“I mean, I wasn’t astounded or anything like that.”

“How honest do you think he is?”

“I never noticed anything about him that would suggest dishonesty.”

“Where did you go from the time you left until your return?”

“Walking about, here and there.”

“No job, of course. That’s clearly stated on your identity card. But also no friends?”

“I have no one here in Cairo.”

“Yesterday. When did you leave the hotel?”

“Around ten in the morning.”

“When did you return?”

“At midnight.”

“You didn’t return at any time during the day?”

“No.”

“Is that your usual habit?”

How did you change your regular pattern yesterday? Why?

“I’ve done it maybe once or twice.”

“Nobody here recalls that.”

“But I do!” he said indignantly.

“Once or twice, you say?”

“Probably twice.”

“And how do you spend your day, then?”

“Walking around. I’m a stranger here, and everywhere I go is new to me.”

“What did you find upon your return?”

“I saw the doorman, Mohamed el-Sawi, here, and the porter, Seriakous, in front of the door of my room.”

“What was he doing?”

“He asked me if I needed anything.”

“Did you meet any of the other residents?”

“No.”

“What did you do yesterday from ten in the morning until midnight?”

“I walked until lunchtime.”

“Where did you have your lunch?”

“I had a sandwich at the grocer’s on Clot Bey Street.”

“Strange for someone of your means.”

His hatred for this officer grew intensely. “I came across this grocer when I first arrived. You might say I became attached to him.”

“Then what did you do?”

“I walked along the Nile.”

“In this weather?”

“I’m from Alexandria, remember,” he said, laughing, trying to conceal his fear and anger.

“Then what?”

The café? No. He must not drag Elham into all this. In Alexandria I saw the film showing at the Metro Cinema here. “I went to the Metro Cinema,” he said quickly.

“When?”

“At six o’clock.”

“Which film was showing?”

“On Top of the Clouds.”

“And after nine, what did you do?”

“I walked around as usual. I also took the Heliopolis bus to the end of the line. Just to kill time.” Kill! What a choice of words.

“Where did you have dinner?”

Be careful! “At the cinema. I had a sandwich and some chocolate.”

“Did you meet anyone?”

“No.”

“You know no one here?”

“No one.” He paused a while, then added: “I contacted the advertising manager of the Sphinx newspaper. Purely business, you know.” Was that a mistake? Could it implicate Elham?

“Why did you come from Alexandria to Cairo?”

“A visit. Tourist, you might say.”

“But this hotel is not appropriate for a tourist of your means.”

“It’s very economical.”

“Do you really possess private means?”

“Yes, of course.”

“Tourism, is that the real purpose of your visit?”