Royalty in Death - an In Death series fanfic (J.D. Robb)

Chapter 18

As soon as the surveillance cams were shut down, Feeney immediately grabbed his communicator. “All surveillance cams have been shut-off! McNab go and check the internal glitch! Baxter, monitor Dallas’ location!”

Everyone moved swiftly on their designation. Roarke’s hands flew on the monitor screen, trying to read the glitch, and realized Eve’s communicator has been shut down, and as he traced the source of the disruption, it gave him Eve’s current location as the source.

“Someone has a jammer, and he’s with Eve.”

Peabody saw Eve went to the bathroom, and like Baxter, they immediately went there. Afef, who was the Princess’ butler and attendant, was first to locate where Eve went. But what surprised them was to see armed Harmin guards blocking their way.

“Step aside! The Princess needs an assistance.”, Afef commanded.

“We have orders from Royal Prince Lamook to guard this area and not to let anyone enter inside.”

“Is the Royal Prince inside the female toilet?”, Peabody asked. “What is he doing there?”

Baxter stepped up, but was blocked immediately by Afef. He wanted to whirl up the man aside, but the fiercely glare of the butler to the guards made him backed off. He let him do the talking in their native language, but as a trained detective, he could sense a failed negotiation.

Afef looked at them with a sigh. “I apologize for this, detectives, but what we could do is wait for the royal Highness here. We couldn’t make a fuss about this situation, given that it’s a banquet party for the upcoming marriage, and there’s a lot of media outside. We have nothing to worry about, and since we’re talking about her brother, she’ll be safe.”

“You’re right.”, Baxter muttered, “But we have our own means and ways to handle a situation.”

“This is not an ideal place for such matters, Prince Lamook. I’m the host of the party outside. What do you think would be the people’s reaction if I’ll be gone for a long time?”, Eve said as she rested her back at the tiled wall.

“I’m not there as well, so anybody would assume we’re having a brother’s talk.”

“Inside the toilet?”

“Now, now.”, Lamook said raising his hands. “Both of us, especially me as a diplomatic representative, have tight schedules, and I bet you already realized that. Be thankful that I set this up, for us to have a direct and undisturbed conversation.”

And he’s right.

“And with that undisturbed conversation, you mean that jammer?”, she said pointing the jammer on his hand.

“Ah. This has a purpose.”, Lamook shrugged, then showed her a small bug stuck on his lapels. “Because somebody was an idiot enough to plant a bug on my things, thinking I won’t be able to notice it.”

Eve eyed it closely, and then stepped back. “Why don’t you get rid of that, squash it with your hands?”

“I don’t want to let my enemies know I’m aware of this ploy. Besides, nobody ever planted a bug to me before, not until I arrived in New York.”, he scoffed.

“So you’re aiming an insider angle, Prince Lamook? A mole?”

He sat at the sink and placed the jammer beside him. “I couldn’t believe that Petun’s attacker and Amir’s killer was different, someone that does not involve politically.”

“We couldn’t say that yet, but there’s a possible connection.”

“We’ve had several assassination attempts in our entire lives, much to the male heirs like me, and we know that rebels, especially those around the borders, wouldn’t dare to hide their faces, much to use our sword-fighting skills. It’s a blasphemy for them do to use it, and also, it was a pride for them to kill a royalty. They even broadcasted the killer’s name.”