Smokescreen Read online

“I thought the timing was just right,” Eve said. “I have to get back to work. It was kind of you to take the time to come.”

  “I couldn’t do anything else.” Zahra’s flashing smile illuminated her beautiful face. “I had to make sure that you were all right after that horrible food poisoning yesterday. You’re a little pale, but better than I thought. But, of course, you’ll have to worry about a relapse. These things do happen.” She didn’t wait for a reply but gestured at Jill, who was now being ushered out the door by Gideon. “What did you think of Jill Cassidy? She and Gideon know each other, but I notice he didn’t give her any more time for her interview than the other reporters. I was expecting…more.”

  “That wouldn’t have been fair, would it? What did I think of her? She seems very competent and appears to know quite a bit about the village. She said I could ask her anything I needed to know, but I don’t believe it will be necessary. I’m only interested in working.”

  “And besides, you can ask me,” Zahra said softly. “I’m the only one you should consult. Robaku is really my property. My father allowed these villagers to live here, but now it’s time for them to settle somewhere else. Keeping this village alive only keeps the memories of the war fresh to everyone. I’ve been trying to make that clear to you. It’s just as well you stay away from busybodies like Jill Cassidy, who can only cause trouble.”

  “I’ll keep it in mind.” But she found she was too annoyed to leave it at that and be diplomatic with Zahra at the moment. The woman always managed to push her buttons. That comment about evicting the villagers from their homes had been a jab too deep to ignore. “But I did enjoy reading her stories. Now that I think of it, I might want to discuss them with her. It’s always wise to get a few viewpoints.” She turned and moved toward her worktable. “Thank you for coming, but you really didn’t have to check on me. I’m doing very well. Not a hint of a relapse.”

  “It’s early days,” Zahra said. “Dalai!” Before she swept toward the door, Zahra gestured imperiously to the young servant girl who had been hovering in the background. “You might keep that in mind as well.” She brushed past Gideon as if he weren’t there. “And you might have given those reporters their story for the day, but you saw how eagerly they turned to me. You mustn’t feel bad about that. In the end, they’ll always come back to me. I have a certain glamour that you’ll never possess.” She lifted her chin. “I’m a Kiyani.”

  Then she was gone.

  Gideon gave a low whistle as he gazed after her. “Her ego is flying high today.” He turned to Eve. “Did she do you any damage?”

  “Only a not-so-subtle hint that I could have a relapse if I wasn’t careful.” Now that Zahra was gone, Eve found she felt chilled. “I don’t like it. There’s something very savage about Zahra Kiyani. And I’m tired of threats, subtle or not. She might have had something to do with my getting ill, right?”

  “It’s possible.”

  “Then I want to know if it’s more than possible. I want to know why. I want to know everything about her.”

  “Then we’ll have to accommodate you. But I assume that’s not first on your list? You appear to have a full agenda.”

  “Yes.” And her agenda tonight included looking at a skull that might be that of Nils Varak.

  Another chill.

  “You might say that.” She quickly looked down at the measurements she’d started on Mila. “Not first, but Zahra is definitely on the list.”

  * * *

  Zahra braced herself as soon as she got in her limousine. She’d like to wait until she got back to the palace, but she’d found that wasn’t an option. Now she seldom had a choice, and nothing she did was private any longer.

  Not from him.

  She typed the text.

  DUNCAN’S WORKING ON ANOTHER DAMN SKULL. SHE’S NOT PAYING ANY ATTENTION TO ME. IT’S NOT MY FAULT.

  The return text came immediately.

  OF COURSE IT’S YOUR FAULT. I TOLD YOU TO GET RID OF HER. YOU DIDN’T DO IT. YOU WERE TOO FRIGHTENED. NOW I MIGHT HAVE TO HANDLE IT.

  She’d known she’d get the blame. It made her furious.

  YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND. I WON’T GIVE UP WHAT I’VE WORKED FOR ALL MY LIFE BECAUSE YOU’RE IMPATIENT. IT COULD HAVE WORKED. FEAR AND PAIN ARE WEAPONS TOO. THEY JUST DIDN’T WORK ON DUNCAN. I’LL TRY SOMETHING ELSE.

  The reply came explosively:

  YOU’RE RIGHT, I AM IMPATIENT. YOU MADE ME PROMISES. YOU’RE NOT KEEPING THEM.

