Chapter 8 chapter eight
In Greece, the most prestigious law firm is of course Tritsis Law Firm.The founder of the firm had long since retired, and it now belonged to Napoleon Chotas and several of his partners, and Chotas's talents naturally made him their standard-bearer.
Whenever rich people were accused of murder, they turned to Napoleon Chotas for help.Over the years, he has made remarkable achievements in his career.He had appeared in court for many difficult capital crimes, but almost always came home victorious.The other day, his Anastasia murder case brought his name to the headlines of newspapers around the world once again.Originally, it was a lawsuit that was clearly lost, but no one expected that he would use such a unique trick to win by surprise in the end.Of course he took great risks in this move, but he realized that it was the only way to save his client.
He chuckled secretly as he recalled the horrified look on the jury's face after he drank the poisoned cough syrup.He had precisely timed his speech so that it would be adjourned until 12 o'clock.This is crucial.If the judges suddenly changed their usual work and rest time that day - delayed until after 12 o'clock... He couldn't imagine what kind of serious consequences it would cause.
In fact, something unexpected happened later that almost killed him.After leaving the court, when Jobes was hurrying through the corridor, a group of reporters suddenly rushed up and blocked his way.
"Mr. Jotas, how do you know that the bottle of potion has not been poisoned...?"
"Can you explain how that...?"
"Do you think someone stole the bottle...?"
"Anastasia Savarez had..."
"Wait a minute, gentlemen. I'm afraid I'll have to go to the bathroom right away, and I'll be happy to answer your questions afterwards."
He hurried to the toilet door at the end of the corridor.A sign on the door read: "Equipment out of order."
A reporter still followed him closely, "I think you'll have to find another one."
Napoleon Chotas smiled awkwardly and said, "I'm afraid I can't wait." He opened the door and walked in, then locked the door behind him.
His men were waiting for him inside.The doctor complained at the first meeting: "I can't wait. The antimony thing works very fast." Then he urgently ordered his assistant, "Get the suction tube ready immediately."
"Okay, doctor."
Then the doctor said to Napoleon Chotas: "Lie down on the ground, please, it may not be very pleasant to do."
"When I think about it being a life-or-death decision," Chotas said with a playful smile, "then it's nothing to worry about."
Napoleon Chotas received a million dollars in a Swiss bank account for saving the life of Mrs. Anastasia Savarez.The Chotas lived in Coronalai - a picturesque residential area of Athens - in a palatial villa on the island of Corfu.He also owns a private apartment in Paris. No matter how you look at it, the life of Napoleon Chotas should be said to be smooth sailing.In his mind, there was only one cloud that could not be dispelled so far. A man named Frederick Stavros was a new lawyer in his firm.But the guys can't stand him. "He's a second-rate guy at best, Napoleon. He doesn't deserve to be in a place like ours..." "Stavros nearly blew my case. The guy is such a..." "Did you hear what Stavros did in court yesterday? The guy was almost thrown out by the judge..." "Damn it, why don't you fire this guy, he's clearly a fifth wheel here. We don't need him, and keeping him here is a rip off of our brand." Napoleon Chotas knew this all too well.Several times, he almost couldn't help blurting out the truth: I couldn't get him out.But every time he held back his temper and patiently explained to his partner, "Stavros will gradually become familiar with the business in the future." These are the answers his partner gets every time.
A philosopher once said, "Just watch carefully for what you want, and you will get it." Frederick Stavros, the new partner at Tritsis Associates, finally got his wish.But at the same time, he also became one of the most pitiful people in the world.He couldn't eat or sleep all day, and his weight began to drop alarmingly. "You've got to get checked out at the hospital, Frederick." His wife insisted over and over again that he should go to a doctor. "You look really worrying." "No, I... that won't help." He knew that his illness could not be cured by medical means, because it was a kind of torture of conscience devouring his health. Frederick Stavros was originally a young man full of passion for life.He is eager for success, ambitious, and an idealist.He used to handle various cases for some poor local parties in a dilapidated and simple office in Monastraki, a poor area of Athens, often for free.It wasn't until he met Napoleon Chotas that he suddenly changed his destiny overnight. A year earlier, Stavros had defended Larry Douglas in his and Noel Patch's trial for the murder of his wife Catherine.At that time, Napoleon Chotas acted as the defense lawyer for his lover Noel Pazzi because he accepted the entrustment of the tycoon Constantine Demiris.From the beginning, Stavros offered to let Chotas act as defense attorney for both defendants.He has great admiration for this star barrister. "You really haven't seen how Chotas handles cases," he often said of him to his wife. "He's an incredible talent. It would be great if I could join his firm someday." As the trial drew to a close, things suddenly and unexpectedly changed.That day Napoleon Chotas summoned Noel Patch, Larry Douglas, and Frederick Stavros into a back room with a smile on his face. Chotas told Stavros: "I just met with the judges. As long as the two of them are willing to voluntarily waive their original pleas of innocence and plead guilty, the judge is only going to sentence them to five years in prison each, four of which