The Church Murders: A stand-alone thriller (Greek Island Mysteries Book 2) Read online

  Greek Island Mystery # 2

  (Stand-alone thriller)

  THE

  CHURCH

  MURDERS

  By Luke Christodoulou

  Author of The Olympus Killer (Amazon #1 Bestseller)

  Copyrighted Material

  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

  The author is the exclusive owner to the rights of this electronic work.

  The right of Luke Christodoulou to be identified as the Author of the Work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission.

  This book is a work of fiction and any resemblances to persons (living or dead) or events is purely coincidental.

  Cover design: Maria Nicolaou (Mj.Vass)

  http://99designs.com/users/1158351

  Published by: GreekIslandMysteries

  Copyright © 2015 by Luke Christodoulou

  To my wife Polina. You are my penguin.

  To my daughter Ioli. You crazy, little bundle of joy... I love you.

  Also, a huge thank you to my editing and proofreading team! You guys rock!

  Books by Luke Christodoulou:

  The Olympus Killer (Greek Island Mystery #1) - 2014

  The Church Murders (Greek Island Mystery #2) - 2015

  Death Of A Bride (Greek Island Mystery #3) - 2016

  24 Modernized Aesop Fables - 2015

  Praise for the Greek Island Mysteries (Book Series):

  All books in the series are rated 4-plus stars on Amazon, Goodreads and Book Reviewing Blogs.

  'The Church Murders would appeal to any reader who enjoys murder mysteries, suspenseful reads, or action adventure novels. I am pleased to recommend this book and hope that author Christodoulou is working on his next book in this promising series.'

  - Chris Fischer for Readers' Favorite

  ‘The Greek James Patterson strikes again’

  - Greek Media

  '... does a masterful job writing a twisted murder story set under the Greek sun.'

  - Ruth Rowley

  ‘Great entertainment that begs to be made into a movie (...) a wealth of great stories here, well-paced and filled with believable characters, beautiful Greek imagery, fascinating insights into Greek culture and some wonderful, humorous touches.Excellent plot twists too - I really didn't see those coming. These stories can rival the best-sellers and - to be honest - the book knocks many of the famous names out of the park - an easy style, intense plot-lines, superbly life-like characters and all this against the backdrop of gorgeous Greece and its fascinating history and culture.’

  - Meandthemutts Book Reviewer

  ‘The Church Murders is a juxtaposition of the beautiful (and gorgeously described) Greek Isles and the brutal, horrific murders that take place there’.

  - Michael Young History

  ‘Another one, I could not put down’ – Jan Felton

  ‘... meticulously crafted work. The author delivers another unique, powerful and provocative story’.

  - Alex (Amazon Reviewer)

  ‘Anxiously waiting for the next instalment!’ - Jimmy Andrea (Amazon Reviewer)

  ‘A spell-bounding thriller’. - Daniel T.A. (Author)

  ‘As seductive as a Sudoku puzzle, the writer has crafted an ingenious plot with nothing less than stunning revelations at the conclusion.’

  - Julius Salisbury (Author)

  ‘If you like murder mysteries with great characters, atmospheric locations and a suspenseful, interesting plot to keep you turning the pages, then this book has been written for you’. –Ben (Amazon Reviewer)

  ‘An engrossing murder mystery about a series of murders taking place on Greek islands.’

  - Saritha S (Goodreads Book Reviewer)

  ‘A tale of Terror! A page turning murder mystery’.

  - Sheri A. Wilkinson (Book Reviewer)

  ‘The author builds the main characters weaving them seamlessly with the plotting of a great story; even when he steps away from the present day mayhem. It's art in words at the highest pinnacle of a writer's work’.

  - Rose Margaret Phillips (Book Blog Reviewer)

  THE CHURCH

  MURDERS

  1 And I saw when the Lamb opened one of the seals, and I heard, as it were the noise of thunder, one of the four beasts saying, Come and see.

  2 And I saw, and behold a white horse: and he that sat on him had a bow; and a crown was given unto him: and he went forth conquering, and to conquer.

  3 And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, Come and see.

  4 And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword.

  5 And when he had opened the third seal, I heard the third beast say, Come and see. And I beheld, and lo a black horse; and he that sat on him had a pair of balances in his hand.

  6 And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts say, A measure of wheat for a penny, and three measures of barley for a penny; and see thou hurt not the oil and the wine.

  7 And when he had opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth beast say, Come and see.

  8 And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.

  Book Of Revelations: Chapter 6, 1-8 (King James Bible)

  Chapter 1

  The winter sun vanished behind the verdant hills that bordered the outskirts of the Megalopolis of Athens and light surrendered its place to darkness.

  The same dilemma every December. Did I hate that it got dark from 5 pm more than I hated the suffocating heat of the summer? Spring. Now, there is a perfect season. Maybe I was just getting grumpier as I unwillingly approached the threshold of my life’s fifth decade.

  I turned on my Audi’s headlights and smiled upon hearing the sound of the skies rumbling above. I loved driving in the rain and my black car needed to shed off gathered dust.

