Page 165 of Never
The bomber looked at her, then looked away. ‘He is in heaven.’
‘You did this for God.’
‘God is great.’
‘But you were helped.’ She paused, staring hard into his eyes, trying to get him to look back at her, to make a human connection. ‘You were taught how to make the bombs.’
At last he looked at her. ‘You know nothing.’
‘I know that you were taught by the Afghan.’
She saw the surprise in his eyes.
She pressed her advantage. ‘I know that you got the materials from the friends in Sudan.’
She did not know this, though she strongly suspected it. His expression did not change. He continued to be startled by how much she knew.
She said: ‘It was the Sudanese friends who told you to kill the General.’
She held her breath. That was what she needed to confirm.
At last he spoke. His tone of amazement was unmistakably genuine. ‘How do you know?’
It was enough. Tamara walked away.
***
Back at the embassy she went to her room. Suddenly feeling completely wiped out, she lay down on her bed. She slept for a few minutes, then her phone rang.
Service had been restored.
She answered. Dexter’s voice said: ‘Where the hell are you?’
She almost hung up. She closed her eyes for a moment, summoning her patience.
He said: ‘Are you there?’
‘I’m in my room.’
‘What are you doing there?’
She was not going to tell him that she was recovering from an ordeal. She had learned long ago not to admit weakness to a male colleague. They would never tire of reminding you about it. ‘I’m freshening up,’ she said.
‘Get over here.’
She hung up without answering. She had come close to losing her life, and she could no longer take Dexter seriously. She walked unhurriedly across the compound to the CIA station.
She found Dexter sitting at his desk. Phil Doyle was with him. By this time Dexter had learned more. ‘They’re saying a CIA woman arrested a suspect!’ he said. ‘Was that you?’
‘Yes.’
‘What are you doing arresting people? What possessed you, for Christ’s sake?’
She sat down uninvited. ‘Do you want me to tell you what happened, or would you prefer just to yell at me?’
Dexter bristled but he hesitated. He could not deny that he had been shouting, and his boss was there. Even in the CIA, it was risky for a man to open himself to the accusation of bullying. ‘All right,’ he said. ‘Make your case.’
‘Make my case?’ She shook her head. ‘Am I on trial? If so, we’d better be formal. I’ll need a legal representative.’
