CHAPTER 39
DUSK IS GATHERING AT THEedges of the city skyline by the time Daryl and I finally depart Aliah’s apartment.Daryl had the forethought to text Roberta while we were talking to Lilla.Roberta made a heroic attempt to make it to the dance studio in case Sabera magically showed.Apparently, no such luck.Now Daryl is catching Roberta up on everything we learned from the British spy handler.
Which feels like both too much and not nearly enough information all at once.
Mostly, I have an itch between my shoulder blades.Lilla has been following us the past few days.Clearly Aliah’s abductors have been watching as well.At least three men, one of them possibly Sabera’s own brother.
What does that mean?
And where are they now?
I find myself staring compulsively at the view in the side mirror.Has that SUV been behind us the entire time?What about that nondescript white sedan or black pickup truck?I see danger everywhere, and the falling light and tinted windows aren’t helping.
What’s that saying?Just because you’re paranoid doesn’t mean they’re not out to get you.
Daryl finally wraps up his call.He peers at me via the rearview mirror.
“Need anything?”he asks gruffly.
“New career.”
“Your head?”
“Hurts like hell, but that might be more from the conversation we just had than the concussion I suffered.”
“She talked a lot.”
“And yet very little of it was useful.”
“She talked a lot,” Daryl repeats.
It takes me another second—blame the concussion—then I get it.What kind of career spy volunteers so much information?From Sabera’s medical records to family legacy to this whole code within a code… In an intelligence officer’s world, information is power.Why volunteer so much up front?
“Fuck.”
Behind the steering wheel, Daryl nods in agreement.
“She’s playing us.”
Daryl nods.I swear again.Then: “But to what end?What do we know, what could we do, that would possibly have value to her?”
Except in this next instant, I get it.We might actually find Sabera Ahmadi.Personally, I feel Lilla’s odds are higher, but I appreciate her optimism.And if we do find Sabera…
“She discredited her,” I murmur.“The medical records.Sabera has a history of postpartum mental health episodes.And is now pregnant again, meaning God knows what.Maybe Lilla is trying to hedge her bets.If she can’t reach some sort of agreement with Sabera to learn the location of the REEs, she needs to at least sow enough seeds of doubt so no one else is interested in what Saberahas to say.Though that doesn’t explain her brother’s possible return from the dead.Also if he’s the one who kidnapped Aliah, what exactly are his intentions?Dear Lord, my head hurts!No spook double-talk necessary.”
“Two halves of one whole,” Daryl states.
“Yes, Sabera has alluded to that enough times, it must be real.The code, hidden gold, secret mines…” My voice lowers.“These are things worth killing for.”
“Aliah,” Daryl murmurs softly.
I sigh heavily in agreement, staring out the window at the darkening sky.
The white SUV behind us finally turns off.I breathe a little easier, till the truck behind it gains ground.
I don’t have to say a word to Daryl for him to take a sudden left, then right, then left again.All vehicles disappear from our mirrors.
A few more defensive maneuvers and we’re back on track.Unfollowed.Or so we hope.
