Chapter 14 Chapter Fourteen
He just felt that the turmoil of his heart was hard to control.There is a cold thing buried deep in his heart, and no warm memory is enough to melt it.They began after he had taken revenge on Noel a year earlier.He thought it was over long ago.All the past has been buried.It had never occurred to him that these past events would resurface until Catherine Alexander unexpectedly returned to his life.He once had to get rid of Frederick Stavros and Napoleon Chotas because they wanted to play that death game with him.He eventually beat them after all.But what amazed Constantin Demiris was the intense thrill he experienced during the thrilling game.Fascinating as business is, it pales in comparison to the struggle of life and death.I am a murderer.Demiris thought.No—not a murderer, but an executioner.Instead of being frightened by his behavior, he found it very exciting.
Constantin Demiris received a weekly report on Catherine Alexander's activities.So far so good.Her social activities are limited to the few people she works with.Occasionally, she'd go out with Kirk Reynolds, as Evelyn had arranged, but since Reynolds was already working for Demiris, that wouldn't be a problem.Demiris thought that the poor girl must be very pessimistic.Reynolds is boring, he doesn't talk about anything but the law.But it would be beneficial.The more Catherine was disappointed with her partner, the easier things were for him.I have to thank Reynolds for that.
Catherine sees Kirk Reynolds often.She found herself more and more attracted to him.He is not beautiful, but attractive.I've learned my lessons about beauty from Larry.Catherine thought bitterly.The old adage is true, you're beautiful when you're kind.Kirk Reynolds is caring and reliable.He is someone I can trust.Catherine thought.I didn't feel any spark of blazing passion.But maybe I will never have that passion in my heart again.This should be Larry's responsibility.Now I am mature enough to deal with a man that I respect and can respect me as a partner too.A man with whom I can share a good, reasonable life without worrying about being thrown off a mountaintop or buried in a dark cave. Together they went to the theater to see Christopher Fry's "The Lady Who Should Not Be Burned."Another night, they went to see The September Tide, starring Gertrude Lawrence.They often go to nightclubs.All the bands seem to be playing "The Third Manly Theme" and "The Immortal Rose".
"I'm going to St. Moritz next week," Kirk Reynolds told Catherine. "Have you considered the matter?" Catherine had thought a lot about this matter.She understood that Kirk Reynolds had fallen in love with her.And I love him too.she thinks.But admiration and love are two different things, aren't they?Or maybe I'm just caught in a stupid love affair?What kind of man am I looking for? —Is it the other Larry? —a man who drives me crazy, falls in love with another woman, and tries to kill me?Kirk Reynolds is a very good husband, why should I hesitate?
Catherine and Kirk dined at Mirabelle that evening.At dessert, Kirk said, "Catherine, maybe you don't know it, but I love you and I want to marry you." She felt a sudden panic. "Kirk..." She didn't know what she wanted to say.She thought to herself, what I said next will change my life.It is very simple to say yes.But something is pulling me back, is it my fear of the past?Am I going to live in this fear all my life?I cannot let this happen. "Cathy..." "Kirk—why don't we go to St. Moritz together?" Kirk's face lit up. "That means……" "We'll figure it out. Once you see me skiing, maybe you don't want to marry me." Kirk laughed. "Nothing in the world can stop me from marrying you. You've made me a very happy man. We're going up the mountain on the fifth of November. It's Shei Fox Day." "What is Shei Fox Day?" "This is a touching story. King James was trying to promote an anti-Catholic policy. So there was a group of prominent Roman Catholics who wanted to plot to overthrow the government. A soldier named Joy Fox was sent from Spain to England to lead The riot. He put a ton of explosives in thirty-six barrels and hid them in the basement of the House of Lords. But the very morning he was about to blow up the House of Lords, one of the conspirators denounced They, so they were all arrested. Joy Fox was tortured, but he said nothing. All the criminals were put to death. Now every year on the day when the conspiracy was discovered, Britain is torched with bonfires and firecrackers To celebrate the occasion, the boys also made some mock-ups of Soi." Catherine shook her head and said, "That's a very unlucky festival." He smiled at her and said calmly, "I promise we will never have an unlucky day."
