Among the Olive Groves Read online

  Over the last few weeks she had done some questionable things to gain information. The worst was lying to Angelos and sleeping with an Italian officer. She was being pulled in so many directions and it made her head spin. What kind of person was she becoming? For the first time in her life she really hated herself. If that was case, how could anyone else really love her?

  Elena sat under a canopy of trees in the dead of night as questions and accusations about herself swam around her head. Hugging her knees to her chest and rocking slightly, she cried her heart out. Sobbing loudly, not caring if anyone heard her. Once she finished, she stood and held the gun tightly. She had to remember that she was doing this for Athena. She was doing this so that her daughter and all the other children on the island had a future, a future without fear and oppression. She had to carry on. She was in too deeply and the end game was too important.

  ~

  Loukas shoveled food into his mouth and looked around the table at his family: his pathetic wife, his useless son and his miserable daughter-in-law. Of all people, Maria was the one he respected the most. He knew she was aware of Angelos’s past with the gypsy and yet she was determined to keep her husband by any means necessary and he admired her for that. Even better she had announced a few days earlier that she was expecting their first child. You would have thought Angelos would be happier, but he had sulked ever since.

  “I have to go into town for another meeting tomorrow. I think you should come with me, Angelos.”

  His son looked up. “Me? Why?”

  “Because I said so. Does there need to be any other reason?”

  Angelos shook his head and went back to eating his dinner. A day with his father was not what he had planned.

  ~

  The following morning Angelos followed his father up the steps into the town council building in Zakynthos Town. He was glad to be indoors. Winter had settled in and the island was becoming cooler and the skies bleaker. Wearily, he sat in a chair next to his father and waited for the meeting to start. It was not long before Stelios arrived and the two men stood tall, flaunting their power. Angelos was bored of it. The last week had been hell. Maria had announced that she was going to have a baby, and it brought his past with Elena flooding back. Loukas was already telling everyone how excited he was about the birth of his first grandchild. It made Angelos mad, he already had a child, but as far as his family was concerned she did not exist, Loukas it seemed, had conveniently wiped Athena from his memory. Now Angelos had been dragged into town to meet with the island’s enemies. It made him feel uncomfortable. He already knew that some of the islanders had not taken well to Loukas and Stelios’s fraternisation, despite reaping some of the benefits.

  Angelos looked up and the door swung open. Two officers entered and took a seat at the table opposite. Angelos eyed one of them, with a look of fleeting familiarity. He was sure he had seen him somewhere before.

  “Gentlemen. It is good to see you again.” Pietro smiled, pouring himself a coffee.

  “Captain, may I introduce my son Angelos.”

  Angelos nodded, his brain working overtime; he was sure he recognised the man.

  “Good morning, Angelos, I am Captain Pietro Cipriani. It is good to finally meet you. I have heard a lot about you.”

  “You have?” Angelos wondered what his father had been saying, so he turned to him but Loukas merely shrugged.

  Pietro laughed, “I am sorry, I did not mean to confuse you. I meant that I have heard a lot about you from Elena.” His eyes glinted mischievously as he watched both the Sarkis men squirm at the mention of her name. “Elena Petrakis is a very beautiful woman who has a lot to say about the Sarkis family. I think she is especially fond of you though, Angelos.”

  “There is nothing between my son and that gypsy,” Loukas spat.

  “There may not be now, especially as I have heard that she has another man sharing her bed, but I do think she still loves your son. Do you still love her, Angelos?” The question hung uncomfortably in the air and Pietro’s eyes, no longer mischievous but angry, bore into Angelos’s.

  “Enough of this ridiculous charade!” the other Italian bellowed. “We are here to discuss business like men, not the virtues of women like schoolboys!”

  The room fell silent, and they all looked at Pietro waiting for him to speak again.

