The Imam of the Cave
Page 28
Bittermann said he thought it could be arranged.
“William, your job as well as the UN’s responsibility in this matter are finished. Both the American and British governments have decided that they will share resources and work together to get a handle on the remaining canisters. I personally find it hard to believe that their respective intelligence agencies can work together, but that remains to be seen.”
He cocked his head and looked at Bill sideways. “Those comments will remain between us.”
* * *
Bob was nervous to be visiting the Executive Chairman and had been relieved when he didn’t have to accompany Bill into the office. When he saw the two men come out, he stood up.
Bittermann strode up to the big inspector and stuck out his hand. “Sir, you must be Mr. Tilden.”
“Ah…yes, sir.”
“What do your friends call you?”
“Bob.”
“Well, Bob—is it okay if I call you Bob?”
Bittermann went on as though he had heard an affirmative. “I believe you’re interested in antiquities?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, I’ve arranged transportation for you and Mr. Holden to visit some of the finest museums in New York.”
He turned to show the two men to the foyer entrance. “The car and driver will be at your disposal for as long as you’re in the city.”
He wheeled around and looked squarely up into the younger man’s eyes. “Bob, I want to tell you that the UN appreciates what you did in Baghdad. We owe you a debt of gratitude, which I hope we can repay.
“William, you take care of Bob—I’ll get back with you on that other matter.”
“Thank you, sir, I appreciate it.”
* * *
Bill spent the next morning writing a detailed report on what had taken place. It was late afternoon when he went to the Investigative Agency to visit Walter Terrance.
“Bill, welcome back!” Walter got up from his desk to shake hands. “I hear things got a little touch and go there for awhile.”
Bill grinned. “Are you talking about the trip to the Museum of Natural History yesterday or Baghdad?”
“Baghdad. Why?—what happened at the museum?”
“Nothing—just a sort of joke between one of my inspectors and me. We seem to have lost track of time when one of the security guards found us and ushered us out of the museum. It seems that the place had closed half an hour earlier.”
“Oh, I see.”
“Is Ms. Caruthers working? I stopped by her office, but she wasn’t in and no one knew where she was.”
“Yes, she’s—” Walter caught himself before he said ‘returning from Iraq.’ “…on assignment, but should be returning this evening. Is there anything I can help you with?”
“No. She promised to buy me a steak dinner the next time I visited New York is all, and I thought I would take her up on the offer.”
“She’ll probably check in with the duty officer when she returns. Where you staying?”
“One of the guestrooms overlooking the East River.”
“I’ll make sure the duty officer gives her the message…I heard the Israeli didn’t make it.”
“You’ll have to ask Mr. Bittermann. I’m afraid I’m not at liberty to get into that.”
“Of course. Anyway, it’s good to have you back in one piece.”
“Thank you, sir, it’s good to be back.”
They shook hands again and Bill headed for the canteen.
Walter Terrance’s last comment had surprised him. As far as Bill knew, only three men were aware of what had happened at the factory.
Bill preordered for Robert and himself and told the waiter he’d call him when they were ready to eat.
Ten minutes later he looked up and saw his protégé come into the canteen and waved him over.
“How was your day? Did you get out of the museum before the guard tracked you down?”
“Oh yeah! Ernie—that’s the guard’s name—said it happens a lot with first time visitors. He said I could stay a little longer, but I didn’t want him to get into any trouble.”
Bill cleared his throat. “Robert, there’s something I wanted to have a talk with you about.”
He handed Bob an envelope.
“What’s this?”
“That, my friend, is your acceptance into Columbia University. You’ve been admitted into their archaeology program.”
“Uh, Bill…I’m not sure I know what you mean. I didn’t apply to Columbia. I need to learn more and save my money.”
“Let me ask you a question. If you were in combat and someone had the drop on you and you knew you were going to die, but a buddy of yours saved your life, how would you feel?”
“Hell, I’d owe him everything and do anything I could for him.”
“That’s how Mr. Bittermann and I feel about what you did for me. He’s an alumnus of Columbia and has a lot of friends there…You’ve been awarded a full scholarship and I don’t know of anyone more deserving. Don’t get me wrong—it’s going to require a lot of effort on your part and may require you to travel and work on some of the excavation sites they’re studying.”
Bob’s face registered a kind of hopeful incredulity. “Are you kidding?”
