Abuse of Power by Michael Savage

Author:Michael Savage
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781429995818
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2011-09-01T00:00:00+00:00

21

“Abdal?” she said again.

British accent, but not quite. Something else in there.

By the time she stepped into the bedroom, Jack was already cramped inside al-Fida’s slider, nestled amid the hangers full of clothes, the door open just a sliver so he could see what he was dealing with.

She flicked the light switch, saying, “Abdal? I’ve been calling all night! Why didn’t you answer your—”

She halted, leaving the question unfinished when she saw that the bed was empty and neatly made.

She glanced around the room. “Abdal?”

Like many Muslim women, she wore a hijab on her head, a scarf that covered her hair, ears, and neck and shoulders. She had a regal look about her, with flawless skin, an angular, almost perfectly sculpted face, and large brown eyes. Her dress was modest and loose-fitting and hid her body, but Jack had no doubt she was exquisitely proportioned. Despite his predicament—and what he’d just seen in that bathroom—Jack found her beauty mesmerizing. There was a faint smell of aloe—hand lotion, he guessed—which only added to her exotic appeal.

As she moved farther into the room and turned toward the bathroom, Jack wanted to call out to her, to protect her, warn her away, keep her from seeing that horrifying tableau inside. But he hesitated and then it was too late. Her eyes widened slightly as she took in the bloody tile and al-Fida’s body, frozen in death.

To Jack’s surprise, she didn’t break down. Didn’t even utter a sound. She just stared at al-Fida for a long moment, then reached into her purse and took out a cell phone.

She didn’t use it immediately. Instead she stood there quietly, still staring at al-Fida, looking more disappointed than bereaved. Jack had no idea what her relationship was to the dead man, but the fact that she’d had keys to his flat seemed to indicate that they were close.

Yet there was no sign of tears in her eyes.

Was she in shock?

Keeping her gaze on the body, she took a deep breath and shifted her shoulders as if preparing for something. Then she punched in a number, a short one, and put the phone to her ear.

Jack could hear it ringing even in the closet. And when the line was picked up, the woman began to cry—so abruptly it startled him.

Her voice choked with emotion, she said, “Please … please … you have to help me. My boyfriend—I think he … I think he’s killed himself.”

Jack watched in astonishment as she answered a few questions between sobs, trembling uncontrollably as she gave al-Fida’s address to the person on the line.

Then she hung up—and the moment she did, her demeanor abruptly changed again, the tears vanishing, her expression blank and unmoved by what lay before her.

Dropping the cell phone into her purse, she crossed to the bedroom doorway, flicked off the light, and went back out to the living room.

* * *

By the time the police and ambulance arrived, Jack was back outside.

After the woman left the bedroom, he climbed

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.