Katerina choked out the words. ‘They won’t believe it. They know I’m here. The team, they won’t–’

  Lily cackled and dragged Katerina upright again, driving her head against the wall. The pain was all-encompassing, bright light erupted somewhere behind her eyes. She winced, feeling tears pour down her face. ‘It doesn’t matter whether they believe it or not! Why are you so dense? Why are you here? All alone, recklessly running about! You need evidence, don’t you? They’ll have no evidence against me, against Domenico, against anyone apart from you. They’ve already overlooked your, may I say, obvious involvement with that corrupt boyfriend last year. Do you think the authorities will give you or your team’s opinion of you a second chance? Do you think anyone will listen to them after last summer? I shouldn’t think so. So, you see, you’re exactly what I need.’

  A clear, pure thought cut through the swelling ache that was now pushing and pulling at her entire body. Lily could kill her, she would die, her reputation tarnished forever. That was bearable. But a young girl was locked behind the bolted door opposite suffering unimaginable terror and pain. That wasn’t. Throughout the hotel were similar girls, all who needed help. She could take the blame for Maria’s murder. She could die. But first, she had to help these women. She had to put an end to this.

  ‘Fine.’ She looked Lily directly in the eye. ‘Fine. You’ll be doing me a favour… I… I’m worthless anyway. You’re right; I should never have been given a second chance. If I were you, I’d untie me, though. The longer my hands are tied up, the more chance there is of bruising. That will look suspicious.’

  ‘You must think I–’

  Katerina writhed, giving one large tug at her wrists. ‘Every time I struggle, the more obvious the marks will be. They’ll see them straight away.’

  Lily grimaced, apparently annoyed at herself for being unable to find a decent counter-response. She blew out through her teeth, spitting slightly, and reached to the small of her back, drawing out a handgun. Holding it to Katerina’s temple, she hissed, ‘Turn around then.’

  She traced the gun against Katerina’s skull as she pivoted around, waiting for her hands to be freed. As soon as she felt the sag of the bindings, she threw herself to the ground, swinging her legs around so that they drove into Lily, knocking her off-balance. The gun skidded across the floor tiles and Katerina, without looking back, threw herself in its direction, scrambling to get a hold of it. Lily’s weight was suddenly on her back, nails clawing at her face. She used the momentum to catapult Lily overhead, sending her head-first into the brick wall, a strained, ragged groan escaping her lips. The metal instruments clanged as she smashed into them. Katerina launched herself at Lily before she could get up, and swung the back of her gun into her head. Lily slid to the floor, a thin trickle of blood dripping down her face.

  ‘What the–’ The narrow door opened and the man who had bid for the girl emerged. She raised the gun at him, her heart hammering against her ribs.

  ‘On the floor. Now. On the floor. Hands behind your head.’ He looked like he was about to call out, when she screamed at him again. ‘I said on the floor!’

  His chubby face hung heavy in disbelief as he lowered himself down. Katerina nodded at the girl. ‘Get the handcuffs from the wall. Tie him up.’

  The girl gawked at her, her arms hanging limp and bare at her sides. She was wearing her underwear. Katerina noticed that bruises laced their way up to her collarbone. ‘The handcuffs, please.’

  The girl nodded and unhooked the cuffs from the wall. Katerina held the gun steady in one hand, making sure they’d been secured properly. Placing the key in her shoe, she raised the gun to the man’s face. ‘Get up. Back in the room. Now.’

  ‘What? No… I… help! Help!’

  Katerina stamped her heel into his bare foot, turning his words into empty cries of pain. ‘Now.’ She shoved him through the door, her stomach turning as she noted the room: a narrow, surgical-looking massage bed and bare walls. ‘You’re disgusting,’ she whispered, before retrieving the girl’s crumpled clothes and shutting the door behind her.

  The girl was shivering in the main room, hunched over, her arms folded across her middle. Katerina handed her the dress. ‘You. I thought it was you, outside. You’re from London.’

  ‘That’s right,’ Katerina moaned, swaying as she checked the main door. Her surroundings had begun to spin, ever so slowly. She needed to act quickly. ‘I can help you. Do you know the way out of here?’

