Covert Danger: Mata Hari Series - Book 1

by Jo-Ann Carson

  ***

  Bakari’s home had been built to impress, in an age when the wealthy went all-out. Large elegant and solid, surrounded by lush gardens, it had a dreamlike quality. Sadie made her doe eyed cover girl look. “Wow,” she said.

  Bakari standing at the open door nodded his head. Dressed in a black suit and tie befitting Wall Street more than a tale from the Arabian Nights he looked powerful. His eyes took her in with a warm glance and he smiled. “Good evening,” he said.

  “Oh my goodness. This place… this palace is amazing.” She blinked.

  Deadeyes who stood behind her grunted and then disappeared somewhere into the ancient stonework as they proceeded into the centuries old estate. She took Bakari’s arm and let him escort her in. “I’ve never seen such a beautiful palace,” she said in a breathy voice.

  “I wouldn’t call it a palace,” he said putting his cold hand on top of hers.

  “Marble floors, marble columns, winding staircase to the next floor reminiscent of Gone with the Wind, glittering chandeliers… I call it a palace.” Enormous bouquets of flowers in crystal vases sat on tables that dotted the long entranceway. The sheer opulence of the place had its own allure. The exotic Arabian luxury reminded her of the homes of the sultans and pashas of old.

  He laughed at her words. “It is my home.”

  “I live out of a suitcase.” She snickered. “But it is made of the finest Italian leather.”

  He grinned. “To me you are a breath of fresh air.” His eyes raked hers leaving no doubt his intentions. “Tonight we’ll dine on one of the smaller terraces. It’s more intimate.”

  Intimate. Great. She kept her awed smile in place. “That sounds wonderful.” Had she slipped into a southern accent? Must be that damned staircase. She couldn’t overdo it.

  The stone terrace turned out to be the size of her bedroom in the Amsterdam Bed and Breakfast. It overlooked a lush garden with a pond in its center. Four pink flamingos and two white swans swam amongst the water lilies. A pair of loons called to one another in the distance. The warm night air smelled of verdant vegetation surrounding her with a feeling of fecundity.

  If she were with the right man this would be romantic. Sebastian’s honest face flashed through her mind. She couldn’t think of him now. But it was impossible not to. The guy had got into her DNA. Talk about a mismatched protein!

  The round table covered in white linen had been set with the heavy silverware and fine china. Even knowing his financial net worth didn’t prepare her for this display of wealth. How many children beyond his estate walls could be fed for life with the money it must take to keep this place clean? She bit her lip. He held out the chair for her and she took her seat sending him a hot look.

  He poured her a glass of white wine. “Eboni told me you liked white.”

  The man left nothing to chance. She took a sip and leaned towards him letting her leg touch his. She knew her wine. This one would’ve set him back more than a thousand American bucks. “What do you want me to do?”

  His smile widened. “Let us eat first.”

  A petite woman in a white uniform brought the first course, a cucumber salad. Sadie smiled at her, but the woman avoided eye contact. Her face remained a frozen mask. Another reminder she’d landed in a foreign land. Oddly, the warmth of the ankh hanging around her neck comforted her.

  Picking up her fork, Sadie said, “I didn’t realize we’d be eating dinner in Egypt. I will need to get back.”

  “Your next shoot is planned for Lucci, Italy in a week.”

  Sadie’s chest tightened. She nodded and did her best to look impressed and not annoyed or… imprisoned. “And unless you can offer more money than Extazee Magazine…” She bit into the cucumber and the fresh flavors exploded in her mouth.

  Laughter skittered across his dark eyes. “Money? Is that what you’re about?”

  “You can laugh, because you have lots. The rest of the world…”

  He held up his hand. “You will be well paid. And I promise to deliver you to your next job on time if that’s what you want.” He made the word job sound more than plebeian, more like vulgar.

  Her shoulders dropped with drama and she dug into her salad.

  Tilting his head as he watched her eat, he smiled. “I wasn’t always rich. My father was a merchant and he made enough for us to manage, but he was murdered by a petty thief. He’d used up all his savings to take care of his parents in their old age, a common problem in our country.”

