Fire and Desire (Arabesque) (27 page)

“Mr. Santini is here to see you.”

Rasheed inwardly smiled at the slight grunt he heard in Swalar’s voice. He knew his trusted valet did not approve of his friendship with Raul. Years ago as teenagers, when Raul had come home with him during one of their school breaks, the two of them had kept Swalar busy keeping them out of trouble. Of course, Swalar blamed Raul for all their mischief, since in Swalar’s eyes his young prince could do no wrong.

“Send him in, Swalar.”

Rasheed knew something was wrong the moment Santini walked through the door. The back of his neck prickled. “What is it, my friend? What’s wrong?”

Santini hesitated a moment, as if regretting the words he was about to say. “I love my country as much as you do yours, Monty. I couldn’t have the North Americans thinking that South Americans are evil and villainous. What happened with the terrorists has put my country in a negative light. I organized a special team of men to dig up anything they could find out on the terrorist attack at the hotel in Rio. And I ordered them to search the entire countryside for Araque and to bring him back to me alive.”

Rasheed nodded, but didn’t say anything. He decided to let Raul finish what he was saying.

“They found him hiding out in the mountains near Argentina. He was in a bad way. He’d been shot, probably from when the Navy SEALs raided his camp to rescue the American hostages. In exchange for a promise that we would not harm his young teenage son, who was found with him, before Araque died he gave us the name of the man who masterminded everything.”

“And?”

Santini took a deep breath. “It’s all here in the report, Rasheed,” he said, handing a folder to his friend. “This is the report I’ll be giving to the State Department to clear my country of any wrongdoings. I think you need to read it.”

Rasheed nodded and, taking the chair behind his desk, he began reading.

Corinthians came awake, wondering how she had managed to sleep for the little while that she had. Her position on the bed wasn’t a comfortable one. A blindfold still covered her eyes and her hands were still tied. At least they had not gagged her. They had warned her not to make a sound or they would give her something to knock her out. In the distance, she could still hear the men’s voices. She wished there was something she could do to try to escape, but the blindfold and her tied hands limited her capabilities. She forced herself to roll her body to the side when she felt a bout of nausea forming in her stomach. Now was not the time for her to get sick.

She closed her eyes, pretending sleep when she heard the room door open.

“Wake up,” a male voice demanded, calling out to her. “The plane is here and we’re ready to go.”

Rasheed closed the folder. His entire body was consumed in anger. A part of him didn’t want to believe any of the things he had read, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. His father had been acting strange lately—now he knew why.

He looked up and met Santini’s gaze. “Will you trust me to take care of it and to make things right for both of our countries?” he asked his friend. He knew he was asking a lot. He had read the report in its entirety. He knew how damaging it would be if the truth were known. The lives of six Americans had been put in danger because of a man’s lust for one woman.

“It may be too late, Monty. I’ve had your father’s residence watched for the past couple of weeks, even more closely after you left to return to Mowaiti. I didn’t want to say anything to you until I was sure of the facts.”

Santini leaned forward in his chair. In a controlled voice he said, “He’s desperate, Monty. He wants Miss Avery in a bad way. He’s arranged for her to be abducted from her home in Austin and to be brought here. His plans are to hide her away somewhere until he can get her out of the country. And according to my contacts, he’s already set his plans in motion.”

Rasheed rose quickly to his feet. “I have to stop him, Santini, but I’m going to need your help. Please say that you will help me.”

Santini nodded. He knew if their positions were reversed, Rasheed would help him. “What do you want me to do?”

“Post some of your men at the private airfield that’s been designated for international dignitaries to use. If anyone is bringing Corinthians Avery into this city, they will have to arrive there. Tell your men not to intercept them. I just want to know where they take her. I’ll handle it from there,” Rasheed said, putting on his jacket.

“Where are you going?”

“To see my father.”

“Be careful, Monty.”

“I will.”

“T
hey’re friends of yours, I hope,” Joshua Avery muttered under his breath to Trevor as he gazed at the two men. He felt a chill pass through his body that began at the top of his head and quickly went down to his toes.

