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perplexed and a bit frustrated. If he’d sent her
attacker, then he’d know what she was raving on about. Was this some sort of
trick? A tremor ran through her. Once again she didn’t know what was going on
and felt confused, out of her depth.
    “Well,” she started a bit more hesitantly now. “I came home
from work just a little while ago and my house had been trashed. I checked it
out a bit, then went to call the cops, and the guy attacked me. I got free,
obviously, but I’m really mad right now.”
    “Hang on a minute,” Jared requested.
    Adelaide could hear him moving. The material of his jacket
made a swishing noise as he walked somewhere. A door closed and Jared lowered
his voice.
    “Can you describe him to me?”
    “I can do one better,” she replied, feeling proud of
herself. “I’ll send you a picture of him. Wait a second.”
    She put Jared on hold, then attached the photo she’d taken
to a text and sent it to him. Then she returned to the call. “I’ve never seen
him before.”
    “Is that a balaclava you’ve pulled up?” Jared asked.
    “Yes. I’m not sure I knocked him unconscious, but it must
have been close. He didn’t stir when I lifted the mask up and took his picture,
but I didn’t exactly hang around to ask him questions either. I was out of
there less than a minute after I decided to take his photo.”
    “Smart girl,” Jared said in a soft voice. “Look, I promise I
didn’t send anyone after you. I honestly figured that after a couple of days
researching what I told you and time and space to think about it, you’d call me
back. I think you’re the kind of woman who likes answers and hearing the full
story. I had no need or any desire to send some weighty jerk around to beat
answers out of you.”
    “Well, until your visit yesterday afternoon I’d never even
heard of Saddam’s gold, let alone any supposed connection to my uncle,”
Adelaide insisted. “And he died eighteen months ago. It’s not as if his will
has just been read in public and there’s some cryptic message and the treasure
hunters are coming out of the woodwork. Don’t you find it suspicious that the
day after you come to my door there’s some goon visiting me?”
    “I have to admit,” Jared said reluctantly, “it does seem
like too much of a coincidence. Who did you tell about my visit yesterday?”
    “What? You think this problem is on my side?” Adelaide
snapped. “I’ve got news for you, buster. I didn’t tell anyone. This dangerous
leak is from your end.”
    “Oh come on, you’re a woman. A reporter as well.” Jared
sighed. “You surely told someone.”
    “I told my editor I was working on a new story and would
need some time to research it before I delivered it,” Adelaide admitted. “But I
didn’t tell him it revolved around gold, nor did I breathe a word that you and supposedly the Army believe my uncle is involved. Trust me, the leak isn’t
from the paper or anyone I know.”
    “Well, we might have to explore that further later,” Jared
said. Adelaide could hear resignation in his tone. She was relieved—it seemed
he was at least willing to admit the problem could be from someone in his
orbit.
    “Where are you?” Jared asked.
    “In my car,” Adelaide replied.
    She tried to keep the snippiness out of her voice but wasn’t
sure she succeeded. The shakes had returned to her hands and she had to
concentrate to control them. Still feeling residual fear made her annoyed. Some
jerk had broken into her house, messed with her things and tried to hurt her.
Adelaide wanted to channel her emotions into anger and more useful energy. But
that didn’t help much when her fingers trembled.
    “Look, maybe you should drive out to my office,” Jared
continued. “Do you have a map? Or I could give you instructions on—”
    “Are you insane?” Adelaide cut him off. “I’m not stepping
foot anywhere near your office or other soldiers. Do you really want whatever
crazy person is after this