A present from Crete – Serial Part 3

“Please fasten your seat belts for our approach to Nikos Kazantakis Airport. The weather  in Heraklion is sunny with temperatures set to reach 27 degrees ”. The passengers gave a brief cheer and settled in their seats for landing.

Kris calculated. Thirty minutes to get through customs and passport control, then another hour to drive to Rethmynon. He would meet Mikalos and pick up the gun and then go and find her. Thank God he wouldn’t have to claim any luggage, the plane was packed with holiday makers and the queue would be horrendous. They had bought those matching holdalls two years ago for their last visit to Crete and had smugly congratulated themselves on how much easier life was with just hand luggage.

He was up and ready almost as soon as the plane taxied to a halt and moved swiftly down the steps and into the arrivals lounge. His flight from Stansted had coincided with flight from Athens, and the place was rammed full of holiday makers, family reunions and local business men. He regarded the long stream of excited travelers, cursing under his breath, and changed direction, he needed coffee.At the kiosk he dumped his bag on a table and moved to the counter, giving the young waitress his best smile. She was plump and pretty, with dark curly hair and he couldn’t resist turning on the charm, it only took him ten minutes to get her phone number and the promise of a date. She reminded him of someone, but he couldn’t quite make the connection.

The line for passport control and customs had reduced, so he joined it, coffee in hand. He nearly dropped the coffee when the one of the two uniformed officers placed a hand on his shoulder “Please come with us, don’t worry, its just routine..” They led him through an unmarked door into an interview room and asked him to open the bag. He complied politely, anxious to get it done quickly, Mikalos wouldn’t wait long if he didn’t show up on time. Then, as he watched them empty the holdall, his impatience turned to bewilderment. At the bottom was a package,  that  he had never seen before. It was about the size of paper back and as the contents spilled on to the table, a pungent herbal aroma filled the air.

He started to protest his innocence until the second custom’s officer caught his attention.“I’m sure we can resolve this quickly sir” She moved closer and lowered her voice “You’ll enjoy your time in Crete, Kris.” He looked at her closely for the first time and his bewilderment turned to a hard knot of dread in his stomach as realisation dawned. “ You should keep your luggage with you at all times you know, but you never could resist a pretty face, could you Kris? I reckon there’s enough here to put you away for at least six years. Such a handsome man, you’ll be very popular in gaol; they’ll fight over you like dogs”

As they took him away to be strip searched, Zena grinned, eyes cold. She gestured to the evidence bag on the table “A present from your EX wife, isn’t payback a bitch?” and she laughed out loud. If only Mairelen could see the expression on his face, but of course she would have to stay hidden, Kris had friends too.

Read Part 4 here

© Marilyn Hannan 2014 All rights reserved.