Chapter Sixty-four

St. George's Hospital

St. George's Road, London

Wednesday

He stepped forward, eyebrow raised. "Sir. Lady Elizabeth. You're the American FBI agent?"

"Yes. Rome Foxe." The two men shook hands.

Eiserly nodded. "I'd be astonished if it weren't."

Eiserly only nodded. He said to Rome and Elizabeth, "Officer Bryer placed a voice-activated recorder under Ms. Said's bed before she was brought in after a series of tests. We'll be able to hear and record whatever is said. It's quite legal, hospital is considered a public place. She doesn't know yet, but I've agreed to allow her imam brother up to see her before she's taken to surgery to repair her left leg. Perhaps we'll learn whether he was working with her. Is she lucid, Officer Bryer?"

"They've given her morphine for her pain, and the nurse told me she's awake."

Rome said, "Have you heard Ms. Said say anything since she was brought back to her room?"

"She answered questions the nurse asked her, that's all."

Rome said, "Without him, we wouldn't be here breathing. My rental car is scrap metal, enough bullet holes for a war zone."

Eiserly said to Officer Bryer, "If any reporter happens to sneak up here, give him a good cosh if you like."

"Yes, sir!"

The three of them walked into a room with two beds, one of them empty. In the other lay Adara Said, on her back, her eyes closed, two hospital pillows under her head, her left leg slightly elevated and wrapped in bandages. Elizabeth thought she was beautiful, her thick black hair dry now and curling wildly around her face.

Elizabeth lightly touched her neck. "I understand your thigh is fractured."

"Aren't you more worried you will spend the rest of your life in an English prison?"

Adara said nothing.

"Such a stupid cow you are." Adara turned her face away.

Rome stepped up beside Elizabeth. "Would you prefer to talk with Khaled Aziz?"

She slowly turned her face back to them. They saw a flash of rage, then it was gone, extinguished, as if she knew exactly what would happen to her now and she no longer cared. "That scum, that lying traitor? I was stupid, I trusted him too quickly. I hope he dies along with you."

What did that mean? Elizabeth stepped closer to the bed. "Adara, why did you call me a whore?"

Adara's fists bunched, but she said nothing, kept her eyes closed.

Elizabeth leaned over her. "Does it have to do with Samir Basara?"