hours to free myself. Then I freed Major Vandam, whereupon he attacked me.” Jakes went close to Kemel. “You’re a bloody lying little bloody wog!” Kemel took a pace back. “Stand forwardl” Jakes shouted. “You’re a lying little wog, what are you?” Kemel said nothing. Vandam said: “Listen, Kemel. As things stand you’re going to be shot for spying. If you tell us all you know, you could get off with a prison sentence. Be sensible. Now, you came to the towpath and knocked me out, didn’t you?” “No, sir.” Vandam sighed. Kemel had his story and he was sticking to it. Even if he knew, or could guess, where Wolff had gone, he would not reveal it while he was pretending innocence. Vandam. said: “What is your wife’s involvement in all this?” Kemel said nothing, but be looked scared. Vandam said: “If you won’t answer my questions, I’ll have to ask her.” Kemel’s lips were pressed together in a hard line. Vandam stood up. “All right, Jakes,” he said. “Bring in the wife on suspicion of spying.” Kemel said: “Typical British justice.” Vandam looked at him. “Where is Wolff?” “I don’t know.” Vandam went out. He waited outside the door for Jakes. When the captain came out, Vandam said: “He’s a policeman, he knows the techniques. He’ll break, but not today.” And Vandarn had to find Wolff today. Jakes asked: “Do you want me to arrest the wife?” “Not yet. Maybe later.” And where was Elene? They walked a few yards to another cell. Vandam said: “is everything ready here?” “Yes.” “Okay.” He opened the door and went in. This room was not so bare. Sonia sat on a hard chair, wearing a coarse gray prison dress. Beside her stood a woman army officer who would have scared Vandam, had he been her prisoner. She was short and stout, with a hard masculine face and short gray hair. There was a cot’in one corner of the cell and a cold-water basin in the other. THE KEY TO REBECCA 291
As Vandam walked in the woman officer said: “Stand up!” Vandarn and Jakes sat down. Vandam said: “Sit down, Sonja.” The woman officer pushed Sonja into the chair. Vandarn studied Sonja for a minute. He had interrogated her once before, and she had been stronger than he. It would be different this time: Elene’s safety was in the balance, and Vandam had few scruples left. He said: “Where is Alex Wolff?” “I don’t know.” “Where is Elene Fontana?” “I don’t know.” “Wolff is a German spy, and you have been helping him.” “Ridiculous.” “You’re in trouble.” She said nothing. Vandarn. watched her face. She was proud, confident, unafraid. Vandam. wondered what, exactly, had happened on the houseboat this morning. Surely, Wolff had gone off without warning Sonja. Did she not feel betrayed? “Wolff betrayed you,” Vandarn said. “Kernel, the policeman, warned Wolff of the danger; but Wolff left you sleeping and went off with another woman. Are you going to protect him after that?” She said nothing. “Wolff kept his radio on your boat. He sent messages to Rommel at midnight. You knew this, so you were an accessory to espionage. You’re going to be shot for spying.” “All Cairo will riotl You wouldn’t darel” “You think so? What do we care if Cairo riots now? The Germans are at the gates-let them put down the rebellion.” “You dare not touch me.” “Where has Wolff gone?” “I don’t know.” “Can you guess?” &’No.” “You’re not being helpful, Sonja. It will make things worse for you.” “You can’t touch me.” “I think I’d better prove to you that I can.” Vandam nodded to the woman officer. 292 Ken Follett
The woman held Sonja still while Jakes tied her to the chair. She struggled for a moment, but it was hopeless. She looked at Vandam, and for the first time there was a hint of fear in her eyes. She said: “What are you doing, you bastards?” ‘ne woman officer took a large pair of scissors from her bag. She lifted a hank of Sonja’s long, thick hair and cut it off. “You can’t do this!” Sonja shrieked. Swiftly, the woman cut Sonja’s hair. As the heavy locks fell away the woman droppee them in Sonja’s lap. Sonja screamed, cursing Vandarr and Jakes and the British in language which Vandarn had never heard from a woman. The woman officer took a smaller pair of scissors and cropped Sonja’s hair close to the scalp. Sonja’s screams subsided into tears. When he could be heard Vandam said- “You see, we don’t care much about legality and justice anymore, nor do we care about Egyptian public opinion. We’ve got our backs to the wall. We may all be killed soon. We’re desperate.” The woman took soap and a shaving brush and lathered Sonja’s head, then began to shave her scalp. Vandam. said: “Wolff was getting information from someone at GHQ. Who?” “You’re evil,” said Sonja. Finally the woman officer took a mirror from her bag and held it in front of Sonja’s face, At first Sonja would not look in the glass, but after a moment she gave in. She gasped when she saw the reflection of her totally bald head. “No,” she said. “It’s not me.” She burst into tears. All the hatred was gone. now: she was completely demoralized. Vandam said softly: “Where was Wolff getting his information?” “From Major Smith,” Sonja replied. Vandam heaved a sigh of relief. She bad broken: thank God. “First name?” he asked. “Sandy Smith.” Vandarn glanced at Jakes. That was the name of the major from M16 who had disappeared-it was as they had feared. “How did he get the information?” THE KEY TO REBECCA 293