Redemption - Leon Uris [224]
“When the Inspector found your brother’s papers, he came to me on the small chance I may know of this gentleman, in that I deal with dignitaries.”
“And there’s the matter of the Villa Valhalla,” Rawash continued. “It is illegal that you are there and having illegal parties smoking hashish, a very serious crime in Cairo.”
“You have a lot of serious criminals in Cairo. And, you don’t have to smoke it. All you have to do is walk down the street and breathe,” Jeremy said.
Farouk el Farouk gave a small smile at the humor. “I have convinced Chief Inspector Rawash that there is a better way than to imprison your brother and bring total disgrace to your family.”
“I’m sure you have.”
“My dear Viscount. We did not invite you to Cairo. But now that you have invited yourself, please do not try to change twenty-five centuries of custom.”
“This city is going to be torn apart by the troops. You must know that,” Jeremy said.
“Cairo has known five hundred riots and still stands. How will your father’s earldom stand after this?”
“How much do you want?”
“We are prepared to keep this totally quiet, but a lot of people must be favored to ensure that it absolutely did not happen.”
“How much?”
“You make it sound so rude!”
“How much?”
The Egyptians went to the corner of the room and put their heads together. Yurlob was busy assembling Chris to a reasonable state. Jeremy wanted to get him to the infirmary as quickly as possible.
“We must wait here until the Cook’s Travel office opens at half past seven,” Farouk el Farouk said. “I and you will go down there and clear a cheque for ten thousand.”
“Ten thousand!”
“No bargaining, no bargaining. Believe me, by the time everyone is taken care of there won’t be five quid in it for me.”
“I can’t make a cheque of that size.”
“But of course you can. Everything of yours clears. If there is a problem, I have reserved a telephone line to London. You can explain it to the party at Weed Ship & Iron.”
“You are garbage. All you live for is the slimy fucking deal. What a way to live!”
“And your father has not become the Earl over deals and dead bodies, m’lord? I am sorry you do not understand certain traditions. Opportunities such as we have at this moment only happen once in a lifetime. Your troops rape our city. We rape you.”
“You murdered this woman and planted her here.”
“She is of no consequence. No one forced your brother to this hotel. Are you prepared, yes or no, to go with me to Cook’s? Do you wish him back, yes or no?”
“All right. You win,” Jeremy said.
Large smiles from beaming faces. “Good, good.” Farouk el Farouk glowed. “We have time till daybreak. Do you play backgammon, Lord Viscount?”
BONG rang the railroad tower clock.
“No, I don’t play.”
“Ah, too bad.”
“I’ll play with you,” Rawash said.
BONG!
“First we had better send out for some food.”
Yurlob placed himself before his Major as Jeremy looked down at the floor, appearing disconsolate, but staying within an arm’s length of Farouk el Farouk.
BONG!
BONG!
“I set up the board at the table.”
BONG!
Jeremy counted, a thousand one, a thousand two, a thousand three, oh Christ, a thousand…
“YOWWWW!”
“AHURRRGGG!”
The door blew off its hinges as Mordechai Pearlman and Johnny Tarbox crashed into the room brandishing a pair of pistols taken from the guards.
Rory flew through the window, bowling over two of the policemen. As they groped to their knees, he banged their heads together. Yurlob shoved Major Hubble under the bed, then dived himself as the other two police fired. Jeremy brought an uppercut into Farouk el Farouk’s jaw, dropping him like a mummy.
There was a short but violent smashing of furniture amid screams and bursts of bright red blood. Inspector Rawash slid along the wall and was about to make it through the door when Rory caught him and got him in an armlock.
“Tell them to drop their pistols!” Rory commanded.
The inspector, screaming in pain, babbled orders to surrender, NOW!
AHUGAH! AHUGAH! The lorry horn sounded from the street.
“Modi! Johnny! Bring these