She heard loud noises and angry voices and next thing she knew, her aunt Martha and Aphrodite walked in—or actually were shoved into the room—followed by Stephanos and…Stephanos!
Her eyes fluttered shut, and she slid onto the floor.
***
Michael clutched the machine gun resting on his lap.
The monotonous sound of the propeller and the humming of the helicopter’s engine were the only sounds ripping the silence inside the cabin.
All six police officers, including Michael, were sitting motionless. They kept their eyes on the dark horizon where sky and water blended together, while the pilot and co-pilot concentrated in maneuvering the helicopter with no lights on.
“A speedboat is approaching the yacht,” The voice of the Coast Guard officer crackled over the radio.
Two Coast Guard vessels had approached the yacht with no lights on, keeping a safe distance to remain undetected.
“We’ll be there shortly,” Stavros Doxiadis—the Chief of the Corfu Police Department sitting next to Michael—responded briskly. “Don’t make a move until we get there!”
If only we make it in time. Michael knew what Eric and his gangsters were capable of.
Feeling the stiffness in his body, he flexed his muscles anxious to get there. He felt like a trapped animal and could hardly wait to get his hands around Eric’s throat. He just hoped Jackie wasn’t caught in the crossfire, when all hell broke loose.
***
Jackie came around and tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids felt so heavy. She felt someone leaning over her and a cold wet cloth on her forehead.
What happened? She tried to raise her head which was pounding.
“Relax, sweetie,” she heard Martha’s soft voice and felt her hand caressing her cheek.
“Martha,” Jackie whispered and went back to sleep.
When she came around again, she was lying on a big bed in the middle of a room, and Martha and Aphrodite were sitting beside her on each side of the bed.
“Don’t,” Martha said softly, as Jackie tried to get up. “Take it easy” she continued. “You’re still very weak.”
“Are you all right?” Jackie asked them concerned. Their faces were distorted from fear and anxiety.
“We’re okay,” her aunt reassured her and Aphrodite nodded in agreement. “We were worried about you and all that you’ve been through.”
“But what’s going on?” Jackie asked confused. “Where is Stephanos? And why is he involved with Eric?” She realized that right before she passed out, she seemed to have seen two of them.
She looked at her aunt confused and Martha squeezed her hand. “It’s Nikos,” Martha said in a whispering voice.
“Nikos?” Jackie asked. “Who on earth is Nikos?”
“Nikos is Stephanos’ twin brother,” Martha explained and breathed out a deep sigh.
“More like the evil twin” Aphrodite added and turned a scared look at the door.
“Stephanos has a twin?” Jackie asked astonished. She’d lived with them for years and never heard anything about that before.
“Stephanos never talks about him” Martha explained. “He’s the black sheep of the family—selfish, brutal, violent, and above all obsessed with money and power. But their father, Alexandros Demiris—Constantinos’ and Emilia’s brother—found out soon enough the kind of person he was and threw him out of his family. We haven’t heard from him since, until now.
“But how did you guys get here?” Jackie asked.
“When you didn’t call in and we couldn’t reach you on your cell phone, we got worried and got on the first plane to Athens. At the Athens’ airport, a man approached us and showed us a photo of you. You were lying unconscious and tied up in something that looked like a cave. He told us to follow him quietly, if we ever wanted to see you alive again. Next thing we knew, we were in a helicopter and then a speedboat which brought us here.
“So that’s why he took me to that cave and then let me go just like that”
“What do you mean?” her aunt asked confused.
“Well, there’s so much to tell you,” Jackie said. “But, we’ll have plenty of time to talk later. For now, we have to concentrate on getting out of here.”
“That isn’t going to be easy,” her aunt admitted. “We’re on a yacht in the middle of nowhere with all these gangsters around us.”
“But where is Stephanos?” Jackie asked suddenly.
“I’m not sure,” Martha confessed. “They took him away right from the first moment we stepped foot inside the cabin, and we haven’t seen him since. I’m very worried.” Her voice broke to uncontrollable sobs.
***
Eric came in to find all three of them hugging and trying to comfort each other.
He stood at the door with a sarcastic smile on his face. “Now, that’s a fine family reunion,” he said and let out a loud laugh, which however didn’t touch his cold and vicious eyes.
His gaze rested on Aphrodite, and grabbing her by the arm, he pulled her to her feet and towards the door.
“Wait!” Both Jackie and Martha yelled at him at the same time, jumping up from the bed. “Where are you taking her?”
“What’s the matter, baby?” he asked Jackie sarcastically, totally ignoring Martha. “Are you jealous?”
Jackie looked at Aphrodite’s pale face and tried to control her temper and her voice. “Why don’t we go somewhere to talk about it?” she continued more calm this time. “Just the two of us” she added.
“You had your chance,” he retorted. “And you blew it! But that’s just fine. This one is a knockout as well and a lot younger too,” he added and yanked Aphrodite towards the door.
The engine started suddenly with a roar and the yacht lurched forward. A commotion on the stairs distracted Eric and he let go of Aphrodite and walked outside into the passageway. Nikos and Alex appeared dragging Stephanos with them. They pushed Eric aside and shoved Stephanos into the room. Then they slammed the door closed and locked it from the outside.