Probation. That is, the fact that neither of them will serve even half a year." He then told Larry, "Because you are a citizen of the United States, Mr. Douglas, you will be deported from the country .” Noel Patch and Larry Douglas immediately offered to drop their original pleas and publicly pleaded guilty at the reopening.A quarter of an hour later, the defendants and their lawyers waited for the final verdict of the presiding judge: "Greek law will never impose the death penalty on the defendant if he has not fully admitted to the crime of homicide. So frankly, I and My colleagues were very surprised by the fact that the two defendants suddenly dropped their original plea of innocence during the trial and admitted that they were indeed guilty of murder... Now I announce the verdict of the two defendants as follows, Noel Patch and Larry Douglas will be executed by law enforcement . . . within 90 days from now." It was only at this moment that Stavros realized that they were all sold out by Napoleon Chotas. In fact, Chotas had no secret deal with the plaintiff, but he was only ordered by Constantine Demiris to do so. of.According to the boss, not only must he give up all efforts to win the lawsuit, but on the contrary, he must try to make his client finally be found guilty of murder by the court.This is Demiris' revenge on the woman who betrayed him, Noel Patch.And Stavros remained ignorant of this bloody conspiracy. I have to find a way to stop this from happening.Stavros made up his mind.I have to go and tell the presiding judge what Chotas did to get the court to vacate the sentence. But at this moment, Napoleon Chotas came to him: "If you are free tomorrow, why don't you have lunch with us, Frederick? I want you to meet my partners." Take a look..."
Four weeks later, Frederick Stavros became a partner in the law firm of Tritsis.There he got a spacious, bright office and a good salary.He sold his soul to the devil.But he realized it was a deal too scary to keep.I can't keep silent like this. He couldn't get rid of the deep sense of guilt in his heart these days.I am a murderer, he said to himself. Frmidric Stavros was caught in an excruciating dilemma.Finally he made up his mind. One morning he walked into the office of Napoleon Chotas. "Leon, I..." "My God, why do you look so ugly?" Napoleon Chotas asked him in surprise. "Why don't you take a vacation, Frederick? That will do your health good." But the purpose of Stavros's visit today was not for this. "Leon, I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, but I...I don't want to stay here anymore." Chotas looked at him in surprise. "What the hell are you talking about? Aren't you doing a good job here?" "No. I—I feel like I'm going to be torn apart." "Tear? I really don't know what's bothering you so much." Stavros looked at Chotas in disbelief and said, "That...that thing you and I did to Noel Patch and Larry Douglas, how do you... Why don't you feel ashamed?" Chotas' eyes narrowed.Be careful. "Sometimes, Frederick, people have to use unfair means to get justice." He smiled, and then added, "Trust me, we have nothing to blame. They are really guilty." "It's us who have sinned them, we have deceived them. I can't live like this any longer. I'm sorry. I've made up my mind to get out of here at the end of the month. I'll see you when I do." "I cannot accept your resignation," Chotas said forcefully. "Why don't you do what I tell you - after some time off..." "No. With this heartache, I'll never be happy here. I'm sorry." Napoleon.Chotas watched him coldly. "Have you thought about what to do in the future? You are automatically giving up a good future...and life." "No. I'm doing it to save my life." "So you made up your mind to die?" "Yes. I really feel a little sorry for you, Leon. But you don't have to worry, I'll always keep this secret from now on." He turned and walked out of Chotas' office after he finished speaking. Napoleon Chotas sat in his seat and pondered for a long time.Finally, he made a decision.He picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Please tell Mr. Demiris that I must see him this afternoon. Tell him it is urgent."
Four p.m.Napoleon.Chotas sat in Demiris' office. "What's the matter, Leon?" Demiris asked. "Perhaps there is no question," Chotas replied cautiously. "But I think you'll have to know, Frederick Stavros, who came to my office this morning to inform me that he's resigning." "Stavros, the Larry Douglas defense attorney?" "He seems to be having a little trouble with his own conscience." There was a solemn silence. "I see." "But he promised never to reveal what happened that day... behind the courtroom that day." "Do you believe it?" "Yes. I fully trust his assurances, Coster." Constantin Demiris laughed. "Well, in that case, we have nothing to worry about, do we?" Napoleon Chotas stood up with a sigh of relief. "So do I. I just wanted to let you know that's the case." "You did the right thing. Are you free to have dinner with me next week?" "Of course I'm free." "Then I'll call you when I arrive, and we can arrange some things by the way." "Thanks, Coster."
It's a Friday evening.In the old Campanicarea church, everything is so peaceful, peaceful and silent.Near the corner of the altar, Frederick Stavros is kneeling before Father Constantino in confession.A cloth is draped over the head. "I have sinned deeply, Father. I am beyond salvation." "One of the great troubles of man is that he thinks he is only a man. What crime have you committed, my child?" "I'm a murderer." "You took someone's life?" "Yes, Father. I don't know how to atone." "God knows. We can take inspiration from him." "I was led astray by vanity and greed. It happened a year ago. I defended a man accused of murder, and it went well at first, but then Napoleon Chotas..."
