Sarai

by Lilya Myers

  “Sir, it will be a few minutes. This is all new, these computers…”

  The young clerk stared hopelessly at the new technology in front of him. Hotels everywhere had jumped on the bandwagon. It had only been two years since the first IBM computer was introduced into the Waldorf Astoria in New York.

  “I’m sorry…we’re still learning…must be with all the checkins…” The clerk stayed fixed on the screen, working the keyboard like he was the Wizard of Oz with the controls behind a curtain.

  Dan started breaking out in a sweat and had to remove his suit jacket. “Would you kindly check for my package while we wait?”

  “I apologize, I cannot do that until my screen is back up to find out what room number you were assigned. Packages, mail, and other personal belongings are stored according to room numbers. Security, you know.” He could feel Dan glaring at him so he kept his head down and eyes locked on the screen.

  Dan was beside himself while at the same time inwardly berating himself for being so short with the clerk. His demeanor softened and he said to the clerk, “I’m sorry. I’ve just had some unpleasant business, I’m tired, and my patience was worn thin today. I’m sure this is just as frustrating for you.”

  “No problem, Mr. Somers. I did not take it –” He breathed a sigh of relief, “ah, here we go.”

  The screen lit up. He slid a key across the counter. “Here is your key. Your room is 6046, sixth floor, with a balcony. Lovely view of the bay… when it’s not raining. Allow me to have your bags brought up to your –”

  “No, that’s fine. I can manage. It’s only one bag. Now, will you check on that package for me? I’m in a bit of a rush.”

  “Would you care for me to have it sent up to your room?”

  Politeness was becoming a strain. “Thank you, no. It shouldn’t take you more than a moment to get it, right? I’ll wait.”

  The poor clerk was really trying. Pressure from all sides. A supervisor was probably watching him from some covert observation point to make sure that he didn’t inconvenience a guest. Dan had already been there well over two hours.

  It was still pouring rain. Dan observed the people huddled like sardines waiting to board the elevators. They were moving along quickly but the limits of a usually patient man had already been stretched as far as they would go. He thought better of waiting for the elevator. With the package under one arm and holding his suitcase in the other hand, Dan walked to the other side of the lobby. To the right were restrooms and to the hallway on the left was a huge set of glass doors with a red glowing EXIT sign over it.

  He pushed through the doors that led outside to a covered portico. A small wedge of light sparkled on the wet cobblestone until it was swallowed up by the unlit gardens beyond it. Dan moved only steps away from the light so that he became one with the darkness and stay out of the rain. A quick glance over his shoulder ensured that no one had followed him outside. A huge drop of water escaped through the overhang above him, landing on his nose as he poked his head around the corner to make certain that he was alone. He didn’t like this feeling. Alarm bells were going off and red flags were going up.

  The well-padded envelope was huge and heavy. Stepping partially into the light, he ripped open the package and pulled out its contents.

  A phone. It looked a little like the new cordless home phone technology that had recently made its debut in American homes. Motorola had also introduced the world’s first commercial portable cell phone. Dan was familiar with the technology. In 1977, he was aware that Motorola worked with U.S. government agencies to receive regulatory approval and had been granted a developmental license for the Baltimore-Washington, D.C. area. As the team continued to test and refine the technology in those early years, the cellular concept was spreading through other parts of the world. Motorola began supplying systems and phones to other countries.

  There was a note inside directing him to call the pre-programmed number. A familiar voice spoke inside his head. The voice of reason. Now why in the hell would Hashim need a phone that can’t be bugged or traced and how was he able to get hold of these?

  That was the least of his concerns right now. The screen showed three missed calls. The first two calls were within twenty minutes of each other. The last had been an hour before. “Damn!” Scenarios Dan would rather not contemplate flooded his thoughts.

  As despondent as Hashim has been, would he consider suicide? Dan really couldn’t wrap his head around that but then no one usually could until after the person was gone. That’s when all the indications, that no one saw coming, came into focus.

