Prosser saw a smile of gratitude creep across Rima’s face.
“D’accord,” she replied and turned on the ignition.
“Ma’assalama, Rima. Au revoir.”
She gave Prosser a peck on the cheek, but it was clear she did not intend for him to return it.
He stepped out of the car and onto the street, and by the time he reached the opposite side, the Peugeot was no longer in sight.
As he mounted the curb, Prosser heard a muffled explosion offshore and spotted a black inflatable dinghy about two hundred meters offshore. It was those annoying dynamite fishermen again, landing their daily catch by tossing bundles of dynamite sticks over the side and killing a dozen fish for every one that they sold to the open-air restaurants of Raouché, Ramlet el Baida, and Jnah.
And now he understood that he was one of them.
Prosser stopped at the first espresso wagon and gulped the bitter brew as he watched the dinghy race toward the circle of dead fish. When he had finished the coffee, he tossed the cup away and drew Rima’s sheet of note paper out of his pocket.
Slowly at first, and then with growing assurance, he ripped the paper into small pieces and tossed them over the rail like confetti into the surging waters below.
Author’s Biographical Note
I wrote Dynamite Fishermen and Bride of a Bygone War to clear my head after eleven years of government service in places like Beirut, Cairo, Tunis, Jeddah, and Amman. I had already decided to write novels at age fourteen, during my first year as a boarding student at Exeter. My English instructor, a World War II combat veteran, advised those of us who wanted to follow the path of Melville, Conrad and Hemingway to first go out and live some adventures so that we would have stories that people might want to read. My adventures started in the Middle East and continued in Washington, Europe, the Russian Far East, Maui, Utah, New York and Boston. Particularly in the Middle East and Russia, I saw failed states and failed societies but was often surprised at how much their people had in common with Americans. This made me think about whether America might someday suffer its own sort of failure. During the 1930’s, Americans watched Germany, Italy and Russia and asked, “Could it happen here?” Today, one might look around and ask the same. In writing Forty Days at Kamas and Star Chamber Brotherhood, my greatest concern has been that the novels gain a readership before the events they describe come to pass.
A Final Word: When you turn the page, Kindle’s “Before You Go” feature will give you the opportunity to rate this book and share your rating and comments on Facebook and Twitter. If you enjoyed the book, please take a moment to let your friends know about it. Better yet, post a Reader Review on Amazon.com, Goodreads.com or LibraryThing.com. If the book gives others a few evenings of enjoyment, they’ll be grateful that you reached out to them. And so will I.
With best wishes, Preston Fleming
Other Books by Preston Fleming
Dynamite Fishermen
Classic Espionage. “Civil disorder in 1980s Beirut. An extraordinary novel, each page as eruptive as the city providing the setting.” KIRKUS REVIEWS
http://www.prestonfleming.com/novel-dynamite-fishermen.html
Bride of a Bygone War
Realist Spy Thriller. “CIA agent in Beirut fears his past has caught up to him. An intelligent thriller teeming with vigor. KIRKUS REVIEWS
http://www.prestonfleming.com/novel-bride-of-a-bygone-war.html
Forty Days at Kamas
Dystopian Political Thriller. “Moves at a solid clip. An overtly political story that succeeds as entertainment.” PACIFIC BOOK REVIEW
http://www.prestonfleming.com/novel-forty-days-at-kamas.html
Star Chamber Brotherhood
Dystopian Assassination Thriller. "An engaging fast-paced thriller. Readers will spend pleasant hours rooting for a team of assassins." BOOKPLEASURES.COM
http://www.prestonfleming.com/novel-star-chamber-brotherhood.html
Table of Contents
Copyright
Part I
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Part II
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Author's Biographical Note
Other Books by Preston Fleming
Dynamite Fishermen (Beriut Trilogy 1) Page 36