When Frederick Stavros came out of the church half an hour later, he looked like a different man.The huge burden on the shoulders was finally unloaded.After this ritual of confession, which has lasted for hundreds of years, he experienced a sense of purification.Stavros told Father Constantino the whole story.For the first time since these dreadful days he regained a whole self. I'm starting a new life.I had to relocate to another city where I would start from scratch.I will make up for all the horrible mistakes I made in the past.Thank you, Father, for giving me a chance to be a new man. Night fell.The center of Ohms Square was almost deserted.When Frederick Stavros came to the intersection, the street lights began to come on.As he was crossing the intersection, a black car with headlights on came out of the ramp and crashed into him.Stavros' eyes widened in horror, petrified by the huge, insane monster that was rushing towards him.It was too late to get out of the way. With a loud "boom", Stavros felt that his body was being torn apart and crushed.After a burst of severe pain that lasted for a short time, it immediately fell into darkness.
Napoleon Chotas is a morning person.He liked to enjoy some quiet solitude before the pressures of a new day overwhelmed him; he usually had breakfast alone, and was in the habit of reading the morning paper while it was done.There are a few pieces of news in today's newspaper that interest him.Prime Minister Themis Dokeles Sophoris recently formed a five-party cabinet government.Looks like I'll have to send a congratulatory message.Chinese Communist troops had reached the north bank of the Yangtze River; Harry Truman and Alben Buckley were sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States, respectively.When Napoleon Chotas turned to the second edition, his blood froze.A piece of creepy news jumped into his eyes: Napoleon Chotas would not look any further.He sat on the manuscript in a daze, thinking about it, and the breakfast was put aside.An accident.Is this an accident?Hadn't Constantin Demiris already said that there was nothing to worry about?But Demiris' tricks on the scene had made many people fall for him. Chotas walked over to the telephone.A secretary put him through to Demiris. "Did you read the morning paper?" Chotas asked. "No. I haven't seen it yet. Why?" "Frederic Staveros is dead." "What?" The other party exclaimed. "What did you say?" "He was hit by a car last night. The driver has fled." "My gosh! I'm so sorry, Leon. Haven't they caught the driver yet?" "Yes, not yet." "Maybe I can put some pressure on the police. Everyone's on their own these days. How about dinner on Thursday, by the way?" "Ok." "That's settled." Napoleon Chotas has always been good at finding out the truth in the tone of other people's speech.Konstantin Demiris' reaction just now was clearly one of genuine shock.He had nothing to do with Stavros' death.Chotas was sure of that.
The next morning, Napoleon Chotas drove the car into the private garage below the office building as usual.As he came out of the garage and walked toward the elevator, a young man suddenly appeared from the shadows. "Do you have any matches?" Alarms went off immediately in Chotas' mind.This person's face is completely unfamiliar, what is he doing wandering around here? "Of course." Chotas slammed the suitcase in the opponent's face without thinking. The stranger screamed in pain as he was beaten. "You son of a bitch!" He suddenly pulled a suppressed pistol from his pocket. "Hey, what's the matter?" A uniformed building guard ran towards him. The stranger hesitated for a moment, then walked out the door. The guard ran up and asked, "Are you all right, Mr. Chotas?" "Well...it's nothing." Napoleon Chotas felt a little out of breath. "I'm fine." "What does he want?" Napoleon Chotas replied thoughtfully: "I don't know either."
This is by no means an accidental coincidence.Chotas sat at his desk, thinking.Maybe this guy is just trying to rob me.But why would he use a suppressed pistol for such a thing?No, he wants to kill me.This time Constantin Demiris was likely to pretend to be as surprised and shocked as he had been the last time he heard of the murder of Frederick Stavros. I should have known this earlier, Chotas thought.Demiris has never been willing to let himself take risks easily.He does not want to leave a tail in his work.Well, this time Mr. Dreyriss will be genuinely surprised. Only the voice of his secretary came over the intercom, "Mr. Chotas, you have to go to court in half an hour." He was going to court today to give his final concluding remarks on a serial murder case, but he was too distraught at the moment to make it. "Call the judge and just say I'm not feeling well today and let someone else handle the case for me. Don't bother me with any more calls." He took out a tape recorder from the drawer, and after thinking about it for a while, he began to speak into the tape recorder.
