House of Spies (Gabriel Allon #17)(114)

“Tell him you’re concerned about the brother’s safety.”

A few seconds passed. Then Keller said, “Sent.”

“Now ask him how many brothers are with him at the riad.”

After another exchange of messages, Keller said, “Four.”

“Ask him whether they have guns to protect themselves from the infidels.”

A moment later they had their answer.

“Sounds to me as though they’re well armed,” said Keller. “Anything else you’d like to ask?”

“No more questions. The bird will be able to tell us everything else we need to know.”

“Where are you now?”

Gabriel looked out the window at the darkened landscape. “Mars,” he said gloomily. “You?”

“A little village called Kerrandou. It’s about sixty or seventy miles from Zaida. If there are no more roadblocks, we’ll be there in ninety minutes.”

“We’ll be right behind you.”

Gabriel severed the connection and rang the Black Hole at Langley.

“We’ve got him,” he told Adrian Carter.

“The bird will be overhead at four o’clock your time.”

“You’re sure?”

“Don’t worry. It’s a spy satellite,” said Carter. “There’s not a lot of unexpected traffic up there.”





64





Zaida, Morocco



It was a drab and dusty town of low brown buildings. The shops and cafés along the wide main street were tightly shuttered, and at that hour there was no sign of life except for three men waiting at a crumbling bus shelter. A Jeep Cherokee filled with Western faces was worthy of their undivided attention. Their dour expressions made it clear that outsiders were not welcome, especially at half past three in the morning.

“Looks like Saladin’s kind of place,” said Keller.

“Think they know about the tall Iraqi who’s been living on the east side of town?” asked Mikhail.

“I doubt it.”

“I wouldn’t mind having a look at the property while we’re passing through.”

“Too risky. Better to wait for the bird.”

Dina drove through the rest of the town without slowing and emerged into the bleak, treeless countryside. About a mile and a half north was a dirt road that led to a small lake, the kind of spot where a Moroccan family might spread a blanket on a cool autumn day and forget their troubles for a few hours. Dina switched off the engine while Keller rang Gabriel and told him where they could be found. A few minutes later they heard from Nazir Bensa?d via text. It seemed the brother’s condition was worsening. When would the doctor arrive? Soon, Natalie assured him. Inshallah.

“Here they come,” said Dina.

She flashed the headlights, and the approaching car turned off the highway and stopped. Keller and Natalie walked over and slid into the backseat. Keller checked the time on Mohammad Bakkar’s phone. It was 3:45.

“Fancy meeting you here. How was the drive?”

Neither Gabriel nor Yaakov responded.

Keller stared out the window. “I wonder what’s keeping Mohammad and that doctor.”

“Maybe he had car trouble,” suggested Gabriel.

“Or left leg trouble,” quipped Keller. “Or maybe he’s having trouble thinking straight.”

He checked the phone again: 3:46 . . .

“Think the Moroccans have found the camp yet?”

“I’d say so.”

“Think they’ve identified any of the victims?”

“One or two.”

“Pretty big story, don’t you imagine? A major hashish producer and a French hotelier found dead together.”

“Almost as big as a failed American drone strike on Moroccan soil.”

“I wonder how long it will take to become public. Because if it does . . .”

Keller left the thought unfinished.

3:47 . . .



Gabriel rang Carter at the stroke of four. Another ten minutes elapsed while the cameras and sensory devices of the satellite assessed the target.

“It’s a walled compound. One substantial structure, two smaller outbuildings.”

“How walled?”

“It’s hard to tell how high it is, especially in darkness. You’ll have to take a drive past the place or use your imagination.”

“Is the gate open or closed?”

“Closed,” said Carter. “And Nazir Bensa?d’s Renault is definitely there.”

“How many men?”

“Two outside, three inside. All in the primary structure. They’re tightly grouped.”

“Keeping watch over an injured man.”

“Looks like it.”

“Where are they in the house?”

“Second level, southeast corner.”

“Facing Mecca.”

“There’s a lot of other heat in that room,” said Carter. “Kyle thinks it’s computer equipment.”

“And heaven knows Kyle is never wrong.”

“It’s possible you’ve found the compound where he’s been directing the attacks. The crown jewels of the network are liable to be on those computers.”