Song of the Sirens

By Ákos Kirsch

From time to time a hypnotic song can be heard on the Greek island of Symi, which is keeping the locals in fear by causing suicidal behaviour. At the same time in Pireaus the police discover a branded body of a woman. What and who is behind these mysterious events? Inspector Ilias Venizelos is looking for the answers through many dangers and secrets to unvail the truth behind the unusual case.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Underground Kiadó és Terjesztő Kft.
• Release date: Feb 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9786150041490

Book preview

PROLOGUE

Medusa ferryboat

Fifty kilometers from the port of Piraeus

Melissa Florakis pulled her cardigan tighter in front of her as she was sat on a bench in the forecastle watching the scenery. The descending sun lay a red coat onto the wind-driven clouds floating in the sky drawing the dark silhouette of the Attica Peninsula, on which the distant lights of Athens shone like diamonds. For hours, this was the first time she came out of the superstructure. There weren’t many passengers on the ferry and since she didn’t notice anything upsetting, she finally started to ease up; yet, she couldn’t wait to set foot on the coast.

She boarded the ferry at the last moment, but, luckily, she had her purse with her – as always, even if she just went for a walk – so she was able to buy a ticket and two bottles of mineral water. She stepped onto the deck from the island of Symi, exhausted like a chased animal. Which she was, actually. She reached the port running for her life with a burning pain between her breasts. She was hasting over steep hills and barren mountainsides for hours while the darkness of night hid her from her chasers. She had no idea where she was going; she didn’t know the place. She got lost many times but in the end she could find the right way leding to the capital of the island. She had a long night behind her. Her whole body was aching, she blew out the air like a steam engine but she willed herself to carry on. She would go running every day in Athens to keep herself in good shape, of which she could make good use now. Thanks to her stamina she didn’t collaps from exhaustion. By the time she arrived in the city, the sun was up and it was in the late hours of the morning. She hurried to the port immediately to get far away from the island as soon as possible.

She could still smell the penetrating stench of her own flesh into which the heated iron bit on that terrible night. At times she still shivered when memories flashed back into her mind. She found out important things. Things she couldn’t keep to herself. After all, this was why she traveled there, to collect information.

Melissa worked as a reporter at a daily paper. She loved diving into topics that escaped the public eye. Her sense of mission was greater than anything. Like a leech, she stuck to anyone whom she suspected to be involved in a fishy business and she went ahead till she could find out what she wanted. In the end, she had to fight for her life and it was due to sheer chance she could escape.

She found the darkest secret of her career. This monstrosity had to be ended as soon as possible but only a large scale police operation would be able to do that, for which she could only find help in Athens. She mumbled prayers under her breath to hasten their casting the anchor at last. She felt the pressure of time.

When no one was near, she opened her cardigan and looked at her chest. Her torn blouse made the ugly scar on her skin visible, which seemed to be glowing in the red light of the setting sun. Melissa didn’t dare touch it. She could still hardly think straight from the shock. Finally, she closed the cardigan and diverted her gaze to the land that slowly drew closer. The wind became fiercer and it got colder but she was waiting motionlessly. Her black hair danced in the wind while the rest of the passengers stayed inside the ferry to wait for the landing.

The burning plate of the sun sunk under the horizon and night came. It was still at least half an hour till they reached Piraeus. At that moment Melissa could hear footfalls behind her. She startled since she didn’t even realize it was dark already. As she turned back she beheld a smoking man leaning onto the handrail. She sighed with relief and, as if woking from a dream, she realized how cold she felt. She sneezed then stood up to join the others in the superstructure.

She passed the man who didn’t take notice of her. Melissa brushed a stray lock of hair off her face and was about to go on. However, suddenly a hand pressed onto her mouth and strong arms wrapped around her. She didn’t even have time to scream, her attacker dragged her into the shadows. Melissa was struggling like a fly trapped in a cobweb, in vain.

