find
out what’s happened to my aunt? This is a nightmare, and I need help.”
I must have looked pathetic standing there in my bedraggled ponytail, no makeup, my
backpack slung my shoulder. What I felt was frightened, like the walls were closing
in. I didn’t know who had my aunt or where she was.
He pulled me into a hug. Not a romantic hug, but one you would give a child. I could
feel his warm breath on my hair and he said in that soft drawl, “I’ll help you. Tell
the taxi driver to leave while I pull on some clothes.”
I started to protest but Zach placed his finger on my lips.
“I rented a Land Rover. We can go anywhere in that. I’ll explain in the car. Go. I’ll
get dressed and be out in ten minutes.”
I left the taxi driver with a generous tip then walked through the lobby with my backpack
and huge purse slung over my shoulder. People sat about the lounge in resort garb,
waiting for tours. The sitting area had carved chairs with cushions in a tropical
green pattern. A white grand piano stood to one corner. The area was open to the bay.
It would have been perfect had I been a mere vacationer. But I wasn’t. I was hunted
and I felt conspicuous, like people were staring at me. There was a line for breakfast,
so I went to the coffee bar by the swimming pool and ordered two coffees and sweet
rolls. The waiter was young and Nordic-looking. He asked if I cared for anything in
the coffee.
“Black, thank you. Cream on the side.”
He gave me a once over and that should have made me feel attractive and flirty, but
instead it made me uncomfortable, although I knew he couldn’t possibly know the police
were searching for me. He winked as I paid him. If
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