Smokescreen

by Iris Johansen

  “I’d say it did,” she said dryly. “And you had no business keeping me out of it. I’m supposed to be merrily playing in the dirt with Michael while you’re being hunted down by this Varak. I should be with you.”

  “No, you shouldn’t,” Eve said firmly. “You should be exactly where you are right now. Joe has arranged to give you and Michael all kinds of protection, but those Scotland Yard people don’t know Michael as you do.” She paused. “And Michael would never be anything but honest with you even if he thought you were getting in his way. We both know he wouldn’t be quite as honest with anyone else. This might be a bad time for him. He’s going to need you.”

  “Now you’re scaring me.”

  “I just mean he’s going to be worried about me, and there aren’t many people who can handle a kid like Michael when he’s determined to do something.” She made a face. “I wish I had ten of you at that dig.”

  “Do you?” Jane shook her head. “I can see why you’re concerned, but I still want to come there and—” She stopped. “Okay, I’ll do what you want. But no more trying to keep me out of this. Be honest with me. And be honest with Michael. Though he probably knows what’s going on anyway. But it might be making him uneasy for you not to be perfectly open with him.”

  “You could be right,” Eve said. “Sometimes it’s hard to know what to do. First instinct is always to protect. Very well, honesty all the way. Thanks, Jane.”

  “And that’s not all. If I’m responsible for taking care of Michael, then I’ll do it my way.” She added, “You’re right, Joe’s friends at the Yard might not cut it as far as Michael’s concerned. And I can’t furnish ten of me who could handle him. But I’ll make a call, and I’ll have at least one person who’s capable of doing it here at the dig tomorrow.”

  “Who?”

  “Seth Caleb’s at his estate in Scotland.” Her lips twisted. “I don’t think you’d argue that Michael would be no problem for him. Michael adores him, and they’re soul mates. Half the time, I don’t even understand what’s going on between them.”

  Jane was talking about Michael’s relationship with Caleb, but she wasn’t mentioning the off and on, tumultuous and passionate relationship she’d had with Caleb in the past. Eve hesitated. “The last thing I heard from you was that you weren’t seeing Seth Caleb any longer. Has that changed?”

  “No, I’m not seeing him, but Caleb has no qualms about dropping in on me whenever he pleases. And it will please him that I need him to come and guard Michael.”

  “I don’t want to make things difficult for you, Jane.”

  “Things are always difficult when Caleb is around. We might as well make use of him. You and Joe will feel safer that Caleb is with Michael, won’t you?”

  Eve couldn’t deny it. “He’s totally remarkable.”

  “And that’s all that’s important.” Jane smiled. “If I can’t be with you, then you’ll know that you’ve nothing to worry about as far as Michael is concerned.” Her smile faded. “But you’ll have me to worry about if you don’t call me every day to tell me what’s happening. This can’t happen again, Eve.”

  “It won’t. Never again. Good-bye, Jane.” She ended the call. She knew Jane too well not to realize that having Caleb at that dig might be a strain considering the volatility of her relationship with him, but she also knew she wouldn’t be able to talk her out of it. Jane would make any sacrifice, do everything she could to safeguard Michael and the entire family. It was her nature.

  “Everything all right?” Joe was studying her expression.

  “Great.” She smiled with an effort. “Jane is in fine form. Michael couldn’t be in safer hands. And that dig will definitely be braced for impact.”

  * * *

  “Get over here!” Varak’s voice was crackling with fury as Zahra picked up the phone. “Right now, Zahra. Or I’ll come to that fancy palace of yours.” His disconnect was a crash in her ear.

  He was clearly in a rage, Zahra thought, but he had no right to speak to her like this. She had already been out there to see him earlier today, and she wouldn’t be at his beck and call. Then she stifled her own anger. She couldn’t take a chance with Varak’s volatile temperament right now.

  And he must not come here. How many times had she told him that they must not take any chances? She would have to go, but he would hear from her about this when she got to his damn compound.