Shortly after noon, Pepperon Chotas appeared in the office of Prosecutor Peter Demonides, a manila envelope in his hand.The reception secretary recognized him immediately. "Good afternoon, Mr. Chotas. What can I do for you?" "I want to see Mr. Demonides." "He's in a meeting, do you have an appointment in advance?" "No. Can you report it? It's urgent." "Okay, of course no problem." A quarter of an hour later, Chotas followed the secretary to the prosecutor's office. "Oh," Demonides was a little surprised, "Muhammad still came to the mountain after all. Can I do something for you? It seems that you plan to negotiate with me on this case this afternoon?" "No. It's a private matter of mine, Peter." "Sit down, Leon." After the two sat down, Chotas said, "I came today to ask you to keep an envelope for me. It's sealed now. If something happens to me, you can open it." Peter Demonides looked at the other party curiously, "Do you think something is going to happen to you?" "possible." "I see. One of your ungrateful clients?" "It doesn't matter who it is. You are the only person I can trust. Can you find a safe place to keep this envelope safely?" "Of course." Then he turned to Chotas and said, "You seem worried." "yes." "Would you like us to provide you with protection? I can send a policeman with you at all times." Chotas tapped the envelope with his hand. "That's the only protection I need." "Fine. If you can take my word for it." "I believe in you." Chotas stood up and held out his hand to him. "Thank you. I really don't know how to thank you." Peter Demonides smiled and said, "God knows. You owe me a favor."
An hour later, a special courier in uniform walked into the Greek Trading Company.He walked over to a secretary. "I have a box here for Mr. Demiris." "Then I'll sign for it." "The client wants me to deliver it to him personally." "Sorry, I can't bother him right now. Who sent it?" "Napoleon Chotas." "Do you have to give it to him face to face?" "Yes, ma'am." "Then I'll ask Mr. Demiris if he's free to see you." She pressed a button on the intercom. "Excuse me, Mr. Demiris. A courier is here saying Mr. Chotas has a box for you." Demiris' voice came over the intercom: "Bring it in, Erin." "But he said that Mr. Jotas took care of it and wanted to hand it over to you in person." There was a short silence. "Bring him in." Irene came to Demiris' office with a messenger. "Are you Mr. Constantin Demiris?" "I am." "Can you sign for it yourself?" Constantine signed his name on the receipt, and the courier left an envelope on his desk. "thanks." After the secretary and the courier left, Constantine Demiris picked up the envelope on the table and looked at it thoughtfully for a while, then he opened the love envelope with his hands. Inside was a miniature player, Also comes with a cassette.He felt a little strange, so he pressed the play button. Napoleon Chotas' voice began to echo through the office: "My dear Coster, if you could have believed that Frederick Stavros would never have revealed our little secret together, things would have been much easier than now. It's much simpler. It makes me even more sorry that you don't even trust me and foolishly think that I will ruin your business too. I have many reasons to be sure that you are the one who killed Stavros The mastermind behind the scenes. It was my next turn. But since my life is as important to me as your life is to you, I have to politely decline your offer to be your subordinate. A Victim's Claim. For my own protection, I have written in a letter with all the details concerning the case of Noel Patch and Larry Douglas, sealed it, and handed it over to the censor. In this way, should anything happen to me, the censor has the right to open the letter immediately. In view of this, my friend, I think you will now be very happy to see that I am still alive, and alive. It’s not bad.” The recording ends here. Constantine Demiris stared blankly at the sky from his seat.
When Napoleon Chotas returned to his office in the afternoon, he was quite at ease.Constantin Demiris is cold-blooded and dangerous, but he is by no means a reckless fool.He never hurt people at will without considering the consequences.This time he has done it, Chotas thought.But I was defeated.It seems that I have to prepare something else for Thursday's meal.
For the next few days Napoleon Chotas was preoccupied with a lawsuit involving two murders: a woman murdered two of her husband's lovers.Chotas worked from morning to night to make meticulous preparations for the upcoming court debate.Intuition told him—despite the odds against the defendant—that he would win again this time. On Wednesday nights, he worked late at the office before driving home.It was one o'clock in the morning when we arrived at the villa. The butler greeted him at the door. "Do you need something to eat, Mr. Chotas? If you're hungry, I can get you a snack right away or..." "No, thank you. I'm not hungry. Go to sleep." Kepoleon Chotas headed straight for the bedroom.After going to bed, he went through the entire trial process of the case carefully in his mind, and did not fall asleep until 2 o'clock.He is dreaming. He was standing in court to cross-examine a witness.Suddenly, the witness began to undress. "What are you doing?" Chotas asked scoldingly. "I'm so hot." Chotas looked around the full courtroom and saw that all the audience had taken off their clothes. He turned to the judgment seat. "Mr. Judge, I must object to this..." But the judge also began to take off his vestments. "It's too hot in here," he complained. Why is this place so hot today?And it was loud. Napoleon Chotas opened his eyes, only to see that the fierce flames were already licking the door frame of the bedroom, and the room was filled with choking smoke. Napoleon Chotas sprang up from the bed, eyes wide with horror. The house was on fire, but why didn't the alarm go to the police? Under the high temperature, the door was completely deformed and could not be opened.The billowing smoke choked Chotas almost to suffocation.He hurried to the window and tried to open it forcefully, but the window was stuck tightly and he couldn't open it no matter what.The smoke in the room grew thicker, and Chotas found it rather difficult to breathe.He has been unable to escape. The ceiling strips on the roof were ignited and began to fall in pieces.Then a wall fell on him, and the flames finally consumed him.Chotas cried out in pain.His hair and nightgown were immediately up, and he desperately slammed into the closed window with all his might.A flaming mass burst through the window before crashing to the ground 16 feet from the window.