One of the men Joshua thought he recognized as the Marine colonel who had accompanied the military aircraft that had brought Corinthians to Key West. However, tonight, without the military garb, he wasn’t too sure. For some reason, he looked rough and rugged, and nothing like a schooled, disciplined, high-ranking military officer. Dressed in jeans and a pullover shirt, he looked primed and ready for trouble of any kind, even that of his own making.

Joshua thought the other man had a look about him that was lethal, deadly, almost barbaric. He gave the appearance of a man who could possibly end another’s life without thinking twice about it.

“They are friends of yours, aren’t they?” Joshua asked Trevor again. The slight tremble in his voice was apparent.

Trevor found a reason to smile for the first time since he had arrived at Corinthians’s home and found her missing. As usual, Sir Drake had put the fear of God into someone. Trevor took great pleasure in knowing
that
person was Joshua Avery.

“Yes, they’re friends of mine. Drake Warren and Ashton Sinclair.” He introduced his friends to the others in the room. He then gazed at Ashton and Drake thoughtfully. For them to have come, they had to know something. “How did you know Corinthians is missing?”

Drake muttered a curse before saying, “We were hoping to get here before anything could happen.”

“What do you mean? Are you saying you know something about my daughter’s disappearance?” Reverend Avery asked Drake desperately. Like his son, he remembered Ashton from that night in Key West. Also, like Joshua, he could detect something destructive and dangerous about the man called Drake Warren. However, the look Drake gave him was respectful when he responded to his question.

“Yes, sir,” Drake answered politely. “We know something.”

“Now wait just a minute,” Joshua said heatedly, forgetting for the moment his decision not to rattle either of the two men. He still was not convinced Corinthians was missing and not somewhere rethinking her future. “Who are you and why should we believe you know so much?”

The look Drake turned on Joshua was hard and deadly. “Is he for real?” he asked Trevor without taking his eyes off Joshua.

“I’m afraid so,” was Trevor’s terse reply.

“I’ll let it pass since he’s a future relative of yours,” Drake said with a sharp edge in his voice.

“Don’t do me any favors,” was Trevor’s reply.

“You sure?”

“Positive.”

Drake nodded before slowly walking over to Joshua Avery, who had the good sense to take a step back. “Keep up the negativity, Senator, and I just might be your worst nightmare. And the reason I know so much is because for the last fifteen hours, I’ve been sitting in front of a computer reviewing highly classified data. Someone has been trying for the past month or so to get their hands on your sister. Since she’s now missing, I can only assume the person has succeeded.”

“What do you mean you’ve been reviewing highly classified data? That’s against the law. How did you get access to them?”

“CIA.”

Joshua was stunned. “You’re with the CIA?”

“Every day.” Drake instantaneously dismissed Joshua and turned to Trevor. “I have an idea where they’ve taken her, Trev. Come on, we don’t have time to waste. We’re going to D.C. I’ll update you on the plane.”

Trevor looked at Drake and Ashton clearly surprised. “What do you mean Armond Thetas had nothing to do with that terrorists’ attack in Rio?”

“Oh, don’t get me wrong,” Drake answered smoothly. “He’s far from being a choirboy, but he’s innocent of any terrorists’ activities. He’s been too busy planning the assassination of Argentina’s chief of police. That’s why he’s here in this country now. He thinks he’s meeting with a hit man. Unfortunately for him, the person he’ll be talking with is an undercover agent for the FBI. Hopefully, we’ll have Thetas behind bars before the night is over.”

Trevor shook his head, trying to clear it. “Well, if he wasn’t the person behind it, who was? Why would they want Corinthians now? And why was she taken to Washington?”

Drake knew he had to choose his next words carefully. “There have been two men trying to kidnap Corinthians for different reasons. One for the help she could provide to his country and the other because he wants her.”

Trevor frowned. “What do you mean because he wants her?”

Ashton looked pointedly at Trevor. “Drake means just what he says. He
wants
her.”

Trevor’s eyes became hard and cold. The gaze that held Drake and Ashton within their scope was fiery, penetrating. “Who are these two men?”