The next moment her attacker got bored of her fighting and smashed her head into the wall of the bridge. Melissa groaned painfully, a white flash appeared in her sight as she felt the strike on her forehead. Her muscles went weak and she started to feel dizzy. The stranger was still pressing his hand onto her mouth but his other hand let go of her; she was on the verge of fainting. At this moment the blade of a knife flashed in the night. Melissa felt a piercing pain in her throat, followed by burning heat and something flowed down on her body.

Breathlessness struck her as her blood streamed from her opened neck. By this time, the stranger had let go of her and watched her struggles from the shadows. She fell on her knees, her fingers rasping her throat then with a rattling noise she fell on the floor. A few seconds later it ended and Melissa Florakis breathed her last. The man wrapped in darkness threw his deadly weapon into the sea and with casual steps left the scene.

Not long after the ferry reached the port of Piraeus, one of the mates came across the woman’s body and chaos spread all over the boat.

CHAPTER ONE

Voula

A suburb of Athens

Detective Ilias Venizelos was waiting tensely in his gray Ford, with two liveried officers on the back seat. It was getting dark, the shadows grew long but the person they were waiting for didn’t show up. The tree fenced street was deserted, only empty cars parked in front of the houses while a group of cats crossed the narrow road.

Ilias and his colleagues were watching the house of the guy who killed four women and a homosexual man in the previous month. Panaiotis Bakolas was a serial killer. He caught his victims at night, going from bars to clubs. He was careful and canny so he never left any clues behind, which annoyed the detective. The killer was suspected to do the dirty work at home then from there he carried the bodies to different parts of Athens. However, not so long ago, he made a mistake.

He grew so impatient with his last victim that they didn’t get to his apartment. He already attacked her on the street for he became too confident. That time he didn’t want to bother with it for too long so he opted for the easier solution. After he finished, he would have walked home simply, however, the woman’s willingness to live proved to be stronger than what he’d expected.

According to the victim’s statement, they started to scuffle and she cut her attacker’s face with a broken beer bottle that she happened to find on the ground. She jumped at the opportunity and disappeared in the night. Later a taxi driver picked her up and she asked him to take her to the police station. The woman was a bit drunk and it was dark as well so she couldn’t give an elaborate description of her attacker. Ilias admired how she could escape from him.

With the facial composite, the detective went around half the district visiting shops, restaurants and clubs. In the end a kiosk owner recognized Bakolas, who would usually buy the morning paper there on his way to work. Bakolas taught literature at a secondary school. That’s why the captain expected discretion from is men, to avoid scandal. They weren’t allowed to raid the school by no means.

Thus they were waiting near the suspect’s home so that they could arrest him unostentatiously. The officers peeked at their watches impatiently but at last the man they were waiting for arrived. Bakolas’s appearance was ninety percent the same as that of the person in the facial composite, however his left cheek was covered with a band aid. Not long after he entered the house, Ilias and the officers got out of the car and went to the front door.

Are you ready? Ilias asked and the two other nodded firmly. The detective acknowledged it with satisfaction then knocked.

In a little while, Bakolas opened the door unsuspectingly but the startled expression that appeared on his face, followed by an angry snarl, was worth everything. Ilias could read him like a book. Practically, he admitted being guilty even though it wasn’t necessary any more. The teacher shut the door at their faces as they were about to step in. Ilias didn’t have time to speak. They were hindered for a moment, which was just enough for the killer to run into the bedroom through the living room.

The policemen followed him but they didn’t even get through the hall when Bakolas appeared in the living room, with a gun clenched in his fist. Ilias and his mates took shelter behind the wall that separated the hall from the living room, however, a bullet hit one of the officers’ shoulder. Stathis, the bald one, fell on the ground with a painful cry, but his partner, Nikos dragged him away quickly. In the meantime Ilias and Bakolas engaged in a shoot-out.

The walls with bullet holes, tore down pictures and broken vases turned the house into a battle field. They were shooting for minutes when Ilias rushed into the living room, jumped behind the sofa thus getting closer to his opponent. Bakolas drew back swearingly into the bedroom and continued shooting from there. Ilias grew impatient with this and signaled to Nikos to get behind the man. The curly haired officer nodded and rushed to the front door.

