The Intern Affair (38 page)

“How do you know
Carl
so well?
Or should I ask?”

“You shouldn’t have to ask. Just answer the question yourself.
How did I know you so well and so quickly?”

“All right, no need to remind me.”

Samir smiled to himself. “Okay,
Ghali
, keep well, my boy, and we’ll talk soon.” Without waiting for a reply, Samir hung up and went directly to the hangar where his aircraft was undergoing maintenance.

53

It was nearing lunchtime
when Samir walked in.
He looked refreshed, elegant, and ever so handsome. “How’s my Princess this morning?” He deposited three or four shopping bags beside the sofa where Talya had been sitting and reading for the past hour.

“Wonderful, Samir, just wonderful.”

“Let me look at you,”
he said,
taking her hand for her to stand.
He looked up and down her, obviously satisfied.
“You know I chose that suit because of its colour, which reminded me of the wine we drank in
Victoria
, it suited your blue eyes and brought out the rose of your cheeks then, such as this suit does today.”

“You’re too much,” Talya said. He looked at her puzzled.
He hadn’t understood the remark. “What I mean is that you’re much more intuitive and much more observant than anyone I’ve ever known, except for my father perhaps.”

“Are you comparing me to your father because I am old in your eyes?”

“Stop it! You know very well it isn’t what I meant. I told you once before, if you’re old then I’m decrepit!”
On an impulse, he took her in his arms and held her.

It felt good to be nestling her head on his chest. She could have stayed there for hours on end. She would never have enough of the secure feeling and calmness it brought her.

“My Lady, I—” he whispered not ending the sentence.

“Don’t say anything. You don’t have to…, I know.”

Suddenly releasing his embrace, and holding her by the arms, Samir said with cheerful eyes, “Would you like to go to the Patio for lunch?”

“Yes, but before we go, may I ask when you bought these clothes—in the middle of the night?”

“Yes actually. I have a friend who lives here and I called him while you were asleep yesterday evening. I gave him your measurements and told him what I wanted and he delivered it all within hours.”

“That’s some friend! And why did you say to keep the clothes you have chosen for me until I return?” She sat down once again.

He stayed standing, looking down at her. “Why? Did you want to take them with you?”

“No, of course not, but are you intending to see me coming back here?”

“I only hope you would.” He sat down beside her. “I thought you
may
want to have them in the wardrobe ready for you to wear, when we come back to pick up my aircraft at the end of our journey.”

“You’re a wonderful man, Samir!
That’s what I wanted to hear.”
Talya put her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek.

“What was that for?” Samir was bewildered.

“That was for being you.” She got to her feet. “Let’s go down to the Patio and I’ll explain in front of a plate of lobster and salad.”
Her tastes were definitely going up in the world.

“All right, all right, your wishes are my command, Princess, let’s go.”

The ‘Patio’ was a courtyard restaurant situated in the middle of the encircling four sides of the building proper. It was fitted with wrought iron tables and chairs covered with flowery blue and white cushions, and napery on the tabletops. Awnings made of the same fabric adorned the glass doors, leading from the various parts of the hotel, while the parasols over some of the tables, gave the place its summery look and shaded freshness.

They chose a table near the bar in the shade of one of the parasols. Samir kept his eyes on Talya and observed her every move until she couldn’t help but ask, “Why are you looking at me like that? I’m not going to disappear in the depth of my bottle you know?”

Samir burst out in laughter under the curious gaze of the waiter who was approaching the table at that moment. “Capitaine, Madame, how are you?
It is a pleasure to seeing you again.
What can I bring you to drink before your déjeuner?”

Samir looked up at the young man standing between the two of them. “I’m sorry, Julian, but Madame
Gilmore
has just compared herself to a genie going into a bottle.”

“I see,” said Julian with a deadpan face. “Would Madame like a comfortable empty bottle of rosé to seek refuge into?” Samir and Talya laughed at the suggestion, and Julian stood unmoved, menus in hand.

“Madame and I will have the lobster tail, Julian, and two Perrier’s, please.” Samir had a smile at the corner of his mouth. “And you may put the empty bottle of rosé on the table, so Madame could
escape
when ever my company would displease her.”
This time Julian laughed with them.

Once the waiter had gone, Samir said, “I’m sorry I have ordered the lobster without asking. I hope you haven’t changed your mind? Otherwise, you may choose something else if you prefer.”

“No, my friend, I haven’t changed my mind.”

“I think it is a fitted choice since we’re about to depart for a land where such delicacy is not known to the common man.”

“Are you about to tell me where we are going to land tomorrow?”

“No, nor could I do that since you haven’t told me where you think our journey is to start.”

“Samir! Because of the secrecy you’ve kept regarding our landing site, I thought you had figured it out.”

“What if I’m wrong?
If I tell you, I would be influencing your conclusion, and that I won’t do.
Y
ou’re the only one who could lead us to finding the evidence we’re seeking and to delineating the drug routes.
I can only suspect or deduce from what you’ve told me so far, where we should be starting from, and where we will end up, but I won’t divulge anything until
you
reveal what you have in mind and why. And that will be the manner in which we will take every step of this journey.”

