stealing the ransom money and even if they did, it cannot be proved without a doubt that Kareem’s aneurism was definitely caused by that blow to his head. President Hosni Hazif takes the stealing of Egypt’s antiquities very seriously. They will come down very hard on these three perpetrators and they will receive very stiff sentences. It is much better for you to leave it to them to punish them. Otherwise you will spend a lot of time back in Egypt for the trial, waste a lot of money and at the end you will probably not achieve anything.”
Reluctantly I accepted the wisdom of these words. The trial was likely to be quite a way off. Every effort would be made to find out who was behind all this. Obviously it was none of the three already arrested. They would be interviewed over and over again and coerced into giving up the name of the mastermind in exchange for a more lenient sentence. Only time would tell if any of them would yield to this type of interrogation.
It was another month before John rang again to let me know the trial had started. “Tomorrow they begin the preliminaries and soon we will know what is to become of the three prisoners. They have not given up any names so far.” “Please let me know how things progress, John” I pleaded. “Actually, that’s going to be a bit hard, Anna. You see, I will not be in Egypt much longer. I have resigned my posting and I’m coming back to Australia tomorrow.”
I was taken by surprise at this news. “But I thought you loved your job in Egypt” I exclaimed. “I have enjoyed the experience immensely” John replied. “I’m not just resigning from the post in Egypt though. I’m leaving the service altogether. I want a change of direction. Can I take you out to dinner when I return and tell you all about it?” “Yes, that would be nice. Why don’t you call me when you are settled?”
After I put down the phone I spent the rest of the evening wondering why John would want to quit the Department of Foreign Affairs. I also had to examine my own feelings. I was feeling very pleased at the thought of seeing John again. How could I feel this way so soon after losing Kareem? Eventually I decided it was nothing more than looking forward to seeing a friend again. It couldn’t be more than that, surely.
It was only a matter of days before John rang. We arranged to meet in the City at an Italian restaurant at Darling Harbour. John was already there when I arrived and had picked a lovely table overlooking the water. He kissed me lightly on the cheek and pulled out my chair. “Its great to see you again, Anna” he said. We chatted idly for a while about his journey and he told me how much he was enjoying being back in Australia. “There’s no city in the world like Sydney” he declared as a paddle-steamer pulled out from the wharf in front of us, lit up like a Christmas tree and full of happy tourists. ”Cairo is an amazing experience but it’s not somewhere you would want to spend the rest of your life.” We sat quietly, gazing at the lights of the buildings reflected in the water. There were blue, red and white lights, even some green and amber, shining down on the yachts in the Marina in front of us. We could see the old South Steyne ferry moored across the other side of Darling Harbour, proudly lit up in its new life as a floating restaurant.
“So what are you going to do now you are back in Australia and out of Foreign Affairs?” I asked. “I’m planning to have a couple of months off and catch up with old friends. Then I’ll look around. I don’t really want to work for anyone else again so I may start up my own business. Who knows, I might even go into antiques!” We both laughed at this and I asked him if he had heard any more about the trial. “It is proceeding slowly, as things do in Egypt. I still have contacts in the Department of course and they will keep me updated. I have no doubt that they will all go away for a very long time”.
The rest of the evening passed pleasantly and we finished the night with a stroll around Darling Harbour. “When can I see you again, Anna?” he asked as the time came to say goodnight. “I know you are still grieving for Kareem but I do enjoy your company.” I suggested he ring me in a few days and we could catch up for a drink.
Over the next few weeks I saw quite a lot of John. He didn’t seem to be in any hurry to go back to work. He had an apartment in the city, which so far I had avoided going to see. I enjoyed his company - he was funny, thoughtful and generous - but I didn’t want to take our friendship any further. John didn’t push me, but I knew he was hoping our relationship would soon go to the next level. I liked John a lot, but I was still grieving for Kareem and knew I was not ready for another relationship yet.
Eventually the news came from Cairo that I had been waiting to hear. The trial was over and the sentences handed down. Gahiji, who was considered to be a minor player, was given 7 years. Rashidi and Mosi were each given 15 years. They never revealed the names of those they worked for and steadfastly denied any knowledge of anyone called Mohammed, even though it could have resulted in a lighter sentence. It seemed those master-minding the operation had them well and truly frightened and although the investigation would be ongoing, it was not looking very likely they would ever be found.
To celebrate, John threw a party and so at last I went to his apartment. He had invited a few friends over he wanted me to meet. When I arrived at the address he had given me in Castlereagh Street I pressed the button to his apartment and was let into a very smart foyer. The lift took me up to the 10 floor and No.9 was around to the right from the lift. When John opened the door I was totally unprepared for the level of affluence of his apartment. It was quite magnificent, with a huge picture window giving a wonderful view of the city lights. There were five other couples already there enjoying drinks and the view. “Wow, this is some apartment” I whispered in his ear “I didn’t realise what I was missing”. John just grinned and poured me a huge gin and tonic before taking me to see the two spacious bedrooms and the huge ensuite and main bathroom. “You have done well for yourself”. The kitchen was state of the art with a laundry off the back of it. “This must set you back a packet”. “After two years in Cairo I figured I deserved a bit of comfort” was John’s response.
