The passengers congregated nearby before slowly beginning to disperse. Many of the seafarers had made new friends and wanted to stay in touch through writing letters. Others wanted to travel together and were planning how they could merge itineraries. And then there was a large group from Thomas Cook & Son, the world’s premier tour agency. With organized excursions all across Europe and Asia, Richard found it impossible not to cross paths with their customers.
But there was only one conversation on the deck that mattered to Richard—the one occurring between the captain and Wilhelm. The longer the two men chatted, the more animated Wilhelm got. Just as he prepared to turn and walk away, the guard from the brig rushed over to them and said something. Whatever message was passed set Wilhelm off, as he stomped twice, angrily shaking his fists as he did. He then spun around and walked away, leaving an exasperated captain with nothing to do but throw his hands in the air.
“I wonder what that was all about,” Richard asked with a chuckle.
Upon regaining his freedom with his secret identity still intact, Richard resumed following the Reichswehr, who appeared to have no plans to spend the night in Alexandria. They all headed straight toward the train station and purchased tickets for the midnight train from Alexandria to Cairo.
Richard dipped into his scant reserves and purchased a ticket as well. He was finally in Egypt, but he still had a job.
Chapter 10
Cairo, Egypt
THE RICKETY RIDE FROM Alexandria to Cairo didn’t provide Richard with an opportunity to get quality sleep. Between the crowded second-class cabins stuffed with unruly children and screaming babies who seemed to spur one another on in a contest of ear-splitting cries, Richard caught a few winks between the chaos. There were several stops along the route, which led him to carefully watch the platform for any Germans exiting. The Reichswehr had purchased tickets for Cairo, but Richard wouldn’t have been surprised if that was simply a precautionary measure to throw anyone off their trail. But apparently, they didn’t think such extreme measures were necessary, remaining on the train until it reached the end of the line in Cairo.
With the sun already peeking over the horizon as the conductor bid the passengers to unload, Richard kept an eye out for Wilhelm, following him through the crowd. Richard sat in the lobby of the Shepard’s Hotel where the Reichswehr chose to stay, checking in individually to maintain a low profile. He poured himself a complimentary cup of coffee from the concierge’s desk and then pondered his next move. A few hours of sleep would’ve done him wonders, but he instead decided to explore the sights and sounds of Cairo before resuming his reconnaissance. However, he needed to wire Hank Foster an update.
Richard navigated his way through the markets in search of a telegram station. He was accosted in several open-air markets and almost got sidetracked while winding up in a hashish den before finding a location that would send a note. While he didn’t have room for many words, he explained how he’d become virtually penniless and needed more funds—and that the Reichswehr were in Cairo with plans to hunt for treasure.
Venturing to see the pyramids, Richard did so with nothing but his bag, a few coins, and a dagger. If someone considered mugging him again, he would be more than prepared to ward off the attacker. When Richard reached the ancient architectural wonders rising out of the Egyptian sands, he couldn’t stop staring. He was so overtaken by the view that he wrote a letter to his parents describing the grandeur of the structures.
For a fleeting moment, he considered remaining there all evening and watching the moon rise over the Sphinx, but he wasn’t so free. The Reichswehr was calling.
Upon returning to the Shephard’s Hotel, Richard marveled at the curbside scene, a confluence of the old and the new—motorized vehicles parked near horse-drawn carriages. He watched as a beautiful young woman stepped delicately out of a car and was ushered inside by a host of hotel staff. With keen interest, he monitored her movements through the lobby, determining that he must make her acquaintance.
Later that evening, many of the hotel’s guests had finished their sightseeing adventures and were gathering over meals in the dining hall. Richard found a quiet table at the back where he could observe Wilhelm and several other Reichswehr members who had taken up seats at various empty tables around the room.
Moments later, the woman who caught Richard’s eye paraded past on a search for a place to sit, eventually circling back toward him.
“Is this seat taken?” she asked in a strong American accent.
Richard stood and gestured toward the chair across from him. “I wasn’t expecting anyone, but I’d be delighted for you to join me.”
After wanting to meet the woman, Richard was pleasantly surprised that she chose his table. Her company also gave him sufficient cover from the Reichswehr if they happened to suspect he was following them.
“I’m Sara Catherine Holbrook,” she said, offering the back of her gloved hand to him.
“Richard Halliburton,” he said before kissing her on her outstretched wrist. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”
“And you as well,” she said as she sat down.
Richard marveled at the brunette beauty. Sporting a bob haircut with a tapered back, she moved in a sophisticated manner. With effortless grace, she opened her clutch and dug out a cigarette along with a holder. She connected the two latter objects and handed her lighter to Richard. He ignited it and held it out for his dinner guest until her cigarette was sufficiently lit.
“What brings you to Egypt?” she asked.
“I was about to ask you the same thing, especially a woman traveling all alone like you are.”
“I asked you first,” she said with a wink.
