those diplomats who suck up to you would turn their backs and walk away. Now look what you’ve done.”
“I tried to get rid of her. I even had Bogani drown that chef to protect us. I haven’t done anything else but put up with your arrogance and insults.” She glared at him. “And I’ve reached the end of my patience with you. What’s supposed to be my fault, Varak?”
“It is your fault.” He strode across the room toward the desk. “Do you want to see why you don’t have your precious statue? I just got the security tapes from the gallery at Asarti.” He pressed the button on his computer. “And guess who was dragging Dobran through that gallery.”
She was looking over his shoulder at the computer screen. “How should I know who—” She stopped. “Gideon? It was Gideon at Asarti?”
“You told me he was once your lover. He seems to have forgotten old loyalties and formed others. He wasn’t alone.” He fast-forwarded the tape. “Do you recognize this man, Zahra?”
“No, I’ve never seen him before.”
“Neither have I. So I ran a check through a database I use. Actually, he’s very well known in some circles. He’s Joe Quinn, a detective with the Atlanta Police Department.” He took a step closer to her, his eyes glittering. “And he’s married to Eve Duncan. Now what would he be doing at Asarti, Zahra?”
She inhaled sharply. “How should I know? None of this is my fault.”
“And it’s not your fault that he was obviously trying to extract Dobran from that château when my sniper shot him? Not your fault that the one man who could tell the world that I’m still alive was being snatched away by the husband of the woman who is the premier forensic sculptor in the world? You don’t see the connection?”
Zahra was afraid that she did, but she’d have to be wary about admitting it to Varak while he was in this foul mood. “Perhaps. But I don’t know how the connection would be made. Duncan was working on reconstructions of those children. I saw them when I went to the museum for the press conference. Nothing to do with you. There was no threat.”
“And was there no threat from bringing an expert forensic sculptor within a stone’s throw of the U.N. headquarters where the skull was placed? Why do you think Quinn wanted Dobran? He already knew that Eve Duncan had been working on that skull and was certain it wasn’t me. She fooled you. Can’t you see it? Gideon brought her to Maldara, and everyone knows he and Jill Cassidy are friends. They all fooled you.”
“I asked Wyatt, and he told me that Cassidy had no connection with the Children for Peace charity that contacted the London office.”
“Just as she had nothing to do with trying to skewer me by paying Hadfeld for that story about my still being alive? I wanted to kill her then, but you persuaded me that I should only hurt and scare her. You should have realized that she wouldn’t give up. She just went in another direction. So don’t tell me that she had nothing to do with Eve Duncan’s coming here.” His voice was low and thick with rage. “Or that Duncan wasn’t pretty damn sure of what Quinn would find at Asarti. Joe Quinn wouldn’t have risked his reputation if Duncan hadn’t thought she had proof that the skull in the U.N. vault wasn’t mine.”
“How could she know that?”
“That’s what we’re going to find out.” He whirled to face her. “And I know you’re ready and willing to help, aren’t you?”
“Of course, I gave you my word.” Keep him calm. And this might affect both of us. “Tell me what I can do.”
He reached in her handbag and took out her phone. “You’re going to call Edward Wyatt and tell him that you’re in the mood for something different and are coming to see him at the U.N. residence tonight for your fun and games. You’ll tell him to send everyone away so that no one will recognize you. You’ll make it sound erotic enough that he’ll be panting to do anything you want him to do.”
He grinned. “But then he does that anyway. Right?”
She ignored the question. “What are you planning, Varak?”
“You’ll get me and my men into that vault room, where I can check out that skull. Wyatt’s already given you the code ID imprinted on it. If that code’s not on that skull at the