  The girl looked at Lily, who was still slumped in the corner. Her face hardened, her lips forming a straight, thin line. She gave a brisk nod before replying. ‘Yes. But they’ll see us and then… they won’t be happy.’ Her voice trembled.

  ‘What’s your name?’ Katerina extended a hand and led the girl to the main door.

  The girl looked at her feet and mumbled. ‘Helen. But please–’ She stepped away, looking back at the room where her buyer was tied up. ‘You don’t understand what they’ll do. They’re untouchable. I’ve disobeyed. They’ll kill me…’ She began to shake; her pale face seemed vacant, faraway.

  A sinking feeling reminded Katerina that her presence here had put Helen in more danger. She had to find the memory stick that Sofia had mentioned. ‘I know how to end all of this, Helen. Just trust me, okay? But we need to move quickly.’

  Helen looked like she was about to refuse, but then bit her lip, her eyebrows moving closer together in a tight frown. ‘This bit’s hidden. They only let the high-paying clients in here. It’s a secret lift, behind the statue in the foyer.’

  ‘The one of the god, Saturn?’

  She nodded. ‘You push down on the sickle and it opens up.’

  She remembered Michail telling her about what Lily had said about the sculpture in the lobby. They rub the top of his stick and it brings them good luck. Lily had directed their attention straight to the dragon’s mouth and they hadn’t even noticed. Katerina gripped the gun in both hands, keeping as steady as possible. ‘Stay behind me. I’ll keep you safe, I promise.’

  The lift was small and clinical, with mirrors on all sides. A smeared handprint had been left in one of the corners; it looked like it was pressing the glass from the other side, trying to pop the frame and escape. Katerina viewed her reflection. She was certainly no longer in disguise – her hair fell in a damp mess past her shoulders. Her face was puffy and bruised. The best they could hope for was that the foyer was empty. If anyone was waiting for the lift… she steadied herself, legs hip-width apart, ready to fight. It ground to a stop and the doors slid open to let the red light flood the mirrored space. Nobody was there. Katerina let herself breathe and motioned for Helen to stay behind her. They stayed close to the wall, hidden as much as possible in the shadows, and made for Lily’s office.

  ‘Can’t we just leave?’ Helen whispered, barely audible, behind her. Again, Katerina felt that sinking guilt – the poor girl had been through enough. This was the last thing she needed.

  ‘Just a few seconds. I need to find something.’ She reached into her bra, realising that she hadn’t checked if she still had the key card. Thankfully, Lily hadn’t strip-searched her. It beeped successfully, as it had before, and she ushered Helen into the office. ‘We don’t have long. Look for a memory card. Try and think where you’d keep something important or incriminating. Ransack the place if you need to.’

  Katerina checked the computer, daring to hope that Lily had left it in her USB port, but it was empty. She scanned the small room: a bookshelf of self-help books, various cosmetics strewn about the desk, her laptop. She spun on the spot, her eyes raking every corner of the room, desperately trying to find a sign for where someone like Lily might keep her perverted spoils. Her eyes fell to the mid-sized plant in the corner. It was new; it hadn’t been in the original footage. She was certain. ‘There, the plant.’ She dropped onto her knees and began digging in the soil. ‘It’s a pistachio plant… it has to be…’ Her fingers hit something firm and plastic. The memory card.

  ‘Come on, we can go–’ She turned to Helen and her words were cut short. Domenico held her by the neck, a gun to her head. Helen’s mouth fell into a silent ‘O’, her eyes pleading with Katerina to help her.

  ‘Let her go.’ Katerina placed the gun on the ground and held up her hands. ‘Let her go, she has nothing to do with this. Take me. I’ll do whatever you need.’

  Shouts came from outside. ‘Police! Police! On the ground! On the ground!’ Katerina kept very still, resisting the urge to scream for attention. She couldn’t do anything to put Helen at risk.