  Route 56 is a bore. One long, straight line of a road, always loaded with traffic and with a view of endless, grey, dull apartment blocks. Others would have taken the Metro to Piraeus, but I never did have much so-called common sense. I was in no rush to see the department’s shrink and my empty apartment did not mind if I returned home early or late. I turned off the motorway and headed down to Akti Miaouli. Outside, the wind was busy playing around with dried up leaves and the clouds above shot down fat drops of rain.

  I parked opposite the modern, glass building that housed Dr. Ariadne Metaxa’s private office. She worked office hours, every Tuesday and Thursday, at police headquarters, but I preferred to attend her private practice. It gave me time to unwind from work and put on my fake, friendly and joyful mask before visiting her. I did not need a psychologist meddling inside my brain. I needed her clearance to get back to active duty.

  I exited my car and stood for a moment in the pouring rain, enjoying every drop that ran down my face, before running across the bustling road. Everyone, without an umbrella, was running to cover themselves from the menacing drops. Some get cleansed by the rain, some just get wet. I pushed the buzzer-bell that bore her name and waited for her assistant’s annoying voice to be heard. I do not mean to be harsh, but if you are going to hire someone to answ
er the phone and the door, at least avoid a girl with a grating voice.

  ‘Doctor Ariadne Metaxa’s office. How may I be of assistance?’

  Lower your voice.

  ‘Captain Papacosta. I have an appointment.’

  ‘Come right up, Captain. The doctor is waiting for you.’

  Of course she is. I have an appointment.

  I pushed open the heavy, metal door and walked towards the elevator. Dr. Ariadne’s office was located on the 14th floor. An entire side of her office was made of glass, offering an incredible view of the busy port of Piraeus; one of the few perks of visiting her here. That and the much more comfortable chair.

  Her lanky assistant was already standing and had her hand, palm up, indicating the office’s wooden door.

  ‘Go right in, Captain,’ her words came out from behind crooked teeth, accompanied by a warm, inviting smile. Good hearts can always make up for shrill voices and bad dental hygiene.

  ‘Thank you,’ I exhaled the words and smiled back as warmly as I could. As I walked into the dimly lit room, the door closed behind me. Dr. Ariadne rose from behind her huge, mahogany desk where she had been preoccupied, reading a medical journal. She walked towards me slowly with an air of confidence that lived with her permanently; her red hair stroking her bare shoulders and her emerald eyes glowing as they focused on my pitiful appearance. I stood there with soaked brown hair, drops of rain combined with mild sweat running down my face, wearing a plain, old pair of jeans and a white T-shirt under my black, leather jacket. In contrast, from her cleavage to her knees, a red, tight dress draped Dr. Ariadne’s body, silver high heels graced her feet and she looked as if she had just walked out of the hairdressers. She wore red well. Like fire, it shined upon her white, pale complexion. She must be one of the whitest women in Greece. She surely avoided the Greek, wrinkle-inducing sun. A highly intelligent woman, just a step away from forty, with a Mensa membership to prove it.

  Her soft hand fitted into mine.

  ‘Good evening, Captain. Lovely rainy day, is it not?’ her modulated voice filled the artful and minimally decorated room. She sat down first in her crimson armchair and her flat-line smile invited me to sit in the armchair facing hers. Below us, ships were entering and exiting the port, enjoying a good wash courtesy of the plummeting water. I twisted and I turned until I found a comfortable position to relax in. I knew I would be here for a good hour, but I asked anyway.

  ‘Doc, you know why I’m here. I need you to give me the all-clear to get back to the field. It’s been a week and I cannot take another day sitting behind a desk doing the chief’s paper work!’

  ‘I could sign the paper and you could be on your way, back to your work in under a minute. However, that would mean, I was not doing my job. You were sent here for a reason.’

  ‘I don’t need another psych evaluation,’ I snapped. Dr. Ariadne was my evaluator when I arrived in Greece two years ago and asked to join the police force here. With my background as a homicide detective in New York, a murdered daughter and being a lonely, unsociable divorcee, it came as no surprise being sent to the good, old head doctor. Eight sessions on and Dr. Ariadne deemed me fit for duty.

  ‘This is not an evaluation, Costa and you know it. It is just typical procedure when a Police Captain throws his computer out his office window,’ her reassuring, smooth, sweet voice flowed through the space between us and calmed me down. ‘You saw tens of dead bodies all at once. It is OK that you were upset,’ she continued, maintaining the same tone.

  ‘I was upset for not solving the case!’

  ‘Do you always solve the case, Captain?’

  ‘No. This is real life. Not a movie or a book where an ending is needed.’

  ‘Do you feel that this case needs an ending? Do you need closure?’

  ‘The case is closed. That’s closure... I just wished I had figured it all out sooner. Perhaps, I could have saved them.’

  ‘Don’t beat yourself up. I understand it is a pyrrhic win for you, but keep in mind, you save lives every day in your line of duty. Just last summer you made headlines by bringing the Olympus Killer to justice. You saved your partner’s life and protected many others.’

