A Mistaken Hostage by J.F. Foran

Author:J.F. Foran
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781614686569
Publisher: J.F. Foran
Published: 2021-09-19T14:53:41+00:00

Chapter 23

Crossing to Canada

Cairo, Egypt

Omar Sayed had three primary contacts in the United States and Canada. As chairman of Egypt’s Sovereign Investment Fund, he directed and approved the investment of Egyptian funds abroad. He had a strong preference for safe economies such as the U.S., Canada, England, and Germany. He placed funds with portfolio managers and business owners who had demonstrated above-market returns on capital. His three contacts in North America had performed exceptionally well and, importantly for him, they had family members connected with the Muslim Brotherhood. Although he didn’t agree with Fathi Ashur, who claimed that he had these managers by the balls, Omar knew they owed him loyalty and appreciation. He had invested large amounts of capital in their enterprises. In addition, each of them had a high level of dislike for the past regime of Anwar Sadat and the current leadership of Hosni Mubarak.

Omar tapped the first of these contacts, Taha Jahin, for the initial hiding of Sarah Pierce in Santa Rosa. Omar expected that she would be ransomed and released within a week. When Davidson balked, Omar tapped his second contact, Youssef Al-Hariri, and moved the hostage to Al-Hariri’s rarely used ranch outside Seattle. The need to move the woman angered him, and he spoke harshly to Jabari about being more demanding when dealing with Davidson. But he had prepared for this contingency and had required that Jahin and Al-Hariri have a plan to move her.

In the meantime, Omar’s wife, Hasina, had noticed a change in his behavior. After several days of gentle inquiry, she pulled him aside before he left for work and queried him.

“Omar, are you healthy? Are you worried at the office? Is something wrong?”

“No, no. Nothing to be concerned about,” he responded cautiously, studying her face to assess her degree of concern.She tugged at his arm.

“My dear one, in recent days you have been distracted, sometimes sullen. At other times, you have barked at the children for being noisy. That’s not like you at all.”

He placed a hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you. I’ll be more thoughtful with the children.”

That afternoon, he left his office early and sought out jewelers in the shops near his apartment building. He was looking for a stylish ring with semiprecious stones such as carnelian, jasper, or lapis lazuli. He liked the work of designer Seth Haddad, whose rings he’d seen in a newspaper article. He wanted to surprise Hasina and thank her for her concerns. His eyes were glued to an opal ring when he felt the vibration of his cell phone. He lifted it out of his coat pocket. Jabari Radwan was texting him from America. He mouthed a silent string of Arab curses and studied the message: Must move hostage again urgent. Local man has helicopter ready. What destination?

Omar glanced at the sales clerk standing nervously nearby, smiled at him, and pointed to the ring in the glass cabinet.

“I like this one and will return.”

He turned quickly on his heel and left the store.

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