  No. He absolutely dismissed that possibility. It wasn’t even worth considering. There was no dragon so big that Hashim wouldn’t slay it for the sake of Sarai. He smiled to himself at the thought of the precious little child he remembered. The smile quickly died on his lips. Her life had been cut too short. The wounds of having lost her mother too fresh.

  Perhaps, Hashim simply gave up after the last call and assumed I left.

  The last lingering thought Dan had was that Hashim could very well be involved in some kind of dangerous business and he was in trouble. That actually fit better than anything, considering his behavior over the past two years. Dan quickly pressed redial. He wasn’t going to wait until he got to the room. He listened to the phone. One ring, two rings. It continued to ring until it finally cut off. He held the phone away from his ear and just stared at it.

  CHAPTER 16

  DAN WAITED TO see if Hashim would call back before he dared to get on the elevator to his room. Food was hardly solace at a time like this, yet his stomach protested. He didn’t remember how long it had been since he ate. The clerk told him that the hotel’s room service operated until 2 a.m. One thing at a time. He pulled open the glass door to step back inside. From the end of the hallway, he could see that there was no one waiting by the elevator now. It would be my luck for Hashim to call just as I got in. To the left of the elevators was another door with the universal sign for stairway. He took the steps.

  The room was spacious with designer furnishings; Tramontano leathers with Caprai fabrics, and a to-die-for view of the Gulf of Naples. He pulled the sheer drapes all the way back. The rain had stopped, giving him the freedom to step out onto the balcony. The smell of salt air and sweet rain swirled around to create a scent like no other. Dan took in a deep breath. It was a beautiful sight at night. Patches of light came from the dock. The entire harbor was dotted with lights from boats that twinkled on the water like stars in a night sky, and then rocked on their silvery blanket of waves rolling gently to the shore. Whether he reached Hashim or not, he was stuck in Naples for the night. He ordered something light from room service and fixed a cup of espresso to kill time.

  Another few hours passed. It was 4 a.m., nearly time to get up. Only he was already up. Dan had decided to give up on hearing from Hashim. He fixed himself another espresso to keep himself going. He would take a shower, grab some breakfast and try to catch a flight out. There was no point sitting in this hotel room. Dan was anxious to be home with Marie, and if Hashim wanted to talk, he knew the number.

  He tried dialing the programmed number three more times and threw the phone on the bed. It started ringing. He dove for the phone and answered before it could ring again. “Hashim?”

  “Yes, Dan, it’s me. I…”

  The espresso had definitely kicked in. So had the adrenaline. “Why didn’t you call me back? I’ve called and called…no answer, no way to leave you a message…I’m sitting in this room, half-crazy, wondering what in the hell I’m doing here, where the hell you are, what the hell’s going on…”

  Hashim answered in a calming voice. He was standing on the balcony of his hotel room. The sea always had a way of calming storms that swirled around him. Understandably, Dan was a little too high strung at the moment and needed soothing but he wasn’t aware of the dilemma that had Dan so prickled.

  “I called you when I told you I would,” Hashim stated flatly. �
�You did not answer.” This wasn’t about placing blame. He was just stating the facts. “A couple of hours had gone by and I assumed you continued on your flight home. I had some important matters to take care of. That’s when I slipped the phone into my jacket pocket. I had forgotten to take it off mute and never heard it ring. Never carried a telephone around with me before. Not very ergonomic, as they say. I take it you’re on your way home from the airport about now. I’m sorry our meeting did not work out. Look, I won’t keep you. Give Marie my love. I’ll talk to you soon…” His voice trailed off, sounding so tired and weak.

  “Hashim! Don’t you dare hang up! Hashim! Hashim! Listen to me. I am still in Naples!”

  Hashim still had the phone up to his ear at the same time his finger was sliding toward the end call button. Anguish and exhaustion had pushed him to the limit – there was still so much to do. Dan knew him too well. If he stayed on the phone any longer, Dan would ask too many questions. He had been far too preoccupied with another matter to consider anything other than the fact that Dan was so angry with him that he went on back to Long Island.

