“Who are you, and what do you want?” one of the two men with gold-corded burnooses asked from under his mask.
“My name is Baker,” Baker said. “I’m an American consular officer. May I ask who you are?”
“What are you doing here?” the tall, bright-eyed Moroccan asked. Baker recognized the voice of the pasha of Ksar es Souk.
“I was looking for the pasha of Ksar es Souk,” Baker said. “I’d hoped to have a word with him.”
“Yes? Perhaps.”
“If I’m not mistaken, I believe I have the honor of addressing the pasha. Your Excellency and I shared a delightful meal in Paris not long ago.”
“How could I forget, Mr. Baker?” Sidi el Ferruch said, removing his mask. His face, though, remained maskue. “You were just passing through the neighborhood, I gather, and on an impulse decided to drop by?” he said with unmoving eyes.
Baker grinned. “Not exactly. As I said, I’d be quite pleased to have a word with you. And”-he paused a moment—-m’with your friend Eric Fulmar.”
“There is no one here of that name,” the noble said.
In Arabic, the other noble said, “I know the other one. I grew up with him. His name is Dick Canidy.”
Canidy recognized both his own name and the voice.
“Get off that horse, Eric,” he said. “Before you fall off.”
Fulmar pulled the cloth mask free of his face. He was smiling warmly.
“Canidy, what the hell are you doing here?”
Then he dismounted gracefully and ran toward Canidy, arms tended, and wrapped his arms around him.
There was no question that Sidi Hassan el Ferruch would invite the two Americans to stay. He took seriously the teaching of the Koran about treating well the friend of a friend. And besides, he was mightily intrigued by this strange American way of catching his attention. Not wishing, however, for matters to move swiftly, he allowed Canidy and Fulmar only the briefest of greetings, then hustled Eric off to his room, where he would presumably bathe and change. After that he ordered a servant to show Baker and Canidy to guest rooms where they could presumably do the same.
A meal would be served in the garden in two hours, he announced. And wine would be made available before and during the meal to those who were not of the faith… and to those inclined to wink at certain less than divinely inspired teachings of the Holy Koran, he added, with a hint of laughter in his voice.
Canidy was not surprised when Eric Fulmar came to his room a half hour later, bearing a bottle of wine. What did surprise him was the intensity of his own emotions at seeing Fulmar again. It was some time before he was able to remind himself that he was here on business.
“The scenery aside, don’t you get lonely here?” Canidy asked.
“No,” Fulmar said, quickly, defensively.
“Well, I suppose the smuggling does keep you busy,” Canidy said.
THE LAST IMERONS 303
Fulmar’s eyes went cold.
“You know about that, do you?”
Canidy nodded. “Someday the Germans will stop it.”
“So?”
“Then what?”
“You have something in mind.” It was not a question. “What’s your offer, Dick?” he asked, his voice hardening. “We need you.”
“So? @9
“So when Baker makes his offer, get all you can. His offer will include getting you out of here, home, I mean. Plus fixing things for you with the Internal Revenue Service.”
“And what do I have to do to get your man Baker to be so nice to me?” Fulmar asked, matter-of-factly.
“There’s no free lunch, did I ever tell you that?”
“Thanks a lot, pal.”
“Baker will tell you.”
“I’m sure he will.”
They sat down for lunch in the shade of some kind of flowering tree that Canidy did not recognize. Servants carried in sizzling chunks of skewered lamb, peppers, and onions. These were drawn off the skewers and laid over beds of steaming rice. There were also plates of tomatoes and mixed fruits and baskets filled with breads. The wine was Chdteau Figeac.
El Ferruch having sent word ahead, the Americans were already seated when the pasha of Ksar es Souk arrived. He was wearing an elaborately embroidered caftan, and he was accompanied by his huge black bodyguard. A powerful man, Canidy thought to himself as he studied his host. Obviously ruthless. And my age?