Freedom Does Matter (Mercenaries Book 2) (26 page)

“Not… Not the…”

“Rape?” she filled in.

“Yes. Not that.” He dropped his head to his hands. “It will make her more difficult to accept.” He looked up, forestalling any comment Beckie might make. “By my family, not me.”

He took a deep breath. “They said Sedki would use her once more before killing her.”

“Hmm.” She was sure her confusion showed. “Well, maybe they didn’t tell everyone.” Beckie took Haleef’s arm and walked toward the exit.

Back in the courtyard, she kept away from the restaurant side, choosing to walk by the pool. “So,” she began, “you’re trying to say she may still be planning to kill me? Or Ian?”

He didn’t look at her. “It is possible. Fruitless, of course, since we are finished, but does she know that? Does Sedki? And would he still want revenge for an imagined slight even if his cause fails?”

“You pose such interesting questions.”

“However, I have no answers.”

“Indeed.” Beckie giggled, then sobered. He’s not privy to the guy in the plane attack, she thought. Maybe that was the ‘third attempt,’ since Sedki’d maimed Noorah? Wait, didn’t that start too long ago? Maybe not, as she thought through the sequence. Oh, well. “How will you reconcile an attempted murderess with the girl you want to take home to Mother?”

“The traditional upbringing makes it easy to ignore behavior resulting from a decree.” He turned toward the pool, watching a solitary swimmer doing laps. “Which hers did, you said.” With a sigh, he faced her again. “It is a mystery, and may still come to naught.” He shrugged and gave Beckie a twisted smile. “She may hate me on sight, which would put an end to it.”

He drew her to a pair of seats under an olive tree. “Why do you mention her age?”

Beckie crossed her legs and leaned on the chair’s arm. “Because she’s thirteen. Barely old enough to… Well, barely old enough to do anything!”

“She could have already been married.” His riposte still carried a sense of confusion.

Yeah, thought Beckie, we really are different! “Sure,” she snapped, “if all she’s going to do is cook and push out babies! Is that the life you envision? What do you offer a woman who would be your wife?”

He was already leaning away, hands out to fend her off. “No! No, no. That wasn’t what I intended.” He relaxed as Beckie made no further advance. “But, I understand your reasoning. I meant we could be married and I wouldn’t interfere with her education—”

“But you would! Just being married would interfere. She’d lose…” She stared at him before leaning forward to grip his chin. In a low voice that was almost a snarl, she said, “At thirteen, she hasn’t done enough living to be tucked away as a wife.” She stopped to fix him with a glare. “Whether or not you think she’s the one for you, until she comes to you and says you’re the one for her…” She let go his chin to tap his chest with each word. “… you must be prepared to let her go.” She backed away a millimeter or two. “Clear?”

“Yes. I cannot force her affection; I may only encourage it, and be prepared for rejection.”

Beckie sat back in her seat and nodded.

Haleef gave her a wry smile. “Not the traditional role, to be sure.”

“It’s not. Can you accept that?” Not that it should be different no matter who he wants to hook up with, she thought.

He nodded as he stood. “I can.” He offered his hand. “Can we go to see her?”

“Bring your passport. We’ll leave about eight AM, so be in the lobby a few minutes before that.”

Following dinner, Beckie’s conversations with Kevin, Sue and Dan, were as comprehensive as they were lengthy. However, nothing in her plans changed. Not that they’re all that detailed, she admitted to herself.

Jean-Luc joined the discussion the next morning, but his interest was more in assuring his passengers his new copilot had been vetted by Go Shen, and in inviting Beckie “up-front” for a slightly more formal introduction to flying than she’d received during the last flight.

At Cairo International Airport, Customs and Immigration took its usual time making sure passports were in order and the baggage and plane contained no antiquities; Jean-Luc began the take-off roll at 11:23 AM local.

Chapter Twenty-Six

Day Twenty-eight - The Nest

THE TEAM’S FLIGHT FROM CAIRO landed at the Nest just before eight PM. Beckie skipped down the stairs from the plane to the asphalt as the sun set. She needed another half-hour to make her way to the hospital. Along the way, she’d left Haleef with Kevin, who told her they’d be at his home when she needed him. Her plan was to say Hi to Ian and then talk to Noorah. She didn’t expect that to go smoothly.

Ian was up and waiting when she saw him from the hallway; she ran the few yards separating them.

“Rebecca, I am glad to see you! The flight was—”

“Uneventful, as you’re fond of saying.” She stopped talking to kiss him, a kiss which developed into a series of kisses as one or the other of them breathed. When she felt herself rubbing against him, she pulled back. Sure don’t want to stop… but this is
so
not the place. Confirming that thought, Noorah’s head appeared around the doorframe and Beckie stepped an inch further away from Ian, who was puzzled until she nodded and he turned to see the Egyptian girl. As soon as he did, he stepped to the side, still holding Beckie, but much less sensually. Damn!

She had to break his light grip to take Noorah’s hand, to keep her from disappearing in embarrassment. “This flight,” she said to him, “was much better than the one over. But we don’t need to worry about that,” she said as Noorah gave her a look of confusion. “How about here?”

“There is little to report, except… Ms Ardan seems to have disappeared. No one has seen her since ten this morning.”

“She let us help with Shalin deVeel’s children,” Noorah told her.

“You and Tahirah?” As Noorah nodded, Beckie took Ian’s hand under her right arm and Noorah’s under her left. She thought about Amy as she walked them both through the door to the garden and on to the bench she and Ian had used before.

As she sat between them, she said, “Shalin didn’t say anything about her?”

Ian shook his head. “Just what she spoke with you and Kevin about, earlier.”

