Wrath of Poseidon (Fargo Adventures 12)

“It’s just the four of you. She should be fine.”

“You’re not going?” Sam asked.

“I think I’ll enjoy stretching my feet out and doing nothing tonight.”

“I’m in,” Denéa said. “Manos?” He nodded.

Remi glanced at Sam. “Up for it?”

“And have another chance to sample some home-cooked Greek food? Absolutely.”

That evening, Sam and Remi picked up a bottle of Santorini-grown Assyrtiko white wine, then strolled up the hill to Zoe’s cottage. As they walked in, the scent of savory meat and spices filled the room.

“Whatever that is,” Sam said, breathing in deep, “it smells wonderful.”

“Moussaka,” Dimitris called out from the kitchen. “Ground lamb and eggplant casserole.”

Zoe, seated on the couch, stood up to greet them. Sporting a bruise on her forehead that seemed to be settling down to her right eye, and a cast on her right arm, she looked remarkably spry for someone who’d just taken a good fall down a hillside only the day before. She hugged them both, then offered to help in the kitchen until Dimitris shooed her back to the sofa like a mother hen. Denéa and Manos arrived a few minutes later, bringing another bottle of wine. The men disappeared into the kitchen, opened the wine, then returned and set the table. Surprised that they had talked their way through the first bottle, Dimitris pulled the casserole out of the oven and brought it to the table, the sauce and cheese on top still bubbling. The second bottle opened, and everyone seated, he raised his glass, toasting their safe return.

“To Sam,” Zoe said, “for managing to find me.”

Sam lifted his glass. “To the moussaka. Before it gets cold!”

They laughed and started eating. Zoe watched Sam as he dished up a hefty serving. “Things are still a bit fuzzy, so you’ll have to forgive me if you already mentioned it. But did you see anything at all in the cave?”

“Nothing worth exploring,” he replied. “If there was ever a treasure in there, it’s long gone.”

She sighed. “I was so sure about that marking on the rock.”

“It’s Greece,” Manos said. “There are a lot of markings carved on a lot of rocks.”

Remi laughed. Her smile, Sam decided, seemed far more relaxed than it had in several days. Whether it was news of Adrian Kyril’s arrest, her talk with Denéa, or their shared experience on Thimena rescuing Zoe, he didn’t know. One thing he was certain of, Remi’s spirit had definitely taken a turn for the better.

As much as Sam didn’t want the night to end, if only because Remi was enjoying herself for the first time in a while, he saw how tired Zoe appeared. “We should probably go.”

“I’ll get the dishes,” Remi said.

“Definitely not,” Denéa told her. “You and Sam get a pass for bringing home the Lazy Krab. Who knows what would have happened to it. Manos can do the dishes.”

“Me?”

“It’s your boat.” Her blue eyes sparkled with laughter as she got up to clear the table, shooing both Remi and Sam away when they tried to help. It wasn’t until he and Remi were on their way out the door that she happened to glance at the Pirates of Poseidon book sitting on the coffee table. She stopped to pick it up, looking back at Zoe. “It just occurred to me. Selma seems good at researching. If there’re any historical references to Poseidon’s Trident, she might be able to find them.”

“Not a bad idea,” Sam said. “Would you mind if we took photos?”

“Of course not.” Zoe turned the pages for Sam as he took a photograph of each. “Imagine if your friend actually discovers that Poseidon’s Trident really exists.” Her eyes lit up. “That would be a wonderful way to honor my grandfather.”

A few minutes later, they emailed the photos to Selma. After saying their goodbyes, Denéa waved a dish towel at them. “We’re almost done if you want to wait for a ride home.”

Sam glanced at Remi, who shook her head. “It’s too nice out not to walk.”

He and Remi took the stairs down the hill to the port, then started up the steep, winding road toward Kampi. Because there was so little traffic on the island, there were no sidewalks, and no streetlights. A low stone wall on their right was all that separated them from the sharp drop to the sea, and they could just make out the sound of the waves breaking on the rocks far below.

About midway up the hill, Remi looked back in the direction of Fourni. “Zoe’s right. Finding that treasure would be a wonderful way of honoring Tassos.”

“Assuming it really exists.”

“But if it did, wouldn’t it help prove that’s why Tassos was killed?”