and held it there.
He pulled his hand free and shook his head. Once more he tried to move away, but she blocked his escape, frowning.
'By the charms of Hathor, another one who likes not women. You have no interest in me, but I know a young man who's as pretty as he is talented, tall one.'
Annoyed, Meren bent and whispered to her, 'I have nothing to pay you, so be off.'
'Ha! Now you speak.' The woman whirled around, clamped her hand on the arm of a Babylonian merchant, and began her entreaties again as if Meren had never existed.
Resuming his search, Meren glanced around the main room of the tavern. There was a round central hearth with a blaze going to keep out the night chill. The air was hazy with smoke and thick with perfume and the odors of beer and wine. Cushions and mats were scattered around the great chamber for the customers, and there was a long table on which had been set tall wine jars and vats of beer. Wealthier clients sat at small tables, but those who wished to avoid expense or revealing light kept to the shadows along the walls. Customers came and went through the front door and up the stairs to rooms on the second level.
Still searching, Meren edged out of the crowd around the dancers and finally saw what he wanted. He went to the serving table, where the attendant handed him a cup of beer. Othrys had an arrangement with Ese, the tavern owner, which afforded his men a share of her hospitality. Meren sought the shadows against the wall opposite the dancers. Walking slowly by clusters of Ese's less illustrious and law-abiding clientele, he reached the corner and lowered himself to a cushion between Abu and Reia.
'I wasn't sure you'd think to come here.'
When they didn't answer, he glanced at them. They were staring at him.
'Lord?' Abu searched his face.
'It's a wig, you fool.'
'Of course, lord, but you look like a-'
'A womanish Greek!' Reia exclaimed.
Meren glared at his charioteer. 'Another word from you, and you'll be the one who's womanish.'
'Sorry, lord.'
'Follow me.'
He left the main room through a guarded door in the back stairwell. It led to a courtyard that had been turned into a garden. Dark and deserted, it afforded a secluded place to talk. Meren found the blackest shadows under a spreading fig tree. Once they were alone, Abu and Reia pleaded for an explanation.
'They hunt you from Nubia to the delta, lord.'
Meren told them all he knew, but when he was finished, it was obvious that he knew too little.
'Someone saw me leave camp, stole my weapons, and used them against the king,' Meren said.
Abu asked, 'One of the war band?'
'I don't think so,' Meren said. 'But anyone can be corrupted if offered something he dearly wants, or if he has a shameful secret. Everyone was celebrating that night. Vigilance was lax and drink plentiful at pharaoh's order. No doubt the guards at pharaoh's tent fell asleep from too much drink and afforded the traitor the opportunity to attack and escape while they were floundering in drunken confusion.'
'And you say Karoya was wounded, so he wasn't with the king,' Abu said.
'Pharaoh was generous and allowed all the men to celebrate at once. I should have objected.'
Reia's soft voice came from a shadow. 'Horemheb should have known better, too.'
'Enough of this,' Meren said. 'I can't remain here much longer. What did you find?'
Abu came closer and lowered his voice. 'The matter is grave, lord, for the plan was quite simple. Not long ago a traveling barber stopped in the village near Baht to ply his trade. Eventually the doorkeeper at Baht went to him, and after this barber trimmed his hair, the doorkeeper says he revealed himself as a secret messenger from you.'
'From me,' Meren repeated. 'Why would I send messages to my doorkeeper through a barber?'
Abu and Reia exchanged glances.
'Forgive me, lord, but there have been times when I've traveled as a wood chopper, a faience maker, even a slave.'
Reia cleared his throat. 'And the Eyes and Ears of Pharaoh is well known for his use of indirection and concealment.'
Meren waved his hand. 'Go on.'
'The barber said that you'd sent a parcel to be hidden at Baht until you came for it and gave the doorkeeper a sealed wooden box.'
'The gold,' Meren said.
'Aye, lord,' said Abu. 'The doorkeeper took the box and put it among dozens of others in the kitchen storage room at Baht.'
'Where it was discovered by the king's men,' Meren said. He leaned against the trunk of the fig tree. 'And the barber has vanished.'
'We think he probably waited long enough to send an unsigned message about the gold to the mayor in Abydos,' Abu replied.
'Have you learned nothing of where this cursed barber went?' Meren asked without much hope.
Reia stirred and said, 'He has truly disappeared, lord. Which means that once his task was finished, he ceased to travel as a barber.'
'Aye,' Abu said. 'I asked the doorkeeper to describe him. Unfortunately, his description is of little use-a man of middle height with a shaved head, of middle years. He had a few scars on his left arm, but other than that, there was little to set him apart from any commoner.'
Meren said nothing and closed his eyes at this latest piece of ill luck.
Abu went on. 'It's fortunate that I continued to question him, for then he began to complain of the barber's lack of skill. The doorkeeper said that he cut hair as if he was trying to do battle with it-grabbing hunks and slicing. His method of shaving was no better, and the doorkeeper swears the man was trying to cut his head off.'
'A man better trained in violence than grooming,' Meren breathed.
'A soldier,' Reia added.
'From Yamen,' Meren muttered.
Abu nodded. 'Or a mercenary.'
'Employed by Dilalu,' Meren said on a sigh. 'By the wrath of Amun, we must find this barber.'
'He's disappeared, lord,' said Abu.
Meren held up his hand. 'What of this new steward of mine at the delta estate, Reia?'
'Your sister hired him by letter on the recommendation of a friend, lord. I talked to the steward, who is arrogant beyond his station and a fool. I think he's puffed up by having gained such an influential position with a great one. He assumed you conducted your affairs as did his last master, cheating where you could. He takes credit for obtaining necessary labor for you and faults the priests of Amun for objecting to a slight delay in getting the conscripts.'
'So you're not certain whether the timing of this discovery is purposeful or just ill luck,' Meren said.
'As you say, lord.'
'Who was the friend of my sister who recommended this steward?'
Reia's smile was knowing. 'Prince Hunefer's sister, my lord.'
As if by signal, Meren and Abu cursed at the same time. Slowly Meren sank to the ground, crouching on the backs of his heels. He felt as if the tentacles of some hideous netherworld demon were closing around him, blocking his every escape attempt, squeezing him until his chest collapsed and he strangled.
Finally Meren raised his head and stared at the patterns of light and dark shadow in the courtyard. 'We will never catch these small fish who swim among the millions in the Nile. Like a good spear fisher, we ignore minnows and must stand still and wait for a giant to swim by.'
'But, lord,' Abu said. 'We haven't much time. Pharaoh's troops are searching for you, and eventually-'