Soon, the sound of breaking glass came from the bedroom and Bakolas pointed his weapon into the direction of the new threat. Jumping at the opportunity, Ilias run into the room where he shot Bakolas without hesitation as he in his turn pointed his gun at him. Deafening silence ascended. The teacher was lying on the floor in an ever-growing puddle of blood. The case could be closed.

An hour later the paramedics and the crime scene investigators arrived while night fell. Ilias, now that he finished, was about to leave but his cell started to ring. It was the captain.

Congratulations on your another successful operation, Venizelos! I was already informed. I am waiting for your detailed report tomorrow. However, I wasn’t calling for this.

Thank you, sir. What would it be about?

A little trip. We were just informed that a woman with throat-cut was found in the port of Pireaus. On the ferry that arrived half an hour ago. Go there and find out what happened. I have already sent people there to secure the scene. The passengers are not allowed to leave yet.

Okay, I’ll be there soon, Ilias sighed and said good-bye to his superior. I can kiss good-bye to tonight’s plans.

He drove to the crime scene mumbling under his breath. He cut through the rolling night traffic of the city, casting a glance at the brightly lit Acropolis that towered proudly over the modern metropolis, invoking ancient times. Past and present met in the monument, just like in every corner of Athens.

CHAPTER TWO

Ilias’s started to feel sick, even though he had seen many corpses before. The deck where Melissa Florakis’s body was found reminded him of a slaughter house. Everything was soaked with blood. By the time the detective arrived, the medical examiner had inspected the victim and her remains were put into a body bag.

What did you find out? Ilias asked the medical examiner while he was unable to get his eyes off the woman’s beautiful face. The narrow nose, the curved eyebrows and the raven dark, shoulder-length hair made Melissa look like a sculpture. Only her head was out of the bag. Ilias wished the cut wasn’t on her neck.

Well… the cause of death is obvious, Kostas Milonas pointed to the wound. His greying hair was in great contrast to his tanned skin. She must have fought her attacker since there are bruises on her right temple.

Yes, I can see. Ilias nodded. "Have you found the murderous weapon?’

Unfortunately, we haven’t.

That’s a shame. Did she have her papers on her?

Yes. She’s called Melissa Florakis. It could hardly have been a mugging as there are four-hundred Euros in her purse, intact. However, there’s something interesting. Look at that, detective! Milonas waved then pulled the zipper on the bag further down and showed the victim’s torn blouse and beautiful breasts. She must have been a very attractive woman when alive, there was no doubt about that. However, Ilias’s attention was caught by something else.

What the hell is that? he startled.

His gaze scanned the symbol burnt onto the skin of the lifeless body, the sight of which was so bizarre that a cold shiver ran down on his spine. The sign depicted a serpent embracing an oval, mostly egg-like object. He was certain he’d seen it somewhere but he couldn’t recollect his dim memories.

Whatever this is… it was put on her body at least two days ago, the medical examiner replied. Of course, I have to examine it more thoroughly to state it with confidence.

I see. Do whatever you have to and tell me when you find out more.

I will, Venizelos, Milonas nodded and zipped up the bag.

Ilias was thinking about what he’d just heard. He was facing a rather weird case. He hadn’t encountered anything similar and this made him uneasy. However, since he was tired and it was getting late, he started to interrogate the passengers on the ferry as well as the captain and the crew. Nobody could give new information about what had happened. The murderer chose the perfect time to commit his crime.

It was after midnight when the detective finished questioning the last person but he didn’t get any closer to solving the case. Only the mate who found the body mentioned something interesting. He allegedly heard a splashing sound from around the stern. He went there to check if someone had fallen into the sea but he didn’t see anything, only the rippling water. Whatever made that noise, it never reappeared. The detective stored this piece of information in his mind. After the interrogations, he was more convinced that the murderer had left the ferry long ago. Maybe he caused the splash that caught the mate’s attention? If it was so, he must have been far away already.