Early the next morning, Inspector Demonides was led by a maid to the study of Constantine Demiris. "Good morning, Peter," Demiris greeted him. "Thank you for coming. Did you bring anything?" "Yes, sir." He handed Demiris the unopened envelope that Napoleon Chotas had handed him. "I thought you might like to keep it with you." "Thank you very much, Peter. How about some breakfast with me?" "Thank you, it's very kind of you, Mr. Demiris." "Koster. Call me Koster from now on. Actually, I have taken a fancy to you a long time ago. I think you have a bright future. I want to find you a suitable position in my company. I don't know if you have interest?" Peter Demonides smiled happily and replied, "Yes, Coster. I'm very happy to work in your company." "Great. Let's have a good talk after breakfast."
Napoleon Chotas received a million dollars in a Swiss bank account for saving the life of Mrs. Anastasia Savarez.The Chotas lived in Coronalai - a picturesque residential area of Athens - in a palatial villa on the island of Corfu.He also owns a private apartment in Paris. No matter how you look at it, the life of Napoleon Chotas should be said to be smooth sailing.In his mind, there was only one cloud that could not be dispelled so far. A man named Frederick Stavros was a new lawyer in his firm.But the guys can't stand him. "He's a second-rate guy at best, Napoleon. He doesn't deserve to be in a place like ours..." "Stavros nearly blew my case. The guy is such a..." "Did you hear what Stavros did in court yesterday? The guy was almost thrown out by the judge..." "Damn it, why don't you fire this guy, he's clearly a fifth wheel here. We don't need him, and keeping him here is a rip off of our brand." Napoleon Chotas knew this all too well.Several times, he almost couldn't help blurting out the truth: I couldn't get him out.But every time he held back his temper and patiently explained to his partner, "Stavros will gradually become familiar with the business in the future." These are the answers his partner gets every time.
A philosopher once said, "Just watch carefully for what you want, and you will get it." Frederick Stavros, the new partner at Tritsis Associates, finally got his wish.But at the same time, he also became one of the most pitiful people in the world.He couldn't eat or sleep all day, and his weight began to drop alarmingly. "You've got to get checked out at the hospital, Frederick." His wife insisted over and over again that he should go to a doctor. "You look really worrying." "No, I... that won't help." He knew that his illness could not be cured by medical means, because it was a kind of torture of conscience devouring his health. Frederick Stavros was originally a young man full of passion for life.He is eager for success, ambitious, and an idealist.He used to handle various cases for some poor local parties in a dilapidated and simple office in Monastraki, a poor area of Athens, often for free.It wasn't until he met Napoleon Chotas that he suddenly changed his destiny overnight. A year earlier, Stavros had defended Larry Douglas in his and Noel Patch's trial for the murder of his wife Catherine.At that time, Napoleon Chotas acted as the defense lawyer for his lover Noel Pazzi because he accepted the entrustment of the tycoon Constantine Demiris.From the beginning, Stavros offered to let Chotas act as defense attorney for both defendants.He has great admiration for this star barrister. "You really haven't seen how Chotas handles cases," he often said of him to his wife. "He's an incredible talent. It would be great if I could join his firm someday." As the trial drew to a close, things suddenly and unexpectedly changed.That day Napoleon Chotas summoned Noel Patch, Larry Douglas, and Frederick Stavros into a back room with a smile on his face. Chotas told Stavros: "I just met with the judges. As long as the two of them are willing to voluntarily waive their original pleas of innocence and plead guilty, the judge is only going to sentence them to five years in prison each, four of which Probation. That is, the fact that neither of them will serve even half a year." He then told Larry, "Because you are a citizen of the United States, Mr. Douglas, you will be deported from the country .” Noel Patch and Larry Douglas immediately offered to drop their original pleas and publicly pleaded guilty at the reopening.A quarter of an hour later, the defendants and their lawyers waited for the final verdict of the presiding judge: "Greek law will never impose the death penalty on the defendant if he has not fully admitted to the crime of homicide. So frankly, I and My colleagues were very surprised by the fact that the two defendants suddenly dropped their original plea of innocence during the trial and admitted that they were indeed guilty of murder... Now I announce the verdict of the two defendants as follows, Noel Patch and Larry Douglas will be executed by law enforcement . . . within 90 days from now." It was only at this moment that Stavros realized that they were all sold out by Napoleon Chotas. In fact, Chotas had no secret deal with the plaintiff, but he was only ordered by Constantine Demiris to do so. of.According to the boss, not only must he give up all efforts to win the lawsuit, but on the contrary, he must try to make his client finally be found guilty of murder by the court.This is Demiris' revenge on the woman who betrayed him, Noel Patch.And Stavros remained ignorant of this bloody conspiracy. I have to find a way to stop this from happening.Stavros made up his mind.I have to go and tell the presiding judge what Chotas did to get the court to vacate the sentence. But at this moment, Napoleon Chotas came to him: "If you are free tomorrow, why don't you have lunch with us, Frederick? I want you to meet my partners." Take a look..."
