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BOSTON MEMORIAL CEMETERY

THREE DAYS LATER

T he tears were stinging Celine’s eyes and running down her cheeks as she moved quickly down the road toward the cemetery gates.

Just a few more yards and she’d be on the street and away from this place.

She passed a white marble tomb with a huge angel statue guarding the doors.

So sad… It seemed the entire world was sad today.

“Do you need a lift?”

She looked up to see Dominic, who had pulled his Lexus to the side of the road and stopped.

He reached over and opened the passenger door for her.

“I know I promised you wouldn’t hear from me if you didn’t call, but Rashid phoned me from the church and said you might be having a bit of a tough time. ”

“So you decided to come to my rescue again?” She was wiping her eyes with a tissue as she got into the car.

“Well, I’ll let you. I just want to get out of here as quickly as possible.

” She was still wiping her eyes as he started the car.

She caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and shook her head. “Lord, I look hideous.”

“I don’t believe hideous is possible for you. And it doesn’t matter to me how you look. Just sit back and relax and push everything away while I complete this rescue. You wouldn’t want to spoil my technique.”

“Heaven forbid. But you can let me out in the next block after we leave the cemetery. I just didn’t want to run into Judy or the kids again.”

“Am I allowed to ask why?”

She didn’t answer for a moment. “Judy didn’t want me there.

She was very… cold. She looked at me as if she hated me.

Whenever the kids came over to talk to me she’d call them away.

It was as if she didn’t want me to touch them.

I think she blames me for Barnaby.” She swallowed, hard. “Who could blame her?”

“I could,” he said sharply. “Do you want me to go and talk to her about the fact that you had nothing to do with it, and it was Barnaby who took the action that killed him?”

“No, stay out of it. She’s suffered enough. And those kids are all she has left. I shouldn’t have even come here to the funeral. I just wanted to say goodbye and tell her to call me if I could help.”

“Just what I suggested you do,” he said grimly. “I should have kept my damn mouth shut. I didn’t even need to do it when I knew you were almost there anyway.”

“You’re saying that you think you were responsible?” She gazed at him in disbelief. “Screw you.”

“I’m saying that I’ve been known to be very persuasive on occasion. I’m sorry if it backfired like this. I should have thought it through and kept my mouth shut.”

“And you shouldn’t have had the arrogance to think that just because you suggested something, I’d be weak enough to just fall into line.

I’ll always pick and choose.” She held his gaze.

“And don’t ever think because you saw me shed a few tears that you can step in and try to solve all my problems. I own them, just as I own all the good things that happen to me. Do you understand?”

“I believe you’ve made yourself clear.” He was smiling. “And now you may know me a little better, too. Would it be all right if I take you back to the hotel and we have dinner? Then you can ask me anything else you care to. And maybe you can forget all about Judy Barnaby and have a glass of wine.”

“But I don’t intend to forget about her.

I can’t forget anything that’s happened to me.

I told you, she wasn’t to blame. I have to remember everything so that I’ll know how to find those men who killed Barnaby.

That’s what I learned during these last three days.

That nothing matters if I can make Jossland and Caldwell pay for what they did.

” Her lips twisted. “We shouldn’t have had to bury a great guy like Barnaby today.

Yes, you can bet I’ll ask you questions.

One of them I couldn’t get out of my mind in the past few days was about Eve Duncan… ”

Dominic nodded. “Then that’s where I’ll go first. Dinner?”

She nodded slowly. “Dinner.”

SHAFIRA, AFRICA

TWO HOURS LATER

“The Kelly woman was picked up at the cemetery after the Barnaby funeral,” Jossland said when Caldwell answered his call. “It was the same man she was with when she left the precinct a few days ago. You said you knew him.”

“Oh, I do,” Caldwell said. “Dominic’s been a thorn in my side in the past, and he can be extremely dangerous. But that only means we’ll have to be very careful not to let him get in my way on this job. The stakes are much too high. Is she still with him?”

“He took her back to the hotel, and neither of them has left the suite. He’s probably too busy fucking her. It’s all a whore like her is good for,” Jossland added sourly. “I’ve cased out the penthouse. I could go back later tonight and get rid of both of them.”

