Eddie and Nina exchanged tired looks. ‘We don’t have much bloody choice, do we?’ said the Yorkshireman.
‘No, we don’t,’ she agreed with a marked lack of enthusiasm. ‘Everyone does remember that I’m four months pregnant, right? I’m supposed to be eating crazy food and being waited on hand and foot, not rushing around the world and being shot at!’ She took a long, deep breath. ‘Okay, rant over, I’m done.’
‘In that case, I will tell the ambassadors that you will assist with the search in person,’ said Seretse. ‘Nina, you should go to Rome; Eddie to Mecca. I am sure you understand why I did not suggest sending you to Saudi Arabia, Nina,’ he added.
‘Countries that oppress women, flog bloggers and behead people for sorcery aren’t exactly high on my list of vacation destinations,’ she said scathingly. ‘I’ll take Rome any day. But St Peter’s Square is huge! There’ll be thousands of people there if the Pope’s giving an address. And I can’t even begin to imagine how many people there’ll be in Mecca during the Hajj.’
‘Yeah, I know,’ said Eddie. ‘Just have to hope the cops are on the ball — and that we get lucky.’
‘I shall make the arrangements,’ Seretse told them. ‘It may take some time, but I will call you back as soon as everything is confirmed.’
‘Great,’ Nina muttered as he disconnected. She turned to her husband. ‘Oh God. How do we keep ending up in these situations? I tell you, after this is over, we’re taking a three-year vacation.’
He grinned. ‘You’d be bored out of your mind after a month.’
‘Probably. But we’ve got the baby to look forward to, so who knows? Motherhood might be the best thing ever to happen in my life. Apart from meeting you,’ she added.
‘It will be, I’m sure of it,’ he said. ‘So you’re feeling more confident about being a mum now, are you?’
It was her turn to grin. ‘I’m probably tempting fate by saying this, but after everything else I’ve been through since I met you, I should be able to handle a baby.’ They both looked around at a chuckle from Shalit. ‘Something to say?’
‘Only that whether you are a soldier, a scientist or a spy, nothing can prepare you,’ the Israeli replied, humour in his eyes.
‘That’s reassuring,’ Eddie said.
‘I’m ready for it,’ Nina insisted. ‘Whatever it brings.’
‘Yeah?’
‘Yeah.’
‘Good.’ He kissed her. ‘’Cause so am I.’ A glance back at the phone. ‘Just a pain in the arse that we’ve got to save the world first.’
‘I know,’ she said with a sigh. ‘But we need to make sure our daughter’s got a world to be born into, so… let’s finish this.’
32
Even with his United Nations diplomatic status temporarily restored, Eddie still faced bureaucratic obstacles on his arrival at the King Abdulaziz international airport outside the city of Jeddah the following morning. The first came when a customs officer checked his passport and declared with a scowl that he had recently visited Israel; the fact that the jet chartered by the UN had come from Israel escaped the man’s notice. Not even Eddie’s diplomatic papers dissuaded the surly apparatchik from insisting he was not allowed to enter the country, and only the appearance of more senior figures silenced him.
However, this brought other problems. The newcomers, clad in traditional robes and ghutra headgear, were from the Mabahith, the Saudi domestic security agency: the country’s secret police. This in itself made Eddie wary of them, as the Mabahith was infamous for human rights violations and its brutal treatment of anyone who spoke out against the repressive Saudi regime — and the first words from the younger of the two, a skinny, broad-nosed man in his twenties, suggested they were not going to be helpful. ‘You have wasted your time coming here, Mr Chase.’
‘Nice to meet you too,’ the Englishman replied sarcastically.
The second man, a craggy fifty-something, was more polite. ‘Welcome to Saudi Arabia, Mr Chase. I am Abdul Rajhi of the General Investigation Directorate. This is my associate, Prince Saleh al Farhan.’
‘Prince?’ said Eddie in surprise.
Rajhi did not respond, instead continuing: ‘We are grateful for your help in discovering a terrorist threat, but I am afraid that you will not be able to help us search for this man Fisher in person.’
‘Why not?’
His expression became patronising. ‘Because you are not a Muslim, of course. Unbelievers are not permitted to enter the holy city of Mecca. We have the picture you provided; it is already being distributed to police, hotel staff and officials at the Kaaba. We will find him without you.’
‘You still might not recognise him,’ Eddie objected. ‘There’s a big difference between looking at a photofit and a real person. And he could be in disguise. I’m the only person who’s actually seen the guy before — you need me there.’
‘We will easily be able to find a black American,’ said al Farhan haughtily. ‘We have records of everyone who has entered our country, and who is staying at every hotel.’
‘What, you think he’ll be using his real name? He’ll have a passport from Sudan or somewhere and be calling himself Muhammad.’
‘That may be so,’ al Farhan said, drawing himself to his full height, ‘but you will not be allowed into Mecca!’
Eddie was about to remind him of his diplomatic status, but one look at the brick wall of the Saudi’s face told him it would be pointless; even with the threat of murder on a massive scale, rules and dogma still counted above all else. Instead he turned to the older man. ‘You’ve been in your job for a while, yes?’ he asked.
Rajhi was surprised by the question. ‘Yes. Over twenty years.’
‘And you’re pretty high up in the Mabahith?’
He nodded. ‘I am, yes.’
‘Then you must remember what happened two years ago. In Mecca. At the Kaaba.’ Rajhi frowned, not sure where he was heading. ‘With Pramesh Khoil?’
Now realisation dawned, the official’s eyes widening. ‘So how’s the Black Stone these days?’ Eddie pushed on.
‘The Black Stone,’ Rajhi echoed, to his companion’s puzzlement. ‘You are that Eddie Chase?’
‘No, there’s seventeen of us, we work different days. Of course it’s bloody me!’
Al Farhan asked a question in Arabic, but his superior hurriedly shushed him. The older man thought for a moment, then said to Eddie: ‘May I speak with you in private?’
‘Go ahead.’
To al Farhan’s consternation, Rajhi took Eddie aside for a whispered conversation. ‘The theft of the Black Stone is one of my country’s most closely guarded secrets! If it was ever revealed to the masses that one of our holiest relics had been stolen — by infidels! — and replaced by a replica, there would be…’ He didn’t need to finish; his horrified shake of the head was enough to paint a picture of chaos.
‘Yeah, but me and Nina got it back for you,’ Eddie reminded him. ‘Now, she’s not likely to include that bit in her memoirs, and I won’t be shouting about it on Twitter, but it’d be really appreciated if you’d let me help you.’
Rajhi considered that, then waved al Farhan over. ‘Under exceptional circumstances, non-Muslims are allowed to enter Mecca,’ he announced. Now it was his companion’s turn to be shocked. ‘I consider this threat to the Hajj to be one of those times. Mr Chase will help us find this terrorist.’ The younger man began a strenuous objection, but Rajhi made a firm gesture to silence him before turning back to the Yorkshireman. ‘As a representative of the United Nations, you will be expected to follow the highest standards of behaviour.’