The Intern Affair (26 page)

“That’s easy. The hotel is called the ‘Brownstone Inn’ because it’s an actual brownstone house that has been remodelled into a guesthouse. Talya likes antique furniture and Old England décor. So, almost every time we have the opportunity to travel to
Victoria
we stay in that house.”

“Good. The second question is a little more involved. Where did you go, and what did you see on the first occasion, when she had what you called a
flashback
? If you can remember, what induced Talya’s reaction, how did she react?” Samir knew that
Ghali
would give precise and detailed descriptions. His medical training was going to be put to the test.

“That happened on the first afternoon. We were looking at shop windows and we stopped in front of a jeweller. He had displayed rings, necklaces and bracelets on velvet and on little easels to put the items in evidence and attract the attention of the onlookers. Talya’s eyes rested on the rings mostly. She favours rings when it comes to jewellery. Yet, I had seen a gold chain-like bracelet displayed besides the rings and I thought it might look good on her wrist.
I was going to buy it for her. I hadn’t ever seen her wearing a bracelet so I asked her if she liked it. Then it happened. She was telling me that she didn’t like bracelets and suddenly she looked blank, absent.
Almost as if her mind had left her body, she was frozen on the spot.”

“Did she tell you what she saw?”

“No she didn’t, and when I questioned her, she said it was nothing. I didn’t pressure her and we went back to the hotel.”

Samir nodded. “The inference from this first occurrence is that bracelets represent something in her mind. And that’s presumably the reason for her not wearing any.”

“Yes, I tend to agree. Yet what provoked the reaction, I think, is the fact that it was a heavy gold
chain-like
bracelet—its design seemed to be the factor that induced her recollection.”

“I think you may be right. Now for the third question, what happened on the second occasion?”

“That happened when we were about to enter the hotel. As I said, the building is a brownstone house. The blocks of the façade are irregular and rough to the touch, and for whatever reason, Talya put her hand on one of the stones protruding against the entrance’s doorframe. There again she froze and put her other hand in front of her mouth not to scream.
She held herself up with the one hand still on the stone, looking horrified. I then took her into the lobby. She was pale as a sheet, and was about to faint. I let the shock pass and when I saw that some colour had returned to her cheeks, I asked her what happened. She wouldn’t tell me.”

“Alright, we now have two items that have caused those flashbacks; a rough stone and a heavy chain bracelet. What does that tell you?”

“I don’t even want to think that a deduction such as the one I am making would be real. That would be insane.”
Ghali
was beside himself at the abomination, which that conclusion had brought to his mind.

“Just say what
you
think it meant then we’ll go from there. What is your diagnosis, Doctor?”
Samir insisted.

“That she has been chained to a stone wall? But that’s unthinkable! I can’t even imagine that to be true.”

“Doctor, you’re rising in my esteem by the minute. You have reached the correct conclusion.
Talya must have been chained to a stone wall while she was in school.”

“What? You’re not serious!”

“Oh yes, Doctor, I am very serious.”

“That’s impossible. She’s just recalling a dream or even a nightmare—”

“No. I am now certain it has happened.”

Ghali
shook his head. “I can’t believe that such a thing would have happened to her.”

“. . . However, that’s not the whole mystery. We are very far from knowing what really occurred during that summer—”

“But what makes you think it occurred when she was in school?”
Ghali
asked.

Samir then told him what
Mansur
and
Alhassan
had found out before he left
Bamako
.
When he finished, it was time for him to join the pilot into the cockpit.

As he was leaving his seat, Samir asked, “Now do you see why we have to get to her?”

“Yes, I do, Captain, yes I do indeed.”

30

Alhassan
tried
to lift his head from the pillow. The shooting pain in his right shoulder was so sharp that he decided not to try this again for a while. He had opened his eyes a few seconds earlier.
He first saw the unfamiliar white ceiling above him. He didn’t remember why he was lying in bed in such a strange place. He managed to turn his head to the right and saw his father, Yves, slumped in a chair beside the bed.
Alhassan
desperately wanted to wake him up. He tried speaking. Only a croak came out of his mouth, yet it had been sufficiently loud to bring the old man out of his slumber.

Startled, Yves got up and bent over to look into the eyes of his adopted son. Tears of gratefulness streamed down his cheeks.
He silently thanked Allah for letting his son live.

“
Alhassan
, my boy, finally you are awake. We have waited so long for you to come back to us.”

“Whe . . . whe . . . where am I?”
Alhassan
asked.
His throat was parched. His voice was dying with the words as he tried to speak.

“You’re in
the
hospital.
And now that you’re awake, I’m sure you’re going to be fine.”

“Wha . . . what ha . . . ppened?”

“You will remember if Allah allows you to do so,
Alhassan
. It’s not possible for me to tell you since I only came down after the event, once I had been told that you were here. But let me get the doctor, and tell him you’re awake—”

“Yves…, I . . . can’t . . . move . . .”
Alhassan
’s voice was slowly returning to normal.

“Let me get the doctor…. I’ll be right back.” Yves left the room still in tears.
He saw Doctor
Frances
at the end of the hallway and practically ran to him while calling after him.

