Mortality was a fierce thing to face.
Her phone rang, startling her. She crossed to the desk and picked it up. The general’s face showed in the viewscreen. She hesitated just a moment before answering the call. She had already talked to her mother. Her mother knew she was all right, and her mother would pass the information along.
Was the call about concern or control? Anna knew this would be a toss-up. She didn’t know if she was prepared to deal with either. There was too much guilt with one and too much frustration with the other.
Then she thought of Yakov’s picture and the fact that none of her contacts had so far been able to identify the man. However, there still remained a few, and one of them was a military officer she had known for several years.
Lieutenant Emil Basayev wasn’t just one of her father’s officers. He was also one of her friends. And he worked in the intelligence division of the Ministry of Defense. Perhaps he could identify the man.
But that would mean that Yakov truly was Russian. She also hoped that the man was something else. An American CIA agent would not be so bad. Americans made good villains these days, with their heavy-handed approach to national politics, in the views of many.
But her father might also know who Yakov was. She had not asked for any favors in a long time.
She answered the phone. “Hello, Father.”
“Hello, Anna. I hear you are well.”
“I am, thankfully.”
“Your mother tells me you have had close calls that have not yet been reported on the television news or in your own news stories.”
Anna paced the floor, suddenly filled with nervous energy. “Yes. Several close calls.”
“You are still traveling with the American?”
“Professor Lourds. Yes. I have found him to be a brave man. He has saved my life during this endeavor. And his friends saved us today when we were pursued.”
The general was silent for a moment. “Someone is pursuing you?”
“Yes.”
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. I have seen him with my own eyes.” Anna caught herself, feeling excited and guilty at the same time as she prepared to put out the bait for her father. She had done this kind of manipulation many times while pursuing a story. “I have even taken a picture of the man.”
“You must have been very close to him.” Her father did sound worried in that moment.
Anna clamped down on the guilt she felt. She couldn’t afford that emotion if she was going to be successful. “I took the picture of him before he murdered Boris Glukov. At the time, I did not know the man was bad.”
“Your mother is very worried about you.” Her father hesitated. “I am very concerned about you too.”
“Well, I thank you for your concern.” Anna started pacing again, suddenly angry with her father for not taking the bait. Then she sighed inwardly as she realized if anyone had ever been subjected to manipulation on a regular basis, it would be a Russian general. He was far more experienced than anyone she’d dealt with before. She felt foolish now for having tried in the first place.
“Your mother — and I — would like for you to come home. I can arrange safe passage from Afghanistan to Moscow for you.”
“Thank you, but no. My work is here.”
The general growled. “What story has the paper assigned you to? Surely there is nothing more to be gained by staying in Afghanistan. The dig was attacked by the Taliban. Several people died. You have written that story.”
“That story, yes, but not all the stories that are to come.” Anna strove to bottle her anger. Getting into a shouting match with him, as she so often had in the past, would do no good and would only leave her exhausted and stressed. “Boris Glukov was murdered.”
“According to the American professor.”
“It happened.”
“Anna, did you see it happen?”
He had her there and she knew it. She also resented it. Her editor at The Moscow Times had challenged her with the exact same question. “No.”
“Then Lourds may have been mistaken.”
“It’s hard to mistake seeing a friend get shot to death in front of you, don’t you think?”
Her father sighed. He sounded more tired than she had ever heard him. He was getting older, and that worried her, especially given the constant stress of his job and the politics surrounding it.
“Perhaps the American professor had his own reasons for telling this story.”
“Why would he do that?” Anna felt protective of Lourds. He was a good man. She liked that he was carrying around the engagement ring for his lover and that he wasn’t sure when he could ask her to marry him with everything else going on.
“The man seeks attention, Anna. His career depends on it.”
“No. He is not that kind of man. I know that much.”
“Just from meeting him yesterday?”
“Yes.”
“Ridiculous.”
“Really, Father? How many men have you met who have risked their lives the very first time you met them to save someone else? How many men have you met who, on the very first day, have risked their lives to save yours?”
“Several.”
She realized then that had been the wrong question to ask. His job focused on men ready to lay down their lives. Her father had risked laying down his life for others more than once. Rodion had shown her the news stories.
She clung to her stubbornness because it was her only shield — and her only weapon. “Well, I have not. Thomas Lourds risked his life to protect me, and I am not going to desert him as long as I think I can help him.”
Her father was quiet for a moment. “So…am I to tell your mother that you are not coming home?”
“I have already told her that.”
“All right. But if you get into trouble that you see is over your head and beyond your ability to deal with, please let me know. If it is within my power, I will help you.”
Anna knew she had to give him something. He was her father. “I will. You have my promise.”
“Thank you.” He seemed a little more at ease. “This man that is pursuing you, Anna, you said you have a picture?”
“I do.”
“Send it to me, please. I will see what I can do to learn his name. Perhaps it will help you and Professor Lourds.”
“All right. Do you want me to send it to your personal e-mail?”
“No. Let me send an e-mail to you. Attach it to that one and send it back.”
Anna understood then. Her father — the general — was always watched.
“This is not to hide my involvement with you, Anna. Anyone who knows me knows I would do anything in my power to protect you.”
“I know.” Hot tears brushed at the back of her eyes, and her chin quivered a little.
“However, I want to keep our business private. You understand?”
“Yes. And thank you.”
“I only hope I can help.” He told her goodbye and that he loved her, then he hung up.
For a moment longer, Anna looked at the picture of her father on the cell phone. Then she wiped the tears from her face, not knowing why they were there, and turned her attention back to her computer.
29
After the bath, Layla had excused herself and left the room. Lourds knew she didn’t want to step too far outside the boundaries of her culture while they were in her country. He respected that, but he resented it at the same time.
She had told him that she knew he wanted to work anyway, which was true, but he still felt that separation.