Chasing Babylon by Tracy Higley

Author:Tracy Higley
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Tracy Higley

CHAPTER 17

Jack drummed his fingers on the bedside table in his room at the Ashkelon Plaza Hotel. Layna had checked out of her hotel, and the statue was once more out of his grasp—unless Muwabi, his African contact, could give him a crucial bit of information. His phone rang.

“Cabot.”

Muwabi laughed. “You are going to like this, my friend.”

“Just give it to me.”

“Layna is staying at the Ashkelon Plaza Hotel, Room 612.”

Jack exhaled and clenched a fist. Four floors up and two doors down from his own room! Not good. “Thanks, man.” He hung up and sat back against the headboard of the bed.

In the past twenty-four hours, Jack had gone from anger at himself to anger at Tawny, who had obviously double-crossed him, to anger at Layna. Now he was just plain mad. He didn’t know what Tawny’s game was. She couldn’t have the kind of money it would take to buy the statue from Layna. Was she planning to steal it herself? Either way, between Tawny and Hightower, Jack knew his chances for the statue were slim. And the split focus was making the tablet job look shakier every minute. It had to end. He was going to get that statue tonight.

It didn’t help matters that Layna had moved to his hotel. They could run into each other at any time, in the elevator, in the lobby. His cover at the dig site could be blown. The whole thing was about to implode. Jack was fed up, sick of games, and headed for disaster. Tonight had to be the end of it.

He thought for a few seconds, then picked up the phone before he changed his mind. He punched 6-1-2 and waited.

“Hello?”

“Layna. Jack Cameron. How ya’ doin’?”

A pause. “Mr. Cameron. This is a surprise.”

“I don’t see why. I’m still interested in our little object d’art. Only now I’m ready for the more traditional approach.”

Layna laughed, a low, humorless murmur. “You are anything but traditional, Mr. Cameron.”

“It’s Jack, please. Can’t we be a little more friendly? After all, I did pull you from a burning building.”

“True. And I thank you for that. But I’m afraid the statue is quite spoken for.”

“I’ll pay more.”

“You do not even know—”

“I don’t care. Whatever it is, I’ll pay more. My employer is very interested in acquiring this specific piece.”

“Did you drug my guard, Jack?”

“What?”

“You heard me.”

“Layna, I told you—I’m ready to pay. Whatever you ask. Are you going to say no to easy money? It looks like you’ve already rid yourself of your two sidekicks from Turkey. No one to split the money with. This job will make you richer than you’d dreamed.”

The silence lengthened on the other end.

Jack’s jaw tightened.

“All right, Jack. I will meet you. But if this is some kind of trick—”

“Layna, Layna. Haven’t I earned your trust by now?”

“Ha!”

They arranged to meet in the lobby of the hotel in thirty minutes. Jack didn’t mention that he was calling from four floors below.

He spent the thirty minutes getting ready for the

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