Deliver Us From Evil (A. Shaw 2)
Page 55
“No, you misunderstood me. I asked if you’d been tortured, not coddled by what passes for torture these days.”
Waller walked over, opened the metal suitcase, and pulled out various instruments. “It is said that the Germans knew how to torture people, and indeed they were good at it. Today, the Israelis have the reputation of being the best interrogators, and they claim to not torture at all, but instead to use psychological means. As for me, I believe the Soviets stood alone when it came
to such things. We had the best snipers and also the best interrogators. And I am old-fashioned. I have no patience for the latest technological gadgets. I use tried-and-true methods of extracting what I want based on one fact.”
“What fact?” the Muslim said in a hollow tone.
Waller turned to him. “That people are soft shits. Are you a soft shit, Abdul-Majeed? We will find out tonight, I think.”
CHAPTER
36
WHY WOULD I be troubled?” asked Reggie.
She made no move toward Shaw, so he came to her.
“Sorry, guess I was wrong about that. How was dinner?”
“It was fine. He knows his wines very well. Good conversationalist.”
“I’m sure.”
“Is there a problem?”
“I told you one of his guys was spying on you. Then they block off the street like they own it—”
“Evan apologized for that,” she said, interrupting him.
“Oh, it’s Evan?”
“That is his name. In fact he told me his last name too. Unlike you. It’s Waller.”
“Young. Bill Young.” He paused. “Someone searched my room the day we went kayaking.”
Reggie looked genuinely startled by this news and both her respect for and suspicion of Shaw increased. “Was anything taken?”
“Not that I can tell, no.”
“Why would someone do that?”
He shrugged. “Gordes is certainly turning out to be more exciting than I thought it would be.”
They started to walk along. Up ahead, near the village square, a band of teenagers were playing guitars and drums and a small crowd of people had stopped to listen and drop money in their basket.
“He asked about you,” said Reggie.
“About me? Why?”
She smiled. “I think he wanted to know if you were serious competition for him.”
“And what did you tell him?”
“That I hardly knew you. Which is true.”
“You don’t know him either,” he pointed out.
“He seems nice enough. I mean, he’s far too old for me.” She playfully smacked his arm. “He’s even older than you.”