His kiss became more intense and demanding, and Jackie felt a jolt of desire shooting right through her. Michael’s lips left her mouth and moved to the side of her neck, leaving a burning trail everywhere his lips touched her skin.
“I want you…” he whispered in her ear and she felt her heart thrill.
“Why are you doing this to me?” she murmured, keeping her eyes closed, feeling captivated in his arms.
“Doing what to you?” he asked teasingly. “I’m not doing anything to you. It’s you who’s driving me crazy and making me lose control.”
Jackie pulled back and looked at him straight in the eyes. Was it true? Did she really have this effect on him?”
“Oh, Michael…” she whispered, caressing his hair. “We really need to talk and get everything straightened out between us…”
The ringing of a phone interrupted her, and she jumped back surprised. She’d forgotten all about his phone and his lying about being out of range.
“You need to answer that!” Jackie pulled away from him, wrapping her arms protectively around her body.
Michael looked at her for a second and then answered his phone, turning his back on her and walking over to the window.
Jackie didn’t want to wait another minute. She turned on her heel and stormed out of the study and down the corridor. She needed to pack her stuff and get out of here at the first light of dawn. This was way too much for her. The sooner she left behind this old place, the better.
Who was she trying to fool? She wasn’t running away from the mansion or even her assignment. She was running away from Michael. The way she felt about him was something new for her. She wasn’t a quitter, and she’d never run away from anything in her life. But this time was different. This was something she couldn’t face.
The few superficial encounters she had with men in the past were nothing like the fiery passion she felt every time she was around Michael. None of the men she’d dated before had been able to touch her heart. She’d never moved on to more than a couple dead-end dates that lead to maybe a kiss or two, and that more out of curiosity than anything else.
Of course, her cousin Maria, who was a fiery little Greek and had broken lots of hearts, used to laugh and call her old-fashioned. But Jackie was very romantic deep down inside and always dreamed about true love. Except her cousins, who knew her very well, no one else could ever guess the strong-willed reporter, who seemed ready to confront just about anything and anybody, was saving herself for the one and only man she’d been dreaming of.
“Jackie!”
She heard him rushing down the corridor, calling out for her, but she wouldn’t stop. She climbed the steps to the second floor two at a time, and entered the bedroom she’d slept in, slamming the door behind her.
Seconds later, the door swung open, and Michael stormed into the room.
“Get your stuff!” he ordered her. “We have to get out of here right now.”
Even though this was exactly her intention, Jackie felt her temper rising with the way he was bossing her around. “I’m not going anywhere,” she stated, facing him defiantly.
“Jackie, I have no time for playing games!” Michael grabbed her by the arm, shaking her back to reality. “There has been another murder, and I have to be on the first plane to Athens.”
Jackie felt shaken and swallowed hard, trying to comprehend what he was telling her. “You go on,” she mumbled, not so sure about herself any more.
“You’re coming with me,” he said, and the finality in his voice left no room for other interpretations of his intentions.
Without another word, Jackie turned and started gathering up her stuff. She tried to keep her back straight and her hands from shaking.
“Listen…” Michael started in a softer voice.
Jackie turned around to face him, fighting back the tears.
“I’m sorry, I yelled at you, but we need to go now.”
“Who was it?” she asked shaking uncontrollably now. “Was it Aphrodite?”
“Oh, no,” he said. “Your cousin is fine.”
“Then who?”
“Elizabeth Kristalis,” he replied.
Jackie looked at him puzzled. Who was Elizabeth Kristalis and what did she have to do with the Demiris family?
“She is…well, she was Philip Manos’ secretary,” Michael answered her silent question. “And now, you’re probably wondering who Philip Manos is,” he continued, “but I have no time for explanations. The only thing I can tell you right now is that he’s the one responsible for all these murders.” He turned on his heel and walked right out of the room.
“Be downstairs in five minutes,” he yelled over his shoulder.
Jackie was packed and downstairs, a lot sooner than that. She didn’t want to spend another minute out here in the middle of nowhere with a killer on the loose. But where would they go in the dark? The path would be hard to find even in the bright daylight.
Michael appeared a few minutes later from the study carrying the briefcase. “Let’s go,” he said.
“How do we get out of here?” she asked, grabbing his arm.
“Through the back way,” he said simply and walked out the door.
He waited for Jackie to join him on the porch and he locked the door behind them.
Jackie started to walk towards her rental car, when she saw the police Jeep that Michael had parked around the corner.
“We’ll take the Jeep,” he said. “There’s no way that little car of yours will make it through the woods and up and down the hill.”
Jackie followed him to the Jeep and climbed in the passenger seat. Michael jumped in the driver seat and threw the briefcase in the back. “Put your seatbelt on,” he ordered her. “We’re in for a rough ride.”
Jackie held on to her seat as they sped through the woods. She was able to see only where the storm lights of the Jeep were shining. Her heart was pounding fast, and her mouth had gone dry. He wasn’t kidding at all when he said we’re in for a rough ride.
