The Intern Affair (77 page)

“That maybe all true, Mr
.
Karim
, but why kill
Helen
and Monsieur
Dillon
or attempt to kill Maitre Sang
are
?  They didn’t know enough to have them assassinated?”

“But they did,
Ms. Gilmore
. In
Helen
’s case, she knew everything there was to know about
Charos
’s operation; she was
a mule
.”  Talya accused that shock without batting an eyelid.
I should have known.
“And as for
Mansur Dillon
and
Alhassan Sangare
they got too close to the truth.
Alhassan Sangare
is the one you should protect now.  If it’s not too late.”

“What about
Mrs.
Gilbert
or her husband—he had visited the mine as you recall—are they in any danger?  And
Yvonne
had dinner with the three of them on the night of the killings.”

“Not really.
Mrs.
Gilbert
is the wife of a Belgian Geologist on assignment in
Mali
, no more, no less. Getting them killed at this time would only open a can of worms that Mr.
Charos
doesn’t even want to touch. And since
Sergio Mendez
can’t talk beyond the grave, I don’t think Monsieur
Gilbert
, or his wife for that matter, have anything to fear.”

That night Talya lay in bed recalling everything that happened since the day she alighted from the plane in
Dakar
nearly three months ago. Tomorrow she was to close the book on that drama when her feet would touch the tarmac in
Dakar
, or so she thought.

129

“They’ll be here
in thirty minutes,”
Thomas
said as he came back to sit beside
Carl
.

They were waiting for Samir’s aircraft to land at
Dakar
’s airport.  They had received a call from
Sir Reginald
the night before, advising them of the change of plans and of the last minute decision to bring
Karim
back.  They had also been told that they should expect to be on their way to
Vancouver
, with
Charles
, in forty-eight hours, after the agreements with the Development Funds Organization were signed.

“I can’t wait to see her face.
Charles
said that she’s changed.”
Carl
shook his head. “I can’t tell you how I feel right now.”

“You just wait and see. I don’t think you’ll find much change in her on the outside, but on the inside, that’s something else.”

“That’s what
Charles
said, but he also said that she’s stronger than ever. Do you realize that if we hadn’t assigned her to come down and resolve the
Karim
Affair in the first place, you and I would still be looking for a job?”

“I know what you’re saying. But someone should have gone with her
—
”

“And do what?”
Carl
cut-in, raising a questioning eyebrow.  “None of us would have been able to do what Samir has done with her.  I tell you, we owe them a hell of a lot,” he added, shaking his head again.

“Samir, do you know that I’m scared right now?” Talya said from her seat in the cockpit.  They were due to land in a half-an-hour’s time at
Dakar
’s airport.

“Scared of what?” Samir turned his head to her for a fraction of a second.

“Scared of seeing everyone again.  I don’t know....  I feel apprehensive, and yet excited.”

“Yes, I feel the same way, but for a different reason.”

“And what reason would that be?”

“I don’t know what married life is going to do to me.”

A nervous titter escaped her mouth. “I haven’t seen a ring on my finger yet, and I haven’t even heard you proposed to me, so how can you be afraid of married life when I haven’t said ‘yes’, as far as I know anyway.”

Samir turned his head again and smiled. “You know I will propose to you. It’s just a matter of time.”

Talya fixed her gaze on him. She, too, was scared at the thought of being married—and to a
Qatar
Emir
—a daunting thought indeed.

“I’ve learned how to handle your many little quirks.”
You don’t say!
  “But I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle the love and care you would be bestowing upon me once we’re married.”

Talya shook her head. “If you think I’m going to
give
you ‘love and care’ until you can no longer stand it, you’re in for a surprise. I’m not that loving and caring, as you seem to think, I’m a terribly
aggressive
woman and a very demanding one at that.” She was teasing him now. “I will
demand
that you love me as much as I
may
do you. And if you don’t, I’ll walk out of your life without another word,” she added, putting on an air of pretentious snobbery.

“Princess, you will not be able to walk out on me.
I will never let you have dinner on the Champs Elysées alone again.”

“Here is
Sir Reginald
’s car,
Carl
,”
Thomas
shouted as he
saw the embassy’s black Mercedes pull
in front of the private airport building. “Let’s get in before the plane lands.” 

Carl
stood up and as he did so, he noticed a second car coming alongside the first. That one was a stretch-limo. “I should have worn a suit.” He looked down at his faded jeans.

“Never mind that, let’s get moving. I don’t want to miss this,”
Thomas
urged, practically running toward the parked cars.
Carl
strode leisurely behind him, only disguising his thoughts; how could they have let this happen?  Yet it may end up to be the best thing that could ever have happened to him and
Charles
.

130

Khumar lowered
the stairwell upon opening the plane’s door. 
Karim
, ready behind him, was eager to get on with it.

