Salvation Boulevard by Larry Beinhart

Islam himself, the exact reason that he had supposedly killed MacLeod.”
    â€œActually, this imam—it’s the Capital City Islamic Center by the way—the imam said something about Ahmad having an evil professor who put him up to asking evil questions. He was really pissed about it.”
    â€œExcellent. Can we get him to testify?”
    â€œSure, I don’t think it’s a problem.”
    â€œBy the way, I’ve got a check for you,” he said, reaching into his pocket. “Keep us current on your bills.”
    â€œThat’s fast,” I said.
    Susan came out, and we both stood up. She took my hand, said my name, and kissed me on the cheek. If she weren’t Manny’s wife and I weren’t Gwen’s husband, I would have melted on the spot.
    â€œThat’s great, what you’re doing here,” I said to her.
    â€œI wanted to thank you,” she said. “For taking this case with Manny. He may not say so, but he really thinks the world of you and your work, but I’ll say so, and I’m grateful that he has you on this one.”

14
    The police gathered in the dark. It was a joint operation. City and state police. The plan was to be in place before dawn. Due to a flat tire on the bomb-disposal vehicle and the late arrival of one of the news crews, they got started a little late. But still, they arrived at the mosque on Geronimo Street just before dawn. They deployed silently—or as silently as people with cars, guns, radios, batons, cameras, ropes, rappelling gear, and a battering ram can.
    The snipers got up on the rooftops on the three sides that had any sorts of entrances or exits. The main contingent got into hidden positions on Julia, one block south of Geronimo, to await the signal. A second, somewhat smaller group went around the back to Wolvern Row. They had the battering ram, and the plan was that they would burst in while the people inside were preoccupied with the main troop out front.
    As they were moving into position, about ten minutes later than planned, a big, fat, red sun came up over the flat lands to the east. It was the sort of sun that said, Here comes a bright and beautiful day. Come and watch me in my glory.
    Just then a voice screamed out in Arabic.
    The police took it to be a warning—an alert. Rather than wait to be attacked or for the defenders inside to barricade themselves and ready their arms, the cops sprang into action. The team at the rear,
on Wolvern, got its battering ram and smashed in the back door. The drivers of the fifteen cars assigned to the front put their pedals to the metal and rushed into position, slewing and squealing as they braked. Officers with their flak jackets on and their weapons drawn leapt out and took cover behind their vehicles.
    Still, the shouting from the mosque continued.
    A captain with a bullhorn yelled back, “Come out. Come out with your hands up! Throw down your weapons, and come out with your hands up!”
    The voice in the mosque shouted back. It sounded like defiance.
    Meantime, there was noise from the back. A shot. It sounded like a shot. Then more shots. So the police in front began firing too.
    Still the yelling continued.
    The crying voice from the mosque, as later confirmed by the news tapes, had started by saying, Allah u Akbar, Allah u Akbar. Ash-hadu al-la Ilaha ill Allah, Ash-hadu al-la Ilaha ill Allah, then continued, Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullaah, Ash-hadu anna Muhammadan Rasulullaah.
    That translates as, “God is great. God is great. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah,” then “I bear witness that Mohammed is Allah’s messenger,” also repeated twice, as were the rest of the phrases. “Hasten to the prayer. Hasten to real success. God is great.” Then there is a final phrase, recited once: “None is worthy of worship but Allah.”
    It was the adhan, the call to