“Jabari can take care of himself.”
“If he could, he wouldn’t be here right now.”
“Perhaps he thought it best to steer the Germans in the wrong direction until he could get someone to help him.”
“It makes no difference now,” Richard said. “Obviously, I wasn’t the person who could help him since I can’t afford to pay you. I won’t take up anymore of your time.”
Sherif nodded. “If your financial situation changes, you know where to find me.”
Richard remained silent as he strode through the door. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being taken advantage of by Jabari—at least almost was. Richard thought he might be able to cobble together enough to cover a modest fee. But at least three hundred pounds per week, plus fifty for expenses? He calculated the exchange rate in his head. The costs were equivalent to one thousand U.S. dollars. If he could reach Hank Foster quickly, which was highly unlikely, Richard wasn’t sure he’d be able to get approval for that kind of expense, not to mention how long it would take to reach him. One day? Two days? A week? Much longer than a day or two, and it might be too late as the Germans excelled at putting pressure on even the most stubborn of hostages and squeezing until the desired result was achieved.
As Richard walked back to the hotel, he kicked at a few stray rocks along the street. If he had the money, he wouldn’t have hesitated to pay Sherif the requested salary. But Richard wondered if there was anything he could possibly do other than ditch the assignment and go see Egypt on his own terms, a tempting option given his situation.
Upon reaching the Winter Palace Hotel, he wandered into the restaurant to have a drink. Most of the tourists were finishing up their tea, except for a few more hardy clients who were saddled up to the bar. Richard eyed an empty seat next to Earl Thomas but opted to sit at the other end of the bar.
However, before Richard could sit down, Vincent Vance grabbed him by the arm.
“Great work again today,” Vincent said. “I heard nothing but rave reviews.”
“It wasn’t as eventful as yesterday.”
Vincent waved dismissively. “As long as the clients enjoyed their excursion, that’s all that matters. Besides, I think we’d both prefer to avoid that type of detour in the future.”
“Agreed,” Richard said.
“The next couple of days are kind of light,” Vincent said. “Why don’t you take them off?”
“And my compensation?”
“I’ll leave it in an envelope at the front desk for you to pick up later this evening.”
“Thank you, sir,” Richard said.
“No, thank you, Mr. Francois,” Vincent said. “You’ve upheld your promise.”
Richard watched Vincent weave through the tables in the crowded restaurant before vanishing into the lobby. After taking a deep breath, Richard made his way to the empty seat at the end of the bar next to Earl Thomas.
“Was your trip to the Valley of the Kings all you hoped it would be?” Richard asked.
The earl shrugged. “It was interesting, though it certainly lacked the excitement that the Drummonds’ trip had.”
“Trust me,” Richard said. “You don’t want that kind of adventure.”
“And you don’t know me well enough to presume what constitutes adventure in my book. I would’ve given anything to be twenty years younger when the war started just so I could be a part of it.”
“I find adventure in racing into the unknown, not running into danger. There is a stark difference.”
“On that point, we disagree. Perhaps I’ll find someone willing to take me back to the valley and allow me to explore the tombs and surrounding caverns how I choose.”
Richard ordered a drink and sat in silence as he weighed the consequences of the next few words out of his mouth. Confident that he had no other choice, he looked at the earl.
“About that return trip to the Valley of the Kings,” Richard said. “Does your offer still stand?”
“Five hundred pounds, not a shilling more.”
“All up front?”
“I’ll give it to you right now if you like.”
Richard nodded. “It’ll be dark in two hours. Can you meet me at the dock in an hour and a half? That is unless you have any prior engagements.”
Earl Thomas dug into his pocket and counted out five hundred pounds before pushing the money to Richard. “Whatever I have, I’ll cancel it. See you at the docks in ninety minutes.”
Richard collected the money and stuffed it into his pocket. The bartender slid a drink in front of Richard, which he promptly drained. He got up and hustled back down the street to Sherif’s mercantile.
Sherif was standing outside talking with a policeman as several other law enforcement members carried out the dead man’s body. Patting the officer on the shoulder, Sherif excused himself and strode over to Richard.
“Is everything all right?” Richard asked.
“It’s being handled,” Sherif said. “What brings you back here so soon?”
“You told me to let you know if my financial situation changed—and it has.”
“Do you have the money?”
“In my pocket, though we probably shouldn’t exchange it right now given the circumstances. That officer is watching us.”
“Agreed,” Sherif said.
“Just have your men ready to head to the valley at sunrise,” Richard said. “I’ll give you the money when we meet.”
After shaking hands with Sherif, Richard rushed to the docks to meet Earl Thomas. The evening was only just getting started.
Chapter 25
RICHARD DUG OUT HIS pocket watch and glanced at the time. Earl Thomas was already ten minutes late, not that Richard cared too much. He enjoyed the brief respite, though he would’ve preferred to use the extra time to stash the money in a good hiding place in his room. Another ten minutes passed and Richard was on the verge of leaving when Earl Thomas sauntered into view. He weaved back and forth along the dock before coming to a stop a few feet away from Richard.
