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They spent fifteen minutes in there and stumbled out into the bright sunshine, blinking.
The trees were stirring, beginning to bend and sway, and the guide looked up into the sky, frowning.
‘I hope that is not the meltemi coming. You know about the wind? The meltemi, a dry, north wind which blows across the islands in summer and blows sand in your face, makes doors and shutters bang, drives people crazy.’
‘Like the sirocco, the French summer wind,’ said an American woman.
‘Exactly, but the Greeks do not allow the wind to be used as a legal excuse for killing your wife, as the French do,’ the guide said, laughing.
They arrived back at the hotel half an hour later and Miranda hurried off to her room. The shutters were closed against the afternoon heat; the room was cool and shadowy. She drank a bottle of iced water from the mini fridge, stripped off and took a quick, refreshing shower, put on her towelling robe and lay down on her bed. Within about five minutes she was fast asleep.
When she woke up, it was almost dinner time. She rang her mother before she got dressed.
‘How are you?’ Dorothy asked in concern.
‘Fine – this is a really lovely place. I haven’t started work yet, but I’m looking forward to it.’
‘Good.’ A pause, then Dorothy told her, ‘That boss of yours came down here, looking for you.’
Miranda stiffened. ‘Terry?’
‘Finnigan himself. Yes. Don’t worry, I didn’t tell him anything.’
‘He didn’t threaten you?’
‘No, and anyway, I’ve got Freddy here, taking care of me. You needn’t fret about me. Just take care of yourself. How’s Pandora?’
‘She was very tired after the journey, but she’s been in bed ever since we got here.’
‘Poor girl. I hope she manages to keep this baby inside her. She’s so desperate to have a child. You take care of her, OK? Keep her company if she has to stay in bed. It must be very boring lying down all day.’
‘I will, don’t worry. I like her very much, I’ll do what I can.’
Ringing off a few minutes later, Miranda slowly got dressed, hearing a strong wind raking the trees outside, tossing them to and fro, tearing off their leaves, rattling the windows and banging the shutters. Somewhere in the hotel doors slammed. How long did the meltemi go on blowing?
Looking in the mirror she saw the feverish brightness of her eyes and knew she was frightened. So Terry was still looking for her? Well, what did she expect? Her mother might not tell him where she had gone, but Terry would not give up looking.
He loved his son too much. He would want to silence her, forever. He would do anything for Sean.
Another realisation hit her, she bit her lip, shuddering.
What if she had not been imagining it when she thought she saw Alex Manoussi? What if he was staying here?
If he caught sight of her he might pass the news on to Terry. They were in business together, and often talked on the phone. And they were good friends. He probably knew nothing about what was going on; Terry was hardly likely to tell him. It would be perfectly natural for him to say: did you know that girl who did your PR is here in Greece?
How could he guess what might happen if he told Terry she was here?
If he did, this time he really would be the Angel of Death, for her.
Chapter Eight
Next day she moved into a staff bungalow, one of a row of four set apart from those used for hotel guests. Hers was single storey, roughly plastered, whitewashed, with a terracotta tiled roof. There was a bedroom, with a bathroom off it, a small sitting room with a kitchenette at one end, and a balcony overlooking the sea at the other.
‘I hope you will be comfortable,’ Milo said, watching her walk out on to the balcony and gaze over the dazzling blue sky, the even bluer sea, whipped into white caps by the meltemi, which had been blowing now for nearly twenty hours. The force of it was diminishing, but the trees still lashed to and fro and the sound of it had an eerie, disturbing whistle.
‘I’m sure I shall – it’s delightful. I shall enjoy eating out here, too.’ Her gaze was fixed on the sea, where she had yesterday thought she saw Alex.
Had she imagined it? Or had he really been there?