Four weeks later, Frederick Stavros became a partner in the law firm of Tritsis.There he got a spacious, bright office and a good salary.He sold his soul to the devil.But he realized it was a deal too scary to keep.I can't keep silent like this. He couldn't get rid of the deep sense of guilt in his heart these days.I am a murderer, he said to himself. Frmidric Stavros was caught in an excruciating dilemma.Finally he made up his mind. One morning he walked into the office of Napoleon Chotas. "Leon, I..." "My God, why do you look so ugly?" Napoleon Chotas asked him in surprise. "Why don't you take a vacation, Frederick? That will do your health good." But the purpose of Stavros's visit today was not for this. "Leon, I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, but I...I don't want to stay here anymore." Chotas looked at him in surprise. "What the hell are you talking about? Aren't you doing a good job here?" "No. I—I feel like I'm going to be torn apart." "Tear? I really don't know what's bothering you so much." Stavros looked at Chotas in disbelief and said, "That...that thing you and I did to Noel Patch and Larry Douglas, how do you... Why don't you feel ashamed?" Chotas' eyes narrowed.Be careful. "Sometimes, Frederick, people have to use unfair means to get justice." He smiled, and then added, "Trust me, we have nothing to blame. They are really guilty." "It's us who have sinned them, we have deceived them. I can't live like this any longer. I'm sorry. I've made up my mind to get out of here at the end of the month. I'll see you when I do." "I cannot accept your resignation," Chotas said forcefully. "Why don't you do what I tell you - after some time off..." "No. With this heartache, I'll never be happy here. I'm sorry." Napoleon.Chotas watched him coldly. "Have you thought about what to do in the future? You are automatically giving up a good future...and life." "No. I'm doing it to save my life." "So you made up your mind to die?" "Yes. I really feel a little sorry for you, Leon. But you don't have to worry, I'll always keep this secret from now on." He turned and walked out of Chotas' office after he finished speaking. Napoleon Chotas sat in his seat and pondered for a long time.Finally, he made a decision.He picked up the phone and dialed a number. "Please tell Mr. Demiris that I must see him this afternoon. Tell him it is urgent."
Four p.m.Napoleon.Chotas sat in Demiris' office. "What's the matter, Leon?" Demiris asked. "Perhaps there is no question," Chotas replied cautiously. "But I think you'll have to know, Frederick Stavros, who came to my office this morning to inform me that he's resigning." "Stavros, the Larry Douglas defense attorney?" "He seems to be having a little trouble with his own conscience." There was a solemn silence. "I see." "But he promised never to reveal what happened that day... behind the courtroom that day." "Do you believe it?" "Yes. I fully trust his assurances, Coster." Constantin Demiris laughed. "Well, in that case, we have nothing to worry about, do we?" Napoleon Chotas stood up with a sigh of relief. "So do I. I just wanted to let you know that's the case." "You did the right thing. Are you free to have dinner with me next week?" "Of course I'm free." "Then I'll call you when I arrive, and we can arrange some things by the way." "Thanks, Coster."
It's a Friday evening.In the old Campanicarea church, everything is so peaceful, peaceful and silent.Near the corner of the altar, Frederick Stavros is kneeling before Father Constantino in confession.A cloth is draped over the head. "I have sinned deeply, Father. I am beyond salvation." "One of the great troubles of man is that he thinks he is only a man. What crime have you committed, my child?" "I'm a murderer." "You took someone's life?" "Yes, Father. I don't know how to atone." "God knows. We can take inspiration from him." "I was led astray by vanity and greed. It happened a year ago. I defended a man accused of murder, and it went well at first, but then Napoleon Chotas..."
When Frederick Stavros came out of the church half an hour later, he looked like a different man.The huge burden on the shoulders was finally unloaded.After this ritual of confession, which has lasted for hundreds of years, he experienced a sense of purification.Stavros told Father Constantino the whole story.For the first time since these dreadful days he regained a whole self. I'm starting a new life.I had to relocate to another city where I would start from scratch.I will make up for all the horrible mistakes I made in the past.Thank you, Father, for giving me a chance to be a new man. Night fell.The center of Ohms Square was almost deserted.When Frederick Stavros came to the intersection, the street lights began to come on.As he was crossing the intersection, a black car with headlights on came out of the ramp and crashed into him.Stavros' eyes widened in horror, petrified by the huge, insane monster that was rushing towards him.It was too late to get out of the way. With a loud "boom", Stavros felt that his body was being torn apart and crushed.After a burst of severe pain that lasted for a short time, it immediately fell into darkness.