“Did you make a return trip to the bar?” Richard asked.
The moment the earl opened his mouth, Richard realized a reply wasn’t necessary. With the earl smelling as if he’d fallen into a vat of ale, Richard took another step back.
“Are you sure you’re up for this tonight?” Richard asked.
“Of coursh, I a-am,” the earl said, slurring his words as he spoke. “This is what I’ve been waiting for since I arrived. Danger’s lurking.”
“In most cases, I’d say I hoped you were armed, but given the circumstances, I’m not sure that’s the greatest idea.”
“Don’t worry, Mr. Francois. I—I won’t shoot you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I’m concerned that you’re more of a danger to yourself than to me. And I doubt you’ll be quick or agile enough to evade any potential thieves.”
The earl chuckled. “Drunk or sober, makes no difference there. I can barely outrun a crippled snail. But don’t underestimate my marksmanship. It’s saved me plenty of times.”
“You’ve been attacked before?”
The earl nodded. “Many times—it’s how I got this slight limp. I fell down the stairs chasing after some ruffian. Fortunately, I still got a shot off. Hit the bloke in the back of his head.”
Richard shrugged. “It’s your expedition.”
“It sure is. Now, let’s get moving.”
They hustled down the dock and boarded the final ferry of the evening. After arriving on the opposite side of the Nile, they went to the stables where Earl Thomas forked over the hefty overnight rental fee for two horses.
They rode to the Valley of the Kings at a steady pace. Richard was curious about the life of an English earl and asked plenty of questions. However, when he noticed a small tool belt around the earl’s waist, Richard grew curious.
“What kind of tools are those?” Richard asked.
“They’re used for excavation purposes.�
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“That looks like a chisel.”
The earl nodded. “I should be able to remove a substantial portion of one of the walls for my collection. I’d love to secure some portion containing hieroglyphics.”
Richard scowled. “Do you know how much trouble you’re going to be in for doing that?”
“If you haven’t figured this out by now, I’ll let you in on a little secret. Earls don’t get in trouble. And in the off chance that we do, it’s relatively easy to make such problems disappear. Money will fix everything. But you already knew that, otherwise, you wouldn’t be here right now.”
“I’m not like that. I—”
“Oh, save me your trip to the moral high ground. You needed money for some reason, and I offered more than enough to motivate you to take me up on the offer, even if it did take you some time to decide.”
“I don’t care how much money you have, word about your collection will eventually leak out,” Richard said. “You’re not immune from consequences.”
“Only the kind that can’t be handled with a payoff. Now, let’s get going. I’ve got a piece of a tomb to steal.”
Richard sighed as he goaded his horse to move faster.
A half hour later, they reached the Valley of the Kings in time to watch the moon rise over the ridge. Richard stared with his mouth agape as more beams of light trickled over the valley floor with each passing second until it was fully lit.
“Do you see this?” Richard exclaimed. “The Valley of the Kings under the light of the moon—I’m not sure it gets more beautiful than this.”
Richard waited for a response but didn’t receive any.
“Earl Thomas?” he asked as he glanced around him.
After dismounting, he hustled around the area in search of his impulsive client, but he wasn’t readily visible.
“Earl Thomas?” Richard called again. “Where did you go?”
“Over here,” the earl said, already shuffling up a path leading to one of the tombs.
“Perhaps you should wait for me,” Richard said.
“You got me here. That’s all I really wanted.”
Richard rushed up the path after the earl, who had turned his attention to navigating his way up the hillside toward one of the caves.
“Earl Thomas!” Richard called again. “Wait for me.”
The earl ignored the plea as he limped ahead. A few seconds later, he wandered off the path and entered one of the tombs. Moments later, the chink of his chisel reverberated throughout the valley.
Richard noticed faint traces of smoke rising from the mouth of a nearby cavern. He concluded that either Earl Thomas was a lunatic or had a death wish, though given the man’s eagerness to visit an area teeming with thieves under the shadow of night, Richard realized the brazen move shouldn’t have surprised him.
By the time Richard entered the tomb, the earl was steadily chipping away at the wall.
“Do you want to die?” Richard asked.
“Eventually, but not tonight,” Earl Thomas said. “Now, be a good helper and stand at the entrance for me. This shouldn’t take long.”
“The Medjay will hear you and—”
“Who?”
“The secret police that roams this area to protect Egyptian heritage.”
“Oh, that’s just a myth. Those people died off long ago.”
Richard shook his head. “With the ruckus you’re making, you may need to be more concerned with them than any member of the Arabean Losus.”
“Right now, I’m only worried about getting this piece chiseled off the side of the wall here.”
Richard sighed and shuffled toward the tomb entrance. Straining to read what Egyptian king was once buried in the chamber, he pulled out a lighter and flicked it. He read the sign aloud.
“Here’s lies the—”
Before he could finish, someone swatted the lighter out of his hand. Richard glanced up to see a man standing in front of him, wielding a scimitar. He shook his head as he glared at Richard.
“Earl Thomas, we need to go now,” Richard said.
