Smokescreen Page 9

  “Let it go, Zahra,” Wyatt said. “What harm can she do? I’ll keep an eye on her, and in a few weeks she’ll be gone. She’s probably doing it for the publicity and working on a few of those burnt-out skulls will be enough to discourage her.”

  “I want her gone now. Robaku is mine, and it’s time all these arguments about the DNA ended.” She was done talking to him. “Let me know if you find out anything else.” She cut the connection.

  She sat there for a moment. She didn’t like this. She needed to talk to Lon Markel, her primary agent, and discuss how far she could go to discourage it happening. She started to dial her cell again, then stopped. Markel had been involved in the attack on the Cassidy woman, and she’d been told not to call on him again unless it was an emergency.

  Screw it. No one could tell her what to do. Markel was her agent, her employee, and she trusted him more than she did the others in her service. He’d been with her for years before he’d been yanked away from her these past months. She’d only tolerated Bogani since she’d been told she couldn’t have Lon Markel for the time being. But she would not have him hijacked and permanently taken away from her. She paid his salary, and she would do what she liked with him. She began to dial again.

  She stopped and put the phone down.

  It wasn’t fear, she told herself. She was never afraid. It was just that perhaps it wasn’t wise to use Markel again so soon. There was a slight chance he might have been recognized by Jill Cassidy that night. Of course, it was entirely her own decision. It would be better to handle this herself.

  It was entirely her own decision…

  * * *

  “How is it going?”

  Eve looked up from her reconstruction to see Sam Gideon standing in the doorway. “Well enough.” She arched her back to ease the stiffness. “Amari isn’t easy. Just reconstructing the damaged bones of the right temple took me almost a day. It must have been a machete blow to be that shattered. But the measuring isn’t causing me too much trouble. I’m almost done with it.” She tilted her head. “I haven’t seen you for two days. Weren’t you supposed to stay around and be at my beck and call?”

  “I was around. I peeked in a couple times, but you were so absorbed that I decided to let Hajif handle everything. He seemed to be doing a good job, and I’m always tempted to ask questions.” He was looking at the reconstruction. “What are those red flags all over his face?”

  “Depth-measurement markers.”

  “Not flattering. But the rest of him is looking a hell of a lot better than that first night, when you pulled him out of his box.”

  “Thank you for your critique. Now go away, Gideon. I’m busy.”

  “Presently. I just thought I’d drop by and give you fair warning. I just got word that Zahra Kiyani is on her way to pay you a visit. I thought you’d want to be prepared.”

  Eve frowned with annoyance. “I don’t need this. Can’t you get rid of her?”

  “No, you’ll have to do it. Zahra doesn’t listen to me. She’d prefer that I didn’t exist. I actually thought she’d be here before this. She obviously took a long time to make up her mind whether you were worthy of her personal attention.” He paused. “It would be best if you didn’t mention Jill. Zahra can’t hurt me, but she’ll try her best to hurt Jill. And Zahra has enough power in Jokan to make it…uncomfortable for her.”

  “You want me to lie?”

  “That’s up to you.” He smiled. “No one is going to stop you from saying anything you wish to say. If you think what you’re doing here isn’t worth doing and that Jill should be punished for being involved, by all means have a chat with Zahra about it.” He turned and headed for the door. “I’ll just hang around outside until her entourage shows up and greet her.” His smile was a combination of both mischief and malice. “That should make her day…”

  She gazed after him with exasperation. She didn’t want to deal with Zahra Kiyani, and she didn’t want to have Gideon telling her how to handle the woman. She just wanted to go back to work and finish Amari.

  But it was too late. She heard the roar of several automobiles exiting the road, then the slam of car doors as they reached the museum. Eve got to her feet and wiped her hands on her work towel. Then the door was being opened ceremoniously by a uniformed soldier, and Zahra Kiyani was sweeping into the museum. She did not look pleased, Eve thought. Evidently, seeing Gideon had definitely not made her day.

