They emerge from the lift and Julia stops mid-stride. She looks at Leo.
“God, Leo. Do you think Christine Fletcher knows about this? What if she’s really working for the CIA? What if our own government knows what happened to Toni and is trying to cover it up? That would explain her reaction to the Lamborghini and why she’s been missing in action. Leo, are you even listening to me?”
She follows his gaze. He’s staring at the door to her room, which is slightly ajar. She goes cold. Leo signals for her to stay back and uses his foot to nudge open the door. They stare dumbfounded at the state of the room. Julia’s belongings are strewn all over the place. Mattress torn. Feathers scattered everywhere.
Julia picks up a crumpled flyer. “Who would do this?”
The bathroom door flies open and a man in dark clothing sprints across the room. He pushes Julia out of the way and knocks Leo to the ground. Without thinking, Julia snatches the man’s jacket as he tries to flee. He tries to shake her off but she holds on tight. When he turns to face her, there’s a gun in his hand.
She freezes. “Please don’t shoot.”
“Hey!” A shout from the doorway. Julia turns to see Detective Muhtar standing there.
The man pivots and fires the gun at him. The bullet glances off the wood above Detective Muhtar’s head. He shoots again. Detective Muhtar cries out and jerks backward.
“Stop!” cries Julia. “Please stop!”
The man charges for door, knocking the detective off his feet, and takes off down the hallway.
Julia rushes over to Detective Muhtar.
“It’s okay,” he says, wincing. “I’m okay.”
Julia examines his arm. A flesh wound. Bleeding badly.
“We need to get you to a hospital.”
He grimaces and shakes his head. “There isn’t time. We must leave immediately. It is not safe here.”
Julia stares at him, breathing hard. “What the hell is going on? Who was that man?”
“People want you out of the country.”
“What people?”
He hauls himself to his feet. “I will explain on the way.”
50
Leo drives the Fiat while Detective Muhtar gives directions.
“Turn right up here.”
They head in the same direction as the overhead train lines, passing through Sultanahmet, then east until they leave the shops completely behind. Julia looks down at her knee, which is jiggling like a piston. It’s the adrenaline leaving her body. From the shock of having a gun aimed right at her face. She feels the sudden urge to throw up, and quickly winds down her window to take in some air.
“You all right?” says Leo, eyes hitting the rearview.
“Why was there a man with a gun in my hotel room, Detective Muhtar?” she says, anger simmering.
Detective Muhtar turns to look at her over his shoulder, the bloody wound on his arm shining like syrup.
“We will soon be there. I will explain everything then.”
“Does this have anything to do with what’s been going between Mustafa Saat and the CIA?” she demands.
If Detective Muhtar is surprised that Julia knows about the Saat/CIA matter, he doesn’t show it.
He turns back to face the front. “We must get to the safe house first.”
She frowns. “Safe house? What safe house?”
“You must trust me.”
She shakes her head, exasperated. “Don’t talk to me about trust.”
He runs a hand over his face. “Please, Dr. Norris, I will tell you everything. I promise.”
Julia sits back in her seat, biting down her discontent. She wants answers now, not later, but knows there’s not much she can do except do what he asks and wait.
Detective Muhtar instructs Leo to go right and they enter a residential area. After driving a few more blocks, Detective Muhtar points to a narrow side street and tells Leo to park, which he does.
“Follow me,” says Detective Muhtar, getting out.
They walk at a fast clip along the quiet street until they reach an entrance to an apartment building. Detective Muhtar ushers Julia and Leo inside and they follow him up to the second floor, where he inserts a key into the door on the left and shows them into a small but nicely decorated apartment.
Julia’s surprised to see an older woman sitting on the sofa reading. Dressed in blue jeans and a fashionable sweater, with jet black hair tucked behind a striking green headscarf, the woman is probably in her early sixties, the same age as Detective Muhtar. She stands when she sees them, eyes widening when her eyes fall on Detective Muhtar’s bloody arm.
“It is nothing, Reyhan,” he says. “A flesh wound, that’s all.” He turns to Julia and Leo. “Reyhan, these are our guests. Please make them feel welcome.”
The woman’s takes in Julia and Leo, eyes narrowing. “American?”
Detective Muhtar looks at her softly. “They need our help, Reyhan.”
She gives him a steely look but says nothing.
He introduces them. “Dr. Norris and Leo, this is Reyhan, my wife.”
The woman nods stiffly then turns to Detective Muhtar. “Emri, your arm needs tending.”
“Yes, Reyhan.” He smiles at Julia and Leo. “Please make yourself comfortable. I will return soon.”
Detective Muhtar and his wife disappear into another part of the apartment. After they’re gone, Julia turns to Leo.
“What the hell is going on here, Leo?”
“Beats me,” he says.
She’s shivering. Leo removes his jacket and tries to give it to her. Julia waves it away.
“Take it,” he says.
She decides it’s not worth the fight and allows him to place the jacket around her shoulders. She catches the warmth of his scent and feels a little calmer.
“Now what?” she says.
They sit there and wait.
51
Thirty minutes later Detective Muhtar emerges with his forearm cleaned and bandaged. Julia does a double take when she
