Chapter 32
That afternoon before Epeolatry opens I find Gran sitting at the bar, solemn expression on her face, which brightens when she sees me. ‘Drink, darling?’
‘What are you having?’ I point to the blood-red cocktail.
‘The Stephen King.’
‘Why? Feeling a bit murdery?’
She lets out a cackle. ‘You could say that.’
Even though it goes against my daytime drinking rules I accept. I could use a little brain-numbing; there’s so many secrets and dramas swirling in my mind it causes quite the headache.
‘You’ve got news?’
‘I have. Gene connected me with a guy called Jerry who owns an indie studio. He’s after a book scout to find romcoms to develop for streamers. Low-budget gems, right up my alley. I had an interview today and he sent me a contract to sign.’ I hadn’t breathed a word to Gran about the new job prospect. I didn’t want to jinx it and get her hopes up about possibly staying, only to snatch that away from her if it didn’t pan out.
‘Oh, Evie, you superstar. Didn’t I tell you it was only a matter of time? Congratulations! We need to celebrate, darling, although you leaving is nothing to cheer about. Better make mine a double so I can drown my sorrows.’
I smother a grin. ‘That’s the thing, Gran. It’s a flexible position. I can work anywhere. We have team meetings via video call. Once a book gets signed for development, I’ll have to fly to meet the scriptwriters and do a handover but that’s it.’
‘You’re staying in Santorini?’ Hope shines in her eyes. It’s so sweet it almost breaks my heart.
‘If you’ll have me?’ I go behind the bar and mix our drinks. Who knew I’d become a dab hand at making cocktails?
‘I’d love nothing more and you know it – I hope I get to keep you forever and ever.’ I walk back with our drinks and place them down. She takes me into her arms and gives me a life-affirming hug. To be given extended time with Gran is so special it makes me wonder if things happened this very way for this very reason.
‘Yeah? What will Konstantine say when he returns home to find me living here?’ I’m probing, knowing full well he isn’t returning anytime soon, in the hopes she’ll finally share the truth with me. Clearing the deck of all the secrets seems like the best plan moving forward, so we can all have a fresh start.
‘Oh, I have some bad news, darling. Drink up before I tell you.’
I take a slug, a terrible sense of foreboding washing over me. I search her face for clues; she wears an expression that is a mix of resignation and sorrow.
‘There’s been a terrible accident. Catastrophic, actually. There was an explosion and the Mexican oil rig became one big great ball of fire. The pressure catapulted a flaming Konstantine into one of the derricks before he fell off the side, unable to be located by the search-and-rescue team. It’s presumed he’s now shark food at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico. Dreadful, dreadful stuff. My only hope is that he will live on inside a great white, or perhaps a mako shark.’ She dabs a tissue at a suspiciously dry eye.
‘What? It exploded! Dideveryonedie?’ I get she’s mad but would she really kill a boatload of innocents in some kind of rage-fuelled revenge attack? What am I even suggesting here? That my innocent, cute-as-a-button grandmother would stoop to murder!Massmurder, even! Yes, her trail record of dead husbands isn’t ideal but perhaps she’s just been especially unlucky. That happens when you live a full and rich life all over the globe like she has.
She plays with her jangly pineapple earring. ‘No, luckily not. They were on the tail end of a shutdown, and he was the only one left on board.’
I frown. The cogs in my brain spin before landing on an answer that is obvious in retrospect. ‘Gran, he’s notreallydead is he?’
With a sad sigh she contemplates the view outside. After an age she turns back to me, taking a swig of the Stephen King and smacking her lips together. Zeus must sense her unease and pops his chin on her leg, staring up at her with love in his eyes. ‘He’s as good as dead to me, darling. Now I have to convince Billy the Knuckle to leave him in one piece. Easier said than done.’
What! ‘Oh my God. Billy the Knuckle, the mafia thug who threatened to cut your pinkies off?’
‘Thug is a bit harsh, darling. He’s just misunderstood. But yes, the one and the same. I had to call in the big guns. Don’t pretend you don’t know what’s going on; I know your sneaky mother has had her PI all over this.’
‘I uh, well, umm, yeah. OK, she has.’
‘Can’t leave well enough alone that woman. However, I expect I’ll be getting my missing money back any day now. Billy the Knuckle and I made amends years ago. He’s helped me out with a few skirmishes over the years, and because I’m a good friend, it’s been reciprocated once or twice too. He had that little issue with the Colombians, and I’d bonded with them after the incident hiking through their tomato crop. What goes around, comes around.’
I have no words. I have none. Oh wait. ‘Is he going tokillKonstantine for real? Like bang, bang, he’s dead?’ I’m make gun hands and then quickly drop them. I don’t want to be an accessory to any of this madness!
‘Would you mind if he did, darling?’
Umm.
‘Joking! Joking. Billy the Knuckle is big on maiming, but me, not so much. I’ll be grateful to get my money back and Konstantine can hide out in Mexico for the rest of his days.’
