‘Mr Ravenscroft, I believe you are with the party that has just had a spot of trouble at Amarna?’ he said.
Eliot looked at him in disbelief.
‘A spot of trouble?’ he repeated sarcastically.
‘I apologise. I chose my words carelessly. “A great deal of trouble” at Tell el-Amarna,’ he revised.
‘Yes,’ said Eliot guardedly. What now? The press?
‘I wonder if we could talk? In private,’ he added as Eliot seemed doubtful.
‘I really don’t feel like talking right now,’ he said. ‘Perhaps tomorrow.’
‘Perhaps I should introduce myself. I am Ahmed Hassan — of the Tourist Police,’ he added, after a slight pause.
Eliot’s interest was at once engaged. This was someone with whom he wanted to talk.
In fact he had been considering that after the much needed whiskey he might contact the police.
They sa
