Page 62 of Tell No One
Delaney laughed and ended the call. He went back to a seat in the park and began to google.Saadanddiamondsbrought nothing of relevance. Delaney addedHassan Fayad, thenPrince Ahsan bin Nagi. A few minutes later, he’d found a link.
Delaney made a call. “Hassan! It Vadim.”
“Vadim! How are you?”
“I’m good. You still in London?”
“Yes, I’m going up to Scotland soon. Did you change your mind about joining me?”
While he and Fayad had been in the car together, Delaney had gone out of his way to be friendly, though he’d been surprised to be asked to Scotland.
“Too many commitments here, sadly. I want to ask favour. Can I see you? Meet for coffee?”
There was a slight pause before Fayad answered. “Come to my house. Five Belmont Square, Bloomsbury.”
“Thirty minute?”
“See you soon.”
Delaney hadn’t thought he’d get invited to the guy’s house. No time to change his hair but it didn’t really matter if the guy was who Delaney thought he was.
10
Hassan Fayad opened the door of his house and did a double take.
“Time to get rid of white,” Delaney said. “You like?”
Hassan chuckled. He looked pleased to see him, though Delaney had never been able to trust any smile. Not until the one that he was beginning to like more and more.
“Come in.” He shook Delaney’s hand. “You must call me Hassan now. We’re old friends.” He laughed.
As Delaney stepped inside, he had his hand on the gun in his pocket, hoping he wasn’t going to need to use it.
Hassan led Delaney through to a large open area at the rear of the house where a modern kitchen blended into a dining area, then living space. A span of bifold doors led to a decked area the width of the house with seating, table and chairs, which then backed onto the garden of another house. No easy exit that way.
“You live here on own?” Delaney asked.
He didn’t miss the flicker of concern that crossed Hassan’s face.
“Yes, on my own. Coffee, tea?”
“Black coffee, please. Can I use bathroom?”
“Through there and second door on the left.” Hassan pointed.
“Thank you.”
Delaney put his backpack down, surreptitiously tucking one strap underneath it before he left the room, then slid back to watch what Hassan did. He made the coffee and went nowhere near Delaney’s backpack. Delaney used the bathroom. No pictures on the wall. Nothing he hadn’t expected to see. He returned to see the strap lying in exactly the same place. It didn’t mean Hassan hadn’t looked inside, but…
There were two cups on the table between the couches. Hassan poured from a cafetière, which saved Delaney from having to worry that his had been doctored.
“Come and sit down.”
Delaney sat on the couch opposite.
“What’s the favour you need?” Hassan asked.
“Something I need to tell you first. I make discovery after you leave car. Little pony had lifted money from my wallet.”
