Page 71 of The New Girl

Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was not a member of the Sudairi Seven, the internal royal bloodline of the Founder’s sons that had produced three Saudi monarchs, including Khalid’s father. Therefore, he had assumed he would never be a king. He had lived his life accordingly, with one foot in Saudi Arabia and another in the West. Nevertheless, he remained an important figure inside the House of Saud, respected for his intellect and political acumen. Khalid found his uncle to be a source of sage counsel, precisely because he opposed many of Khalid’s reforms, including those involving women, for whom Abdullah had but one use.

“And when you told your uncle about Omar Nawwaf?”

“He was alarmed.”

“What did he suggest?”

Khalid drew a forefinger across his throat.

“Rather drastic, don’t you think?”

“Not by our standards.”

“But you were supposed to be different, Khalid. You were supposed to be the one who was going to change the Middle East and the Islamic world.”

“I can’t change the world if I’m dead, can I?”

“What about the blowback?”

“Abdullah promised there wouldn’t be any.”

“How wise of him,” said Gabriel dryly. “But why would he say such a thing?”

“Because my hands would be clean.”

“Abdullah said he would take care of it?”

Khalid nodded.

“How did he get Nawwaf to come to the consulate in Istanbul?”

“How do you think?”

“Nawwaf was told you were going to be there.”

“Very good.”

“And the nonsense you put out after he was dead? The happy talk about a rendition operation that went sideways?”

“Omar Nawwaf,” said Khalid gravely, “was never going to leave that consulate alive.”

“Rather sloppy, don’t you think?”

“Abdullah wanted a noisy kill to scare off other potential assassins.”

“It was noisy, all right. And now your uncle is next in line to the throne.”

“And I’m sitting here with you in al-Quds.” Khalid listened to the stirring of the ancient city. “It does look as though Abdullah baited me into a reckless act in order to damage my international standing and weaken me at home.”

“Yes, it does.”

“But what if we’re looking at this the wrong way?”

“What would be the right way?”

“What if Omar Nawwaf really wanted to warn me about a grave threat?” Khalid checked his wristwatch. “My God, look at the time.”

“It’s early by our standards.”