reference, I presumed he wanted the cash box, which I gave him with all haste. He took the money, stuffed it into his pockets, and swore at me, then asked again.
“I asked what the ‘it’ was he referred to. One of the other men hit me with his gun.” The older man touched his left eye with his fingertips. His hand shook. Isis tightened her fingers between Thorne’s and he squeezed back.
“The third punched me in the stomach. I don’t remember much after that. Husani found me when he brought the goods inside from the street.”
“Did any of them mention my father by name, or say Cleopatra?” Isis asked.
“Not that I recall, little bird. I am deeply sorry.”
“God!” she said achingly, as her eyes filled with tears. “I’m sorry this happened to you.” She turned to Thorne. “Is there even a remote chance that this has nothing to do with my father?”
“I don’t believe so. This is all too premeditated to be unrelated. And the only thing everyone seems to have in common is your father.” The only person who didn’t fit was the Russian, although Thorne didn’t rule him out entirely.
“You were with him just before he flew home in April,” he said to al-Atrash. “Do you believe he really did find Cleopatra’s tomb at last?”
For several minutes Thorne thought the man had fallen asleep. But eventually he opened his eyes. “They called me from this very hospital to say he’d been found by a group of tourists out on the sand. He was disoriented. Extremely confused. I wanted to believe him, but to be frank? I don’t know if he found the tomb and was moved away to deflect curiosity while someone else plundered it, or if he became confused and was set upon by bandits.”
“But all his companions were killed.”
“Seven men who had been on various digs with him before, yes.”
“The police considered it a gang-related crime,” Thorne mused. “All the valuables were stripped from the men, and anything of value was removed from their camp.” He rubbed his thigh absently, then abruptly stopped when Isis gave him a sympathetic and worried look. “Is there anything else you remember between the time you came here to see the professor and when you put him on the plane back to Seattle?”
“August searched for Cleopatra’s tomb for almost twenty-five years. Do I think he was desperate enough to prevaricate one last time? Perhaps. But the day after he was brought to the hospital he seemed quite lucid, and he assured me that he had indeed found it.”
“That’s when he called me and told me to arrange a press conference,” Isis said quietly. “After the last time, I refused. Unless he could show me irrefutable proof. He claimed he had it and he’d show me when he got home. But by the time I picked him up at Sea-Tac the following day, he didn’t even remember that he’d returned to Egypt, let alone that he’d found the tomb.” She rubbed a hand over her eyes.
“I don’t know what to believe anymore. Did he leave anything else with you for safekeeping? You know how he loved to leave himself clues to jog his memory at times.”
“No. Nothing. I believe he donated all his notes and artifacts from his digs to the London Natural History Museum to preserve his legacy before he came here last.”
“He did, and we came from there after going through as much of his work as possible. They’re in the process of mounting his exhibit now. It’ll be open next month. I’m hoping he’s well enough to attend.”
“Insha Allah.”
“Na’am,” Isis said softly. “God willing. Have you noticed any unusual antiquity activity in the last few months?”
“No more than usual. I have procured some very good pieces that are genuine, and many more that are not. Are these pieces from the tomb of Cleopatra? I can’t say. There was nothing that I saw that would identify them as such.”
“So we’re back to square one. Do you still have any of these pieces?”
“We still have three coins and a necklace with exquisite workmanship indicating royalty. See Husani; he will show you. They might give you the clue you seek. Are you an antiquities dealer, Mr. Thorne?”
“No, I’m a banker. I’m merely here to lend support to Isis while she’s here. What can you tell us about Dr. Khalifa Najid?” Thorne changed the subject to safer ground.
“The Minister of Water Resources and Irrigation?” Al-Atrash glanced from Thorne to Isis and back