Yes! Yes! Yes!: The Artemesis Mysteries, #2

By Jill Castelo

When prosecution lawyer, Alex Stone, unexpectedly loses a court case he feels his life is under threat. He decides to disappear for a while, leave everything behind and reinvent himself. He buys a sailing boat and moves to Greece with hopes of starting a relationship with the enigmatic Ellie. But what exactly is he escaping from? As the journey progresses he is forced to confront the real nature of the danger to his life.  

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jill Castelo
• Release date: Jul 12, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223256212

Jill Castelo

Jill Castelo has spent the last 25 years living on water. She has lived on a narrowboat in the UK and more recently on a vintage motor sailer in Greece.  

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

There was a huge cheer from the public gallery as the judge pronounced the sentence, Not guilty. Veirgut's eyes slid across the courtroom to meet Alex. There was no triumphant fist pumping just the hint of a smile, ever cool. He shook hands with his defence council and, glancing back, Veirgut slowly rubbed his throat with his forefinger. Alex's mouth went dry and a knot of fear gripped his stomach. He felt sure the gesture was for his benefit and tried to stop his hands shaking as he gathered his papers together. The courtroom was already divided between dejection and excitement as the judge swept out. Alex hadn't seen this coming, it was like a bad dream. He'd been sure he'd had a rock solid case so someone must have got to the jurors.  No one else had wanted to take on the prosecution but Alex was ambitious and knew it would make his name if he pulled it off. But the unthinkable had happened and now Veirgut was back in action. He was well known for carrying his grudges close and Alex was sure it would only be a matter of time before he met with some sort of unfortunate accident.

Outside the courtroom the world was carrying on as usual. A man banged and swore at a coffee machine, councils stood chatting with their clients, and shafts of sunlight sliced through the cutting edge architecture like knives. People fired words into mobile phones as they rushed to different rooms.  Alex went into the Gents to compose himself, splashing water on his perspiring face. As he did so the door opened and the defence council, John Bermann, joined his reflection in the mirror. The last person he wanted to see.

Surprise result, eh Alex?  Our friend Veirgut probably deserved to be put away. Who knows what these jurors had for breakfast. Still there's always another day. 

Is there? the words were out before he could stop them.

Bermann looked surprised for a second then chuckled dryly. Don't take it so hard.  When you've lost as many cases as I have, he laughed and slammed a stall door. But Alex knew that despite his casual banter he was delighted to have won. He heard Bermann sigh audibly and it wasn’t only from the relief of emptying his bladder. No one wanted to let Veirgut down. 

CHAPTER 2       

Alex put the key in the lock of his apartment and realised it was empty. The breakfast things lay on the kitchen counter, an empty coffee cup, a smear of lipstick and a half finished bowl of muesli were the only traces of his wife, Sara's, presence. His mobile buzzed, as if on cue, with a message from her.

"Saw news. Too bad. Talk tonight. Back 10.' He clicked it off, beyond anger. Had he really expected her to be here waiting for him? Apart from the relics of breakfast the kitchen was  immaculate with it's shining metallic work surfaces and gleaming wooden floor.  Their cleaner had a dream job. They barely ate a meal together. He wandered around the apartment restlessly, ripped off his tie, kicked his shoes under the bed and flicked on the TV. He grabbed a beer and sank back into the sofa. Within minutes there was a news flash of an incident at the airport followed by a clip of John Bermann outside the court.  Veirgut stood silently next to him already back behind his shades.

My client had no doubt that justice would be done, Bermann said smugly. He is glad of the opportunity to put these salacious charges to rest.

Alex slammed down his beer bottle splashing the shiny glass table,  Bollocks! he cursed and clicked off the remote.

In the silence that followed he stared at the sterile room. It was entirely comfortless as if everything had been put there for show and style. There were the 'right ' books on the shelves even though he couldn't recollect the last time he and Sara had read anything other than their screens. There were the plumped up cushions, the cream sofa you couldn't get drunk on, let alone make love on, without worrying about stains. The posed photos of their wedding, graduations, achievements at work with Sara looking like the apartment, blow dried, sleek and glossy. She was always stylishly dressed and rarely allowed herself to look vulnerable even with the flu.

They had met at a party eight years ago, between relationships, introduced by mutual friends. For a while people saw them as quite the glittering couple. They worked