“If that bartender is hanging tough, I have just the energy we need to soften him up.”
“Even after finding your woman, you’re still bloodthirsty,” Dro quipped.
Ryan smirked. “Well see, if you had let me at him, Daron wouldn’t have to take the long route to get the information he needs.”
“You’re beginning to worry me.” Dro held on to the handle in the roof as Ryan turned onto another street. “One of the things we try to do in our operations is to leave only minor damage behind, if possible.”
“Trust me, I understand that. But in a situation like this, since they weren’t thinking about these women, we owe them no courtesies.”
“We’re going to keep a close eye on you.” He let out a hearty chuckle. “You and Shaz both have a calm exterior, but when anyone gets you riled up, there’s hell to pay.”
“I’m fine now, but know that if we hadn’t found Aziza ... “
“I hear that and I understand because, like I told you, I’ve been in that position.”
Only the smooth hum of the engine broke the silence until they stopped outside the warehouse. After a phone call to Daron, the door slid open to admit them.
Bashir sat next to the door keeping guard, while the bartender slumped over the table with his head resting on his folded arms. A few feet away, his partner sat tied to a chair. The fluorescent light illuminated the area where the men were gathered, while the darkness ruled the far corners of the building.
Daron stood next to a shelf, occupied with a gadget in his hand. Two cellular phones and a black box with flashing numbers lay close by.
While Ryan scanned the items, Daron smiled. “Technology is a blessing when you know how to make it work to your advantage.”
“I guess those phones belong to these two evil geniuses.”
“What they won’t tell me, these will.” Daron inclined his head toward Jahani’s partner in crime. “If he hadn’t led us to the lady in red, I’d have finished with this earlier, but all in good time.”
Jahani raised his head, then sat up. “This is illegal. You cannot keep me here forever. There will be people looking for me. I have a job and a family.”
“Let them look,” Ryan snapped. “You should have thought of that before giving drugs to unsuspecting women.”
“And who knows how long they’ve been doing this.” Dro squinted over Daron’s shoulder.
“Their heydays are coming to an end,” Daron said. “We need to establish whether that crooked doctor is connected to them, then we will add these charges on his account.”
Jahani’s partner glared at them but didn’t say another word.
Lowering his voice, Ryan said, “These guys must have a contact inside the police force to get away with these crimes.”
Bashir got to his feet and moved closer. “I think you are right. In the past, these offences were like, what do you say ... a slap on the wrist.” He nodded sagely. “Since Sheikh Kamran took the throne, things are different in a good way.”
“The men who were transporting the women, are they in police custody?” Ryan asked.
“Not quite,” Daron said, still focused on his electronic device. “Two of them were shot when everything went down. It’s not certain they will survive. There’s a third man, one of the security guards. He wasn’t shot, but because of the seriousness of this crime, Sheikh Kamran gave permission for him to be transported to an undisclosed location.”
“That, I understand.”
“Nicco has their cell phones. I need to get to look at those, too,” Daron said. “It’ll be the easiest way to tie all of this up, if they’re involved. We’ll head out in a minute.”
Ryan massaged the back of his neck. “I can’t imagine what those women must be going through. Free this morning and captive again this afternoon.”
“Yes, truth is stranger than fiction.” Daron reached inside his pants pocket. He answered his cell phone, listened for a moment, then ended the call. “Things are about to get popping. Seems Nicco convinced that security guard to tell what he knows.”
“So much for honor among thieves,” Dro said.
Ryan’s gaze slid back to the two men at the table. “I say thank God. That way the job of cleaning up their mess is easier.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Aziza’s heart brimmed with happiness as her mother’s rich contralto filled her ear—even if she was getting grief. They had chatted for half an hour before her mother, Constance, circled back to when she planned to return to the States.
“After Ryan and I have a chance to talk, I’ll let you know.”
“I would think you’d be on the first plane out of that place.”
Aziza pictured her mother; the milk-chocolate skin of her face creased into a fierce frown as she paced the living room in Evanston.
“Remember I have a job here?”
In fact, Aziza didn’t know whether she was still employed. Ryan had checked her into his room, and her name might have triggered curiosity, if anyone was checking closely enough. If that was the case, someone from personnel would want to talk to her soon.
“Well,” Mom continued, “If I were you, I’d want to see Duraria behind me.”
Aziza’s gaze strayed to Sunita, whose head was buried one of the books they bought downstairs. “Durabia,” she said in response to what she swore was stubbornness on her mother’s part. She refused to get the name right.
“Ryan’s wrapping up some things here. I’ll be perfectly safe.”
What Mom didn’t know was that Ryan hadn’t returned to the suite, but had been in touch with her late last night, early this morning, and at midday. She understood the nature of what he was doing in tandem with the Kings. She was comfortable on her own, knowing he was working for the good of the kidnapped women.
She couldn’t wait for Ryan to appear. She’d spent the morning falling asleep in snatches and waking up scared out of
