Freedom Does Matter (Mercenaries Book 2) (41 page)

Ian gave a non-committal grunt, but when they reached Go Shen’s offices, he said, “While it is not an astounding amount, I still fail to grasp their motivation. Why would they… What do they gain?”

“That’s not all. The list included the breakdown of the members of the consortium by amount. Almost ninety percent of it came from one organization. A church in Kansas City.”

“Let us set that aside. As hard as it is for me to accept that they funded the game, it is even harder to believe they did so to release nerve gas on the assembled fans.”

Kevin nodded, but then said, “Normally I’d agree, but these are people who think the universe is five or six thousand years old.”

Ian gave him a stern glance. “We will examine other leads. Was Derek able to contact Roni Shalev?”

“No, the police are holding him another week, for ‘questioning.’”

“I spoke with Hiam Demsky of IAC. He would like us to meet with him in Tel Aviv.”

“That’s a long flight. Did he say why?”

“He is unwilling to discuss it, beyond suggesting compensation would be available.”

“Oh, well, if there’s money, let’s do it!”

Ian chuckled. “When I mention money…”

They spent the afternoon with Shen, making plans with, Ian admitted, little likelihood of coming to fruition. However, Jean-Luc would fly them to New York to catch an El Al flight to Tel Aviv the next day.

“We need to make sure Demsky can meet with us on Friday,” Kevin said. “This meeting might interfere with his Sabbath.”

“We discussed it when we spoke. He will be available in the afternoon. He does not expect to need more than two hours.”

“Hell of a trip for a two hour meeting,” Shen said, a note of disbelief in his voice.

“Security,” Ian responded. “I suspect Mr. Shalev went somewhat out of bounds on this job, but Demsky does not wish to throw him under the bus, as they say.”

“Yeah. Who knows what else he might find to talk about.”

“Indeed. And Demsky will speak with us only in a space over which he has complete control.”

Ian left the meeting to visit Millie. She wasn’t in her office; one of the nurses suggested he try her home. At the door, he paused before rapping.

“Hello, Mr. Jamse,” Amy said. “Come on in. I’ll get Mom.”

He was standing in the Ardan’s front room when Millie entered. She waved him toward a comfortable chair and took the sofa. As she did, she asked, “To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Two things. First, I will be flying tomorrow morning. Kevin and I are going to Tel Aviv for a brief meeting. We should return shortly after noon Saturday.”

“Wow!” came a voice from the hallway. With a wry smile, Ian leaned back to peer around the corner.

Millie did the same, but added a reprimand. “Amy Rose! Take yourself to your room and don’t hang around eavesdropping!”

A faint “Yes, Mom,” floated back.

“At least she does not hide it.” Ian chuckled. “In any event, nothing I plan to say will be a problem in her ears.” He sat forward again. “I wished to advise you of the trip.”

“You’re flying commercial?”

“Once we arrive in New York, yes. Boynton is booking us on El Al, non-stop. I thought to stop in London to visit Mr. Hamilton, but he believes there is nothing he can add.”

“Well…” Millie stood and walked around behind Ian. She slipped his helmet off and examined his skull. “Everything looks exactly as I wish.” She returned to her seat as she said, “You two be careful. Any blow to the head will cause very major problems.”

He nodded. “Kevin said the same. My plan is to sit and talk. But their
afuch
may be strong enough to hurt—”

Millie laughed. “That’s easy. Stick with bottled water. Then you only have to worry about BPA.”

“Thank you.” He sat back again, but this time focused on the doctor. When she began to look down, he said, “My second issue. Shalin deVeel suggested I speak with you about Rebecca and her… fears.”

The look on Millie’s face was pure astonishment. She gulped before looking at him again, but after a mere glance, she dropped her eyes again. “Well, Ian, if she meant what I think, first, I resign.” She met his eyes. “No, wait! Let me finish. To be clear, I’m resigning to save you firing me.

“I believe that Shalin hinted to you a little episode that Beckie and I had the day I woke you.”

She didn’t need much time to describe Beckie’s swoon at her horrible jest; she stopped.

Ian wondered how she could have been more upset then than she was now. He went to sit beside her on the sofa. “Thank you.” He waited long enough for her to raise her eyes. “First, I reject your resignation. One minor error—which may not even be an error—against the work you do and direct each day. That is an easy equation to solve. I will hear no more about it,” he said as she tried to protest. “We will not speak of it again.” He sat sideways on the sofa, an arm over the back. “I am unsure… I do not know how to react.”

Millie turned to face him, a smile on her face now that he’d relieved the tension of her resignation. “Okay. Since I still work for you, I’ll ask you to listen to me, and then forgive anything that offends you.

“I know Beckie left this morning. She didn’t talk to me first, nor Shalin, not even Amy. More surprising; she didn’t speak to Noorah or Haleef, and Xia only heard from her when Beckie called her from the plane, asking her to continue her guardianship until the… Until we have an idea what to do with them.” She stood. “I’m going to get a drink, how about you?”

“Just water, thank you.”

In a minute, Millie had handed Ian a water and was sipping from a bottle of beer. “I guessed that she had a personal reason for leaving.”

“I asked her to leave… to return home. For her safety.”

“Oh. Wow.” She set her beer on the table and turned to stare at him. “For the life of me, Ian, I can’t think of a more stupid thing to do. Don’t you understand… No, obviously not. Are you sure that’s the reason? Kevin said she did a bang-up job in Egypt. London, too—”

“And came home with broken ribs— What?”

“I said, cracked, not broken.”