In spite of this he sent patrolmen to the port to seek out anybody suspicious, though he thought it was in vain. He was wondering what kind of case he got involved into again. He had also learnt that the woman was rather upset when she boarded the ferry. Was she chased by someone maybe? Another question without an answer. Ilias would have been anywhere else. Especially at home, in his apartment in Glyfada, in the arms of his darling love. He couldn’t wait to get home though he suspected Electra wasn’t very happy that he stayed out for so long.

He was right.

***

Electra was mad. Her expression told everything as her chocolate brown eyes were blazing. She was waiting for him with a freshly cooked dinner for hours without being informed of the reasons of his delay. The meal went cold completely. She was waiting for him for a long time; she even called him but could only reach his voicemail. After talking to the captain, Ilias switched off his cell not to be disturbed again. However, he forgot to call Electra.

Don’t be mad. He took her hand; she was sitting on the sofa in the living room and he bent down to kiss her. He was afraid Electra would draw away but to his surprise she reacted well.

You should have called, Ilias. Where were you? I was worried about you.

I’m sorry. I didn’t want to scare you. He sat down next to her and was glad to see Electra’s expression soften. There was a woman with her throat cut open on a ferry. That’s why I didn’t come in time. I wouldn’t have been involved but the captain called so I had no choice but to go there. Regardless… I really should have called you. It won’t happen again.

Okay, Electra nodded. Her anger vanished like a raindrop in the desert. You know I’m worried about you because of your job.

I know that. And I appreciate it, Ilias smiled and kissed her passionately while running his fingers through her thick wavy brown hair. Electra kissed back with just as much passion.

Soon both of them forgot about the cold dinner and gave in to the hot waves of pleasure while they almost tore off each other’s clothes. Their desire for the other’s body peaked and remained there all night. Even the fat face of the moon peeked in shyly through the cracks of the shutters.

They moved in together two years ago after they got involved in dangerous adventures on Crete. Luckily they got away safe and sound, thanks to Ilias’s aptitude and a few pair of helping hands.

They’d known each other for years, way before Electra’s singing career started. She was quite well known due to her gigs at different clubs in Athens. She wasn’t on the cover of magazines nor did she appear on TV but those who visited some of the nightclubs regularly knew her well. She’d had three albums so far which earned her a stable fandom, even though she wasn’t on the same level as the well-known stars. She had always been invited to perform so she earned decently. They could live comfortably though they could feel the impact of the economic crisis, just like everyone else.

Their feelings for each other turned out to be fierce and passionate. Even though Electra was secretly afraid the flame would extinguish soon, this fear gradually slipped away. Ilias was a reliable and determined man on whom she could always count in case of emergency. No one had ever loved her the way the detective did. She experienced it every day.

When I’m finished with this new murder case, we could go somewhere to relax, Ilias said, his voice breaking the silence after lying for a long time in bed in their bedroom. He could hardly remember when they got into the room during their lovemaking. His strong arm still held the woman whose sensuous curves were pressed against his body.

That’s a good idea, Electra whispered, stroking his back. We haven’t been on a trip lately. I’m traveling tomorrow afternoon for a concert but we can do this after I came back.

I hope I can solve this case by then. How long are you gonna be away?

For four days.

Then I have to work fast, Ilias laughed though he knew he wouldn’t be able to find the culprit. However, right now only the present mattered, nothing else. This moment was theirs.

Little did they know that at the other side of the Aegean Sea something dramatic happened at this very same night.

CHAPTER THREE

Symi

Petros Marangakis was startled out of his sleep. His head was throbbing and the chiming female singing, which swam in through the open bedroom window, was crawling into his ears unstoppably. It was beautiful and, at the same time, elusive, almost unworldly. It messed up his thoughts; he was unable to concentrate, his senses went numb as if he was half-asleep. He couldn’t comprehend what was going on around him. It was a familiar situation for this had happened many nights in the last couple of weeks. However, this time it was much more powerful. The voice contained an unarticulated command which pulled Marangakis like a magnet. It was repeated again and again amid the tender tunes as if it suggested: ‘Come, I’m waiting for you.’

