Read 1 The Assassins' Village for Free Online Page A

voice when she eventually reached her. She looked as white as a ghost.
    Filled with awe and shaking with excitement, Diana covered her mouth with her hand and nodded at her friend.  She had heard strange stories before, of how dolphins sometimes rescued drowning sailors or swimmers. But she had not been in danger of drowning. Why had it approached her? Yes, she’d felt a twinge of cramp but what if the dolphin sensed something special about her? It was bizarre. She could not wait to tell Steve.
    ~~~
Steve and Bernard had snuck away and were on their second pint of cider when Diana and Jenny joined them at the beach restaurant. The women gushed out the dolphin story as they collapsed into their chairs.
    Steve looked sceptical. ‘Well I see neither ships nor dolphins. And I’ve never seen one here before. You certainly have a vivid imagination my love,’ he teased.
    ‘But it’s true.’ Di felt cross at him for doubting her word.
    Steve raised his brow and gave Bernard an amused look, and then turned to Diana.  ‘I suggest you keep your fiction for your books, darling.’
    Infuriated that the men thought their story far-fetched, Diana and Jenny decided to let the matter drop. However, Diana promised that Steve would regret doubting her story when they got home!
    ~~~
    ‘Gosh, Bernard. You’ve hardly started that pint. You’re slow today.’ Di remarked. Jen shot her an irritated look.
    ‘Rubbish, Di. He’s already had one pint. Don’t think just because you’re not driving us home you can get legless. I’ve only got so much in my purse,’ she rounded on him with a deep scowl.
    Bernard raised his glass to Jen in a gesture of defiance saying, ‘Don’t be a spoilsport, my love.’
    ‘I’m not! It’s just that I need to go to the bank,’ she sounded worried.
    Steve looked over to Diana who gave a tiny nod of her head. She knew he read her signs when he stepped in with a cajoling smile. ‘Don’t worry, Jenny, lunch is on us today.’
    ‘Oh no, no you can’t do that.’ She gave a quick glance across to Bernard.
    ‘Oh yes we can. We owe it to you for looking after Sparky and watering the garden when we were away.’
    ‘But you gave us a nice plant in return.’
    ‘Yes, but that was nothing. Anyway, why can’t I treat our friends sometimes? It’s reasonably priced here so it’s not as if it’s going to break us, is it? Now no more arguments. Shall we look at the menu and order lunch before they get really busy? The place is beginning to fill up fast.’
    They ordered a simple meal of pork and lamb kebabs, salad with warm pitta bread, dips and the old favourite; chips . Proper chips; made from potatoes and not flour. Potatoes peeled and fried to a golden crispy skin with a soft and tasty inside.
    ‘Funny how I never lose my appetite even in hot weather,’ said Di helping herself to another good spoonful.
    ‘And here was I thinking you were feeling sick earlier,’ Steve smiled at her with his eyebrows raised.
    ‘Mmm. It’s the third or fourth time this week. Perhaps I have a wee bug or something.’
    ‘There’s always something going around,’ said Bernard. ‘It’s the tourists; they bring all sorts of nasty things over with them. I blame the air conditioning on the planes. Thank you both for this. You’re very kind and generous. It is delicious and totally unexpected.’
    ‘Yes, and our second meal out in two days,’ agreed Jenny.
    Steve waved aside their thanks with a smile as he asked where they had eaten out yesterday.
    ‘Well, we were going to tell you. We ate at the new taverna, Michael’s with Pete, Ann and Tilly. It was excellent. The food was very good and the views are simply gorgeous. It was pretty much packed out as well. You must try it sometime.’
    ‘Yes, you must. The four of us drove up together and met Tilly there in the evening. She was desperate to get out,’ Jenny agreed.
    ‘Oh? Why was that?’ asked a curious Diana.
    There was a little pause as Bernard and Jenny