you know of this robbery in the museum! The mummy which was stolen! Was it genuine, do you think?"
In a daze, Elliott walked into the lobby of Shepheard's. He knew that he was dishevelled, that dirt and sand clung to his trousers and even his coat. His left leg ached, but he no longer truly felt it. He did not care that beneath his rumpled shirt and suit coat he was drenched in sweat. He knew that he should be relieved to be here - safe and away from all the horrors he'd witnessed, the horrors in which he had shared. But it seemed unreal to him; he had not escaped the atmosphere of the little house.
Ah1 the way back from old Cairo, as the cab jolted him through the insufferable traffic, he had thought, Malenka is dead because I brought the woman there. Henry he could not grieve for. But Malenka would be forever on his soul. And the murderer, his monstrous resurrected Queen. What would he do with her if he could not find Ramsey? When would she turn on him?
The thing to do now was to find Samir, for he would know where Ramsey was.
He was quite unprepared for Alex rushing to him, and embracing him and trying to stop his progress to the desk.
"Father, thank God you're here."
"Where's Ramsey? I have to talk to him at once."
"Father, don't you know what's happened? They're searching for him all over Cairo. He's wanted for murder, Father, both here and in London. Julie's beside herself. We've been going out of our minds. And Henry, we cannot find Henry! Father, where have you been!"
"You stay with Julie, you take care of her," he said." Let your American Miss Barrington wait." He tried to move on to the desk.
"Miss Barrington's gone," Alex said with a dismissive gesture." Whole family changed their plans this morning, after the police came to question them about Ramsey and about us."
"I'm sorry, son," he murmured." But you must leave me now, I have to find Samir."
"Then you're in luck. He's just come in."
Alex gestured to the cashier. Samir had apparently just written a bank draft for some money. He was counting it and putting it away. He had a bundle under his arm. He seemed to be in a hurry.
"Let me alone now, my boy," Elliott said as he hurried towards him. Samir looked up just as Elliott reached the marble desk. He drew Samir aside.
"I have to see him," Elliott whispered." If you know where he is, I must see him."
"My Lord, please." Samir glanced around, slowly and casually taking in the entire lobby." The authorities are searching for him. People are watching us now."
"But you know where he is. Or how to get a message to him. You know all about him, you have from the beginning."
Samir's eyes became unreadable. It was as if a door closed firmly in his soul.
"You give him this message for me."
Samir started to walk away.
"Tell him I have her."
Samir hesitated." But who?" he whispered." What do you mean?"
Elliott took his arm roughly again.
"He knows. And she knows who she is as well! Tell him I took her from the museum. And I have her in a safe place. I've been with her all day."
"I don't understand you."
"Ah, but he will. Now listen carefully. Tell him that the sun helped her. It healed her, and so did the ... the medicine in the vial."
The Earl drew out the empty vial now and put it in Samir's hand. Samir stared down at it as if he were afraid of it; as if he did not want it to touch him and did not know what in the world he would do now that it had.
"She needs more of it!" Elliott said." She's damaged, inside and outside. She's mad." Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Alex moving towards him, but he gestured for patience, drawing even closer to Samir." Tell him he's to contact me at seven this evening. At the French cafe called the Babylon in the Arab quarter. I shall talk to no one but him."
"But wait, you must explain - "
"I told you. He will understand. And under no circumstances is he to contact me here. It's too dangerous. I won't have my son mixed up in this. The Babylon at seven. And tell him this also. She has killed three times. And she will