Read Online One Way Ticket by Evie Evans - Free Book Online

many tripping hazards
for me out there.” She smiled at Kostas and they ambled off to look at more
icons.
    I had a little solo hike in the
surrounding forest (there being no short piers available), taking my time
stumbling over tree roots and cunningly hidden creepers whilst Aunt June and Kostas
enjoyed the dark lair. After half an hour, which included some considerable
minutes spent examining a statue only to discover it was an overgrown gatepost,
I headed back to our agreed meeting place.
    Spending time with them had given me the
chance to realise what a nice couple they made. My aunt may be small and
slightly shrivelled from her years in the hot climate, but she was lively and
dressed with care. I could imagine her being a bit of a catch to a geriatric. Kostas
seemed a bit fixed in his ways and a little dull, but I could see he treated
her well. I spotted their location from the sun’s reflection on Kostas’ shiny
pate and made my way over.
    I had just about resigned myself to the
fact I would have to wait until we returned home to speak to Aunt June, and
hope she wouldn’t be rushing out again, when Kostas solved the problem by
deciding to go back inside and buy some postcards.
    “You’re right,” I encouraged him, “you can
never look at the inside of a monastery too many times.”
    I dived in as soon as he was out of sight,
all hope of casually dropping it into the conversation long gone.
    “CrossGlobal? Yes, I know them,” Aunt June
replied.
    “Big concern, are they? Important?”
    Aunt June scrunched up her nose a little.
“To themselves. They reckon they unite all the different expats that live here,
you know there’s a lot of Russians and Portuguese around.”
    “A couple of French too,” I chimed in.
    “It’s not just all British,” she continued
as if she hadn’t heard me.
    “I bet you know some people who work
there, on the committee maybe?”
    “Yes. Why?”
    I looked down the path to check Kostas
wasn’t on his way back yet.
    “Is this about the awards that went
missing? Someone broke in a stole a few, didn’t they?” my aunt asked before I
could continue.
    “Did they?”
    My aunt looked at me, one eyebrow raised.
    “Alright. It’s about the robbery. Have you
heard anything about it on the grapevine?”
    She thought for a moment. “I wouldn’t be
in so much of a rush to believe that someone broke in if I were you.”
    I leaned in. “Oh? Who was it?”
    “Oh, I don’t know that. I’m just saying, I
heard a rumour it wasn’t someone from outside.” She turned and checked her
reflection in the window behind us, patting her bun into place.
    “But who would want those old trophies?
What was it about?”
    “I don’t know.”
    “Can you ask around a bit?”
    “Really, Jennifer…” she began only to
stop. Kostas was back, waving postcards at us.
    “I got one for you,” he said, handing me a
postcard. “Of the icons, because you admired them so much.”
    “Thanks, but really, you shouldn’t have,”
I said, sincerely.
    Kostas started unfolding his map when we
got back to the car. “Well, this has been a nice day,” I said, fearing he was
looking up another monastery, “but I’m bushed. Do you mind if we go home now?
Another monk might just push me over the edge.” (Or vice versa).
    “Yes, that’s probably a good idea,” my
aunt agreed. “It has been fun though, we must do it again sometime.”
     
    Addi was hounding my desk when I
got to work the next day. “So, what did she say?”
    “Good morning to you too. Has something
happened? You’re not normally here at this time.”
    “What did she say?”
    I had to think what he was talking about
for a moment. “Oh, the robbery. She said she didn’t think it was someone
outside the CrossGlobal organisation.”
    “It’s someone at CrossGlobal?”
    I noticed my in-tray looked depressingly
full again. “That’s what she thought.”
    “She thinks or she knows?”
    “I’m not sure my aunt understands