Silencing Eve

without telling me or anyone in the cell,” Cartland said bitterly . “It wasn’t a one-man operation. We had a right to know where they were.” He scowled as he followed her through the plush marble halls. “And it caused the entire project to go down the drain when he was killed.”
    “But now it’s resurrected,” Harriet said. “And Tehran will be more pleased than if you had been able to set off those bombs five years ago. The political climate is much tenser now. Every victory is shouted from Tehran. You do agree that virtually destroying this fine city and Seattle will be a great victory?”
    “Don’t be stupid,” he said shortly. “Of course it will. Why do you think I’m here? I didn’t want to deal with you. Kevin wouldn’t listen to anyone else after he brought you into the project. I knew it was going to cause trouble. Now it’s happening again. Doane came to me and offered us the nukes. Then, all of a sudden, he said that you had to be bought off. Well, I’ve done it. You have what you want. Now prove that you’ll give us what we want.”
    “I’m not stupid, Cartland,” she said coldly. “You’ve obviously been associating too closely with your Middle Eastern cohorts who think that ‘woman’ is a synonym for ‘feeblemindedness.’ And you’ve not bought me off, you’ve only made the first installment.” She was heading for the safe-deposit-box section. “I’ve decided that I have job for you to do that will make my departure from these shores a little safer. Now be quiet until we get this business over with. Then we’ll talk, and you’ll find out the price for being touted as the next Bin Laden.”
    *   *   *
    “SHE TOOK HIM TO THE BANK of America on State Street,” Caleb said when Jane picked up the phone. “I’m e-mailing you a photo of Cartland. He’s in his forties, well dressed, dark hair. Very much the American businessman.”
    “You didn’t expect him to look like he just stepped off the plane from Tehran,” Jane said. “Did you hear anything? Could you plant any listening bugs?”
    “No time. And it would take a hell of a lot more sophisticated mobile equipment than I could pick up at a mall or on the street.” He added dryly, “So even if I could get close enough, the only way I could get anything would be to read their lips. Maybe your friend, Margaret, might have that kind of skill, I don’t. I’m outside the bank, and I’ll wait until they come out and follow them.” He paused. “It may come down to me protecting that bitch if Cartland decides to try to take her down.”
    “She’s into power. I can’t see her not being able to manipulate him.”
    “He’s a terrorist.”
    “Same answer. Be careful, Caleb. We’re on our way to Wrigley Field. Call me as soon as they leave the bank.”
    “Yeah, I’ll do that.” He hung up and leaned back against the door of the bakery across the street from the bank. This wasn’t the kind of stalking of which he was fond. He had done it before during the years when he was hunting down his sister’s murderer, and he had learned all the tricks. But it was more detective work than seeking out prey.
    It would have been so simple if Jane had permitted him to go after Harriet and make her talk to him. Simple and completely efficient.
    Don’t think about it. Do what Jane wanted him to do. Keep the flame burning low.
    His time would come.
    *   *   *
    CARTLAND FROWNED AS HE gazed down at the sheaf of papers in the open safe-deposit box. “What the hell is this crap? I thought you might be going to give me the detonator.”
    “I never said that. I just said you’d find it valuable.” She picked up the papers and handed them to him. “And interesting. Kevin wasn’t sure that you wouldn’t cause him trouble with Tehran when he moved those nukes. He set about getting insurance.” She watched his face as he scanned the documents. “You weren’t always hard-line al-Qaeda. You made deals that Iran would find not only disloyal but offensive to their religious creed.” She listened to him cursing for a moment. “If they knew about those transactions, you’d be on their hit list. And you know how deadly it can be for those on that hit list.”
    His angry gaze swooped up to her face. “Blackmail, you bitch.”
    “Yes,” she said. “I had to be certain that you understood that I’m not anyone you can discount or try to manipulate. We can work together, or you can go on the run and hope you