“Any work must be properly rewarded. This is just a number on a nice piece of paper, but what I value most are human relationships.” The sheikh looked at Robert as he began to fondle a string of prayer beads and continued. “Robert, can I count on you should I require your legal services again?”
“Of course. It would be an honor to be useful to you.”
“Well, my dear friend. You know what they say in the East – a good meeting is a short meeting,” summed up the sheikh, making it clear that the audience was over. “It was very nice getting to know you better. I hope this is not our last meeting.”
Robert unfolded the check only when he was in the car returning to his hotel. He saw “Five million dollars” written in a neat, calligraphic handwriting. And there was a long signature in Arabic ligature – the first and last name of the sheikh without abbreviations.
Back at the hotel, Robert relaxed a bit. He poured a glass of whiskey, opened the curtains and fell deep in thought while watching the night city. Not everything was clear in this case and he could not figure out who was behind it all.
His phone started ringing.
“Blanche.”
“Robert, good evening,” said Roland, the firm’s director. His voice was very agitated. “I’ve been informed about everything. Are you alright?”
“Yes, boss, everything is fine. I’ll be in Prague tomorrow morning.”
“Well, I am expecting you in the office tomorrow at 11:30 am. We’ll talk then. Now, just rest. Jovan will pick you up at the airport tomorrow.” Roland rang off.
The flight was early, but Chloe still was not picking up her phone. He glanced at his watch and called once again, but all he got was the answering machine – again.
The watch showed 1:30 am.
The flight from London is at 7:15 am, Robert thought. The flight is three hours. Then a couple more hours and I’m home, and then we’ll see. It is a good thing Jovan is picking me up.
Robert trusted Jovan completely and unconditionally.
They had been friends since childhood. Both had applied to Charles University and planned on becoming lawyers. But Jovan failed his entrance exams, which did not stop him from applying to the Police Academy of the Czech Republic right away. After graduating magna cum laude, he became the youngest police detective in Prague.
Jovan served on the police force for nearly 15 years and rose from inspector in the serious crimes department to colonel in the post of senior advisor. However, during the corruption scandal that erupted during the government of Stanislav Gross, who had been an interior minister before becoming prime minister and was a close friend and boss of Jovan, he resigned, having become disappointed in his friend and boss. Four years ago, with Robert’s help, he became the head of the firm’s security.
Jovan was short, sturdy, bald, and in his early forties, with a carefully trimmed long moustache. He came across as a very nice and pleasant man. Those who didn’t know him would never have guessed that he was the head of security somewhere and had been a high-ranking cop. He once told Robert: “There are two types of policemen: good and bad. Well, I am the vicar of good policemen. In the firm, he was called "our Poirot”, and that was indeed so. In addition to having been a genuine detective, he was the soul of any company, was always witty, threw jokes around and shared interesting facts about the lives of fellow police officers.
