EYE OF THE HYDRA (complete)

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Detective Ilias Venizelos put us in a police car and we drove to the Police Station of Kavala, which was located North from the port on the Omonoias street, along the longest road of the city. We ended up in a rather small office where we sat down to make a report in which I could explain a few things. I was ready to answer their questions, while Anna waited tensely beside me. She didn't say a word on the way here and probably didn't know what she could expect, despite the fact that I kissed her not long ago. Her treachery needed explanation and the detective didn't hesitate to ask about it.

"Before Mr. Wyatt will be so kind to enlighten us about the case, tell me, Miss Tanakis, why did you play the painting into the hands of Heinrich Ganz?"

"I..." Anna began, and looked at me with misty eyes then lowered her gaze. "I had no other choice. After we returned from the island of Hydra, that blonde guy was already waiting for me in my hotel room in Tolo and the German was with him. But it wasn't the first time we met. They threatened me that they would kill my father if I didn't inform them about Ron's plans. They knew that Jennifer Sicard was searching for the painting so they followed her to Greece. They also knew she would try to make contact with a private detective. When she walked to Ron on the beach... it was easy to figure out that he was the one. I was already there in Tolo because Ganz wanted a women to spy for them."

"Why you?" I asked and looked at her.

"Because of my look, they said. Ganz noticed me in Athens in a cafeteria two days before my trip to Tolo."

"How do you know so much, Miss Tanakis?" Asked Venizelos, who seemed very curious with a good reason.

"They told it to me, which made me wonder if they would leave me alive or not."

"Looks like the German thought about everything, though I didn't know about them yet when all this happened," I said, while her testimony revealed why she was so pushy when we first met. She had no choice. I just hope it wasn't hard for her to get closer to me!

"Yes but you did make contact with the Sicard girl and it was enough reason for them to look after you. What happened in Nafplio, where the blonde guy shot down Petros Leventis, was my fault. I told them where we were going. I wanted to tell you but I couldn't. They said a man is waiting in Athens just to blow up the nursing home where my father is living, due to his condition. There was no reason to doubt their words. In addition, Ganz showed me a photo of my father as he was sitting on a bench in the garden and talking with the other patients. I was so scared! However, I tried to give them the least information, though I couldn't fool them. Before we came to Kavala I called them again."

"They ordered you to get the picture from me after we found it, right?" I lifted her chin to let our gaze meet.

"Yes. I'm so sorry, Ron! I thought they were going to kill you before my eyes but I was helpless."

"Don't worry about it! You were in a difficult situation. Do you know anything about your father?"

"Only that he is not in danger anymore. Before the meeting at the club, the blonde guy called their accessory in Athens to not hurt my father and leave the city. Then he allowed me to call the nursing home and speak with my father, but I need to see him! I need to know that they didn't trick me!"

"Well... I think this relieves you from all charges, Miss Tanakis," smiled the detective. "It's your turn, Mr. Wyatt! In the hotel you already clarified a few things about the matter, but there is still something I don't understand. Who is the other person, who also wanted the painting and why?"

"I'll tell you of course. But first let me talk about the reason behind the actions of Heinrich Ganz! He wanted the painting not only for its value but a much more serious thing stood in the background."

"Go on!"

"François Sicard was killed by the German antique dealer. Shortly after he went to the island of Hydra in 1991, he heard about the artist whose work already attracted his attention, so he visited him. But Ganz was shocked when he saw the latest creation of Sicard. Actually Heinrich Ganz travelled to the island to steal a valuable artefact from one of the churches."

"What kind of artefact?"

"A golden cross with a red diamond in the middle. The theft took place at night. The treasure was loaded in a boat and it was taken to a safe place. Ganz stayed on the island to avoid any suspicion. However, the old painter was an eyewitness of the case. Probably he was wandering around near the coast that night, so the next day he painted what he saw because he didn't dare to talk about it as he feared for his life. With good reason. So, when Ganz visited him, he recognised the implicit message in the picture and feared that Sicard would go to the police. That's why he wanted the picture at any price. Sicard became suspicious and didn't sell it to him. This was his doom. Ganz set his house on fire to destroy the evidence and the only witness."

"How do you know this?" Venizelos shook his head in disbelief.

"Thanks to my friend in London. He dug up the newspapers from that time. That's where I heard about the stolen cross. But the artefact is also visible on the painting. Not easy to notice it but it's there, right under the gaze of the monster Hydra. One of the creature's eyes is focusing on it. So it wasn't hard to put the pieces together then. However, the calculation of Ganz was flawed because the painting was saved and the Sicard family never stopped looking for the answers about the death of their relatives. It was the German, who killed François Sicard and his son, Luc Sicard, but I have no real proof of this."

"Unbelievable," sighed Anna. "So many died because of one man's greed."

"If there would be only one, but there are two of them!" I corrected her. "Here comes our friend, who was working in the background: Patrick Nelson."

"So that's his name? Who is he really?"

"A wealthy owner of a shipping company in the United States."

"And you know this from your friend in London too?"

"You could say that. He gave me a list about those who bought paintings from Sicard in the last few years. Five people were on the list, but only Patrick Nelson had more than a dozen pictures! He is an enthusiastic collector of artworks and his name came up several times in the case of stolen paintings. Of course there was never any proof that he had anything to do with those. Analysts believe a Sicard collection could represent a priceless value."

"I always hated the crazy millionaires," said Venizelos, leaning back in his chair.

"No wonder. I think Nelson was even more dangerous than Ganz. He knew that more people were looking for the picture and he tried to clear everyone from his path: the Sicard girl, Professor Bergman, Ganz and me."

"Fortunately he didn't reach his goal! Mr. Wyatt and Miss Tanakis... I think we are finished. My colleagues in Kavala will take care of the rest. Thanks for your help! You can leave now."

"One more word, detective!" I lifted my finger to stop him. "You didn't tell me, in the hotel, what I wanted to know. How and where were you informed about the case? You said, you work in Athens."

"That's right. Do you remember inspector Fotopoulos in Tolo?"

"Of course."

"He called me after you left the town. He worked in Athens before he moved to Tolo. We were partners for three years so I trusted him, and I was available anyway. It wasn't hard to follow you in Kavala. We bugged your suit after both of you left to find the painting."

"And I thought the inspector suspected that I was the one, who murdered Professor Bergman," I laughed, then shook hands with the detective. "Thanks for everything!"

"Farewell, Mr. Venizelos!" said Anna, with her arms around my elbow.

"Take care of yourselves!" Venizelos nodded and left.

It was time for us to leave too.