The Moses Legacy

Chapter 66

It took Goliath somewhat longer to get to the Sphinx than he had expected. Although free to go, discharging himself from hospital had proved to be unusually bureaucratic and at one point he had come close to panic, thinking that the police were going to re-arrest him on some technicality.

He had almost been poised to use force, but he realized that this would merely draw further attention to himself. They had not matched him up to the suspect in the case of the killing of the nurse at the other hospital, but he knew that at any time they might, and he doubted if the senator’s influence could get him off a rap like that.

So he kept his head and stayed cool, paid a little baksheesh and then took the taxi out to Giza.

Now, as he approached the Sphinx, he found himself looking out for the boy. He didn’t really know what to expect other than a young local and there were plenty of those about, offering to sell anything from postcards and tourist trinkets to condoms and private tours.

But there was one, aged about fourteen, who appeared to be doing nothing other than looking around, shielding his eyes from the sun with his hand. In his other hand he was holding a plastic bag which had something small in it. Goliath walked towards him. A look of understanding appeared on the boy’s face.

‘You must be Na’if,’ said Goliath.

‘Yes.’

The boy was looking at him with a mixture of curiosity and trepidation. Goliath sensed that this had less to do with his size than with the bandages.

‘You said your father brought Daniel Klein and the woman to Cairo, is that right?’

‘Yes.’

‘On a…’

‘ Felucca.’

‘That’s a boat, yes?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did they say where they were going in Cairo?’

‘My English not very good. But my father see them again.’

‘Again?’

‘Yes, and they say they want to go to Taba.’

‘To Taba?’

‘Yes.’

‘Did they say why?’

‘I don’t know. But my father help them.’

‘Okay, well, I’ll tell you what, I don’t really need their phone.’

‘But what about baksheesh?’ He sounded quite anxious.

‘Yes, don’t worry. I’ll give you the money. But not here. There are too many people. Is there somewhere private we can go?’

‘The restaurant.’

Goliath was dubious about the restaurant being away from prying eyes, but he nodded anyway. When they arrived, Na’if led Goliath round the back, near the bins. Goliath made a great play of taking out the money – two one-hundred-dollar bills – which he handed over to Na’if.

Na’if accepted the money with watering eyes, put it in his pocket, and then looked at Goliath uncertainly, as if unsure about whether he meant it when he said he didn’t need the phone. At that point, Goliath clamped a large hand over Na’if’s mouth and a headlock on the boy in preparation to either choke him or snap his neck. He opted for the latter, as it would be quicker, and adjusted the position of his forearm accordingly.