Florence of Arabia by Christopher Buckley Page A

proposition. Such offers hardly come along every day. Almost, one might say, too good to be true?"
    "We think you're just the person to do it. Really, the only person. It could be very exciting."
    "Do we?"
    The two women stared at each oth er. There was no hostility in L aila's gaze, but it was as cool as the Kir in Florence's hand. “ This project—it is of your own devising?"
    "Yes. Of course, one needs backers." The word lay on Florence's tongue like aluminum foil, harsh and unnatural.
    "And in the interests of due diligence, who exactly are these backers?"
    "They're all described here." Florence reached for her briefcase and took out a folder and handed it to Laila. Laila studied the pages listing the names of the backers, all of whom were fictitious, though actu al human beings were standing by to play their parts, should L aila pick up the phone. As Laila studied the list. Florence studied her.
    "They are in it for the money, one supposes?"
    "In an impure world, money is a pure enough motive."
    Laila smiled. "And your associates at the hotel—they are your staff '
    "Yes. I thought to bring them in the event that the project met wit h your approval, so we could get started. They were eager to see Matar . In all honesty, their enthusiasm might have had a bit to do with the duty-free shopping and the pleasures of Infidel Land."
    "Duty-free shopping and slot machines." Laila said. "Ah. the richness of Matari culture. Your associat e. Mr. Robert Thibodeaux—Farfale tti and Thibodeaux; it sounds like an expensive law firm. Now tell me about him."
    Florence glanced out at the fountain. She had never been a very adept liar. "He' s an executive producer. H e makes things happen."
    "And Mr. George—he is feeling better?"
    Florence felt her mouth going dry. "Yes, thank you. You're very well informed."
    "I own the hotel. My little project. The emir thought it might give me something to do. To occupy me. And now along comes your television project to occupy me even more. This will certainly keep me busy, wouldn't it? Or per haps that is the ... idea?"
    Florence felt like a pane of glass.
    "And Mr. Renard," Laila continued. "Ren ard. He would be the Fox of the team?"
    "Programming," Florence squeaked.
    "It's this desert air. It can be quite brutal. Drink some water." "You have me at a disadvantage."
    "Yes, I rather do, don't I?" The sheika smiled. "So what part of the United State s govern ment are you with? CIA? It's rat her... out of the box for them, isn't it?"
    "To be honest," Florence said, "I'm not quite sure myself, disingenuous as that may sound."
    "You look as though you could use another drink. You needn't worry. I'm not going to say anything. As long as I'm satisfied this isn't something my husband cooked up to keep me from objecting to tha t whorehouse he's got in Um-beseir. Actually, I'm rather intrigued. I think we'd both better have another drink."
    CHAPTER NINE
    M aliq bin-Kash al-Haz was the younger brother of Emir Gazzir. .Walk/ and Gazzy had different mothers, as is generally the case when a father has sired more than thirty offspring.
    The two were quite different in temperament: Gazzir plump, hedonistic and deliberate; Maliq lean, intense and headstrong. The one quality they shared was a deep venality. Maliq's brand was in some ways the more understandable, given the di sadvantages of his birth. H is mother had been one of the maids in the palace, a comely Yemeni whom the emir simply could not resist. (Not that the emir ever really resisted anything.) As soon as the chi ld was born, she was packed off to Sanaa with a sackful of Matari gold sovereigns. The child would have accompanied her, only the emir took a fancy to him upon seeing him for the first time, declaring. "What a f ine-looking devil is this!" He promptl y named him Maliq (Matari for "f ine-looking little bastard") and added him to his already abundant spawn, to be raised in the royal household.
    Early on, Maliq displayed a precocious talent for