  She tore out of the palace and, a little over an hour later, screeched to a stop in front of his house. She jumped out of the car and was climbing the steps when the door flew open and Varak came out on the porch.

  “I won’t take your rudeness, Varak,” she said. “Next time, I’ll tell you to go to hell.”

  “You’ll take whatever I give you.” He grabbed her wrist and was pulling her inside the house. “You’ve put me at risk for the last time. You promised me that you’d make certain I’d be safe if I played your game. Now everything is falling apart, and it’s your fault.”

  “Nothing is falling apart except that I don’t have my statue.”

  “The hell it’s not.” Varak’s face was livid, twisted with anger. “I told you that you had to get rid of Duncan. But you were so frightened that all those diplomats who suck up to you would turn their backs and walk away. Now look what you’ve done.”

  “I tried to get rid of her. I even had Bogani drown that chef to protect us. I haven’t done anything else but put up with your arrogance and insults.” She glared at him. “And I’ve reached the end of my patience with you. What’s supposed to be my fault, Varak?”

  “It is your fault.” He strode across the room toward the desk. “Do you want to see why you don’t have your precious statue? I just got the security tapes from the gallery at Asarti.” He pressed the button on his computer. “And guess who was dragging Dobran through that gallery.”

  She was looking over his shoulder at the computer screen. “How should I know who—” She stopped. “Gideon? It was Gideon at Asarti?”

  “You told me he was once your lover. He seems to have forgotten old loyalties and formed others. He wasn’t alone.” He fast-forwarded the tape. “Do you recognize this man, Zahra?”

  “No, I’ve never seen him before.”

  “Neither have I. So I ran a check through a database I use. Actually, he’s very well known in some circles. He’s Joe Quinn, a detective with the Atlanta Police Department.” He took a step closer to her, his eyes glittering. “And he’s married to Eve Duncan. Now what would he be doing at Asarti, Zahra?”

  She inhaled sharply. “How should I know? None of this is my fault.”

  “And it’s not your fault that he was obviously trying to extract Dobran from that château when my sniper shot him? Not your fault that the one man who could tell the world that I’m still alive was being snatched away by the husband of the woman who is the premier forensic sculptor in the world? You don’t see the connection?”

  Zahra was afraid that she did, but she’d have to be wary about admitting it to Varak while he was in this foul mood. “Perhaps. But I don’t know how the connection would be made. Duncan was working on reconstructions of those children. I saw them when I went to the museum for the press conference. Nothing to do with you. There was no threat.”

  “And was there no threat from bringing an expert forensic sculptor within a stone’s throw of the U.N. headquarters where the skull was placed? Why do you think Quinn wanted Dobran? He already knew that Eve Duncan had been working on that skull and was certain it wasn’t me. She fooled you. Can’t you see it? Gideon brought her to Maldara, and everyone knows he and Jill Cassidy are friends. They all fooled you.”

  “I asked Wyatt, and he told me that Cassidy had no connection with the Children for Peace charity that contacted the London office.”

  “Just as she had nothing to do with trying to skewer me by paying Hadfeld for that story about my still being alive? I wanted to kill her then, but you persuaded me that I should only hurt and scare her. You should
have realized that she wouldn’t give up. She just went in another direction. So don’t tell me that she had nothing to do with Eve Duncan’s coming here.” His voice was low and thick with rage. “Or that Duncan wasn’t pretty damn sure of what Quinn would find at Asarti. Joe Quinn wouldn’t have risked his reputation if Duncan hadn’t thought she had proof that the skull in the U.N. vault wasn’t mine.”

  “How could she know that?”

  “That’s what we’re going to find out.” He whirled to face her. “And I know you’re ready and willing to help, aren’t you?”

  “Of course, I gave you my word.” Keep him calm. And this might affect both of us. “Tell me what I can do.”