  She was dressed in a designer gold-paisley suit and was just as beautiful as she appeared in her photos. Her frown disappeared, and she gave Eve a flashing smile. “How happy I am that you’re here in my country.” Her English was faultless, with just a hint of an accent. “And doing such good work. I thought I’d drop by and personally welcome you.” She looked Eve up and down. “But I should have let you know. You’re obviously working so hard that I might be in the way…” She trailed off and shrugged. “You do look so tired. I hope you’ll forgive me.”

  The needle was faint but definitely there. Eve was annoyed enough about the interruption not to let it get a pass. “I’m not at all tired. When I become this involved in my work, I forget everything else. I’m looking forward to many engrossing hours spent here at Robaku,” she said. “Thank you for coming to welcome me. But I know how busy you must be, so I won’t keep you.” She gestured to the skull. “And I’m busy as well. He’s one of your own people, so I know you’ll want me to finish as soon as possible.”

  “Yes, of course.” She gazed at the skull. “One of the children…” Her glance shifted back to Eve. “I understand you have a child. Aren’t you worried about leaving him to take care of my problems here? Children can be so very fragile.”

  Eve went still as she looked at her. Zahra’s voice had been soft, and her expression was serene, but Eve had felt a chill. Could that have been a threat? “My son is always safe even when I’m not with him. And my work is too important to leave it undone when a charity says I’m needed.”

  Zahra nodded. “You appear to be very talented.” She forced a smile. “Though I do prefer the certainty of DNA over a pretty sculpture. I suppose Jill Cassidy told you that we disagreed on that score?”

  “Jill Cassidy? Isn’t she a reporter or something? I believe I’ve heard of her. But it was Sam Gideon who told me about you.”

  She stiffened. “Really?” she said warily. “What did he say?”

  “He used the word ‘magnificent’ quite a bit. I can see why he thought it applied to you.” She inclined her head. “Now if you’ll excuse me?”

  But Zahra Kiyani was still looking around the room. “I can’t say I like what you’ve done to my beautiful museum. It’s in shambles. I’ll tolerate it for now because I don’t wish to be unfair. However, if I find that your work isn’t what it should be, I’ll have to ask you to leave. I’ll be back next week to see if that charity that sent you has made a mistake.” She moved toward the door. “I’ll see you then, Ms. Duncan.”

  Then she was gone. A few minutes later, Eve heard the low roar of the cars as they departed Robaku.

  Gideon came back into the museum a moment later. “That was very short. She didn’t waste much time on you.”

  “No, I didn’t waste much time on her,” she corrected. “She only came to threaten and find out who had sent me here. I said enough to satisfy her so that she’d get out and let me work.”

  “Satisfy?” he repeated. “She looked almost triumphant when she glanced at me when she left.”

  “That’s because I told her you thought she was magnificent. She probably thinks that if she made the effort, she could have you worshipping at her feet again.”

  He flinched. “That was wicked of you, Eve. When she has time to think it over, she’ll realize I must have been lying to you.” He tilted his head. “But you must have been doing a little prevaricating yourself if you let her believe it.”

  “I didn’t lie. She asked what you’d told me about her, and I told her the truth. I just didn’t elaborate.”

/>   “And were you equally truthful when she asked you about Jill?”

  “I might have been a little less open. She had a perfectly good target in you, and bringing in Jill would have confused things and wasted more time.”

  “And you wouldn’t have wanted that to happen,” he said softly. “It was all for the benefit of Amari and friends.”

  She was silent. “I didn’t like her.” She was remembering that instant when Zahra had mentioned her son. She was still feeling that chill. “I’ve met women before who are antagonistic toward other women. I’ve never understood it. She was trying to be subtle, but underneath, she was practically bristling.”

  “She believes she has no need for them, and they might prove competitive. Not that she’d admit the latter.” He smiled. “After all, she is magnificent.”