  Hashim needed sleep. The memorial was stressful and draining. This other juggling and balancing act he was trying to manage was more than one human could sustain before it unraveled. Groggily, he silently repeated the word Naples and suddenly, he was triggered back to life. He lifted the phone back to his mouth.

  “Did you say Naples? You are in Naples?”

  “Yes. Yes. I am in Naples. The storm grounded all outbound flights. You should have known that.”

  The truth was that Hashim figured him for gone and set about trying to pull in owed favors that would enable him to put a new plan together immediately. He let the comment rest while Dan kept talking.

  “Unfortunately, I wasn’t the first person to get to the hotel. The airlines were putting people up wherever they could find rooms. It was a madhouse. I’ll spare you the details. I appreciate the reservation, by the way. It’s not that I didn’t want to call you. I couldn’t call you. When I was finally able to get my hands on the package, it was apparent that you had already called three times. The hotel still had the package locked up when you had placed your last call. So let’s get to the point. Why am I sitting in a hotel room in Naples talking to you on this stupid phone like we’re two spies in a James Bond movie?”

  Hashim shot out of the oversized wingback chair where he had been nodding off.

  “Surely I know you’re not joking! Wonderful!”

  It was like Hashim got a shot of adrenaline himself and he almost let his excitement rise to the pitch of an approaching locomotive. He stepped out on the balcony for fresh air. “I’m glad that all the flights were canceled and for all the confusion,” Hashim said with a huge grin plastered across his face.

  If anyone was keeping tabs on Dan’s movements, his layover in Naples could not be taken for anything but a legitimate delay. A legitimate reason to let one’s guard down, too.

  “Did I just hear you say that? You’re happy that I spent the last several hours going nowhere, not to mention this insanity with you?” I could swear I just heard the ocean in the background.

  “I was worried that you’d have to disembark the plane before takeoff and that would attract the wrong attention. The canceled departures will help to make the rest go much more smoothly.”

  “The rest of what? What are you talking about, the wrong attention, and why are we talking on these stupid phones? Are you in Naples?” There it is again. Ocean? I must be hallucinating.

  “I will explain everything. Give me an hour. I’ll call you and tell you when and where we can meet.”

  “You are in Naples!” Dan cussed under his breath. “You didn’t answer my question. You going to give me the slip again, Hashim? You’ve been exceptionally adept at that lately.”

  “No,” he said flatly. “You have my word, I will call you in one hour.”

  Dan recognized that familiar determination he once knew in Hashim’s voice. It spoke volumes. Hashim would keep his word this time. The problem for Dan was that one hour would seem like a slow boat to eternity.

  CHAPTER 17

  DAN’S NERVES WERE strung as tight as a piano wire. It was as though time was weightless and got stuck in another dimension. “Come on, Hashim,” he encouraged out loud as though his urging would telepathically reach Hashim. Dan paced. He drank more espresso. Bad idea. He paced some more. Turned the TV on. Turned the TV off. When the bedside phone in his room rang, he nearly came out of his skin.

  It was way past the time he should have arrived back on Long Island. He realized that he’d forgotten to call Marie. And after hearing from Hashim, well… time and sanity had gotten away from him. Dealing with CIA operations was easier than this. He was still in his suit, tie pulled off and thrown across the bed. He couldn’t relax. Not now. There were deep dark circles under his eyes brought on by the overseas travel, the memorial, and generally, lack of sleep. This new development wasn’t helping. It was a good thing he took some vacation time with his bereavement leave. A few days home alone with Marie. No jet planes, no airports, no hotels in foreign cities, no work. This wasn’t at all what he had in mind.

  He grabbed the receiver on the fourth ring. “Hello?”

  “Oh my gosh, Dan! I’ve been so worried!” It was Marie.

  “How did you know….never mind. I am so sorry. The storm got so severe….”

