“The one in my bag in the back.”
“You brought a drone?” The worry on David’s face was replaced with glee.
“Yes.” Malik fought to keep a straight face at the abrupt change in David’s mood. The man loved tech. “Infrared. Two-hour flight time. Roughly a ten-mile range.”
David grinned from behind his Fendi sunglasses. “Excellent.”
Malik parked across from the mosque and near the village market, where vendors had begun to pack up their wares. “Do you want me to do the talking?”
“Let me.”
They climbed out, David’s bodyguards behind them.
People ignored them or cast wary glances their way, women in hijabs hurrying to bring small children indoors, older men bending their heads together. Malik couldn’t blame them for being cautious. Only a few days ago, bandits had attacked their village.
While the bodyguards stayed with the vehicles, Malik followed David toward a vendor who was packing up plantains, dried beans, andtinko—dried mystery meat.
David slipped off his sunglasses and spoke to the man in Naija, the words moving too fast for Malik to understand most of what was said. The vendor pointed with a nod of his head toward a bearded man with a red-and-white checked turban on his head who stood nearby, watching.
“You do well, friend.” David bid the vendor farewell with a bow of his head, then turned to Malik. “He says we should talk to the village imam. Don’t make direct eye contact, and bow your head in respect when you meet him.”
But talking to the imam turned out to be much more than a simple conversation. After an exchange of greetings, the imam invited them inside for tea, most of the conversation beyond Malik’s understanding. Tea became supper. It was only after bowls of goat stew and rice that the conversation turned to Kristi’s abduction.
David explained that Malik had come from the US to find her and showed the imam the photographs, including the newspaper photo of Kristi.
The imam studied the photos, a thoughtful frown on his face. He met Malik’s gaze. “Your woman?”
Malik assumed that’s what David had told him. “Yes. I must get her back.”
The imam handed the photographs back to David, speaking in rapid Naija once more, gesturing with his hands. Then the conversation moved on to crops and families, the imam dandling one of his grandchildren on his lap.
Malik fought to conceal his impatience. He didn’t want to offend David or the imam. But every moment they spent fucking around was another moment Kristi would have to suffer. By the time they got out of here, it would be too late to explore the forested area around the village.
This was taking too long. Every moment that passed left Kristi at risk.
Malik strode back to the vehicle, feeling as if his skin was on too tight. “What did the imam say? He talked forever.”
David looked over at him, a concerned frown on his face. “You need to relax, brother. This woman—she has you turned inside out. You won’t be able to save her if you rush in and get yourself killed.”
“Right.” Malik knew that. “It’s hard to think of her alone with killers.”
He didn’t have to explain.
“If she is remarkable enough to win your heart, she will be strong enough to get through this.” David answered his question. “The bandits who kidnapped your Kristi drove west after leaving the village. The imam thinks they cannot be too far from here because they come into Kinu to buy food from the market every few days.”
Malik stared at him. “They comehere?”
He would have to get this information to Shields when they got back to the hotel.
“Even bandits have to eat. Now, let’s look at this drone.”
Malik unpacked it, checked to make sure it was fully charged, and handed the controller with its view screen to David. “Do you know how to fly one of these things? I can’t have you breaking Tower’s expensive new toy.”
David grinned. “Oh, yes. I have several of my own, but they’re nothing like this.”
Not wanting to attract too much attention, Malik drove a short distance from the village before they stopped, climbed out of the vehicle, and launched it, the device whirring as it took to the night sky.
David’s gaze was on the view screen, a big grin on his face. “There we are—green shapes.”