The night before they were due to leave, Catherine had washed her hair, bound and unwrapped it twice, and was so agitated that she felt like vomiting.During her lifetime, she had only sexual relationships with two men, William Fraser and her husband.Do people still use words like "sensuality"?Catherine wondered.My God, I wish I remembered what this was all about.Some say it's like riding a bicycle, once you've done it, you'll never forget it.Maybe he'll be disappointed in me in bed, maybe I'll be disappointed in myself in bed.Maybe I should stop worrying now and go to sleep.
"Mr. Demiris?" "I'm." "Catherine went to St. Moritz this morning." There was silence on the phone for a while. "St. Moritz?" "Yes, sir." "Did she go alone?" "No, sir. She went with Kirk Reynolds." There was another longer silence on the phone. "Thank you, Evelyn." Kirk Reynolds!It's simply impossible.What on earth did she see in him?I have waited too long.I should have gone faster.I have to do something about this.I can't let her—and then his secretary's voice came over the buzzer. "Mr. Demiris. There is a Mr. Anthony Rizzoli who wants to see you. He has not made an appointment with you beforehand, and..." "Then why are you bothering me?" he asked.Then the intercom phone was disconnected with a "snap". But the pager rang again. "I'm sorry to disturb you again. Mr. Rizzoli said he had brought you a message from Mr. Lambero. He also said it was a very important message." message?strangeness.Why did his brother-in-law send him a message? "Please come in." "Yes, sir." Tony Rezzoli was invited into Constantine Demiris' office, and he looked around with admiration. This office was even more luxurious than that of Sparrows Lambero. "It's very kind of you to see me, Mr. Demiris." "You only have two minutes." "Sparos sent me. He thinks you and I should have a good talk." "Is that so? Then what can we talk about?" "You don't mind if I sit down?" "I don't think you'll be here long." Tony Rezzoli sat down on the chair opposite Demiris. "I have an industrial plan, Mr. Demiris. I send things all over the world." "I understand. You want to charter one of my boats." "Indeed it is." "Why did Sparrows send you to me? Why don't you rent his boat? He just happens to have two boats lying idle right now." Tony Rizzoli shrugged. "I think he probably doesn't like what I'm checking in." "I don't understand, what exactly are you trying to check in?" "Drugs." Tony Rezzoli said gracefully. "Heroin." Constantin Demiris couldn't believe his ears and stared at him. "You mean you want me to come...? You get out of here and call the police before you find me." Rizzoli nodded towards the phone. "You call!" He watched Demiris reach for the microphone. "I'm going to talk to them too. I hope I can tell them something about the Noel Patch and Larry Douglas case." Constantine Demiris froze. "what are you saying?" "I'm talking about two men who were sentenced to death for murdering a woman, but the woman who was killed was actually still alive." Constantine Demiris' face turned pale. "Do you think the police might be more interested in the story, Mr. Demiris? If they aren't, the press will, don't you? I can think of newspaper headlines right now, don't you?" Can't? Can I call you Coster? Sparrows told me that all your friends call you Coster. I think you and I will be good friends; do you know why? Because good friends are not Will betray each other. We can keep a little trick of yours a secret, don't you think?" Constantin Demiris sat motionless in his chair.He said hoarsely, "What do you want?" "I'll tell you. I want me to use one of your boats—and, since you and I are such good friends, I don't think you'll ever ask me for my hire again, will you? Let's make a reciprocal Make a deal." Demiris took a deep breath. "I can't let you do this. If it turns out that my boat is used for drug smuggling, my entire fleet will be ruined." "But it won't come out, will it? In my line of business business is never advertised. We'll do it quietly." Constantine Demiris' expression hardened. "You made a big mistake, you can't blackmail me. Do you know who I am?" "I know, I know. You are my partner. You and I are planning to do business together for a long time, Coster, if your boy says a word, I will immediately go to the police station and the newspaper to report the whole incident." Shake it out. Then your reputation and your fucking business empire will be ruined in no time." A long, painful silence followed. "How—how did my brother-in-law know about this?" Rizzoli bared his teeth. "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I've grabbed your testicles, and if I squeeze hard enough, you'll be a eunuch. You'll have to sing tenor for the rest of your life, and only to prison Going to sing in the cell." Rezzoli looked at his watch. "My God, my two minutes are up." He stood up. "Now I'll give you sixty seconds to think about it. You can decide whether you want me to get out of here as your partner—or just get out of here." Constantin Demiris looked suddenly ten years older.His face became completely pale.He had no illusions about what would happen if the truth of the case came out.The press would surely eat him alive.He would be portrayed as a devil, a murderer.They might even start an investigation into the deaths of Stavros and Chotas. "Your sixty seconds are up." Constantin Demiris nodded slowly. "Okay," he murmured, "Okay." Tony Rezzoli said to him with a smile on his face, "You're so smart." Constantin Demiris stood up. "You'll get away with it this time," he said. "I don't want to know how or when you'll do it. I'll put your men on one of my boats. That's all I can do." "I agree to your terms," Tony Rezzoli said.Maybe you're not very bright, he thought.You only need to smuggle a batch of heroin before you are in the trap.Coster, you boy, I will never let you go.So he repeated aloud, "I agree to your terms."
