Bernadette shook her head. “No one died. It was just a dream that got shattered.” She brushed away a tear. “They found Almas’ real family and he’s gone home. I, meanwhile, will give myself a reality check.”
“So, we don’t have an adopted son to bring into the family?” Chris said. He winked. “Well, we can always make a boy from scratch you know.”
Bernadette punched him in the arm. “Don’t get any bright ideas big boy.”
Reza and Jason saw them off at the Kandahar airport a few days later. Reza bowed, placing his hand over his heart. It was the most affectionate he could get with Bernadette as his culture would allow no touching.
“Thank you, Reza, you were wonderful,” Bernadette said.
“I have learned much about courage,” Reza said.
“I think you learned you found your courage, Reza. You were a very courageous man—”
“…In the end,” Reza said, finishing her sentence.
“No one knows the end. We are all many works in progress,” Bernadette said.
“Ah, yes, works… That reminds me, I have something from Almas for you,” Reza said. He took a small piece of paper out of his parka and handed it to Bernadette.
Bernadette unfolded the paper. “Oh my….” She clutched at her chest as she stared at the paper.
“What is it?” Chris asked, staring over her shoulder.
“It’s a picture of a little fox. Almas has printed in English that his father called him the little fox.”
“Okay. Really nice. Why are you so shocked.”
“My grandmother had a dream about a fox. She told me one had come by her cabin to tell her something, she said it would lead me to you.”
“Okay, now I’m doing the wow move,” Chris said holding a hand to his chest.
Reza smiled. “There are many things done in this country that so few understand. One must look to the stars sometimes and other times to the Prophet.”
Bernadette bowed deeply. “Thank you for bringing this to me. Now, there’s one more thing I hope I can ask of you, Reza.”
“Yes, whatever, just ask.”
Bernadette waited a moment then stared into Reza’s eyes. “When I was thrown into prison, I met many women who cannot get out of prison until a male relative comes to get them.”
“Yes, this is true. This is a very bad Afghani system, but this is the way.”
Bernadette nodded her head. “Yes, I know, but if I got the resources to provide many relatives, would you help with this?”
“Of course, but how would you do this?” Reza asked.
Bernadette handed Reza a small packet. He opened it to find the Jade Buddha sparkling inside.
“What am I to do with this?”
“Call Miriam. She has a buyer for it. She will help you set up a network to aid the women in prison,” Bernadette said.
“This will be my greatest pleasure,” Reza said.
Bernadette turned to Jason, “I have your final payment.” She pulled out an envelope with five thousand American dollars and handed it to him.” A deals a deal and you came through.
“But you were the one that actually saved Chris, I was only your guide.” Jason protested.
Bernadette shook her head, you were one hell of a guide, and no one else could have navigated that journey. She looked around, “You know I’d give you a kiss on both cheeks and hug in true Canadian style, but I’d blow a bunch of Afghan’s minds here.”
Jason smiled, he opened the envelope and peeled off five one hundred dollar bills, “Here’s for your wedding. I won’t be able to make it, even if you did invite me.”
“What do you intend to do?” Bernadette asked.
“I was going to head to Africa to help a friend with water treatment for villages, but I think I’ll stay here and help Reza spring women out of jail. You’ve got a great idea, Bernadette.”
“Now, I have to go. Paris is waiting.” Berandette said with a bow to Jason.
Chris had upgraded them to first class for their Lufthansa flight and once airborne they were offered champagne.
After they clinked glasses in a toast, Chris looked at Bernadette. “How exactly do you think you’ll have all these women released from prison?”
Bernadette’s eye’s sparkled. “Last night, while you were sleeping, I called Miriam and she agreed the Buddha could be put to good use instead of in a museum.”
“And how does she intend to do that?” Chris asked.
“Kind of easy. We’re setting up a bunch of safe houses for these women to return to society. To do so, we’ll have men show up posing as relatives to take them to the safe houses.”
