Tomb of the Lost

Chapter THIRTY TWO



Eighteen hours later and a very tired group from the OAI cleared customs at Carthage airport, Tunis, Tunisia. After baggage reclaim they’d proceeded to the passport control where the customs and police had held Natalie up just long enough to ogle her. Once outside they were met by Jim Hutchinson. He embraced Natalie and kissed her on the cheek, shook hands with the others then insisted he wheel Natalie’s suitcase to the waiting mini-bus, leaving her with just her hand luggage. The mini-bus driver, Yusuf, flicked his cigarette butt away and opened the back doors and began loading their suitcases as the six of them climbed in and did up their seatbelts. Hutchinson took the front seat. He turned back to face them, draping his arm over the seatback.

“How was the flight?”

“Awful. We had to fly to London to get to here,” Natalie replied as always the spokeswoman for the group.

“Well done for getting here at such short notice. I know you’re all very tired. Our hotel is fifteen minutes away. Dinner is for nine o’clock and is on me, that’ll give you all time to refresh yourselves. Have you managed to get much sleep?”

No was the general consensus.

“We slept a little in the airport and on the plane. It wasn’t very comfortable.”

“You’ll get a couple of hours each now, before we eat and then tomorrow we leave at eight for Gabes.”

Hutchinson turned round as the mini-bus braked and stopped at a set of traffic lights. A policeman was in the road directing traffic and he blew his whistle every few seconds. The van in front disappeared in a cloud of black smoke and Yusuf nosed forward into the evening traffic. It was hot in the mini-bus so Hutchinson got the driver to put the air conditioning on. Yusuf turned off a roundabout and began doubling back the way they’d come. Hutchinson pointed ahead.

“That’s our hotel for the night.”

They could all see the huge building ahead.

‘Hotel Mediterranean’ spelled out in large red letters along the roof and down the side. Yusuf pulled up at the grand entrance. A bell boy instantly there with a luggage trolley, tough looking men in suits patrolled with walkie talkies.

Hutchinson bounded up the steps, his employees following at a more leisurely pace. When they gathered at check in he was already dealing with their reservation. The receptionist flashed them all a smile as Hutchinson began filling out the check in form. The receptionist smiled again at Natalie and felt himself blush as she smiled back. Flustered he turned and began taking keys from hooks and placed them on the counter.

“Grab yourselves a key each,” Hutchinson said passing them forward, “I’ll have your luggage sent up to your rooms in a minute, you should all be on the same floor, floor 3, if you can quickly check your room numbers, Good? Yes! Excellent.”

He signed the check in form and handed it back to the receptionist. The bell boy stood by patiently as each piece of luggage was rearranged in room order.

“Thank you,” Hutchinson said to him “Now if you are all ready shall we proceed,” he said leading them to the elevator.

Natalie’s room was the last one on the third floor. Hutchinson accompanied her, opening the door for her. The coolness from the air conditioning rushed out at them and they felt it on their faces. Hutchinson entered the room. It was clean and tidy. He went over to the windows. The curtains were partly closed and he yanked them apart, opened the windows and peered down at the noisy traffic. The sound of car horns rising up from the street below. He closed the windows and peered into the bathroom. Everything was perfect. Natalie kicked her shoes off and put her handbag on the bed. Her shoulders were stiff and she moved her head from side to side to ease the muscles. It helped a little. Hutchinson came out of the bathroom. The front door was still open.

“Natalie close the door.”

She did as she was told trusting him fully.

“Let’s sit,” he said sitting on the edge of the bed and patting the place next to him. She sat next to him, flexing her toes.

“I won’t keep you. I know you’ve had a long journey.”

“I’m just so tired.”

“I know,” he said patting her arm “I really do appreciate what you’ve done. What have you told the others?”

“Exactly what you asked me to say.”

“So none of them knows the truth.”

“No. I told them that you’d telephoned and told me that you had an assignment for us and that I couldn’t disclose what because you wanted to tell them in person.”

“None of them were suspicious? They didn’t push you?”

“No. I told them to trust me on this. I told them that none of them would want to miss this for the world. Exactly as you said.”

“Thank you Natalie thank you,” he got up and patted her arm again “I’ll see you downstairs for nine. The main dining room is through the double doors to the left of reception. See you later,” he said as he closed the door behind himself.

Natalie threw herself back on the bed and was almost instantly asleep. She woke an hour later, showered, got changed and went downstairs. A chaperone greeted her at the door enquiring if she wanted a table for one.

“No I’m with Mr Hutchinson.”

“One moment please,” he said checking his reservation list “Ah yes Mr Hutchinson’s party. Follow me please.”

Natalie glanced at other diners as they weaved their way through the tables. The food looked exquisite. She was oblivious to the admiring looks she was getting from various businessmen as they passed. Jim Hutchinson stood as they approached. The others slowly rose as Natalie was helped to her seat.