Napoleon Chotas is a morning person.He liked to enjoy some quiet solitude before the pressures of a new day overwhelmed him; he usually had breakfast alone, and was in the habit of reading the morning paper while it was done.There are a few pieces of news in today's newspaper that interest him.Prime Minister Themis Dokeles Sophoris recently formed a five-party cabinet government.Looks like I'll have to send a congratulatory message.Chinese Communist troops had reached the north bank of the Yangtze River; Harry Truman and Alben Buckley were sworn in as President and Vice President of the United States, respectively.When Napoleon Chotas turned to the second edition, his blood froze.A piece of creepy news jumped into his eyes: Napoleon Chotas would not look any further.He sat on the manuscript in a daze, thinking about it, and the breakfast was put aside.An accident.Is this an accident?Hadn't Constantin Demiris already said that there was nothing to worry about?But Demiris' tricks on the scene had made many people fall for him. Chotas walked over to the telephone.A secretary put him through to Demiris. "Did you read the morning paper?" Chotas asked. "No. I haven't seen it yet. Why?" "Frederic Staveros is dead." "What?" The other party exclaimed. "What did you say?" "He was hit by a car last night. The driver has fled." "My gosh! I'm so sorry, Leon. Haven't they caught the driver yet?" "Yes, not yet." "Maybe I can put some pressure on the police. Everyone's on their own these days. How about dinner on Thursday, by the way?" "Ok." "That's settled." Napoleon Chotas has always been good at finding out the truth in the tone of other people's speech.Konstantin Demiris' reaction just now was clearly one of genuine shock.He had nothing to do with Stavros' death.Chotas was sure of that.
The next morning, Napoleon Chotas drove the car into the private garage below the office building as usual.As he came out of the garage and walked toward the elevator, a young man suddenly appeared from the shadows. "Do you have any matches?" Alarms went off immediately in Chotas' mind.This person's face is completely unfamiliar, what is he doing wandering around here? "Of course." Chotas slammed the suitcase in the opponent's face without thinking. The stranger screamed in pain as he was beaten. "You son of a bitch!" He suddenly pulled a suppressed pistol from his pocket. "Hey, what's the matter?" A uniformed building guard ran towards him. The stranger hesitated for a moment, then walked out the door. The guard ran up and asked, "Are you all right, Mr. Chotas?" "Well...it's nothing." Napoleon Chotas felt a little out of breath. "I'm fine." "What does he want?" Napoleon Chotas replied thoughtfully: "I don't know either."
This is by no means an accidental coincidence.Chotas sat at his desk, thinking.Maybe this guy is just trying to rob me.But why would he use a suppressed pistol for such a thing?No, he wants to kill me.This time Constantin Demiris was likely to pretend to be as surprised and shocked as he had been the last time he heard of the murder of Frederick Stavros. I should have known this earlier, Chotas thought.Demiris has never been willing to let himself take risks easily.He does not want to leave a tail in his work.Well, this time Mr. Dreyriss will be genuinely surprised. Only the voice of his secretary came over the intercom, "Mr. Chotas, you have to go to court in half an hour." He was going to court today to give his final concluding remarks on a serial murder case, but he was too distraught at the moment to make it. "Call the judge and just say I'm not feeling well today and let someone else handle the case for me. Don't bother me with any more calls." He took out a tape recorder from the drawer, and after thinking about it for a while, he began to speak into the tape recorder.
Shortly after noon, Pepperon Chotas appeared in the office of Prosecutor Peter Demonides, a manila envelope in his hand.The reception secretary recognized him immediately. "Good afternoon, Mr. Chotas. What can I do for you?" "I want to see Mr. Demonides." "He's in a meeting, do you have an appointment in advance?" "No. Can you report it? It's urgent." "Okay, of course no problem." A quarter of an hour later, Chotas followed the secretary to the prosecutor's office. "Oh," Demonides was a little surprised, "Muhammad still came to the mountain after all. Can I do something for you? It seems that you plan to negotiate with me on this case this afternoon?" "No. It's a private matter of mine, Peter." "Sit down, Leon." After the two sat down, Chotas said, "I came today to ask you to keep an envelope for me. It's sealed now. If something happens to me, you can open it." Peter Demonides looked at the other party curiously, "Do you think something is going to happen to you?" "possible." "I see. One of your ungrateful clients?" "It doesn't matter who it is. You are the only person I can trust. Can you find a safe place to keep this envelope safely?" "Of course." Then he turned to Chotas and said, "You seem worried." "yes." "Would you like us to provide you with protection? I can send a policeman with you at all times." Chotas tapped the envelope with his hand. "That's the only protection I need." "Fine. If you can take my word for it." "I believe in you." Chotas stood up and held out his hand to him. "Thank you. I really don't know how to thank you." Peter Demonides smiled and said, "God knows. You owe me a favor."