I left my coat in the spare bedroom and prepared for a very pleasant evening. As the night drifted on, John put some dancing music on and invited me to dance. I felt his arms tighten around me and I let myself fall into the rhythm. It was very enjoyable to be held again and to melt into the music whilst gazing out at the light show below. The other guests were interesting. Only one person was someone John had worked with from the Department of Foreign Affairs, a man called Henry Whitehouse. A quiet, bespectacled man in his early forties, he and his wife, Margarita, talked to me about my experience in Egypt and wanted to know about being trapped in the secret tomb. They were quite amazed to hear my story first-hand. Henry had not been to Cairo but was fascinated to hear my insights into the city. We talked at length. “It was quite odd that they never caught up with the containers full of treasures” he mused. “It was an extremely busy time at the ports when they were supposed to be shipped out. They must have had it all organised well in advance and managed to slip them through Customs by bribing one of the officials.” At this point John cut in and whisked me away for more dancing.
The other couples were friends whom John had known from Uni. Two of the guys, Peter and Graeme were lawyers with well-known Sydney firms. Their wives were very smartly dressed and were stay-at home mums. Both had a live-in nanny to help with the children and enjoyed a very pampered, leisurely life by my standards. His other two friends from Uni were female. Pamela, was in Public Relations and was quick to tell me she was divorced, no children and loved her work. The other girl, Julie, was a high-school teacher. All had travelled extensively so were very interesting to talk to and Julie and Pamela often holidayed together. Although she didn’t mention her personal life, I understood Julie had never been married.
When all the guests had left, it seemed natural that I should stay on and help clear up. When the last glass was washed and put away John pulled me into his arms again and I didn’t hesitate as his lips came down on mine. His kisses were hard and demanding but they li
t a fire within me that I couldn’t control.
The next morning whilst John was in the shower I went in to the spare room to retrieve my bag and coat. As I turned to leave the fax machine started up and made me jump. Without thinking I went over to it, so used to answering its call. The words “The eagle has landed safely” jumped out at me and, intrigued, I let my eyes run across the rest of the text. “Meet me outside Central Station opposite the youth hostel at 1pm and we can finalise our deal”.
I suddenly realised I was snooping and pulled myself up quickly. I hadn’t meant to read someone else’s mail, it just sort of happened. I decided I would pretend I hadn’t seen it. Over coffee I asked him what his plans were for the day. “Oh, nothing much. A bit of business” he replied “but I’ll be back by the time you finish work. Why don’t you come over and I’ll cook you dinner”. He nuzzled the back of my neck and my legs went weak. “That would be lovely” I whispered, my voice hoarse.
I couldn’t help musing over the fax I had seen as I went through the day. What sort of business deal was John involved in? He hadn’t mentioned doing any business – he had seemed quite happy to enjoy some free time. And what did Henry mean about the Customs official? Presumably the authorities would have questioned everyone who was on duty on the nights they thought the goods would have been shipped and anything strange would have been reported.
That evening John cooked me a lovely meal – salmon in garlic and white wine, baby potatoes and a green salad. This was followed by a strawberry cheesecake and icecream and coffee with liqueur. Over dessert I asked him how his day had gone. “Oh, pretty good” he replied “how was yours?” “Not bad.” I answered. “With the changes to Social Security we are getting quite a few of those inquiries now - makes a change from immigration anyway. Did your business today go okay?” I asked. John’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me quizzically. I could see he was wondering if I had seen the fax he had received that morning. I gazed innocently into his eyes. “It was fine” he said and with that he changed the subject by standing up to clear the dishes. I decided I was being paranoid. After all, what could he possibly be involved in that was not on the up and up. I pushed the little feeling of uncertainty away and enjoyed the rest of the evening.
I don’t know what got into me the next morning when he was in the shower and I started to make the bed and saw a bulging briefcase sticking out from under the bed. I pulled it out and opened it – it wasn’t locked. Inside were wads of $100 bills! I stared at it for a moment – there must have been thousands of dollars in it. Then I quickly closed it and pushed it further under the bed and finished pulling up the sheets – my head reeling. When John came out of the shower I tried to act normally but I left as quickly as I could to gather my thoughts.
Of course it could be perfectly legitimate. When he left the Department he could have had long-service leave payable and might have drawn it out to put it in a different Bank account today. Surely he wouldn’t leave it unlocked if it was not legitimate? But that was more than long-service leave – he must have been putting all his money into a different Bank. But why wouldn’t he have asked for a cheque? There must be a perfectly logical explanation, I thought but - try as I might - I couldn’t come up with one. I couldn’t wait for Friday to come when I would stay overnight again and could see if the briefcase was still there.