“Where’s George?” she enquired.

“His wife rang his mobile and he stepped out to speak,” Hutchinson replied.

“You’ll never guess what Nat….” Tom said.

She shook her head, glancing at the others.

“What?”

“George only had to pass the phone to Jim so George’s wife could speak to him. Only once she heard his voice did she believe it was true.”

“Now that’s enough!” Hutchinson said.

“I was just saying boss,” the smile disappeared from Tom’s face.

“I’m sure George has his problems just like everyone else.”

“Too many affairs probably,” Alex cut in.

“That’s enough! George is a key member of this team. What he does in his social life is up to him and it’s his business. It hasn’t interfered with his work and let me assure you if it does I’ll be the first to say something. Now who would care for wine? Ladies first, red or white Natalie?”

“White thank you.”

Hutchinson waited until their main courses had arrived before he got their attention by tapping on an empty glass with a knife.

“Lady and gentlemen,” he began once again “Thank you all for joining me here at such short notice. I know you’re all very tired. George I understand you’ve cancelled some leave, you’ll get that back again as soon as is possible. I hope your wife understands….”

George nodded.

“I’d especially like to thank Natalie who knows precisely why you’re here but under my wishes has revealed nothing to any of you.”

He looked at each of them. Their faces were expectant.

“We now know where the final resting place of Alexander the Great is.”

There was a stunned silence.

“James are you sure?” Alex was the first to speak. He often referred to Hutchinson as James.

“Yes,” Hutchinson replied glancing nervously around at the other diners to make sure that no one was listening, “We must keep our voices down. Yes we’re sure.”

“How?” from Tom White.

Hutchinson pulled a magazine out of his jacket pocket.

“This is April’s ‘The Country’ magazine for overseas Brits, ex-pats I believe they are called. Turn to page twelve,” he said handing the rolled up publication to Natalie.

She opened it to the required page as the others craned their necks to see.

The three page supplement began with the heading ’The Lion and the Wolf’ a photograph of a bust of Alexander the Great on the left hand page, a map of the ancient world and an artists impression of what the sarcophagus probably looked like in ancient times. She began reading the story. On the third page was a picture of some Royal Engineers from North Africa dated 1942 and a recent photograph of the reporter Peter Dennis.

She finished reading the article and passed the magazine on. The last to read it was George. He of all of them understood the significance of this article. His wife was Macedonian.

“George?”

“It’s incredible Jim. I can’t believe it. This will be the most important find for my people you could ever imagine. Is this man? This Peter Dennis correct?”

“I telephoned him this morning.”

“What?”

Now they were speechless.

“I spoke to him this morning and what’s more he will be arriving here tomorrow morning at 6a.m.”

There were excited comments.

“Natalie you haven’t said a word.”

“Who else has he given interviews to?”

All conversation on the table now stopped.

“He assured me that he would grant us and only us access to what he knows.”

Natalie was sceptical.

“So he says.” Jack rubbed his thumb and forefinger together. The international sign for receiving money.

“He gave his word.”

Natalie allowed herself a chuckle.

“Oh come on Jim you don’t honestly believe him do you. An honest journalist. He’ll sell out to the highest bidder or bidders. If this story is true, well, then it’ll be worth millions to him.”

“I think what Natalie says is true Jim. This man is not to be trusted. Certainly I don’t trust him,” George said.

“I don’t blame you all for having your doubts and who knows you may even be right. I sincerely hope not but I can tell you that he told me that he wasn’t interested in the archaeology side of it. He just thought it made an interesting story. More so because, personally for him, his grandfather is in it. He also reminded me of the number of ships that went down in the Mediterranean during the second world war and asked me if I knew how many had sunk since. In his words and I believe he used an English phrase here, he said it would be looking for a needle in a haystack.”

Alex now spoke.

“What I don’t understand is ’What’s in it for him’ “

Hutchinson shrugged. Then he smiled.

“I’ve been saving this for last,” he looked at their faces “He’s asked if he can come with us.”

“You’re not serious?” from Tom.

“Yes. He wants to report all the details as we uncover them.”

“I hope you said yes,” from Natalie.

“Of course I said yes. This man knows, potentially, the whereabouts of the greatest find about to be made and what’s more he is now on our team.”

They all congratulated their boss.

“He’s particularly interested in meeting you Natalie.”

“Me?”

“Yes he saw your picture in National Geographic and is keen to get to know you.”

She picked up the ’Country’ magazine once again and looked at the picture of its columnist.

“Peter Dennis,” she held it closer to see his face ’He is rather good looking’ she said to herself but also out loud. George, sitting next to her heard the comment. She caught the Greek staring at her.

“I still don’t trust him,” he said.