Page 81 of High Treason
“Was today the first time you’ve picked up Parvin Shah?” an agent said.
“I picked up men, not a woman. But I’ve been called to the address three other times. It’s in the company’s log.”
Kord paused the video. “Two of those dates match up with the prince’s arrival and the following day at MD Anderson.” He allowed it to continue.
“You say this address,” the agent said. “You mean the apartment building.”
“Yes, sir.”
“According to your log, the calls were made from the same phone.”
“Each time the caller requested me specifically.”
That could have been to eliminate him when she finished her assignment.
“Can you describe the men?”
He tilted his head. “Today was a Hispanic businessman. Before Middle Eastern, I guess. Maybe Indian or Pakistani.”
“How were you paid?”
“Cash.”
“Where did you take these men?”
“First time was a Westheimer address. Second at the front of the family court building. The third, today, was the Barnes & Noble near the Galleria.” He pointed to a file in front of the agent. “I’m sure you have the dates and times right there.”
“We do, and two of the pickups correspond to crimes.”
Monica held up a finger, and Kord paused the video again.“Everything points to Parvin Shah. We need to dig deeper for bank records, alias names, city surveillance cam reports.” She shook her head. “We needed her alive. What about her library card?”
“History and current writings about Iran and Saudi Arabia. And before you ask, techs are working on security camera footage corresponding to when she checked out books.” He resumed the video with the taxi driver.
“Did you have a conversation with the men?” the agent said.
“Just where they wanted to go.”
“Anything more you can tell me?”
“Today the man seemed angry, agitated.”
“How so?”
“Slammed the door when he got in. When I greeted him, he didn’t nod. Before the car stopped, he tossed me a twenty and left.”
The interview ended. Monica waited for Kord to offer feedback.
“Had Shah been nervous with what she’d planned?” he said. “She’d killed before. If she failed, what were the repercussions?” He studied her. “Thoughts?”
“She had less than a thousand dollars in the bank and no cash in her apartment, which says overseas account and a labyrinth of names. Her agitation could be because the prince’s phone had been silent and then the luncheon scheduled.”
Their phones alerted them to an update. The FIG—Field Intelligence Group—had run footage from the high school, Saud home, restaurant, and hospital through facial recognition software to compare images. Analysis confirmed Parvin Shah had been the driver of the food delivery truck, but nothing else matched.
“It’s one checkmark,” he said. “We have the instrument of one of those involved, but I doubt Parvin Shah is the one who ordered the hits.”
Using a secure program, Monica typed criteria to narrow thelist of known Middle Eastern female terrorists: sniper skills, disguise master, around five foot six, conversant in Spanish. With the ongoing training of extreme Islamic terrorists around the world, the number of females involved had increased to roughly 20percent. The woman she’d killed today wasn’t among the names or photos.
She deliberated the rising use and growing force of female terrorists, especially when the average person believed men were the real foes. A female easily gained access to public places where they looked harmless. Females were less likely to be suspected of killing others, allowing them to sneak in and out of targeted areas and resume a normal life. When working in Africa, Monica watched a female terrorist feeding a toddler ice cream, and then an hour later, she blew up a café. Women were known to be more radical than men, and they were drawn into a cause and adventure just like men, enforcing radical doctrine on other women while recruiting them for suicide bombings. Reasons for their enlistment varied. Some European women joined the fight simply because their dress was criticized. So many reports and facts swarmed in Monica’s head, but it was difficult to nail Parvin Shah—Iranian and probably paid by a Saudi to assassinate Prince Omar.