As soon as John went for his shower I looked under the bed. The briefcase was still there! Would it still be full of money? I flicked it open as quickly as I could and,
sure enough, there was the money. What was going on? I couldn’t believe that anyone would have a legal stash of money that big under the bed – despite Malcolm Fraser’s suggestion when he was Prime Minister.
Over the next few days I wrestled with this problem, but came no closer to working out a solution in my head. This put quite a strain on my relationship with John. When I was with him I couldn’t believe he could do anything wrong. When I was away from him my brain went into overload. I had to get this sorted - and quickly - before John sensed something was wrong.
6. Hard Decisions
Mrs Hazif rang me to say that Yasmeen had arrived in Australia and asked me if I would come for dinner to meet her. Of course I said I would be delighted and it was arranged for the following Thursday night. I was excited to finally be meeting the famous Yasmeen.
Ramy opened the door and gave me a hug. His mother was standing behind him and kissed me warmly. Then Ramy introduced Yasmeen. She was indeed as beautiful as Ramy had described her and obviously as much in love with him as he was with her. It was wonderful to see the love in their eyes as they gazed at each other across the table. “How is your father, Yasmeen?” I inquired. “Oh, he is good.” she replied. “He is just so happy that we are both safe and to be back with my mother and brothers. Life is just so much more precious when you have looked death in the face.” I nodded my agreement. “He can’t stop talking about the beauty of the objects we handled though. To touch items of such splendour, as an antique dealer, and then not to see them again, is very hard – and for me too. He is hoping to get back the golden collar and the dagger. They were amongst the items still left in the shed and they were taken along with the other items as evidence. Now that the trial is over he thinks they may be returned to him. Even though they too were plundered from the tomb originally they had been in his possession for a very long time. He hopes the authorities may look on it as a little reward for what we have been through and for bringing at least three of those involved to account. They couldn’t believe that my
father would have known of the tomb for all those years and never did anything about it or told anyone else.
He went to the trial every day you know. He was hoping that one of them would crack and divulge the names of those who were really responsible. He was very disappointed that nothing further came out of the trial. He looked all around the court to see if Mohammed would turn up to watch the proceedings but he never showed.”
I asked Yasmeen what she thought had happened to the two containers. “It is hard to say. We did hear them identified as the container going to the US and the one going to Australia. If they had a ship lined up to take the containers straight on they would have got away. Once Customs were notified, I cannot see how they could have got through, although of course bribery is a very big part of everyday life for us in Egypt. It is not impossible that someone would have been offered a large sum of money to look the other way, but I’m sure the government officials themselves would have been there every day.”
After that the talk turned to the wedding, which both Ramy and Yasmeen wanted to take place as soon as possible. Naturally Yasmeen wanted to be married in Egypt and so a date was settled on in April and Mrs Hazif was looking forward to her first trip to Egypt since she left there as a child. I knew financially it was going to be hard for the family. The ransom money had not been recovered and Mrs Hazif had mortgaged the house to raise it. She had friends who owned a shop who had promised her a job and she was going back to work for the first time in 25 years. Ramy was going to try and help her but of course he now had his own life to carve out. Fortunately there had been a small insurance policy on Mr Hazif’s life which had enabled her to pay part of the mortgage off and to pay for her and Ramy’s trip to Egypt for the wedding. Kareem had also saved a reasonable sum whilst living at home which was also put back into the mortgage.
“It has been so lovely to meet you, Yasmeen” I said as I took my leave. “I’m sure you and Ramy will be very happy together.” “Thank you” she replied. “I am so sorry that you lost Kareem. You must be very sad. We will send you an invitation to the wedding – you can stay with us. I hope you will come but of course we will understand if you never want to return to Egypt.” I hadn’t mentioned John Turner, apart from saying in passing that he was back in Australia and we had caught up a couple of times. How could I explain how I had taken up with someone else so soon after Kareem’s death? I couldn’t explain it to myself, let alone to K
areem’s family. Life goes on, but in my case, it was moving forward a little too fast!
When the wedding invitation came I was of two minds whether to accept or decline. I could just scrape up the airfare and Waleed had sent a handwritten note asking me to stay with them for a few days. It would be nice to see her again and to represent Kareem at his brother’s wedding. I showed the invitation to John, which as usual was extended to “Anna and friend.” “If you want to come, I’ll tell them about you. I’m sure they will understand.” “No thanks” John replied a little off-handedly. “I don’t think its appropriate for me to attend under the circumstances and, to tell the truth, I’m not very keen to return to Egypt so soon after leaving.”
I thought about asking Sandra to come with me but in the end I caught a flight back to Egypt with Mrs Hazif and Ramy. They were very excited of course, whilst I was just uneasy. The thought of returning to the place of Kareem’s death was unsettling – there were so many memories in Cairo, both good and bad and I was not at all sure it had been a good idea to return. In the end though I decided just to concentrate on the wedding, imagine I was anywhere in the world but Egypt and think about returning to Australia and John as soon as it was over.
Missing in Egypt Page 13