  She couldn’t let him get away with that bullshit.

  YOU MADE ME A PROMISE TOO. YOU SAID YOU’D GET IT BACK FOR ME AND YOU DIDN’T DO IT. IT’S MINE. I WANT IT BACK.

  He didn’t answer, and Zahra began to get nervous. It was all very well to defend herself, but the result could be unpredictable.

  STOP WHINING. IT’S ALREADY IN THE WORKS. BUT THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH YOUR NOT GETTING RID OF DUNCAN. I’LL GIVE YOU A FEW DAYS BUT AFTER THAT I’LL TAKE OVER. DO YOU WANT THAT TO HAPPEN, ZAHRA?

  The threat terrified her.

  I’LL MAKE IT WORK. I’LL GET HER OUT OF THERE. JUST A LITTLE MORE TIME.

  She had to wait for a full moment.

  FOUR DAYS. SHOW ME YOU’RE NOT A COWARD AND WE’LL COME TO TERMS. OTHERWISE IT WILL BE MY TERMS.

  The text conversation was clearly ended.

  She drew a deep breath and tried to keep control. She had expected anger, not an ultimatum. But she could work with it. She would try to fix Duncan her way, but if necessary, she’d do whatever she had to do. The alternative was too dangerous to accept.

  Four days…

  Chapter

  ​8

  Robaku

  8:40 P.M.

  I’ve brought you dinner,” Jill announced from the doorway of the museum. Her arms were full of take-out sacks. “I’d bet you haven’t eaten today.”

  “You’d lose,” Eve said. “I had a sandwich before that ghastly interview. I know I have to take care of myself when I’m working.”

  “Well, this Chinese takeout is much better. It’s the only restaurant in Jokan that I’d trust to have genuine ingredients that have nothing to do with monkeys or reptiles.” She was taking cartons out of the bag and putting them on the worktable. “Sweet and sour soup and a bland beef lo mein. I figured your stomach might still be tender.”

  “Good guess.” Eve was looking at the cartons. “But this isn’t necessary. I shouldn’t take the time.”

  “Yes, you should. There’s no telling when you’ll allow yourself to eat after Novak dumps that skull in your lap. You know that’s true.” She smiled. “Besides, I hate to eat alone.” She set her own cartons on the desk. “So eat, and if you want an excuse while you’re doing it, so you won’t feel you’re wasting your time, ask me any questions you wish about Zahra Kiyani. Gideon told me that you were becoming very wary about Madam President. Since he let me read the Kiya journal, he thought that I’d be less likely to be biased.”

  Eve gazed at her for a moment and reached for a carton and utensils. “You’re sure about the reptiles and monkeys?”

  “I have a friend in their kitchen. He wouldn’t steer me wrong. Trust me.” Then she made a face. “You really can trust me, Eve. About everything.”

  “Really?” Eve said noncommittally. Then she changed the subject. “Why didn’t you bring another meal for Gideon? Isn’t he still drifting around the village?”

  “I didn’t see him. I think Novak sent him off to do something or other after he finished staging that interview.” She handed her a handful of paper napkins. “But don’t worry, Novak would have sent a man here to replace him.”

  “I’m not worried. Though I’m sure Gideon would say that no one could replace him.” She tried the soup. “Excellent. Now tell me about Zahra. Gideon said that there was a possibility that she was to blame for my very painful morning yesterday. Do you agree?”

  “I agree it’s a possibility. Zahra is capable of anything. How far would she go? I’d judge to the limit if she thought it safe. But s
he’s cautious, and she’d make certain that the end result would be worth any action she takes.” She was gazing thoughtfully down into her soup. “She’s into power, and she believes it’s her due. It’s all part of that royal bullshit she’s embraced since childhood.” She looked up at Eve. “Gideon told you she believes that she’s descended from Cleopatra?”

  “Are we back to this Kiya again?” Eve asked impatiently. “I ask about Zahra, and I get a tall tale about Cleopatra’s daughter.”

  “Because when I first came to Maldara and was trying to get a handle on how to keep Zahra from kicking all those villagers out of their homes, I had to understand her. I didn’t even come close until Gideon told me about Kiya. Then it started to come together. In many ways, Zahra is Kiya. With a generous sprinkling of Cleopatra thrown in.”

  “How?”

