The Templar Reprisals (The Best Thrillers Book 3) by James Best (read any book txt) 📕

rock-strewn hill. My cops had them exposed, disoriented, and outnumbered. It wasn’t a contest. In the end, it doesn’t matter how they lost, they lost.”

Evarts saw doubt flit across Lewis’ face, but his expression returned to stoic almost immediately.

Evarts heard movement behind him and turned to see Baldwin sit on the daybed and arranged a pillow behind her back. Attagirl. She appeared to be getting comfortable for a long stay.

Evarts said. “I want something actionable.”

Lewis lifted his bound hands. “Listen, at least take these off long enough for me to piss. I gotta go. Bad.”

“Then go,” Evarts said. “You won’t be the first to piss your pants during an interview.”

“That’s unsanitary,” Lewis said.

“That’s what you’re worried about?” Baldwin laughed. “You really don’t grasp how serious we are.”

Lewis pretended to ignore Baldwin and appealed to Evarts. “Please.”

“Something actionable,” Evarts responded.

“Oh, dammit, okay. Listen, I know O’Brian’s source here in Santa Barbara. Will that be enough?”

Evarts didn’t hesitate. “Yes.”

“It’s your mayor. Megan Walsh.”

Evarts believed him. In fact, she had been his number one candidate. He couldn’t believe that someone on the force would betray him, so it had to be an individual at Civic Center. He hadn’t settled on her completely because his bias in favor of the police may have skewed his judgment.

“How did he get to her?” Evarts asked.

“Come on. She’s running for Lieutenant Governor. O’Brian’s connected. He got her endorsements, staff, money. In return, she lets him know if anything noteworthy happens in Santa Barbara, or the state for that matter. He’s a spy, after all. Spies always want to know shit.”

“I don’t believe it,” Baldwin interjected. “She’s a friend.”

“It’s true,” Evarts said evenly. “I suspected, all along. I don’t think she’d tell Jim something that would hurt us.”

Lewis confirmed this by saying, “She’s not conveying personal information, state party gossip, or anything about ongoing investigations. Just what underlies news stories … or significant things that never get reported.”

“That seems pretty specific,” Baldwin said. “How do you know what she’s doing?”

“My sources are close to O’Brian.” He shrugged. “He suspects we have one of ours monitoring him but doesn’t know for sure. That’s why he had his daughter-in-law meet you and why he orchestrated an offsite rendezvous.”

“You know a lot,” Evarts said skeptically.

“I’ll tell you more, but first, the cuffs. Please.”

Evarts took out a pen knife and cut through the plastic. Lewis went to the open toilet and Baldwin turned her back. Evarts, on the other hand, kept a sharp eye on Lewis.

After he finished, Lewis asked, “Can we get out of this cubbyhole? I can talk better with a civilized drink in my hand.”

Evarts looked at his wife. She shrugged. He unbolted the door and they returned downstairs to the great room. Evarts made drinks and they retook their same seats. All the while, Baldwin subtly brandished the gun.

“Can we open the doors?” Lewis asked. “An ocean breeze will feel refreshing after that cramped hidey-hole.”

Evarts thought about it, but shook his head no.

Lewis shrugged. “Okay.” He looked through the window. “You know, there’s no one out there.”

Lewis’ comments made Evarts uneasy because he had sent his surveillance team back to the station or to their rounds. He still had a city to police.

“My police are out there,” he lied. “Fewer, but some remain. Just out of sight.” He lifted his radio for Lewis to see. “Any funny games and I’ll drag you back to that saferoom. Understand?”

“Perfectly. I’d like to start with the world event that crystalized the Muslim’s resistance to the west.”

“Yet more history?” Baldwin asked, with an exasperated sigh.

“It’s crucial that you understand the enemy … and why he’s the way he is.”

“Proceed,” Baldwin said, exasperated.

“I told you about Qutb influential writings in the 50s and 60s, but the flashpoint for him and his generation goes back to 1948.”

“The creation of Israel,” Baldwin offered.

“Correct. To stop Israel, five armies attacked the infant country. Israel defeated them with ease. The Arab world suffered unimaginable embarrassment over the rout. This shouldn’t have been possible. Everyone searched for an answer. Qutb concluded that Arabs had lost sight of God. His rancor over unfaithful Arabs put certitude, urgency, and commitment to his words.”

Lewis took a moment to sip his drink and organize his thoughts.

“Qutb believed the failure of Arab armies was caused by their faithlessness, but he still needed a scapegoat. An enemy that seduced his Arab brethren away from the proper practice of one’s true faith. Fortunately, a conventional scapegoat laid handy next door. Jews. Vast sections of Qutb's Koranic commentaries harangued Jews and Israel. Like Mohammad, he saw Jews as duplicitous, greedy, and fervent conspiracists. In his mind, Zionists were perpetually plotting against Islam, and Qutb relentlessly pounded those themes.

“But Qutb’s fundamentalist followers were not the only group trying to resurrect Arab glory. On the secular side were Pan-Arabists who weren’t driven by religious zeal. After the 1948 debacle, the fundamentalists and Pan-Arabists cooperated for a time. Both movements dreamed of crushing the new Jewish state. Some of Qutb’s followers formed Egyptian terrorist movements. These groups massacred tourists, Coptic Christians, and government officials, including Egypt's president, Anwar Sadat. Eventually, Al Qaeda was created by combining three armed factions -- bin Laden's circle, the Islamic Group in Egypt, and Egyptian Islamic Jihad.”

“Wait a minute,” Baldwin said. “What does the Ikhwan have to do with this Middle East history you been regurgitating?”

“Sorry,” Lewis said, “When I get going, I forget to tie things together. The Ikhwan brokered the consolidation of the disparate terrorist groups who eventually made up al Qaeda. We know all three groups were interrelated through the Ikhwan and emotionally fueled by the teachings of Qutb. Also, Qutb was an animal of the Ikhwan. He came from a poor family with no history of higher education. Someone in the Ikhwan noticed his intellectual gifts and they paid for his Egyptian education. Later, they also paid for an advanced degree in the United States. On his return, they used their control of the Muslim Brotherhood to install him as