Elene thought: It’s all my fault. Gaafar went out. Wolff spoke to Elene in rapid Arabic. “Keep the boy quiet for a minute.” Be continued writing. EIene looked at Billy’s satchel, and had the glimmer of an idea. “Show me your schoolbooks,” she said. Billy looked at her as if she were crazy. “Come on,” she said. The satchel was open, and an atlas stuck out. She reached for it. “What are you doing in geograpby?” “The Norwegian fjords.” Elene saw Wolff finish writing and put the sheet of paper in an envelope. He licked the flap, sealed the envelope, and put it in his pocket. “Let’s find Norway,” Elene said. She Ripped the pages of the atlas. Wolff picked up the telephone and dialed. He looked at Elene, then looked away, out of the window. Elene found the map of Egypt. Billy said: “But that’s–2′ Quickly, Elene touched his lips with her finger. He stopped speaking and frowned at her. She thought: Please, little boy, be quiet and leave this to Me. She said: “Scandinavia, yes, but Norway is in Scandinavia, look.” She unwrapped the handkerchief from around her hand. Billy stared at the cut. With her fingernail Elene opened the cut and made it bleed again. Billy turned white. He seemed about to speak, so Elene touched his lips and shook her head with a pleading look. Elene was sure Wolff was going to Assyut. It was a likely guess, and Wolff had said he was afraid Vandam would correctly guess their destination. As she thought this, she heard Wolff say into the phone: “Hello? Give me the time of the train to Assyut.” I was rightl she thought. She dipped her finger in the blood from her hand. With three strokes, she drew an arrow in blood on the map of Egypt, with the point of the arrow on the town of Assyut, three hundred miles south of Cairo. She closed the atlas. She used her handkerchief to smear blood on the cover of the book, then pushed the book behind her. 288 Ken Follett
Wolff said: “Yes-and what time does it arriveT’ Elene said: “But why are there fjords in Norway and not in Egypt?” Billy seemed dumbstruck. He was staring at her band. She bad to make him snap out of it before he gave her away. She said: “Listen, did you ever read an Agatha Christie story called The Clue of the Bloodstained A tlasT’ ‘No, there’s no such-” ‘It’s very clever, the way the detective is able to figure everything out on the basis of that one clue.” He frowned at her, but instead of the frown of the utterly amazed, it was the frown of one who is working something out. Wolff put down the phone and stood up. “Let’s go,” he said. “You don’t want to be late for school, Billy.” He went to the door and opened it. Billy picked up his satchel and went out. Elene stood up, dreading that Wolff would spot the atlas. “Come on,” he said impatiently. She went through the door and be followed her. Billy was on the porch already. There was a little pile of letters on a kidney-shaped table in the hall. Elene saw Wolff drop his envelope on top of the pile. They went out through the front door. Wolff asked Elene: “Can you drive?” “Yes,” she answered, then cursed herself for thinking slowly-she should have said no. “You two get in the front,” Wolff instructed. He got in the back. As she pulled away, Elene saw Wolff lean forward. He said: “See this?” She looked down. He was showing the knife to Billy. “Yes,” Billy said in an unsteady voice. Wolff said: “If you make trouble, I’ll cut your head off.” Billy began to cry. 25
“Stand to attention!” Jakes barked in his sergeant major’s voice. Kemel stood to attention. The interrogation room was bare but for a table. Vandam. followed Jakes. in, carrying a chair in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. He sat down. Vandam. said: “Where is Alex Wolff?” “I don’t know,” said Kemel, relaxing slightly. “Attention!” Jakes yelled. “Stand straight, boyl” Kemcl came to attention again. Vandam sipped his tea. It was part of the act, a way of saying that he had all the time in the world and was not very concerned about anything, whereas the prisoner was in real trouble. It was the reverse of the truth. He said: “Last night you received a call from the officer on surveiflance at houseboat Jihan.” Jakes shouted: “Answer the majorl” “Yes,” Kemel said. “What did he say to you?” “He said that Major Vandam had come to the towpath and sent him to summon assistance.” “Sir!” said Jakes. “To summon assistance, sirl” “To summon assistance, sir.” Vandam said: “And what did you do?” “I went personally to the towpath to investigate, sir.” “And then?” “I was struck on the head and knocked unconscious. When I recovered I was bound hand and foot. It took me several 289 290 Ken Follett