in Baghdad said he contacted an organization that provides justice for people who’ve lost family members.”
“I take it that’s the current euphemism for revenge?”
“Yes. The cops got wind of it and detained him for a couple of days. He wasn’t charged. His uncle is a professor at the University of Baghdad.”
“He arranged to send him here?”
“Correct. Our people interviewed Fayyadh and his uncle before Fayyadh’s visa was granted. Both denied any involvement with any terrorist organizations in Iraq.”
“What did you expect them to say?”
“Homeland Security wouldn’t have let Fayyadh into the country if he was a security risk. Besides, he was sponsored by an American citizen: Professor Raheem.”
“A lot of people think he’s a terrorist sympathizer.”
“We’ve been monitoring him for years. We’ve never found any connections. This is Fayyadh’s first visit to the U.S. He’s been here for less than five days. He speaks limited English. It would have been difficult to plant a series of bombs in such a short time.”
Unless he had help or he set it up from Baghdad. “Are you watching him now?”
“Yes. We’re also keeping an eye on Raheem. My people have coordinated with yours. We’re monitoring their phones, texts, and e-mails.”
“That’s great—unless they’re using stolen phones and fake e-mail accounts in Bulgaria. We understand Fayyadh had some communications with Al-Shahid.”
“They exchanged e-mails. Nothing out of the ordinary—mostly information about housing.”
“Where do we stand on turning off every cell phone in the Chicago area?”
“The mayor is getting pushback from the business community.”
“He’ll get even more if another bomb goes off.”
“True.” Fong cleared his throat. “The first bomb went off eleven hours ago, Detective. It took us fifty-three hours to catch the guy who tried to blow up the SUV in Times Square.”
“This guy is a lot smarter. Have you gotten anything more from your profiler?”
“She still thinks the operation is being run by one guy or a very small group. He isn’t using the Al-Qaeda playbook. He’s meticulous. He isn’t a suicide bomber.”
“What about the possibility of a copycat?”
“The construction of the bombs indicates that it’s unlikely—so far. It’s probably only a matter of time before somebody else starts doing it, too.”
Gold asked about chatter on the terror channels.
“The usual suspects are talking to each other, but nobody is taking credit for the bombings. Seems they’re trying to figure out who he is, too.”
You have no clue . “We’re dealing with a freelancer?”
“We call them ‘Lone Wolves.’ It makes him even more unpredictable.”
* * *
Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Silver pulled her Honda Civic into the garage beneath the living room of her brownstone townhouse near the corner of 52nd and University. She turned off the engine, then she checked her BlackBerry. It had been almost a full minute since she’d last looked. She felt a modicum of relief that the ever-demanding red light wasn’t blinking.
She rechecked her rear-view mirror. Nothing. She looked again to check the crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes.
Could be worse .
She pulled her keys from the ignition, then she grabbed her laptop. She looked in the mirror again. The old-fashioned street lamps in Hyde Park provided little illumination. The lights were on in the living room of the building across the street. Her neighbors had locked up and hunkered down. Her heart beat faster as she saw a shadow in the bushes next to her driveway.
Or she thought she did.
She pressed the button on her remote and closed the garage door. Then she pulled out her BlackBerry and punched in 9-1-1, but she didn’t press Send. She took a breath and reconsidered.
It could have been a cat. Or the wind. Or her imagination.
She grabbed the can of mace from her purse. She made a fist and inserted her keys between her
“I take it that’s the current euphemism for revenge?”
“Yes. The cops got wind of it and detained him for a couple of days. He wasn’t charged. His uncle is a professor at the University of Baghdad.”
“He arranged to send him here?”
“Correct. Our people interviewed Fayyadh and his uncle before Fayyadh’s visa was granted. Both denied any involvement with any terrorist organizations in Iraq.”
“What did you expect them to say?”
“Homeland Security wouldn’t have let Fayyadh into the country if he was a security risk. Besides, he was sponsored by an American citizen: Professor Raheem.”
“A lot of people think he’s a terrorist sympathizer.”
“We’ve been monitoring him for years. We’ve never found any connections. This is Fayyadh’s first visit to the U.S. He’s been here for less than five days. He speaks limited English. It would have been difficult to plant a series of bombs in such a short time.”
Unless he had help or he set it up from Baghdad. “Are you watching him now?”
“Yes. We’re also keeping an eye on Raheem. My people have coordinated with yours. We’re monitoring their phones, texts, and e-mails.”
“That’s great—unless they’re using stolen phones and fake e-mail accounts in Bulgaria. We understand Fayyadh had some communications with Al-Shahid.”
“They exchanged e-mails. Nothing out of the ordinary—mostly information about housing.”
“Where do we stand on turning off every cell phone in the Chicago area?”
“The mayor is getting pushback from the business community.”
“He’ll get even more if another bomb goes off.”
“True.” Fong cleared his throat. “The first bomb went off eleven hours ago, Detective. It took us fifty-three hours to catch the guy who tried to blow up the SUV in Times Square.”
“This guy is a lot smarter. Have you gotten anything more from your profiler?”
“She still thinks the operation is being run by one guy or a very small group. He isn’t using the Al-Qaeda playbook. He’s meticulous. He isn’t a suicide bomber.”
“What about the possibility of a copycat?”
“The construction of the bombs indicates that it’s unlikely—so far. It’s probably only a matter of time before somebody else starts doing it, too.”
Gold asked about chatter on the terror channels.
“The usual suspects are talking to each other, but nobody is taking credit for the bombings. Seems they’re trying to figure out who he is, too.”
You have no clue . “We’re dealing with a freelancer?”
“We call them ‘Lone Wolves.’ It makes him even more unpredictable.”
* * *
Assistant State’s Attorney Laura Silver pulled her Honda Civic into the garage beneath the living room of her brownstone townhouse near the corner of 52nd and University. She turned off the engine, then she checked her BlackBerry. It had been almost a full minute since she’d last looked. She felt a modicum of relief that the ever-demanding red light wasn’t blinking.
She rechecked her rear-view mirror. Nothing. She looked again to check the crow’s feet at the corners of her eyes.
Could be worse .
She pulled her keys from the ignition, then she grabbed her laptop. She looked in the mirror again. The old-fashioned street lamps in Hyde Park provided little illumination. The lights were on in the living room of the building across the street. Her neighbors had locked up and hunkered down. Her heart beat faster as she saw a shadow in the bushes next to her driveway.
Or she thought she did.
She pressed the button on her remote and closed the garage door. Then she pulled out her BlackBerry and punched in 9-1-1, but she didn’t press Send. She took a breath and reconsidered.
It could have been a cat. Or the wind. Or her imagination.
She grabbed the can of mace from her purse. She made a fist and inserted her keys between her
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