  “I know. Our flight was pretty rough too. When I didn’t hear from you, assuming that you should have gotten into the airport in Islip, I checked with the airlines. They said that all the flights had been delayed until the weather let up. I figured you got stuck at the airport and they rerouted you, stopovers, and all that. So I waited a few more hours and called again. That’s when they told me that all the flights had been canceled and the passengers were set up in hotels around Naples. When I still didn’t hear from you, I decided to start checking the hotels there. Only I didn’t know where to start. I got hold of your secretary to give me some names of hotels…” Marie rolled that all out in one breath.

  “Take it easy honey.” Dan tried to sound reassuring, hoping to disguise the edge that was stripping his every last nerve raw.

  Marie knew him too well. “You sound nervous, Dan. Is everything okay?” Sure, hon, just playing spy games with Hashim. I can’t tell you why, and I’m freaking out because I expect him to call any second with the next clue as to why we’re playing James Bond.

  The question he faced now, in his own mind, was how much he should tell her, or not tell her. Hashim had gone to extreme lengths to make this as covert as possible. He didn’t want to lie to Marie but at the same time, he was afraid that something very serious was at stake. He had to protect her from whatever it was until he felt it was safe for her to know. How would I even begin to explain what’s going on, anyway, when I don’t know myself ?

  “No, I’m good, honey. Too much espresso all day.”

  Well, that part wasn’t far off the mark. Some truth mixed with a little fiction. Maybe a little truth mixed with a lot of fiction. In any event, it just had to be that way. At least right now.

  “I’ve never been so tired. It was such a long day. Let me rephrase that. It’s been a long week. I was hoping to get a little shut-eye on the plane but they had us holed up in there until they made the decision to ground the flight. It’s been raining steadily. The hotel was crazy and it took forever to get in my room. Ruined my shoes. I hadn’t eaten all day until I got something from room service a while ago. I probably shouldn’t have eaten so much so late, along with indulging in this Italian black coffee. I was fading and trying to stay awake to call you. To make a long story short, I’m overtired, cranky, have indigestion, and miss you like it’s been forever.” He was getting antsy. Hashim could be calling any minute.

  “I miss you too and want you home. But I’d like you back and not a zombie. You’ve got work to think about too, I suppose. I should let you go. Get some rest and we can talk tomorrow.”
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  Guilt, guilt, guilt. I feel like I’m trying to cover up an illicit love affair, for crying out loud.

  It wasn’t far from the truth. Everything Dan had told Marie was true. Pretty much. He was just leaving out one very important detail. It wasn’t the kind of thing he could nonchalantly bring up in conversation.

  Oh, by the way, I think Hashim has lost his mind and he arranged for me to hang out here so I can meet up with him and help him find the marbles he lost that were once his brains. “No. No. Not at all. I checked in with the desk already. I’m waiting for the concierge to get back to me. They’re checking on flights.”

  Marie spoke up before he could respond. Marie, ever the savior of bad situations even when she didn’t know she was in one. “Tell you what. With the weekend coming up, the girls from the courthouse asked me to go with them into the city for a show and two days of shopping. Originally, I said no because I expected you home. But when I found out that you were delayed, I thought it might work out. We plan to come home Sunday night sometime. Just let me know what flight you’ll be on and I’ll come pick you up at MacArthur Airport.”

  Marie was such a good woman. “Are you sure, honey? I hate leaving you alone any longer than I have to.”

  “I’m absolutely sure. I am looking forward to going into the city. I think maybe the change in plans was ordained for both of us. Perhaps you and Hashim need some time by yourselves to sort out the memories. I know you haven’t had an ounce of much-deserved alone time to reflect. Two days are probably not enough to help with all that jetting back and forth you’ve done in the past couple of weeks.”

  Dan said fondly, “Here you’re worried about me and you worked yourself to a frazzle to make the memorial a tribute that truly honored them. As much as I hate to admit it, perhaps this has worked out well. Not that I don’t miss you like crazy! I’m glad that you’ll have some time with the girls to do things you haven’t had time to do for yourself.”