Drake provided Trevor the names of the two men.

“Do you know which one of them has her?”

“No, but we’ll soon find out. So buckle up. It’s time for takeoff.”

Corinthians couldn’t help it—she was sick. The plane flight had shaken her up quite a bit and her stomach was reacting violently to it.

“Do you think it was the plane ride that made her ill?” one of the men asked the other with concern in his voice.

“How would I know? All I know is that he’s going to be angry if he thinks we didn’t take proper care of her. He gave us specific instructions.”

Corinthians frowned. She was still in the dark as to who “he” was. She didn’t know who the person was who had ordered her kidnapping or what he wanted with her. The two men weren’t saying any names. They had removed her blindfold earlier and she didn’t recognize either of them. But from her travels abroad, she knew they were both from the Middle East.

“I am an American citizen, and I demand that you let me go.”

They looked at her as if her words meant nothing to them. After mumbling a few more sentences to themselves, this time in their native tongue, they left her in the small, cramped room, locking the door behind them.

Where am I? she wondered to herself. Because of the plane ride, she knew she was no longer in Austin. So where was she? She yawned, feeling tired. She had to believe that no matter where she was, Trevor would eventually come for her. She closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep with that very thought in her mind and that belief in her heart.

Rasheed looked around the darkened lot before slipping unnoticed through the chain-link fence. He had not been able to locate his father, so he had given Santini explicit instructions to find him.

He removed his shoes so that he would not make a sound as he walked on the gravel. When he heard voices, he lowered his body behind a row of crates. When it was quiet again, he stood and began making his way across the yard once more.

Santini’s men had told him that Corinthians had been taken to this empty warehouse. He intended to get her out.

He paused when he came to the room where he knew Corinthians was being held. A key was hanging just above the door. Looking around, he made his way toward the room and using the key, he unlocked the door, slid back the handle and eased inside. It was dark and he couldn’t see a thing.

He was about to call out softly to Corinthians when suddenly the door swung open and before he had time to react, a sharp pain went through him and he fell to the floor.

“What do you mean Trevor isn’t here?”

Joshua stared at the three men who stood in the doorway, none of whom he recognized. All three wore serious expressions on their faces. The man who had asked the question appeared somewhat intimidating. Well, as far as Joshua was concerned, he’d had enough intimidation for one night and didn’t intend to put up with any more. His father was in the study using the phone, and his mother was in the shower. He’d been in the kitchen about to make a sandwich when these three had shown up.

“I meant just what I said. Trevor Grant isn’t here,” Joshua replied curtly.

The frown on Dex Madaris’s face deepened. “Doesn’t Corinthians Avery live here?”

“Yes.”

“So where’s Trevor?”

“You like asking a lot of questions don’t you?” Joshua asked smartly, then realized his mistake when the man took a step toward him.

“Dex, stop!” Justin Madaris’s sharp voice cut through the air.

Clayton Madaris chuckled as he leaned against the doorjamb. “I don’t know, Justin. Maybe it’ll be a good idea if he went ahead. I have a feeling Trevor would probably appreciate it.”

Justin shot his youngest brother a warning stare before turning his attention back to the man at the door. “We apologize for arriving so late, Senator, but we thought Trevor was here.”

Clayton and Dex raised their eyes to the ceiling. Justin was way too nice at times.

“I’m Justin Madaris, and these are my brothers, Clayton and Dex.”

Joshua recognized the Madaris name immediately. He had spoken to Dex Madaris on the telephone when he’d gotten the news that Corinthians had managed to escape into the South American jungle with Trevor. Dex Madaris had been rude to him then, but Joshua had dismissed his rudeness. After all, he was Jake Madaris’s nephew. And any politician from Texas knew not to get on Jake Madaris’s bad side. That could be political suicide.

To save face, he bestowed upon them his biggest politician smile. “Madaris? Oh, why didn’t you say so? Come right on in,” Joshua said, opening the door wider.

No one moved.

“Just tell us where Trevor is,” Dex said with agitation in his voice.