“But that’s not what I want, Jossland. I was worried you’d get overeager when I permitted you to leave the village and go back there.

However, I’ve noticed you’re definitely good at taking care of certain lethal duties that I’ve given you in the past. Since I’d heard rumors that Dominic was making his presence known among certain of my employees, I thought it would be wise to have you handy. ”

“But I don’t want to take care of anyone but that Kelly woman,” Jossland said obstinately.

“And I certainly don’t want to have to hang out in those stinking, steamy jungles while you try to talk Zakira into showing you where all that gold is supposed to be mined.

Leave me alone with the priest for thirty minutes, and he’ll tell you anything you want to know. ”

Caldwell chuckled. “You have no subtlety, and there’s no way I would risk you injuring a prime source of income.

Now stop complaining and count your blessings.

Didn’t I let you get rid of Gary Barnaby and play your mind games with Celine Kelly?

But here you are trying to dive in and spoil everything for me.

Wasn’t that Barnaby death enough for you?

You told me how much you enjoyed it.” He added critically, “And you did some really excellent carving on the poor man.”

“But it wasn’t Celine Kelly.” Jossland’s teeth were gritting with rage. “You told me I could have that bitch.”

“Patience. I have other work for you to do first. So keep an eye on Kelly while I go and have a discussion with our client, Zakira. He’s beginning to get a little restless. It’s about time we got ready to start working on the main event…”

An hour later, Caldwell was entering Zakira’s palace and trying to look appropriately humble as he inclined his head before the son of a bitch’s elaborately carved teak throne.

Zakira had fooled his followers into thinking he was some kind of god, and visitors had to perpetuate the charade.

The chieftain was as usual dressed in army camouflage gear and flaunting brilliant ribbons on his chest, and he frowned coldly as he turned to face Caldwell.

“You’re moving much too slowly, Caldwell.

Do you think I paid you all that gold to watch you stay here and just fornicate with my women? ”

Caldwell forced a smile. “No, though the women you send me are exceptional. I think you forget that I furnished you with enough arms to wipe out Karimu and all the enemies there who insulted you,” he said. “That’s an entire village who will no longer trouble you.”

“They’ve seen my power. But it’s not enough. They’ve got to know that as the supreme priest, I have the right to be respected by all the villages, and they have to obey me. They won’t believe that until they see the proof. When do I see the rest of my payment you promised me?”

“There’s been a slight delay. It’s on its way.”

“I do not accept that answer,” he said softly.

“I want everyone who sees me to know I was meant to rule this entire land. They cannot be certain of that without the mask. It’s a symbol that’s a part of our history that they’d understand.

You’ve made many promises. You’ve even made suggestions that I’ve accepted because I thought them worthy.

How long do you believe you’d live if I find you’ve been trying to lie to me?

You’d be wise to give me what you promised. You understand?”

“Yes.” What Cardwell understood was that he might have to kill this arrogant asshole sooner than he planned.

There was no question Masini Zakira was a deadly adversary.

He’d watched him make brutal public executions of his people in this village when they displeased him.

But Zakira was not about to back off before he got the next and last shipment of gold.

Caldwell had to give him the tribute he’d promised him for his damn temple, and he couldn’t wait much longer to do it.

“Of course I do. I’ll get right on it.” He made a sweeping gesture that he hoped the bastard thought was humble and started to back out of the throne room. “You won’t be disappointed…”

PENTHOUSE SUITE

BOSTON RITZ-CARLTON HOTEL

8:40 P.M.

“You were right when you told me that I’d be well fed at this hotel,” Celine said as she dabbed at her lips with the linen napkin.

“I wasn’t in good enough shape to appreciate the cuisine before, but the Ritz obviously has a spectacular chef.

” She shrugged. “Not that I’ve been familiar with fine cuisine lately.

My father would take me out on special occasions, but most of the time we both enjoyed the local foods of whatever country we were visiting. My dad was a great cook.”

“And your mother?”

“She died when I was eight. My dad and I were on our own after that.” She met his gaze across the table. “But you probably know that. You said you have all those dossiers stashed away somewhere.”

“They don’t tell everything.” He was pouring her wine. “For instance, I don’t know your preference in wine. I had to guess.”