The Janissary Tree

[ 102 ]

I saw you arrive,” Murad Eslek explained. He’d recognised Yashim immediately, and rushed to greet him before he disappeared into the crowd. Now that the day had broken there were plenty of people milling past the stalls, filling their baskets with fresh produce. “I’ve been looking about, like you said. Nothing unusual. A few performers I don’t know, that’s about it. Quiet, everything normal.”

“The tower?”

“Yep, I checked it out. The door you told me about, it’s still on the chain. I’ve been up there for an hour.”

“Hmmm. There’s another door, though, from the other side. On a lower floor. I’d better take a look. You stay here and keep your eyes open, but if I’m not back in half an hour, bring some of your lads and come after me.”

“Like that, is it? Half a minute, I’ll get someone to go with you now.”

“Yes,” Yashim said. “Why not?”

It took them only a few minutes to reach the parapet. The porter Eslek had found stamped along incuriously behind Yashim, but he was glad of his presence: the memory of the dark stairs leading down to that clean chamber still made him shiver. He unlooped the chain and once more set his shoulder to the door.

The porter protested.

“I think we didn’t ought to go in there. It’s not allowed.”

“I’m allowed,” Yashim said shortly. “And you’re with me. Come on.”

It was darker this time, but Yashim knew where to go. At the head of the steps he put his finger to his lips and led the way down. The tekke was just as he’d left it the day before. He tried the door: it was still locked. The porter stood nervously at the foot of the stairs, looking round in surprise. Yashim went over to the chest and raised the lid. Same collection of plates and glasses. Still no cadet.

Yashim straightened up.

“Come on, we’ll go back now,” he said.

The porter needed no second bidding.