cobra.'
Von Schiller raised his panama hat and ran down the steps of the Falcon
with a light, athletic tread, and Nicholas said quietly, 'You wouldn't
think that he is almost seventy.' moves like a man of forty,' Royan
agreed. 'He 'He must dye his hair and eyebrows - see how dark they are.'
'My oath!' Nicholas was startled. 'Look who is here to greet him.'
There was the glint of sunlight on decorations and regimental insignia.
A tall figure in blue uniform detached itself from the welcoming group
and touched the shiny patent-leather brim of his cap in a respectful
salute, before taking von Schiller's hand and shaking it cordially.
'Your erstwhile admirer, General Obeid. No wonder he could not meet us
yesterday. He was much too busy.'
'Look, Nicky,' Royan gasped. She was no longer watching the pair at the
foot of the steps, who were still clasping hands as they chatted with
animation. Her whole attention was focused on the top of the steps of
the Falcon jet, where another, younger, man had appeared. He was
bareheaded, and Nicholas had the impression of sallow skin and dense,
dark, wavy hair.
'Never seen him in my life before. Who is he?' Nicholas asked her.
'Nahoot Guddabi. Duraid's assistant from the museum.
The man who now has his job.'
As Nahoot started down the steps of the Falcon their own aircraft
trundled on down the -tarmac, then swung out on to the main taxi-way and
blocked any further view of the gathering beside the Pegasus jet. Both
of them fell back in their seats and stared at each other for a long
moment.
Nicholas recovered his voice first.
'A witches' sabbath. A convocation of the ugly ones.
We were lucky to witness it. There are no more secrets now. We know very
clearly who the opposition is.'
'Von Schiller is the puppet-master,' she agreed, breathless with anger
and horror. 'But Nahoot Guddabi is his
,Bell hunting dog. Nahoot must be the one- who hired the killers in
Cairo and turned them loose on us. Oh God, Nicky, you it's should have
heard him at the funeral, going on about how much he admired and
respected Duraid. The filthy, murib derous hypocrite!'
They were both silent until the aircraft had taken off and climbed to
cruise altitude, then Royan said quietly, 'Of course, you were right
about Obeid. He is deep in von Schiller's pocket also.'
'He may simply have been acting as the representative of the Ethiopian
government, paying respect to a major foreign concession-holder,
somebody who they hope is going to discover fabulous copper deposits in
their poverty stricken country and make them all rich.'
She shook her head firmly.
'If it was as simple as that, it would be one of the cabinet ministers
meeting him, not the chief of police, No, Obeid has the stink of
treachery on him, just the same as Nahoot.' kIN Seeing her husband's
killers in the flesh had reopened the half-healed wounds of Royan's
grief and mourning.