On the way back to the hotel, Tony Rizzoli looked cheerful.Hit the jackpot!Narcotics agents would never touch Constantin Demiris' fleet.Oh my God!I'll actually be able to load every ship he sails from here from now on.Money will come in a steady stream.Drugs and Antiques—Sorry, Victor.He laughed out loud - ancient artifacts. Rizzoli went to the booth on Stadivor Avenue and made two payphones.The first call was to Peter Luca in Palermo. "Peter, you can get your two chimpanzees from here. You can put them in the zoo where they are. They are going to be shipped. Shipped." "Are you sure it's safe to pack?" Rizzoli laughed. "Safer than the Bank of England. I'll let you know when we meet. And I've got good news for you. We'll be able to deliver once a week from now on." "That's great, Tony. I've always believed that you can be relied upon." Fuck you, bastard.
The second call was to Sparrows Lambero. "Things are going well. Your brother-in-law and I are going to do business together." "Congratulations! I am so glad to hear that, Monsieur Rizzoli." When Sparrows Lambero put the microphone down, he smiled.The narcotics squad would be happy too.
Constantin Demiris stayed in his office until late at night.He sat at his desk and thought deeply about the new problems he encountered.He'd had his revenge on Noel Patch, and now she'd risen from the grave to take revenge on him.He reached into the desk drawer and pulled out a framed photograph of Noel.Hello, you bitch.My God, she is so beautiful!You thought that would destroy me.Well!Let's see, let's see.
Catherine sees Kirk Reynolds often.She found herself more and more attracted to him.He is not beautiful, but attractive.I've learned my lessons about beauty from Larry.Catherine thought bitterly.The old adage is true, you're beautiful when you're kind.Kirk Reynolds is caring and reliable.He is someone I can trust.Catherine thought.I didn't feel any spark of blazing passion.But maybe I will never have that passion in my heart again.This should be Larry's responsibility.Now I am mature enough to deal with a man that I respect and can respect me as a partner too.A man with whom I can share a good, reasonable life without worrying about being thrown off a mountaintop or buried in a dark cave. Together they went to the theater to see Christopher Fry's "The Lady Who Should Not Be Burned."Another night, they went to see The September Tide, starring Gertrude Lawrence.They often go to nightclubs.All the bands seem to be playing "The Third Manly Theme" and "The Immortal Rose".
"I'm going to St. Moritz next week," Kirk Reynolds told Catherine. "Have you considered the matter?" Catherine had thought a lot about this matter.She understood that Kirk Reynolds had fallen in love with her.And I love him too.she thinks.But admiration and love are two different things, aren't they?Or maybe I'm just caught in a stupid love affair?What kind of man am I looking for? —Is it the other Larry? —a man who drives me crazy, falls in love with another woman, and tries to kill me?Kirk Reynolds is a very good husband, why should I hesitate?
