The Voting Machine

The List of Names

In the FBI room, I finished my story for Alex, the story of how I first met Abdul Shahabi, who was now an apparent suspect in the voting machine crimes. Agent Weisbein seemed dissatisfied.

"So that's it? Shahabi came back and all was forgiven?"

"He's been letting us register voters in front of Dollar Delight ever since," I said. "Now you see why this stuff about him being a terrorist just doesn't add up. If he's a killer, then why did he let his daughter get involved in politics?"

"Maybe he didn't have a choice," Alex said.

"I told you everything I know," I said. "Now it's your turn. You promised to tell me what Teresa and her boyfriend are working on. You said you were going to give me leverage."

"I will," Weisbein said. "But first I need to debrief Stevens on what we just talked about. The clock is ticking. Shahabi is my only chance to get back in the mix of this investigation."

Alex left me in the room and returned with the special-agent-in-charge about twenty minutes later. Stevens thanked me immediately. "This information on Shahabi, this is critical to our case, Temo. You're doing this country a great service with everything you're telling us."

"Honestly, Mr. Stevens, I am surprised that Shahabi is a suspect," I said. "I know I am out of my league. But are you really sure Abdul is involved? I heard on the news about these other Muslim guys they locked up without charges and then it turned out they were innocent."

Stevens frowned. It was the first time I'd made him upset.

"Abdul Shahabi was imprisoned in Egypt as a teenager. He was part of an extremist group that was trying to force out the government and US military bases. He made claims that Egypt, the US and Israel were enemies of democracies. He said these countries would never let his people have free and fair elections, so they had to be overthrown. When he was released from jail, he fled to France to attend graduate school and start a career as an academic. Then he immigrated to America on a teaching scholarship before switching to the business world."

"That's when he founded Dollar Delight."

"That's correct," Stevens continued. "I am not saying you aren't right, Temo. A person can change over time. Maybe Shahabi has completely abandoned his radical past. But we're finding a lot of evidence to the contrary. We've found donations to Islamic charities that have a history of helping extremist organizations. A few months ago, Shahabi donated to a non-profit that has a sister organization in Pakistan that has funded groups like the Messengers of God, groups that are on the terrorist watch list."

"So you really believe he's behind these killings?" I said.

"I know you have feelings for the family, Temo," Stevens said, "especially after what happened to poor Fatima. But her father is a different matter. I am not the only one who is worried about him. David was also concerned about Abdul Shahabi."

"How do you know that? How would you know what David thought about Shahabi?"

Stevens removed a small audio player from his pocket.

"Temo, earlier I showed you the photographs of Zeke and David meeting. You asked if there was any tape recording of their conversation. At the time, I couldn't tell you the truth, so I didn't say anything. We were just about to make the arrests at the mosque. Now that Shahabi is in our custody, I can come clean. We were able to record parts of their conversation that day in the parking lot. We had advance knowledge about where they were going to meet and planted listening devices in locations around the lot. I am going to play the tape for you."

He started the audio device and I listened to the voices of Zeke and David. It sent a chill through me, like they'd risen from the dead to send me a special message.

"Shahabi is on my list," I heard David say through a patch of ambient noise. "He's connected to this. I am just not sure how."

"So I was right all along," Zeke replied. "You said my people were just using the Muslim thing."

"You said the same thing about us with the Midnight Riders."

"I didn't have anything to do with what happened to that girl," Zeke protested. "If I find out any of my people are connected to those maniacs, I'll turn them over to the authorities myself. You and I both love this country, David. We disagree on everything else but we are both committed to our separate sides of the struggle. These terrorists want to destroy the struggle itself. If Shahabi is on your list, then that just proves my theory!"

"Shahabi is the only Muslim on my list, Zeke. The other names on the list, they're not Arab. They're not even immigrants. They're all born and raised in the US."

"Well, where is this goddamn list? I want to see all the names."

"I am not sharing it with anyone, especially you."

"Damn you, David. Where are you keeping this list of names anyways? Is it on your computer? Is it in your e-mail?"

"Of course not. Nothing's safe on computers. Whoever is behind this can see anything online."

"Why are you even telling me anything about this list?" Zeke said. "The way we've been going at it all these years; why did you even reach out to me in the first place?"

"You know exactly why, Zeke. Because there's a name on my list that relates to you. Someone you care about more than anyone."

"That can't be. It's not possible."

"I am telling you this for your own good. I know you, Zeke. Whatever else they say about you, you always tried to protect the ones you love."

There was a long pause on the tape. Zeke started to say something and his voice cracked. 

"I don't deserve this kindness, David, not after the way I've treated you and your people over the years. Why are you doing this?"

"We're all human beings at the end of the day, Zeke. I hope you remember that for the rest of this campaign. And I hope you remember that when I am gone."