After a few agonizing minutes, the trail started going downhill towards the beach. She bounced around, holding her breath and sending side looks towards Michael. He was completely absorbed in keeping the Jeep on the trail and not over the edge. The narrow trail—if anyone could call it a trail—ended up on the beach. Michael steered the Jeep forward on the sand, riding along the coastline for a few minutes. Then he turned the wheel sharply to the left and started climbing up the hill again.
Climbing where? Jackie thought, panicking. She could see no trail or anything that looked like a trail, but Michael kept on going.
Thank God, he’s with me, she realized. I would have never found my way out of here. She gave him a sideways glance and was surprised to see him looking at her.
“Keep your eyes on the road!” she yelled at him.
“Calm down,” he said and his voice sounded calm and reassuring.
Jackie looked at him, shocked. “Are you serious?” she asked and glanced over his shoulder to the edge of the cliff, hanging beneath them. “How can I calm down when we could fall off the road and into the abyss at any second?”
“We’ll be fine,” he reassured her. “I know this trail like the back of my hand. I’ve been up and down these trails since childhood.”
“Well, maybe you have, but I haven’t, and I have every right to be scared,” she protested and crossed her arms over her chest to show that the conversation was over. But this didn’t last more than a few seconds when she had to uncross her arms again and grab hold of her seat. She heard his laugh and turned to give him a murderous look. They were going through hell, and he had the nerve to make fun of her. At least, the sun was about to rise, and it wasn’t as dark anymore.
Now they had climbed up the hill and were well inside the woods again, following a small trail covered in weeds and rocks. The Jeep was bouncing around but, at least, they’d left the cliff behind.
As they came around a corner to a spot with very few trees, Jac
kie saw the sun rising and was taken aback by the beauty of it. The golden rays reflected on the surface of the water, turning it to a magnificent spectrum of colors.
Michael slowed the Jeep and brought it to a stop. They sat silently for a moment or two, watching the magnificent view.
“It’s breathtaking,” she whispered and took a deep breath.
He kept silent, and as she turned to look at him, she saw his eyes fixed on her.
She felt her heart skipping a beat, seeing this seductive man looking at her with eyes filled with passion and promises.
“Don’t…” she whispered. “We have to go.”
Her words brought him back to reality, and the Jeep jumped forward. “We’ll get to the hotel in an hour or so, and I’ll drop you off,” he said. When, Jackie looked at him questioningly, he continued, “I have a couple of things to take care of, before we leave.”
Jackie glanced at her watch. It was six thirty-five in the morning. “What time does the flight leave?”
“Ten o’clock.”
“Are we going to make it?”
“We have to!” Michael replied and concentrated on his driving.
It wasn’t long before they turned onto the beach boulevard, and then, Michael started speeding up and passing the other cars. Jackie didn’t know which one was worse, climbing up the hill in the dark or speeding like a rocket on the boulevard. At least, it was still early, and there weren’t many cars on the road.
“Slow down,” she whispered and swallowed hard.
“It’s all right,” he reassured her and turned on the siren.
Jackie jumped, surprised at the sound. When she realized what it was, she had her doubts if it was better having it on. The other cars, of course, made way for them to pass, but, on the other hand, Michael’s driving got faster and more aggressive.
She looked at his profile and the strong hands holding steady onto the wheel and was left speechless by the feeling of pure desire, which shot right through her body like a hot wave. She couldn’t believe at a moment like this, wild thoughts of passion and desire would whirl around in her mind. They were in grave danger…and all she could think about was to unbuckle her seatbelt and climb onto his lap.
She bit her lip and forced herself to avert her gaze from his inviting body. Breathing heavily, she looked straight ahead, trying to control the rising flames of passion threatening to engulf her.
The sudden stopping of the car ahead of them made Jackie scream and throw her hands in front of her face. She felt her entire body going stiff, waiting to feel the unavoidable impact. But all she felt was a sudden swerve and then, the Jeep accelerated even more.
By the time they got to their hotel, Jackie was sweating and sick to her stomach. Taking her bag, she got out of the Jeep and walked towards the hotel entrance, trying to keep steady. She’d hardly reached the entrance, when she heard the Jeep spinning around and turned to see it disappearing down the street.
She walked upstairs and packed her stuff in a hurry. It didn’t take long, since she’d left most of her belongings in her luggage at the hotel, not intending to stay more than a couple of days at the mansion.
Opening the closet doors, she realized that someone had been through her stuff. She looked around puzzled. There was no other sign in the room of any intruder, but Jackie was very tidy and she could tell that someone had rifled through her clothing.
Who was it that broke into my room and what on earth was he looking for? Could it be that man, Philip Manos, Michael was talking about, or was it someone else?
She yanked a couple of dresses off their hangers. There was nothing she could do about it right now and she needed to hurry up. She had a plane to catch.
***
It was a little after nine when Michael walked into his hotel room and started packing his stuff in a hurry. There was no time to waste.
