"Ms. Booker, we meet again, and it is my pleasure." He bowed again.

Annie wasn't smiling as she turned to Sarah. "The prince and I met several years ago in Saudi Arabia." Sarah felt as if she could touch Annie's hostility.

The prince cleared his throat and said, "I wonder, could I have a private word with you?"

"Shoot." Annie lapsed into slang, never taking her eyes from him.

a 143 a He looked pointedly at Sarah. "We can talk in front of Sarah," Annie said in the same distant, low voice. "We're friends."

"Ah," he said and repeated "friends" with a different emphasis.

Annie put her hand firmly on Sarah's shoulder. Sarah watched the play of emotions on his face. "Very well, I wish to apologize, Ms.

Booker."

Annie's hand on Sarah's shoulder increased its grip and Sarah looked over at her. Annie's face was remote, quiet, as if the prince had not spoken.

Finally, he spoke into the accumulating silence. "My mother has made the trip with me. Would you join us for dinner? She is over there."

He gestured at a woman across the room. Annie and Sarah looked through the low lights just as a tall, attractive woman looked toward them, nodded, and smiled. Sarah immediately knew the face. It was the woman in the airport this morning, but also, from somewhere else. The young prince was certainly shorter than his mother.

"Thank you, Abdel, it's not possible." Annie abruptly broke the silence. "Please excuse us."

She turned her back to the man and spoke to Sarah. "Let's boogie, girl, I'm hungry." They moved to the dining room, and Sarah raised her eyebrows at Annie.

"I'll explain later. It's part of the story about Saudi Arabia that I didn't get to tell you earlier this week, and it's not a nice story. He is about the last person I would expect to see in this house, and if I'd ever thought he would be here, I'd have talked with you about it. When we leave tonight, I promise to tell you," Annie answered Sarah's unspoken question. "Have you seen Rebecca?"

Sarah shook her head, and they looked at a tempting display of food before them. They filled their plates and moved to an unoccupied table.

Sarah noticed Annie's hands were shaking. "That man, Prince whatever, certainly looks familiar to me."

Annie grimaced. "When I was in New York City I heard that his photo was in several news magazines last month. And his mother looks familiar to me."

"Damn," Sarah said, "I remember now. The French girl that he supposedly assaulted over there. I thought he was in prison. His mother a 144 a looks familiar to me too, Annie, from the airport, this morning. You've seen her too?"

Annie swung her eyes to Sarah. "Yes, but I can't remember where I've seen her. He's not in prison because it happened over there, and men get away with anything. It honestly doesn't make any difference that he's a prince or a Saudi, he'll never be prosecuted," Annie said, her face bleak. "Let me assure you, Sarah, he's deadly. Personally, I loathe him." She was quiet for a moment. "What I can't figure out is why he's here, in this house. Politically, he and the good doctor ought to be sworn enemies, not to mention their religious differences."

Sarah nodded, thinking of her research she'd been hammering away at all week long. She looked around the room for her surveillance.

"Is it possible it's not political? That it might be personal?" she asked.

"I don't know. You might be right. What else could it be?"

"This is a long shot, but what if it's family?" Annie raised her eyebrows in a question, so Sarah continued, "I mean, do these families marry one another?"

Annie shook her head. "Very unlikely. I've never seen or heard of it. Or to put it another way, it would be a sort of Romeo and Juliet kind of thing."

"But not impossible?"

"Nothing's impossible, just unlikely." Annie leaned closer, the familiar impish smile on her face. "But it wouldn't hurt to check it out, and while you're at it, check out the prince's mother, for both of us."

Sarah grinned back. "And so, since you have designated me your afriend' to the prince"-she held her fingers up, making quote marks in the air-"what would you like me to do?"

"I'd like you to be resourceful. For example, background on the prince and his mother. Look at all the resources at your fingertips.

We've almost been living together. Doesn't that make you at least a friend?"

Their eyes locked for a moment, and Sarah thought, Lord, no wonder you're successful. "And, I suppose, share this information with you?"

Annie grinned again. "Of course, but wouldn't this come under a 145 a collecting data anyway?" She reached out to touch her and said, "Sarah-"

"Well, here you are." Rebecca's hand fell on Annie's shoulder, causing her to jump. "I suppose you ate without me?"