All three women ran to Stephanos lying on the floor. His hands were tied behind his back and his face was battered and bruised. It seemed that Nikos had let all his fury out on him.
Jackie dropped to her knees beside him and began picking at the knots binding his hands.
“I’m all right,” Stephanos tried to reassure them.
The yacht suddenly wheeled to the right and accelerated. The three women clutched at each other as tumbled in a heap on the floor beside Stephanos. They held on to each other, holding their breaths.
Suddenly, all hell broke loose upstairs with gunshots and loud, angry voices.
All four of them looked at each other petrified.
***
Michael drew a deep breath, as a dim light appeared on the horizon. They were getting closer. The helicopter moved towards the light, flying low above the calm waters.
“We’re moving in” Stavros said, and almost simultaneously, the two Coast Guard vessels started their engines and took off, while their spotlights came on pinpointing the yacht.
The helicopter was almost over the yacht, when the yacht’s engine started abruptly and making a sharp right turn, it took off heading away from the Coast Guard toward the Italian coastline. At the same time, massive gunfire started from the yacht against the Coast Guard ships and the police helicopter.
The vessels chased the yacht, refraining from responding to the gunfire. There was at least one hostage aboard. The helicopter hovered over the yacht and the six police officers prepared to slide down the ropes dropped from both sides of the chopper.
Michael grabbed a rope and started inching down, legs wrapped around the rough material, one hand holding it and the other clenched around his machine gun. The ropes swayed beneath the helicopter, and the police officers—all ex-special forces—fought to keep their balance and make it safely aboard the yacht, while dodging bullets flying all around them.
In the meantime one of the Coast Guard v
essels had overtaken the yacht and suddenly swung across its bow, forcing it to veer to starboard, where the other Coast Guard vessel approached alongside. The yacht came to an abrupt stop, striking the hull of the Coast Guard vessel next to it. The Coast Guard officers boarded the yacht, at the same time the police officers reached the deck.
Michael ducked, letting go of the rope and took off towards the cabin. Jackie had to be somewhere downstairs. He needed to get to her as soon as possible. He moved swiftly, concentrating on the entrance of the cabin, while a man-to-man battle started on deck.
Reaching the cabin, he launched inside, fell to the ground and rolled to his right. The inside was dark. He waited motionless, his senses on high alert. Nothing….
Where is she? And where is Eric? Michael was sure he hadn’t spotted Eric on deck.
He moved to the back of the main cabin, to the stairs that lead somewhere below. Stavros appeared right behind him.
“I’ve got your back” Stavros whispered.
They descended the stairs and followed a narrow corridor, when halfway down two heavy-built men appeared out of nowhere and attacked them. Special Forces training Michael realized, recognizing the technique of his opponent.
With a sudden move, his opponent—a lot heavier than Michael—threw him on the floor and pinned him down. Simultaneously screams broke out from somewhere at the end of the passageway. Michael broke loose and kneed his opponent in the gut, overturning him. He sprang to his feet and kicked him hard in the belly. While his opponent crouched groaning, Michael took off towards the end of the corridor. His heart thundered in his chest.
Launching inside a half open door, he collided with another man. From the corner of his eye, he glimpsed Jackie and two other women crouched in the back of the small cabin and a man lying on the floor beside them. Furious, he quickly overtook his opponent and threw him on the ground like an empty sack. Looking down at him to make sure he was unconscious, Michael felt utter satisfaction when he recognized Eric.
Snapping cuffs on him, Michael swiftly turned and reached for Jackie, as she let out a happy cry and fell into his arms. He squeezed her against his body, thankful she was still alive.
“All you all right?” He pulled a little back to search her face.
“Yes…yes,” she whispered. “I’m fine now.” She rested her head on his chest, keeping her arms tightly wrapped around his waist.
Michael breathed out relieved. He grinned at the dumbfounded look on the faces of the other three people in the cabin. Obviously, they weren’t used to seeing Jackie throw herself into a policeman’s arms.
“Is everything okay?” Stavros asked, appearing at the door.
“Yes,” Michael responded, not letting go of Jackie. “What about them?” he asked motioning towards the corridor.
“They’re down,” Stavros confirmed and scanned the room. He recoiled, seeing Stephanos on the floor. “What the hell?”
Michael looked at him inquiringly.
Stavros motioned to him to follow him outside.
Michael released Jackie and stepped outside the cabin to the corridor which was now well lit. He was surprised to see Nikos on the floor. So he was the worthy opponent he had to fight earlier. He was right to recognize the Special Forces moves. He’d never met Nikos before, but he’d heard about Stephanos’ twin who had trained in the Special Forces before he went away to work as a mercenary.
Next to Nikos, Alex lay on the floor in pretty bad shape.
Michael looked at Stavros who shrugged his shoulders. “I had a hard time with that one” Stavros said. “It seems that most of Manos’ recruits are mercenaries.”
