The Major pointed at Shortt and O’Brien, and signalled for them to move along the side of the house. The two men slipped away in a low crouch, keeping close to the wall. The Major nodded at Shepherd and Armstrong, then headed through the date palms towards the rear of the house. They moved from palm to palm, keeping low, their feet making no sound on the close-cropped grass.
Shepherd looked up. The windows were blank, the curtains drawn. An airliner flew high overhead, navigation lights flashing. The garden wasn’t overlooked, so no one could see them moving to the conservatory at the rear of the house. There was no CCTV camera, and no sign of an alarm box. The top of the wall they’d climbed over had been smooth: in London broken glass would have been set into the concrete, or metal spikes. Muller had known what he was talking about when he’d said that the average Dubai resident didn’t expect intruders.
The Major reached the conservatory door and waited for Armstrong and Shepherd to join him before he gripped the handle and twisted. He swore softly when he found that it was locked.
Armstrong took a piece of sticky-backed plastic from his pocket, tore off the protective film and pressed it gently against the glass close to the handle. He waited until another airliner was flying overhead, then took a deep breath and jabbed his elbow at the centre of the patch. The glass made a dull crumpling sound as it broke. Carefully, Armstrong peeled back the plastic while Shepherd held his gloved hands underneath it to catch any loose shards. The Major reached inside, found the key in the lock, and turned it. He pushed open the door and crept inside.
Shepherd followed him. As they moved through the conservatory, Shepherd pulled out a little black box with two stubby antennae – the mobile-phone jammer. He pressed a switch on the side and a green light blinked. The jammer would kill all mobile-phone signals within a radius of thirty metres in case anything went wrong and Fariq tried to call the police. Muller had already cut the landlines to the house – he had a transceiver that matched those carried by the Major and Shepherd and it wouldn’t be affected by the jammer. He would use it to warn them of any police activity in the area.
The french windows linking the conservatory to the spacious sitting room weren’t locked, as Muller had predicted. The Major eased them open and the three men moved silently into the house, switching on small Magnalite torches. The Major pointed at the hallway, and Armstrong moved on tiptoe towards the front door.
Shepherd noticed a huge oil painting above a shoulder-height marble fireplace. It was a family group, Fariq standing behind his wife, his hand on her shoulder, and in front of them their three children. Evidently it had been commissioned a few years earlier and the artist had done a good job. Despite the stiff pose, the faces were real and natural, and the love and pride the man felt for his family poured out of the canvas. In the painting, Fariq had an honest face. There was perhaps a touch of arrogance, but it wasn’t the face of a schemer or a liar. He looked like a good man, and Shepherd had just broken into his house and was about to go up the stairs with a loaded gun. He felt as if Fariq’s dark brown eyes were burning into his own and forced himself to move on. The Major was looking at him, his Glock in his hand, and Shepherd went past him, towards the hallway. Gannon always knew what was on Shepherd’s mind and the last thing Shepherd wanted just then was a heart-to-heart about the morality of what they were about to do. He reached behind him and pulled out his Glock.
Armstrong was already on his way back, accompanied by O’Brien and Shortt. The Major indicated that Armstrong should head for the kitchen, then waited for O’Brien and Shortt to unholster their weapons and started to go up the stairs.
The Major was on the left of the sweeping staircase, with Shepherd on the right. It was made of thick marble slabs and their trainers made no sound on it. There were large framed photographs on the walls: Fariq with his sons, Fariq with his daughter, a younger Fariq on his wedding day, his wife with beautiful olive skin, doe-like eyes with lashes that seemed to go on for ever, and hair that glistened as the light from the Major’s torch passed over it.
Shepherd and the Major reached the top of the staircase and moved towards the master bedroom, O’Brien following. Shortt waited at the head of the stairs.
The Major eased his fingers round the door handle, nodded at Shepherd and pushed the door open a few inches. From inside the room they could hear gentle snoring. The Major pushed the door wide. The room was in near darkness and the two men waited a minute to allow their eyes to get accustomed to it, then crept across the threshold. The bed was on the far side of the room, with an ornate carved headboard and a matching wooden chest at the foot. To the left a sliding panelled door led to the dressing area and bathroom. The windows were covered with thick curtains. Fariq lay on his back on the left of the bed. His wife was facing away from him, her hair forming a black curtain over the pillow.