  “Angelos. I need to ask if you know who is distributing these.” Pietro placed a resistance handbill on the table and slid it slowly across to the Greeks’ side. Angelos had never seen it before, but Loukas had. He remembered the small boy in the market square trying to pass him one. Loukas racked his brain for the boys name but it did not come.

  “No. What are they?” Angelos asked.

  “Some kind of resistance pamphlet. They are everywhere on the mainland and we have been lucky so far that the Greeks on this island have behaved well and lived alongside us obeying our rules. But it seems, some have now joined this resistance movement and want to defy us and the Germans.”

  Pietro lit a cigarette and pulled deeply on it before releasing a pall of grey smoke.

  “If it were just the leaflets, that would be one thing, but it is not. They daub walls with red paint. It is becoming more and more common. If this carries on they will disobey us, steal from us, attack us and people will get hurt. I chose you, Loukas and Stelios, because of your positions on the island. I hope I was not wrong in that choice. You must do everything to infiltrate these people and find out who they are. It is not acceptable, and they must be found and punished.”

  Loukas and Stelios only nodded. Pietro stood, indicating that the meeting was now at an end. Placing his hat on his head, he straightened his jacket and grinned widely. “It has been a pleasure, gentlemen. It was good to meet you, Angelos. I shall give Elena your love, but I doubt that she will care as her affections now lie elsewhere.”

  Filled with rage, Angelos sprang to his feet. How dare the Italian talk to him like that! But it was too late. Captain Cipriani was already out of sight, his fading footsteps the only the thing to remind them that he had been in the room.

  “What do we do now, Loukas?” Stelios asked. He had never been sure about his position in this working relationship, and the captain’s words worried him. They were, first and foremost, Greek. The Italians were their enemy, the invaders. Whatever the captain said, the Italians were still in charge and would be for the foreseeable future. Stelios was nervous and knew that Loukas was out for glory, however it came.

  “We do as they ask. These peasants need to know how lucky they are to still be alive.”

  Stelios glanced at Angelos and caught his eye; he could see the anger on the boy’s face. He knew that the boy could cause problems for them, but it was not his place to say anything. Angelos was Loukas’s son, not his, despite his daughter being married to him.

  “Father...”

  Loukas rounded on Angelos. “Not one word from you. You have already said and done enough. Just because I brought you here does not mean that you are entitled to an opinion.”

  Turning to Stelios his tone lightened. “Stelios, my friend. We have been given something special, we have been accepted by the Italians. I do not agree with everything they or the Germans do, but we are safer staying on side with them, than choosing another path. If that means turning in a few farm labourers for a bit of graffiti and leaflet printing, then so be it.”

  Loukas stood and pushed back his chair. “Give my best to your wife. Come for dinner in a few days, it would be good to see you up at the house again. We can celebrate the news about our grandchild! Angelos come, we are leaving.”

  Angelos stood and followed his father from the room, shrugging as he passed Stelios. He had little choice but to obey his father, but he had a feeling that they had just agreed to walk into the lion’s den. Things would not end well.

  ~

  It was New Years Eve and the clock was ticking ever closer to midnight, but no one in the resistance cared for celebrations. They were huddled
together in their new meeting place, awaiting orders. A routine Italian patrol had discovered the hut a few months before so they had abandoned it. Luckily no one had been caught, but Dionysis had no choice but to change the meeting place. It had been too risky to use the hut again. He had decided that the caves up in the mountains were the best place for them to meet. They were difficult to get to, and only the islanders knew of their existence.

  Once orders had been given and information shared, the resistance sneaked away into the night. A few stars glinted overhead shining brightly in the depths of winter, but the moon was waning, a mere sliver of light on the horizon. Islanders were woken by the sound of distant engines, and rushed from their beds in time to see fighter planes overhead. Fear of being bombed gripped them and they ran for cover, but the night was silent save for the sound of engines and machine gun fire. Elena was leaving the cave when she saw the airplane get hit. It tumbled in the sky, smoke belching from its frame before finally crashing into the sea. From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a parachute, and it looked like the pilot was safe. Carefully watching its descent, she calculated where it landed before running back to the cave.

