An Evil Eye

123

“ Yashim!” Preen put a hand to her mouth. “You look terrible, darling-what happened?”

Yashim shook his head.

“Fevzi Pasha came back,” Yashim said heavily.

“Tell me,” Preen said. “Sit, and explain. I don’t understand-Fevzi Pasha? How can that be?”

“I barely understand it myself,” Yashim admitted. He told her what had happened, and how Palewski and Marta were being held as hostages against the recovery of the girl.

“Kadri?”

“I don’t know. I think he was asleep, upstairs.”

“If he wakes up-if he comes downstairs-”

“Yes, what can I do? Fevzi Ahmet doesn’t like surprises. He’d kill him.”

“What about-the others?”

“I’d trust him to do what he says-or worse. He’d kill them both without blinking.” His shoulders sagged. “Perhaps he already has.”

The door opened and both of them started.

“Kadri!”

Kadri stepped in and closed the door. “I heard you on the stairs, Yashim efendi. I came to find you.”

“How did you-” Yashim began.

Kadri explained how he had climbed down, trying to quell the note of pride in his voice.

“Marta and Palewski efendi-they’re in the cellar.”

“And Fevzi Ahmet has left a man to watch.” Yashim did not repeat what he had said to Preen. “If we make a move-”

He left the idea hanging in the air.

Kadri leaned forward. “I went down there for Palewski efendi’s wine. That was last summer, when the weather was so hot. He said it would give me an education.”

Yashim frowned, and glanced at Preen. The young thought only of themselves-and this was hardly the moment to discuss Kadri’s education.

“When I was living in the mountains there were caves where you could go to get out of the sun. Some of them were very deep, and they were always cool. The best one always had a wind blowing. Like the cellar. I found a funnel in the rocks which took me down to a ledge on the side of the hill. There was a small pool there, and I think the air somehow got sucked up. I don’t know why.”

Reluctantly Yashim gave Kadri his attention. “Why was it like the cellar?”

“There was a hole in the cellar floor, right at the back. I thought it must be a well, but it wasn’t.”

“Why not?”

“Because when I looked in I got hit by a wind. A really cold breeze. Just like that cave-only it was very dark. I meant to go back and have a better look, but I never got the chance.”

“Did Palewski know? Did you tell him?”

“He said we’d have a go at exploring it one day. He said-” Kadri screwed up his face. “He said there must be lots of tunnels under Galata Hill, from the old days. He wouldn’t have been surprised if we found an old road going down to the waterside, that had got built over and forgotten about.”

Preen gave Yashim a warning look. “Even if there was a tunnel, and you could find the opening, you’d have to get into the Tophane arsenal to find it.”

“The arsenal is built on reclaimed ground, Preen,” Yashim said thoughtfully. “If Kadri’s tunnel exists it would have come out at the old waterline. At the bottom of the hill, where the city walls used to be.”

“Long gone, Yashim.”

Yashim shook his head. “That’s what everyone thinks. The towers have gone, and the walls along the Golden Horn aren’t there anymore-” He paused. “I’ll think of a way of getting Fevzi Pasha’s little girl, but first I have to get Marta and Palewski out. Kadri’s given me an idea.”

Kadri jumped to his feet. “Yes, Yashim efendi. Yes. Are you going to explore?”

“No-we are. We may find a use for your special talent, after all. Preen-if the theater could spare some rope?”