An hour later, a special courier in uniform walked into the Greek Trading Company.He walked over to a secretary. "I have a box here for Mr. Demiris." "Then I'll sign for it." "The client wants me to deliver it to him personally." "Sorry, I can't bother him right now. Who sent it?" "Napoleon Chotas." "Do you have to give it to him face to face?" "Yes, ma'am." "Then I'll ask Mr. Demiris if he's free to see you." She pressed a button on the intercom. "Excuse me, Mr. Demiris. A courier is here saying Mr. Chotas has a box for you." Demiris' voice came over the intercom: "Bring it in, Erin." "But he said that Mr. Jotas took care of it and wanted to hand it over to you in person." There was a short silence. "Bring him in." Irene came to Demiris' office with a messenger. "Are you Mr. Constantin Demiris?" "I am." "Can you sign for it yourself?" Constantine signed his name on the receipt, and the courier left an envelope on his desk. "thanks." After the secretary and the courier left, Constantine Demiris picked up the envelope on the table and looked at it thoughtfully for a while, then he opened the love envelope with his hands. Inside was a miniature player, Also comes with a cassette.He felt a little strange, so he pressed the play button. Napoleon Chotas' voice began to echo through the office: "My dear Coster, if you could have believed that Frederick Stavros would never have revealed our little secret together, things would have been much easier than now. It's much simpler. It makes me even more sorry that you don't even trust me and foolishly think that I will ruin your business too. I have many reasons to be sure that you are the one who killed Stavros The mastermind behind the scenes. It was my next turn. But since my life is as important to me as your life is to you, I have to politely decline your offer to be your subordinate. A Victim's Claim. For my own protection, I have written in a letter with all the details concerning the case of Noel Patch and Larry Douglas, sealed it, and handed it over to the censor. In this way, should anything happen to me, the censor has the right to open the letter immediately. In view of this, my friend, I think you will now be very happy to see that I am still alive, and alive. It’s not bad.” The recording ends here. Constantine Demiris stared blankly at the sky from his seat.
When Napoleon Chotas returned to his office in the afternoon, he was quite at ease.Constantin Demiris is cold-blooded and dangerous, but he is by no means a reckless fool.He never hurt people at will without considering the consequences.This time he has done it, Chotas thought.But I was defeated.It seems that I have to prepare something else for Thursday's meal.
For the next few days Napoleon Chotas was preoccupied with a lawsuit involving two murders: a woman murdered two of her husband's lovers.Chotas worked from morning to night to make meticulous preparations for the upcoming court debate.Intuition told him—despite the odds against the defendant—that he would win again this time. On Wednesday nights, he worked late at the office before driving home.It was one o'clock in the morning when we arrived at the villa. The butler greeted him at the door. "Do you need something to eat, Mr. Chotas? If you're hungry, I can get you a snack right away or..." "No, thank you. I'm not hungry. Go to sleep." Kepoleon Chotas headed straight for the bedroom.After going to bed, he went through the entire trial process of the case carefully in his mind, and did not fall asleep until 2 o'clock.He is dreaming. He was standing in court to cross-examine a witness.Suddenly, the witness began to undress. "What are you doing?" Chotas asked scoldingly. "I'm so hot." Chotas looked around the full courtroom and saw that all the audience had taken off their clothes. He turned to the judgment seat. "Mr. Judge, I must object to this..." But the judge also began to take off his vestments. "It's too hot in here," he complained. Why is this place so hot today?And it was loud. Napoleon Chotas opened his eyes, only to see that the fierce flames were already licking the door frame of the bedroom, and the room was filled with choking smoke. Napoleon Chotas sprang up from the bed, eyes wide with horror. The house was on fire, but why didn't the alarm go to the police? Under the high temperature, the door was completely deformed and could not be opened.The billowing smoke choked Chotas almost to suffocation.He hurried to the window and tried to open it forcefully, but the window was stuck tightly and he couldn't open it no matter what.The smoke in the room grew thicker, and Chotas found it rather difficult to breathe.He has been unable to escape. The ceiling strips on the roof were ignited and began to fall in pieces.Then a wall fell on him, and the flames finally consumed him.Chotas cried out in pain.His hair and nightgown were immediately up, and he desperately slammed into the closed window with all his might.A flaming mass burst through the window before crashing to the ground 16 feet from the window.
Early the next morning, Inspector Demonides was led by a maid to the study of Constantine Demiris. "Good morning, Peter," Demiris greeted him. "Thank you for coming. Did you bring anything?" "Yes, sir." He handed Demiris the unopened envelope that Napoleon Chotas had handed him. "I thought you might like to keep it with you." "Thank you very much, Peter. How about some breakfast with me?" "Thank you, it's very kind of you, Mr. Demiris." "Koster. Call me Koster from now on. Actually, I have taken a fancy to you a long time ago. I think you have a bright future. I want to find you a suitable position in my company. I don't know if you have interest?" Peter Demonides smiled happily and replied, "Yes, Coster. I'm very happy to work in your company." "Great. Let's have a good talk after breakfast."