Part 10 (2/2)
”That's a shame,” Block said.
Marina looked a little annoyed. ”Do you, Herr Block?”
Block grinned. ”h.e.l.l no. I speak Texan.”
Block's comment seemed to mollify Marina. She gave him a small smile.
”Is this your first cruise to the Seych.e.l.les?” Sumner's question sounded mundane, given the situation.
Block snorted. ”Guys, I'd love everyone to get to know each other better, but those pirates are gonna come back. Don't you think we should be preparing for that?”
Sumner wanted to tell Block that he was preparing for it, but he couldn't. Instead he raised his eyebrows at Marina to encourage her to answer.
”No. My father made this cruise six months ago. He liked it so much that he suggested to my mother that we go with him this time.”
Did he, now? Sumner thought.
”What does your father do?” Out of the corner of his eye, Sumner saw Block begin to protest the continued conversation. Sumner gave a sharp nod of the head to indicate that he remain quiet. Block must have understood, because he didn't comment.
”He sells armored cars.”
Sumner thought Block would fall over with surprise.
”What kind of armored cars?” Block said.
”Kind?” Marina looked confused.
”What brand? Fords? Chevys? BMWs?”
Marina shrugged. ”All kinds. They bring the car to our shop, and we take it apart and armor it.”
Sumner wondered what the odds were of an armored-car salesman taking this particular cruise to the Seych.e.l.les.
”I'd love to talk to him about how he does it,” Block said. ”Bet I could sell a ton of armored cars to the guys in Mexico. That country is in the middle of a drug war.”
Sumner appreciated that Block wanted to learn about the marketing opportunities for armored cars, but he thought the more interesting question was why an armored-car salesman was taking the same cruise twice only six months apart.
”Do you know the Frenchmen's business?” Sumner asked Marina.
She shrugged. ”No. But there is a Russian with his girlfriend. He sells drugs throughout the Eastern Bloc countries.”
”Legal drugs?” Sumner said.
Marina smiled. ”Yes. A heart medication.”
21.
STARK AND EMMA STARED AT RODUCCI AND THE KENYAN IMMIGRATION authorities. Stark frowned.
”I can't afford to have Price involved in any scandal. If you get detained at customs, I'd appreciate your keeping us out of it.”
”Of course,” Emma said.
Stark moved next to her to stand in the open doorway. ”I'm staying here for the moment. My meeting isn't for another two hours, and I'm going to use the plane as my office. Something tells me that you and those officials are going to be having an extended conversation. I'll just watch the proceedings from up here. Do you mind?” He appeared to be enjoying the moment.
”Not at all.” Emma did her best to sound unconcerned. She stepped out of the plane into the damp, cool air and moved down the stairs with what she hoped was a pleasant expression on her face. When she reached the bottom, Roducci held out a hand.
”So nice to meet you!” He pumped her hand with a heartiness that Emma found disconcerting. ”Major Stromeyer of Darkview Enterprises asked me to meet you upon your landing and to give you your traveling papers.” He kept her palm in his grip and held her gaze a beat while he let the information sink in. He released her and produced an envelope from his back pants pocket with a flourish. ”Here they are.”
Emma said nothing as she opened the flap to pull out the papers.
”The letter is from the American emba.s.sy located here in Nairobi. It confers temporary diplomatic status on you, as well as the immunity from prosecution that comes from that status.”
The papers were written in the form of a letter rogatory and suggested that Emma be allowed entrance to the country. It explained that she would be stopping only briefly in Nairobi on her way to Dubai. A Post-it note on the paper said that she was to meet her next contact near the Price private jet in one hour and warned Emma not to call until she received a second, cleared line from the contact. Emma peeled off the Post-it and placed it in her pocket.
The second paper looked exactly the same, except it was translated into a foreign language. Emma flicked a glance at the two immigration officers. The one closest to her held out a hand. She offered him her pa.s.sport and the letter rogatory. He said nothing as he read them.
”Allow me to explain,” Roducci said. ”Normally you would require a visa. This is no real problem, a mere fifty dollars in the terminal and even less for a transit visa to another location. However, Major Stromeyer indicated that she did not wish for you to be registered in such a fas.h.i.+on. The officers have informed me that you must stay here, in the airport, for the time needed to obtain another flight to Somalia, which they understand is your final destination. You are not allowed to leave the airport.” Roducci looked at Stark, who still stood in the open doorway at the top of the jet's stairs. ”I am required to ask if the Price company intends to ensure that Ms. Caldridge does not venture outside of the terminal for any reason.”
Stark shook his head. ”The Price company will ensure no such thing.”
Roducci looked taken aback. ”You won't?”
”I won't.” Stark nodded to the immigration authorities. ”If you will excuse me, I need to make some calls before I disembark.” He disappeared back into the airplane.
One of the officers raised an eyebrow and made a ”huh” sound as he watched Stark leave. Roducci looked flabbergasted. He moved the Kenyans away from Emma and engaged in a spirited discussion with them. After a moment they nodded their agreement to something, Emma didn't know what, and headed for the terminal entrance. Roducci waited until they were out of earshot before filling her in.
”I have offered to ensure your compliance.” Roducci looked less than pleased at the turn of events. ”But I need your agreement that you will stay in the terminal. Normally I would a.s.sume such compliance in the face of a direct demand from the immigration authorities, but Major Stromeyer indicated to me that you are a woman with her own ideas about things.”
Emma wasn't about to promise Roducci anything until she met with her contact and learned the next step. She smiled a rea.s.suring smile. ”I promise to inform you if my plans change.”
Roducci looked stern. ”I don't have the power to help you if you break the law. My relations.h.i.+p with African police is one of mutual distrust. So far they have not attempted to incarcerate me, but the threat is always in the air.”
”I understand. And I hope that nothing untoward happens,” Emma said. She wondered at Roducci's business but decided that the subject was best left alone. ”Is there a first-cla.s.s fliers' lounge? I'd love a shower.”
Roducci looked hesitant. ”Yes, but it will cost you twenty dollars, and shortly thereafter you will enter h.e.l.l. Best to save your money. Perhaps you may gain access to the one maintained by the international airlines.” He walked along with her to the terminal. ”The man in the dark slacks. Is he always so disagreeable?”
Emma saw no reason to lie. ”Yes.”
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