"Yes, and try the beef, it's wonderful." Annie's face turned up to Rebecca.

"Did you see the prince?" she asked, and Annie gave her a sudden look. Rebecca hesitated, the smile leaving her face. "I met his mother, and what a surprise she is."

"What do you mean?" Sarah asked.

"Well, she works in Germany, not your-stay-at-home Saudi mother for sure."

"Germany?" Annie frowned. "How does that work? Saudi wives and mothers don't work out of the country. Did she introduce him to you? She certainly looks familiar to both Sarah and me. I swear I'm losing my memory. First the man at Sam's store, and-" Annie stopped.

"That's it, Sarah. The man at Sam's, that's who she is."

Sarah was confused, and they all looked out into the crowd in the dim light, trying to find the woman they were talking about.

Sarah saw her first. "There she is, by Dr. Majer. I don't know. She looks like a woman to me."

"What have you been drinking besides brandy tonight?" Rebecca teased.

"All right, you two, I know this is crazy, but I'm telling you, that is the twin to the man I saw at Sam's."

"Fine, a twin. That's different," Sarah said. Annie was right. The woman looked a great deal like the man they had run into at Sam's. She frowned. Where on earth had she seen the woman other than the airport this morning?

"Anyway, she didn't introduce me to the prince. She just pointed him out, across the room," Rebecca said and then looked at Annie again. "I'm starving, but I need to wash my hands first."

"Ms. Booker?" a woman's voice said and all three women turned.

A short, gray-haired lady was smiling at Annie.

Annie stood quickly. "Nyalia. My goodness, it's Dr. Majer's sister, the one I just interviewed in Baghdad, Sarah. The photos, remember?"

"How nice to see you," the woman said and reached for Annie's hand.

a 146 a "I am surprised to see you, Nyalia." Annie took her hand with a smile. "How did you get out of Baghdad?"

"Prince Abdel and his family helped us. I brought my two daughters as well."

"That is wonderful." Annie introduced Sarah and Rebecca to her.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"No, I was just going to wash up first and then join my brother and his wife. Will you walk with me?"

"We were just going that way," Annie said and they moved through the crowd to a quieter part of the house. There were several women standing in the hallway, waiting to get into the bathroom, so they fell into line as well. Annie talked to the woman about her trip.

Sarah walked away and checked in with her surveillance, then walked back to the line, listening to the conversation. Rebecca went in as the line shortened, and Annie asked about Prince Abdel and his mother.

"How did you happen to know him?" she asked.

"He came to the house and offered his help," Nyalia said. "I had never met the man before, but he had known my husband. They made all the arrangements, and it was a lovely trip. I am so relieved to be finally away from there safely. Isn't this a beautiful home?"

"I'm happy to see you here," Annie said and told her to go ahead as Rebecca came out of the bathroom. After the door closed Annie turned to Sarah. "I can't believe that. Why would someone of the prince's stature bother with an engineer's wife? An Iraqi engineer's wife?"

Sarah shook her head. "Annie, you're certain they're not related?"

"No, but how could they be?" The conversation ended as Dr.

Majer's sister came out. Annie looked back at Sarah and raised her eyebrows in a question as she entered the bathroom.

Rebecca's stomach growled and she grinned. "I'm hungry." Sarah looked at her watch, then at Rebecca.

"She'll be out in a minute," Rebecca said and then added, "I'm going back for my food. See you in the dinning room."

Sarah nodded as Dr. Majer's sister walked away with Rebecca.

Hearing the wind howl outside, she moved to the window, watching the snow for a few moments, and then she stepped back to the bathroom door, rapping lightly. "Annie?" She looked at Scott, who was watching her, standing at the edge of the crowd.

a 147 a Nothing stirred, so Sarah knocked again and tried the handle, but it was locked. "Annie, are you all right?" When there was no response, she put her body against the door and quickly broke the lock. The bathroom was empty, the noise of the winter storm echoing inside.

Annie was gone.

a 148 a

ChAPTER SixTEEN.

Within five minutes, the FBI was in control of the Majer household with all exits sealed. Sarah isolated Dr. Majer, his wife, his sister, and the prince with his mother in the dining room.

