“Then she is dishonest?”

“Unfortunately…Yes…”

“Did you know this before your friend’s death?”

“Yes. But I cared for his peace of mind more than the truth.”

“Did you give your opinion in the investigation?”

“Of course.”

“You mentioned the relationship between her and Aly Seriakous?”

“Aly Seriakous…I’m not thinking of him.”

Was this the trap? And had he fallen for it? “We were talking about him.”

“Yes, but then we talked about her.”

“As the other party.”

“No. There is another man.”

Can her fires consume more than one man? Of course they can! It is known as hell!

“Another man?”

“Her previous husband.”

“The man who sold her,” said Saber breathlessly.

“It was merely a business deal.”

“But how do you know all this?”

“I saw him several times at her mother’s house when I was there.”

Hell’s gates were opened wide. “And you didn’t mention it to anyone?”

“It would have killed my master to know.”

“He was killed in spite of it.”

“Yes, and that’s the tragedy.”

“Why did he allow those visits?”

“His age destroyed his ability to doubt.”

“You also mentioned this during the investigation?”

“I did.”

“Did they question the other man?”

“He was not in Cairo on the night of the murder.”

“That doesn’t preclude that he planned it.”

“Yes, that’s true. But they let him go.”

“Why?”

“They have their reasons, I suppose.”

“They must have used the servant with incredible cunning.”

“Or some other idiot like him.”

Saber swallowed hard. “Maybe these are all groundless doubts.”

“Perhaps,” said Sawi, noncommittally.

“But you said that you’re sure.”

“Maybe I used the wrong expression.”

“Well, we’re back where we started.”

The old man shook his head gravely. “My heart tells me that my doubts are well founded.”

“But there might not be any connection between her adultery and the crime.”

“That’s possible. Otherwise they wouldn’t have let them go.”

“In any case, Seriakous has served them well,” said Saber spitefully.

“If he’s the murderer.”

“Do you doubt that?”

“Everything is possible.”

“Sometimes I think that you don’t believe it.”

“And why not? You remember what I told you about that errand boy?”

“Maybe he’s the killer.”

The old man sighed. “I think that the killer will strike again. Perhaps not right away. But he’ll strike again.”

You’ll not sleep a wink until you question her yourself. What a devil of a woman. But she’d be a fool if she thinks she can trick you. She knows that you can kill. But how to find her?

“Her previous husband,” said the old man, “didn’t plan the murder. Otherwise they wouldn’t have let him off so quickly. But the other crime…”

“He’s her cousin,” Saber interrupted, “and it’s not strange that he should visit her.”