“Cracked ribs, then,” he said with a sneer. “Cuts, bruises, a beating prefatory to a rape. I had every confidence she would do a ‘bang-up’ job, but I was not prepared for her being banged-up in the bargain.”

“So you don’t think it’s… how shall I put it? You don’t think you’re concerned that she’s…”

Ian wriggled a little on the cushion, then had a flash of insight. “No, Millie, I am not worried about Rebecca taking over. I suppose there are things with which I am less bothered. Perhaps an invasion from Mars. If Rebecca is better suited than any others, then she will succeed.”

“Okay. If that’s the case, I think you’ve gone about it the wrong way.” She finished her beer and set the bottle down. “When you proposed to Beckie and she accepted, you didn’t get a china doll, happy to sit on the shelf and be decorative. She is surely decorative…” Her smirk became serious. “… however, unlike a doll, she is not fragile and she won’t accept being only decorative. Beckie needs to get out and work. Do you remember what happened the last time you sent her home? If I recall, either Sue or Kevin could—”

Further discussion will result in unnecessary arguments. “Thank you, Doctor.” Ian stood. “This will be sufficient. I will take my leave, with thanks for the water as well as your insights.”

Ian and Kevin had flown, been poked and prodded, and finally met with Demsky.

The two hours spent in the desert outside Tel Aviv promised financial compensation but little else. Not for attribution under any circumstance, Demsky had told them the same things Roni Shalev had. He confirmed the shipment had been made to Houston and that IAC had not inquired and did not know the identity of either the target or Shalev’s customer. Shalev would not provide that information, either. However, on behalf of IAC, Demsky did offer a considerable reward if Ian and the team delivered the person or persons responsible for the attack to justice in the UK, allowing Shalev to be released.

As they returned, Kevin asked if Ian would be willing to part with that much to free him.

“If I had to, Kevin.” Ian allowed his serious expression to fade. “But it would come out of your pay.”

Ian awoke halfway through the announcement that the plane would land as scheduled in forty-five minutes. “To set your watches, local New York time is now Saturday at 5:01 AM Eastern Daylight Time,” the pilot concluded.

The flight attendant brought him orange juice and coffee; he drank the juice down, then sipped the coffee.

The meeting they’d had didn’t need any contemplation; he wondered what Rebecca was doing, and if Millie was correct.

As they had at Millie’s, his defenses came up. It was safer for her to be at home. But is it my place to decide that safer is the right thing? He and Kevin were now getting down to the nub of the whole matter. And hasn’t she proven herself more than capable? I don’t want her hurt! He had no rebuttal to that.

Ian hastened through the transfer hall, until, about halfway along, he missed Kevin. He stopped and looked back. Kevin was tapping on his phone. When he looked up, he waved and hurried to catch up.

“Interesting news from Derek,” he said.

“Ah, yes. What has our man in London been doing?”

“Let me tell you…” He looked past Ian. “In a minute, Jean-Luc is waiting.” He pointed along the hall to the waving pilot.

Fifteen minutes later, they were seated in the Gulfstream g150. Ian had a sparkling water; Kevin was enjoying a Sam Adams Summer Ale.

“I’m always glad to be able to get this,” he said, raising the frosted bottle. “Only available during the summer, you know.”

“Hmm. What of Derek?”

“The Marriott in London called him Wednesday morning to say the cleaning crew had found a cell phone under the furniture in the suite we used. They thought one of us might have dropped it.

“Well, he was pretty sure that wasn’t the case, but he hurried over and picked it up. It wasn’t one of ours; it’s a British market one. First thing, he and his mate dusted it for prints, but found nothing usable. Then they went through it.”

Ian leaned forward. “It was not locked?”

“No. In amongst the local calls, there were calls to the US. One shortly before the room service waiters invaded.” He paused.

Ian gaped at Kevin but recovered and said, “Coincidence, probably.”

“I don’t know. If someone saw us looking at the trash cans, they could have followed us and then arranged the attack.”

“Indeed.”

Kevin finished his bottle and stowed it in the cup holder. “When he sent the message, they’d traced the US number to an area code for Kansas, near Kansas City. There were three calls to that number over three days.”

“That was Thursday?”

“Late Thursday, yeah.”

“When we arrive, we will see if he has any updates.”

“Jean-Luc said we should arrive about ten, so… two in the afternoon there. Though it is Saturday…”

“Indeed,” Ian said. “I suppose he is not sitting by the phone waiting for our call. But Emily remains at the Nest, does she not?”

“Yes. He’ll be down at the pub, no doubt.”

Ian chuckled.

Their arrival at the Nest was subdued.

“Where is Shalin? I expected to see her.”

“She’s with Meili and the Egyptian girls. Jean-Luc took Meili to visit Beckie, and Shalin went along to chaperone.” He paused a second. “She also asked Jean-Luc to make a stop on the way back. In Kansas City.”

Ian didn’t immediately say anything in response, but the two friends shared a look. “Need I say how much I dislike coincidence?”

Kevin shook his head. “We’ve learned that lesson together.”

“Why Kansas City?”

“She wants to meet with Imam Rashid’s sister.”

Ian began the trek to the boat. “Who is the Imam? And what interest could Shalin have in his sister?”

“He’s one of the people at the Islamic Center in Nassau. Shalin likes him and he does seem more rational than some we’ve met.” He shook his head. “His sister? I know nothing about her.”

“Hmm. Do you want to check in with the children?”

“It can wait. They’re in good hands and I don’t want to dig out their gifts yet. Let’s get the call to Derek done.” He grinned as they landed the boat on Home Cay. “Assuming we can find him.”