The Oracle (Fargo Adventures #11) - Clive Cussler Page 0,104
When the dinner ended and they bade their good-byes, Amal walked Sam, Remi, and Lazlo to their car. “Thank you for not saying anything.”
Remi clasped the younger woman’s hand. “We’ll finish this conversation tomorrow. It’s important.”
“Of course. I know.” When her mother and Nasha appeared in the doorway, Amal stepped back, waving at them as they drove off.
“Nice dinner,” Lazlo said from the backseat. “How was your little adventure?”
Remi buckled her seat belt. “Interesting. Just not sure what to make of it. It was Amal.”
Sam glanced over at her. “Exactly why did you stop her from explaining what she was up to?”
“A time and place for everything, Fargo.”
“And what was wrong with that time and place?” he asked, driving down the hill.
“It was clear she was uncomfortable talking about it in front of Renee and Hank.”
“You think?”
“I want to know why first.”
Sam had learned long ago not to question his wife’s instinct even when it defied logic. “Tomorrow,” he said. “Because like it or not, Amal is involved in whatever’s going on.” He slowed at the sight of an SUV parked at the side of the road at the bottom of the hill—one he might not have seen had it not been for the moonlight reflecting off the vehicle’s roof.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
“Up ahead.”
“That’s an unusual parking spot.” Remi opened the glove box, pulling out her gun. “Shall we investigate?”
Walking up to a car in the dark was a good way to get killed. “Let’s drive by, see what happens.”
“Brilliant plan,” Lazlo said.
“Spoilsports,” Remi said.
Sam continued past, his headlights sweeping across the car as they approached the curve—too quick to make out much more than two men sitting inside. “I wonder if those are our friends from the market.”
“The kidnappers from the hotel?” Remi fingered her gun. “Wish I’d got a better look.”
The vehicle pulled out the moment they drove past. “You might get a second opportunity. They’re following us . . . Better duck, Lazlo. Never know what might happen.”
Lazlo slunk down in his seat. “Remind me again why I decided to tag along?”
CHAPTER SEVENTY-SEVEN
Wisdom does not come overnight.
– SOMALI PROVERB –
Sam checked the rearview mirror as he drove down the hill, leaving the olive groves behind. So far, the dark-colored SUV was keeping its distance. “Why follow us? If it’s the same two who tried to kidnap you and Renee, it’s not like they don’t know which hotel we’re staying at.”
Remi looked over at him and cocked her head toward the backseat and Lazlo. “If that’s supposed to make us feel better, it doesn’t.”
“Just stating a fact.”
Lazlo cleared his throat. “There’s a lot of empty highway between here and the hotel. Maybe you could drive a bit faster?”
“Remi,” Sam said, ignoring him. “There’s something incredibly wrong about all this.”
“Besides the fact we’re being chased by kidnappers?”
“Nigerian kidnappers, Tunisian kidnappers. What does any of it have to do with Warren and the embezzled money?”
She pulled her attention from the side-view mirror to look at him. “I’m not sure this is the time to worry about any inconsistencies. They’re gaining on us.”
“Make sure your seat belts are buckled tight.” Sam hit the gas pedal. The Audi RS shot forward, leaving the other car far behind. There was no way the SUV could match their speed on the curves without rolling over. Even so, he didn’t relax until they reached the city, then the hotel, where security had been beefed up to quell the fears of the other guests after the earlier kidnapping attempt.
As they strolled past the armed guards at the front entrance, Sam took Remi’s arm and looked at Lazlo, saying, “You have to admit, no one’s getting past the guards in the lobby.”
Remi smiled at the uniformed men as Sam held the door for her and Lazlo. “Back to the ‘something incredibly wrong’ thing,” she said as they crossed the lobby toward the elevator. “Exactly what do we have wrong?”
“The order of everything.” He pressed the elevator button. The door opened and they stepped on. “Like I said before, I think it all started here. Someone here contacted Makao and his gang.”
Remi looked at him as they rode up to the top floor. “Warren? But he’s dead.”
“Yes,” Lazlo said. “But that doesn’t mean he didn’t start this nightmare. Only that he’s not the one finishing it. And if anyone wants my opinion, I quite suspect that he didn’t fall. Nor did he kill himself. It’d be nice to know what evidence they have.”