Freedom Does Matter (Mercenaries Book 2) (24 page)

Amy brightened at Abby’s enthusiasm, but then drooped. “Tahirah—”

“Bring her along. It’ll be an interesting experience for her, from what I’ve heard.”

“Oh! Since yesterday, her sister’s been with us, too. She’s lost a hand and Mom’s been taking care of her.”

“Well, tell your mom I can handle the three of you, if the sister’s okay to fly and to be away for a day.”

“We can’t stay over?”

Abby put her palm against Amy’s nose and lightly pushed. “Not a chance. Now, I haveta do some research for Rich, and you should go start wheedling your mom for permission.”

Amy stood at the table. “Could I help you? With the research?”

Abby gave her another look. “Maybe,” she said. “Your mind works well at that stuff, maybe as good as mine.” She spun on her toes to stand in front of the girl. “But only here!” She compressed her lips. “And you remember almost nothing here is private? When I leave, all my phone and computer messages are monitored.”

Indignation flashed over Amy’s face. “Who does tha—” She relaxed. “Oh. Mr. Go, right? It’s not like the… the government?” She was pretty sure what Abby meant.

“No, not like that. Unless he reads something he thinks he has to share with your mother. Or Mr. Jamse.”

“I’ll keep my words strictly on the research,” Amy retorted. She took a deep breath and clasped her hands together before she did something she didn’t know if the woman could accept. “Strictly, I promise.”

“Scoot, then. I’ll put together some questions for when we get back, if you get permission. Or tomorrow, if you don’t.”

“Okay. Thanks!” Her excitement overrode her disappointment.

Amy’s hurried back to Shalin’s home; the clock struck one as she tapped on the door. Shalin let her in with a smile.

“Hi!” the girl burst out. “Want to go to Nassau tomorrow? If Mom says okay?”

“What? Wait… Who—”

“Abby and I and Tahirah and maybe Noorah.”

“Maybe you should ask your mom, too?”

Amy pondered that for a second, then said, “I’ll ask, but she never takes time off. Never!”

“And Abby? Do I know her?”

“I thought so. We run most every morning. She’s nice.” Shut up!

“Abby… Rochambeau? Is that the one?” When Amy nodded, Shalin continued, “I did meet her a couple of months ago. Derek Hamilton recommended her, if I remember.”

Amy settled herself at the kitchen island. “Don’t know about that. We met at the gym last month and we’ve been running ever since.” She glanced to see a question in Shalin’s expression. “In the mornings.”

“Hmm. Well, if your mom can’t go tomorrow, I could probably find a way. Just to keep you out of trouble, mind you,’ she said with a grin. “I don’t need all that excitement and… whatever. But I would like to stop in the Islamic Center to visit a friend.”

Amy smiled back at Shalin’s big grin. “Thanks, Mrs. deVeel. That’s nice of you. And I appreciate your watching Tahirah and Noorah. Now, I better get them out of here before you change your mind!”

Chapter Twenty-Four

Day Twenty-five - Cairo

JUST AFTER SIX, BECKIE KNOCKED on Kevin’s door, hoping to raid his minibar for orange juice. He opened the door; phone to his ear.

“Shalin,” he whispered. “About Amy Ardan.” He spoke to the phone, “Could she have a boyfriend?”

Shalin’s reaction must have been the same as Beckie’s: Who would it be? She’d never be able to meet anyone at the Nest.

Kevin said, “Yeah…” as Beckie touched his arm and mimed holding the phone. “Just a sec, Beckie wants to talk.”

She took the phone and sat behind the desk. “Hi, Shalin. What’s the girl up to?”

“I told Kevin something seems to be going on with her. She asked me to watch Tahirah and Noorah after they’d been to the beach, and she seemed a little furtive.”

“What was she doing that she needed you to watch them?”

“I don’t know. And she seemed relieved I didn’t ask. As I just said to Kevin, I don’t know how she could have found a boyfriend… here, but that’s the way she’s acting.”

“Yeah. She’s gotta be the only kid her age in the Nest, right?”

“I think so. No one else comes to mind.” She paused. “I didn’t get a chance to ask Kevin; how’s it going there?”

“Okay. I think we’ll be able to get back to the Nest no later than Friday. Maybe even earlier. Unless something else comes up with Amy, let’s leave her till I get back. And thanks!”

She handed Kevin’s phone back.

“Do you think we’ll be finished Friday?” he asked.

“You were there. They want to get this over and done, so they can get back to their lives. Didn’t you get that impression?”

“Yeah. I was hoping that you had something more substantial.”

She shook her head. “No. No, I don’t, damn it. Wish I did.” She walked to the fridge and grabbed his last orange juice. As she broke the seal, she muttered under her breath.

“What? Didn’t hear that.”

“Nothing.” She heaved a sigh. “It’s no matter. Amy’ll be okay.” She finished the juice and dropped the empty bottle in the trash. “I hope, anyway.”

“I think she will. Shalin’s just… I don’t know… uneasy, seemed like.” He settled on the sofa. “If there’s anything more, she’ll let us know.”

“Okay. You ready to go? Al Hosni will be here…” She looked at the clock. “No problem, we still have time.”

Al Hosni chose well, Beckie thought. The four of them were seated in a quiet cafe along the Nile. Sunset had passed and fans kept a nice breeze across them. Three of them were willing to make small talk through tea, served in small glasses with sugar, but not Haleef.

“What happened to you after we parted on the road? I worried about you and… and your friend.”

“We went back to the resort and found three survivors. After that, I drove back to Cairo, to the hotel. Nothing all that exciting, I’m afraid.”

