Danger in the Desert

by Merline Lovelace

  The entrepreneurs who’d come up with the idea of an ultramodern laser light show to tell the story of four-thousand-year-old pyramids hadn’t missed a trick. The building giving access to the open-air amphitheater was crammed with cafés, bars, ice cream stands and, of course, the inevitable souvenir shops. One contained a window display of every object a tourist could desire. Her eyes widening, Jaci dragged Deke to a halt in front of a dazzling display of artifacts.

  “Look, there’s the Egyptian cat goddess.”

  She nodded to a slim, elegant feline with emerald eyes and a collar studded with colorful rhinestones.

  “And there’s a scarab just like mine!”

  The muscles in Deke’s forearm seemed to tighten under her hand. “You bought a scarab?”

  Eagerly, she pointed to a dizzying display of beetles stacked one almost on top of the other. Most were round and fat. Only a handful had elongated bodies and one missing antennae.

  “I didn’t buy it. I found it in the City of the Dead.”

  She fished around in her tote again and produced a tissue-wrapped object. When she unfolded the tissue and held her prize up in her palm, Deke leaned forward for a closer look.

  “It’s only a cheap imitation,” she said with a rueful smile. “Still, it’s a fun souvenir.”

  She poked the chipped beetle with a finger and flipped it over onto its back.

  “I’d love to know what these hieroglyphics stand for. One of the members in my Thursday-night study group is Egyptian. As soon as we get a break in our schedule, I’m going to snap a digital picture of the symbols and email it to him.”

  “Or,” Deke said slowly, “you could let me send the scarab to Kahil. He’ll know someone who can decipher the symbols. I bet he could have a translation ready when we join him and Fahranna for dinner tomorrow evening.”

  “I couldn’t ask him to go to that trouble!”

  “I can. The two of us go way back.”

  “I got that impression from Dr. El Hassan. But…”

  Jaci fingered the green insect, oddly reluctant to relinquish it. Look at the good luck it had already brought her. Who would have dreamed she’d literally fall into the arms of a man like Deke Griffin?

  “The symbols most likely say ‘Made in China.’”

  “Probably. Kahil will find out for you.”

  “If you’re sure he won’t mind…”

  “I’m sure.”

  She dropped the beetle into his outstretched palm. She felt another odd pang when he pocketed the bug. The strange feeling disappeared when she reminded herself that she was now firmly committed to another evening with this fascinating man. The prospect made her heart beat a little faster as he ushered her out of the concession building into the viewing area.

  With the last rays of the sun fading fast, the massive monoliths of the pyramids were now only faintly visible in the distance. The Sphinx, Jaci saw with a sudden catch in her breath, appeared much closer. In ancient times, the sandstone monument had marked the approach to the sacred tombs. Now it would form a dramatic backdrop for a display of ultra high-tech lasers.

  That wasn’t the only juxtaposition of ancient and modern to strike Jaci. Like a Greek amphitheater, seating for the outdoor show descended to the desert floor in steep tiers. Instead of polished marble, however, these seats were stackable plastic lawn chairs.

  Smiling at the incongruity, Jaci showed her ticket to an usher. Her tour ticket entitled her to a seat in the middle tier. Deke’s, the usher informed them, was in the front tier.

  “Not a problem,” he assured her as they navigated the shallow steps. “Looks like there are plenty of empty seats. We can sit wherever you prefer.”

  Okay, she thought with a flutter just under her ribs. First his dashing race to her rescue. Then his self-imposed restraint during the kiss out there in the parking lot. Now his willingness to defer to her in matters as trivial as their seating.

  How incredibly noble!

  She could fall for this guy, Jaci thought. In a big way. That probably explained why she leaned on his arm again to go down the steps. And why she had to stifle a surge of disappointment when a familiar figure popped up and waved an arm in the air.

  “Jaci! Mr. Griffin. Over here!”

  Forcing a smile, she returned Susan Grimes’s wave.

  Just goes to show how quickly things can change, she thought wryly. A few hours ago, she would have welcomed the older woman’s company during the Sound and Light Show. Now, she had to battle a selfish desire to share the experience with Deke alone.

