12 CHARLES STREET,
MAYFAIR
JANUARY 13, 2012
1035 HOURS
Five minutes later, Alexandra reentered the dining room and halted in surprise. "Did they leave?"
Christopher waved his coffee cup at the empty chairs. "Come on in, Inspector, I promise I won't bite. Our elders are showering and preparing for their respective appointments or as Sir William so elegantly stated, 'he was off to anoint his body with fragrant oils so that nubile virgins would hurl themselves at his feet.' Would you like some coffee?"
"Thank you. Black, please." She glanced away as she examined him turning to the coffee service on the side board.
That uniform highlights his bum and shoulders.
Nice.
Some dim-witted women would find those Neanderthal qualities appetizing.
**
"Thank you" she murmured as Chris deposited the coffee cup before her.
"You're repeating yourself which means you're analyzing something."
"And you think you know me, Colonel?" An arched eyebrow accompanied her response.
"Please call me Chris or Christopher. No, Inspector, I don't know you, it was just a guess." He sat down in the chair beside her.
"How did you get the child to her grandparents?" Alexandra asked after a long silence.
"With the assistance of some friends in the Jordanian Army. Sandhurst is famous for training officers from around the world and I called in a few favours. I used a little blackmail about certain antics and indiscretions from their youthful days as cadets."
"How do you know that she got there safely?" Alexandra stepped up the pace of her interrogation.
"Rahima's parents called me to confirm their safe arrival. If you want to know, I was worried in August 2006 that they might have gotten hurt when the Israelis bombed Khiam. They sent me an email from Beirut to let me know they survived." Christopher traced a trail on the tabletop in some spilled sugar. "Why the sudden interest in the child?"
**
Before she could answer, a huge brown ball of fur launched itself from the dining room doors into his master's lap. "Offfph! Kitten..." The dog licked his master's face as it whined. Its huge tail rattled the coffee cups on the table.
"I'm sorry, sir. He's just back from the groomers and he had your scent before I could control him," Edmond apologized as he struggled to detach the leash.
"That's all right, Edmond, but you'd better move my place setting before he clears the table with his tail. Sorry, Inspector." He submitted to a face cleaning by Kitten's tongue.
"Call me Alexandra, but never Alex. I don't like that." The Newfoundland dog swiveled upon hearing her voice and immediately turned to face her.
"And that means you have been feeding him treats, Alexandra. He has a very good memory for people he likes. You don't mind him, do you?" He stared as the dog proceeded to lick the Inspector's face. "Kitten, no! I'll get him. Sorry."
"It's all right. I need to shower and change. Can you let the Commander know that I'll be in my office in ninety minutes, please?" She gave a final rub to Kitten's ears as she stood. "Good boy!"
**
Ronan was right - she does have magnificent hips.
Watch it, Chris.
YOU ARE READING
The Shaddad Conspiracy
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