Gary Gygax - Dangerous Journeys 2 - Samarkand Solution (13 page)

"How will I explain the sum she'll spend to Racheile?"

"Racheile? I take it that is the other woman, so to speak. No matter. You're an inventive fellow, Inhetep. Can we get back to business perhaps?"

"If you'll stop making jibes about that girl we can," Inhetep growled. "Is there anything I need know before we go to the Temple of Set? I want to examine the scene of the crime."

"No, I think you'll find everything pretty much as it was when I discovered the hem-neter-tepi's body there in the late hours of the past night, sir. I have a dozen men guarding the place, and all of the relevant persons there have been questioned."

That was as he had hoped. "I'll don a tunic and be with you in a brief time. Have more of that food while you wait. I hate to see things wasted."

"Especially when you pay for them, Magister." Tuhorus smiled. "That brings me to the subject of women's apparel—" The slam of the bedroom door cut off anything more the police official might have said, so he contented himself with devouring whatever remained on the serving trays.

A few minutes later, Inhetep came back into the parlor, face and head freshly shaven, and wearing a crisp garment of cotton and linen. "Shall we depart?"

Tuhorus stood up and went to the door. "What of your theory as to the murders, Inhetep? You should share the information, you know."

"I am quite willing to do so—after I have seen Chemres and the scene where he was killed, Tuhorus."

"His death doesn't surprise you? I thought he had to be connected to the killing of the governor."

"Connected is one thing which his demise doesn't rale out. However, my astute fellow, I
am
a trifle disconcerted that he was assassinated in the manner he was—and that all the evidence which he had in his possession is missing! Have you any clues to that?"

The detective looked up into the ur-kheri-heb's green eyes. "Now then, Magister, I too have professional secrets. The evidence found at the temple is all there to examine, accounts of the ones present at the time are recorded, and you can ask those witnesses more questions if you like. You'll draw your own conclusions. When you tell me what you've uncovered, I'll be happy to reveal my own deductions. Fair enough?"

"Fair enough, sir," Inhetep said, but it galled him. "By the by, Tuhorus, are you much of a linguist?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Perhaps it's no matter, but I was just thinking of the word which the steppe nomads use for whirlwind."

The inspector stopped and said, "Well, why? Or what
is
the word for that matter?"

"No matter, as I said. Can't seem to recall it," Setne drawled. Tuhorus now stumped along frowning, and Inhetep felt better. Exchange of information, indeed! As he had hoped, after they arrived, the policeman went off to the temple's great library, probably seeking books on Mongolian language, leaving the magister alone to examine the scene of the crime. The illusion of the original scene cast there by the prefecture's magician was quite good. Some details would be missing, of course, but even under close inspection Inhetep would have believed he was looking at the actual corpse of the high priest had he not known otherwise. The facial expression and dried blood were gruesome. They also told him that Matiseth's body had lain there some time before Tuhorus had discovered it. "An hour or thereabouts," Inhetep murmured as he got up and began to look around the room. There were signs of a disturbance—a broken vase, papers strewn about, and litter which indicated that the victim had undergone the same rigorous sort of dance that the prince governor had before dying. The magister stopped, picked up a lifeless spider whose desiccated body stood starkly against a papyrus background, and then cast a magickal light forth to examine the area. He expected no trace of aural or dweomered evidence, and when the wizard-priest used his powers to search for them, he found none.

"I was attacked, and that failed. So the next steps were to bum the governor's quarters and to eliminate Chemres. The killer also removed the evidence which the high priest was foolish enough to keep here, so he most likely knew about my visit, and he at least feared that I was onto something. That means he had more to go on than a mere conversation with Matiseth, for the hem-neter-tepi didn't even suspect that I had discovered his actual records," Inhetep told Inspector Tuhorus when the man returned a few minutes later. "Even my threat to expose him didn't move the high priest or shake his confidence in the least. Does that mean anything to you, Tuhorus?"

