"Was it an accident?" continued the doctor. "Nobody knows. She took that secret with her. Rumors are ... do you want ... I'll tell you ... that they found more remains in the wreckage. The experts investigating the scene came across gold fillings. But they did not match those of your mother."
He moved around and inspected his fingers, then went on, "Your father did not take it well when he found out what happened after all these years. He confronted her and they had a terrible fight. Mind you, the same day she burned to death, one day after they had that fight, a man ... a lunatic, a schizophrenic ... escaped from the mental institution south of Athens. The same area where Melpo was driving. She was on her way to the shipyards. I was to go with her, but she called and cancelled. I know why."
He leaned over and placed the palm of his hand on the side of his mouth to protect the sound. He lowered his voice to a whisper. "I found out she was on her way to meet a ... this hairy young stud. You know what they call him? The horse!" The doctor laughed in short bursts. "Yeah, good old Melpo. Quite a woman!" Then he burst out laughing loudly again.
Anna was getting more and more nauseated. Doctor Vassili Tsipras took two or three short steps forward and continued:
"Oh, I forgot the best part! The experts ... again those damn experts ... They say that the way her car went off the road someone must have clubbed her on the head and she lost control. The crazy man was never found, not a trace of him. But they did find a large hammer in the wreckage, similar to the one that was missing from the mental hospital's tool shop ... the metal part, of course. The wooden handle must have been burned along with the bodies. The interesting part is that your father was a big patron of that hospital and gave them a lot of money over the years ... not that I am implying that he had anything to do with it, of course, or that he would ever do such a thing, but it is quite a coincidence."
Growing sicker to her stomach, Anna listened and said nothing. No tears. She couldn't even raise her arm to cross herself or say a prayer. She stood up and walked closer to the doctor, holding her cross, which reflected the brilliant morning sun, blinding the doctor's vision.
"But it is not all bad news! I have a big surprise for you." He held out an engagement ring.