WASHINGTON DC: The Sadir Affair (The Puppets of Washington Book 1)

  Chapter 81

  The news of Van Dams’s sudden death spread over all forms of media within minutes of the shooting. Within an hour, the CIA was on “lock-down alert” and all concerned parties were advised to stay put for at least twelve hours.

  When Khalid heard the news, he took no time to make his way down to the hotel’s garage. He wanted to get to the ambassador’s house before anyone had an opportunity to tell Talya and Samuel what had happened. He found Mark already in his car, waiting for him. The backdoor was open.

  “Where’s Uncle Abdullah?” Mark asked. “He should come as well.”

  “He’s fine.” Khalid climbed in the back seat. “He’s taken a cab to the ambassador’s house already—less obvious.”

  “Good.” Mark then told the driver where they wanted to go. He turned to Khalid. “Who do you think fired the shot?”

  “I thought you could tell me,” Khalid replied.

  “I’d say Lypsick did, but I’m not sure. Lypsick would have shot the man in the head, not in the chest. That was a sloppy job, if you ask me.”

  “Do you think the bullet was meant for someone else?”

  “I don’t know yet, but if they tailed Billycan, maybe it was meant for him.”

  “Somehow, I don’t think so.”

  Mark looked at Khalid, a question mark on his face. “What makes you say that?”

  “The person who shot Van Dams must have been in court this afternoon and when he heard what I said about Sadir being a liaison officer in West Africa…”

  Mark’s questioning expression receded into a stunned one. “You mean you told them about the meeting with Sadir in Vancouver and you contacting the CIA Director—why?”

  “I had to do it, Mark. I didn’t want to let anyone know and that, until I was on the stand. The CIA Director himself asked me to keep the information quiet—for obvious reasons—and he was right. His deputy is now dead because of my divulging that someone was interfering with their operation before it fell apart.”

  “So…, we’re back at the beginning, aren’t we?”

  Khalid nodded. “Yes, Mark, we are. All of us have tripped one way or another on information regarding the CIA and Mossad’s operation, and now someone is definitely trying to shut our collective mouths.”

  “But that means whoever it is, is after a dozen people. He won’t make it.”

  “Maybe not, Mark, but he’ll surely try. I have no doubt of it.”

  “But why? What purpose would that serve? I would think he would be better to make himself very scarce for a while, at least until the trial is over.”

  “But, as you’ve said, the shooting was sloppy. Perhaps we’re dealing with an enraged killer. I really don’t know, Mark.”