“And how do these men convince the guards they are relatives, who will show up to the prison in mass?”
“Simple, they will bribe the hell out them. Money and greed works just as well here as it does in London or New York City or Toronto, my love.” Bernadette reclined her seat and finished her champagne.
52
Bernadette and Chris walked everywhere in Paris. They climbed the Eiffel Tower, drank café crème with a pain au chocolate outside the Louvre, and dined in the unassuming streets of Le Mouffetard in the Latin Quarter on a dinner of braised duck leg with star anise, figs and winter squash that had their eyes rolling with pleasure.
In three days, they’d eaten enough butter, cheese, pâté and baguette, washed down with copious quantities of good French wine to make all of Afghanistan and their brush with death a mere memory.
They sat quietly at a table on a side street with the sounds of the numerous cathedrals ringing their chimes. The chimes bounced off the ancient walls and cobblestones making them seem like everything was in tune with their world once again.
Chris moved a piece of baguette slowly through the last morsels of the cassoulet they’d ordered for lunch. He was going to order the crème brûlée for dessert. His weight was coming back on; he enjoyed every mouthful of it.
Bernadette checked her phone. She’d promised to return to work in a week. She was looking forward to it, but a feeling of anxiety crept over her, as if there were an issue in her life that needed to be dealt with. She told herself it wasn’t the wedding plans they’d been talking about, there was something else, but she just couldn’t put her finger on it. She read down her list of emails until one jumped out at her.
“What the hell?” Bernadette said, staring at her phone.
“What is it?” Chris asked, swallowing the last of his Chateau Laroix wine.
“I got a text from my chief. He says they have someone in custody who claims he knows me.”
Chris chuckled. “I thought everyone in town knows you. Hell, you’ve arrested half of them.”
“This guy claims he’s my uncle, Cahal Callahan from Ireland.”
“Do you have an uncle in Ireland?”
“My dad told me about him, but I’ve never spoken to him.”
“So, what’s he in custody for?”
“Attempted murder.”
About this Series
Dear Reader
If you enjoyed this fourth book in the Bernadette Callahan series, perhaps you’ll want to read the first three in the series; Polar Bear Dawn, Pipeline Killers and Climate Killers, Bernadette takes on criminals with her own brand of justice and methods. She’s not always popular with her superiors but hated by criminals.
I’ve written the first three books in the form of a trilogy, as I’ve always been a star wars fan, and love to see where a story goes. The eReader box is it a special price of $6.99 USD for your enjoyment.
Click this link to get this set, http://mybook.to/CallahnBoxSet.
If you’d like to join my mailing list for my next book and to get a free story, please click this link, www.lylenicholson.com
About the Author
Lyle Nicholson is the author of seven novels, two novellas and a short story, as well a contributor of freelance articles to several newspapers and magazines in Canada.
In his former life, he was a b
ad actor in a Johnny Cash movie, Gospel Road, a disobedient monk in a monastery and a failure in working for others.
He would start his own successful sales agency and retire to write full time in 2011. The many characters and stories that have resided inside his head for years are glad he did.
He lives in Kelowna, British Columbia, Canada with his lovely wife of many years where he indulges in his passion for writing, cooking and fine wines.
If you’d like to hear more about Lyle’s next book and to receive a free story, click this link www.lylenicholson.com
Also by Lyle Nicholson
The Bernadette Callahan Mystery Series
Book 1 Polar Bear Dawn
Book 2 Pipeline Killers
Book 3 Climate Killers
Book 4 Caught in the Crossfire
Book 5 Deadly Ancestors
Prequel, Black Wolf Rising
Short Story, Treading Darkness
Stand Alone Fiction
Dolphin Dreams, (Romantic Fantasy)
Misdiagnosis Murder (Cozy Mystery)
Non Fiction
Half Brother Blues ( A memoir)
Caught In The Crossfire: A Bernadette Callahan Mystery Page 26