“As if I could miss you after listening to Beth talk about you for months on end,” Mauve said, making a mock face. “Beth told you to wear the necklace?”
“When she sent it, the note said to wear it.” Her fingers went to the scarab. “What kind of bug is it?”
Mauve rolled her eyes. “Jeez, Amelia. It’s the beetle of the tombs. It’s sort of the scavenger bug.” She hesitated. “It feeds off the bodies.”
Amelia’s hand dropped the pendant. “Beth never had that kind of sense of humor.”
“It’s an expensive piece. The gold looks pure and the craftsmanship is exquisite.”
“Maybe so, but it isn’t exactly the kind of gift Beth would normally send to me.” Amelia’s long fingers went back to the pendant. She was troubled by the scarab and what it might represent. Had Beth been trying to send some kind of message? The best thing to do would be to find Beth and ask her in person. Her sister was a lot more important than even the premier French-perfume account.
“Ready?” Mauve asked.
“Yes.” Amelia took a deep breath. “I suppose we’re going to have to allow Mr. Dukhan to take us to the hotel he’s selected for us.”
“Don’t make it sound like such a sacrifice. The Abbula is a wonderful old hotel. Expensive, I might add. And as for Harad Dukhan, I think I could easily take a few orders from him.”
Amelia laughed despite herself. “He is rather good-looking,” she admitted.
“That, my dear, is the understatement of the year.”
“Okay, he’s drop-dead gorgeous,” Amelia conceded. “But just because he’s attractive doesn’t mean he’s a nice man.”
“Now that sounds like your sister, Beth. The old ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ routine. Honestly, if I’m going to be bamboozled by a man, I’d just prefer it to be a handsome, virile hunk, like Harad.”
“You have a point,” Amelia said, lifting her suitcase. “Let’s continue with the bamboozling and see where it gets us.”
“Hey, if you decide on Harad, maybe you could point that doctor in my direction. He wasn’t hard to look at, either.”
“Somehow, Mauve, I don’t think you need any help in the men department.” Amelia opened the door to find Harad standing only three feet away.
“Ladies,” he said, walking into the room to lift the suitcase. He gave the slashed leather a long look.
“Amelia thinks it was the man who stuck her in the neck,” Mauve supplied. “Probably a thief.”
“An unsuccessful one,” Amelia added. She walked out of the room, aware of Harad’s gaze on her. Despite herself, she felt a shiver rush over her skin. He made her very aware that she was a woman.
HARAD CHOSE a table in the corner of the restaurant where he could watch the lobby. He’d reserved rooms for both Mauve and Amelia and they had gone to refresh themselves. First thing tomorrow, when he was sure Amelia was okay, he’d get her a flight out of town. He sipped a glass of wine as he tried to decide what to do with the two women for the remainder of the evening.
On the off chance that there was a night flight, he’d had his secretary check the airlines. If he could only reassure the blonde that Beth was okay, Amelia could be on a plane to Paris at ten in the morning. That was the scenario he preferred. No good could come of her visiting the lost City of Con. She was a danger to herself and others. Once she was airborne, he was relieved of all obligations to keep her safe. She could come back to visit at a better time.
He felt something under the table and reached down to stroke the black cat that twined through his legs. The last time he’d seen Familiar, the cat had been in the airport. Now he was at the Abbula. After listening to Omar and Beth talk about the cat, nothing about Familiar surprised Harad.
“Meow.” Familiar hopped onto the chair beside Harad and looked pointedly at the dish of fresh butter.
“Lucky this is Egypt,” Harad said as he buttered a piece of warm bread for the cat. “I don’t think restaurants in America allow feline guests.”
With great finesse, Familiar took the bread from his fingers. Harad was so engrossed in Familiar that he didn’t notice the tall, slender woman who walked quietly up to the table.
“What is it with cats and Egyptians?”
Startled, Harad looked up to find Amelia watching him with humor.
“We honor the feline,” he said, buttering another piece of bread and handing it to the cat. “Especially this feline. He played a large role in preventing injury to Beth.” He could see that Amelia was both intrigued and a little skeptical. “Would you and Mauve care to have dinner with me? I’ll fill you in on the details.”
She hesitated, then gracefully sat in a chair opposite him. “Mauve is doing some vital work on a computer tonight and I get the feeling you’re guarding me,” she said as she settled a napkin onto her lap.
“I promised my brother that I would make sure you were safe.” Another question popped out of his mouth, surprising him as much as her. “Does it bother you?” He signaled the waiter to bring another glass of wine.
Amelia quit playing with her napkin and looked directly into his eyes. “Yes and no.”
When she didn’t continue, he pressed. “Is there an explanation that comes with that answer?”
“I’ve fought a long time to be considered independent in a very tough business. For me to do my job effectively, I can’t afford for anyone to look at me as someone who needs protection or to be cared for in any way.” She spoke slowly, as if she was exploring her feelings as she went. “That’s the yes part. The no part is that I have to admit, it is rather nice to know that someone cares what happens to me, even if it is someone who’s obligated to care because of his brother.”
Her smile took the sting out of her last words, and Harad found that he was smiling back at her. “Our siblings have woven an interesting web around us,” he said. “You’ve come to protect your sister, who I might add seems completely capable of taking care of herself. And I’m here because of my brother. Soon you’ll be safely on your way home. Perhaps we can simply let it go at that and enjoy dinner. I highly recommend the sea bass.”
Amelia pushed her unopened menu aside. “Seeing as how you’re my protector for the evening, I’ll have the sea bass. By the way, my rooms are lovely. This is a wonderful old hotel.” She leaned toward him, “Even if they do allow cats to dine in the restaurant.”
Harad was captured by her warm smile and the hint of cleavage that was revealed by her forward movement. She wore a coral dress that fell smoothly over her slender figure. With her blond hair pulled casually into a bun, she was the perfect image of sophistication and poise. Yet there was a twinkle in her blue eyes that promised humor and mischief.
The waiter came to the table and Harad was about to order, when Familiar put a paw on the menu beside him.
“Meow!”
It