"No, I confess I see nothing significant in that, Inhetep. You have given me certain information I needed, however, and I wonder why you haven't acted sooner to bring in the criminals. That might have prevented the arson in the sepat compound and Matiseth Chemres being assassinated. How long have you known that Ten-gri is both an aerial spirit and a whirlwind?"

Inhetep's posture had been tense, his expression showing a growing puzzlement as Tuhorus spoke, but as the chief inspector came to the last question, the priest-wizard relaxed. "Oh, you refer to
that
bit of information. Why, I've always known that, sir. It's of no great import."

"There I disagree, Magister. I think we have our killers. I'm issuing orders to have Lord Sa-caxes, Vardin, and Tengri Ataman arrested immediately. If they are guilty, Inhetep, you must also be held accountable by your own admission."

The ur-kheri-heb looked at Tuhorus with disbelief. "Nonsense! But I'll not dispute with you. Go ahead and have those three brought in. While you're at it, round up all the others who were in the room when Prince Ram-f-amsu was murdered."

"Why? What on Yarth would that accomplish, Inhetep?"

"Let's just say I think you're overlooking something. Do it to humor me, or else because I am requesting it as an utchat-neb. I promise that you'll not be disappointed."

"Very well," the inspector said. "But I think you must now be held as a possible accomplice to Matiseth Chemres' death."

"That charge should not be made for the record, Tuhorus, for it will bring you nothing but embarrassment and discredit. Just mark it in your personal notes—and on a separate page which you can burn. I'll not be going anywhere, so you can always file it later if you deem it necessary."

Matiseth Chemres' murder was nearly as serious a matter as that of the governor, and Inspector Tuhorus seemed reluctant to do as the magister suggested. "That violates all rules, Inhetep. What if you choose to use your heka to disappear?"

"I might do that at this moment if I so opted, dear fellow. What use is an official report in that regard?"

"Very well," Tuhorus agreed reluctantly. "Shall we go to the prefecture?"

Magister Inhetep raised a finger. "In an hour or so, Inspector. Get your warrants out, and by the time everyone is rounded up and brought into your offices there, we'll be on hand for questioning. Meantime, however, there's a little more to do here, and then we can go back to the Reed-fields and have a decent bit to eat with Xonappi."

"This is no time for romantic frivolities, Magister," the police official said sharply.

"Ask yourself this, Tuhorus. What became of the three big tomes which are missing from the dead cleric's shelves? If you can't give me any answer, then I urge you to humor me with respect to the rest."

"The killer carried them out."

"Nobody was seen doing that, and there's not a trace of magickal residue here. Again, my good Inspector, what became of those three big books?"

There was no trace of their being destroyed anywhere in the high priest's apartment. They hadn't turned up anywhere in the temple complex, either. Tuhorus scratched his graying hair, looking quite uncertain. "Do you know where the volumes are, Inhetep?" he challenged.

"Certainly. Now come on. The poor child will be waiting for us and think herself abandoned. Besides, I hope Xonaapi will have some of the money I gave her leftover. . . . What will I say to Rachelle?"

ALL THE WITNESSES ARE GUILTY

Before they returned to the inn, the magister convinced Tuhorus that the girl should accompany them to the prefecture for the next questioning. "At least one of the men knows Xonaapi and is aware that the governor held her captive."

The chief inspector didn't much like that idea. He too, of course, knew which of the suspects had knowledge of the kidnapped girl: "The Cypriot, Pyronos—but what need is there for her to be present when we speak with the others?"

Inhetep was firm, saying, "The girl might be of no significance, or she might be vital. That's the reason we need her there. The reaction from each of them will tell us much, I think."

"Very well, I'll go along with you this time, Magister," the policeman said with evident reluctance as he and Inhetep came to the Reed-fields. Tuhorus wasn't certain what the ur-kheri-heb thought to discover in such a fashion. After all, it seemed to be an open and shut matter.

The exact motive and opportunity had yet to be proven, but the means and the ones responsible for employing them were pretty clear.