“Robert, I wouldn’t kid about something like this. Son, it’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and you’d be a fool not to accept it. And I know you’re not a fool.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“All you need to say is yes, and you need a few signatures on some paperwork. I’ve arranged to have your things in Baghdad packed up and forwarded here.”
“Thanks!”
“Robert, have you talked to anyone about what happened at the factory in Baghdad?”
“No one—why?”
“I was just wondering. Can I ask you another question?”
“Sure.”
“After you hit the Israeli why did you fire another shot?”
Bob frowned. “I didn’t. I only needed the one shot and that’s all I fired. Why?”
Bill looked down, puzzled, and paused a moment. “I guess I was wrong, but I thought you fired twice. Forget I asked. That was another time and it’s over now.”
The phone in Bill’s guest room at the UN rang twice before he picked up the receiver. “Hello.”
“Is this the infamous Wild Bill Holden I’ve heard so many stories about?” the female caller asked.
“I wouldn’t say infamous, but I’ve been known to be a little wild at times. Is this a social call or business, Ms. Gloria Caruthers?”
“Oh, you do remember the sound of my voice.”
“How could I forget?—you did promise me some quality time the next time I was in New York.”
“I’m still at La Guardia. I can pick you up at nine if you don’t mind going to late dinner with a lady who needs a bath and a good night’s sleep.”
“I’ll be waiting.”
Bill showered, shaved and dressed in the freshly laundered clothes.
When the expected knock came he opened the door. He did an involuntary double take at the black-haired woman standing before him. It took him a moment to recognize her as the same one he had kissed good-bye two weeks earlier.
Gloria might have smiled at his reaction to her disguise but for the sight of the bruises on his face. “I hope you got the license number of the truck that ran over you.”
“I believe they’ve taken the driver’s license away.” Bill ran a hand gently over the bruises and his lips parted into a victor’s grin.
Gloria pouted theatrically. “Aren’t you going to give me a welcome home handshake or something?”
He leaned down and kissed her lightly on the lips. “I didn’t know you were away.”
“Uh, yeah, I had some business I had to attend to in California, but it concluded successfully. Are you hungry? I know a quiet little restaurant that serves the best steaks in the city.”
“After you, Ma’am.�
�
During the meal they made small talk. Gloria was telling some of the latest UN gossip. “Igor Petrovich was found passed out in the ladies restroom. The cleaning lady thought he had had a heart attack until she rolled him over and saw the empty vodka bottle. He claimed the Chinese envoy got him drunk, took him to the loo and…”
Bill timed his interruption. “Did Bob’s shot cause you to miss?”
“Yes, I had already—”
Gloria put a hand to her lips and said nothing for a moment. “When did you find out?”
“I wasn’t sure until now. I thought it could have been a freak accident when the canister exploded—a piece of Robert’s round hitting the bag.”
“What changed your mind?”
“Your Mr. Terrance mentioned something that just three people knew—the Israeli didn’t make it. Seeing you tonight, I could understand a woman changing her hair color, but the black contact lenses for a trip to California seemed a bit much.”
“Bill, I’m sorry. Walter wanted someone there for backup. I wanted to tell you, but he was afraid it would compromise the situation.”
“Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you were there. I didn’t want to kill the cleric, but I realize now that if things hadn’t happened as they did, I would have had no other choice…One more question and we’ll never bring the subject up again.”
“Okay.”
“How did you get word about the factory?”
Gloria looked into the eyes of the man she didn’t want to do anything to displease. “If I tell you, do you promise not to get mad or do anything irrational?”
Bill frowned. “Of course! My word as a gentleman.”
“I contacted Bob when I got to Baghdad. I explained why I was there and convinced him to keep it between him and me. He was worried about your safety, which is the sole reason he promised not to tell you. We talked a few times. I told him about the tribe and the Israeli.”
Gloria looked worried. “You’re not displeased with him, are you?”
Bill had to think but a few seconds. “No. I owe him my life.”
He leaned forward and laid his hands on hers. “And I owe you for saving a situation I may have regretted for the rest of my life.”
He squeezed and released her hands. “Enough said—Baghdad’s behind us now.”
“Are you going back?”
“No. Mr. Bittermann has agreed to find me a position on the staff here, if I want it.”
Gloria took a shallow breath. “ Do you want it, Bill?”
“I don’t know. I have two weeks to see whether there’s anything that interests me enough to stay in New York.”