“Adventure, wonder, an ancient civilization’s incredible feat of architecture, the Nile, the opportunity to walk in Cleopatra’s footsteps,” he said before stopping abruptly. “I could go on, but I don’t want to bore you.”
She smirked. “I get the idea. You’re a romantic.”
“That’s one way of looking at it,” he said. “I’ve been traveling all over Europe and now heading down into Africa. I feel like I’m on the royal road to romance.”
“Romance is all around us. We just need to know where to look for it.”
Richard’s eyes sparkled. “I feel the same way. Is that why you’re here? Are you on some search for romance, the kind we experience in the literary sense?”
She signaled for a waiter and ordered a drink, offering to buy Richard one as well. He graciously accepted the offer.
“I’m sure I could come up with plenty of reasons why I came here, just like you,” she said. “But I’m not going to mislead you. The main reasons I came to Cairo were to tour this grand country and to consume plenty of alcohol.”
“This is a long way to come just for alcohol.”
“Like I said, it’s one of two main reasons I traveled this far, but not the only one.”
The waiter returned with their drinks, resulting in Sara Catherine clapping her hands with excitement.
“What exactly do you do that affords you the means to travel so exorbitantly?” she asked after taking a long pull on her glass. “I know this hotel isn’t cheap.”
“I’m travel writer and explorer,” Richard said. “However, this place is out of my budget for the time being.”
“You must plan on making it big one day, Mr. Halliburton.”
“I was doing fine on this trip until I was mugged on the streets of Marseille. I had to join a ship’s orchestra just to pay my way here.”
“Oh, you poor thing,” she said as she reached across the table and patted him on the hand. “That must’ve been awful.”
He nodded. “They nearly took all my money, and now I’m just trying to survive and see as much as I can before I return home.”
“Well, why don’t you stay with me tonight?” she asked. “I have a large room with a couch that you could sleep on until you acquire some more money. What do you say?”
&n
bsp; “That’s very generous of you, but I—”
She waved at him dismissively. “I won’t take no for an answer. Understand?”
Richard wanted to argue but decided against it. He didn’t want to sleep on the street.
“Thank you,” he finally said.
“And you need to eat, too. It’ll be my treat,” she said, snapping her fingers to get the waiter’s attention.
“Yes, madam?” he asked as he stopped by her table.
“We need another menu,” she said.
He nodded knowingly and returned a few seconds later, presenting Richard with a list of the evening’s offerings.
“You really have no idea how famished I am,” Richard said, cracking a wry grin as he read the descriptions of the entrees.
“Might I suggest the fattah with lamb,” she said before standing abruptly. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to visit the ladies room.”
Richard waited until she disappeared around the corner before he stood and sauntered over toward the bar. Wilhelm was engaged in a serious conversation with the bartender. Standing just far enough away to hear, Richard leaned against one of the stools and strained to listen in on the discussion.
“I’m looking for a good guide who can interpret Sanskrit,” Wilhelm said. “Know anyone who fits the description?”
“Jabari Gamal is the best,” the bartender said.
“Do you have an address for him?”
The bartender scribbled something down onto a napkin and then handed it to Wilhelm, who forked over a handsome tip.
Richard kept his head down as Wilhelm slid past and exited the restaurant. When a waiter showed up at Richard’s table, he scowled and scanned the room.
“Sorry about making you wait,” Richard said as he hustled over to order. “I was at the bar.”
Richard placed his order and took a seat. A couple minutes later, Sara Catherine emerged from the restroom with a wry grin.
“What are you smiling about?” he asked.
“I just saw Carmel Myers,” she said. “I even got her autograph.”
Sara Catherine placed a napkin debossed with the Shepherd’s Hotel logo on it along with a barely legible signature on the table.
“You never know who you’ll run into halfway around the world,” he said.
After Richard finished his meal, Sara Catherine ushered him up to her room and unlocked the door.
“Make yourself comfortable,” she said. “I need to go back down to the front desk to get one of my bags that I left with the concierge.”
“I can go get it for you,” Richard said.
She waved him off dismissively. “It’s no trouble. And you need to get settled.”
He didn’t want to be contentious due to her gracious hospitality, though he might have insisted on fetching the extra item if the situation had been different. After removing his toiletries and hanging up one of his coats, he strode out onto the balcony and stared down at the bustling city. Cairo had quickly grown into one of the premier destinations for both Europeans and wealthy Americans. The city’s grandeur still had otherworldly charm about it, charm that Richard felt was enchanting. With incredible architectural feats from an ancient civilization dotting the landscape in the distance, Cairo was making a mark in the modern era through its reputation as a place for arts and entertainment as well as a place to relax. And as much as Richard wanted to bask in the city’s opulence, he figured there would be time for that later. He still had a job to do for Hank Foster, one that was more important than first imagined.
After taking a deep breath, Richard re-entered the room. He was searching in the closet for a blanket when the door opened.
“Did you get it?” Richard asked.
“Get what?” answered a gruff, familiar voice.
Spinning around, Richard was eye to eye with Wilhelm, who had his gun drawn.
