“That part seemed obvious. I’m just trying to figure out—” He stopped when one of the hotel managers came running toward them.
The man looked as though he might faint. “Is anyone hurt?”
“No,” Remi said.
“They came in asking if there was a Western woman at the hotel pool. They said they’d hit her car and wanted to talk to her.”
Sam exchanged a look with Remi, before asking, “At the pool?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Their exact words?” Sam asked. “It’s important.”
He indicated the gate where the conversation had taken place. “They said they’d hit a car parked out front and asked if the two women at the poolside belonged to it. I told them I couldn’t give out that information. I assure you, had I suspected anything was amiss, I would never have returned inside.” He looked at Remi and her friend. “I am very, very sorry.”
Remi smiled at the man. “We’re both fine, I promise. Perhaps, though, you could call the police?”
“Of course.” He bowed several times, backing away, and stopped in surprise at the sight of the police walking through the gate.
“Lazlo,” Sam explained.
“A shame they didn’t get here about two minutes sooner. The kidnappers might’ve run right into them.”
After the report was taken, with assurances from both the police and the hotel staff that the area was normally very safe, the three retreated to the Fargos’ suite, where Renee called Hank to let him know what had happened.
“Hold on,” Hank said. “I think we have a bad connection. Can’t hear a word you’re saying. Let me move to higher ground and call you back.”
Renee’s phone rang just a few minutes later, this time a video call. Hank’s face filled her screen, the ruins of Bulla Regia behind him. “Tell me I heard wrong, LaBelle. I thought you said someone tried to kidnap you.”
“They did,” she said.
“But you’re okay? Where were you? I thought you were at the hotel.”
“We were. At the pool. But we got away.”
“Thank heavens. How’d you manage that?”
“Remi grabbed one of my crutches and whacked the guy. And then Sam shot at them from the balcony. They both took off.”
His mouth dropped open. “From the balcony? Thank goodness he was even there.” He cleared his throat. “How are you otherwise?”
“I’m fine …”
Sam drew Remi to the side, out of their hearing. “There’s no way this is some random kidnapping. I think Makao’s got tentacles all the way to Tunisia.”
“That may be the case,” Remi replied, “but I’m not sure this has anything to do with Makao.”
“What makes you say that?”
“I remembered where I saw those two men before. In the restaurant the afternoon of Renee’s accident. I think this is the second time they’ve tried to kidnap us.”
CHAPTER SEVENTY
One who has been bitten by a snake lives in fe
ar of worms.
– AFRICAN PROVERB –