Michael Pearce - The Face in the Cemetery

‘I know of her.’

She was the one who had been found in the cat pit.

‘Apparently she died in suspicious circumstances.’

‘Yes.’

‘We don’t actually know all the details.’

‘I can tell you some of them.’

The man from the Consulate noted them down.

‘It’s a case of informing the family,’ he said. ‘Or, rather, of informing our diplomatic colleagues so that they can inform the family.’

He read through the notes.

‘It’s not very much,’ he said. ‘I think the family will want to know more.’

‘Well, of course, the death is the subject of an investigation.’

‘Ye-e-es.’

He sounded doubtful.

‘The man in charge of the case now is extremely competent.’

‘That’s good. Yes, that will help. Do you happen to know his name?’

He wrote it down.

‘I’ll contact him directly and ask him to keep us informed.’

He hesitated.

‘But, you know …’

‘He really is good, I can assure you.’

‘Yes. Yes, I’m sure.’ He hesitated again. ‘But, you know, these are rather special times, and it would be so easy for things to slip.’

‘He won’t let them slip, believe me.’

‘No, no. Perhaps not.’ He hesitated again and then went on resolutely. ‘But, you know, in normal times one would have the extra guarantee, in the case of non-Egyptian nationals, that the Mamur Zapt was keeping an eye on things.’

‘I’ll keep an eye on things, if you want.’

‘Yes. Thank you.’

He looked down at his notes. He seemed a decent enough man. This kind of thing was trying and it must be particularly difficult when they weren’t even of your own nationality. Owen got up and went to the earthenware jug, covered with a towel, which stood in the window, as in all Cairo offices, and poured him some water. The air coming through the slats of the blinds was supposed to cool the water. He had an uneasy feeling that today the heat was winning. He returned and gave it to the man.

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