Read Missing in Egypt for Free Online Page B

jumped up and chased off after the other man.   That was all he knew and he was the closest to the scene.   But at least it’s something” John added.   “We know the kidnappers took the money, that obviously they didn’t relinquish his brother and that Kareem was alive and well at that point.”
    John talked to the other guards but no-one else remembered seeing Kareem.   One of them confirmed that there was an incident that day but said it was all over by the time he arrived.
    We returned to my hotel and I invited John for a cold drink at the bar.   We talked easily until it was time for him to catch his return flight to Cairo .   He wanted to speak of Australia and what was happening in the political scene.   He said he was very homesick and was hoping his next posting would be back in Australia – preferably in Canberra .   Then all too soon it was time for him to go and he left promising to contact me as soon as he had any news.

5. Kareem’s Disappearance
     
    It was a couple of days later when John Turner rang to say there had been a report to the police in Cairo of a husband and daughter going missing.   The daughter’s description matched that of Ramy’s girlfriend, so John was going to interview the mother himself that morning.   He had asked her to bring in a photo and he said he would ring me as soon as he had spoken with her.
    It was an anxious couple of hours before he called back.   I drank numerous cups of coffee and paced the hotel lobby.   When he rang he confirmed that it was indeed the same woman seen with Ramy.   “Her name is Yasmeen and I asked the mother if she would be willing to talk to you.   She said she would do anything to find her husband and daughter.   Why don’t you get yourself on a flight to Cairo ?”   I didn’t need telling twice.   That afternoon I was back in Cairo , with the photo of Yasmeen and Ramy.   I took a taxi straight to the shop, which was underneath their home.   Mrs Ahmose welcomed me, saying “please, call me Waleed.”   Not very tall and slightly overweight, she was still a very beautiful woman and I thought what a stunner she would have been in her youth.   She wore a pair of beautifully tailored slacks and a very decorative black top with a black peacock picked out in green sequins. Her long fingernails were painted a very dark red which matched her lipstick perfectly and were covered in expensive looking rings. “Come, meet my sons Omar and Pili”.   Two very good looking young men in their early twenties greeted me.   It was obviously not just their sister who had inherited their mother’s good looks.  
    John had already explained my situation to Mrs Ahmose and she was happy to talk to me.   Over a cup of tea I filled her in as best I could on Kareem’s disappearance.   She nodded and then told me about her husband’s disappearance.   “He received a phone call” she explained “saying that Yasmeen was being held captive and that he had to go to the Valley of the Queens to get her back.   He was not supposed to tell anyone, especially not the police.   He only told me because he knew I would worry if he was gone too long and that I would then call the police.   He told me not to tell anyone, not even our boys.”
    “But what did they want in exchange for Yasmeen?” I asked her.   “He didn’t tell me” she replied.   “He just said not to worry, everything would be alright – he would take care of everything.   When they didn’t return the next night, nor the next, I was worried sick.   I told the boys what had happened and they wanted to go up to the Valley of the Queens but I forbade them to.   I said I needed their support here and they should keep the shop running so if anyone was watching us they would not be suspicious.   After a week had passed I went to the police – what else could I do?   For all I know, I will never see either of them again”.   At this she started weeping but I could see