Iris Johansen - Deadlock

"So what are we going to do? You said I could be accused of the murders." She still felt the same shock she had when Garrett had said those words in the library. "There has to be some way that-"

"There is a way," Garrett said, his pace increasing. "But not until I get to a place where I can make a safe call. And it has to be fast. Fer¬guson is going to have to make a decision soon, and we have to get in under the wire."

"WE NEED TO MAKE A DEAL," Garrett said when Ferguson picked up the phone an hour later.

Ferguson felt a swift surge of satisfaction. "I don't have to do a damn thing. I've got you, Garrett." He made a motion to Moore to trace the call.

"You haven't got me, or I wouldn't be calling you. And you may not want to have me if it means that you're going to have to bring Emily into this. So let's talk deal. Providing you still have anything with which to deal. Have you informed the Afghan government about Nemid's death?"

"Not yet."

"I didn't think you'd be in a hurry. First, you'd send a team back to make sure that there isn't anything interesting lying around there that could be of interest to the Company. You didn't find anything, did you?"

"I'll have to get a report. It's early yet. What were you after, Gar¬rett?"

"I was after whatever the person who killed Nemid was after." "And did you get it?"

"Maybe." He paused. "But I don't know what it is yet. I have to have time to find out."

"You're not going to have time. I'm going to have your ass, Garrett. None of this bullshit about deals. I'm on top now."

Moore was shaking his head. No trace.

Ferguson muttered a curse.

"Irritated?" Garrett said. "That must mean you've found out you're not going to be able to trace me. I took the trouble to relay the call several times around the world. It made me a little nervous taking the time, but I knew it was necessary. Now let's talk deal. You don't want to pull Emily into this."

"I do if she shot Nemid. I figure she was pissed at having been sent up to those mountains by Nemid and decided to blow his head off. She was unstable and took revenge on an innocent man."

"Only he wasn't innocent. He was dirty as hell. He wouldn't have been killed if he hadn't been in on the raid. Staunton killed him to keep his mouth shut and to get something he was holding."

"Staunton?"

"The man who killed Levy."

"Why are you telling me about him now?"

"Because I'm very much afraid we have to be partners. Extremely limited partners." He paused. "You don't want them to go after Emily. We both know how that would look for you. You told everyone she was ill and in seclusion and that it was you who put her there. Any way you look at it, you're going to look bad if she turns out to be a killer. Either she's a victim who should have had treatment and didn't receive it. Or she killed her friend's murderer because she couldn't get any satisfaction from the authorities, namely you, and had to do the job herself. Either way, you're not going to look good."

"I can work around it."

"Even if Emily tells the media that you told her that killing Ne¬mid was the only way she'd get justice? The Afghan council doesn't trust the CIA anyway. They'd just assume you had your own agenda and used her to kill off Nemid because he was causing you problems."

No, Emily Hudson could give him headaches galore if Garrett primed her to cause him trouble, Ferguson thought bitterly. He might have to deal. "You didn't kill Nemid?"

"They were dead when we got there. And Nemid must have known his assailant, or the guard wouldn't have let him into the house."

"He would have known Emily Hudson."

"True. But he would have been on the alert since he'd be afraid she suspected him." He paused. "She didn't kill him, Ferguson. The son of a bitch deserved it, but she didn't do it. Neither did I. It was Staunton or one of his men."

"Why?"

"I don't know yet. I'll find out. But I need time, and I can't do anything if you or the Afghans come after me." "So what's the deal?"

"You do a cleanup job at Nemid's house and make sure that there's no evidence linking us."

"That could spark an international incident if they tumble to what I'm doing."

"And you never do anything that's not safe and aboveboard? Come on, Ferguson."

He didn't answer for a moment. "Not unless it's worth my while."

"You want to clean all the mud off your coattails and you want the director and the whole world to think you're a hero. That would make it worth your while."

"And you're going to do that?"

"I'll do it. I'll find Staunton, and I'll make sure that you're in¬volved. I'll make you shine, Ferguson. You'll get the credit for bringing the bad guy to justice."

"Why should I trust you?"

"I give you my word." He added sarcastically, "You'll remember, I keep my word. I've never left you in the lurch."

"It was necessary." Ferguson was going over his options. Whatever he decided, he'd have to move fast. Garrett did keep his word. He could count on that either way. He'd either make Ferguson a hero or find a way to sting him big-time. "Maybe I don't need you now that I have a name. I can go after Staunton myself."

"And now we're back to Emily and her ability to cause you an in¬finite amount of trouble."

Yes, there was that stumbling block. Emily Hudson was a heroine and a martyr, and the media would jump at the chance of crucifying him. He thought about it for another moment. "Okay. Deal. But if you try to screw me, I'll hang you out to dry."

"I won't screw you. Now call off your guys. Tell them it was all a mistake, and Emily and I are pure as a child's first prayer. I'll be in touch." He hung up.

He'd better be in touch, Ferguson thought as he hung up. I'm go¬ing to be walking a tightrope, and I'm not going to be on it alone. He turned to Moore. "We need to order a cleanup."

"HE TOOK THE BAIT." GARRETT turned to Emily. "I think. Un¬less he wants us to feel safe, then scoops us up."

Emily shook her head. "He's that deceptive?"

"He's that self-serving. But if he believes that he'll be better off playing ball with us, then he'll go along." He looked out the shop win¬dow. "But we'll know if he cleans up the Nemid scene. I don't think we'd better try to move until we get word on that." He turned to Fatin ben Lufti, a small, plump man with dark eyes. "I thank you for shel¬tering us. I don't believe there will be any trouble now. Is it all right if we stay here for a little longer?"

"It is my pleasure. I've been waiting for a long time for you to ask a return," Fatin said. "May I get you food? Drink?"

"Food would be good. But not now. Maybe later." Garrett turned to Emily as the small man left the room. "It may take hours before they discover the bodies. Ferguson will want to make sure it's done by someone who has no connection with him. Try to relax."

"That won't be easy. I feel as if my every nerve is wired." She sat down in a damask-draped chair by the window and looked around the shop. It was like an Aladdin's cave with gold chains and jewelry hang¬ing from display shelves all around the store. "Who is Fatin?"

"I told you, he's a friend. I've known him for years. He used to live in the mountains, but he came to the city to make a better living. He did well."

"He said something about a return. You did him a favor?"

"I did a favor for his sister. I managed to get her out of the coun¬try to Switzerland before she could be stoned. She made the mistake of being unfaithful to the man she married. It didn't matter that he beat her and treated her like dung. Fatin couldn't help her himself. He'd have been ostracized by his family."

Emily knew that the situation was not uncommon, but it still sick¬ened her. "I thought the government was making strides to give women more freedom."