Andreas said, ‘Well, some things must have bothered him.’

The abbot shrugged. ‘Not really. He even avoided discussions of politics. His sole focus was on the church and doing good.’

Andreas decided he’d better ratchet up the rhetoric or they’d get nothing from the abbot but blessings. ‘With all due respect, Your Holiness, how could he be focused on the church for forty years and not discuss politics?’

The abbot smiled again. ‘He was an unusual man.’

‘I see.’ Andreas nodded. ‘Is the monastery filled with unusual men like Vassilis?’

‘I wish I could say that were so.’

‘Then I assume others talked politics.’

The smile came, but not as quickly. ‘Some.’

‘So what sorts of things did they say that got Vassilis worked up enough to say, “Don’t focus on it, let God deal with it?”’

‘Nothing of consequence.’

Andreas shook his head. ‘I don’t understand. You’re saying that this “unusual man” who “liked to avoid controversy” would get worked up over “nothing of consequence?”’

The smile was gone. The abbot stood. ‘I have other appointments.’

Andreas did not stand. ‘Your Holiness, I didn’t want to come to Patmos and, frankly, I’d prefer getting back to Athens. But somebody with enough clout to pressure my boss, the minister of public order, wants me here asking questions. So when I tell my boss it’s a waste of time because you won’t answer my questions, the worst that can happen to me is that I’m sent back to Athens to do what I want to do. I leave to your imagination what’s the worst that can happen to you.’ Andreas left unsaid, from whatever son of a bitch is behind this.

The abbot stared for a moment and sat back down. ‘Good point.’ He smiled. ‘Our police captain warned me you could be persuasive.’ He paused. ‘Mount Athos.’

‘Excuse me?’ said Andreas.

‘Mount Athos. That’s what was bothering Vassilis. The scandal in that Mount Athos monastery was consuming him. He was convinced it would be the ruin of the church.’