“He’s in Washington, D.C.”

Clayton straightened his stance, frowning. “Washington? What’s he doing in Washington?”

Joshua shrugged. “Two of his military friends showed up and convinced him Corinthians has been taken to Washington.”

Justin lifted a dark brow. “I take it you don’t believe it.”

“Trust me, you don’t want to know what I believe.”

“You’re right,” Dex said coldly. “We don’t want to know.”

Without saying anything else, the three brothers turned and walked away. Joshua had a funny feeling he had not made a good first impression.

Two FBI agents met Drake, Ashton and Trevor at the airport when their plane landed.

“Have you been able to locate either of the Valdemons?” Drake asked one of the agents after they had gotten into the car.

“No, but we’ve brought Raul Santini in for questioning. He’s trying to pull that political immunity crap on us. I think he’s trying to protect Rasheed Valdemon.”

“So you still don’t have any idea where they’ve taken my fiancée?” Trevor asked. His tone reflected his worry.

“No, unfortunately we don’t. But for some reason I think by the time we get back to the office, Raul Santini will have talked.”

Trevor nodded. He hoped so.

Rasheed slowly came to. The first face he looked into after gaining consciousness was his father’s. The second was that of Corinthians Avery. Like him, they were bound in their chairs with their hands tied behind their backs. One look into his father’s face and he knew he had been drugged. Corinthians Avery looked frightened, but physically, she appeared all right.

He looked up into the cold eyes of the man who had masterminded everything. “You disappoint me, Yasir.”

“Disappointments are a part of life, young prince. You should have learned that by now.”

“Why, Yasir? After all your talk of how we should do anything to keep peace with the United States, why this? Father trusted you. He believed in you. Why have you been drugging him for the past three months, setting him up and making me believe he’s been the one with the lust-crazed appetite for all those women, when it was you all along?”

Yasir’s laughter was blood-chilling. “I got tired of your father getting credit for all I did. Those were my negotiation policies that were presented to OPEC. But because of the circumstances surrounding my birth, I am nothing but someone who has to serve and do his bidding.”

Rasheed frowned. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh, didn’t your father ever tell you that we are brothers? He thought he was doing me a favor by making me a part of his staff when he discovered I was the illegitimate son of the old sheikh. Amin made sure I was educated and taken care of. But as far as I am concerned, that wasn’t enough. He was not able to give me the love that was due me from the man who had sired me. The old sheikh even resented my presence in the palace.”

Yasir laughed again, and it was just as blood-chilling as before. “But it doesn’t matter now. Unlike your father, who prefers one woman, I prefer many. I knew I wanted Miss Avery the moment I saw her when she attended that dinner party with you a few months ago. I’ve been planning to have her ever since.”

Corinthians felt cold fear move up her spine. There was no doubt in her mind that the man was crazy. While waiting for Rasheed to gain consciousness, Yasir Bedouins had told her how the young prince had tried kidnapping her, too, but for totally different reasons. He had amusingly shared with her how Rasheed had had this silly notion that she could help his people by finding oil on their land. Her talents, Yasir had told her, would be used exclusively to please him. He did not care about the people. They could starve to death for all he cared. She had known then that he was a cruel and heartless man. On the other hand, she knew that although Rasheed had gone about it the wrong way, he was a man who truly loved his country and wanted to help his people. He would be a good sheikh for Mowaiti one day.

“Let her go, Yasir. Don’t get yourself in any more trouble than you’re already in. Santini knows all about you. It’s in the report he’s going to give to an official at the State Department. Araque spilled his guts before he died.”

Yasir’s face hardened at the thought of his old friend dying. Araque had served him well on a number of secret dealings. “You lie, young prince! If Santini knew the truth, I would have been arrested long ago.”

“I’m telling the truth. He waited until I returned from Mowaiti to talk to me first. Then it was important to me that my father was safe. When I went to his home earlier today, he wasn’t there. Santini had strict orders to turn that report over to the authorities if I had not returned more than an hour ago. Make it easy on yourself and turn yourself in.”