  Sadie tilted her head to encourage him to continue.

  “My mother was left penniless with three young boys. She did laundry for the neighbours and we lived on other people’s charity for years, until…” He stopped and looked out at his garden.

  She shook her hair behind her shoulders.

  His eyes returned to her and she gave him a coy smile. The room warmed.

  “Until I reached sixteen and sold my soul to the devil.” He took a long drink of his wine and leaned back watching her all the while. Some sort of amusement twinkled in his hard eyes. He hadn’t touched his salad.

  Sadie stared at him. His honesty cut into her. She hadn’t expected that. Anything but that. She gave him a bawdy laugh. “The devil? Do tell.”

  He smirked. “I got work in the arms business and discovered I was good at trading guns for money.”

  She made herself look suitably surprised.

  “I sold guns and explosives to anyone with money.”

  “African states and…”

  “Oh don’t get holy on me Sadie. Half the time I worked for the CIA.”

  Her breath caught. “That can’t be.”

  “Still is.” He swirled his wine and took another sip. “My brother runs the business now, but I know he maintains close ties with the Americans. I’ve retired.”

  “Why would the CIA hire you?” She swallowed suspecting the answer before it came.

  “Because they can’t deliver arms around the world on their own. If they did, they’d be accused of funding wars.”

  Goosebumps rose along her arms. So Bakari was in bed with her own agency. She tried not to smile at this. She thought she’d left her naivety behind years ago with training bras, but once again life surprised her with its twists. The evil man she’d been sent to spy on, worked with the company. Sweet Jesus.

  “Would you like a shawl? You look cold?”

  She gave him a wan smile. “Just… surprised, that’s all.”

  The tiny woman reappeared and cleared their dishes, giving Sadie time to consider her next move.

  “So you built up a successful business, which made you a fortune. Your family is now well taken care of. Why are you interested in collecting artifacts? Did you meet another devil?”

  He laughed. “Yes, I have made money and amassed power, more than any normal man needs in this world, but I still need more.”

  Okay now the crazy’s coming out. She nodded and looked demure.

  “My oldest daughter Rashida battles a rare form of leukemia.”

  Sadie’s mouth dropped.

  “She is the light of my life. I want the power to heal her. At any cost.” When he spoke his daughter’s name his black eyes softened. He reached for Sadie’s hand and encircled it with his.

  All the disgust and hate she’d built up for the man drained out of her. Who could fault a father for wanting to save his daughter? “So you think the amulets will help her?”

  The second course came: Koshari considered by many to be the national dish, a mixture of rice, lentils and macaroni. She took a sip of her wine feeling it hit her blood stream. In the candlelight Bakari actually looked handsome in a mature, exotic way. His square jaw and soft olive skin drew her. The maid left them.

  “All ancient Egyptian amulets have power,” Bakari said. “But I search for the one that has the healing power to cure her.”

  A chill ran up Sadie’s spine.

  “A gold ankh on a leather string.”

  30

  Chapter Thirty<
br />
  Amsterdam

  Sebastian, Seamus and Xander drove to the morgue to check on what remained of Delilah’s body. Looking at her corpse on a slab of metal chilled him to the bone. He’d need to wash his memories away with scotch later when he had time. This was far too close to Sadie.

  He breathed through his mouth and made a mental checklist: head, severed forefinger and thumb of left hand missing. They must have got her identity by fingerprinting the remaining fingers. The canal water had bloated her body, but not enough to hide the signs of torture: burn marks along the inner thighs, cuts near her breasts, broken arms and ribs. The woman had died a horrible death.

  Sadie. Her image flowed through his mind, her moss green eyes and sensuous smile. Sadie. He couldn’t let this happen to her. A lump formed in his throat. He wanted out of there, but he stayed to hear the official report.

  As the medical attendant went over the details, Xander gave Sebastian meaningful looks throughout. Worse, he kept shaking his head.