  Dionysis turned, gun in hand, the moment he heard the twig snap. Confusion passed over his face. He did not expect to see Elena again that evening.

  “Dionysis. You must come. A plane has crashed near Kampi, and someone has parachuted to land.”

  “You just saw this?”

  “Yes.”

  “We must go and investigate, but we must use caution, Elena. It could be the enemy, and the Italians may also be searching for the man.”

  “Pah! The Italians will all be drunk in their beds by now, or asleep with their women. They will not care.”

  “We must still use caution. You must do as I say.”

  “Yes, Dionysis.”

  The pair crept from the cave, and Elena gave directions, explaining to Dionysis what she had seen and where she thought the man had fallen. For hours they searched, but failed to find him.

  “I do not understand. I saw him fall.”

  “You may have, but these are trained soldiers, and they know how to hide themselves. He will be long gone now.”

  Trudging back under the shadowy cover of trees, they heard a sound, like an animal in pain. Dionysis motioned for Elena to stay quiet and follow his movements. Slowly, under cover of tree and rock, they crept carefully towards the sound. Elena’s heart beat loudly in her chest, and she felt the adrenalin rush through her body. What if the man they were seeking was a German pilot? What would Dionysis do? Would she finally be forced to use her gun on the stranger, or would they simply take him prisoner? She did not have long to wait for an answer. In a naturally carved ravine, shaded by large trees and bushes, lay the body of an airman. Edging closer, they saw he was unarmed and worryingly still. Dionysis instructed Elena to keep lookout, before creeping into the ravine to check the man. As soon as he reached the injured man, Dionysis could see that his uniform was English; he was an ally not an enemy. Dionysis breathed easier and motioned for Elena. Once she was by his side, they set about checking the man for injuries.

  “I think he may have broken his leg. Get me some strong tree branches and I will try to splint it. The sun will be rising in an hour; we need to get him out of here. I think the caves will be best for now.”

  Elena did as instructed. Dionysis carefully shook the man conscious and explained who they were and where he was, but the airman just stared blankly at them before drifting unconsciousness again. Elena returned with two fallen tree branches she had found in the undergrowth. They strapped his leg as best they could before helping the man to his feet. Between them, Elena and Dionysis helped the airman through the woods and up to the caves. It was hard going. The man was tall and difficult to move with a splinted leg and his being unconscious made him feel like a dead weight, but eventually they managed to get him to the caves just as the light began to change, signaling the start of another dawn. In the cave, they settled him on the rough floor and threw an old blanket over him to keep him warm.

  “Stay here with him, Elena. I will return in an hour.”

  She watched Dionysis disappear into the woods before sitting next to the airman. All she could do was anxiously wait for him to return.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Zakynthos, Greece, 2002

  The plane landed on the dusty tarmac with a thud and a screech. As it came to an abrupt halt, passengers pinged open their seatbelts and clamoured to be the first from their seat. They dragged their hand luggage from overhead lockers and from under seats, before the remove seatbelt signs were even turned off, ignoring the glares from the cabin crew. A few minutes later, the doors opened and Fletch found himself walking down metal steps to the tarmac below. The sun was hot and bright and he pulled his sunglasses down to cover his eyes.

  As much as he liked his mates, Shane and Jase, he was already wishing he had not joined them for Shane’s stag week. Most people went on stag weekends, but Shane decided he wanted a whole week with his mates on a Greek island, where they could party, drink and no doubt, where Shane and Jase were concerned, sleep with as many pretty girls as possible. The invite had surprised Fletch. He had not seen them for so long, and he did not really feel like they were friends anymore, but Shane insisted he be there.