The fifty-something years old man fell under her spell completely. Like a sleep-walker, he sat up in his bed and slowly stepped onto the floor and started towards the door, half naked. His wife was sleeping peacefully, just like the other residents of the villa. Neither his two daughters nor the staff noticed anything. Not even that that the owner crossed the marble-floored hall and opening the front door, stepped outside.

There was a warm breeze; the stars shone like diamonds on the black drape of the night while the moonlight danced vigorously on the sea-covered horizon. The villa stood on one of the rocky spits on the south-eastern part of the island. It could be approached on a dirt road, which started in the capital city of the island, Symi; close to the house many cypress trees provided shade. It had its own bay to which a narrow path went down with a high cliff on its side. He was just heading there. Petros, however, didn’t care about his whereabouts. As if he was tied to a rope, the voice pulled him towards a certain direction, up onto the cliff that towered over the bay.

The song danced around him; where it came from couldn’t be said. In front of his eyes he saw a giggling and singing nymph, an ethereal phantasm that, in a snow white nightgown with raven black hair, was calling him. She was beautiful, he had never seen anything like her. He wanted to hold her in his arms, in a tight embrace. The fire of his manly desire kindled in his body while he was climbing the rocky hill. He reached out to catch her. Beneath him the ocean murmured as it hit the rocks on the beach.

Petros Marangakis was hasting after the nymph his eyes wide open, without actually seening. For him, the world was immersed in a purple mist while he was going to hell in a handbasket. In the next moment the ground disappeared and he fell into the abyss instantly. All that was left of him was a crushed body floating on the surface as well as the hypnotic singing voice.

In the end, this ceased too and only the murmur of the sea filled the air.

CHAPTER FOUR

Athens

The policemen had been cruising in the port of Piraeus all night in vain, they couldn’t track down Melissa Florakis’s murderer, just as Ilias expected. They were looking for a needle in the haystack. Piraeus was an ideal place for anyone to disappear. The perpetrator might have easily boarded a boat again since then. The detective also checked in on the medical examiner later in the morning, who, unfortunately, couldn’t give any new piece of information only confirmed what he had said previously.

So Ilias turned his attention to the victim and the sign burnt onto her skin. He had learnt that she was a reporter at a paper. Her colleagues were devastated by the news of her death. Ilias went personally to her work place where he informed them about what happened. He had always hated to tell the families and friends about the death of their loved one. Those eyes filled with pain and disbelief! It was hard to deal with the dramatic moments he caused to the people. Even after the many years in the police force. However, this time he didn’t have to meet the family members as there was no one left.

It wasn’t too much help that he talked to Melissa’s colleagues. Nobody knew why she travelled to the island. Ilias wasn’t surprised. She must have found out about an interesting story and she wanted to get to the bottom of it herself. In the end, this caused her death.

The detective was disappointed when he stepped out of the building. He was in the city center not far from Syntagma Square, in a back street. Across the publisher, workers were refronting a cheap hotel. The cacophonous monotonity of the rhythmic sound of the jackhammer hurt his ears. What is more, the temperature started to rise. Ilias was just about to get in the car when a punk-looking guy stepped next to him and tapped on his shoulder. With his green hair, he reminded Ilias of a parrot which his crooked nose emphasized even more. The detective turned to him wonderingly.

May I help you, sir?

"Are you the detective?"

Which one? Ilias frowned irritably.

The gumshoe who’s working on Melissa’s murder case, the guy shrugged. Despite his stolid tone he was visibly tense. He was looking sideways nervously as if he was afraid of some kind of danger.

I was called from the newspaper office five minutes ago to tell me what happened. Fortunately, I was wandering about nearby, and I thought we should have a chat.

You were right, I am your guy. Who are you?

One of Melissa’s informants. I know people from the most different places so I helped her a lot. She paid me correctly, the punk said with genuine sadness in his voice.

I can imagine, nodded Ilias. Would you like to talk somewhere peaceful?

It’s okay if you take me two blocks down. There’s a pretty good cafeteria there. They have delicious gyros. I’ll tell you what I know while we get there.

Okay. Hop in.

Ilias drove slowly, though in the heavy traffic he couldn’t have done it faster so they