The Cairo Codex by Linda Lambert

Author:Linda Lambert
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781933512341
Publisher: West Hills Press

CHAPTER 15

THE RED SEA COULD BE ASTONISHINGLY BEAUTIFUL, especially in the evening. As Nasser and Justine turned into El Ain Bay, the sea and the sky were at their most stunning. Shades of warm pink and cool lavender enveloped the sky and reflected in the watery mirror. Flickering lights on the horizon reminded the world that Moses’ path now hosted immense ships and tankers from every trading country in the world. These moving islands of steel had emerged from the locks of the Suez Canal into the Gulf of Suez and were finally freed into the Red Sea. To the southeast, amethyst peaks reached into the hovering sky, at the center of which sat Mt. Sinai.

Justine’s nerves had been stretched further than she liked to admit by all of the unknowns surrounding the codex and the dangers that had plagued her since she’d arrived in Cairo. So when Nasser invited her to accompany him to a family villa on the Red Sea, east of the city, she’d quickly accepted.

The villa was one of a cluster of three-story stucco holiday homes with ocher tile roofs. About half of the homes were being warmed by the presence of weekenders, while the other half lay darkened and silent. Justine found the contrast with Cairo striking. The resort was spacious, clean and quiet, with broad gardens growing down to the beach. Scattered shadows told of trees, flowers, and shrubs, the identity of which would only become apparent in the morning light.

Nasser parked in the driveway and unloaded their bags at the bottom of a stairwell leading to the house above. The villas were built on two levels: the lower level opened onto a patio and garden, the upper level held a more commanding view from two terraces. “Let me show you around,” he offered as he opened the door at the top of the stairs. A small entryway led to a kitchen, living room, two bedrooms, and a covered terrace; on the floor above were two more bedrooms and a stairwell to an open terrace on the roof.

Nasser placed Justine’s two small bags in the southern bedroom on the second floor. “This room has the long view,” he noted, “through the gardens, miles of white beach, the sea, and the mountains of the Sinai beyond.” Justine stood by the window as the last remains of dark blue and purple gave way to a star-filled night. She was grateful to have the privacy of the second floor to herself.

“Thank you. I think I’d like to change clothes and freshen up a bit,” she said. After the drive, she would relish a few moments alone. The villa was only an hour and a half from the outskirts of Cairo, but it had taken an hour just to get through the city.

“I’ll meet you on the terrace,” he replied, partially shutting her door.

She sat on the side of the bed facing the window. Why had she felt awkward during the drive? She hated secrets, yet had to be careful not to cross any more boundaries about the codex.

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