Shepherd moved to her side of the bed. The Major crept to Fariq, and aimed his gun at the man’s face, his finger on the trigger. Shepherd slid his Glock back into its holster and took a roll of insulation tape from his pocket. He had already doubled over the end of the tape so that he could grip it easily with his gloved fingers. He put it on the bedside table, close to a glass of water on a white marble coaster, then took a deep breath to steady himself.
He exhaled slowly, then reached across the sleeping woman, cupped his right hand over her mouth and clamped the left at the back of her neck. Her eyes opened and she kicked out. Shepherd pulled her out of the bed, tightening his grip on her mouth. She flailed with her arms, her hands curled into talons. Shepherd kept her off balance, moving her from side to side so that she couldn’t grab him, then swept her feet from under her and lowered her to the ground. Her foot caught the bedside table, which scraped across the floor. A second later, the water glass smashed.
Fariq woke with a start. The Major grabbed his hair and pushed the barrel of his Glock under the man’s chin. ‘Say nothing,’ he hissed.
Shepherd put his knee in the small of the wife’s back. He kept his right hand over her mouth and groped behind him with the other for the roll of insulation tape. She struggled, thrashing from side to side, and Shepherd leaned down so that his mouth was just inches from her right ear. ‘Stop moving,’ he said. ‘Stop moving or I’ll shoot you.’
‘Fuck you,’ she said, through clenched teeth, and continued to struggle. Shepherd was surprised to hear an American accent.
‘I just want to tie you up,’ he whispered. ‘We’re not here to hurt you.’
Her foot lashed out at the bedside table again and the lamp wobbled.
‘Please, don’t hurt my wife,’ said Fariq, his voice shaky.
‘Shut up!’ hissed the Major.
Shepherd managed to get the woman’s hands together behind her back but she continued to wriggle about so much that he couldn’t reach for the insulation tape. He shuffled forward, used his thighs to pin her arms to her sides, then grabbed the roll of tape.
‘Get off me!’ she shouted, and Shepherd clamped his hand over her mouth. She tried to bite him, but he cupped his hand so that she couldn’t.
He could smell her perfume and saw sweat glistening on her neck. ‘Think of your daughter,’ he murmured. The woman stiffened. ‘Think of what we could do to her if you continue to mess us around like this.’
She twisted her head to the side. ‘You’re not a man,’ she said slowly, then fell silent and lay still. She offered no resistance as Shepherd bound her wrists. He felt his cheeks redden under his ski mask and his stomach was churning. She was right. He wasn’t behaving like a man. He’d threatened a child. He’d spoken instinctively, going for the one thing he knew would stop a mother in her tracks, but he was ashamed. He was behaving as badly as any of the criminals he’d ever put behind bars. There was nothing lower than a man who threatened someone’s family, and that was what he’d done. Part of him wanted to apologise, to tell her that he’d spoken in anger and frustration and that he’d never, ever, consider hurting a child, but it was too late. He’
d said it and nothing he could do would take it back.
He gripped her shoulders and lifted her to her feet. She glared at him and Shepherd knew that if she’d had a knife in her hand she’d have thrust it into his chest and smiled as she’d twisted the blade. She hated him and he knew that he deserved it. He pushed her back so that she sat down on the bed, still glaring at him.
‘Finally,’ said O’Brien, who was standing by the door.
‘What did you want me to do? Knock her out?’ said Shepherd.
‘Who are you?’ asked Fariq. ‘What do you want?’
He tried to sit up but the Major pushed him down and tapped the barrel of his Glock against Fariq’s head. ‘Keep quiet while we get everyone settled. Any more noise from you and we’ll gag you and your wife.’ He looked at O’Brien. ‘Get the girl.’
‘Wait,’ said Shepherd. ‘Maybe it’d be better if we let the mother do it.’
‘I can handle a seven-year-old,’ said O’Brien.
‘I was thinking from the child’s point of view,’ said Shepherd. ‘If you go thundering in there with your mask on you’ll scare her half to death. You don’t look much like Santa Claus.’