As he was packing, his mind was going over all the evidence he had collected so far. His recent visit to the Corfu police department had filled him in on some details and had shed a little light on some very interesting aspects of this complicated case. He thought about the dead attorney and the deal with Evergreens Resort. So there was more to it than what he’d thought at the beginning. This deal was even larger than the eight hundred acres he inherited from Constantinos.
Michael felt his anger choking him and he clenched his fists. How could someone be so ruthless, to step on everybody else just to increase his wealth and power? And what made him even more furious was that this someone was his own biological father.
***
Jackie was taken by surprise when she heard knocking on the door.
“I have to go now,” she told Stephanos and got off the phone. She walked over to the door and took a peek through the peephole. It wasn’t Michael. It was a uniform policeman standing in front of her door.
Now what? She was reluctant to open the door. Where was Michael and why would he send someone else to pick her up?
She stood there undecided, while the knocking was repeated.
Well, she was in a hotel with so many people around, Jackie decided. So she felt kind of safe to answer the door.
“Miss Alexander?” the policeman inquired, as soon as Jackie opened the door.
“Yes.”
“I must insist you accompany me to the police headquarters,” the policeman said.
“Where is detective Apostolou?” she asked cautiously.
“I don’t know. I’m just following orders.”
“I’m going to wait for detective Apostolou,” Jackie replied and was getting ready to close the door.
“I’m sorry, but I have strict orders to escort you to the police headquarters,” he replied, placing his hand against the door to prevent it from closing.
What now? What’s Michael up to? she wondered, looking at her watch. They were going to miss their flight, she thought, but had no other choice, than to follow the officer.
A police Jeep, similar to the one Michael had driven, was waiting outside and another policeman was sitting behind the wheel. Jackie climbed in the back seat, watching the policeman who escorted her, climb in the back beside her.
What on earth?
”Am I under arrest?” she asked.
“The officer beside her chuckled. “Not exactly,” he said and drew his gun and stuck it in her side.
***
Michael pounded on Jackie’s hotel room door. Why didn’t she answer? She better not have run away again. He’d shake her till her teeth rattled when he next saw her, if she had.
He called down to the front desk and asked the clerk to come up with a pass key. Several minutes later he impatiently checked his watch. Where the hell is that damn fellow?
He heard a bell ding signaling the elevator had arrived on the floor and he watched the clerk approach Jackie’s room. If he can’t move faster than that….
Michael felt like a caged animal, while the clerk opened Jackie’s door. Pushing him aside, he stormed in her room. He looked around and frowned, seeing Jackie’s suitcases packed and set side-by-side on the floor by the door. He strode to the bathroom and desperately searched every inch of the entire room, including the balcony. Jackie had vanished and Michael felt his heart tightening in his chest.
He knew exactly what he had to do, even though talking to Manos was the last thing on earth he wanted. But Jackie’s life was at stake and there was no time for second thoughts.
He rushed out of the hotel, just as two police-cars were pulling up. He ran right by them and jumped in his Jeep. As soon as he got on the beach boulevard, he pulled out his phone and called Tony.
“I have bad news,” he said, as soon as Tony answered the phone.
“I doubt it can top mine,” Tony replied, and Michael felt a kick in his stomach.
“What now?”
“You won’t believe it, but Anna’s brother, Stelios Kaloutsis, just identified Roussos among the pictures we showed him.”
“Identified Roussos? Where?”
Michael asked, feeling a cold sweat. If Roussos were involved, things were even worse than he thought possible.
“He identified Roussos as a passenger on a freighter that docked in Corfu the night the attorney was murdered.”
“But, how?” Michael wondered out loud, confused for a second.
“Stelios is a sailor on that ship,” Tony went on. “When he visited his family in Athens, he told Anna a weird looking character was on the ship. He would probably not have mentioned anything, if it weren’t for the murder that was all over the news next morning. Stelios had nothing concrete to tell the police, but he confided his suspicions to his sister. She took him to the police station and had him look at some mug shots. Now it’s your turn,” Tony concluded, and waited as silence stretched on the other end of the line.
“Jackie’s gone,” Michael said a couple of minutes later and there was a mixture of anger and worry in his voice.
“She ran away again?”
“I don’t think so,” Michael replied. “Not this time.” And after a moment’s hesitation, he added, “I think she was kidnapped.”
Tony drew a deep breath. “This is getting way out of control,” he said. “I’ll be on the first plane there.”
“No.”
“But you need me,” Tony insisted.
“I need you more in Athens,” Michael replied. “I need to know exactly what’s going on there. Besides, I might be flying back myself.”
“You think they might bring her here?” Tony asked.
“Maybe,” Michael replied. “I have to check a couple things out first, and then I’ll be on the first flight back.”
“What about Manos? You think he might know anything…about you, I mean?” he asked and Michael heard the hesitation in his voice. Tony knew that Manos being his biological father was a very touchy subject for Michael.
“I have no idea,” he confessed. “But it doesn’t matter anyway. I’m going after him and nothing will stop me now.”
Chapter Nine