“Found a room full of weapons.Got caught by the guards.I think we’re running out of time.”
“I didn’t have much luck either.Got intercepted by Stefan, then by another crew member.”She paused.“But I did hear something interesting from Poppy earlier.”
“What?”
“She said Idris has been locked in his office for hours every morning.Making calls, getting agitated.Something about a deal that’s not going the way he planned.”
Omar filed that information away.An office where Idris spent hours on sensitive calls would be exactly where they’d want to search.
“Where is this office?”
“She didn’t say.But I did see a door marked ‘Private.’”
“We need to search it if we can.And soon.”
Marielle nodded, then leaned into him as Bashir walked past, still looking suspicious.
“Maybe we should take a nap,” she said loudly enough to carry.“I’m exhausted from all this sun and the jet ski race.”
Back in their stateroom, with the bathroom faucets running, they huddled together near the tub.
“This isn’t working,” Marielle whispered.“We’re being watched too closely.And tomorrow evening we dock in Marseille.”
“I know.”
“We need to get to Hanna.She’s the only one who might know where the intel is.She has to know something, Omar.The way Idris watches her, controls her—she must know things he doesn’t want her to talk about.”
Omar thought about the crying he’d heard and the way Bashir had headed toward it like it was routine.
“But how?”
“The gym,” she said snapping her fingers.“I heard her telling Poppy she works out every morning before breakfast and then has a steam bath.”
He grinned.
“What?”
“Catch her in the sauna.It won’t have a camera.Too much steam would damage the equipment.”
“Are you sure?”
“I used to meet with an informant who was giving me tips about a fentanyl ring.We met in a Turkish bathhouse specifically because we couldn’t be recorded in the steam room.”
She smiled broadly.“Look at that DEA agent experience coming in clutch!That’s perfect.I’ll find a way to get her there alone.”
“Be careful.If Idris suspects?—”
“I know.But we’re out of options.”
She was right.They were running out of time, and they still had nothing to show for it.
They had to take the risk.He just wished he was the one taking it, not her.
9
They begged off dinner,making veiled references to celebrating their anniversary properly.Idris had the chef prepare an oyster dish and sent it to their room with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot.
They fed each other the oysters and champagne for the camera and then spent some time making noises under the comforter and trying not to laugh.
