The Deadly Curse (5 page)

Despite
the
evident
–
and
to
my
mind
,
all
too
real
–
threat
implied
in
this
powerful
curse
,
I
do
believe
that
there
is
a
way
to
remove
the
tomb
objects
in
relative
safety
.
It
is
my
opinion
that
provided
the
relics
are
kept
close
to
each
other
,
then
the
priestly
incantation
will
not
take
effect
:
that
is
,
it
is
not
removal
from
the
tomb
but
separation
of
the
objects
from
each
other
which
might
cause
terrible
danger
.

It
is
not
my
intention
to
reveal
the
meaning
of
the
inscription
to
the
other
members
of
my
expedition
.
Either
they
will
laugh
at
the
warning
and
disobey
it
,
or
they
will
believe
it
and
refuse
to
offer
me
any
further
assistance
.
Instead
I
shall
tell
them
that
the
tablet
is
merely
a
prayer
for
the
dead
,
which
I
will
invent
accordingly
.
None
of
my
fellow
explorers
are
capable
of
translating
the
hieroglyphics
without
a
good
deal
of
study
,
and
I
will
make
sure
that
they
have
no
opportunity
to
do
so
.

Fortunately
the
generous
legacy
I
have
received
from
my
American
relative
will
allow
me
to
charter
a
cargo
vessel
in
which
to
return
the
grave
goods
to
England
together
in
one
hold
.
I
will
put
them
on
public
display
for
a
brief
period
–
to
do
anything
else
would
arouse
too
much
suspicion
–
and
then
keep
the
items
found
within
the
quartz
circle
together
at
my
country
house
in
Dorset
,
where
they
will
be
accessible
for
scholarly
study
by
myself
and
others
.

There
is
of
course
the
possibility
that
the
actions
that
I
have
planned
will
invoke
the
spell
inscribed
on
the
tablet
and
lead
to
my
destruction
.
If
that
is
the
case
,
I
trust
that
as
the
instigator
of
their
removal
I
will
be
the
only
victim
.

When I had finished reading the page from the Egyptologist’s journal, I turned to his daughter. ‘Tell me, Miss Wilton, did your father keep an inventory of the tomb items which he kept securely in Dorset?’

Sarah
frowned. ‘Father
did
keep a record of all the items in the collection: they were listed in a small leather bound notebook, which he kept with him at all times. As you might imagine, I have made a thorough search, but it is nowhere to be found. I’ve come to the conclusion that before he left on his fatal expedition to the Nile Delta he must have given the notebook to Theodore Flinzer for safekeeping.’

I
placed my finger under a line of text in Sir Edward’s journal. ‘It seems clear from this document that your father took the inscription’s warning very seriously. He seems to refer to some personal experience of such matters.’

Sarah
nodded. ‘That is true. It is not something that we ever discussed, but I have heard that in his younger days one of his associates was involved in a terrifying and inexplicable episode inside the Pyramid of Khufu, and that the events made a great impression on my father. However, Mr Harker, now that you have read my father’s document, and seen for yourself the terrible fate of Mr Flinzer, how do you think we should proceed?’

I
thought carefully for a moment. ‘I believe that we should be frank with Inspector Delland, and tell him all we know about the
khopesh
and the inscription that Sir Edward Wilton discovered. After all, we cannot be
sure
that the knowledge of the curse was limited to Sir Edward and his daughter. It is just conceivable that a common – or, should I say, uncommon – criminal might seek to use that knowledge to divert attention from an all too human murder.’

*

My
wife, Sarah and the Professor were in agreement with my proposal, and so, not long after Inspector Delland joined us, we had told him all we knew about the weapon used to decapitate Flinzer, and the inscription discovered by Sir Edward Wilton.

After
hearing our account in silence Delland took a sip of his tea and put down his cup. ‘Firstly, can I thank you for your most helpful identification of the, er,
khopesh
.’ He paused to scribble the word down in his notebook. ‘The unfortunate victim is certainly Flinzer. We already had evidence of a distinguishing mark – a scar – and when we’d reunited the head with the body, both Mrs Flinzer and the valet, Simpkins, were able to swear it was Flinzer’s corpse.’

