Lauren Haney: Place of Darkness

Menna flung a quick glance at Bak, obviously unhappy at having a witness to what amounted to a reprimand, and looked back at Amonked. “As you well know, sir, my men and I have thoroughly examined the cemeteries in western Waset. More than once. We’ve found nothing amiss. I’m beginning to think the tombs that have been robbed are elsewhere. Near Mennufer possibly, where the majority of the jewelry has been found.”

Amonked scowled. “Next you’ll be telling me Nebhepetre Montuhotep buried his loved ones at Buhen.”

Menna flushed. “No, sir.”

“That worthy king was entombed here, as were his successors. You can’t seriously believe his consort or daughter would be set to rest far away from the man who lifted the one above all others and gave the other her life.”

“If a princess, she may have wed a man who took her. .”

Menna must have realized how useless it was to press against an immovable wall. His argument foundered. None too eagerly, he said, “All right, sir. We’ll go over the same ground again. And again and again if we must.”

“So be it.” Amonked turned to Bak. “I wish you to repeat to Lieutenant Menna all you’ve told me about finding these precious objects.”

“Yes, sir,” Bak said, and went on to do so.

When he admitted he had gotten nothing of value from Nenwaf, Menna said, “So you know no more than I do.”

Having made no claim to superior knowledge, Bak was irritated. “Far less, I’d wager. I’ve not known of the rifled tombs as long as you have, Lieutenant, nor have I been in a position to walk through the cemeteries day after day.”

“Would you like to assist me in my task? There are hundreds of tombs in western Waset, and we could use another man.”

The officer’s voice was level, carrying no hint of rancor, but Bak was left with a feeling that the suggestion was barbed. Either Menna was still nettled because he had witnessed his censure or, in spite of Amonked’s warm introduc-tion, Menna saw this newcomer from the southern frontier as unworldly and unaccomplished. One who knew nothing of locating and snaring those who offended the lady Maat, one who could walk by the open mouth of a sunken tomb and fail to notice. Bak resented the notion, not uncommon among officers who had never been posted outside the capital.

Amonked eyed Menna, his face revealing none of his thoughts, a mask Bak had come to know well in Wawat.

“Lieutenant Bak will be spending a great deal of time in western Waset, but he’ll have no time to aid you. I’ve asked him to seek out the source of the many accidents at Djeser Djeseru.”

Menna gave Bak a surprised look, smiled. “I wish you luck. From what I hear, you’ll be tracking most elusive game.”

“I’m not a superstitious man, Lieutenant.”

“I’m not implying you are. I’m merely saying that superstition breeds accidents.”

“Perhaps,” Bak said, refusing to give Menna the satisfaction of argument or agreement. “You made no comment when I mentioned the drawing around the neck of the jar in which the jewelry was hidden, a necklace with a pendant bee. Did it mean nothing to you?”

“Not a thing.”

The response was not one that welcomed a suggestion, but Bak went on anyway. “Do you know of a beekeeper who labels his honey in that manner? He could’ve slipped the jewelry into the jar or, if the jar was reused later, he might know who used it after he did.”

Menna shrugged. “I’ve never seen such a drawing, nor do I know of any man who uses a like symbol.”

“According to the man I snared in Buhen, the sketch was placed on the jar so both he and the recipient would know exactly which container was of special value. Some such 32

Lauren Haney

method of identification would be needed if he and his fellows were simple couriers, as he claimed, with no knowledge of what was hidden inside. Have any inspectors noticed such a drawing?”

He had Menna’s full attention now. “Not to my knowledge, but it’s worthy of discussing with the harbormaster.

I’ll do so today.” He stood up, preparing to leave. “In fact, I’ll speak with him this morning, before I cross the river to western Waset. I appreciate the suggestion, Lieutenant, and I commend you for being so astute.”

Bak watched him hurry away, suspecting that condescen-sion lurked within that final bit of praise. At least Menna had been sufficiently impressed to follow a new course that might bear fruit.

If only their roles were reversed. If only he, Bak, could investigate the tomb robberies and Menna look into the construction accidents. Like the guard officer had said, superstition gave birth to mishaps, and Bak very much feared such was the case at Djeser Djeseru.

Then again, an inordinately large number of accidents had occurred.

“Two senior architects are responsible for the project: Pashed and Montu.” Amonked hastened up the wide causeway, setting a pace few men could maintain for long.

The four porters bearing the carrying chair he had spurned hurried along behind. Bak had spotted them more than once wiping their brows in an exaggerated manner and exchanging glances of mock exhaustion, and not because of the midday heat. They were registering a good-natured acceptance of their master’s refusal to ride. An idiosyncrasy among those who walked the corridors of power.

“Two very different men,” Amonked went on. “Pashed is sensible and reliable, as firm as a rock. Montu is as slippery as the snake you’d find under that rock. Both are equally competent in their tasks, and both should be credited for all you’ll see before you today.”

Surprised, Bak asked, “Is not Senenmut, our sovereign’s favorite, the architect responsible for Djeser Djeseru?” The instant Bak uttered the word “favorite,” he regretted the slip.

It was common usage among ordinary people when speaking of Senenmut, but he doubted it was aired above a whisper by denizens of the royal house. Too disrespectful by far.

Looking amused, Amonked said, “He has overall charge, yes, but the project is large and he has a multitude of other important and time-consuming duties.”

“Thus you’ve been given the task of relieving his burden.”

“So it would seem.”

“I see.” Bak knew he should let the matter drop, but a twinkle in his companion’s eye prompted him to go on. “I’ve heard many times that he alone created the unique design of Djeser Djeseru. Is that not true?”

Amonked’s laugh hinted at cynicism. “The ruined memorial temple of Nebhepetre Montuhotep lies beside that of Maatkare Hatshepsut. You can look down upon it from my cousin’s new structure. After you’ve seen it, I’ll tell you of Senenmut’s initial plan for Djeser Djeseru.”

Bak looked up the long, sloping causeway toward the distant construction site. The broad smooth path allowed materials and equipment to be hauled from a canal at its lower end to the upper reaches of the valley floor, an undulating landscape of golden sand nestled within a natural bay, a curving sweep of high cliffs with tower-like projections of varying height cut from the face by erosion. When building the causeway, sandy mounds and rock protuberances had been leveled and the low ground filled to make the ascent smooth and straight, the grade easy. Later, a small temple would be built at the lower end and the path would be paved and walled. Stone lions with the faces of Maatkare Hatshepsut would line either side of the walkway.

From so low a perspective, he could see only a portion of the temple at the far end of the valley, where the cliff reached its highest point. A lower terrace, divided at the center by a ramp, was partially lined with pale limestone columns. A second, higher terrace had about half the columns in place at either end. The structure was being built along the base of a steep slope of rock fallen from the soaring cliffs that formed a golden brown backdrop. Bak was impressed. The setting could not have been more spectacular-or more befitting a mighty sovereign of the land of Kemet.