Richard threw his hands in the air. “I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else. Who are you?”
“I think you know who I am already,” Wilhelm said, gesturing to a pair of his men who started to tie up Richard. “But what I want to know is who you are and why you’ve been following me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Richard said. “I’ve never seen you before in my life.”
Wilhelm chuckled. “You’re a terrible liar—and you still owe me a gold watch.”
Chapter 11
TWO MEMBERS OF THE REICHSWEHR unit marched Richard down the hall toward the back stairwell. He jerked in the opposite direction as if he was going to make a run for it, but a firm hand on his chest stopped him. The soldier wagged his index finger and then revealed a gun holstered on his belt, glancing at it as if to emphasize the warning. Foregoing the idea of escape, Richard turned forward and kept walking.
When they reached the street, a truck was waiting for them. Several soldiers hoisted Richard over the tailgate and inside where two more armed soldiers sat. Wilhelm sat in the passenger’s seat and banged on the side of the door once everyone was inside the vehicle. The driver understood the signal and stepped on the accelerator, navigating the streets crowded with people drifting from one pub to another with deft skill.
Once they reached more open space, the driver turned off the main road and headed straight toward the banks of the Nile River. Skidding to a stop a few meters away from the water’s edge, the men in the back with Richard slung him over the side and onto the ground. Richard hit the sand with a thud and groaned as he stretched out prone.
“Get up,” one of the soldiers said with a growl before kicking Richard in his ribs. He staggered to his feet and stood upright. One of the guards shoved Richard toward the front of the truck, the headlights blinding him as the Reichswehr soldiers appeared little more than silhouettes.
“I’m going to ask you again, and this time I want the truth,” Wilhelm said. “Do you understand?”
Richard nodded, immediately regretting his acceptance of Hank Foster’s proposal.
“Who are you? And what are you doing here?” Wilhelm asked.
“My name is Frederick Powers, and I’m an American journalist,” Richard said, sticking with his cover.
“What publication do you write for?”
“Whichever ones will pay me for my stories,” Richard said.
“I don’t believe you,” Wilhelm said. “You’re lying.”
“That’s not what I do. I’m a truth teller.”
“Then where is my gold watch?” Wilhelm said.
“Someone stole it from my room,” Richard said. “Perhaps I can make this up to you some other way.”
Wilhelm shook his head. “I’ve found that people aren’t very honest with me, but they will tell me the truth if I apply just the right amount of pressure.”
One of the other soldiers fished Richard’s passport out of his coat pocket and handed the document to Wilhelm.
“Frederick Powers? That’s certainly not the name listed here,” Wilhelm said. “Is it, Mr. Halliburton?”
“I can explain,” Richard said. “You see—”
“Silence. Enough of your lies.”
“Please, sir. There’s no need to do anything rash. I’m afraid I got caught up in something here and I’d just as soon walk away than press the matter any more. I can leave you alone. You don’t need to kill me.”
“No, I’m not going to kill you,” Wilhelm said. “But you are going to die.”
Richard furrowed his brow, unsure of what exactly Wilhelm meant by his riddled response.
Two men stepped forward, each taking Richard by an arm and escorting him toward the water where a small fishing boat was beached. One man was already seated in the center of the boat, gripping the oars. He leaned to the side to let Richard and one of the guards past. Two other men shoved the boat out into the water.
“What’s going on?” Richard asked.
Wilhelm stood on the shore, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face. “You’re going to tell my men the truth about who you really ar
e and what you’re doing here.”
“I already did,” Richard said with a snarl.
“You will pay your debt, one way or another,” Wilhelm said before he waved.
The soldier at the front of the boat held a lantern out over the water as the man in the center strained at the oars. After a few minutes, Richard saw the light glint off a pair of eyes hovering just above the surface.
The soldier up front signaled for the oarsman to stop.
“This is your last chance,” the guard next to Richard said. “Tell us who you really, are or else I will throw you in the river.”
Richard glanced around and saw that the eyes had vanished. And while great danger lurked somewhere below the surface, he had seen what the Reichswehr was capable of, the image of Dr. Miller still seared in mind. Richard decided to take his chances with the crocodiles. With the Nile predators, Richard at least stood a chance of survival. But a bullet to the head wasn’t something he could overcome.
“I already told your commander everything,” Richard said.
“It’s your choice,” the man said before he lugged his prisoner off his seat and tossed him into the water.
“May you rest in peace,” the soldier said.
The boat turned toward the banks and began to disappear into the darkness. Overhead, the clouds danced in front of the moon, giving Richard occasional glimpses of his surroundings. He kicked his feet furiously, treading water without the help of his hands. After a minute, he wondered how long he could keep his head above water before he grew too tired.
A thick fog rolled across the surface of the river, decreasing visibility. As Richard struggled to stay afloat, he spun around in different directions. The width of the river was surprising as it flowed swiftly. Without being able to see either shore, he wondered if he had the stamina necessary to make it ashore, much less side was the closest.
The Secret of the King's Tomb Page 6