  ‘Domenico, it’s over. The police are here. I’ve got all the evidence they need. You can’t–’

  ‘I can’t? Right now, our members will be obeying your colleagues’ instructions as respectfully as anyone could. The girls have been briefed on what to say. They will tell the police that they were delighted, lucky, to have been invited to such an event. Tatiana will explain how they are professional models, and that she is the underage girls’ chaperone. She can be very charming. The girls won’t divert from their stories because they have nowhere else to go and they have a… let’s call it a healthy respect for the system above them, isn’t that right?’ He nuzzled his face into Helen’s neck. She didn’t pull away, although her body seemed to shrink in on itself. Her thin limbs twitched in tiny terrified tremors. Katerina stepped forwards. ‘No.’ He pointed the gun at her chest as he dragged Helen towards the door and closed it, ever so gently. ‘We’re sound-proofed now. You stay where you are.’

  He took a deep breath through his nose, closing his eyes, as if he could not be more relaxed. ‘So you will see why I need the memory card you have in your hand. Very clever finding it, but you’re not quite clever enough.’

  He pushed Helen to her knees and pressed the gun into the back of her head. She was shaking; silent bulbous tears spilled to the floor. ‘You wouldn’t be stupid enough to kill her in the middle of a police raid–’

  ‘She’s a nobody. No family, no one to miss her.’ He smiled; his face perfectly placid. ‘I’ve got lawyers, the best money can buy. It’s worth my while to deal with a little “tragic accident” to protect my business.’ He kept his eyes on Katerina as he moved the gun in a fluid movement downwards and shot Helen in the foot.

  Her screams caused Katerina physical pain. Again, she tried to fling herself to Helen’s side, but Domenico pointed the gun at her. ‘Now, before I hurt her other precious foot, please give me the memory card.’

  Helen whimpered on the floor, her breathing ragged and forced. Katerina pictured Michail, Sofia and Yiorgos making their way through the hotel. They’d surely be here soon. This was the last place that they’d received comms from her. She just needed to stall Domenico. A further gunshot stunned her. She barely registered the sound, barely believed it. Helen screeched in agony, the sound peeling through the air in high, frantic wails. He’d shot her other foot.

  ‘Stop!’ Katerina realised that she too was screaming. ‘Stop it, you monster!’

  Domenico was laughing, his head thrown back, his neck convulsing. ‘Give me what I want and I’ll stop.’

  She didn’t think about what came next. Katerina felt her body launching through space before her bones connected with Domenico as she rode him to the ground. She didn’t see whether he was still holding the gun; there was no time to check. She flung open the door, screaming for help, as she dragged Helen into the corridor. Police torches approached from the far end. ‘Help! Help! Over here!’

  ‘Katerina!’ Michail called to her. She squinted behind the lights as she moved forwards, conscious of Helen’s screaming as her legs dragged against the floor. ‘She’s here! Sofia! Yiorgos! She’s here!’

  The ground was shifting now, moving in slow, heavy rotations as she stumbled towards him.

  ‘Michail… she’s hurt… here…’

  Her eyes met his. She smiled, glad that she had done something right, and slid the memory card towards him. As he picked it up, she was confused. His expression was not what she expected. His eyes were not relieved. He was not smiling. His gaze looked at something behind her shoulder. She opened her mouth to ask him what the matter was, but, for some reason, no sound came out. It was as if time had stopped. Sound had stopped. She smiled, an intense quiet falling about her, cradling her. He shouldn’t look so frightened. His face shouldn’t be so red, so upset. Everything was fine. Everything was fine. She had got what they needed. The girls would be safe.

  The last things that Katerina Galanis’s brain processed was the image of her partner’s face, the sensation of his hand in hers, the sound of his voice telling her that she would be okay. Then, whatever essence that made her: the thoughts, the memories, the likes and dislikes, all the shame and pride and hope and dreams, left her body for good.

  Maria

  The day of Teddy’s murder

  Teddy rattled the cocktail shaker, tensing his pectoral muscles as he flashed her a smile. Maria rearranged herself on his sofa and stretched out her legs in an attempt to seem natural. She hadn’t counted on him being such a party animal. By the time they’d got back from the harbourside gig, he’d already been wasted. She needed to find a way for him to slow down; at this rate, it would be impossible to get any information from him. She stood, smoothed down her skirt and walked towards him. ‘Shall we try out your tub?’

  ‘Bit late for that, no? I was hoping…’ He placed a hand on her waist. She laughed, stepping away from him.

