Page 108 of Sands of Sirocco
Moving quickly, Noah took a few long strides toward Alastair, gun in both hands.He looked down the sights at his friend already in his dressing gown.Alastair raised both hands in surrender.“You came by the roof, then?You’d be dead if you hadn’t, you know.”
Was that a threat?Or just a statement of fact?Noah narrowed his eyes.“Don’t try the mind games with me.”
“Oh, come now, Benson.Put the gun down.I put Khalib up there on purpose.You’re smart enough to not come in through the alley.Helton’s sure to be watching the house.You shouldn’t have risked coming here.But I thought you might.Especially when your lovely bride arrived just a half hour ago.”Alastair stepped back, lowering his hands.
Ginger was here.Thank God.
But it meant leaving would be more difficult.At last, he lowered the gun and put it in its holster.“Why didn’t you come to the palace as we discussed?”
“Lord Helton was at CID headquarters.He told me he was heading to the palace with men to handle the matter and ordered me home.I couldn’t have known what they were about to do to you.I’m sorry I wasn’t there.I’ve been getting bits and pieces over the wires though.The situation looks grim.”
No wonder.It must have all been part of Helton’s plan.“What’s the official story?”
“You’re wanted for immediate capture.Apparently, you’re the criminal mastermind of the last decade.Maslukhaand Aleaqrab leader, all in one.I’m certain the papers will carry the tales tomorrow of how you murdered the Earl of Braddock and his son, framed the innocent Stephen Fisher, and Fisher rotted in prison without a trial for your crimes.Let’s not forget your more recent exploits of killing a Captain Harold Young, stealing a lorry of arms from the army, and attempting to blow up Abdin Palace.You’ve been quite busy.”
None of it surprised Noah, but to hear Alastair lay it out like that nauseated him.Everything he’d worked for his whole life would be taken away.He’d been foolish.But how could he have known the way Stephen planned to twist and manipulate everything?
Capturing Lord Helton had most likely been all Stephen needed to finalize his own release.While Noah couldn’t imagine how it had come about, he could picture the satisfied smile on Stephen’s face, knowing he had pinned his crimes on Noah’s back.“And Masry?They found me with him at the palace.”
“I suppose you can feel some relief there.He’s been arrested.But I sincerely doubt he’ll own his role in the Aleaqrab.The messages I intercepted labeled you as their leader.Still, Masry will most likely be imprisoned, his organization dismantled.I very much doubt it was what your uncle intended when cooperating with Stephen, but apparently Stephen’s in the business of hanging his friends on a line.Either that or Lord Helton demanded it.”
Whatever satisfaction Noah may have felt at his uncle’s arrest and the blow to the Aleaqrab, it was minuscule compared to the shadow of rage curling through him.“Lord Helton can save me from this debacle, but he’s been bribed by Fisher.I walked right into the trap Fisher set for me.”
“I assumed as much about Lord Helton once I started getting messages.I can’t understand what Helton is thinking.He knows the devil he’s sold his soul to.Fisher must be in possession of a means to manipulate him and keep him from going back on his word.”Alastair’s face was sober and sympathetic.
That’s true.Stephen would have wanted a way to make Helton his puppet.Finding out what that was would be crucial in the future.
Alastair set a hand on Noah’s shoulder.“While you’re free, you can keep working to out the truth.Just don’t let them capture you.They’ll hang you before any of us can try to save you.”
What truth?He’d seen the deceptive practices his government had employed to get what they wanted.
Noah sank wearily against a wall.“The truth?”His laugh was bitter.“You and I know well how the truth matters.I don’t think I can escape this one, Alastair.How can I ever be exonerated or free?I committed half of the crimes they’re accusing me of, in shades of grey.”
“Do you want my real advice?”
“Do I?”Noah fought the surge of panic that crested in him.He could well imagine Alastair’s “real” advice.
“Disappear, Noah.Start a new life.You can ask your wife to go with you, but if she does, she’ll have to continue a life running from the law.Not to mention that it’s harder to run with another person at your side.I’m going to do everything I can for you, but your chances of living to a ripe old age are better if you simply flee alone.”
Noah straightened.The idea had merit and was tempting, but how could he ever ask something like that of Ginger?And he would never abandon her.“I never expected to live to a ripe old age anyway.”Noah rubbed his right shoulder with the opposite hand.“I need your help.”The familiar stiffness from his wounds earlier in the year made the muscles throb, but he couldn’t worry about that now.
“I’m happy to outfit you.”Alastair cocked his head to the side and led him out of the room, down the hall.“You’re going to need a few disguises.”
“I’m going to need two.”Noah’s voice echoed in the hallway.
Alastair looked over his shoulder with a sharp-eyed squint.“Forla belle femme?”
“I’m not leaving her.”
“I didn’t think you would.”
Alastair led Noah to a darkened room.“Where are you going?”
Noah blinked as Alastair turned on an electric lamp.The room was filled with shelves, a few wardrobes, and baskets.“I’m not sure yet.I have news of Jack.He’s here in Egypt, likely in the outskirts of Cairo.”
Alastair appeared stunned, the corners of his eyes squinting.“Who did you learn this from?”
“Victoria.She says he’s deathly ill too.”Noah rubbed his jaw, the stubble on his face already rough against his palm.Growing facial hair quickly had its benefits but meant having to shave every day when he didn’t want it.“The Aleaqrab never had Victoria.Osborne did.And, apparently, Jack was being held where they took her.They even had her confer with Jack about some clue regarding the location of the concession paperwork.My assumption is that Freddy Mortimer was found with it.”Noah didn’t have time now to explain what Ginger had found out about Mortimer’s identity.
