"Flattery won't get you any closer to the treasure of our people dear father."
His expression turned rueful and he shrugged his massive shoulders, "It was worth a shot."
I shook my head and looked out toward the sea. "Why did you have to torture those men like that? Couldn't you just put a bullet in their heads if they had betrayed you?"
"They were warned what would happen to them if they talked. They thought I would forget. NO! Examples had to be made of them! You do not cross Iya Muatombo and live!" He said slamming his hand down on the table for emphasis. "It's because of their betrayal that your life is now in danger!"
"How is that possible?"
He looked at me disgustedly and reached across the table to smack me in the head. "I taught you to think better than that. What have your years of being a detective not taught you? They both, after betraying me moved to New York City, because it's one of the best places to hide in. Philippe, ever the gambler got into debt and had to pull off risky jobs in order to feed his expensive habits! He got caught and he told the Americans what he knew to get out of the bind he was in. The stupid Americans let the Chinese steal the information away from them right under their noses and now they too want the treasure and that isn't the worst of it! Ahmed did Philippe one better! He sold his information to terrorists, who will stop at nothing to get the treasure. Imagine a terrorist network in full control of an unlimited source of wealth such as the treasure of our people! It would be a disaster! I have taken what I wanted and I have broken the laws of many nations, but never have I wanted the world wide chaos of anarchy that might come of such a terrorist group. It is they that tried to kill you. Even though they do not yet know you are my daughter, they know you are a capable detective and they don't want you to decipher the riddle before they do. And, as far as the Americans are concerned, they too will try to shoot you in the back. As for the Chinese they would kidnap you and torture you more vilely than I ever would, in order to learn of your secrets! Because of these two men your life is now in danger!"
"I didn't know you cared so much for me?" I said, with heavy sarcasm lacing my tone of voice.
Father pointed a stern finger at me, "I did not lie when I said I was proud of who you have become!"