Lespasse said, “And what does he mean by ‘before we can move on’?”

Carlson said, “Something we damn well better find out . . . And the Scorpion? Sounds like a person. But who?”

Many questions, no answers.

Tesla asked, “Should we call the powers that be?”

The Volunteers had no governmental authority. Their efforts had to be coordinated through the International Criminal Court, the European Union Force, NATO, the U.N. or local governments. Sometimes all of the above, and that took a lot of time and a lot of red tape.

Middleton was gazing at the body of young Petey Wetherby—the young man they’d gotten to know over the past few days. He recalled the times they’d laughed and drunk wine together, talked about sports and politics back in the States.

“We’ll call ’em after we have Sikari handcuffed and in a plane headed for The Hague,” Middleton muttered. He stabbed a finger at the sheets of dusty paper in Lespasse’s hand. “Who wants Florida and who wants London?”

Silence for a moment. Then in her sexy Texas drawl, Carlson said, “Not sure how good I’d fit in over in Piccadilly, don’t y’all think? Damn, looks like I’m stuck with Tampa.”

“You’ve got it. JM, you go with her. Nora, looks like you and I are packing bags for London.”

Though what, or whom, they were searching for in either of those places was a complete mystery.

Lespasse was looking over the third email again. “Wonder what Sikari gave him as a present.”

“I think I know.” Middleton recalled Balan’s curious last gesture—kissing the copper bracelet. With a napkin he carefully removed the jewelry from the man’s wrist. He examined it closely, making sure not to dislodge any physical evidence that might be contained in the intricate etchings. Around the edge of green-streaked copper was delicate lettering, probably Sanskrit or Hindi. And on one side, where the bracelet swelled into an oval, was an exquisite carving of an elephant. The animal was lifting its trunk and spraying water into the sky, toward the sliver of a new moon.

Carlson drawled, “Guess it wasn’t such good luck, after all.”

“Maybe not for him,” Harry Middleton said. “But it might be for us.”

2 - GAYLE LYNDS

2

GAYLE LYNDS

Pierre Crane had spent months working toward this moment. It was odd that it would end on the outskirts of Paris, but then the investigation had been difficult and strange from the beginning.