sent them to your email, Em,” Zafir said.
“There could be more information there and a more specific area—” She broke off, a worried expression on her face.
“Exactly what I was thinking,” Zafir agreed, his voice slightly distant through the speaker phone.
“Is it possible to land anywhere nearby?” Emir asked.
“There’s a short landing strip. I’ve spoken to them and they’ll have it lit for you,” Zafir said.
“This confirms what we were already thinking.” Emir looked at Kate and saw the same urgency he felt, to get going, reflected in her eyes. Already he was planning their new strategy even as he saw the intense look on Kate’s face, the frown that marred her normally smooth brow and knew she was considering options. None of his agents did any less than think on their feet. It was how they succeeded in some of their most difficult cases and how they protected the clients they had—how they had become number one on two continents.
“The sooner someone gets there, the better. I’d go there myself...” Zafir paused. “But apparently I’m on Emir duty.”
Emir gave a half smile. It was how Zafir had always referred to the times when they had switched roles, more notably in their youth. As adults, this was the first time they’d resorted to such tactics.
“Kate and I have it covered.” He looked at her with a wry smile, thinking how much his opinion of her had changed and how, only a few hours ago, he couldn’t imagine himself saying that. But she’d more than proved herself in the short time they’d known each other. She’d proved her skill in the best and worst situations. She’d been willing to take a bullet for the cause. Fortunately, good marksmanship on both their parts and Dell’s had prevented that from happening.
“We’ll fly tonight. Hopefully we can get there soon enough to get some answers. That means you, like you said, lead this show. Tara’s kidnappers have to be heading into their final act and asking for more and soon. I don’t think they can play this out much longer.” He looked over at Kate, who nodded agreement.
“I’m a good twenty minutes away,” Zafir replied.
“We’ll wait.”
“That’s not all I’ve got. I think I have a major lead, man. More than what I just told you, but you needed to know that first. There’s no getting around the fact that someone has to go there. And, as we agreed, that’s you and K.J.,” Zafir said. “But there’s something else,” he repeated.
“Shoot.”
“A sighting—and it’s a good chance it might be Tara.”
“Why didn’t you say that right away?” Emir’s eyes met Kate’s, his heart pounding at the idea—hope and fear seeming to converge at what this might mean.
“Because I think it’s more important you get to the village.”
“You thought? Zaf, this isn’t your case.”
“She’s my sister, too. You’re not the only one who is torn up about it,” his brother growled. “Look, this is what I have. A girl who looks like Tara was reported in Ouarazate Province by a couple of Berbers.”
“When?”
“That’s the problem. We received the information late. The man who reported it said they’d seen her just before noon today. At the time, they didn’t know about the kidnapping. Word’s gotten out since then. I think what happened may have been let out by our own staff at the compound. You know, mentioning something of our situation to friends or family. Many of them or their families have ties to the desert. Anyway, he contacted me as soon as he heard. They said they came upon the group over twelve hours ago and they were in a Jeep. There were five of them and the girl.”
Emir cursed under his breath. Ouarazate, the gateway to the desert. But too much time had gone by; they could be anywhere.
“Look, I’ll be there as soon as I can. There are a few things I have to clear up here and then, depending on the traffic...” Zafir paused, as if considering options. “Don’t wait. You’ve got to get moving. There is too much that needs to be done. Too much at stake.”
“You’re right. Tara can’t wait,” Emir said.
“Get moving. Let’s get our sister,” Zafir said.
“Done,” Emir said and clicked off.
* * *
TARA CRINGED. She hated the dark, the shadows her imagination had the uncanny ability to turn into more threats than those she already faced. Time seemed to be crawling by and the darkness was never-ending. Without the moon, the night was only broken by the few, too distant stars, and by the fire that crackled and spit over thirty feet away. There was a tent, but she preferred to sit outside it and, oddly, they’d allowed that one request.
Maybe, somewhere in the back of his mind, the leader remembered her for who she was and what she had been to him. Whatever the reason, she was grateful. Somehow it seemed safer here where there was some distance between her and them. She clutched the blanket. It was cold again tonight. She shivered and her eyes never left the fire and the men around it. It wasn’t safe for her to take her eyes off them. She’d learned in the early hours of her kidnapping that they were unpredictable.
She was so tired. She couldn’t help closing her eyes just for a second. A minute passed and then two before she was snapped awake by angry shouts that echoed through the small, struggling oasis.
Tara drew her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around them as if that would make her smaller, invisible. Her eyes never left the men. Loud voices meant trouble. This time, as usual, it was the leader. It seemed he didn’t like what one of the men had said and now the shouts were followed by something even more deadly. Silence. The moon slipped from behind a cloud and bathed the area in light.
She wished she could disappear but there was nowhere to go. Instead she was trapped by the frightening scene in front of her as the man pulled his rifle from his shoulder and hurled it. She watched as the smaller man, who it was meant for, lunged, missed the catch and stood. The moonlight disappeared again as the gun hit the ground and skipped twice along the battered rug she knew, even in the fickle light of the fire, lay on the desert sand.
Now the gun lay forgotten and their raised voices began to dissolve into shouts and yet another fight. It was a relief, for she knew the fights kept their attention from her.
The leader muttered a string of curses in Arabic before he launched himself into their midst, punching one and grabbing the other and throwing him to the ground. His voice was harsh and, as usual, louder than necessary. She closed her eyes and hoped they remained there—killing themselves in their fight would be ideal. But, as always, she knew this fight wouldn’t last long.
She prayed he’d stay away from her. Her prayers went unanswered as minutes passed, silence ensued and then came what she had hoped wouldn’t.
She could see him clearly as he approached. His face was highlighted in the moonlight. It was so familiar and yet so very strange. She dropped her gaze, not wanting to meet his eyes, hoping he would leave, change his mind. Instead the sand crunched beneath his heavy boots and he squatted beside her.
She looked up and met the odd yet gentle smile. The smile didn’t match the dark look in his eyes. She dropped her gaze to the sand. She could smell the sweat of him, like he hadn’t bathed in weeks or even months. He was too near and she fought not to move away for she had nowhere to go and little rope with which to do it.
She drew back, trying to make herself small. He wasn’t the man she remembered.
He chuckled as he ran a knuckle along her cheek.
She fought not to cringe or to move away. Although there wasn’t far to move; the rope gave her five feet of freedom.
This time she blew out a relieved breath as he stood to join the others.
“Do