He studied her; Beckie didn’t recognize the look. “I wonder, can you tell me about your friend? I think I might enjoy meeting her.”

Beckie managed to stop her shock from being obvious. Kevin wasn’t quite so well controlled, nor Al Hosni.

Well, I guess they do have love at first sight here. Or lust, at least. I wonder what they said while I was fooling with that snorkel. But she wasn’t as smitten as this. And that was before…

She broke the uncomfortable silence. “I fear, Haleef Al Hosni—”

“Haleef, if you please.”

“Okay. Let me tell you a story.”

Beckie’s story lasted through the appetizer, a spicy sausage plate, and into the main course, which Haleef described as
molokhena
. Beckie thought of Thumper when Al Hosni told her it was rabbit in the thick soup, but after a bite, decided it tasted fine. She smiled as she recounted leaving Noorah in the resort’s rubble.

“We met again,” she continued after seeing the question in Haleef’s eyes. “She had been… used poorly by persons unknown. She is now resting, more or less comfortably, in hospital.”

“When may I see—”

“Haleef, you are altogether worked up over this girl,” Al Hosni told him, his air of disapproval unmistakable.

“I am, Grandfather. I admit it. Is that such a bad thing?” He smiled at Beckie.

Whoa! she thought. I don’t want to be on either side in this one. “I’m not sure it matters,” she said to both men after glancing at Kevin to reassure him. “She’s not available even for meeting, and before…” She placed her hands on the table, palms down. “Well, I’d have to talk with her before making any promises on her behalf.” Her look covered both men.

“That seems reasonable,” Al Hosni said. His relief was evident to Beckie, though it was just as obvious that Haleef was having none of it.

“I’ll… I’ll track her—”

“No, Haleef. You won’t.” Beckie’s voice brought the young man’s head up. “First, right now, it would not endear you to her. Second, you can’t get to where she is.” She stopped and examined his face. “Third, if you are willing to share your ideas and… plans? Yeah, plans. If you’ll share those with me, I’ll make the best case I can for you when it’s time to think about these things.” She reached over and touched the top of his fingers. “Once you convince me you’re not just looking for… a frolic.” Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Al Hosni’s surprise at her choice of words. “Until then you can work on figuring out exactly what you need to say to her. And to your family.” She nodded once to Al Hosni.

“So be it. You will act as negotiator on our behalf once more.” Al Hosni gave her a look that was reassuring, at least. He turned to Haleef. “This is the best you can hope for today. It is more than I was willing to allow, a moment ago. You should—”

“I accept, with thanks.” Haleef bowed his head slightly. “Allah will lead us.” He stared at the table and the empty dishes. “May we begin… tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow, the lady will be engaged with al-Kassis and myself,” Al Hosni said. “Perhaps Friday, after
jumu’ah
… If the crowds allow.”

“Is there anything that would interfere, Kevin?”

“The usual things, Beckie. Armed insurrection, other emergencies. After the tsunami, nothing I know of now. We can talk to the others back at the hotel. You’re going to call Ian, too, right?”

“Sure am!” She damped her enthusiasm to match the others. “Good.” She turned to face Al Hosni. “When I invited you to dinner, I also hoped to learn more about the sheikh Sedki. Can you tell me anything without violating the spirit of our agreement with al-Kassis?”

Al Hosni gave her another long look, then sighed. “I can say little about Sedki. Al-Kassis knows as much, or as little as I. Sedki is… His tribe are distantly… related, as you would say.”

When he stopped for a moment, Beckie said, “Related to who?”

His eyes snapped up to meet hers. “To both al-Kassis and us.”

“Oh. Sorry for interrupting.”

He waved his hand. “I was going to say Sedki’s tribe have no land and fewer resources, which may explain his misguided attempts to… sway the negotiations in his favor.” He glanced at Haleef. “You are uncomfortable. What is wrong?”

“Nothing, Grandfather. Nothing at all.”

Beckie joined Al Hosni in staring at the young man. Haleef must know more about Sedki than his grandfather said. How do I get it out of him? And will it be worth it?

Chapter Twenty-Five

Day Twenty-seven - Cairo

BECKIE SAT AT THE LONG table, sipping her coffee. Kevin had finished checking the area with the Trade Center’s security team, and Dan was on the way up with the sheikhs and their team members. Guess I’m getting used to the coffee here, she mused. Or maybe they’ve found a Starbucks.

The sound of the men arriving roused her from that reverie; she stood as Al Hosni and his contingent, including Haleef, entered the conference room and moved around the table to take positions at Beckie’s right side. She gave them a quick nod before watching al-Kassis lead his people to their seats.

With a full smile, Beckie began. “Good morning. I hope to be able to complete our task today, so I have taken the liberty of requesting refreshments be delivered through the day, so we need have no interruptions.

“Both of you…” She focused first on al-Kassis, then Al Hosni. “… perhaps agree. Or is there some other reason that your delegations are reduced?”

“No, Ms Sverdupe,” Al Hosni replied for both men. “We both agreed that with the single issue to resolve, only tribal members who might suffer from a…” He paused, steepling his fingers. “Those who might suffer, depending on the outcome, we invited to meet.”

Well, these guys seem to be ahead of the curve, not doing everything by fiat. Of course. I wouldn’t be here otherwise, would I?

By six in the evening, nothing remained but the signing. Beckie was sure her initial feelings were correct: they had wanted to get this done as much as she did, she to get back to Ian, they to get back to their tents, or homes at least. While they were not as destitute as most of the tribes, Al Hosni took Beckie’s suggestion that reparations be paid from future earnings, rather than as part of the signing. He took it and ran with it, she thought. The papers piling up before her gave her a welcome feeling.