Back The Messenger Save as PDF
Chapters (48)
  1. PART ONE The Door of Death
  2. 1. London
  3. 2. Jerusalem
  4. 3. Jerusalem
  5. 4. Vatican City
  6. 5. Vatican City
  7. 6. Vatican City
  8. 7. Rome
  9. 8. Venice
  10. 9. Jerusalem
  11. PART TWO Dr. Gachet’s Daughter
  12. 10. Ein Kerem, Jerusalem
  13. 11. London
  14. 12. Tel Megiddo, Israel
  15. 13. London
  16. 14. The Marais, Paris
  17. 15. The Marais, Paris
  18. 16. McLean, Virginia
  19. 17. Georgetown
  20. 18. London
  21. 19. London
  22. 20. London
  23. 21. London
  24. PART THREE The Night Journey
  25. 22. Harbor Island, Bahamas
  26. 23. Off the Bahamas
  27. 24. Gustavia, Saint-Barthélemy
  28. 25. Gustavia, Saint-Barthélemy
  29. 26. Pointe Mangin, Saint-Barthélemy
  30. 27. Gustavia Harbor, Saint-Barthélemy
  31. 28. CIA Headquarters
  32. 29. Off Saint Maarten
  33. 30. Saint Maarten
  34. 31. Kloten, Switzerland
  35. 32. Zurich
  36. 33. Zug, Switzerland
  37. 34. Canton Uri, Switzerland
  38. 35. Canton Uri, Switzerland
  39. 36. Zug, Switzerland
  40. 37. Vatican City
  41. 38. Rome
  42. PART FOUR The Witness
  43. 39. Washington
  44. 40. Tiberias, Israel
  45. 41. Paris: August
  46. 42. Istanbul: August
  47. AUTHOR’S NOTE
  48. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Just then the first flight of the day swept low over their heads and plunged down the opposite side of the hill toward the runway below. Without warning Jean-Michel started down the road after it. They ran past the airport and the island’s main shopping center, then rounded a bend in the road and started toward Saint-Jean village. The first traffic began to appear; twice they had to leap onto the sandy shoulder of the road to avoid approaching trucks. Jean-Michel led her through an opening in the stone wall at the edge of the road and down a sandy pathway to the beach. “It’s better if we run here,” he said. “I’m going to do a couple of fast intervals. Do you think you can stay out of trouble?”

“What makes you think I can’t keep up with you?”

He lengthened his stride. Sarah struggled to keep pace with him.

“The interval is about to begin,” he said. “Are you ready?”

“I thought this was the interval.”

Jean-Michel sprinted away. Sarah, exhausted from her sleepless night, slowed to a walk, reveling in the fact that for the first time since entering Zizi’s camp she was alone. It did not last long. Two minutes later Jean-Michel came sprinting back toward her, arms pumping like pistons. Sarah turned and started running again. Jean-Michel overtook her and slowed his pace.

“I’m famished,” she said. “How about some breakfast?”

“First we finish the run. We’ll have something at that café next to the boat.”

It took them twenty minutes to cover the distance back to the harbor. The café was beginning to fill by the time they arrived, but Jean-Michel found an empty table outside in the shade and sat down. Sarah looked over the menu for a few moments, then lifted her gaze toward the men’s clothing boutique opposite the café. The window display was filled with handmade French dress shirts of expensive-looking cotton. Sarah closed the menu and looked at Jean-Michel.

“I should buy Zizi a thank-you present.”

“The last thing Zizi needs is a gift. He truly is the man who has everything.”

“I should get him something. He was very generous to me.”

“I’m sure he was.”

She touched Jean-Michel’s arm and pointed to the boutique.

“The last thing Zizi needs is another shirt,” he said.

“They’re very nice-looking, though.”

Jean-Michel nodded. “They’re French,” he said. “We still can do a few things well.”

“Give me your credit card.”

“It’s an AAB company card.”

“I’ll reimburse you.”

He produced a card from the pocket of his running shorts and handed it over. “Don’t bother paying me back,” he said. “Trust me, Sarah, you won’t be the first person to buy Zizi a present with his own money.”

“What size shirt does he wear?”

“Sixteen-and-a-half-inch neck, thirty-three sleeve.”

“Very impressive.”

“I’m his personal trainer.”