The Mummy Case - Elizabeth Peters [94]
“An excellent idea, Emerson,” I said. “But there is no reason why we cannot do both. The funeral is early in the morning, and after that we can ride to Dahshoor.”
Somewhat to my surprise Emerson agreed to this proposal. Ramses was also kind enough to consent. Later, after Ramses had been sent to bed and John had retired to his room—he had finally finished Leviticus and was now deep in the even greater intricacies of Numbers—I said to my husband, “I commend you on your self-control, Emerson. You didn’t once lose your temper with Brother Ezekiel.”
“He isn’t worth my anger.” Emerson pushed his notebook aside. “In fact, I find the creature quite entertaining. He is the most absurd person I have encountered recently.”
“Do you think he murdered Hamid?”
Emerson stared. “Why the devil should he?”
“Emerson, you are always worrying about motive. You ought to know by now that is not the way to solve a case.” Emerson continued to gape at me. I continued, “I can think of several reasons why Brother Ezekiel might exterminate Hamid. The man may have made unwelcome advances to Miss Charity—Ezekiel is such a prude he would interpret a polite greeting as an unwelcome advance. Or Ezekiel may have discovered that Hamid was not sincere in his conversion.”
“Peabody—” Emerson began in an ominous tone.
“I have made a few notes on the case.” I opened my own notebook. “We know now that Hamid was the disinherited son of Abd el Atti and that he was a member of the criminal ring of antiquities thieves. I agree with you that a falling-out among thieves is the most likely explanation of his murder. These secret societies are devilish things. If Hamid had betrayed his oath—sworn in secret ceremonies and sealed in his own blood—”
“Peabody, you never cease to astonish me. When do you find time to read such trash?”
Recognizing this as a rhetorical question, I did not answer it. “Drug takers are notoriously unreliable; the Master Criminal may have concluded Hamid was dangerous, and ordered him executed.”
“I believe this is our first Master Criminal, is it not? I don’t care for them, Peabody. The noble amateur villain is much more to my taste.”
“Or—which is, in my opinion, more likely—Hamid decided to set up in business for himself, thus robbing the ring of the profits to which they believed themselves entitled. The Master Criminal is unquestionably the most likely suspect.”
“Oh, quite.” Emerson folded his arms. “I suppose you have deduced the identity of this mysterious—one might almost say apocryphal—figure?”
“Hardly apocryphal, Emerson. We can now be certain that more than one evildoer is involved, for Hamid was not the person who entered Ramses’ room last night. He had been dead for several days, probably since the night of the fire.”
“Humph,” said Emerson. “I grant you a gang, Peabody—though that is stretching the evidence. But a Master Criminal?”
“A gang must have a leader, Emerson. Naturally I have given some thought as to who he may be.” I turned over a page of my notebook. “Now pray don’t interrupt me again. This is a complex problem and you will confuse me.”
“I wouldn’t do that for the world,” said Emerson.
“The Master Criminal is obviously not what he seems.”
“Brilliant, Peabody.”
“Please, Emerson. What I mean to say is that he—or she—for one must not denigrate the natural talents of the so-called weaker sex…. Where was I?”
“I have no idea, Peabody.”
“The Master Criminal undoubtedly has another persona. He or she may be in outward appearance the most respectable of individuals. A missionary—a Russian nobleman—a German baroness—an archaeologist….”
“Humph,” said Emerson. “I assure you, Peabody, I am not your Master Criminal. I claim an alibi. You know where I am at night.”
“I never suspected you, Emerson.”
“I am relieved to hear it, Peabody.”
“Let us take the suspects in order. First, Brother Ezekiel. What do we know of him before he appeared at Mazghunah this year? I don’t doubt that the Brothers of the Holy Jerusalem are a legitimate sect, but they seem only too ready to accept plausible scoundrels