have reason to creep around in the dark and use those passages at a time like this was probably worth exploring…
What the hell? More than probably. He hadn’t had much luck so far today.
He had spent most of the day moving around the exterior of the palace and refreshing himself on any changes that might have occurred in the years since he’d broken with Zahra. Most of the new guards were unknown to him, but there was one he remembered who might be willing to deal if the money was high enough. He’d been holding off going inside the palace to explore and had only just verified that the secret passage leading to Zahra’s wing was still available and intact. Then, when he’d seen Zahra and Dalai moving from the maze into the coach house, his curiosity had flared.
Dalai…The girl was draped only in a sheet, and she looked very much the worse for wear. Not good for her, but it might be an opportunity…
What a bastard I am, he thought bitterly. The girl was like a frightened rabbit around Zahra, and he was thinking about using her? Rabbit…He vaguely remembered Zahra scornfully calling her that in those days when she’d first come to the palace all those years ago. He scarcely remembered Dalai Sadar from the old days. She had been a new servant in Zahra’s entourage then and not even into her teens, still a child. She had been brought from one of the Kiyani farms in the north when Zahra had said she needed a new maidservant. He only recalled Zahra’s being impatient with her and telling him that she scurried around like a frightened rabbit and that it was going to be boring having to train her.
He recalled feeling sorry for the girl at the time and had often tried to ease the sting of Zahra’s scathing words. But he had already been trying to edge away from Zahra, and a few months later, he’d made the break and was on his way to London.
And Dalai had grown up under Zahra’s less than tender care and become the pretty, well-trained rabbit that Zahra had intended.
Had there been blood on that sheet?
His phone was vibrating in his pocket.
Jill. He took the call.
“I’ve been trying to call you for the last few hours, Gideon,” Jill said in exasperation. “Why didn’t you pick up?”
“I was busy. Granted, I’m very familiar with this palace, but when your aim is to spy on the enemy, you don’t want to draw attention to yourself by chatting on the phone as you stroll around the property. It defeats the purpose. You caught me this time in the old coach house, where I could talk.”
“Coach house? Zahra has a coach—Never mind. I’ve reached you now. Have you talked to Novak?”
“Would I answer his calls when I refused to answer yours? That would be rude.”
“Stop it, Gideon. I have to tell you something.” She paused. “We weren’t able to get the security tapes back. Novak’s agent, Nassem, was killed, and so was my friend, Kimbro. Kimbro actually had the tapes in his possession, but we have to assume that when he was killed, the tapes were taken by one of Varak’s men.”
“Shit. Nassem?” Gideon repeated. “He was a good guy, Jill.”
“That’s what Novak said.” She cleared her throat. “So was Kimbro. But the reason I was trying desperately to get in touch with you is those tapes. If Zahra and Varak don’t know that you were involved in that break-in already, they will soon. You shouldn’t be there, Gideon. We don’t know what they’ll do if they think we might be getting close.”
“I’m careful.” He added grimly, “And all the more reason why we should find out what’s going on with Zahra. I remember she has an office that adjoins her suite. I thought that I might rifle through her desk and see what I can find out. There are too many blanks that need to be filled in.”
“It sounds too risky to do it alone. Come back here, and we’ll find a way to work on it together. Haven’t you been there long enough?”
“Maybe. I spent most of the time finding out that I knew practically none of Zahra’s personal guards any longer. There’s one I might approach if necessary.” He paused. “But I did have what you might call an encounter with Dalai Sadar this evening. Do you remember her?”
“The young girl that runs around at Zahra’s beck and call? There’s not much