Honor Among Thieves

“Perhaps.”

“Meanwhile, the safe was on its way to Baghdad. Is that right?”

“Yes, but—”

“And you still hadn’t informed anyone? Is that also correct?”

Al Obaydi didn’t reply.

“Is that also correct?” shouted Farrar.

“Yes, but there was still enough time—”

“Enough time for what?” asked the State Prosecutor.

Al Obaydi’s head sank again.

“For you to reach the safety of our embassy in Paris?”

“No,” said Al Obaydi. “I traveled on to—”

“Yes?” said Farrar. “You traveled on to where?”

Al Obaydi realized he had fallen into the trap.

“To Sweden, perhaps?”

“Yes,” said Al Obaydi. “But only because—”

“You wanted to check the safe was well on its way? Or was it, as you told the Foreign Minister, that you were simply going on vacation?”

“No, but—”

“‘Yes, but, no, but.’ Were you on vacation in Sweden or were you representing the state?”

“I was representing the state.”

“Then why did you travel economy, and not charge the state for the expense that was incurred?”

Al Obaydi made no reply.

The Prosecutor leaned forward. “Was it because you didn’t want anyone to know you were in Sweden, when your superiors thought you were in Paris?”

“Yes, but in time…”

“After it was too late, perhaps. Is that what you’re trying to tell us?”

“No, I did not say that.”

“Then why did you not pick up a phone and ring our Ambassador in Geneva? He could have saved you all the expense and the trouble. Was it because you didn’t trust him either? Or perhaps he didn’t trust you?”

“Neither!” shouted Al Obaydi, leaping to his feet, but the guards grabbed him by the shoulders and threw him back onto the chair.

“Now that you’ve got that little outburst out of the way,” said the Prosecutor calmly, “perhaps we can continue. You traveled to Sweden, to Kalmar to be exact, to keep an appointment with a Mr. Pedersson, whom you did seem willing to phone.” The Prosecutor checked his notes again. “And what was the purpose of this visit, now that you have confirmed that it was not a vacation?”

“To try and find out who it was who had stolen the safe.”

“Or was it to make sure the safe was on the route you had already planned for it?”