Catherine and Kirk dined at Mirabelle that evening.At dessert, Kirk said, "Catherine, maybe you don't know it, but I love you and I want to marry you." She felt a sudden panic. "Kirk..." She didn't know what she wanted to say.She thought to herself, what I said next will change my life.It is very simple to say yes.But something is pulling me back, is it my fear of the past?Am I going to live in this fear all my life?I cannot let this happen. "Cathy..." "Kirk—why don't we go to St. Moritz together?" Kirk's face lit up. "That means……" "We'll figure it out. Once you see me skiing, maybe you don't want to marry me." Kirk laughed. "Nothing in the world can stop me from marrying you. You've made me a very happy man. We're going up the mountain on the fifth of November. It's Shei Fox Day." "What is Shei Fox Day?" "This is a touching story. King James was trying to promote an anti-Catholic policy. So there was a group of prominent Roman Catholics who wanted to plot to overthrow the government. A soldier named Joy Fox was sent from Spain to England to lead The riot. He put a ton of explosives in thirty-six barrels and hid them in the basement of the House of Lords. But the very morning he was about to blow up the House of Lords, one of the conspirators denounced They, so they were all arrested. Joy Fox was tortured, but he said nothing. All the criminals were put to death. Now every year on the day when the conspiracy was discovered, Britain is torched with bonfires and firecrackers To celebrate the occasion, the boys also made some mock-ups of Soi." Catherine shook her head and said, "That's a very unlucky festival." He smiled at her and said calmly, "I promise we will never have an unlucky day."
The night before they were due to leave, Catherine had washed her hair, bound and unwrapped it twice, and was so agitated that she felt like vomiting.During her lifetime, she had only sexual relationships with two men, William Fraser and her husband.Do people still use words like "sensuality"?Catherine wondered.My God, I wish I remembered what this was all about.Some say it's like riding a bicycle, once you've done it, you'll never forget it.Maybe he'll be disappointed in me in bed, maybe I'll be disappointed in myself in bed.Maybe I should stop worrying now and go to sleep.
"Mr. Demiris?" "I'm." "Catherine went to St. Moritz this morning." There was silence on the phone for a while. "St. Moritz?" "Yes, sir." "Did she go alone?" "No, sir. She went with Kirk Reynolds." There was another longer silence on the phone. "Thank you, Evelyn." Kirk Reynolds!It's simply impossible.What on earth did she see in him?I have waited too long.I should have gone faster.I have to do something about this.I can't let her—and then his secretary's voice came over the buzzer. "Mr. Demiris. There is a Mr. Anthony Rizzoli who wants to see you. He has not made an appointment with you beforehand, and..." "Then why are you bothering me?" he asked.Then the intercom phone was disconnected with a "snap". But the pager rang again. "I'm sorry to disturb you again. Mr. Rizzoli said he had brought you a message from Mr. Lambero. He also said it was a very important message." message?strangeness.Why did his brother-in-law send him a message? "Please come in." "Yes, sir." Tony Rezzoli was invited into Constantine Demiris' office, and he looked around with admiration. This office was even more luxurious than that of Sparrows Lambero. "It's very kind of you to see me, Mr. Demiris." "You only have two minutes." "Sparos sent me. He thinks you and I should have a good talk." "Is that so? Then what can we talk about?" "You don't mind if I sit down?" "I don't think you'll be here long." Tony Rezzoli sat down on the chair opposite Demiris. "I have an industrial plan, Mr. Demiris. I send things all over the world." "I understand. You want to charter one of my boats." "Indeed it is." "Why did Sparrows send you to me? Why don't you rent his boat? He just happens to have two boats lying idle right now." Tony Rizzoli shrugged. "I think he probably doesn't like what I'm checking in." "I don't understand, what exactly are you trying to check in?" "Drugs." Tony Rezzoli said gracefully. "Heroin." Constantin Demiris couldn't believe his ears and stared at him. "You mean you want me to come...? You get out of here and call the police before you find me." Rizzoli nodded towards the phone. "You call!" He watched Demiris reach for the microphone. "I'm going to talk to them too. I hope I can tell them something about the Noel Patch and Larry Douglas case." Constantine Demiris froze. "what are you