13
Day arrived at his favourite bar before Peppino. He particularly liked this place because you could sit as long as you wanted and watch people walking past. Tonight, however, the pavement was less busy than usual. The volta, or evening stroll, was over and local families had gone home for their evening meal. It was too dark to see the ancient Portara, the massive marble doorway on the little islet of Palatia not far from the bar. In the darkness around the Portara, the dark sea would be lapping on the rocks and the small fringe of sand, unseen by anyone.
Day walked past his favourite table by the pavement and chose one at the back of the bar where he and Peppino could talk privately. He shook hands with Alexandros, the waiter he had come to know, and ordered a gin and tonic. Alexandro