  “You take a psychotic personality and throw in the idea that nothing is forbidden and everything is your right to take. The final result you come up with is a very dangerous woman. Zahra really admires Cleopatra, you know. If you look deeper into who Cleopatra really was, you can see the similarities. She wasn’t the gorgeous, tragic queen that the movies portrayed. Intelligent, yes. And she possessed a kind of glamour that had its own attraction. But she killed her brother and sister. There were even rumors that she might have killed her own father. No one counts how many of her slaves bit the dust. Food tasters were a way of life, and any cruel indulgence was allowed with slaves. According to Kiya’s journal, Cleopatra even threatened her with death and torture innumerable times when she was angry with her. It didn’t matter that Kiya was her daughter.”

  “Gideon said that you appreciated the literary aspects of her journal,” Eve said. “Do you think it was fact or fiction?”

  “It…was persuasive.”

  “But Cleopatra only had one daughter, Selene, who later became Queen of Mauretania.”

  “Only one acknowledged daughter,” Jill said. “According to Kiya, she was the result of a sexual liaison between Cleopatra and a soldier in her army while Caesar was away. She gave Kiya to her slaves to raise, and later, Kiya herself served as a slave to Cleopatra. Evidently, she wasn’t treated too badly. Cleopatra ordered her named Kiya after Queen Kiya, who was a queen to Akhenaten during the Eighteenth Dynasty. She was one of Cleopatra’s favorite ancestors because she was known as the Beloved Wife. Other of his queens were called royal and powerful, and Nefertiti was famous for her beauty, but Cleopatra thought Akhenaten probably loved Kiya more. Wherever her name was inscribed, it was followed by Beloved Wife. Anyway, maybe Cleopatra wanted to tell her daughter she loved her even though she’d made her a slave. At times, Cleopatra actually did show her affection.” She added ironically, “Providing Kiya kept in mind her lowly place in the scheme of things.”

  “Which would have been very painful considering that she knew she was Cleopatra’s daughter.”

  “True. But she seemed to have inherited Cleopatra’s toughness because she adapted and played her mother’s game while she waited for her chance.”

  “Chance?”

  “To be a queen herself.” Jill finished her lo mein and pushed the carton away. “I wonder if she actually managed to outthink Cleopatra, or if she took advantage of circumstances.”

  “What are you talking about?”

  “The Great Journey.” Jill leaned back. “What do you know about how Cleopatra died?”

  “What everyone knows. When she knew Octavian was on his way to capture her, she locked herself in her mausoleum and committed suicide by letting an asp bite her.”

  Jill nodded. “Partially right, according to what Kiya related in her journal. Not complete enough. No one gives more than a mention to the slaves she took with her into the mausoleum to die with her. They were the maids Eiras and Charmion. But there was one more slave who went with her.”

  Eve stiffened. “Kiya?”

  “According to Kiya’s journal, she went there with her mother by her own choice. She makes a point of saying she felt it her duty to do whatever her mother wished her to do. Or whatever seemed wisest.” She paused. “Do you know what else is seldom mentioned? Cleopatra’s burial treasure that was in the mausoleum. One of the greatest treasures ever compiled. That was why Octavian was rushing to reach her—he needed that treasure.”

  Eve stared at Jill, guessing where this was going. “And did he get it?”

  “Oh, yes, it was a vast treasure, and he was very pleased with it.” She smiled. “And, according to Kiya’s journal, there was so much that Octavian never even missed the wagonload of treasure that was taken out of the mausoleum during the time before Cleopatra actually got around to committing suicide.”

  “My, my,” Eve murmured. “Kiya, again?”

  Jill nodded. “Remember her line about whatever was wisest to do? It seems that what was wisest for Kiya to do was not to kill herself with Cleopatra. Her mother had sent Caesarion, her son and heir, away to hide from Octavian. Kiya convinced Cleopatra that she should spare a little of her treasure to make certain her heir was safe and had enough funds to fight Rome. Then Kiya magnanimously volunteered to risk her own life to take the treasure to Caesarion.” She sighed. “But unfortunately, Octavian found Caesarion and murdered him before she was able to get to him. What a pity. The only good thing was that Cleopatra had already killed herself and didn’t have to hear the sad news.” She shook her head. “But what could Kiya do with this huge fortune in the back of her wagon? What a conundrum.”