  “What did the doctor say?” her friend asked when they’d joined her. “How’s your knee?”

  “No damage done. In fact, it hardly hurts at all anymore.”

  “That’s wonderful!” Susan’s glance shifted to Deke. The smile she gave him displayed no hint of her earlier suspicion.

  “Thanks for taking care of our girl. She and I have only known each other for a few days, but we’ve become fast friends. I was worried about her.”

  “She’s lucky to have found such a good travel companion,” he murmured. “We all need to watch out for each other while visiting a foreign country.”

  There it was again. That crooked grin. It darned near melted Jaci into a puddle right where she stood. Mrs. Grimes, too!

  “Oh, my,” the silver-haired grandmother murmured faintly. “Here, why don’t you sit next to me?”

  “With pleasure. But I have to ask you to excuse me for a moment. I want to call my friends here in Cairo. Jaci’s agreed to have dinner with them, and I need to see if they’re available tomorrow evening.”

  Mrs. Grimes flapped a hand. “Go. Make your call. Jaci and I will sit here and drink in this incredible view of the Sphinx.”

  With a nod to the two women, Ace moved a few feet away. The crowd was buzzing with conversation, but he couldn’t take the chance of being overheard.

  His first call was to Kahil. The colonel answered on the second ring.

  “Fahranna called me. She says she invited you and this Jacqueline Thornton woman to dinner.”

  “She did. I’ll bring her to your place tomorrow night, if that works for you.”

  “It works.”

  The terse reply told Ace the internet chatter had increased exponentially. Kahil’s next comment confirmed his guess.

  “Tell me,” his friend bit out. “Does Thornton have any idea of the controversy she’s stirred?”

  Ace sifted through his impressions of the woman he’d kissed mere moments ago. He still wasn’t sure why the hell he’d given in to that insane impulse. Or why the taste of her lingered on his lips. Yet his answer came without hesitation.

  “I don’t think she has a clue.”

  “You know the stakes, my friend. Are you absolutely sure of this?”

  “No,” he was forced to admit. “Not yet. But I will be by the time I bring her to your home tomorrow.”

  Ace’s glance zinged to the woman he’d seated beside her friend. He could think of a dozen ways to keep Jaci Thornton occupied until tomorrow night. To his consternation, most involved getting naked and extremely sweaty.

  “You and I need to get together first thing in the morning,” he told Kahil gruffly. “I want you to take a look at the scarab Thornton claims she found at the City of the Dead.”

  “She gave it to you?”

  “She did.”

  “You move fast, my friend. But then, you always have where women are concerned.”

  “Look who’s talking!”

  “I no longer move at all,” Kahil said sadly. “Fahranna has seen to that. But back to this scarab…”

  “Jaci’s curious about the markings on its belly. I told her you might be able to get them de ciphered.”

  Kahil gave a bark of laughter. “I’m sure I can manage that.”

  “I thought so. See you early a.m.”

  Ace cut the connection and was about to slip the cell phone back in its case when it vibrated in his hand. He glanced at the code on
caller ID and felt his pulse gave a quick kick. The OMEGA Control Center didn’t contact field agents unless absolutely necessary.

  When he flipped up the lid, the ultra high-tech instrument did its thing. Less than two seconds later, Victoria Talbot, code name Rebel, appeared on the video screen.

  “Hey, Ace.” The honey-blonde tipped him a two-fingered salute. “Sorry I couldn’t get to OMEGA HQ before you took off for Egypt.”

  “I’m just glad you’re there now. What have you got for me?”

  “It might be nothing. A mere coincidence.”

  “Tell me.”

  “I’ve been checking Jaci Thornton’s connections at the University of Florida. Turns out she’s a member of a study group that focuses on ancient civilizations. The group meets every Thursday night.”

  “She mentioned something about it.”

  “Did she also happen to mention that one of her study group members is Dr. Nasif Abdouh?”

  “No. Who’s he?”

  “An Egyptian expatriate. He immigrated to the States twenty plus years ago. Time and distance haven’t stopped him from keeping in touch with his old friends, though.”