Xonaapi was impossible to miss. She was wearing a sea-green dress of silk which was very fashionable, with matching gold collar sandals patterned after the fashion of ancient /Egypt. The gown was more demure at the bodice than many seen on the avenues, but revealing at the leg with a long, gold-trimmed slit. With a face and figure such as hers, Xonaapi was noticeable and noticed. A half-dozen men were hovering around her when Inhetep and Tuhorus entered the inn's salon where she waited for them, enjoying light wine and attentive company in the meantime.

"Our apologies for keeping you waiting, my lady," the priest-wizard murmured as he and Tuhorus sat down at her table. "I am delighted to see that you made such marvelous use of your time shopping!"

The hovering cadre of salon scarabs scattered in disappointment, but the girl seemed not to notice. "I only got here a little while ago, and there were lots of people to talk to while I waited. Please don't feel guilty, Setne Inhetep. I'm happy you and Chief Inspector Tuhorus had time to do all the things policemen do!" She smiled disarmingly at both men. Her words dispelled the last of the lingering lotharios as well, for one mention of police was more than sufficient in that regard. "Do you really like this outfit, Setne?"

"He couldn't be more pleased, I assure you," Tuhorus told her, preempting the magister. "That is a very fashionable outfit, and you do it justice, Xonaapi."

"Wait until you see the other little things I bought."

Inhetep slumped in his seat. "Others?"

"Of course! Why, I had absolutely
nothing,
so I had to get enough for a few days. I bought this dress because it was ready to wear—only a few of the outfits I purchased were not in need of a seamstress. The rest will be delivered here tomorrow, because I asked that they rush the tailoring work. The shopkeepers here are so nice! When I told them that Magister Setne Inhetep and I were staying here at the Reedfields, there wasn't a one who hesitated about charging the cost and having someone work specially on things!"

Tuhorus grinned agreeably, watching Inhetep from the comer of his eye. "A lady must have proper apparel." Then he looked squarely at the ur-kheri-heb. "But I wasn't aware that you were so well-known here in On, Magister. . . ."

"Neither was I," Inhetep said in an undertone. "How large a sum will I need to cover your expenditure, Xonaapi?"

Seeing his expression, the girl gave him a reassuring look and patted his arm. "Not more than a few thousand dinars, Setne, and look! There's money left from what you gave me for incidentals."

He took the proffered purse and dumped its contents into his palm. Looking at the handful of copper and silver coins, Inhetep gave a wan smile. "Incidentals . .. Yes. Well, I suppose it has been a long time since I took anyone shopping," he said with a shrug. "Prices must have inflated drastically. I am most pleased you have now acquired a proper wardrobe, Xonaapi," he concluded almost hopefully. "As your rescuer and benefactor, it was my duty to see to that."

"Oh, thank you! Then I can spend tomorrow picking up all the rest of the things I really need—I haven't nearly enough for everyday wear, you know, and what if you take me to a regalia?"

"A beautiful woman such as yourself, Lady Xonaapi, must always look her best," Tuhorus encouraged. "It wouldn't do for you to be seen in inappropriate costume, and what would people think of the magister?"

"Let us see what is being served for dinner this evening," Inhetep said firmly, changing the subject. "Although I seem to have little appetite."

"You should have come shopping with me," the girl said happily. "I am absolutely ravenous."

The meal was large and costly, taking up almost two hours. Because of time, the three took a carriage from the inn to Tuhorus' office in the ugly pile which housed the Metropolitan Prefecture of On. The building stood as one of four around a small, parklike square which served for the city's administrative, judicial, and service bureaus accommodations. Even though there were over a hundred thousand inhabitants to care for, the sepat itself was responsible for everything outside the boundaries of On, and even some of the matters within the community, so the city government was not as large as would have been required for such a place outside /Egypt. Thus, the law enforcement arm, the Metropolitan Prefecture, was smaller than might be expected. River policing, for instance, was in the hands of the royal military, while the governor saw to surrounding law enforcement, taxation, tariff control, and so forth. Of the two hundred people in the prefecture, Inspector Tuhorus was the third in rank, coming after the prefect himself and the vice prefect.