“Give me a moment,” the earl said. “I’m almost there.”
“I’d recommend you stop what you’re doing right now and heed my advice.”
The earl ignored Richard, continuing to chip away. With narrowed eyes, the Medjay soldier took a swing at Richard, who dove to the ground and rolled to safety.
“We need to leave right now,” Richard yelled.
“Almost there.”
“No, now.”
Gripping his dagger, Richard ventured back into the tomb. He squinted as he peered into the darkness. When he rounded the corner, he saw the silhouettes of Earl Thomas and the Medjay agent.
“No need for that,” the earl said while raising his hands in surrender. “What do you want? Money?”
The man growled and muttered something in Arabic.
“Here, let me pay you handsomely,” Earl Thomas said as he reached for his bag. The soldier placed his blade at the earl’s neck and coaxed him to his feet.
“So you don’t want money,” he said. “I understand. It’s not for everyone.”
Once the earl reached his feet, he made a quick gesture with his hand and suddenly the area filled with a thick smoke. Richard heard what sounded like a brief physical struggle before a thud echoed in the chamber.
A few seconds later, Earl Thomas emerged from the haze. “He should’ve taken the money.”
With eyes bulging, Richard’s stared at the English nobleman. “How did you—did you kill him?”
“Good gracious, man. I’m not a murder, but a little smoke and a rock never fail to disappoint. We better get going before he wakes up.”
Earl Thomas hustled outside, clutching his new prized possession and wearing a wide smile.
Richard outpaced his client down the embankment and hurriedly prepared the horses.
“Come on,” Richard said, coaxing the earl to move faster. “He’s going to wake up soon.”
“I doubt that,” Earl Thomas said. “Just have everything ready when I get there.”
He took no more than a minute to reach the valley floor where Richard was waiting with their transportation. The earl took his time securing the tomb wall piece into his horse’s saddle pouch.
“You’re going to regret not moving more hastily,” Richard said. “I’m sure that man wasn’t the only Medjay guard patrolling the area.”
“Don’t get your knickers in a knot.”
Richard sighed and waited for the earl to finish. When he did, Richard interlocked his fingers and held them at knee-level to boost Earl Thomas into his saddle. Once situated, the earl dug his heels into his horse’s ribs and took off. Richard sprang up onto his horse and followed suit.
They raced across the desert with Richard taking the lead not long thereafter. However, the jaunt across the desert beneath the moonlight was short lived when several bandits pursued Richard and the earl before eventually running them down.
Richard jerked hard on his reins, bringing his horse to a halt next to the earl, whose bravado had disappeared.
“Whatever you do, don’t hurt us,” the earl said, dropping his head and raising his hands. “We’ll give you whatever you want. Just please let us go.”
Richard shook his head, surprised at how little pressure was applied before the earl folded. The entire attitude stood in stark contrast to his brazen getaway attempt at the tomb, which made Richard consider that perhaps the earl had another trick.
“Are you all right?” Richard whispered.
The earl placed his palm out flat toward Richard, gesturing for him to calm down. He read the signal but remained confused about the glaring lack of the earl’s chutzpah.
Before he could do anything else, one of the other robbers leapt off his horse, yanked the earl to the ground, and held a blade to his throat.
Richard contemplated for a moment if his horse was fast enough to outrun the bandits.
Chapter 26
RICHARD WATCHED THE SCENE unfolding before him and swallowed hard. Death at the hands of Arab marauders certainly wasn’t the kind of outcome he’d expected when he agreed to work for Hank Foster in the name of the U.S. government. Surely, this isn’t worth it. Despite any misgivings Richard had, it was too late to consider what would’ve happened had he taken a different path. Instead of wasting any more time mulling over hypotheticals, he realized the importance of tackling the problem in front of him that wasn’t going to vanish no matter how hard he wished it away.
“If it’s money you want, I have it—and I’ll gladly give it all to you,” the earl said. “I have five hundred pounds in my pocket here. If you’ll allow me, I’ll reach inside and hand it to you.”
One of the thieves jerked his horse back and forth in front of them before holding out his hand.
“Do you think this is a fair deal?” the earl asked.
“Let me see your money,” the man said.
Earl Thomas reached inside his coat and produced a stack of bills. He held it out in front of the man and waved it back and forth.
“Is that all you have?”
“I swear, that’s it,” the earl said. “Please, just let us go.”
“What were you doing out here?” the thief asked as he thumbed through the stack of cash.
“Just on a little nighttime ride across the desert.”
The thief muttered something, which led to several of his cohorts dismounting and rushing over to the earl’s horse. Just as they were about to dig into his pouch, Earl Thomas threw his hands in the air.
“I’m sorry,” he said as he reached into his pocket. “Did I say five hundred pounds? I meant a thousand.”
He nodded at Richard.
“What?” he asked.
“Give them your money,” the earl said. “Or else it’s going to get worse.”
Richard reached into his pocket and produced the tightly-stacked notes totaling five hundred pounds he had received from the earl and tossed them on the ground.
The Secret of the King's Tomb Page 14
