“Can’t you tell me here?” Turkekul asked.
Stone sat back. “You trust Marisa. And Marisa trusts me, or she wouldn’t have brought you here.”
“I do trust her.”
“Then what is the problem?”
“You obviously have never lived in the Middle East.”
“On the contrary, I have.”
When Stone next spoke it was in Pashto. Then he switched to Farsi. The effect on Turkekul was immediate.
“How do you know these languages?”
“My hair is white. I’ve been in this business a long time. But you’re referring to not trusting anyone because your friend is only a friend until he is your enemy?”
“Precisely.”
“Then I will chance being overheard and tell you why you need to be involved.”
“Yes?”
“A fatwa has been issued. A private one.”
“A fatwa? Against whom?”
“Against you.”
Turkekul looked stricken. “Against me? I do not understand.”
“Someone has found out you’re assisting the Americans, Fuat. They want to eliminate that assistance.”
Turkekul’s gaze swung between Stone and Friedman. “A fatwa? But I am an academic. I am no threat to anyone.”
“Someone has found out what you’re really doing. That is clear. The mole I spoke of? His target, it seems, was you. They know of your treachery.”
“This is… preposterous.”
“No, our information is rock solid. As you know, we’ve vastly improved our intelligence resources in that part of the world.”
“Who issued the fatwa?”
Stone said a name and the man’s face turned gray.
“They are…”
“Yes. And the group they have assigned to execute the fatwa have the reputation of never missing. I won’t mention their name, but trust me, you would recognize it.”
Turkekul looked shrunken now as he fidgeted with his hands.
Stone studied him. “I know your faith does not allow for the imbibing of alcohol, but perhaps an exception in this case? Then we can talk about what we would like for you to do.”
“Yes, I think. Perhaps some wine,” he said quickly.
Friedman motioned for a waiter.
Ten minutes later Turkekul left with Friedman. After he had gone, Stone and Chapman departed by a rear exit and climbed into a black Yukon with bulletproof windows and armor plating.
“Well done, Oliver,” said a booming voice from the backseat.
James McElroy was sitting there. “The audio feed was loud and clear. I heard everything.”
Stone sat back against the leather seat. “Well, let’s see if the man takes the bait.”
CHAPTER 76
“HE’S ON THE MOVE,” Agent Ashburn said. She was sitting in the front seat of the SUV wearing a headset. She turned to look at Stone and Chapman. “I hope this works.”
“If it doesn’t, we’ll know soon enough,” said Stone.
“How about his security?” asked Chapman.
“They were told to give him an out.”
“He won’t get suspicious?”
“Their job is to protect him from others. Not from himself. He said he was going to bed. They’re not expecting him to sneak out, which he just did.”
She rejoined Stone and looked down at Turkekul.
“Could there really have been a fatwa on him?” she asked.
Stone just shook his head. “We got played. Again,” he added bitterly.
“What happens now?”
“We’re screwed,” he muttered. “That’s what happens now. We’re completely and totally screwed.”