  ‘Come on, we’ve been dancing all night. The water looks amazing.’ She slid open the terrace door and began to undress. The steam wafted from the surface of the water in volute, intricate curls. Against the darkness, the patterns looked like they were carving out the sky. She lowered herself into the warm water and looked expectantly at him. Perhaps she could get him talking once he was in the water.

  He raised his eyebrows and took a swig straight from the cocktail shaker. Wiping his mouth, he followed her lead.

  ‘It’s pretty out here.’

  ‘Should be for the price tag.’ He swam closer to her, pressing his body against her side. ‘You’re special, I can tell…’

  ‘Special, me? How?’ She glanced at the side of the pool, noting there was no space for her to move away from him. He moved his face towards hers, caressing her cheek. She fought the urge to brush him away.

  ‘All those girls tonight at the harbour. Drinking, dancing, behaving like little…’ his mouth half-formed a word she didn’t recognise, before he shook his head, ‘…like they own the place. Imagine if men acted like that. We’d be called hooligans. You’re classy. I like it.’

  She turned to face him, thinking carefully about what she should say next. ‘You find it difficult to find the right type of girl?’

  His lips curved into a gentle, mocking smile. ‘Do I look like the sort of guy who struggles to find women?’

  ‘No…’ She placed her arms around his neck. Even in the water, the smell of his aftershave was overpowering. ‘I’m just wondering where someone like you usually finds dates. I bet you don’t normally pick up local girls.’ His face hardened. For a second, she thought she’d been too obvious and ruined it. However, he shrugged and shoved his arms beneath the surface, wriggling out of his trunks.

  ‘I think we’ve talked enough…’

  She stayed where she was, allowing him to push against her and kiss her neck. The tiling seemed very solid and compact against her spine. Her mind raced through how she might extract herself from the situation. She needed information about the accounts, about Tatiana, about what was really going on here, about Eleni. This place had become such an all-encompassing presence in her life. A client, a mystery, a source of fear and suspicion. If she could get her hands on the proof; she needed to go to the police…

  Beneath the water, under the glittering pool lights, she saw it, there, just above his ankle. He moved against her with more force now, making the water swell in gentle ripples. But, even through the splashes, she could see it clearly. The tattoo. The same as Eleni’s. His lips found hers, but she pushed him away, causing water to overflow onto the terrace. He laughed, shocked, misreading her. ‘Feisty…’

  ‘No…’ She scrambled out of the pool and stared down at him. The air suddenly felt like it was suffocating her. She pointed, her gaze unwavering at it. ‘The tattoo. On your ankle. You – where did you get it?’

  ‘Oh? You like it?’ He thrust his hips forward so that he floated to the surface, brandishing his leg. ‘It’s one of my favourites, actually, same as my necklace.’ He reached to the back of his neck and pulled around a small charm of the same symbol. ‘Got it with an ex. She turned out to be a disappointment in the end – annoying little thing, really.’ He shrugged. ‘She was a local too, since you asked! Younger than you.’

  Maria had never known what people meant when they described losing control. However, that is just how she would describe the following two minutes. She was silent. All her strength gathered and pulsated in her arms. She held him down as he thrashed. She pushed and pushed and pushed, her face looming over his, her eyes glassy and unforgiving. Until he fell limp and loose, all she saw was Eleni. She didn’t know why she dragged him out of the pool. She didn’t know why she ran to her bag for her painting supplies. It was a primal feeling, one that had no words, no reason, no thought behind it. She wanted to mark him. To stain him in the same way he’d stained Eleni. She wanted him to feel her pain, match her anguish. She cut him carefully, in a suspended, methodical daze. Sculpting the skin, his head in her lap.

  The first sound to escape her lips was when she cried. It was like waking up. She found herself in the corridor, wet and shivering. The horror was overwhelming. She needed to call the police. That’s what she kept telling Irene Kanatas, who was cradling her. She needed to call the police. She needed to tell them what she had done.

  But that isn’t what she did. The foyer, the promenade, the beach. His body was heavy and wet in the bin liner. Irene was talking, saying something about how Lily needed to pay. Too many girls had been affected. Too many tragedies. She would bring her down. Tonight. She would bring her down.