“Okay then, the starting point should be
Nouakchott
.”

Samir stretched to the back of his seat and grinned. “I am glad to hear that I was right.
I have phoned
Michel
and
Marcel
and they’ll come and have dinner with us tonight before leaving.”
So, this was to be our last day in
Paris
…
Unwanted and uncontrollable shivers ran down Talya’s spine.
Fear, once again, had decided to settle amid her thoughts.

“You pre-empted my decision then?
Why were you so sure?”

Samir took her hand and squeezed it hard. “I knew which our first port of call should be, the minute I let my mind go back to the explanation
Charles
gave everyone the morning
Kareef
was arrested. I remembered every word spo
ken
on that morning. It was the only possible starting point for us.”

The waiter brought their plates and glasses of Perrier. They ate in silence. The lobster was scrumptious. The lemon and buttery flavours of the marinade, into which it had been prepared, could be tasted
with
every bite. All the while, Talya kept her eyes on Samir. If he remembered every word of that statement, he probably could figure out the answers better than she could.
“Samir, if you can quote every word of the explanation
Charles
gave that morning, why can’t you deduce the answers right now?”

“Because I wasn’t there at the beginning, and I wasn’t able to meet everyone when you were in
Bamako
, and for the first few weeks, you were the only one who lived the events that led us to meet in
Dakar
.”

“But
Charles
recited the story, word for word, from my notes, so you know as much as I do—”

In his usual fashion, he smiled—so kindly—before he would throw Talya completely off balance with the next statement. “Princess, what makes people do what they do, that’s what’s important and not the result of their actions. The reason behind everyone’s action should have been observed as well as their movements, their manners while they acted upon their desires or impulses. And that is what I have missed, and you haven’t.”

He hadn’t thrown the punch this time.
Talya was still with her feet firmly planted on the ground, or better said: her rear end ensconced comfortably in her chair.

“You mean I would have to relive every event and recall every gesture from the people involved in order for me to find out who’s behind all of this?”

“In effect yes, but it will be much easier once we’ve started on our journey. Minute details, faces, places and your surroundings will trigger your memory; in flashes at first and then the story and those answers we are seeking, will unravel before your eyes.”

“I see,” Talya said, lowering her gaze. “Did
Ghali
ever tell you what I remembered when I was in
Victoria
?”

“Yes and no,” Samir replied quickly with a little too much assurance in his voice. “He told me what happened on each occasion, and from what he described I could only deduce what you might have seen.”

“Then, if we follow the same process during our journey, you might be able to draw pictures out of what are mere sketches in my mind.”

“Yes. That’s exactly what I intend to do.” He smiled at her gently.
He then pushed his chair back and crossed his legs in a relaxed manner.

Julian came to take the dishes away and asked if they wanted some coffee.

“Oh yes please,” Talya replied with eagerness. “Would you have a Turkish coffee?”

“By all means, Madame. Would you like it sweet or medium sweet?”

“Medium sweet, please.”

Samir was staring at her again.

“And for you, Capitaine?”

“The same, Julian
.
Thank you.” Samir’s gaze was fixed on Talya.

“Samir, you’re doing it again,” she said when Julian was out of earshot. “What is it?”

“Talya, I can’t say what I feel at the moment; it’s neither the place nor the time to do so.”

He sounded serious. She was curious. “Why can’t you say?”

“Talya, don’t
…,
otherwise I’m liable to stand up and kiss you in public.” Talya laughed at seeing the scene in her mind’s eye.

“I’m sorry.
I’m not laughing at you or at your intention. Actually I would love for you to do that, no matter where we were.”

“You are wonderful.”

Julian brought the coffees at that moment. Talya’s heart was in turmoil.
The tugging had returned.
She sipped her coffee lost in thought.

54

They went back
to the apartment, and Talya asked Samir if he wouldn’t mind accompanying her for a walk to the Jardins des Tuilleries. Within minutes, they had changed into slacks and sweaters and had gone out of the hotel.
Talya was glad to be ‘out of there’ and elated at the prospect to be alone with her friend.
As they were walking along the paths of these peaceful and yet magnificent gardens, Samir held her hand and seemed more relaxed also.

“You know, Samir; I enjoy being with you alone so much, that I hope to be able to do so, many times again.”

“I know, Princess.
Now can you tell me why you thought I had given you the right answer about those clothes being left behind awaiting your return?”

“Well, had you said something to the effect that you
wanted
me to come back to wear them when I was in your company; I would probably have avoided coming to
Paris
altogether, next time I was in
Europe
.”

“I thought that’s what you meant.
Yet again, you have to remember, now that I know you a little better, I’m not falling into the traps anymore.
I know what makes you run away, and I know what makes you come back to me.”

“Oh, do you now?
And what would make you come to me if we were to be separated in the next few weeks.”

“If that should happen, for whatever reason, you wouldn’t have to do anything to
make
me come back.
I’ll just come back, because I wouldn’t be able to stay away.”

“What if we are forced to be apart?”

“Talya, stop for a moment, will you?” He turned to face her. “What are you getting at?
What are you afraid of?
I’ve told you, as long as
God
gives me leave to be with you I’ll be at your side no matter what happens.”