Chapter Thirty-Two
At the last moment, Musa stepped toward Elizabeth and wrapped his hand around her wrist. Before she could respond, Rome grabbed his fingers, bent them backward hard until the big man gasped and went down on his knees. Rome said in a pleasant voice, “Call off your dog, Mr. Aboud, or I’ll break his fingers and he’ll be no good to you.”
Aboud gave a command in Arabic.
Musa nodded. Rome released his fingers and watched him slowly stand, his eyes never leaving Rome’s face. He said in a low vicious voice, “Sa’aqtuluk.”
Aboud said something sharp in Arabic to Musa, then changed to English. “He only wished to escort Lady Elizabeth from the room, Agent. Perhaps he was a bit clumsy, but no matter. Agent, you have managed to upset Musa. Were I you, I would take him seriously. He was trained by my father’s bodyguard, Ibrahim, a great fighter, and he has a long memory. He will not fall for your trick a second time.”
Rome said, “Yumkinuh almuhawila.”
Aboud’s dark eyebrow went up. “He can try? You speak Arabic. How is this?”
“I visited Damascus as a boy. I learned enough to know he threatened to kill me.”
Elizabeth stared at him.
Rome watched Musa rub his fingers, hatred cold and hard in his flat dark eyes. Rome looked away from him to Aboud. “I’ll have another surprise for him if he lays his hand on Elizabeth again, and that one he might not survive.”
Aboud said, “Allow me to apologize. Musa should not have touched Lady Elizabeth. But no one appreciates such threats, Agent. It is a pity you think us adversaries. Lady Elizabeth’s family and mine have a long history. I have nothing but respect for her family.” He smiled at her. “I am very pleased you survived the attempted bombing of St. Paul’s last year. A terrible thing. I wish you luck in finding the people responsible for all this misery.
“Musa, if you will please show these people out. Do not touch anyone.”
Sherlock said over her shoulder, “Mr. Aboud, since your Sikorsky was used in a violent attack on Lady Elizabeth, federal agents will be back with a warrant. I do recommend you put a leash on your bodyguard here. If he attempts violence or obstructs them in any way, he will be arrested.”
Silence followed them out of Aboud’s office.
Musa said nothing as he walked them back to the front of the house, all the while flexing his sore fingers. He opened the front door and waited there until they passed by him into a brilliant sunset and soft evening air. They heard a dog bark and a horse nicker as the door closed quietly behind them.
Sherlock said as they approached the Porsche, her voice pitched low, “I planted a bug against a leg of Aboud’s desk.”
Elizabeth stared at her in amazement. “I didn’t see you do that.”
Savich grinned at her. “You were looking at Rome and the bodyguard. Well done, sweetheart.”
Sherlock said, “I don’t think Aboud believed us about the pilot surviving the crash. But it was worth a try, Dillon, to seehow he’d react.” She opened an app on her cell phone, punched in her password. “Let’s see if Aboud has anything to say to his bodyguard.” They didn’t hear Aboud’s or Musa’s voice; they heard movement and another voice so quiet Sherlock had to turn up the volume. They could make out only a few words,planted, anddesk, nothing more. Then came a low buzzing noise, and silence.
Sherlock said, “That’s it, no more. Did anyone hear if it was a man or a woman speaking?”
Rome and Elizabeth shook their heads. Savich said, “We’ll have tech enhance it, see if we can get any more.”
Elizabeth said, “I remember now there was a mirror. Could it have been two-way?”
Sherlock sighed. “Yes, maybe, or a video camera tucked away we didn’t see. Don’t look so down in the mouth, Elizabeth, it would have been an incredible piece of luck if the bug had caught Aboud giving himself away. We’ll find out at some point who the person was watching us.”
On the trip back to Washington, Sherlock joined Savich in the Porsche and Elizabeth rode with Rome. When he turned onto the country road fronting Aboud’s property, Savich said, “Why would a rich Syrian want so badly to take Elizabeth that he’d risk exposure and a priceless antique Sikorsky?”
Sherlock leaned her head back against the headrest. “It can’t be only about money. All this frantic effort to take her—for what gain? What could Aboud want so badly? Maybe it goes back to Samir Basara or to the old imam, Hädi ibn Mirza, and the belief she somehow betrayed them. Maybe Aboud somehow connects to them?”
Savich said, “I can’t believe you remember the old imam’s name. If there is a connection, MAX will find it.”
Sherlock sighed. “I’ll never forget that name. I do know this, though. If Aboud or someone else behind this is motivatedenough, they’re not going to stop until Elizabeth’s in the trunk of a car. And that isn’t going to happen, ever.”
Savich looked over and saw Sherlock was lightly rubbing her stomach. He laid his hand on her thigh.
“How’s our kid?”
“Beauregard is just fine, jumping around a bit, but radiating well-being.”
