An Aegean Prophecy - Jeffrey Siger [94]
Cat man nodded. ‘Okay, now that we understand each other, what do I have to do to make you comfortable enough to take the risk? Shall I present you with the “ID” you were to be given or descriptions of the three you were expecting to meet?’
He shook his head. ‘No need to, I’m sure you know the three. I just don’t know you.’
‘Okay, then let me put it simply. How much?’ Petro smiled. ‘Forty thousand.’
‘Ten.’
‘Thirty.’
‘Fifteen.’
‘Twenty-five.’
‘No.’
‘“No?” Why “no”?’
‘Fifteen thousand additional euros for no additional risk. Take it or leave it.’
Petro hesitated. ‘Okay, but I want to see the money now.’
Cat man looked around the taverna, leaned toward Petro, and opened his shirt to show a money belt strapped about his waist. It was more like a bellyband for a bad back, but with pockets filled with euros.
‘I see you’ve done this sort of thing before.’
Cat man smiled. ‘A long, long time ago. So, where’s the package?’
‘It’s in a boat at the pier on the other end of the harbor.’
‘Go get it.’
‘Not a chance. For all I know your missing three guys are waiting out there to rip me off.’
‘We have a standoff.’
‘Not really. We go to the pier, you wait at the entrance, I go to the boat, and come back to you. We make the exchange there. Assuming you put the money in something other than your shirt.’
‘Don’t worry about that.’ For the first time cat man seemed nervous, as if deciding whether or not to continue. ‘Okay, but you stay in front of me the entire way.’
‘We walk side-by-side until the pier.’
Cat man paused, then nodded. ‘Okay, but give me a minute.’ He walked over and said something to the waiter, then gave him ten euros and picked up a beat-up plastic fishing bucket next to the kitchen door. ‘Let’s go.’
‘What’s that for?’ asked the man.
‘For your fucking money.’
Zacharias wanted to say, ‘For the bait that hooked you.’ But that would have given away his ruse, and besides, he enjoyed being able to swear in public for a change.
He thought his idea of wearing workingman’s clothes was brilliant. No one would expect a monk to be dressed like that. Amazing how easy it was to convince that Little Saint Anna seaman to let him borrow some clothes so Zacharias the monk ‘could see what it was like to walk about this hard world in your shoes, my son.’ Everyone believed him, it was his gift.
Zacharias had picked up on the Russian within minutes of walking into the taverna, but it was as if he were invisible to the Russian. Zacharias smiled to himself. It was the stray cat touch that did it.
He knew the Russian ultimately would turn over the package for money, probably his own mother if the price were right. He was paying a lot more than he thought necessary, but there was no time to play out the negotiation game longer. He had to get the package and be back on the boat before it left for Daphni. He also didn’t like leaving the busy end of the harbor, but then again, he understood the man’s point. Each had to be wary of the other. It was the way of the jungle in which they lived.
The walk along the cobblestone road took less than ten minutes. No one seemed to be around. Of course not, it was Easter Sunday, everyone was home cooking and eating lamb. He stood where he could see anyone approach from any direction. ‘I’ll wait here,’ said Zacharias.
‘No problem,’ said the Russian, as he turned and slowly walked toward a military-style inflatable tied to the far end of the pier. Zacharias watched him jump into the boat, take something out from beneath the captain’s seat, and step back onto the pier. Zacharias didn’t see anyone else on the boat.
Good, he thought. No tricks. Zacharias opened his shirt and looked around to see if anyone was watching. Nobody. He pulled off the money belt and carefully arranged it in the bucket.
The Russian came back holding a canvas backpack. ‘It’s in here.’ He unzipped the bag and pointed at a plastic canister.
‘Open it,’ said Zacharias.
‘Here?’
‘Yes, here.’
‘Are you crazy?’
‘No, just careful. You see, my friend, too many times in the past I’ve done the same thing.’
The Russian smirked.