Contract with God aka The Moses Expedition

95

AL MUDAWWARA DESERT, JORDAN

Thursday, 20 July 2006. 9:34 p.m.

Andrea reached the H3 with the shot tyre where she’d left it, more exhausted than she had ever been in her life. She found the jack exactly where Fowler had said, and mentally recited a prayer for the dead priest.

He is certain to be in Heaven, if such a place exists. If you exist, God. If you’re up there, why don’t you send a couple of angels to give me a hand?

Nobody showed up, so Andrea had to do the work herself. When she had finished, she went to say goodbye to Doc, who was buried no more than ten feet away. The farewell lasted a while, and Andrea was aware that she had howled and cried out loud several times. She felt she was on the verge – in the middle – of a nervous breakdown after what had happened during the last few hours.

The moon was starting to rise, lighting up the dunes with its silvery blue light when Andrea finally got the strength to say goodbye to Chedva and climb into the H3. Feeling faint, she closed the door and turned on the air-conditioning. The cold air hitting her sweaty skin felt delicious, but she couldn’t let herself enjoy it for more than a few minutes. The fuel tank was only a quarter full, and she’d need everything she had to reach the road.

If I’d noticed that detail when we climbed into the vehicle this morning I would’ve realised the real purpose of the trip. Maybe Chedva would still be alive.

She shook her head. She had to concentrate on driving. With a little luck she’d reach the road and find a town with a petrol station before midnight. If not, she’d have to walk. The important thing was to find a computer with a connection to the Internet as soon as possible.

She had a story to tell.