Myles would say that without sleep, Ryan was running on fumes. The job sometimes meant going for days with little to no shut-eye. He had tonight to rest. Now, he had a mission.
The ring in his luggage was a reminder of his mother’s favorite expression. Never put off for tomorrow what you can do today. He’d done exactly that with Aziza, and now he was paying the price.
He raised his head from the sheets of paper to find Bashir watching him over the rim of his cup. Ryan didn’t yet know what to make of him. He had watchful eyes and didn’t speak much. They were evenly matched in terms of height and physique. As far as Ryan was concerned, anyone who gained his trust had to earn it. For all he knew, Bashir was assigned to him to be in a position to cover up anything the authorities in Durabia didn’t want made public.
As he sifted his thoughts, he swallowed a mouthful of coffee. Laying the papers on the table, he said, “Thanks for your help. If I need anything, I’ll contact you later today. I’m going to check in and get a few winks.”
Ryan stood and waited for Bashir to do the same. When he did, they shook hands. The micro expressions that crossed his face revealed that Bashir expected to be with him longer than an hour. He wasn’t discounting any help the man could give, but he’d handle today’s business on his own.
He wheeled his suitcase to the entrance of the alcove that served the café and crossed the marble tiles in the elegant lobby. At reception he checked in for five nights, hoping he’d wouldn’t need to lengthen his stay. The longer he took to find Aziza, the more unlikely it was that he’d get her back alive.
Inside his room, he pulled the curtain aside. The stretch of blue sky was endless and the sand below, dotted by lounge chairs and vacationers. And yet, inside he was empty. The inability to pinpoint Aziza’s location, plus not knowing what condition she was in, left him reeling. This minute, he didn’t have the words to voice a prayer.
He turned away from the modern skyscrapers in the distance, opened his suitcase, and unpacked in ten minutes. He didn’t intend to get comfortable. Ryan simply couldn’t stand looking untidy, even in casual wear. Another glance at his watch confirmed it was time to be downstairs, back in the café he left minutes ago. He stored the laptop but took an iPad with him.
The moment he entered La Palma, he spotted the first person he needed to interrogate. She wore jeans with a tank top and sat with her chin propped on her hand. As he slid into the seat opposite her, she leaned away from the table as if startled.
“Deirdre?”
She nodded while studying him with curiosity shining from her eyes. “Ryan?”
“Yes, thanks for meeting me.”
They shook hands. She quickly withdrew hers and sat back in the seat, studying him.
“How did you get my cell number?” she asked, letting her gaze slide to the Bahari Bahamas logo on his t-shirt.
“It’s not a secret. Information is always readily available.” He smiled to put her at ease. “You simply have to know how to find it.”
Deirdre didn’t look away from him, but the tense set of her shoulders spoke volumes.
Ryan offered a reassuring smile. “I understand you were one of the last persons to see Aziza before she disappeared.”
After sucking one side of her lip into her mouth, Deirdre nodded. “Yes, we went out on Friday evening. For happy hour.”
“Is this something you did regularly?”
“Me? Yes.” With one finger, she brushed the hair off her forehead. “Aziza mostly kept to herself. She’d go out with the rest of us maybe once each month.”
That was in line with what Aziza had shared with him. Deirdre was also telling the truth. The dossier Bashir provided included dates, times, and photos of the persons thought to be involved in her disappearance. He wasn’t yet looking at Julene, the woman with whom Aziza shared the apartment. He’d already been in touch with her and was satisfied that she knew nothing more than she’d already told him. They had spoken several times during his Skype sessions with Aziza, and his instincts told him Julene was a decent human being. Also, Aziza liked her and that was good enough for him.
A waiter came to take their order, and Deirdre declined to have anything.
Ryan settled on a cheese croissant and bottled water.
“Are there many Americans working in this hotel?” he asked when the man walked away.
She shook her head and the sleek bob danced, then settled around her mahogany skin. “Maybe ten of us, including Aziza.” She leaned across the table and spoke in a hushed tone. “Are you here to investigate what happened to her?”
“I’m here to find her.”
Laughter intruded on their conversation. Several groups of businessmen sat at other tables.
She sighed and focused on her hands, which trembled. “I hope you do. Aziza is good people.”
Frowning, Ryan asked. “Do you know if the hotel is doing anything about locating her?”
Deirdre shrugged. “They’ve questioned all of us who went out that evening, and they’ve searched her apartment and questioned Julene, who also lives there. I’m also sure they must have reported her missing.”
“Do you know that for a fact?”
She nibbled on a thumbnail, then met his gaze. “If they thought she left on her own, then they might not try too hard to find her. But she was on contract, so she wouldn’t up and leave without notice.”
“Were the police called in to investigate?”
“The police interviewed us earlier today, but you might want to check out that place we went for happy hour. It’s legit, but you never know.” Her gaze shifted when she added, “Some of these men are always trying to pick up Black girls and that’s how
