Brad Taylor - Enemy of Mine

“What then?”

“We get out of here. One way or another.”

The hotel was a small, boutique affair with less than fifteen rooms that catered to frugal travelers. It was clean, with a utilitarian lobby that was only thirty feet across. The receptionist was almost fawning at first, probably because they’d lost a ton of tourism dollars due to the upheavals in the Arab world and thought we were looking for a place to stay. As soon as we began asking questions about Lucas, using his Canadian identity, her demeanor shifted. She gave us the usual stonewall about not being able to discuss guests for privacy reasons, but she looked fearful, glancing at a door to her rear as if she hoped someone would bail her out of the conversation. He’s been here, and something happened.

I was about to request to talk to a manager when Samir touched my arm. I thanked the woman and backed off. Samir motioned toward the exit, and we followed him. He approached a young man of about nineteen or twenty, filling up a mop bucket. The boy smiled and shook Samir’s hand. They held a conversation for about three minutes in Arabic. When it was done, Samir pulled us aside.

“He’s a cousin of my wife. Your Infidel was here. He checked out yesterday morning, early. He also raped a woman in his room. A university student and the daughter of a very influential businessman. The maid found her tied to the bed when she came to clean. The family has ordered the entire episode to be kept secret, to save the daughter’s honor. That’s why the receptionist was acting the way she was.”

“Does he know who she is?”

“Yes, he goes to the university with her, that’s how he knows her. He saw her leaving the hotel that morning, crying.”

“Where can we find her?”

“Pike, I don’t think this is something we want to dig around in. It could cause trouble. The family is a powerful Sunni one.”

“Just ask him.”

He stepped over and exchanged some words, then came back.

“He gave me a cafe she frequents during the day. He said she’ll have classes starting in about an hour and might be there because the family has ordered her to act naturally, like nothing has happened. They don’t want any questions that could lead to her dishonor. Her name is Fatima Ruzami.”

“Okay, get us to the cafe and have him point her out. Only Jennifer and I will go in. She’ll clam up if she has to talk in front of a Lebanese, but maybe not to some Westerners. Especially another woman.”

The cafe was only a few minutes away, which was good, because we were now driving around like a circus car stuffed with clowns. Knuckles dropped us outside, and I had the cousin lead the way. The cafe had several tables lining the sidewalk left and right of the entrance, most empty. Before we reached the door, he pointed to a woman sitting alone at the farthest table outside, a small espresso in front of her.

“That’s her?”

“Yes.”

“Thanks for the help. You need a ride back to the hotel?”

“No thank you. I’ll walk.”

I waited until he disappeared, studying the woman. She was clearly attractive, with long, black hair and a trim figure. She was wearing stylish Western clothing and dark sunglasses. She remained still, not touching her espresso or looking around.

Jennifer said, “Let me start the conversation.”

“My thoughts exactly. Let’s go.”

She didn’t react to us until we’d actually sat down, me across the table and Jennifer next to her.

Jennifer gave her a warm smile and said, “Hello, Fatima. Don’t be alarmed. We’re friends.”

Fatima started at her name and made a move to stand. Jennifer put a hand on her arm and said, “Please, Fatima, we know what happened to you. We aren’t here to cause you trouble. We’re here to catch the man who did it. Outside of Lebanon. Nobody will know we talked.”

She sat back down, but said nothing.

“This is Pike, and I’m Jennifer.”

She looked at me, then at Jennifer, but remained mute. I would have liked to read her eyes, but was prevented by her large sunglasses.

Jennifer continued, placing her hand over Fatima’s on the table. “I know a little about what you’re going through. I had a husband who beat me. I was able to get some payback and want to do the same for you.”

Fatima sniffled, then removed her sunglasses to wipe away the beginnings of a tear. Her right eye was swollen and purple, the white inside bloodshot. That son of a bitch.

She said, “My family won’t let me talk. They won’t do anything. My honor is more important than catching this monster.” She spat the word honor with disgust.

Jennifer reached out and grasped her other hand, squeezing tightly. I could see tears starting to form in her eyes as well, and I knew it wasn’t an act.

“Help us. Can you tell us anything at all? Did he talk about hotels, where he had been or where he was going? Did you see any receipts, anything like that?”

“No. There was no time. I went back to his room for a cup of coffee, and he attacked me immediately. He hit me, then he tore my clothes off. I fought him, but…he threw me on the bed. He…he…” She broke down, sobbing with her head in her chest.

Jennifer said, “It’s okay. It’s okay.”

I spoke for the first time. “How did you meet? Was this the only time you had seen him?”

“Yes. I was at a disco with girlfriends from the university. My phone buzzed, and there was a text. It was from him. My girlfriends had given my number to him, and I thought it was cute for him to introduce himself that way. Imaginative, unlike the usual things I see. He was handsome, so I texted back. We texted back and forth for a while, then he approached. He was charming and friendly. At first. I wish I’d forgotten my phone that night. He would have picked someone else.”

I was trying to think of another line of questioning when what she said sent a bolt of adrenaline through me.

“He texted you? That night?”

His Hezbollah phone had been dead for more than forty-eight hours, which meant it was another phone.

“Yes.”

I asked, “Do you still have this text?” And held my breath.

A sharp laugh escaped. “Yes. I was going to turn it over to the police, when I thought anyone cared about justice.”

She pulled out her phone and showed me the text. With an international number tied to it.

Bingo.

You were just here two days ago. And you’re coming back?”

Lucas Kane gave his most relaxing smile, knowing that no matter what he did, it would look insincere. He just couldn’t get the smile to reach his eyes, as if he actually gave a shit. Which was fine with him. He could turn the smile into something that scared hardened men if it came to it, and he had nothing to hide at Dubai immigration. Yet.

“Yes. I was called away to Qatar suddenly for business. A little emergency that turned out to be nothing. Now I’m back.”

The official studied his passport as if he could glean the secrets of what Lucas had been doing the past forty-eight hours. Lucas inwardly grinned. The man was trying to find something to stop him. Some reason to harass him simply because he didn’t like Lucas’s shark teeth. He would shit his pants if he knew what I’ve been up to. And what I’m going to do.

Two days ago, he’d flown into Dubai just long enough to bribe the hawaladar , giving him a briefcase embedded with a beacon. It had taken some work, but he’d disassembled a GPS-enabled cell phone to its bare components, concealing it in a false bottom of an old leather hardside. He’d paid the guy handsomely to use the briefcase to deliver the money to the Ghost. After that, he’d only had two hours to spare before his flight to Qatar and had used it to find a secure meeting site for his Hezbollah contact. Secure in the sense it would keep him alive.