Gloria stood up and laid cash on the table then slid her hand under Bill’s arm to coach him toward the exit.
“Where we going?”
“To my place. If I have only two weeks to convince you to stay in NewYork, I’d better start tonight.”
ALSO BY J RANDALL
NOVELS
Gamal’s Assassin (Originally published as Death Mask) is the sequel to The Imam of the Cave.
It takes place three years after The Imam of the Cave and reunites Bill Holden and Bob Tilden in a fast paced thriller to recover artifacts that will come to be regarded as those of Tupac Amaru, the last indigenous leader of the Inca state in Peru. Their chase leads them to Egypt where with the help of a member of the tribe from The Imam of the Cave, they’ll confront a wealthy Egyptian, Gamal Zaghlul, who purchased the stolen artifacts at an auction in Brazil. When Gamal loses the artifacts, he’ll send his assassin, Samir, to recover them and exact vengeance.
Trip Wire (Originally published as Watch List)
Petra Wagner, a professional photographer, learns of a secret that has been in her family for generations. Skeptical and unable to forget the story, revealed to her by her mother, she visits a grave site at secluded monastery in Germany. Her visit sets off a trip wire in Rome. The von Hompesch family has been on a Vatican Watch List since 1842 when Ferdinand von Hompesch died at the monastery. Ferdinand, the last Grandmaster of the Knights of Malta, before the French, under Napoleon Bonaparte banished the Knights from the island in 1798, was a distant relative.
Copyright © 2010 by J Randall
Cover art by Carl Graves
All rights reserved
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be produced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from J Randall.
Table of Contents
Chapter 1: Former Iraqi Weapons Factory
Chapter 2: Military Liaison
Chapter 3: UN Headquarters, New York
Chapter 4: Reconnaissance Flight
Chapter 5: BMVC Compound, Baghdad
Chapter 6: Night Time in Baghdad
Chapter 7: Immunity
Chapter 8: Help Wanted
Chapter 9: Baath Party Headquarters, Baghdad
Chapter 10: Big Blue
Chapter 11: The Mossad
Chapter 12: Rumors
Chapter 13: The Institute
Chapter 14: Silver Cylinder
Chapter 15: London, England
Chapter 16: London, MI6 Headquarters
Chapter 17: Awakening
Chapter 18: News from New York
Chapter 19: Covert Observations
Chapter 20: Alone with the Guardians
Chapter 21: Chasing Tracks
Chapter 22: Mired in Sand
Chapter 23: Ar Rutbah Encounter
Chapter 24: Out of the Desert
Chapter 25: Unanswered Questions
Chapter 26: The Plan
Chapter 27: Departure
Chapter 28: Dark Encounter
Chapter 29: Sealing the Cave
Chapter 30: Abandoned Airfield
Chapter 31: Rain Check
Chapter 32: The Courtyard
Chapter 33: The Tribe
Chapter 34: The Secret
Chapter 35: “Don’t Run Too Far, You Will Have to Return the Same Distance” –Biblical Proverb
Chapter 36: Backtrack
Chapter 37: “Live Together like Brothers and Do Business like Strangers” –Arab Proverb
Chapter 38: Back in Country
Chapter 39: Local Architecture
Chapter 40: Bone Color
Chapter 41: Return to the Mosque
Chapter 42: Eye to Eye
Chapter 43: Contact
Chapter 44: “The Enemy of My Enemy Is My Friend” –Arab Proverb
Chapter 45: Additional Players
Chapter 46: The Collections Department
Chapter 47: “He Fishes Well Who Uses a Golden Hook” –Latin Proverb
Chapter 48: Exchange of Codes
Chapter 49: Safe House
Chapter 50: “The Cousin from Israel”
Chapter 51: Meeting in Ruins
Chapter 52: Mustafa’s Plan
Chapter 53: Dar Al-Salam Hotel
Chapter 54: Standoff
Chapter 55: Gift from Langley
Chapter 56: Use and Be Used
Chapter 57: “Do Not Throw the Arrow Which Will Return against You” –Kurdish Proverb
Chapter 58: Military Initiative
Chapter 59: Another Ruse
Chapter 60: “Let the Sword Decide after the Stratagem Has Failed” –Arab Proverb
Chapter 61: Betrayal
Chapter 62: Return to New York
Chapter 63: News at the Institute
Chapter 64: Bright Lights/Big City
ALSO BY J RANDALL
Copyright
>