You could always go half way. Bring them in so that they share the unpopularity but dont give them enough power to change anything.
Ah yes. Of course, that is the British solution. And very effective, too. But then, what about these guns? These arms of yours? Dont you think theres a danger that if people are disappointed theyre more ready to try extreme solutions? What do you do then?
Conduct arms searches.
I see. Why, Captain Owen, youve persuaded me! I am now convinced that your work was very important. Too important to be interrupted. So, fellow, why did you interrupt him?
The District Chief, who had not altogether followed all this, looked blank.
I was wondering whether hed received a phone call, explained Owen. A phone call to suggest that there were other things more important.
Oh, me, you mean? No. I always start at the top. I get round to the bottom later. As, of course, you see.
I was puzzled, said Owen. The message from the Chief came first. Before the message from Mr McPhee.
The Prince looked at him sharply.
Yes, he said, that is interesting. He slipped off the sill, walked across to the Chief and stood in front of him. That is interesting. Well, he said silkily, did you receive a phone call this morning?
No, said the Chief, no phone calls.
Or any other kind of message? asked Owen. Did someone come to see you, for instance?
No.
The Mamur Zapt will check, warned the Prince. If I were you Id get it right the first time.
No one came. There were no messages, effendi. I swear it.
So why, asked the Prince, did you send for Captain Owen?
I thoughtI thoughtthe Mamur Zapt was nearand
There may be a simple explanation, said Owen. Laziness.
Laziness?
He heard there was someone senior in the neighbourhood and saw it as a golden opportunity to pass on the responsibility.
But isnt there a difficulty here? You said yourself earlier that you are not his superior, not directly. Yes, and that in any case the normal procedure was for the matter to be reported to the Parquet.
These are facts of which I meant to remind him.
I see. Good.
The Prince wheeled away.
Carry on, he said over his shoulder.
Another time. Your Highness, I must apologize. I have been delaying you. You yourself had business, I think, with the District Chief?
Well, yes. Certainly.
Dont let me delay you further. Please carry on.
He walked over to the window and sat on the sill.
Dont mind me, he said encouragingly.
The Prince sat silently for a moment looking at Owen. Then he suddenly smiled.
Touché! he said. However, I dont mind you hearing. He crooked his finger. The Chief came towards him.
The body that was washed up this morning: I am interested in it. If I am interested, other people will be, too. Now. One! He held up his forefinger. If anyone comes round inquiring, I want to know who they are. Two! He held up the second finger. You are to tell them nothing. They may offer you money. If you take it, I shall hear, and you know what to expect, dont you? On the other hand, if you report all to me it may be that I shall give you money. Understand? Three! He clasped the third finger. It may be that you will come across information which you think would interest me. Information about the body, for instance. Not about the girl, I dont need that. Just the body. I am prepared to pay for such information and pay well. Now, have you got all that?
Yes, Your Highness.
Im sure you have. But just to make even surer, I am going to ask you to tell me what the three things are that could make you rich.
He held up his forefinger and looked questioningly at the District Chief.
If people come asking, said the Chief hoarsely.
You are to say nothing. Good. And the second?
I am to tell you who they are.
Excellent! The Prince looked at Owen. The man is well on his way to becoming rich, wouldnt you say?
There are sometimes dangers in trying to get rich too quickly.
Oh, pooh! Dont be a spoilsport. The man wants to get rich. Let him have his dream! Now, fellow, what is the third thing you have to do?
He held up the third finger. The Chief kept his eyes fixed on it.
To bring you information, Your Highness. Information about the body.
Good. The Prince patted him on the back. Good fellow! You have learned your lesson.
Thank you, Your Highness.
He seemed uncertain, however.
Well? said the Prince. What is it?
IIthere is a thing I dont quite understand, Your Highness.
Yes? What is it?
The body, Your Highness. You said you wanted information about the body, Your Highness.
Yes?
The District Chief hesitated, then took the plunge.
What sort of information, Your Highness? I will go and see the body if you wish and describe it to you. In detail, naturally. But
He looked uncomfortably to Owen for support.
No, no, no! said the Prince hastily. Not that sort of thing!
Then?
The body has disappeared, said Owen.
Disappeared?
Gone. From the sandbank where it was apparently found.
Gone? said the District Chief, as if he could not believe his ears. Gone?
Thats right. When I got there it had gone.
Abu? said the Chief faintly. Ibrahim?
We got there together. It had already gone. Ibrahim rather doubted it had been there in the first place.
The Chief unexpectedly went ashen. He bowed his head between his hands.
God! he said. God!
I want to find it, said the Prince. Quickly, and before anyone else does. Got it?
CHAPTER 2
Unusually, there was a meeting on the British side about how to handle it. Garvin was there, Commandant of the Cairo Police and Owens nominal superior; McPhee, Deputy Commandant, earnest, concerned and straightforwardtoo straightforward by half to be a Cairo policeman and far too straightforward for something like this; Paul, an aide-de-camp of the Consul-Generals; and Owen.
The Consul-General usually steered clear of too direct an involvement in Egyptian policing. Garvin reported formally to the Khediveand the Consul-General was punctilious about the forms. He was particularly careful of any involvement with the Mamur Zapt, which was why Owen not only reported formally to the Khedive but was nominally subordinate to Garvin.
It was, therefore, unusual to have a meeting of this sort. But then, as Paul, chairing the meeting on behalf of the Consul-General, made clear, the circumstances were unusual.
Its not every day that an heir to the throne gets involved in something like this.
Is he an heir to the throne?
Its not every day that an heir to the throne gets involved in something like this.
