Promises to Keep

Len Payne

Description

Promises to Keep is a tale of revenge carried out by an ex-soldier, now a very successful businessman, named Ken Baines, who, after witnessing his best friend's death at the hands of the Greek Cypriot terrorist group EOKA during the mid-1950s, returns to Cyprus later in life to fulfil a promise he made to his dying friend. His return to Cyprus is prompted by news that he himself has a short time to live due to incurable cancer and an invitation by the Greek Cypriot Government to assist them in establishing a new trade centre on the island. His plans of revenge against the EOKA group that were involved in his friend's death are almost derailed by his involvement with Eleni, a beautiful Greek Cypriot widow.

Sujets

• Thriller

Informations

• Publié par: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Date de parution: 30 août 2019
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781528962308
• Langue: English

Extrait

Promises to Keep
Len Payne
Austin Macauley Publishers
2019-08-30
Promises to Keep About the Author About the Cover Dedication Copyright Information © Promises to Keep Storyline Chapter 1 The Set-Up Chapter 2 The Promise Chapter 3 The Plan Chapter 4 The Journey Chapter 5 Arrival Chapter 6 Contact and Strike One ‒ Pappas Chapter 7 Gathering Information Chapter 8 The Meeting Chapter 9 Pappaloukas – The Plan Chapter 10 Strike Two ‒ Pappaloukas Chapter 11 The Alibi Chapter 12 The Dinner Chapter 13 A Trip to Troodos Chapter 14 Strike Three ‒ Alexandros Chapter 15 The Rally – Strike Four, Skouros Chapter 16 Dinner at the Mess Chapter 17 A Fine Day’s Outing Chapter 18 Strike Five ‒ Skopelitis Chapter 19 Election Day Chapter 20 Climax Chapter 21 Conclusion Epilogue
About the Author
Len Payne was born in 1933 in the village of North Baddesley, Hampshire, but spent most of his formative years in the village of West End, just outside of Southampton. He attended West End Primary School and later Hedge End Senior Secondary School (the Wildern).
He was old enough to recall vividly the war years and the destruction of Southampton during the blitz.
He also saw many of his family members rally to the call as they joined the Services to fight at home and abroad and mourned the loss of two of them killed in action.
That determined him at the age of 17½ to himself join the military where he spent the next 16 years as a member of the Royal Corps of Signals, both Regular Army and the Territorials, serving in the UK, Germany, Japan, Korea, Cyprus and was recalled to active duty for the Suez Operation.
After demobilisation, he met and married Mary, his first wife, in 1959 and together with their two sons, emigrated to Canada in 1966, where they enjoyed a relaxed lifestyle until Mary’s death through cancer in 2000. They had been married for 41 happy years.
In 2002, Len married Mavis, a family friend whom he first met in 1957.
Len and Mavis live in quiet retirement in the City of Abbotsford, British Columbia, enjoying each other’s company and accepting what life has to offer.
About the Cover
Promises to Keep is a tale of revenge carried out by an ex-soldier, now a very successful businessman, named Ken Baines, who, after witnessing his best friend’s death at the hands of the Greek Cypriot terrorist group EOKA during the mid-1950s, returns to Cyprus later in life to fulfil a promise he made to his dying friend.
His return to Cyprus is prompted by news that he himself has a short time to live due to incurable cancer and an invitation by the Greek Cypriot Government to assist them in establishing a new trade centre on the island.
His plans of revenge against the EOKA group that were involved in his friend’s death are almost derailed by his involvement with Eleni, a beautiful Greek Cypriot widow.
Dedication
Dedicated to Mary and Mavis, without whose encouragement this book would not have been completed; and to the 371 British Military servicemen who died during the EOKA campaign, 1955–1959. Comrades never forgotten.
Copyright Information ©
Len Payne (2019)
The right of Len Payne to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with section 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.
Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.
A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.
ISBN 9781528962308 (ePub e-book)
www.austinmacauley.com
First Published (2019)
Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd
25 Canada Square
Canary Wharf
London
E14 5LQ
Promises to Keep