‘What’s your plan?’ asked the Major.
‘I’ll take the mother in. The mother can put her at ease.’
‘I wouldn’t recommend untying her, not after all the effort it took to tie her up,’ said the Major.
‘Why do you want my daughter?’ asked Fariq’s wife.
‘We don’t want her,’ said Shepherd. ‘We just need to keep you together.’
‘Why? What are you going to do?’ Her voice was low and deep, almost a whisper, and there was no trace of fear in it.
‘We need you in one place. We’re going to take you to the servants’ quarters where you’ll be safe.’
‘Safe from what?’
‘Look, all I want to do is move you and your daughter to the servants’ quarters. I’ll happily send him in to grab your daughter but I’d imagine that would be pretty traumatic for her.’
‘It’s pretty traumatic for all of us,’ said the woman. ‘Why don’t you get the hell out of our house and we’ll all be a lot happier?’
Shepherd fought the urge to smile. He motioned for her to stand up and she did as she was told. Fariq tried to sit up again but this time Shepherd pushed him back. ‘Not you,’ he said.
‘Where are you taking my wife?’ he asked.
‘I told you not to talk,’ said the Major.
Shepherd held the woman’s upper arm and walked her to the door. ‘You’re hurting me,’ she said.
‘Live with it,’ said Shepherd. He took her into the hallway. Shortt was outside the daughter’s bedroom. ‘I’m letting the mother talk to her first,’ said Shepherd. Shortt moved to the side. Shepherd kept his grip on the woman as he reached for the door handle. ‘Just tell her there’s nothing to worry about, and that she’s to do as we say.’
‘And is that true? Do we have nothing to worry about?’
Shortt tapped her on the shoulder with his Glock. ‘Worry about me,’ he said. ‘Now, get in there and do as you’re told.’
‘Don’t you touch me!’ she hissed. ‘You touch me again and I’ll kill you.’
‘Feisty, huh?’ said Shortt.
‘She’s okay,’ said Shepherd. ‘Leave her alone. Please, Fatima, we don’t want to upset your daughter, do we?’
‘And you can stop patronising me,’ she said.
‘I’m not patronising you, I’m just telling you the way things are,’ said Shepherd. ‘If you want, we can storm in there and grab her but this way will be a lot less stressful.’
‘Then untie me,’ she said.
‘Like fuck we will,’ said Shortt scornfully.
Fatima ignored him and continued to look at Shepherd. ‘Seeing me tied up like this will upset her,’ she said. ‘It’s going to be bad enough with you wearing those masks and carrying guns. Please, untie me so that I can comfort her.’
‘After all the trouble I took to get the tape around your wrists?’
‘That was then,’ she said. ‘Now I’m asking you. Please. Untie me so that I can hold my daughter.’
‘You’ll scratch my eyes out,’ said Shepherd, only half joking.
She smiled sadly. ‘I want to comfort my daughter,’ she said quietly. ‘You have my word that if you untie me I will do nothing to provoke you.’
‘You can’t believe a word she says,’ said Shortt.
‘We’ve got guns, and she knows her husband is back there,’ said Shepherd. He took a small Swiss Army knife from his pocket, pulled out a blade and gently cut the tape.
‘Thank you,’ she said, massaging her wrists.
‘Just explain to her that she has to come with us, and not to make a noise,’ said Shepherd. He opened the door and let her go in first.
The little girl was asleep on her back, her mouth open, her left arm round a toy leopard. Fatima walked to the bed and sat down next to her daughter. She put a hand on her arm and whispered in her ear. The little girl’s eyes fluttered and she turned away. ‘Anaa na’ saan,’ she muttered sleepily.
‘I know you are, little one,’ said Fatima. ‘But you must wake up.’
The child opened her eyes. Fatima put her face close to her daughter’s, then kissed her nose. ‘Now, listen to me, little one. There are some men here. They are visiting us for a while.’
‘Maa l-mushkila?’ asked the girl.
‘No, there’s nothing wrong,’ said Fatima, ‘but while they’re here, let’s be polite to them and speak in English so that they can understand. Okay?’
‘Okay,’ said the child. ‘Where are they?’
