“Then you might never forgive me. It’s hot, humid, and the poverty will break your heart.” She started pouring the water into the automatic coffeemaker. “How will your husband take your decision?”
Eve was not about to deal with that now. Later. “That’s not your concern.”
“It is if it’s going to make you unhappy.” Jill was frowning. “He’s a detective. Let’s see…He’ll be worried about your safety. I’ll give you a couple of names of law-enforcement officials in the Kiyani government for him to contact. And I know a few agents with the CIA and MI6 who operate in Maldara who might reassure him.”
“I wouldn’t bet on it.” Eve’s brows rose. “Is there anyone you don’t know in Maldara?”
“Not if they’re useful.” Jill handed her the cup of coffee. “Survival. You’ll only have to be there for a few weeks. But I’ve been there for two years.”
“Two years…” Her gaze narrowed on Jill’s face. “Okay, I need to know what I’ll be facing there that I couldn’t find on Google. According to what I read, for decades Maldara has been torn by conflict between the Kiyanis to the north and Botzan to the south. The Kiyanis possessed most of the wealth in the country, which was based on rich farmlands and diamond mines. They even managed to develop a fairly stable republic in the last thirty years. The Botzans were poor by comparison, mostly mountain people, except for a decent fishing industry, and they changed rulers every couple years. The mountain population were principally made up of roving bands who made the majority of their living stealing from the Kiyanis, whom they hated. They’d been raiding the Kiyanis’ properties for years before the Kiyanis suddenly decided to go on the attack. Civil war. The Botzan faction was finally defeated by the Kiyanis after the death of that mercenary, Nils Varak, and with the help of the U.N.” She paused. “Is all of that correct? Is there anything else I should know? Is Botzan still a danger?”
Jill shook her head. “It’s pretty well broken up now. The U.N. was getting too much static because of the Varak massacres, and they saw to it that the Kiyanis took over most of Maldara.” She grimaced. “And Zahra Kiyani, their president, is taking full advantage. She’s even charmed the U.N. into giving her the right to speak at the next General Assembly meeting.”
“I think I read something about her. She’s a modern-day Madame Chiang Kai-shek?”
“Yes, that’s who they’re comparing her to. But you’ll hear a lot more about her now that she’s been able to draw a breath and start taking stock. Her father, President Akil Kiyani, was assassinated six months after the conflict started, and she tearfully accepted the presidency to honor him.”
“Sarcasm?”
“I’m not a fan. When I interviewed her, she reminded me of Eva Peron. She’s quite beautiful and much more flamboyant, of course. But her grateful people had just erected a statue of her in the main square of the capital city of Jokan. I found that odd after a war that had almost destroyed the country.” She shrugged. “But that’s politicians. She seems to have everything under control. She’s built a hospital and gives to charity. The army and police seem to do their jobs. Everyone is fairly safe as long as they stay in the capital and don’t go running around the countryside. She might even invite you to tea. That village where the massacre occurred is just outside Jokan. She’s visited it twice and had a splendid and tearful photo op. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to attend.”
“I don’t believe I would either.” Eve could see how that political circus would have hurt Jill. “And I’d think you’d be ready to leave Maldara. Isn’t your story almost finished?”
“It’s finished when it’s finished. I’ll know when it’s done. Like your reconstructions.” She’d turned away and was gazing at the reconstruction of Nora on the worktable across the room. “You’ve made a lot of progress on her since yesterday. She looks close to completion.”
“I had a lot of time to work on her. Thanks to you, I couldn’t sleep last night.” She took a sip of her coffee. “And looks can be deceiving. The final will probably take me another twenty-four hours or even longer. I’m going to need this caffeine.”
“But I might be able to get you out before that.”
“Wrong,” Eve said flatly. “I don’t leave until Nora’s finished and sent off to Chicago.