  “The Great Journey,” Eve said.

  “Well, she obviously had to leave Alexandria or Octavian would kill her. The only solution was to go somewhere far away, a wild, mysterious place that she had been hearing about in the market.” She nodded. “The Great Journey.”

  Eve chuckled. “You’re a much better Scheherazade than Gideon. How much do we believe?”

  “As much as you like. It’s a great story, so I prefer to believe it all. Particularly since Kiya was such a scheming bitch that she reminds me of Zahra. If she was that clever, couldn’t she have found a way out for Cleopatra? Was this her master plan from the beginning, or was she making it up as she went along?”

  “Probably a little of both.”

  “I believe you’re right.” Jill got to her feet and went over to the coffeemaker. “She had been waiting for a long time, but when the opportunity came, she was ready. She even knew where she was going.” She made the coffee and leaned back against the cabinet. “But after that first journal about the Great Journey, the treasure isn’t mentioned. I found that interesting.”

  “Dispersed by her heirs through the centuries?”

  “Not much to buy in primitive Maldara. It seemed to disappear when they reached the border.” She shrugged. “A mystery to solve. But, then, the entire story is something of a mystery all bound up in True or False.” She suddenly smiled. “And, speaking of True or False, that story about the way Cleopatra died wasn’t entirely true, according to Kiya. She didn’t die of the poisonous bite of an asp though she wanted everyone to think she did. The snake was a symbol for royalty, and Cleopatra liked the idea for that reason. But she wanted her death to be as perfect as her life, so she wasn’t going to take any chances. Kiya said that she did extensive research by having several slaves bitten by asps so that she could study the effects before she made her decision.”

  “Charming.”

  “Entirely practical from Cleopatra’s viewpoint. When a goddess dies, it must be with glory and dignity. But she found when an asp bites, it causes swelling and ugly discharge and intense pain that lasts up to six hours or longer. It’s a horrible death. There was no way she was going to put up with that agony and loss of dignity. So she opted to have the snake brought to the mausoleum for effect, but she arranged to have her jeweled hair comb coated with a fast-acting poison. She pressed the prongs of the comb into her arm when the time was right.”

  Eve’s brows rose skeptically. “Definitely another True or False.”

  “But think
about it. Consider what we know about the era and Cleopatra herself. It’s possible.” Jill shrugged. “And, if you believe in Kiya, then it’s more than possible.” She smiled quizzically. “Anyway, did I manage to help you to get a glimpse of Zahra’s character by studying Kiya?”

  “With a few major differences. Kiya was a survivor. Everything she did was because she had to fight or die. Zahra doesn’t have that excuse. It’s pure ambition.”

  “How very perceptive.” Jill poured coffee into a cup and took it back to Eve. She mockingly inclined her head. “Your after-dinner coffee, madam.” She looked at the scant remains of the food. “And you managed to get most of your dinner down. That’s good.” She took the sacks, plastic plates and utensils and tossed them into the trash can in the corner. “That should hold you until I get back. I have to go now. I’ll see you about midnight.”

  Eve stiffened, her eyes widening. “You’re going with Novak? Neither of you mentioned it.”

  “It’s my story,” she said simply. “In more ways than one. Novak would have just argued with me. It’s better if I just present him with a fait accompli.” She headed for the door. “Get back to work on Mila. With any luck, we’ll have a replacement for her within a few hours.”

  If they weren’t caught and killed by those guards at the U.N., Eve thought. The soldiers guarding that vault might shoot first and ask questions later. This would be considered robbery on an international scale. She was sure Varak’s skull must be the principal prize being held there. Villains on the mega scale of Varak were rare, and proof of his demise was even more rare. Trying to steal Varak’s skull would have been like trying to steal Bin Laden’s corpse. Eve had not been worried about Novak. He was a professional, and Joe said a good one. But Jill was different. Novak had said she was vulnerable, and she’d already been terribly hurt. She said impulsively, “Jill.”

  Jill looked back over her shoulder and grinned. “What’s the matter? Going soft on me? I’m the bad guy, remember? I’m the one who got you into this mess.”

  “I remember.” But she still had to say it. “But it won’t hurt you to be careful, Jill. You’re…valuable.” She turned back to Mila’s reconstruction, and said lightly, “Who else knows where to get Chinese food with no serpents or monkeys?”