The Moses Legacy - Adam Palmer [63]
‘Have you got something on your mind?’ she asked.
He felt embarrassed, almost as if she actually knew what he had just been thinking.
‘I was wondering, maybe we should turn ourselves in to our respective embassies when we get to Cairo.’
‘I don’t think that’s a good idea, Daniel.’
‘It’ll get us out of immediate danger. Maybe we can be tested for whatever they think is causing this illness. If they’re still worried that we’re infectious they’ll let us stay in the embassies or arrange to have us quarantined instead of shot by trigger-happy cops.’
Gabrielle was looking at him with that same implacable look as before. ‘That’s all right for me, but what about you? That message on Mansoor’s phone said there’s a warrant out for your arrest in England. Do you want to be extradited back to London to face a murder charge before we can figure this out?’
‘I don’t think I will be facing a murder charge.’
‘Then why did they issue a warrant?’
‘Probably because I breached my bail conditions. That’s an offence in its own right.’
‘You may be right, but if they arrest you and send you back, you’ll be putting yourself in their hands – and we don’t know for how long. In the meantime you’ll be treading water, waiting for someone else to solve the mystery. The way I see it, whoever killed Uncle Harrison is probably the same person who locked us in the tomb and we need to find out—’
‘We don’t know that.’
‘I think it’s a reasonable starting point. And then there’s the small matter of these manuscripts that you’re supposed to be translating for our joint paper. This could be the biggest thing in our careers. Do you think the British authorities will let you work on academic papers while you’re a guest of Her Majesty? I can just see the citation: “Daniel Klein is currently the Professor of Semitic Languages at Wormwood Scrubs. He is sharing a cell with a pyramid salesman who…”’
Daniel burst out laughing. If nothing else, Gabrielle’s humour had broken some of the tension.
‘That’s the only thing that’s holding me back,’ said Daniel.
‘What, the prospect of prison?’
‘No, the fact that I still want to solve this mystery – well, actually both of these mysteries.’
‘How do you mean, both?’
‘The disease and your uncle’s missing paper. And I guess also his death and the people trying to kill us. I think you’re right: it probably is all tied in together. Your uncle said his paper was based on a translation of a manuscript in Proto-Sinaitic. We need to find that manuscript. Maybe it’s the one that Mansoor was going to show us.’
Gabrielle thought about this for a moment. ‘So let’s stick to the original plan. When we get to Cairo we try and get a look at that papyrus that he was going to show us: the one from the tomb of Ay.’
‘I wish we could actually phone Mansoor and find out if he’s all right. Maybe he could even help us.’
‘It’s too risky. Even just switching on our phones could give away our position.’
‘Okay, but how are we going to get into the museum archives without Mansoor to help us?’
He saw the twinkle in her eye.
‘You’re forgetting what he said. He has copies in his office at the SCA.’
Daniel waited for the other shoe to drop. After a couple of seconds, he prompted: ‘And what do you think we’re going to do, Gaby? Just walk in there and take a copy of an ancient papyrus from under the noses of the staff?’
‘No, we’ll go in after lunch when most of them are out. You’re forgetting, Daniel – this is Egypt and we’re heading towards summer.’
‘So?’
‘So, the old ways of the Levant die hard. Between one and four in the afternoon, most of them are away taking a siesta. That’ll give us the perfect opportunity.’
‘Oh, don’t tell me these trusting Levantines leave the door unlocked?’
‘Of course not. But a locked door never stopped anyone really determined, especially if they’re properly equipped.’
‘And I suppose you’re also an expert on picking locks?’ he asked with a sarcastic smile.
‘Oh, do me a favour. This isn’t Charlie’s Angels!’
‘Then how are you going to get us past that