  This didn’t sound good. Ace’s fist tightened on the phone as Rebel continued.

  “I ran Abdouh’s financials. Turns out the doctor has secretly funneled upward of eighty thousand dollars to friends in Egypt over the past few years. All, it appears, is to be used for the sole purpose of putting the opposition party in power.”

  Chapter 4

  Well, hell!

  Thoroughly disgusted with himself, Ace snapped the phone shut. Damned if he hadn’t convinced himself Jaci Thornton was the innocent tourist she appeared to be. Their kiss a few minutes ago had pretty well wiped out his last lingering doubt, which only added to the chagrin now biting at him like Egypt’s ever present sand gnats.

  He’d kissed his share of women. Okay, more than his share. He was damned if he could figure out why the brief brush of his mouth over Jaci’s had delivered such a punch to his gut. Or why the news that she had regular contact with a subversive totally pissed him off.

  Had to be that light dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose. That shy smile and wide-eyed delight. And that business about her pets. What kind of woman called her cats Boots and whatever the hell the other’s name was?

  The kind of woman Ace had made it a point to steer clear of. He wasn’t home-and-hearth material. His missions for OMEGA were too dangerous, for one thing. For another, he’d yet to meet a woman who stirred more than a transitory rush.

  This one, though…

  Scowling, Ace looked across the amphitheater. Jaci sat next to Mrs. Grimes, both clearly visible thanks to the tall pole lights interspersed among the rows of seats. Engaged in an animated conversation, the younger woman leaned toward her travel companion. The glow turned her hair to a nimbus of soft-spun silk. The strap of her tote bag crossed diagonally between her breasts, outlining their shape.

  Still frowning, Ace shoved his hand in the pocket of his sport coat and closed his fingers around the scarab. The beetle felt smooth in some spots, rough in others—as if it had been trampled by a busload of eager tourists. Or centuries of mourners bringing their dead to the tombs beside the Nile.

  Ace found himself hoping the little bug was the fake Jaci seemed to think it was when the lights suddenly dimmed and floods lit up the Sphinx. The next moment a voice boomed through the now purple dusk.

  “I am Cheops, pharaoh of all Egypt.”

  Even in the diminished light, Ace saw the rapture that illuminated Jaci’s face. She looked like a kid peeking through the stair railing at the presents stacked under the Christmas tree.

  Was she for real?

  Ten minutes ago he would have said yes. Absolutely. Now he had to pump her concerning her connection to this character, Abdouh. Cursing under his breath, he forced a smile and joined the women.

  The show was every bit as spectacular as Jaci had anticipated and then some!

  Clever lighting projected the silhouette of a camel caravan marching across the desert. A huge image of the pharaoh, complete with blue-and-white striped headdress and a cobra crown, hovered in the now dark sky. Lasers in brilliant colors outlined the Sphinx and each of the pyramids in turn while Cheops related his story and that of eternal Egypt in a deep, resonant tone that rolled across the amphitheater. Jaci could have perched there in her plastic lawn chair and listened to him all night.

  But the voice finally faded, the pyramids darkened and the crowd began to stir. Fighting a bone-deep reluctance to see this magical evening end, Jaci stuffed the camera she’d reclaimed from Mrs. Grimes in her tote and shifted to face the man beside her.

  “That was absolutely incredible. I can’t thank you enough for getting me back to my group in time to see it.”

  “My pleasure.”

  “So, uh, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow evening.”

  “You will.”

  He offered his arm to help her navigate the stairs. Jaci took it even though the steps were shallow and her knee barely gave her a twinge. She liked the feel of his suede sport coat.

  Ha! Who was she kidding? What she liked was the hard, muscled forearm covered by the buttery suede. Not to mention the world-class body attached to the arm. She leaned a little closer when they approached the tour buses lined up like racers in chock blocks, their engines spewing exhaust fumes into the night.

  “Miss!” The guard assigned to their bus hurried forward. “You have been to the doctor?”

  “Yes. Mr. Griffin drove me, as promised.”