  Eve smiled back at him. “You left out one descriptive noun. Magnificently arrogant.” She waved her hand. “Now get out of here and let me work. If I’m lucky, I’ll get Amari finished tonight or early morning and reward myself by letting you take me to that hotel so I can shower.”

  “And sleep in a real bed?”

  “That’s too much luxury. The cot is fine. I’m usually so tired I have no trouble sleeping. Out, Gideon.”

  “I’m going.” He hesitated at the door. “But I should tell you that Zahra wanted to leave one of her soldiers on guard here. I’m sure she’d say it was for your protection, but I still sent him on his way.”

  “Does she think that I’m going to steal one of these skulls?”

  “No, I’m sure she’s checked you out thoroughly. She just likes to be in control, and you didn’t fall into line. It probably wouldn’t have done any harm to let the guard stay as long as I knew he was around. I just didn’t want you to stumble over him if you went to get a breath of air.” He grimaced. “As if you would bother.” He lifted his hand in a wave. “I’ll be back around midnight to see Amari in all his glory.”

  “No glory.” Eve was already sitting back down on her stool. “Just a little boy spruced up and ready to go home to see his grandparents…”

  Then she closed everything out as she settled down to spend the next hours working on completing and checking the measuring. It was undeniably the most important if least satisfying part of the sculpting process. It was the precise building block of features and contours that made Amari who he was. But it was only the final stage of sculpting that revealed the details that gave him the personality and presence that brought him to life for Eve.

  So do the hard, gritty work and make sure that she made no mistakes. Then she’d do the initial smoothing and make ready for that final step. She felt her fingers tingling at the thought.

  Stop it. Not yet. This boy deserved care and certainty.

  The measuring…

  * * *

  It had not gone as well as she’d hoped with Eve Duncan, Zahra thought impatiently as she gazed out the window of her limo. She’d hoped to impress her enough so that she would be able to oust her during the next visit. But Eve Duncan was one of those women who thought so much of themselves that they didn’t realize how far above them she was. Station and beauty meant nothing to them because they had some idiotic skill and thought they could compete. It was not only laughable, it was an annoyance. Now she would have to spend more time than she’d planned on getting rid of her. It would probably mean trying to influence that charity to—”

  Her phone was buzzing.

  She stiffened as she saw there was no ID.

  Dammit! She had been afraid of this.

  She punched in the access code and typed rapidly.

  IT DIDN’T GO WELL. DUNCAN IS STUPID AND I CAN SEE SHE WON’T COOPERATE. IT WILL TAKE ME A LITTLE LONGER THAN I PLANNED.

  A pause, then the answer.

  WE BOTH KNOW THAT’S NOT ACCEPTABLE. I TOLD YOU I NEED HER GONE. MAKE IT HAPPEN.

  Orders? She tried to smother the bolt of sheer rage that shot through her.

  I’LL DO IT AS QUICKLY AS I CAN. HOW DARE YOU TELL ME WHAT TO DO. YOU HAVE NO IDEA HOW COMPLICATED IT IS TO KEEP ALL THE BALLS IN THE AIR.

  Another pause.

  HOW DO I DARE? YOU KNOW HOW I DARE, ZAHRA. NOW STOP STALLING AND GIVE ME WHAT I WANT.

  She should have been more cautious. She might have made a mistake. She typed in quickly. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

  The answer came back instantly.

  MAKE IT HAPPEN!

  * * *

  Eve finished the initial smoothing of the clay just after midnight.

  She leaned back and gazed at the reconstruction as she wiped her hands. Everything was there, and smooth, and presumably correct. But he was like a baby asleep in the cradle, waiting to be roused. It was time to wake him up and bring him back to those who loved him.

  Her hands were tingling again. But that was okay now. The blood flow usually helped the process and kept her from becoming exhausted.

  “It’s time for you to get to work, Amari,” she said softly. “We’re almost at the end, and I need a little help here. I’ll be with you all the way, but there are so many tiny things I could miss that would make them sad if I didn’t catch them. We don’t want that to happen, so let’s make sure it doesn’t. Okay?”