  But Xander didn’t know the whole story. Seb didn’t like keeping secrets from his best friend, but he’d promised his silence to Sadie. A man is only as good as his word.

  Seamus cleared his throat and said, “…tortured, mutilated, beheaded and left in a canal.” He gave Sebastian a hard look, “Your girlfriend keeps interesting company.”

  With his gut churning, Seb headed for the door. There was nothing he could say to his friends.

  “Seb,” Xander called after him. But he kept walking.

  Sadie hadn’t returned any of his text messages. He didn’t want to interfere in her op. He admired the hell out of her for taking on Bakari al-Sharif. But damn it all, he wanted to protect her, wanted to be with her. How do you fit that into a text message?

  He returned to his apartment at two in the morning hoping she might be there. She wasn’t. But her scent still hung in the air. He thought about having a scotch or a beer… or twenty, but wanted to stay sharp. She knew where he lived. Surely she knew he’d come to her side any time she asked. Anytime—Anywhere—

  If she’d ask. Would she ask? Dating a she-Rambo could get complicated. He fell asleep in his chair with his cat Rascal purring on his lap, wondering how best to stay out of her way and yet make contact with her. Oh how he’d like to make contact with her. His mind drifted.

  The morning sun arrived and still no news. He pressed coffee, ate fresh local cheese on a baguette and scowled a lot. He wanted her safe and with him.

  Was he being old fashioned? He grabbed hold of the Chinese pendant on his neck and made a silent wish, but no magic resulted. “Fuck-it.” He couldn’t sit around holding a pendant and hoping she’d call. Not when she could be in trouble. Especially since she could be in trouble. Anubis was ruthless, a deranged lunatic who liked to collect pretty things. And he thought nothing of killing anyone who stood in his way. The image of Delilah’s mutilated corpse flickered through his mind and the taste of acid rose in his throat. Unable to be still a moment longer, he went into his bedroom threw on jeans and a sports coat, grabbed his passport out of his safe and headed out.

  Sadie didn’t answer the door of her room at the Bed and Breakfast. Where had she gone? Was she alone? He called Xander for help and his friend arrived within minutes with tools. When they opened the door they found the room swept clean. No sign of her remained, except the scent of her perfume.

  “What the hell.” Sebastian paced the empty space with clenched fists.

  Xander shook his head. “She’s gone, buddy. Maybe it’s for the best.”

  “Like hell it is.”

  “There’s no signs of trouble. She left on her own accord.”

  Sebastian stretched his neck. “Look, thanks for helping me out. One more thing.”

  “Yeah I’ll talk to the Seamus and the police. Are you going to search for her on foot?”

  “Something like that.”

  They parted outside her room. Xander headed down the stairs to the street. Sebastian ran up to Mitchell’s room two steps at a time. Sadie’d been furious with the man, but he was like family to her. He might know something.

  Seb knocked. No answer. His gut churned. He had to do something.

  Flying down the stairs he hit the road in record time, jogged through the tourist crowds on the Kalverstraat to the Dam and went looking for a photo shoot, but there was none. Sadie’s soft green eyes filled his mind. She had to be safe. Had to be.

  He jogged back to the Bed and Breakfast and tried Mitchell’s door again. Still no answer. He went back to his apartment used a search engine to get information on Extrazee Magazine and after a few clicks and one phone call discovered where the owner stayed when she visited Amsterdam, the Orange Tulip. When he got to her hotel, the front desk told him she’d left to do business in Rome.

  Rome? Is that where Mitchell and Sadie had fled? But then why didn’t she tell him that? Why didn’t she answer his texts? His chest tightened. It felt wrong. He had to be missing something. Sadie sure had a lot of secrets.

  He went back to Sadie’s Bed and Breakfast. This time Mitchell answered his door a crack, and Seb pushed his way in.

  “Where is she?” He scanned the room, noting its tidiness, which didn’t lend him to thinking Sadie had been there. No girl things. Then he caught a lingering scent of her.

  “Not here.”