  He reached in her handbag and took out her phone. “You’re going to call Edward Wyatt and tell him that you’re in the mood for something different and are coming to see him at the U.N. residence tonight for your fun and games. You’ll tell him to send everyone away so that no one will recognize you. You’ll make it sound erotic enough that he’ll be panting to do anything you want him to do.”

  He grinned. “But then he does that anyway. Right?”

  She ignored the question. “What are you planning, Varak?”

  “You’ll get me and my men into that vault room, where I can check out that skull. Wyatt’s already given you the code ID imprinted on it. If that code’s not on that skull at the U.N. vault, then we’ll know what Eve Duncan has been working on at that museum at Robaku.”

  “And what good will that do?”

  “Then we start covering our bases and nullifying any gains Duncan and those others might believe they’ve made. The minute I know for sure that she has the skull, the game changes.” His eyes were flickering, blazing with intensity. “I have a plan ready. Do you think I spent all these months cooped up in this compound without thinking of ways to protect myself and end up back on top, where I belong?” He nodded at the phone. “Make that call.”

  She was still glancing down at the video. “They do have my statue.”

  “I don’t want to hear about that statue again,” Varak said between clenched teeth. “Listen to me. You’re going to do as I wish, or I’ll blow all your plans to hell and take what I want in my own way. I’m sick of your stalling about giving me my share of that gold. Do you understand? I’m done with taking orders from you. From now on, you’ll do what I tell you to do. Make the call.”

  “You will hear about it again,” she said fiercely. “Because I will get it back. Don’t give me orders, Varak.” She was thinking, trying to figure out which way to go. She couldn’t let him see that he’d intimidated her, but she could tell he was ready to do exactly what he threatened. The blowup she’d feared all these months was very close. Play along. Give him what he wanted now and see how she could turn it around. “I’ll do this because it seems the best way to be certain that we’re in as bad a situation as you’re telling me. You do have your uses, and you might even be able to point a way out of it.” She had a sudden thought. “But Wyatt is accustomed to having Dalai join us. I’ll need her to come with us tonight, and I gave her to you earlier today. I have to have her back. Where is she?”

  “Bedroom.” He shrugged. “If she’ll be any good to you.”

  She didn’t like the sound of that. “I told you not to damage her.” She was heading for the bedroom. “Now what have you done?”

  “I enjoyed myself.” He followed her into the bedroom. “You promised me more time than just these few hours, but I made them count. But you can have her now. If you think that it won’t turn him off.”

  Zahra was gazing critically at the young girl. Dalai’s wrists and ankles were tied to the four posts of the bed. Her naked body was bruised, her nipples bloody. Tears were running down her cheeks, her eyes were desperate, pleading, as she looked at Zahra. “Please…”

  “She’s not too bad,” Zahra decided. “I’ll tell Wyatt I did it, and it might even excite him.” She went over to the bed and untied the ropes. “Though if I’d left her with you until tomorrow, it would have taken me weeks to repair her.” She tossed a sheet to Dalai. “Wrap up and go get in the car. And stop crying, it’s not as if it hasn’t happened to you before. You should be accustomed to it by now. You’re making me angry.”

  “I’m…sorry.” The girl was frantically trying to get to her feet. “Don’t leave me, madam. I’ll do anything you want me to do.”

  “Yes, don’t leave her, madam,” Varak said mockingly. “She was a complete bore.”

  Zahra ignored him. “Just get out of here, Dalai. You’ll have to make yourself presentable when I get you back to the palace.” Zahra heard Varak laugh behind her as she began punching in Wyatt’s number.

  She drew a deep breath when Wyatt picked up the call. “I’ve been thinking about you. I’ve been amusing myself with Dalai today, but she’s not enough for me right now. I’m coming to you tonight, and I want you to send everyone away and be prepared to entertain me…”

  Chapter

  ​14

  Kiyani Presidential Palace

  Now what had Zahra been up to? Gideon wondered.

  He drew farther back in the shadows of the old coach house as he watched Zahra drag Dalai out of the maze bordering the street and into the far end of the coach house.

