Dark Avenger. Alex Ryder

steel band seemed to be tightening around her chest and she handed the phone back to Nikos. ‘He…he wants to talk to you.’

      Nikos held the phone for a moment between finger and thumb then he dropped it carelessly back into the cradle, cutting the connection.

      ‘You might at least have listened to what he was going to say,’ she flared.

      ‘Listen to excuses…pleas for mercy? It’s too late for that now.’ He signalled to the waiter, who came over and removed the phone.

      She held her tongue as Stavros, the hotel owner, came over and grinned at Nikos. ‘The accommodation you asked for is ready and the clothes you ordered have arrived.’

      Nikos gave a satisfied nod. ‘Good. And the other matter?’

      ‘It is being attended to. The men say it will take a few hours. It will be ready in time and you will have no cause for complaint. They are the best on the island.’

      Most of the conversation had been above her head but one item had caught her attention by the throat. He’d ordered ‘accommodation’!

      As soon as Stavros was out of earshot she hissed across the table, ‘I’m not staying here. I’m going back to the boat.’

      ‘I’m afraid that won’t be possible,’ he drawled. ‘But you needn’t worry. The rooms are separate.’

      ‘With a connecting door, I’ve no doubt,’ she ventured bitterly.

      ‘No.’ His teeth flashed again in that predatory smile. ‘I dare say that you’re now impatient to get the whole thing over with as quickly as possible but tonight wouldn’t be a good time to start. You’ve had a very trying day and you’re tired. I’d rather wait until you’re fully recovered from the shock. After all, I want you to enjoy the experience as much as I know I shall.’

       CHAPTER THREE

      BY MID-MORNING they were halfway to their next port of call and Nikos studied the chart then glanced at his watch. ‘We should be there in a couple of hours. What’s the cargo this time?’

      ‘Won’t know till I get there,’ she answered coolly. ‘Perhaps vegetables to take to the nearest market.’ She swept her blonde hair off her face. ‘Anyway we’re calling somewhere else first.’ She kept the wheel steady and stared fixedly over the blue silk sea. Well ahead of them a ‘flying dolphin’, one of the large hydrofoil ferry boats which served the larger islands, crossed their bows on its way to Samos.