  After returning to Cornwall last year, he had made the decision to stay, rather than running back to California. There was nothing there for him anymore and he had had all the fun he could. Running away had not done him any good at all, and he had only delayed the inevitable. He should have stayed all those years ago and fought for Kate, but he had not. Being back in Cornwall was comforting and familiar. Everywhere he went he saw Kate, remembered things about her, and felt like he was near her, but he was not. She had run away as well, to Bristol, and even though he felt like driving up to see her, he had hesitated. More than hesitated. They had been apart too long, and too much time had passed. And anyway, if she had wanted to talk to him she would have done so already. Her parents would have mentioned that he was back and she would have come to him. Would she not?

  But she had not, and that told Fletch everything he needed to know. Too much time had passed, they were no longer friends and nothing would ever be the same again.

  When Shane had mentioned his stag week, at a chance meeting in the local pub, Fletch had agreed to go straightaway. He thought another trip abroad might do him good. It would be something to help take his mind off Kate. She still sneaked into his brain, still left her mark on him and despite everything he tried, he just could not stop thinking about her. Yes, coming to Greece was the best idea.

  Behind him, Shane and Jase, already drunk from consuming too much beer on the plane, were chatting up two pretty blonde girls. Fletch sighed. Now that he wondered if it really was the best idea after all. It was going to be a very long week, but it was too late now. He just had to try and make the best of it.

  ~

  Kate sat back and watched as the boat skimmed over the tranquil turquoise seas heading to Navagio Beach. She was looking forward to seeing the shipwreck up close after viewing it from above. Staring up at large, steep white cliffs, topped with deep lush greenery, she marveled at the geography of the island. The farther out they went, the deeper the colour of the sea became. Every now and again, the boat rocked with the gentle swell of ocean waves, but as they rounded the headland they became a little rougher, making her grip the side of the boat.

  It was not long before they entered the chasm between the high overbearing cliffs of Navagio Beach.

  “Shipwreck Cove!” the boat owner Christos shouted, as he manoeuvred the vessel onto the shore. He anchored it to the sand with a thick rope then helped Kate and the rest of the tourists onto the beach. The group dispersed in different directions, each with their own plan for the day. Kate just stood and stared. It was one of the most isolated places she had ever been. If Christos suddenly abandoned them, there would be no way of leaving the cove.
The cliffs were steep, foreboding and impossible to climb. Between the cliffs was a large expanse of rough golden sand and the shipwreck lay at its centre.

  Kate walked up the beach to investigate the ship first. It was a huge mass of rusting, creaking metal. It had definitely seen better days and, after its fateful demise, it had been left to a slow death courtesy of the harsh coastal elements. Walking around it, Kate saw how it leaned precariously and was surprised it had not already toppled over. After exploring a bit more, she laid out a towel on the sand, put up an umbrella loaned to her by Michelle, and lay down. Rummaging in her bag, she pulled out a book, flipped down her sunglasses and began to read.

  ~

  Fletch looked out of his apartment window. He had always been an early riser; the call of the sea was strong, and dragged him from his bed most days. The sun was still rising and the vibrant blue sky was slowly removing the orange bleed of a new day. He could hear Shane and Jase snoring. It had been a late night and they had trawled the bars and clubs in Laganas. He had stood in a corner, filled with boredom, watching as the lads drank the night away, danced and chatted up as many girls as possible. Fletch felt sorry for Shane’s fiancée Jackie; she seemed to be totally oblivious to his wayward behaviour. Fletch did not understand why people bothered getting married if they had no intention of staying faithful. He would never have done that to one of his girlfriends.

  His mind wandered back to Kate again. He wondered where she was and what she was doing. Probably sitting in her smart office in Bristol, running her little empire. He wondered if she had finally met someone, if she was now married, if she had children. He wanted to ask her parents but felt awkward. He did not know what to say. Selfishly, he hoped she had not and that she was still single. If she were single, there was still hope. Fletch knew he loved her, and that he never would stop loving her. He would never love anyone the way he loved Kate. He missed her and wanted her back. He just wished that he could tell her how he felt.