Star of Egypt Read Online Free PDF Page A

she said into the mirror.
    Into the cabin leaned another woman, wearing a conservative pantsuit and expensive, but understated, jewelry. Her hair was
     a framing spill of tight tan curls; she looked more naturally the academic type. “Shauna,” she said, with sisterly good humor,
     “there will be television cameras.”
    “Do you think they’d go for this?” said Shauna, deliberately squeezing in her shoulders and moving in a sinuous little dance
     before the glass.
    “Might be a grabber to open the tour,” the woman shrugged. “What you would call a narrative hook.”
    There was an impatient knocking on the outside cabin door. “I’ll get it,” said the other woman under her breath, as Shauna
     snatched up a safari blouse and quickly buttoned herself into it.
    Professor Willis bustled into the cabin as the door opened, already in the midst of his presentation, as usual. “Well, thank
     god you two are where you’re supposed to be, anyway… um, Doctors, may I present to you—you can come in, Mr. Rademacher, no
     need to stand on ceremony in the bowels of this hulking ship, for heaven’s sake!”
    Slayton, standing on the threshold, stepped in, nodding at the two women.
    “As I was saying, Doctors, may I present Mr. Benjamin Rademacher. He will oversee our security while in Washington, including
     the loading, unloading, the trucking of the artifacts to the capital, and so on. He is also here in the unofficial capacity
     of troubleshooter, complaint department, and so forth.” The four were now faced off.
    “Mr. Rademacher, this is Dr. Margaret Leiber.”
    The woman in the pantsuit smiled and extended a hand that was cool and dry. “Maggie,” she said. She had the large, rounded
     lower lip that is one of the hallmarks of British beauty.
    “And this is Dr. Shauna Ramsey.”
    Her eyes were dark and inviting, reminding Slayton instantly of the dancer in Tangier. Her eyes were evaluating him up and
     down quite frankly. One hand lingered near the open throat of the safari shirt, as though she regretted buttoning so far up.
     Her other hand squeezed his lightly while she continued to stare into his eyes.
    “I don’t know of your specific fields, ladies,” said Slayton, “but I do know a bit about Professor Willis’ work, and admire
     you in advance as part of his team. It is a pleasure to meet you both.” He managed to dredge up the Ben Slayton-charmer-smile,
     and both women reciprocated warmly.
    Slayton registered vibrations of easy caution. Nothing, however, set his internal danger mechanisms off. A vague disquiet,
     that was all.
    “Thank god,” said Shauna, displaying a British lilt equal to Maggie’s, a tonal quality of voice that could soften iron. “We
     did so think they would saddle us with a dreary academic, or an intellectual eunuch. You’re not a dreary academic, are you,
     Mr. Rademacher?” Her eyes were already broadcasting a separate message on another frequency.
    “Nor a eunuch of any variety, Ms. Ramsey,” he said. It was apparently the correct response.
    “Gordie, when can we get out of here and get to the hotel? My body is prepared for American facilities, if not for American
     food,” said Maggie.
    Willis shrugged again. “You two aren’t especially needed here now. Ahmed and the crew will be here tonight, along with the
     security people. It will take that long, and probably most of tomorrow, just to unload in the proper fashion. I’m sure you
     could breeze over to the hotel now.”
    “Does this mean you must loiter around the dock until dawn, Mr. Rademacher, just to insure the safety of Egypt’s heritage?”
     Shauna tilted her head down as she spoke, fixing him still with her enigmatic eyes.
    “No, fortunately, Ms. Ramsey,” said Slayton. “I am a security representative, not a security guard. My stock in trade is being
     five places at once and getting the impossible done on time and under budget, if you know what I mean.”
    “How lucky for us,” murmured