When he was finished, he made another copy and went in search of Khan and found him in the sitting room, talking to Dr. Aziz, a small cheerful Indian with skin like brown parchment.
âIâve given him a shot of morphine, which will keep him sleeping for eight to ten hours. Nothing broken, but heâll have a bad bruise,â Aziz said.
âThat was me,â Declan told him.
âQuite a punch, Colonel.â Aziz smiled.
âWhich he richly deserved,â Declan told him.
âIâm sure youâre right. Drink will be the death of him.â He turned to Khan. âBut Iâm tired of telling you that. Iâll call again in the morning.â
âIâm very grateful,â Khan said. âAnything he needs. Iâve got to go to Paris for three days, and Iâll need Rasoul with me. Can you arrange a nurse?â
âNo problem.â
âI think the male variety would be advisable in the circumstances,â Declan Rashid said and turned to Khan. âI mean it for the best, naturally.â
âOf course,â Khan said. âSee to it as you think fit, Doctor. Show the doctor out, Rasoul.â
Rasoul, who had been glowering in the background, did as he was told, and Declan joined Khan over by the great windows and offered the report.
âNo, weâll have a martini,â Khan told him, moving toward the bar area. âYou can read it to me.â
Which Declan did as Khan mixed the cocktails, listening as Rasoul, standing against the wall beside the kitchen door, took it all in, too. Declan finished, and Khan passed him the vodka martini.
âWhat extraordinary people,â he said. âEven the woman is beyond belief. Owner, in effect, of the Gideon Bank, and with this amazing war record.â He sipped his drink. âThe fact that her parents died in a Hamas bus bombing would indicate to me that she is hardly likely to warm to Arabs in general.â
Rasoul, listing intently, couldnât help jumping in. âDo not forget that she is a Jew and not worthy of serious consideration.â
âDonât be stupid,â Declan told him. âHer exploits in Afghanistan speak for themselves. When the Taliban ambushed that convoy at Abusan, she was as good as any man behind that heavy machine gun. Three special forces men to protect her, two of whom died, the third wounded, and she was wounded herself and left with a permanent limp. Forty-two dead Taliban when they counted the corpses.â
âWhich leads me to ask whose side you are on in the struggle for Islamism in the world today. A Taliban should be looked on as your brother. There is only one God and Osama is his Prophet, or do you renounce that, too?â Rasoul demanded.
There was a moment of complete stillness, horror on Khanâs face at the dreadful slip of the tongue, and sudden desperation on Rasoulâs as he realized what he had said.
Declan smiled gently. âAn error on your part, Iâm sure, but the Prophet, whose name be praised, is merciful and will forgive a sinner.â
Khan exploded with rage at Rasoulâs slip, for any reference to Osama bin Laden, particularly when it involved Declan, was the last thing he and his masters needed.
He shouted, âWhat nonsense are you talking? Get out of my sight.â
Rasoul bowed his head. Forgive me.â He turned and hurried away into the kitchen.
Emza Khan said, âA stupid fool, but I keep him on because of his ability to handle Yousef, you know that.â
âOf course I do, so no need to apologize,â Declan told him. âIâm leaving now. Iâll see you tomorrow, and then Paris next stop. Iâll brief you on the plane in the morning about Husseini.â
âI look forward to it, it should be fun,â Khan said. âParticularly the whores.â
âIâm sure theyâre waiting for you in eager anticipation,â Declan Rashid said with considerable irony.
Stephen - Scully 10 Cannell