“Michael…” Jackie’s voice drew Michael’s attention back to the entrance of the cabin. She was standing there, holding on the Aphrodite, with Martha right behind them, supporting Stephanos’ efforts to stand.
“Everything is all right,” Michael reassured her. “You’re all safe now.”
Epilogue
It was a beautiful warm day in late September and the sun was shining brightly. Jackie stretched lazily in the lounge chair on the second floor balcony of the mansion, enjoying the amazing view.
She let her eyes wander along the manicured gardens and the woods that stretched all the way down to the beach. She just couldn’t get over the shimmering, golden and turquoise waters of the Ionian Sea, which could be seen from the second floor of the mansion.
She looked down on her hand, admiring the white-gold ring, with the breathtaking sapphire—her birthstone—in the middle of it and the sparkling diamonds surrounding it and smiled, feeling her heart overflow with joy and happiness.
How different things seemed now from that night she came out here for the first time…the night she met Michael.
Her thoughts flew back to last month’s events and their miraculous rescue from the yacht. Michael had explained to them that after Jackie was taken, he immediately notified the authorities. The Coast Guard followed the speedboat with Jackie and the three gangsters to the yacht, and they kept a close watch until the police got there in the helicopter. Then they all together moved in.
Eric Manos and Nikos Demiris, as well as all their gangsters were arrested and taken back to Athens. They would stand trial—along with Philip Manos—for the murders they had committed to eliminate all the heirs to the Demiris fortune and keep it for themselves.
Nikos had partnered with Philip Manos long ago, each one for his own reasons.
Nikos needed Philip Manos for his power and connections. He wanted Manos to help him eliminate all the heirs and take what he believed was rightfully his.
On the other hand, Manos needed Nikos to help him with the dirty work, and, of course, to have someone to blame for the murders in case something went wrong. Manos wanted to take his revenge on the Demiris family, while at the same time, accomplish his ultimate plan—to take over all valuable pieces of beachfront property he could get his hands on and monopolize the tourism of the island.
When Philip Manos was arrested, Nikos had no choice than to go along with Eric, but he wasn’t going to let Eric boss him around. They were going to wrap things up and get rid of Stephanos, his family, and Jackie as well, in order for Nikos to take over the Demiris fortune and give Eric back the piece of property which previously belonged to the Manos family.
Along with the Demiris family murders and Manos’ arrest, another case was resolved as well—the case of the Evergreens Resort. Manos’ corporation had created another offshore company that had blackmailed the owners of the pieces of property where the resort was now built and bought it from them for a fraction of their actual value. There was also evidence that the attorney, Nancy Felini, was involved in the illegal property deeds transfers. By wrapping up this case and closing down Manos’ offshore company, the rightful owners could claim back their land.
Jackie heard laughter coming from the garden below, and her heart felt lighter. She stood up and walked over to the balustrade and looked down at Stephanos, Martha, Aphrodite and Michael walking in the backyard towards the small pond with the stone waterfall and the lilies.
All her family together.
She was so happy Stephanos, Martha and Aphrodite had decided to stay and spend a few weeks with Michael and Jackie, while they recovered from their ordeal and put the pieces of their lives back together.
Stephanos was still limping a little but no longer depended on a cane. Martha and Aphrodite looked relaxed and content.
***
With all the loose ends resolved, Michael had accepted his inheritance. He kept the estate on the island and one third of the Demiris Corporation Shares, while he transferred the other two-thirds of the shares, as well as the other house on the island, to Stephanos and Loula Demiris.
The family fortune was vast—more than anyone of them had dreamed—and more than enough to share.
The Demiris Corporation, which owned properties, hotels, restaurants and other businesses all around the world, was run by a very efficient Board of Dire
ctors and was incredibly profitable.
The treasure of the secret room was also split in three shares.
No matter how much Michael hated his biological father, he couldn’t abandon his autistic half-brother, George Kristalis, who was left alone after his mother was murdered. Michael set up a special trust fund for him and arranged for proper housing, as well as educational and emotional support. He had also instructed his attorneys to make sure George received his rightful share from the Manos family fortune.
***
Jackie looked at her ring one more time and her thoughts flew back to that special night on September eight—her birthday—when Michael proposed to her on that same balcony over a candlelight dinner.
She was overwhelmed by her powerful emotions for him and happy that all their differences had been resolved and trust had been established between them.
For Jackie trust was just as important in a relationship as chemistry. She had finally found the one and only man she had been dreaming of and was looking forward to a life “spellbound in his arms.”
The End
About the Author
Angel Sefer was born in Athens, Greece. She has studied and worked on both sides of the Atlantic. She holds a degree in Economics, and divides her time between the corporate world and her true passion: reading and writing romance, mystery and adventure novels.
She lives in Athens, Greece, with the two loves of her life—her son and her husband—and her wonderful and supportive family.
Angel is a member of several writers groups.
Note from the Author
The Greek Isles Series
The Greek islands—alluring destinations which cast a spell on the visitor from the very first moment—are among my favorite settings. I’ve written a whole series of romance and mystery novels—The Greek Isles Series—each taking place on a different island.