  Seb squinted down at the smaller man. “Where is she?” He’d beat the answer out of the asshole if he didn’t offer information.

  Mitchell put his hands up. “Chill man. She went out on a date, said she might not come home and hasn’t. I thought she was with you.”

  Sebastian’s gut wrenched and he exhaled slowly, sweat beading on his brow. “No, she’s not with me. And she could be in trouble. Did she tell you anything more?”

  Mitchell shook his head.

  “Godverdomme het.” Sebastian grumbled as he turned and strode out the door.

  “Let me know…”

  Sebastian didn’t wait to hear the rest. He made it down the stairs and out the door in a few seconds. Yes, he probably should trust Sadie to handle herself, but no, he didn’t, because his gut told him something was wrong—very wrong. And what the hell was she doing on a date with Anubis? It had to be him, had to be part of her op.

  Sadie’d told him the man pulled women apart. He sent a text to Xander, “Need to know location of Bakari al-Sherif.”

  31

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Cairo

  The hair on the nape of Sadie’s neck rose. He wanted the golden ankh! The one that hung around her neck!

  Sadie breathed in the night air laced with the sweet smell of lotus blossoms. The amulet lying beneath her blouse burned. How could she explain it to Bakari? Slowly she adjusted her hair behind her shoulders, taking in the way his eyes widened in response.

  She leaned across the intimate table towards him. His male scent mingled with an exotic cologne. The candlelight softened his hard features. Yes he was definitely handsome.

  “Didn’t the ancient Egyptians make lots of ankhs?” she said. “Why is this golden one so special?”

  She willed her thundering heart to steady. She had no illusions about the man. If he knew she had it, he’d be enraged. What despicable things would he do to her for her treachery? She hoped he’d take the color of her burning cheeks as a sign of attraction, not horror.

  “I’m sure you’ve seen pictures of ankhs in many ancient Egyptian tomb paintings. They are often held by gods or goddesses. They symbolize eternal life.”

  “Like the image of the number eight on its side?”

  “They are more than symbols, they are active magic. My people carried carved ankhs as amulets to give them strength and good health.”

  “And do you believe that?” Breath in… breath out. Sweat beaded on her top lip.

  He looked away from her for a moment, as if the question cut too deeply for comfort. Then he turned back, his dark eyes filled with emotion locked on hers. “Yes.”

  She
gulped.

  “Do not be frightened. When I find the amulet I will use its power to do good.”

  “To heal Rashida?”

  He nodded.

  “So, how does that work? How does a hunk of gold create power?”

  He laughed. “You are so modern. You believe the world is only what you see,” he paused and waved his hands in the air. “It is so much more.” A bird called to its mate in the garden seemingly punctuating his words.

  She leaned closer and touched his hand. It felt cold and lizardy, but she retained the connection. “Like Shakespeare said, ‘There are more things in heaven and earth… Than are dreamt of in your philosophy’.”

  “Exactly. There are sources of power in this world tapped only by a select few. Those sources affect the natural laws which control all we see before us. There is magic in the world Sadie. Believe me, I have seen it.”

  Again with the deep chill. It crossed her body quickly and settled at the base of her spine. “Is there not a cost for such power? Or is that a myth to keep us behaving.”

  He grimaced. “Yes, there is a cost. There is a cost to everything we do in this life. But I will do whatever it takes to save Rashida.”

  Sadie needed to gain his trust to get more out of him. Right now he considered her one of his many pawns. A pretty one, but still just a pawn. She needed him to think of her as more than that.

  “I… I understand,” she said lightly squeezing his reptilian hand. “I don’t have any children of my own, but there is a little boy I care very much about, and I would do anything for him.” The image of Jaja playing with other children filtered through her mind and tears welled in her eyes. “Anything.” In one swift motion, she reached for the leather strap holding the ankh around her neck and pulled it over her head. She looked at it once for good luck and then offered it to Bakari.

  His mouth dropped. The way his carefully constructed demeanor shattered confirmed her suspicion. He hadn’t known she had it. He stared at the ankh and then at her face. “Explain.”