  I smiled slightly at the thought of my partner, Ioli. I had not seen her since she returned to Crete. She received three months leave with daily physiotherapy recommended. After Christmas, she would be back in action. She was being transferred to Athens where we would be officially teamed up by the chief. Homicide division for the Greek Isles.

  ‘Ioli was cleared by her shrink,’ I hinted.

  Dr. Ariadne exhaled deeply. She stared straight into my brown eyes for a good minute. ‘Let’s make a deal. I clear you today and whenever you need to be cleared again, and you agree to cut the tough guy act and come visit me once every fifteen days.’

  I started to form an argument in my mind, however, one single word came out that surprised us both.

  ‘Done.’

  Chapter 2

  A month ago...

  CASE No.1: The White Horse – Conquest, Evil, the Antichrist.

  Salamina Island is one of the closest islands to Athens; 2 km away from the main port of Piraeus. That is everything I could tell you about the place before November 21st came to existence. It was a typical morning, with me holding in my beer belly as I drank my third morning coffee, surrounded by mesomorphic, Herculean-build police officers down at the department. I nodded my head as they complained about the ongoing economic crisis and how they barely made ends meet.

  One phone call changed the dull day.

  ‘Captain? You are requested on line three. Possible murder case on the Island of Salamis,’ police officer Andrea Loukaki informed. I swallowed my coffee in one quick, sloppy sip and headed towards the phone located somewhere on my junk-yard of a desk.

  ‘Captain Costa Papacosta.’

  ‘Good morning, Captain. This is Police Sergeant Jason Galanos. A body, male, was reported found in a trench near Batsi beach forty minutes ago. I am at the scene now. The body seems to have been stabbed several times and from what I can tell, has been out here quite a while. I cannot get closer as the body is too far down. I have contacted local rescue workers to assist...’

  ‘I’m on my way. I’ll be picking up the coroner too. Secure the crime scene. Photograph everything, touch nothing.’

  I walked out of the station’s back door and exited into the vast parking lot. Excitement fuelled my pace and before I could dial the coroner’s number, I was standing beside my car. The steering wheel was hot, the air stale and unpleasant to breathe. I looked up and squinted at the sizzling November sun. Enough with the heat, already.

  ‘Jacob Petsa,’ the coroner’s voice came through my cell phone’s crackling speaker and interrupted my fearful thoughts of another rain-free year in Greece. Jacob sounded out of breath and was obviously chewing down food of some sort.

  ‘It’s 9 o’clock in the morning. What the hell are you eating in the morgue?’

  ‘Costa! Malaka, what you up to? And to answer your question; breakfast, of course. There is an amazing bistro just round the corner that makes an exquisite full English breakfast. And guess what? With coffee, only five Euro! You see, ever since the kids left home, Maria has been trying to put us on one diet or the other. Oats are not breakfast, my friend, that’s for sure! I once told Maria that I was not a freaking rabbit and I demanded a man’s meal. You should have seen her face, she... Costa? You there?’

  ‘Yep.’

  ‘You normally interrupt me by now,’ the jovial coroner said and chuckled.

  ‘I was going to, but then I needed to satisfy my curiosity. I always wanted to know if you would ever stop!’

  ‘Well, now you know! What you’ve got?’

  ‘A dead male on Salamina. I’ll be outside the morgue in five minutes.’

  There was no reply. Jacob did not even bother to end the call. He placed the phone on his cold, stainless steel, surgery table and hobbled towards his breakfast. No crispy
bacon was going to waste, not for any-body.

  Chapter 3

  Batsi beach is considered one of the top beaches of the shrimp-shaped island. Not that it meant much. Salamina was not a tourist island; it gathered more locals during the summer than tourists. Now, just a step away from winter, it looked abandoned. I looked around at the scattered village houses on the hill slope nearby and rejected the idea of finding a witness. I ordered two men of the local police, from the main town of Salamina to go door to door nevertheless. It struck me as weird that someone would dump a body so close to the coast. I mean, either bury him where you killed him or throw him in the water as you came so close. A body in a ditch is a panic drop-off. My thoughts were all over the place. I closed my eyes as we approached the crime scene and exhaled. Focus, Costa, focus.

  ‘Good morning, Captain. This way.’ Jason Galanos was a rather short Greek. He was a brawny, bull-necked type of guy with distinct Greek coloring and a distinct Greek nose. He moved few facial muscles as he spoke and behaved in a formal and respectful manner; something unusual nowdays in the police force, especially by those under thirty. I followed the speedy officer up the dirt path, with my eyes exploring the surrounding environment. Dried up countryside with pale green bushes and stubborn olive trees growing out of the rocky grounds. Dr. Jacob Petsa huffed and puffed as he walked behind us, complaining about nearly everything.

  ‘Maybe Maria’s idea of a diet is not as bad as you think...’ I dared to tease with my good, old friend.

  ‘Maybe I’ll push you down the ditch and leave with two bodies!’ he declared and laughed out loud. His laughter echoed along the hillside and the rescue workers ahead turned to see who was so happy on approaching a murder scene. The serious-looking Sergeant had placed four iron bars around the ditch and created a rectangle with the classic, yellow police tape.