  She reached out and delicately touched the place on his skull that she’d repaired. “Let’s do this, first. Let’s make it go away forever…”

  Smooth.

  Careful.

  Delicacy.

  Don’t hurry. It has to be perfect.

  Don’t let anyone know the pain that caused that wound.

  See? It’s gone now, Amari.

  Perfect.

  Smooth.

  Mold.

  Go on to the cheekbone.

  It’s going faster now.

  Smooth.

  Mold.

  Hollow the left cheekbone a little more.

  The clay was cool beneath her fingers.

  Ears. Make them generic. Hajif could tell her if she’d gotten it right.

  Smooth.

  Mold.

  Fill in.

  The clay felt warmer now as her fingers moved faster.

  Eyes.

  No, not yet. There was something troubling about the eyes…

  Go on to the nose.

  Pay attention to the measurements of the space between the nose and upper lip.

  Smooth.

  Fill in.

  Mouth.

  So difficult.

  Just go with what seemed right.

  Eyes?

  No, not yet. What was wrong with the eyes?

  Go back to the cheekbones.

  Not full enough, he’d not reached puberty and was still a child.

  Smooth.

  Mold.

  Fill in.

  Her fingers were flying now.

  What’s wrong with the eyes?

  Check the measurements.

  Measurements correct.

  But something was wrong.

  Not with the right eye, she realized.

  Left eye. Outer corner of the left eye.

  Too smooth.

  Indent.

  No, build up.

  It didn’t matter if she didn’t know the reason.

  Just do it.

  Now it was right.

  Go on to the curve of the lips.

  Something was missing.

  Mold.

  A deeper crease.

  Her fingers were hot, fast, mindless.

  Let it all come together.

  Smooth.

  Fill in.

  Mold…

  Chapter

  ​5

  Finished?” Gideon said behind her from the doorway. “It’s almost three. I gave you an extra—”

  “Almost,” she interrupted. “I just need to put in his eyes. Go get Hajif and his wife.”

  “It’s three in the morning. You want me to wake them up?”

  “Yes, by the time they throw on some clothes, I’ll be finished. And they’re not going to care if it’s thre
e in the morning. They deserve to be the first to see him. Go!”

  “You’re continuing to order me about,” he complained. “I can’t say I’m accustomed to such treatment…”

  He was gone.

  And she was reaching for her eye case. There was no question about the color, they would be the same rich brown as Hajif’s. She carefully inserted the glass eyes in the orbital sockets and sat back to look at him.

  Yes.

  Only Hajif and his wife, Leta, could tell her if this was Amari, but the skull had come alive as she’d wanted it to. She’d put the hint of a smile at the corners of his lips, and the shining brown of his eyes appeared oddly eager as he stared up at her. She’d engraved gentle curves that mimicked short curls or waves framing that face. It had just seemed right.

  “Are you ready for them?” she whispered. “They’re ready for you, Amari.”

  She stood up as she heard them coming. She stood to one side as she saw Gideon open the door and Hajif and his wife appear in the doorway. “I thought you wouldn’t mind getting up a bit early, Hajif.” She gestured to the reconstruction. “Is this what you wanted from me?”

  Hajif stood stock-still in shock.

  He was silent, staring dazedly at the sculpture. “I…did not expect this. It…is magic.” He drew his wife, Leta, toward the worktable. His eyes were shimmering with moisture as he slipped his arm around her waist. “You see, Leta, he has returned to us.” He reached out, and his index finger gingerly touched the raised scar at the corner of his left eye. “Remember how upset you were when the propeller flew off his toy plane? You kept saying one more inch, and he would have been blind. But he was fine, wasn’t he?” He looked at Eve. “How did you know?”

  “I didn’t. Some things just seem right. Is it Amari, Hajif?”

  He nodded. “It is my grandson.” He turned to his wife, whose eyes had never left the face of the reconstruction. “Is it Amari, Leta?” he asked gently. “Has she brought our Amari back to us?”