‘They’re outside,’ said Fatima. ‘They’re wearing masks, but you mustn’t be frightened. It’s no different from when I wear the burkha when I go out sometimes. They just want to cover their faces. Now, sit up.’
The little girl brushed her hair from her face. ‘I’m sleepy,’ she said.
‘I know you are,’ she said. ‘We’re going to see Mr and Mrs Yazid.’
The child slid her legs out of bed and saw Shepherd standing at the door. He had put his gun back into its nylon holster and he waved both hands at her. ‘Hi,’ he said.
‘This is ridiculous,’ said Shortt. ‘We’re not bloody child-minders.’
‘Why don’t you go downstairs while I get this sorted?’ said Shepherd.
‘We don’t have to treat them with kid gloves.’
‘They haven’t done anything wrong,’ said Shepherd. ‘They’re not the enemy.’
‘No, but they’re related to the enemy,’ said Shortt.
Fatima put her arm around her little girl. ‘Laa tkhaaf,’ she said. ‘Don’t be scared.’
Shortt headed downstairs. Shepherd took a step inside the room. ‘Everything’s going to be all right,’ he said.
The little girl buried her face in her mother’s hair. ‘That mask isn’t helping,’ said Fatima.
‘I’m sorry,’ said Shepherd, ‘but there’s nothing I can do about that.’
‘You should be ashamed of yourself, frightening a child.’
‘I’m not proud of this, believe me. You’re just in the wrong place at the wrong time.’
‘I’m in my home,’ she said. ‘You’re the one in the wrong place.’
Shepherd pointed at the hallway. ‘Come on,’ he said.
‘Where are we going?’ said the little girl.
‘To see Mr Yazid.’ Fatima scooped up her daughter.
‘My leopard!’ cried the little girl.
Shepherd picked it up and gave it to her. Fatima walked slowly to the door, stroking the child’s hair. Shepherd followed them down the stairs, along the hallway and into the kitchen. O’Brien was standing by the sink, holding his Glock. Fatima flashed Shortt a baleful look as she walked across the marble floor. She whispered something in her daughter’s ear as she carried her into the servants’ quarters, which consisted of a sitting room with a small dining-table and two sofas, and
a bedroom with two single beds and two wardrobes. Armstrong had taken the old couple into the bedroom and bound and gagged them. They lay on their backs on the beds, gazing up at him fearfully. He was standing by the door, Taser in hand. ‘How did it go?’ he asked.
‘No problems,’ said Shepherd. He nodded at Fariq’s wife. ‘The kid’s a bit upset.’
‘Of course she’s upset,’ snapped Fatima. ‘We’re all upset.’
‘Do you want something from the kitchen?’ asked Shepherd.
‘I want you all out of my house,’ she said.
‘Shall I gag her?’ asked Armstrong.
Fatima glared at him over the top of her daughter’s head. ‘You so much as touch me and I’ll kill you!’ she said. Her daughter began to sob. ‘Now see what you’ve done,’ she hissed at Armstrong.
‘If anyone’s upsetting your daughter, it’s you,’ said Shepherd. ‘Can we calm down? Nobody’s going to hurt you. Now, please, sit on the sofa.’
Fatima looked as if she might refuse but her daughter was still sobbing so she sat.
‘We’re going to have to tie your hands again now,’ said Shepherd.
‘No,’ she said.
‘I’m sorry, but we have no choice,’ said Shepherd.
‘You are scared of a woman?’ she said.
‘Not scared, just careful,’ said Shepherd. ‘If your hands are tied you’re less likely to try something. And my colleague over there is a lot less understanding than I am.’ He pulled the roll of insulation tape from his pocket.
‘You’re not tying my daughter up, are you?’
‘We have to.’
Fatima laid her on the sofa, and the little girl curled up with her leopard. Fatima stroked her hair. ‘Don’t worry,’ she said. ‘I won’t let them hurt you.’ She held out her hands and Shepherd bound her wrists together.
‘If I was you, I’d do them behind her back,’ said Armstrong. He took out a cigarette and lit it.
‘Put that out!’ snapped Fatima.
‘Go screw yourself,’ said Armstrong. He took a long pull on his cigarette and blew smoke at her.
‘You do not smoke in my house,’ she said.
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