The Winter Thief

33

The normally placid Doctor Moreno was flushed with anger. “Of course, we’re leaving. You can’t possibly think we had anything to do with these murders.”

“As a man of science,” the director said, “you must admit it’s unlikely to be a coincidence that right after you arrive, the man who let you in and the man you mistook for Huseyin Pasha are both dead. We wait for the police.”

“Has it occurred to you, Director, that we might also be targets?” Feride pointed out. “Keeping us here puts us in danger as well. Whoever did this apparently wanted to kill”-her voice broke-“a man he believed, or thought I believed, was my husband.”

“I’m sorry, hanoum,” the director said in a conciliatory voice. “Of course, I understand that.” He peered at her. “Do you know why someone would want to kill your husband, especially as he is already incapacitated?”

Feride heard the slight pause before the word and knew the director thought that Huseyin was either dead or as good as dead.

“Ask the orderly who was on duty in the room,” Elif suggested in a boyish voice.

It was the first time she had spoken to the director, and he looked at her curiously. “Excellent idea, monsieur,” he told Elif, then called his assistant and told him to find the orderly.

“He’s the only one who could have seen me at the man’s bed,” Feride added, suddenly afraid.

After a few moments, word came that the orderly was missing.

Feride went to warn Vali and Nissim, who were keeping watch across the courtyard.

“Someone followed us here? Through that fog?” Nissim was incredulous.

“They could have gotten the location the same way we did,” Vali noted, “from the orderly at Eyüp hospital. He’d sell his mother for a kurush.”

“Who are these people?” Feride asked, near tears. “What should we do?”

“Not wait for the police.” Nissim turned to Vali. “Is there a carriage?”

Vali disappeared for a few moments, then returned and shook his head no. “We’ll have to walk.”

“We should go now,” Nissim urged.

Feride went to fetch Elif and Doctor Moreno, who was still arguing with the director.

“If you don’t remain,” he was saying, “you will place yourself under suspicion.”

“I doubt that.” Struggling to keep her voice steady, Feride said in as haughty a voice as she could muster, “I am the wife of Huseyin Bey, and Doctor Moreno is employed at the palace. We are easily found, and should the police wish to speak with us, I’m sure we would be happy to accommodate them. Isn’t that so, Doctor? My brother is the magistrate of Beyoglu, and naturally I would like to consult with him before I answer any questions.”

“It wouldn’t do, sir, for a lady to be interrogated like a criminal,” Doctor Moreno added. “Surely you see that.”

When the director nodded uncertainly, Feride indicated to the others to follow her. Nissim was waiting by the gate. They heard a carriage clattering toward them at great speed.

Nissim stepped off the road into a vineyard. “Hurry.”

Doctor Moreno and Elif took Feride’s arms and pulled her into the shadows just as the carriage rounded the corner into the square.