Christian
was standing in the aisle. “Lady Sarah, I’ll ask you to follow me closely after Khumar and M
r.
Karim
have gone down the steps. I need to shield your body from possible snipers.”

Talya nodded and lowered her black veil in front of her face. 

Samir had locked the instruments down, had filled out his flight report, and now came to stand behind Talya. Grabbing her arms, he turned her around to face him.  “May
God
be with us, Princess.”

“Inshallah, Samir.”

As they took the first step outside the aircraft, Talya saw Khumar lead
Karim
to the embassy’s Mercedes and close the doors on them.  She was never to see M
r. Abdul
Karim
again.

The first two people Talya noticed at the bottom of the stairs were
Carl
and
Thomas
.  They smiled at them, and
Carl
said, “You’re a sight for sore eyes. Welcome back, Talya.”

You silly goat! How can you say that when you can’t even see my face?

“Gentlemen, I know you wish to welcome
His Highness
and Lady Sarah, but as a matter of precaution, I’ll ask you to step out of the way and get into the limo as quickly as possible,”
Christian
said firmly. 

Then,
Thomas
, who had been only staring at Talya without saying a word, hurried to open the limousine door for him and
Carl
to climb in. 

Samir stepped down first and handed his flight report to the airport officer who had come to meet the plane. They said a few words and upon the man leaving, Samir followed Talya and
Christian
into the limo.

Sir Reginald
was sitting at the far back against the panel separating them from the driver seat. 
Jerry
was at his side.

“
Your Highness
, let me say that it is a great pleasure for me to meet you.  And to you, Lady
Sarah, I say ‘welcome back’,”
Sir Reginald
said, grinning from ear to ear.

“Thank you, Your Excellency.
My
fiancée
and I are indeed very happy to be back in
Dakar
.”

At hearing the word
fiancée
, Talya balked. She had no word to refute that declaration at the moment, but there would be many to come…. She saw
Thomas
and
Carl
look at each other, perplexity veiling their faces.
Carl
frowned.

Talya raised her veil and smiled at their host. “I wish to thank you for all you’ve done for us.  Without your assistance none of this would have been possible.”

“Talya, I’m sorry, Lady Sarah, could you tell us—”
Carl
began with hesitation in his voice.

“Not now!” Talya cut-in somewhat abruptly. “I don’t think this is the time or the place.”

You’re not going there, not anytime soon!

“How did you know what I was going to ask?” 

“Talya is a cat in disguise, Mr.
Evans
,” Samir said. “She’ll surprise
you;
I’m sure, in the days to come.”

Talya saw
Christian
lower his head to hide his quiet tittering. 

That cat is going to get it one of these days.

Thomas
couldn’t stop staring. 

“How is
Alhassan
?” Talya asked, remembering
Karim
’s words
‘It’s
Alhassan
you need to protect now’.
  She felt Samir’s arm going around her shoulders and drawing her closer to him.

“As a matter of fact, he is making surprising progress.”
Sir Reginald
was still smiling. “We have moved him to the embassy yesterday. Since he is still a prime target, it was better to have him under our roof to avoid any further repercussion or attempt on his life until
Charos
is out of the picture.”

“And Mr.
Durant
?” Samir inquired before Talya could.

“He’s fine,”
Thomas
replied, finally opening his mouth. “He was confined to one room for nearly a week now and he won’t be able to get out until we go back to
Vancouver
. But he’ll be at the reception tonight.” 

Talya had to laugh quietly. She had visions of what could be the results of
Charles
’s confinement—there must be maps, files, briefcases, folders, and books everywhere in that room. “What about the Kankoon application; is the permit going to be granted?”

Thomas
and
Carl
chuckled. Talya looked at them curiously. She didn’t think there was anything funny about that question. She and
Alhassan
had spent nearly two weeks filling out forms until they only saw forms in everything else they did.

“I’m sorry, Talya,”
Carl
said a smirk on his lips, “but you sound already like a director during a board meeting, and yes, is the answer to your question. When
Mansur Dillon
passed away, the Prime Minister granted us the permit in his memory. We’ve had the property closed down since then.  And
Francis
is on site with a new geologist, getting the initial sampling done.”

“And don’t ask about
Yvonne
; she’ll be here this afternoon,”
Thomas
added, putting a hand up before Talya had had time to ask.

“You see, Ms.
Gilmore
,
we’re trying to minimize any attempt on anyone’s life by gathering everyone under the same roof, so to speak, and that until you and
His Highness
are back in Paris as we’ve discussed.  By that time we’ll be able to put our hands on Mr.
Charos
unawares.” Or so
Sir Reginald
hoped.

“And how are you intending to fly Mr.
Durant
, Mr.
Evans
and
Thomas
out of
Dakar
?” Samir asked as if reading Talya’s mind.