Birds of the Nile by N E. David

Author:N E. David [David, N.E.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 978-1-78279-157-7
Publisher: John Hunt Publishing
Published: 2013-09-26T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eighteen

Reda’s departure was met with a stunned silence. In the square the crowd had all but dispersed. The police had succeeded in clearing the front of the Governorate building and had moved on to the process of mopping up. Any ‘action’ had been transferred to the side streets where small groups of protestors, pursued by the law and hemmed in amongst the narrow walkways, turned to face their attackers. Apart from these occasional eruptions, things had quietened down and for the first time since the conflict had begun it was possible to hear yourself think. They’d been struck dumb by the proceedings but suddenly they all had something to say and everyone started talking at once.

“What on earth was that all about?” Keith turned to face the others. “You speak the lingo, Blake – what was going on with Reda?”

“He’s been asked to assist the police with their enquiries.”

“You mean he’s been arrested.”

“If you must put it that way – yes.”

It was a word Blake had wanted to avoid. Lee Yong might find it distressing and he regretted the fact that Keith had used it. Better to soften the blow.

Keith, however, persisted.

“What exactly does that mean?”

“Probably a night in the cells, at least.”

“And then?”

“Who knows…”

Blake shrugged. This was Egypt. Anything was possible. The long-standing emergency law and its enforcement was an arbitrary affair. Its introduction had given the police unlimited powers. People could be ‘arrested’ for no good reason and held without trial for an indefinite period. Their release depended upon a complicated system of paperwork and usually the payment of a bribe and the intervention of some high official. Sometimes, in the absence of either, they remained in prison and eventually disappeared without trace. Conversely, known criminals who were prepared to pay for the privilege were allowed to roam the streets. And all the time, it was the police who grew fat and arrogant on the proceeds.

“Did someone say Reda’s been arrested?”

David had picked up on it and much to Blake’s annoyance, it was now public knowledge.

“That poor boy,” said Janet. “Whatever did he do wrong?”

“If you ask me,” said David, “I think he had something to do with the riot.”

Unlike Janet, who was quite prepared to give Reda the benefit of the doubt, Joan was scathing in her view.

“Typical! I might have known he couldn’t be trusted.” Her comment harked back to the conversation they’d had at the dinner table on their first night together. She’d either forgotten the service Reda had performed for her regarding her jewellery box, or she’d dismissed it as a one-off occurrence. This latest act of apparent treachery played to her agenda. “Well, he’s left us in a fine mess I must say,” she added, and hurriedly lit another cigarette.

“Anyway, it wasn’t a riot” said Keith. “At least, it wasn’t until the police arrived.”

“Did you see how that young man got beaten up?” said Janet. “Right in front of our eyes. It was appalling – I couldn’t bear watching, I had to look away.

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