Is he an heir to the throne?
One of many. The Khedive has a number of sons and all of them see themselves as potential heirs.
Where does this one fit in?
He is the son of the Khedives third wife, so not high up in the stakes. On the other hand, his mother is still a favourite of the Khedives, which is often significant. He is able and energetic, which makes him stand out among the Khedives progeny. And front runners in a thing of this sort are unfortunately prone to accidents.
He seemed a bit of a playboy to me, said McPhee.
That car, of course. But look at it another way: as an indication of Narouzs interest in things modern and things Western.
I see.
Yes. I thought you would. The Consul-General, and Al-Lurd before him, see him as a man England could do business with.
Al-Lurd was Lord Cromer, the man who had run Egypt for over twenty years before the present incumbent. If two such people, the one popular with Conservatives, the other a nominee of the new Liberal Government in London, took that view, the Prince had a lot going for him.
It would be unfortunate, said Paul, if he were to be derailed at this point.
There was a little silence.
Is that a directive? asked Owen.
A hint, rather. Call it: putting you in the picture. Alerting you to the position of His Majestys Government.
As strong as that? said Garvin.
I can relax it a bit, provided youve got the general idea. If hes done anything really wicked I dont think HMG would be prepared to go out on a limb on his behalf. There are, after all, other possible candidates. But if its only mildly wicked we would feel it a pity to be too legalistic.
What counts as only mildly wicked?
I dont think Id like to give you a general answer. These things have to be decided in the light of circumstances.
Im not sure I find that very helpful, said Garvin. What exactly is to be our position?
Aloof, said Paul. Aloof, but watching.
Not get too close to it? Well, thats probably sensible.
Should be manageable, said Garvin. After all, its Parquet business really.
Quite. The police will assist the Parquet and work under their direction as usual. But thats at the local level. Theres no need for senior involvement.
I quite agree, said Garvin. No point in that at all.
No fool he.
McPhees involved already, said Owen.
I think he can drop out now.
The Prince thinks hes involved.
The Prince, I believe, has changed his mind.
Since yesterday?
Yes.
I see.
Someone else been making telephone calls?
I think thats very reasonable, said Garvin. McPhees got enough demands on his time already. When all is said and done, this is just a straightforward crime and we wouldnt normally put him on to something like this.
We dont even know it is a crime, Paul pointed out.
No, no, of course not, said Garvin, hurriedly changing tack. Could be just an accident.
Its for the Parquet to decide how it wants to treat it. Crime or accident.
He looked at Owen.
Theyve put Mahmoud on to it, havent they?
Yes.
How will be play it?
Straight.
Mahmouds a good chap, said McPhee.
Mahmouds going to have to take some hard decisions, said Paul.
He finished his coffee.
Which brings me to the final thing we need to discuss. You asked me about the stance we were to adopt. I said aloof. I also said watching.
We wouldnt want it to go wrong, said Garvin.
We couldnt afford for it to go wrong. Weve got to have someone in there.
I thought you said you didnt want any senior involvement?
Overt. No overt involvement at the senior level.
Another little silence.
This is hardly straightforward policing, said Garvin slowly. I would say it was morepolitical.
You said it was straightforward policing a moment ago. When you wanted to shift it to the Parquet.
A straightforward crime. Not straightforward policing. There are other dimensions here. Political ones.
I think Owens the chap, said Paul.
I dont like it.
Who does?
Im not going to get involved in any cover-up.
I dont think Owen should be asked to cover up anything, said McPhee.
Were not asking him to. Not yet, anyway. And I dont think it need come to that, not if its handled in the right way. With a bit of dexterity, I mean. The Press, the politicians, the Prince himself. Mahmoud. The Khedive, too, perhaps.
Its a tall order.
Ive every confidence in the boy, said Paul, watching him.
I still dont like it. Im not going to get involved in any covering up.
I hope it wont be necessary. But this is politics. You know, you policemen are lucky. If you meet a bad guy, you lock him up. If I meet a bad guy I usually have to shake hands with him and do a deal.
Im not shaking hands, said Owen.
Paul smiled.
Youre in politics now, he said, whether you like it or not. And I think youll find youre going to have to take some hard decisions. Like Mahmoud.
And, of course, there was the harem, said the eunuch.
The harem? said Owen, startled.
The Prince always travels with one.
Even to Luxor? asked Mahmoud.
Certainly to Luxor. The Prince has an estate there.
And thats where he had been this time?
Yes.
They were sitting in the cabin of the dahabeeyah. It was a modern one, specially fitted out for the Prince, and had windows. Through the window beside him Owen could see a large rat sunning itself on a mooring rope.
I had gathered the impression that the Prince had intended to be away only for a few days, said Mahmoud.
That is true.
How long did he spend at the estate?
Two days.
Only two days? That is a very short time, especially when you have to travel all that way.
The Prince does not like his estate.
He was principally interested in seeing Luxor, then?
The Prince does not like Luxor, either.
What does he like? asked Owen.
Cannes.
In the old days, before the advent of Mr Cooks steamers, when tourists used to sail down to Luxor by dahabeeyah, the port had been full of the old-fashioned, native sailing craft. The tourist would come and choose one. It would then be towed across the river and sunktemporarily. This was to get rid of the rats. The trick was, though, to sail away immediately that dahabeeyah had been raised. Otherwise it would be reinfestedalong the ropesat once.
What, then, was the purpose of his visit? asked Mahmoud.
The eunuch shrugged.
I wouldnt have thought the Prince was one to wish to spend a week admiring the beauties of the river bank.