  “And you are not hurt?”

  “Just a little bruised.”

  “Good. That is good. Let me assist you onto the bus.”

  “Hang on a minute.”

  Deke held him off with an upraised palm and turned to Jaci. For a heart-stopping moment, she thought he was going to kiss her again. Excitement and anticipation danced across her skin.

  “Are you totally whipped?” he asked.

  “Not totally. Why?”

  “I know you’ve put in a long day touring, but there’s a club not far from here that has a patio overlooking the Nile. If you’re not too tired, we could have a drink and watch the feluccas glide by.”

  “I’m not tired at all,” she lied, “but you just landed in Egypt this afternoon. You’re the one who must be completely exhausted.”

  One corner of his mouth kicked up. “Kahil will tell you I’m never too exhausted to have a drink with a beautiful woman.”

  Beautiful? Her?

  Not hardly.

  Jaci harbored few illusions about her looks. She had decent legs and okay breasts, but she came nowhere close to filling out a bikini like so many of the sun bunnies at the University of Florida. She considered her hair one of her best features. Thick and heavy, it gleamed like well-polished brass after a good brushing.

  Which, she suspected, it sorely needed after a day in the sun and wind-whipped sand. What’s more, she’d chewed off her lip gloss hours ago. In her sneakers, rumpled slacks and now wrinkled white blouse she felt about as far from beautiful as she could get.

  Yet she didn’t hesitate for a second. “A drink sounds wonderful.”

  “I do not advise this,” the guard put in with a frown. “Cairo is very safe for tourists as long as they remain together. It is my responsibility to see Ms. Thornton and the rest of her group back to their hotel.”

  “I’ll get her to the hotel,” Deke told him.

  “But…”

  “I said I’ll take care of it.”

  In the face of such confident authority, the guard had no choice but to relinquish his charge once again.

  After the solemn majesty of the pyramids, the club Deke escorted Jaci into pulsed with vibrant, noisy energy. An exotic blend of Arabic and rock music throbbed through the speakers. Customers crammed the booths and tables, their lively conversations punctuated by laughter and the steady clink of glasses.

  It was marginally quieter ou
tside. A waiter showed them to a tiny table wedged between the wall and the iron railing ringing the patio. While the waiter went in search of an extra chair, Jaci grasped the railing and tried to absorb the in credible view.

  She could see for miles both up and down the Nile. Struck once again by the juxtaposition of new and old, she let her gaze roam past modern hotels and apartment high-rises to floodlit mosques and minarets. And there, dominating all, was Saladin’s mighty fortress.

  The river itself held no less fascination. For thousands of years, the Nile had been the lifeblood of Egypt and the primary means of transportation within the kingdom. Judging by the watercraft plying the dark waters, it still was. Dinner and dance boats strung with bright lights cruised in both directions. Water taxis, ferries and motorboats buzzed past the slower craft…including one with a tall, angular sail.

  “Omigosh!” Her heart thumping, Jaci clutched the iron railing. “You weren’t kidding. You can see feluccas from here.”

  Deke crowded next to her for a look at the Arabic ship almost as old as Egypt herself.

  “They cater mostly to tourist trade in this stretch of the Nile,” he commented, “but are still a main means of transport farther south.”

  “Our group is supposed to sail aboard one during our trip to the Valley of the Kings.”

  “Sounds like fun,” he commented as the waiter reappeared with a chair and a request for their order. “What would you like to drink?”

  “Orangeade, please.”

  “They’re not supposed to but they can serve alcohol if you’d prefer something stronger.”

  “Orangeade is fine.”

  “Coffee for me,” he told the waiter.

  Silently Jaci applauded his choice. As she’d learned from her research, conservative Islam was making greater inroads into Egyptian society than it had in previous decades. The prohibition against alcohol was just one example. Another was the head scarves and black chadors many women now wore in public.

  But not all of them. Educated women like Dr. El Hassan still opted for Western dress. So did the women at this popular nightspot. Jaci saw jeans and crops and even one miniskirt topped by gauzy blouses in a rainbow of colors.