  He knew exactly where they were going. He had used the secret passage hidden in that last stall many times to get into Zahra’s quarters during the summer when their affair had been red-hot.

  Whatever it was that was causing Zahra to have reason to creep around in the dark and use those passages at a time like this was probably worth exploring…

  What the hell? More than probably. He hadn’t had much luck so far today.

  He had spent most of the day moving around the exterior of the palace and refreshing himself on any changes that might have occurred in the years since he’d broken with Zahra. Most of the new guards were unknown to him, but there was one he remembered who might be willing to deal if the money was high enough. He’d been holding off going inside the palace to explore and had only just verified that the secret passage leading to Zahra’s wing was still available and intact. Then, when he’d seen Zahra and Dalai moving from the maze into the coach house, his curiosity had flared.

  Dalai…The girl was draped only in a sheet, and she looked very much the worse for wear. Not good for her, but it might be an opportunity…

  What a bastard I am, he thought bitterly. The girl was like a frightened rabbit around Zahra, and he was thinking about using her? Rabbit…He vaguely remembered Zahra scornfully calling her that in those days when she’d first come to the palace all those years ago. He scarcely remembered Dalai Sadar from the old days. She had been a new servant in Zahra’s entourage then and not even into her teens, still a child. She had been brought from one of the Kiyani farms in the north when Zahra had said she needed a new maidservant. He only recalled Zahra’s being impatient with her and telling him that she scurried around like a frightened rabbit and that it was going to be boring having to train her.

  He recalled feeling sorry for the girl at the time and had often tried to ease the sting of Zahra’s scathing words. But he had already been trying to edge away from Zahra, and a few months later, he’d made the break and was on his way to London.

  And Dalai had grown up under Zahra’s less than tender care and become the pretty, well-trained rabbit that Zahra had intended.

  Had there been blood on that sheet?

  His phone was vibrating in his pocket.

  Jill. He took the call.

  “I’ve been trying to call you for the last few hours, Gideon,” Jill said in exasperation. “Why didn’t you pick up?”

  “I was busy. Granted, I’m very familiar with this palace, but when your aim is to spy on the enemy, you don’t want to draw attention to yourself by chatting on the phone as you stroll around the property. It defeats the purpose. You caught me this time in the old coach house, where I could talk.”

  “Coach house? Zahra has a coach—Ne
ver mind. I’ve reached you now. Have you talked to Novak?”

  “Would I answer his calls when I refused to answer yours? That would be rude.”

  “Stop it, Gideon. I have to tell you something.” She paused. “We weren’t able to get the security tapes back. Novak’s agent, Nassem, was killed, and so was my friend, Kimbro. Kimbro actually had the tapes in his possession, but we have to assume that when he was killed, the tapes were taken by one of Varak’s men.”

  “Shit. Nassem?” Gideon repeated. “He was a good guy, Jill.”

  “That’s what Novak said.” She cleared her throat. “So was Kimbro. But the reason I was trying desperately to get in touch with you is those tapes. If Zahra and Varak don’t know that you were involved in that break-in already, they will soon. You shouldn’t be there, Gideon. We don’t know what they’ll do if they think we might be getting close.”

  “I’m careful.” He added grimly, “And all the more reason why we should find out what’s going on with Zahra. I remember she has an office that adjoins her suite. I thought that I might rifle through her desk and see what I can find out. There are too many blanks that need to be filled in.”

  “It sounds too risky to do it alone. Come back here, and we’ll find a way to work on it together. Haven’t you been there long enough?”

  “Maybe. I spent most of the time finding out that I knew practically none of Zahra’s personal guards any longer. There’s one I might approach if necessary.” He paused. “But I did have what you might call an encounter with Dalai Sadar this evening. Do you remember her?”

  “The young girl that runs around at Zahra’s beck and call? There’s not much to remember. She obviously tries to fade into the background. I feel sorry for her, and Eve was really irritated at the way Zahra treated her. Was she around when you were playing your sex games with Zahra?”