Don had warned her that the prince and his mother had diplomatic immunity, and Sarah went out of her way to be courteous as she spoke to them. The mother sat at the far end of the table, away from her, but Prince Abdel stayed close as Sarah paced with barely restrained anger.

The prince pointed a finger at Sarah with a sly smile. "I knew you were a government person." He paced with her.

"But I am also her friend, as is Dr. Larsen," she said, and turned to Dr. Majer's sister. "I know where you were at that time, but where was everyone else?"

"My wife and I were walking toward the kitchen to check with the staff about the food," Dr. Majer said, and his wife nodded.

Sarah looked at the prince. "And you?"

"We were going toward the dining room, through the crowd," he said, looking down the table at his mother.

Sarah looked at Dr. Majer's sister. "Where are your daughters?"

"Upstairs, asleep I hope."

"I meant to ask you earlier, do you have other children?" Sarah said.

"Yes, as I said, my husband, an engineer, was killed four years ago in Afghanistan. I have an older son and daughter that were with him when he was killed."

a 149 a Sarah walked down the length of the table. "Where are they now?"

she asked, but before Nyalia could answer, Sarah's phone rang. She swore softly, unclipping it and answering.

"Sarah, it's Don. No one was outside, but we have thermal imaging in the basement. Whoever or whatever it is, it's alive."

"Get someone in here to cover me, and I'll meet you," Sarah said, shutting her phone. Sarah asked the professor about the basement and turned toward the other end of the house.

v Annie woke and tried to move, but her body was unwilling.

"Where...?" she mumbled, her voice echoing in her ears. Turning her head slowly, she knew she was on her back and her head hurt. Too cold, not Iraq. She willed her eyes open but could only see darkness. Unable to concentrate as a dreamy feeling washed over her mind, she lay still and then thought she might have been in another car bomb. Suddenly, a hand fumbled with her clothing, but her eyes wouldn't open. She could hear someone's ragged breathing, felt the warmth of another body and felt herself being lifted into someone's arms. My mouth tastes terrible, she thought, falling back into sleep and the cold covered her like a metal blanket.

v Sarah met Don coming down the hallway, and they ran to the basement area their imaging had locked onto. Guns drawn, they slowly pushed the door open, quietly stepping into a cold, dark room. Don fumbled for a switch and they stood, transfixed by the sudden small light amid crates and boxes. Sarah took the aisle on the left and Don took the other side. She could hear his steps as they shuffled down lanes created by the boxes into the semidarkness. Just as she got to the back wall, she stumbled over something and fell into the boxes, knocking several over. Straightening, she saw Annie's body.

"Over here, Don," Sarah called. She knelt, putting fingers to Annie's neck. She felt a pulse. "She's alive!"

"Annie, oh no," Sarah said as she felt the cold skin. Pulling her own suit jacket off, she covered Annie's bare legs. The pale yellow top a 150 a that she had zipped up for her earlier was gathered up from her skirt, revealing a few inches of stomach. Sarah pulled it down gently and looked at the rest of her clothing. Everything seemed in order. Don was talking on his phone as he ran toward her.

Sliding his gun back under his coat, he said, "I called an ambulance.

Damn, is that blood?" There was a dark swatch inches from her own knee.

"It's so dark down here. I'm not sure, but I think you're right. Do you have a flashlight?"

"No, but I think there's one back by the lights." He went to look.

Sarah gently moved Annie's jacket aside, checking for injuries. She examined both of Annie's hands and thought there was blood on one of them. She saw a small cut that was bleeding on her lower lip, and there was an odd odor around her face. Annie's eyes fluttered as Sarah turned her head to get a better look.

"Annie, baby, can you hear me?" Sarah spoke softly, pushing the hair back. There was blood on Annie's neck and ear. She recognized the odor as Don came up with a flashlight. "She's been drugged with something like chloroform. The smell's all over her."

He was down on his knees on the other side of Annie's body as sirens wailed in the distance. Footsteps followed by a huge crash sounded from the other side of the room, and they both stood, guns drawn again, staring and listening in the direction of the noise. The lights went out, and they were plunged into utter darkness again. Sarah went to one knee across Annie, the other hand feeling for the flashlight.