The Exodus Quest

III

Farooq arrived at Peterson's Borg el-Arab site to find the security guards gone, the office deserted. But away to his right he could see a mechanical digger with its lights on, a car parked next to it, two navvies chatting with a burly security guard. He drove over. There was a great mound of earth and fill next to a huge pit in the ground, stone steps leading down into an underground chamber, a generator muttering away at the foot.

'How about that, boss,' said Hosni cheerfully. 'There was something here after all.'

Farooq gave him a look fit to cook a kebab as he got out and strode across. 'What's going on?' he demanded.

'Restricted area,' said the guard. 'SCA jurisdiction.'

'Murder investigation,' snapped back Farooq. 'My jurisdiction.' He pushed his way past the guard, hurried down the steps, anger seething in his heart. The sound of voices led him along a passage to a chamber where Pascal was photographing a mosaic while Mansoor and a young fair-headed woman looked on. 'What the hell is this?' he cried.

'What does it look like?' retorted Augustin.

'How dare you come down here without me? This is a crime scene. I'm in charge! Me! I make the decisions. No one does anything without my-'

'Haven't you caused enough fucking trouble?'

'Who do you think you're talking to?'

'You've made a fugitive of my best friend,' snarled Augustin. 'Sort that out or I'll talk to you any fucking way I choose.'

'Where's Peterson?' demanded Farooq. 'Where's Griffin?' The woman took a step back into the shadows. Farooq whirled on her. 'And who's she?'

'A colleague,' said Augustin. 'From the SCA.'

'Is that right?' asked Farooq, turning on Mansoor. 'She's one of yours?'

'I… ah… that is…'

'She's one of them, isn't she?' exulted Farooq. He turned to Hosni. 'Arrest her. Take her to the station. I don't care what you have to do to her, just make her talk.'

'Don't you dare!' shouted Augustin, stepping in front of her. 'Leave her alone.'

But Farooq drew his gun and levelled it with such intent at Augustin that he moved reluctantly aside. 'Obstructing the police,' he gloated, as Hosni led Claire away. 'Be careful or I'll have you too.'