Storyline
Promises to Keep spans a two-week period in May 1990, where the principle character an ex-soldier named Ken Baines, who, while serving in Cyprus in the 1950s during the EOKA crisis, became a casualty during an ambush that kills his best friend and leaves him crippled in one leg.
The leader of the EOKA group shoots Baines and leaves him for dead. Before he shoots, their eyes meet, and Baines is haunted by their ferocity.
Baines vows to avenge his friend.
Invalided out of the army, he takes up civilian employment as a travel agent. Over the years, he makes good and becomes a very successful hotel and travel agency owner as well as the majority owner of a five-ship cruise line.
He receives a knighthood for his service to the industry, but the loss of his wife and son make his success a hollow reward.
He receives an invitation from the Government of Cyprus to assist in the setting up of a World Travel and Trade Centre in Cyprus, but memories of Cyprus are such that he decides against the offer.
He is then summoned to London to consult his doctor who advises him that he has colon cancer and a short time to live.
Travelling back to his home in Hampshire by train he is forced to share his table in the dining car with a fellow traveller, a Greek Cypriot. As the meal progresses, the topic of their conversation begins to stir up unpleasant memories for Baines and after several attempts to prolong their conversation fail, the Cypriot takes his leave of Baines who has sunk into a reflective melancholy mood.
Baines absently picks up a newspaper left behind by his table companion; it was the Times of Cyprus. As he opens it, there, staring back at him, is the face and eyes of his would-be assassin of some thirty-five years before. An involuntary shudder runs through his body as he looks again into those fearsome eyes of his would-be murderer.
Steeling his mind, he began to read the report accompanying the photo. It transpired that one Alexi Lefkos was the front-runner in the upcoming Cypriot Presidential election.
As he reads, an anger wells up within him and he remembers his promise made so many years before over the body of his dead friend. Baines decides to return to Cyprus and eliminate the seven members of the Lefkos EOKA group before he himself dies. Romance in the form of Eleni, a beautiful Greek Cypriot widow, almost comes between him and his mission.
But he has Promises to Keep.
Chapter 1

The Set-Up
Ken Baines stared moodily out of the broad expanse of his study window. Rain driven by a stiff southwesterly wind beat a steady tattoo against the glass. God how he hated the bloody rain, would it never end? He began to build a case in his mind against his forthcoming trip to London. He glanced at the mantle clock ‒ almost 8 am. Another ten minutes and he would have to leave if he was to get to the station in time for the l0 am express to Waterloo. Shifting his glance to the coffee table, his eye caught sight of the buff envelope his manservant had brought in with the morning mail. Picking it up, he glanced at the address:
Sir Kenneth Baines, K.B.E, D.C.M.
Meon Place,
Durley,
Hampshire.
Sir Kenneth, how Kathleen would have revelled in the title Lady Baines. But she never did and never would, for it came to him for services rendered to the Hotel and Tourist industry just two years after her death in a motoring accident, and within 18 months of the death of Andrew, their only son, killed in action during an Argentine bombing raid on Port Stanley.
A frown crossed Ken Baines’ face. So much for one man to bear and then the phone call from Trevor Courtenay, his London physician. His voice sounded grave on the phone, and it was in answer to this call that Ken was forced to visit London today.
Taking the letter from the envelope, he again read the contents.
‘On behalf of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus, I have pleasure in inviting your participation in the establishment of a world-class convention centre, to be located in or near the city of Episkopi.’
There followed details of a lucrative financial package, a directorship and the use of an Oceanfront villa would be placed at his disposal, etc. But Cyprus, no, not Cyprus.
A discreet knocking at the door announced the car was ready to take him to the station. Putting on his trench coat and firmly placing his hat on his head, he selected a stout walking stick from the hallstand and with a pronounced limp, passed from the warmth and security of his sizeable lonely house, through the driving rain, into the lush comfort of the Rolls.
The 10 am non-stop to Waterloo was crowded with day-trippers and school children off, it appeared, on some field trip. Their excitement was intense and the noise deafening, but the first-class section was relatively empty. Finding an empty compartment, Ken settled back, closed his eyes and tried not to anticipate the result of his future appointment.
He reviewed his current situation; 60 years old, widowed, with no living relatives, business sound, hotel properties in London, Edinburgh and Dublin, travel agencies in most major cities in the United Kingdom and Ireland and a 70% interest in Starline Cruise Lines. Not bad for a fifteen-year-old runaway from endless foster homes who had tried to make the army his home. But fate in the shape of a terrorist’s grenade had altered his chosen path, and with his discharge pay and pension commuted to a lump sum, he returned to civilian life with £1800 in his pocket and a pronounced limp. Not much to show for seven years’ service to the Crown. Taking a huge risk, he bought into a small but thriving travel agency in Southampton. Within two years, he presented himself at his banker’s office with a plan to buy out his partner. The bank manager, who had watched with interest Ken’s progress over the preceding two years, advised his board that he considered Ken a good risk.
It was to be the most rewarding and farsighted decision he had ever made.
Within six months, a nation-wide travel agency approached Ken with an offe