“Right. Well, I’ll worry about Amy later. Okay, now…” She stood and faced the others, then knelt to put her head about the same height as Noorah’s. “Huh. That’s uncomfortable.”

“The shells are for walking,” Ian said. “I believe it will suit for you to sit facing Noorah.” He smiled at her. “I will return to the room.”

“We-e-l-l-ll…” She contemplated her options. “Yeah. Based on what…” She spun on her toes, then considered him. “You’re right. This will be easier for Noorah if you’re not here.”

With a nod, he stood, brushed his lips across her cheek and left them. Beckie sat, one leg up on the bench, knee pointing toward Noorah.

“Miss Amy seems troubled,” Noorah said.

“Yeah. I guess I missed it before. My bad. We don’t look for what we don’t expect, do we?” She waved off Noorah’s reply. “No, no matter. And right now, you’re the one I’m interested in.”

“Me?”

Beckie read the confusion and a little fear in Noorah’s eyes and expression. “Don’t worry, this is good. I hope,” she mused.

She took Noorah’s hand and gently pulled her a little closer. The girl didn’t seem comforted. Wonder why? Beckie thought, feeling more cynicism than she wanted. “I’m not sure where to begin…”

“That’s apparent, Miss.”

Beckie turned, glad to have a slight annoyance to divert her. “Please! Beckie. Not Miss.”

“Yes, Mi— Beckie.”

“Don’t be so nervous, okay?” I should take my own advice. She looked at Noorah again; the girl was outfitted in an oversized tee-shirt and shorts suitable almost anywhere. Canvas sandals covered her bare feet. The bandage at the end of her arm was done in colored tape, bright yellow and red, with none of the traditional white showing. It was smaller than Beckie expected. Now that I’m looking, I can understand Haleef’s attraction. “Remember the tsunami?”

The girl gave her a confused look, but as Beckie opened her mouth, she said, “Yes.”

“And the man in the car who helped you check the instructions. Haleef Al Hosni?”

Noorah nodded slowly. “I recall, but why?”

This is harder than I hoped. Beckie sighed. “Well…” She held Noorah’s hand a little tighter. “He remembers you.”

“Yes. I recall him as well. I don’t understand.”

Time to bite the bullet. “He’s here. He came back with us after the meetings ended. Oh, yeah, the agreement is done and with the court in Mersa Matruh for registration.” She breathed deeply. “Anyway, he’s excited about you from that little time talking about snorkels. He… he wants to meet you.”

Now there’s a reaction, Beckie thought as Noorah pulled her hand back and covered her face, gasping. Beckie reached over to keep the girl from falling off the bench.

Beckie tried peeling Noorah’s hand away from her face. Her eyes were scrooched shut and wrinkles covered the bridge of her nose and the sides of her temples. Tears were beginning to squeeze between her eyelids. “It’s not that bad,” Beckie consoled her.

“Why!” Noorah cried out. “Why would he… see me? I have nothing! Less than nothing, now. If I were home, I would—”

“Would what, Noorah? How would you react to being… being raped and maimed and left for dead? And none of it your fault!”

The girl covered her face again. “I am unworthy!” She uncovered her face and stared at Beckie. “You don’t understand! No one can understand,” she said with a wail. “Never will an honorable man have any association with me.”

“That is… that’s so outdated! It wasn’t your fault!” Beckie rejoined, to no avail. Their back and forth for the next few minutes changed neither’s mind.

“Get out there and apologize!” Beckie recognized Millie’s voice from inside the hospital. While the doctor was clearly distraught, Beckie couldn’t fathom any reason for her sending anyone to apologize.

Oh!

Amy Ardan came flying up the path, motivated by her mother’s hefty shove. Beckie relaxed until Amy caught her toe and fell, sprawling across Beckie, banging her knee on the seat and her head on the back of the bench.

Noorah shied away while Amy shook her head trying to clear it. Great, Beckie fumed, now I have two of them crying. She slid Amy off to the side and stood in front of Millie, still shouting about an apology. “Millie. Millie!” The woman stopped, eyes wide, but Beckie couldn’t decide if it was surprise or anger. “You remember a couple days ago?” She glanced around. Noorah and Amy were huddled together, Noorah trying to keep Amy behind her. Ian, trailed by a couple of orderlies, had come up behind Millie. There was no look of understanding on his face. “Think back, ‘cause you’re about to do it again.” Millie moved to the side and Beckie shifted with her, maintaining her stance between the mother and her daughter. “Let me guess. Amy came back from wherever she was, and any relief you felt was swamped by the embarrassment you suffer because she…” Beckie hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “… didn’t do what
I
asked her to. Or, because you thought she didn’t.”

Suddenly, Millie sagged. All the energy ran out of her and she allowed Ian to step up and catch her elbow. “Right,” she muttered.

“Right. Okay. Forget your embarrassment on my behalf. It’s so not warranted.” She thought for a second, then faced Ian. “I think we should ask Sue to head south with Abby since—” She wondered if anyone else heard the gasp from behind her. “They should go to support Barbara and Rich. Based on the conversations I had with… with my Egyptian friend, Kevin and I are traveling to London, and you, Millie, might be useful. If you get over this.”

Ian nodded again. Millie drew herself up the rest of the way and nodded slowly. “Don’t let her get away with anything.”

“Believe me, Millie, there’s nothing she can do… Well, if I can’t deal with her, I have options not available to you.” Beckie turned and gave Amy the nastiest smile she could paste on her face. Amy shrank until she was hard against the back of the bench.

Millie watched the interplay. “Maybe I should take lessons…”