The Moses Legacy

Chapter 69

Daniel wondered if he should ask for a lawyer, but he decided not to push his luck. It wasn’t clear if this Dov Shamir was a policeman, an immigration official or something else entirely. He suspected that ‘something else entirely’ was probably the most accurate guess. So instead he nodded meekly, giving Shamir the go ahead to start the interrogation.

‘We know that you were called in to assist Akil Mansoor of the Egyptian Antiquities Authority translate some stone fragments which he believes may be the original tablets of stone from the Bible that Moses smashed.’

Daniel considered correcting Shamir as to the name of the organization that Mansoor headed. However, it would be too pedantic and would not endear him to his interrogator.

‘I can confirm that.’

‘We also know that you were called in on the recommendation of Gabrielle Gusack, a student of Mansoor’s and whose uncle was your professor when you did your PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies.

‘Yes,’ said Daniel. ‘Or the School of Anti-Semitism as we sometimes call it.’

‘I know. I studied there too. But I presume you’re referring to certain sections of the student body, not the school itself.’

‘Absolutely.’

‘And after examining the stone fragments, you went on a tour with Mansoor, visiting various ancient sites in Egypt.’

‘Yes.’

‘Could you tell me which sites you visited?’

Daniel went through the sites, from memory, stumbling a couple of times.

‘Now tell me about the incident at the Tomb of Ay – the one in the western Valley of the Kings. And don’t just tell me about the incident itself, I want to know what happened after that – right up to you getting picked up by the patrol boat.’

Daniel recounted the story as best he could: from being locked in, the attempts to call for help, the escape, the shooting incident with the police, the message on Mansoor’s phone, the journeys to Cairo and Taba and the dramatic escape from Egypt by powerboat. The only thing he left out was what they had found in Mansoor’s office and his intention to visit the Samaritans.

Dov Shamir sat there in silence, looking at him. Daniel wasn’t sure what to make of this and wondered whether Shamir didn’t believe him. Perhaps he’s just trying to give me time to remember more details.

Eventually, Shamir spoke. ‘Who do you think locked you in?’

‘I don’t know.’

‘I never said you knew. I asked you who you think locked you in.’

‘I can’t think… I mean, I can’t imagine who would want to.’

‘You’re not in the least bit curious? Someone tries to kill you and you’re not curious as to who that might be… or why?’

‘I haven’t really had time to think about it, to be honest.’

‘No? It took you six days on the felucca to get to Cairo and four days to get from Cairo to Taba by camel. That’s ten days since you were locked in the tomb. And you mean to say that in all that time you haven’t thought about who locked you there?’

Daniel was unsure whether to reveal his speculations about the plague or Harrison’s cryptic statement that might support those suspicions. At this stage, he didn’t know whether to trust Shamir or not. So he took a more cautious line.

‘The only thing I could come up with was that someone wanted to stop me from translating the various documents in Proto-Sinaitic script that Mansoor and the Egyptians have accumulated.’

‘But you have no idea who that might be?’

‘Well, quite frankly, I think even that theory is too silly for words. I mean, who would want to suppress such knowledge? A rival academic who’s working on it but hasn’t got enough to publish yet? Some religious nutter who thinks that we shouldn’t tamper with the past, but simply accept the scriptures?’

‘I notice that you haven’t asked about what happened to Akil Mansoor.’

‘We heard on the radio that he was recovering in hospital. Has there been any development since then?’

‘Yes. He has since made a full recovery.’

Daniel breathed a sigh of relief. ‘And what about that hysteria about me and Gabrielle carrying some disease? I notice that you haven’t put us in quarantine.’

Shamir smiled. ‘We’ve established that this health scare was a bit of a misunderstanding.’

Daniel was dubious about this. Mansoor had said there was an outbreak of disease at the dig site. Could it have been food poisoning after all? Was the quarantine just a panic response? An unnecessary precaution? If so, what about the curator at the British Museum?

‘It was a misunderstanding that very nearly got me and Gaby killed.’

‘I know. But then again your somewhat unconventional solution to the problem also very nearly got you and Professor Gusack killed.’

‘So do we know what our legal status in Egypt is?’

Shamir pursed his lips and thought for a moment.

‘You’re still technically in breach of Egyptian law because of the manner of your departure. But then again you’re not the first Jew to flee from Egypt with the army in hot pursuit.’

They couldn’t help but exchange a smile at that one.

‘What about Israeli law?’ Daniel asked with some trepidation. ‘Are we in any trouble over our somewhat unorthodox method of entry?’

‘Under ordinary circumstances you would be. But I have some discretion in this matter and we have no intention of prosecuting you… or deporting you.’

In the silence that followed, Daniel realized that Shamir was being helpful and he decided to reciprocate. ‘There was another matter… I mean, it may very well be related.’

‘Yes?’

Daniel explained about his brief return trip to England with Gabrielle and the murder of Harrison Carmichael. Shamir smiled as he spoke, as if he were way ahead of Daniel.

‘And you think that the murderer may have been the same person who locked you in the tomb?’

‘It’s possible.’

Shamir waited a moment before speaking. ‘I can tell you that the man who locked you in is the same man who killed Harrison Carmichael. But that is all I can tell you.’

Daniel leaned forward keenly. ‘Who is he?’

Shamir’s smile disappeared. ‘What part of “that is all I can tell you” didn’t you understand?’

‘I’m sorry,’ said Daniel, realizing that he was lucky that Shamir had told him anything at all. ‘But there’s more to it than that. Technically I’m still a suspect in the murder of Harrison… and because I jumped bail, there’s now a warrant out for my arrest.’

‘I understand. But perhaps it’s better if you leave it to the professionals. We’ll liaise with the British authorities and make them aware of your innocence. But leave us to deal with the man who killed your mentor. We’re a lot better placed to catch him than you are.’

Daniel realized from these words that the man who had killed Harrison – the man who had locked him and Gaby in the tomb – was still out there. But he wanted to know where he stood.

‘So about that problem with the Egyptian authorities… I was thinking, not so much about myself… but Gaby… Professor Gusack… is an Egyptologist. It’s her career… her profession…’

Shamir held up his hand to stop Daniel. ‘Leave it with me. We’ll work something out. In the meantime, you’ll both be given three-month tourist visas to stay here. And you’re welcome to use that time to pursue your research here.’

‘Thank you. Oh, there is something else that you might be able to help me with. I was wondering if you could get me an introduction to the high priest of the Samaritans.’

Shamir thought for a moment. ‘I may be able to go one better than that. I can try and wangle you an invitation to the Samaritan Passover celebrations.’

Daniel was confused. ‘But the seider was three weeks ago.’

‘It’s at a different time to the Jewish seider this year, because of different leap years. The Samaritan seider is on the twenty-eighth.’

That was in nine days’ time. ‘And you can get me an invitation? For me and Gaby?’

‘I have proteksia,’ said Dov with a smile, using the Israeli slang for connections with people on the inside.