some matter of mutual interest, and Daniel had no desire to seem rude to anyone, let alone a fellow academic.
There was some movement at the other end and then a man’s voice came down the line.
‘This is Akil Mansoor. The reason I’m calling you is that we have found something out here that may be of interest to you and we’d like to fly you out here to take a look at it. It will all be at our expense of course, and first class, naturally.’
Daniel smiled at the attempt to bribe him with first-class travel. But he was intrigued and wanted to know more.
‘Can you give me some idea of what this is about?’
‘I would prefer to tell you when you get here. But I can promise you that it will be of considerable interest to you.’
Daniel felt awkward. ‘The problem is I have several lectures to give here and I also promised my nieces that I’d take them to Stonehenge as their birthday treat.’
‘It needn’t be a long visit. Possibly even just a day or two. We would be ready to reward you handsomely.’
‘It’s not a matter of money. It’s a matter of time. I mean, I can come, it’s just that it would be a lot easier if it were in a couple of weeks’ time.’
‘Unfortunately, time is of the essence. Besides, I think this is something you’d really be excited about if you saw it. I’d rather not say what it is over the phone, but I can tell you that it appears to be an artefact of considerable interest to Jewish history.’
Daniel sensed the excitement in Mansoor’s tone and he knew that this was a man who wouldn’t take no for an answer. The words could have been hyperbole, but the fact that a man of Mansoor’s position and prestige had called him out of the blue and extended such an invitation was telling in the extreme. And the invitation also had the imprimatur of Gaby behind it. That was the tie-breaker.
‘Okay,’ he said, intrigued.
Chapter 6
Akil Mansoor had been true to his word about providing first-class service to bring Daniel over to Egypt. As an internationally acclaimed scholar, Daniel was accustomed to flying. But he wasn’t used to changing his plans at short notice.
So now, Daniel was trying to relax in the First Class lounge of Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport. Bedazzled by its gold leaf adornments, he considered trying the aromatherapy treatment or shiatsu massage in the travel spa. But there wasn’t going to be enough time before boarding. His normal remedy for stress was a single glass of wine taken slowly and savoured, but he didn’t like drinking before a flight, so he stuck to mango juice.
The boarding call came quite soon after that. He followed the other priority passengers feeling somewhat calmer than he had been when he first arrived at the airport.
He didn’t know why now of all times, he should think of his ex-wife Charlotte. Perhaps because travelling by air reminded him of their near-constant travel between the two worlds of New York and London, bringing back a flood of memories and endless speculations about maybes and might-have-beens.
Once airborne, he decided that he wasn’t really interested in the in-flight entertainment. He always found it hard to follow the plotline of a movie on an aeroplane, but the one thing he could always do on a flight was read. So he took out his widescreen smartphone and carried on reading a legal thriller that he had started a few days ago, set in California but written by his favourite British author.
‘Is that the new one?’ asked the huge, muscular man in the seat next to him. He had piercing eyes that looked at Daniel in a way that was neither hostile nor friendly, but was certainly unwavering. He was going bald, but did not look more than about forty.
‘What, the book?’ asked Daniel, seeking to clarify the man’s question.
‘The reader.’
‘Er, yes,’ said Daniel, hoping to get back to the novel. ‘It’s like a smartphone, only better.’
‘Is it any good?’
‘I’ve only had it a couple of weeks. But it seems okay so far. It’s one of the new 3G ones. You can order the books direct to the reader in over a hundred countries.’
‘I was thinking of getting one myself. Not that I read much of the commercial trash that they’re spewing out these days. I’m more into academic books.’
Daniel wasn’t really interested in prolonging the conversation, but it would have been rude to seem too aloof. ‘What’s your field?’
‘Oh, I don’t really have a field as such. A jack of all trades but a master of none. I’m what would have been called a dilettante in the old days. Anything from the anthropology of the Balinese to Egyptology and ancient hieroglyphics. That’s why I’m off to Egypt, you know. A spot of amateur research. Not for any academic purpose, you understand. Just for fun. A cruise down the Nile, a visit to the Valley of the Kings and all that. I inherited a spot of money from my late aunt and that rather lets me indulge my passion. What about you?’
‘I’m a professor of ancient Semitic languages.’
‘Oh gosh, now I feel awfully embarrassed. Here I am, an enthusiastic amateur and you’re one of the intellectual giants of our time. You must seriously look down on people like me. A little learning is a dangerous thing and all that. The name’s Carter, Wally Carter. Pleased to meet such an eminent scholar.’
Daniel smiled. ‘Daniel Klein. And there’s nothing wrong with being an enthusiastic amateur.’
‘Could I have a look at that phone? Like I said, I’m thinking of getting one.’
Daniel hesitated a moment and then, realizing that this man could hardly run off with it, handed it over. The man appeared to press a few buttons and Daniel was about to say something when the man handed it back.
‘It looks pretty good. How’s the battery life?’
‘Reasonable.’
‘Listen, I know this is very cheeky but do you think I might take your number? I’d love to keep in touch.’
Daniel wasn’t keen but obliged, not wanting to be rude.
‘Well, I should stop bothering you and let you get back to your book.’
Daniel smiled with relief as he took his phone back and turned away. What he didn’t know was that with a few swift movements, the big man had downloaded an application that would enable him to track the phone – and Daniel with it.
Chapter 7
Joel awoke in the men’s communal tent, sweating heavily. He knew that at this time of year even the nights could get hot, but not like this. He was sweltering and itching.
What was it?
His arms, his legs, his torso. He hadn’t felt like this since he had chickenpox as a child. Except that this time it wasn’t just a scratching itch, it was a burning sensation.
He tried to look at his arm, to see what was causing the itch, but it was too dark.
