Free Aegean Intrigue by Patricia Kiyono

Eleven
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    Alex watched the ambulance drive away. He needed to speak to Francie, but now was not the time. He had to deal with the professor, and he wanted to question Yannis's assailant, too. This was no random shooting. Someone had wanted to silence Yannis, but why? He sighed. This was not the way he had envisioned the day. He turned and re-entered the interrogation room, where the professor sat in handcuffs.
    Half an hour later, he stalked out. He had no more information than he did when he had entered. The professor freely admitted switching the address labels on the packages, but other than that, he knew nothing about the person or the organization doing the crimes. He was simply following typed orders left on his desk. He did it to keep someone from leaking information about his past. The story didn't change, no matter how the questions were phrased or how many times he was asked.
    So the professor was working for someone. That was no surprise. But how was Yannis's shooting connected to all this? Hopefully Yannis would be able to answer a few questions.
    Alex went back out to the lobby area to question the rest of the dig crew. Willem, Josh, and Dimitri were the only three there.
    â€œWhere is Christina?”
    The three young men looked at each other.
    â€œI don't remember seeing her after we left the camp,” offered Josh.
    â€œNeither do I,” admitted Willem. “She rode from the campsite with us, because she sat next to me in the van. But I don't know what happened to her after that.”
    Dimitri nodded in agreement.
    â€œSo she's here in town. After I question the man they brought in, I'll walk over to the medical center and see if she went there with Francie, Jane, and Yannis.” Alex turned to leave, but Josh caught his shoulder.
    â€œAlex? Is the dig over? What's going to happen to us?”
    Alex understood the young man's anxiety. “I'm not sure, Josh. I think the police will want to question you. After they release you, get some dinner in town and then you might as well go back to the camp. I'll come and fill you in as soon as I get some answers.”
    Twenty minutes later, Alex walked to the island's medical center, a frown creasing his brow. The man the police had brought in didn't appear to be the shooter. He had been found loitering outside the station, but no weapon had been found, and his hands showed no traces of gunpowder residue from a discharged gun. Alex had found footprints just outside the window where Yannis had been standing, and this man's shoes did not fit the prints. The authorities would probably have to let the man go. It could have been a random crime, but something in Alex's gut told him it had everything to do with his case. Right now he needed to see about Yannis.
    Arriving at the medical center, he found the missing crew member looking in the window. Christina stood on her tiptoes, holding on to the white stone window sill and peering in.
    â€œChristina, why are you out here? Francie and Jane are inside. I'm sure they wouldn't mind your company.”
    At the sound of Alex's voice, the girl jumped and whirled around, bringing her hand to her chest.
    â€œOh! Kyrie Leonidis! I did not hear you coming. I heard Yannis was brought here and—and I wanted to make sure he was all right.” She fidgeted with her shoulder bag as she spoke and didn't make eye contact with him. Her nervousness set off an alarm in Alex's mind and his other senses went on alert.
    And then he smelled it. The odor of burnt gunpowder.
    Wrapping his arm around her, he guided the girl to an outdoor bench. His hand grabbed the top of her shoulder bag so that if she reached for it she wouldn't be able to pull anything out.
    â€œI'm sure Yannis is getting the finest care,” he began. “He was hit in the arm, so the wound shouldn't be too serious.”
    â€œBut he wasn't supposed to be hit!” Christina cried. “He stepped in front of her at the last