saying?" "I'm talking about two men who were sentenced to death for murdering a woman, but the woman who was killed was actually still alive." Constantine Demiris' face turned pale. "Do you think the police might be more interested in the story, Mr. Demiris? If they aren't, the press will, don't you? I can think of newspaper headlines right now, don't you?" Can't? Can I call you Coster? Sparrows told me that all your friends call you Coster. I think you and I will be good friends; do you know why? Because good friends are not Will betray each other. We can keep a little trick of yours a secret, don't you think?" Constantin Demiris sat motionless in his chair.He said hoarsely, "What do you want?" "I'll tell you. I want me to use one of your boats—and, since you and I are such good friends, I don't think you'll ever ask me for my hire again, will you? Let's make a reciprocal Make a deal." Demiris took a deep breath. "I can't let you do this. If it turns out that my boat is used for drug smuggling, my entire fleet will be ruined." "But it won't come out, will it? In my line of business business is never advertised. We'll do it quietly." Constantine Demiris' expression hardened. "You made a big mistake, you can't blackmail me. Do you know who I am?" "I know, I know. You are my partner. You and I are planning to do business together for a long time, Coster, if your boy says a word, I will immediately go to the police station and the newspaper to report the whole incident." Shake it out. Then your reputation and your fucking business empire will be ruined in no time." A long, painful silence followed. "How—how did my brother-in-law know about this?" Rizzoli bared his teeth. "That doesn't matter. What matters is that I've grabbed your testicles, and if I squeeze hard enough, you'll be a eunuch. You'll have to sing tenor for the rest of your life, and only to prison Going to sing in the cell." Rezzoli looked at his watch. "My God, my two minutes are up." He stood up. "Now I'll give you sixty seconds to think about it. You can decide whether you want me to get out of here as your partner—or just get out of here." Constantin Demiris looked suddenly ten years older.His face became completely pale.He had no illusions about what would happen if the truth of the case came out.The press would surely eat him alive.He would be portrayed as a devil, a murderer.They might even start an investigation into the deaths of Stavros and Chotas. "Your sixty seconds are up." Constantin Demiris nodded slowly. "Okay," he murmured, "Okay." Tony Rezzoli said to him with a smile on his face, "You're so smart." Constantin Demiris stood up. "You'll get away with it this time," he said. "I don't want to know how or when you'll do it. I'll put your men on one of my boats. That's all I can do." "I agree to your terms," Tony Rezzoli said.Maybe you're not very bright, he thought.You only need to smuggle a batch of heroin before you are in the trap.Coster, you boy, I will never let you go.So he repeated aloud, "I agree to your terms."
On the way back to the hotel, Tony Rizzoli looked cheerful.Hit the jackpot!Narcotics agents would never touch Constantin Demiris' fleet.Oh my God!I'll actually be able to load every ship he sails from here from now on.Money will come in a steady stream.Drugs and Antiques—Sorry, Victor.He laughed out loud - ancient artifacts. Rizzoli went to the booth on Stadivor Avenue and made two payphones.The first call was to Peter Luca in Palermo. "Peter, you can get your two chimpanzees from here. You can put them in the zoo where they are. They are going to be shipped. Shipped." "Are you sure it's safe to pack?" Rizzoli laughed. "Safer than the Bank of England. I'll let you know when we meet. And I've got good news for you. We'll be able to deliver once a week from now on." "That's great, Tony. I've always believed that you can be relied upon." Fuck you, bastard.
The second call was to Sparrows Lambero. "Things are going well. Your brother-in-law and I are going to do business together." "Congratulations! I am so glad to hear that, Monsieur Rizzoli." When Sparrows Lambero put the microphone down, he smiled.The narcotics squad would be happy too.
Constantin Demiris stayed in his office until late at night.He sat at his desk and thought deeply about the new problems he encountered.He'd had his revenge on Noel Patch, and now she'd risen from the grave to take revenge on him.He reached into the desk drawer and pulled out a framed photograph of Noel.Hello, you bitch.My God, she is so beautiful!You thought that would destroy me.Well!Let's see, let's see.