Read Online Gary Gygax - Dangerous Journeys 2 - Samarkand Solution by Gary Gygax - Free Book Online
Authors: Gary Gygax
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been able to separate east from west when it comes to articulation. Have you been here long?"
Before the man could respond to that query, the arrival of a half-dozen police from the Metropolitan Prefecture interrupted them. "You are Utchat-neb Inhetep?" The speaker was an ordinary-looking fellow of average height and build and middle years, who might pass through a room full of people without being remembered. The magister nodded affirmation, and the police official smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir. I am the deputy prefect in charge of this matter—Chief Inspector Tuhorus. I trust that we will work together correctly."
Blandness and a smile couldn't disguise the detective's true feelings and the meaning of his words. Inhetep understood, for it was not unique in matters where jurisdictions overlapped. "Just so," he agreed without yielding anything in any way. "Let us confer soon—perhaps after you have finished your initial work taking the statements of those present?"
"Possibly," Tuhorus replied noncommittally. "If you will pardon me now, I believe I should get to that. It seems I wasted some time with Hem-neter-tepi Matiseth.. . ."
"Wasted? On the contrary, Inspector, I believe that the high priest is very much the key to this whole affair. As to questioning these gentlemen, I suggest that you might begin with the eleven I have had statements from already. There are a number of rooms available. As soon as I have had a chance to get a little information from these last three," the magister said firmly, "I shall send them to wherever you might desire."
"Is that an official demand from the Pharaoh's Utchatu?"
Inhetep shook his head. "Let us say, rather, that it is a request from a fellow detective."
"In that case, Magister, you may have five minutes," Inspector Tuhorus said. Then he ushered the others from the room, leaving the tail priest-wizard alone with the three Easterners.
"You are accorded little respect," rasped the mustachioed member of the trio after the inspector's exit. "In my land, an agent of the king is as the king himself."
"Just what kingdom is that?" queried Inhetep.
"Parthia," the man responded flatly. "The easternmost upholder of your allies of Grecian culture."
Magister Inhetep was unimpressed. "Phil-hellenism, alliances, and international political concerns are not my affair, sir. What are three Parthians doing here? A meeting with the governor of On is hardly business of the state."
"But there you are mistaken," countered the Parthian in his rasping voice. "Prince Ram-f-amsu was far-ranging in his plans for trade, you see. My nation receives much overland commerce, and I was asked to consider /Egyptian concessions."
"Do you mean that the governor was proposing monopolies?"
"Yes, that is exactly so."
Without looking up, Inhetep made a note in his little book. "My time is nearly gone, sir, so I'll end this now. Please give me your name and the names of your two companions."
"Sacaxes. These are my lieutenants, Tengri Ataman, and Vardin."
"Thank you, General Sacaxes," the priest-wizard murmured as he arose. The expressions on the Parthians' faces were sufficient to confirm Inhetep's suspicion regarding their leader, for the military title had been a pure guess based only on what Inhetep had observed of the trio.
THE CHIEF INSPECTOR VS. INHETEP
Just after midnight, Chief Inspector Tuhorus located the magister where he was waiting with Subaltern Bekin-Tettu. The two were conversing when the policeman entered. "I trust I am not interrupting," Tuhorus said.
"No, Inspector, both of us are here awaiting you."
"I won't need you tonight, Subaltern," the police official told Bekin-Tettu rather pointedly. "Go outside and find any one of the deputy inspectors assisting me. Tell him who you are and then what you know. Then return to your own quarters. Tomorrow morning, I'll personally hear your statement."
The soldier excused himself and left. Inhetep watched the official closely as
Before the man could respond to that query, the arrival of a half-dozen police from the Metropolitan Prefecture interrupted them. "You are Utchat-neb Inhetep?" The speaker was an ordinary-looking fellow of average height and build and middle years, who might pass through a room full of people without being remembered. The magister nodded affirmation, and the police official smiled. "It is a pleasure to meet you, sir. I am the deputy prefect in charge of this matter—Chief Inspector Tuhorus. I trust that we will work together correctly."
Blandness and a smile couldn't disguise the detective's true feelings and the meaning of his words. Inhetep understood, for it was not unique in matters where jurisdictions overlapped. "Just so," he agreed without yielding anything in any way. "Let us confer soon—perhaps after you have finished your initial work taking the statements of those present?"
"Possibly," Tuhorus replied noncommittally. "If you will pardon me now, I believe I should get to that. It seems I wasted some time with Hem-neter-tepi Matiseth.. . ."
"Wasted? On the contrary, Inspector, I believe that the high priest is very much the key to this whole affair. As to questioning these gentlemen, I suggest that you might begin with the eleven I have had statements from already. There are a number of rooms available. As soon as I have had a chance to get a little information from these last three," the magister said firmly, "I shall send them to wherever you might desire."
"Is that an official demand from the Pharaoh's Utchatu?"
Inhetep shook his head. "Let us say, rather, that it is a request from a fellow detective."
"In that case, Magister, you may have five minutes," Inspector Tuhorus said. Then he ushered the others from the room, leaving the tail priest-wizard alone with the three Easterners.
"You are accorded little respect," rasped the mustachioed member of the trio after the inspector's exit. "In my land, an agent of the king is as the king himself."
"Just what kingdom is that?" queried Inhetep.
"Parthia," the man responded flatly. "The easternmost upholder of your allies of Grecian culture."
Magister Inhetep was unimpressed. "Phil-hellenism, alliances, and international political concerns are not my affair, sir. What are three Parthians doing here? A meeting with the governor of On is hardly business of the state."
"But there you are mistaken," countered the Parthian in his rasping voice. "Prince Ram-f-amsu was far-ranging in his plans for trade, you see. My nation receives much overland commerce, and I was asked to consider /Egyptian concessions."
"Do you mean that the governor was proposing monopolies?"
"Yes, that is exactly so."
Without looking up, Inhetep made a note in his little book. "My time is nearly gone, sir, so I'll end this now. Please give me your name and the names of your two companions."
"Sacaxes. These are my lieutenants, Tengri Ataman, and Vardin."
"Thank you, General Sacaxes," the priest-wizard murmured as he arose. The expressions on the Parthians' faces were sufficient to confirm Inhetep's suspicion regarding their leader, for the military title had been a pure guess based only on what Inhetep had observed of the trio.
THE CHIEF INSPECTOR VS. INHETEP
Just after midnight, Chief Inspector Tuhorus located the magister where he was waiting with Subaltern Bekin-Tettu. The two were conversing when the policeman entered. "I trust I am not interrupting," Tuhorus said.
"No, Inspector, both of us are here awaiting you."
"I won't need you tonight, Subaltern," the police official told Bekin-Tettu rather pointedly. "Go outside and find any one of the deputy inspectors assisting me. Tell him who you are and then what you know. Then return to your own quarters. Tomorrow morning, I'll personally hear your statement."
The soldier excused himself and left. Inhetep watched the official closely as
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