Page 85 of About Love and Revenge

“What? How are they missing?”

“When they reach a certain age, around fifteen years old, most are offered a scholarship to study in Athens. We don't even have a high school here.”

“I know that.”I’ve already thought about it and decided that when my plans are accomplished, I will set up a school so the young people won't have to be away from their families in order to study.

“If they accepted this offer to move to the capital, they would be granted a place to live and this scholarship. The problem is that none of them ever returned to visit their family.”

“Get to the point.”

“It was Mister Leandros who offered these scholarships.”

“Are you telling me that they disappeared and that your ex-boss is responsible for it?”

I see the color draining from the man's face and notice that he is shaken by a strong shudder.

Fear.

He's terrified.

“Y-yes . . .”

“Do you have their names?”

“Not from all the neighboring islands, but the ones who came from here, yes.”

“Why didn't they call the police in Athens?”

He shakes his head, and I can see the disbelief in his eyes. “Because they all worked for Dr. Argyros.”

It takes me a few seconds to understand what he is saying.

The bastard had the lawmen on his payroll.

“Bring me the list of names and surnames of the missing girls. I'll see what I can do,” I say, already standing up. “But I want something in return. I need you to tell me who, here on the island, would kill in the name of their old boss.”

He doesn't seem to think much before answering. “If they were given any incentive, anyone. Even the women.”

“Incentive?”

“No one would have the courage to defy an order coming from him.”

“Even you would kill if he told you to?” I ask directly.

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because I'm one of those dads whose daughter has disappeared. I haven't seen my Thalassa in three years. She was only sixteen when she went to Athens.”

I'm on my way to the island’s private airport, but this time I decide not to wait for the whole operation that needs to be put in motion whenever I move from one place to another.

I’m irritated and itching to leave.

The ride to the location where my plane awaits me is only ten minutes long, and I don't have the patience to let the bodyguards give me all the safety guidelines. It will steal time that I don't want to waste.

I’m not in the habit of running from my guards, and when I do, Grigoriusually goes crazy, but I need to get out of here. He’s a strategist when it comes to protection and insists that the best way to protect ourselves from the enemy is to confuse them. Normally, men like me ride in a vehicle in the middle of a convoy, armored both at the front and rear. It's not like that with me. No one knows in which car I’ll go. Sometimes not even me.

I've already experienced a few kidnapping attempts, and I can't even say who was responsible. When you have power, you accumulate enemies along the way.

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