The Icon by Neil Olson

Author:Neil Olson [Olson, Neil]
Language: eng
Format: epub, pdf
Tags: thriller

15

The rain-dampened woods around the house produced a fine mist as the day warmed. The effect evoked a sense memory in Andreas that he could not quite grasp: a cove by the sea, a pale morning fog, and the desire to stay there upon that warm, wet ground where he’d slept-not pick up the rifle by his side, not rejoin his fellow soldiers, but simply stay there, disappear in the mist. When had it been, what had happened next? He could not say. Half a lifetime ago and more, before his brother died, before he’d met Maria, years before the son and grandson who so troubled him now had ever drawn their first breaths.

He had abandoned the heavy coat and hat and felt somehow exposed, even in the safety of his son’s backyard. Alex leaned upon the fence beside him, shaky, but under his own power, and stared out at the shadowy trunks.

“You couldn’t stop him from going?”

“I didn’t know,” Andreas answered. “He didn’t tell me.”

“The police will believe he’s involved now.”

“He is involved.”

“You know what I mean. That he and Fotis dreamed it up together. Everything. The theft also.”

“Let us hope they are wiser. His actions that day make no sense if he was an accomplice.”

“Why haven’t you gone after him?”

“He does not want my assistance.”

“You’re going to make him face the schemer alone?”

“He does not trust me, Aleko. You and Fotis have seen to that.” The younger man looked as if he would protest, but held his peace. “I too am responsible, of course,” Andreas amended.

“Did you speak to him?”

“About the icon, you mean? Yes. Too late, but we spoke.”

“It should have perished in that church. It would have saved everyone a lot of pain.”

“I have thought that before now.”

Alex turned slightly to look at him.

“Does it trouble you? That you gave it to the Germans? Does that ever keep you awake at night?”

Andreas shook his head. He would be answering the question the rest of his life.

“I once watched Fotis cut the fingers off a German prisoner. A young man. He did not know the answers to Fotis’ questions, but it didn’t matter. Later, he cut the boy’s throat.” He moved some damp earth with his shoe. “Another time, I shot a communist guerrilla in the hills above Tsotili. I executed him. For spreading lies, and for being a communist. A good reason to kill a man, don’t you think? Have you heard these things already?”

“Not from you.”

“I saw an American reporter fished out of the harbor in Thessaloniki, hands tied, skull shot through, because he spoke to the wrong people. I watched dozens of men, young and old, beaten until they confessed to things they had not done. Once I even saw them take a woman-”

“Why are you telling me this now? I asked you questions for years and you never said a word, not a word.”

“Why do you imagine I’m telling you?”

“I don’t know. So I’ll say it’s all right, that I understand?”

“Your forgiveness,” the old man spat bitterly, and Alex looked away.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.