Yves had been so intent on reaching the doctor’s ears that he hadn’t noticed a young man observing him. The fellow stood up from the bench and went to
Alhassan
’s room. He smiled and looked at the man lying in bed with compassion.
Alhassan
returned the gaze. He recognized Khumar immediately. Khumar had been assigned to guard Talya when the troubles had started a few weeks back.

“Maitre, as you can see I’m on duty again.
I’ll be watching over you this time.”

“Where . . . where is . . . Madame
Gilmore
?
Has she . . . come back?”

“Maitre, you shouldn’t tire yourself.
The doctor and your father are on their way.”

Yves rushed into the room, Dr.
Frances
on his heels. They were
taken
aback when they saw a young stranger sitting in the chair that Yves had left moments ago.

“Who are you?” Dr.
Frances
demanded abruptly.

“I’m Maitre
Sangare
’s bodyguard, Doctor. I’ll stay with him until he walks out of here.”

Yves was nonplussed. No one had wanted to give him a single detail regarding the attack, and now there was a bodyguard at
Alhassan
’s side.

“And who’s assigned you to this task, son?” Yves looked at Khumar curiously.

“The Prime Minister of Mali did, Mr
.
Sandros.”

Yves didn’t know if he was more surprised by the fact that the young man knew his last name or by the announcement that his son was now under the Prime Minister’s protection.

“And do you have a name?” Dr.
Frances
asked. “Or shall I just call you ‘M
r.
Bodyguard’?”

A thin smile crossed his lips. “My name is Khumar, Doctor, just Khumar.”

“Well, Khumar, I will ask you to leave the room now. I have to have a chat with my patient.”

“Sure. I’ll be right outside.” Khumar got to his feet and walked out quietly.

“Doc…, Doctor, may I have some water?”
Alhassan
tried again to lift his head, grimacing as he did.

“Yes, by all means let’s drink to your recovery.”
Dr.
Frances
sat on the bed at
Alhassan
side, and wet his patient’s lips with a few drops of water from a glass on the night table.

“Thank … you.”
Alhassan
instantly felt the welcome effects of the refreshing liquid. “May I have some more?” He would have liked to drink a basin-full at that moment.

“Yes, in a minute. I just need to check a few things first.”

He did so under Yves’s watchful eyes.
Alhassan
’s torso was bandaged from the waist to the armpits and traces of blood were still seeping through from the right hand side of his body.
His right upper arm was also bandaged.

“What happened, Doctor?”
Alhassan
vaguely remembered the attack but the images were not precise enough for him to understand what his mind was seeing. “Why can’t I lift my head?”

“You will soon.
But in the meantime, you need to rest and prepare yourself to take a trip.”

“What
trip
?” Yves blurted from the foot of the bed. “What are you talking about?” He was in no mood for jokes.

“M
r.
Sandros, your son needs micro surgery, which we can’t perform in our facilities, so the Prime Minister has ordered that he be transported to Dakar to undergo treatment, as soon as I think he’s fit to make the journey.”

“Why is everyone so secretive about what happens to my son. I demand to know what this is all about.” Yves could no longer contain his impatience. It had been 24 hours since the incident had occurred and no one was speaking.
Why? And where is Talya?
Has she been told?
Yves felt powerless and frustrated.

“Please don’t upset yourself.” Getting up, Dr.
Frances
went to stand beside Yves. “People cannot tell you anything because, none of us know very much, except for those things that concern us, like
Alhassan
’s health, in my case.
And
from what I was told, when your son was brought in, he apparently uncovered some drug trafficking operation between several countries.
So, the authorities feel the less we are told about this, the less likely we are to be the next targets.”

“I see, but has the incident be
en
reported to the people in
Vancouver
?
They should be told.”

“Oh yes, everyone who should have been told has been alerted.
Actually, I have a couple of calls to make now. I have been asked to phone the minute
Alhassan
woke up. So, if you’ll excuse me I’ll go and do that now.”

“Not so fast, Doctor,” Yves said, putting a hand on the doctor’s arm as he passed by him. “What about M
r.
Dillon
?
What’s happening to him?”

“We are still hoping that
Mr.
Dillon
will regain consciousness soon, the same as your son did. And I am hoping that both men could be transported together to the
Dakar
facility at the same time.”

“All right, but please keep me informed,” Yves’s anger appeared to subside somewhat. “I will need to make arrangements so that my wife and I could fly to
Dakar
in time for
Alhassan
’s arrival.”
Yves released the doctor’s arm.

“I will,
Mr.
Sandros, I will. Now you should go home and get some rest.
Alhassan
will be fine.”

“I’ll stay awhile if you don’t mind? And may I give him some more water?”

“Of course, but not too much.” And with a tranquil smile unexpectedly crossing his lips, Dr.
Frances
left the room.

From his bed,
Alhassan
had been listening to the exchange and had been observing the man who had cared for him. He was a Frenchman. He was a small man, his manners brisk and yet gentle.
Alhassan
liked him, and from what he had just heard, he decided that the fellow was honest and forthcoming with his thoughts and comments, which was something he admired in a man.

31