Mina
helped herself to more cake. ‘Tell me, Inspector, have you yet formed a theory about this dreadful crime? Do you believe that the spirit of Karnos – or his protectors – has returned to take revenge on the art dealer? Or is that too
outré
a conclusion for the Metropolitan Police?

Delland
looked at her shrewdly. ‘It’s an unusual case, Mrs Harker – although I’m aware that you and your husband, and of course the Professor, are not unacquainted with the bizarre and outlandish. In the circumstances I’m happy to share my thoughts on the matter. And of course Miss Wilton is an expert in important aspects of this case, so I’d value her opinion.’

Sarah
nodded in acknowledgement as the detective continued.

‘I
see little reason to suspect that any abnormal powers are at work here. The Professor and Mr Harker have already told me that Flinzer had started selling off the contents of the tomb that he’d inherited from the late Sir Edward Wilton. Nothing illegal about that, but Flinzer was known to us at the Yard as rather a fly cove. We think several stolen paintings have gone through his hands, but nothing’s ever been proved. Suppose he’d taken one of his less honest colleagues into his strongroom, perhaps to agree a price for the relics, and there’d been a falling-out between them. His companion could have picked up the weapon and used it on Flinzer.’

I
held up my hand. ‘If I may interject, Inspector, why would this theoretical assailant then haul the corpse all the way back to the bedroom, and leave its head in the strongroom? Why not just make a run for it there and then?’

‘Well
sir, as I see it there are several possibilities. I think it most likely that the murderer
did
remove the body and intend to return for the head, perhaps in an attempt to separate the crime from any association with the strongroom, and hence the world of art dealers. Then something disturbed him – a real or imagined noise, perhaps – and he had to leave the head where it was.’

‘What
about the bloodstains?’ Van Helsing said. ‘There was a large amount of blood on the bedroom carpet, and very little around the head in the strongroom. Surely if the murder had occurred in the way you suggest, the opposite would be the case.’

‘That’s
a good point, Professor,’ Delland replied. ‘But supposing the assailant had
cleaned
up
the blood in the strongroom, in order to conceal the true location of the crime – that is, before he knew that the head would be left behind to give the game away? I agree that my theory is not ideal, but then I’ve hardly started my investigation.’

At
that point there was a knock on the drawing room door and Van Helsing’s housekeeper entered, closely followed by a police constable. I recognised the officer as one of the two who had been on duty at Flinzer’s house earlier in the day.

‘Beg
pardon, sir, but I thought I should show Constable Jeffries up right away. Says he has something urgent for the inspector.’

‘Thank
you, Hilda, you may leave us,’ Van Helsing said. ‘Inspector Delland, do you wish to speak to your man in private?’

The
detective demurred, and PC Jeffries soon explained the purpose of his visit. Less than an hour ago a telegram had arrived addressed to Mr Theodore Flinzer. Jeffries, on duty with his colleague, had decided on his own initiative to bring it straight to his superior, who he knew to be taking tea with us.

‘You’ve
done well Jeffries. Wait in the hall for me – we’ll go back to Islington together.’

Delland
swiftly scanned the telegram, then passed it to each of us in turn.

To
Mr
Theodore
Flinzer
:
from
Dr
Harold
Levin
,
Curator
,
Edinburgh
Museum
of
Ethnography
:
Monday
November
9th
1897
.

‘Sent today,’ I thought. As I read it, I was gripped by a sense of foreboding.

Returned
to
Edinburgh
yesterday
after
short
absence
.
Discovered
wooden
crate
marked
as
containing
sickle
sword
had
been
delivered
Friday
November
5th
.
Broke
seal
to
find
crate
empty
.
Please
check
that
it
was
sent
to
me
as
we
arranged
.
If
so
I
will
report
the
disappearance
as
theft
.