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CHAPTER FIVE

A Disappointing Day

‘So,’ said Kemal, ‘you really think you saw her, do you?’

Kemal and Tom were sitting in the American Bar at the Park Hotel. Tom thought carefully for a moment before answering.

‘Yes,’ he said slowly. ‘Yes, I do. You probably think I imagined it. I understand that. But I’m convinced I saw her, that’s all.’

Kemal nodded.

‘I can’t stop thinking about yesterday,’ Tom continued. ‘I close my eyes and I can see Angela there on the pavement. I can’t forget that.’

‘Listen, Tom,’ said Kemal. ‘We only met yesterday but already we’re friends. You’re in my country, you’re my friend, and you need help. If you think you saw Angela, that’s enough for me. I believe you. Now we have to decide what to do.’

‘There are two things I want to do as soon as possible,’ said Tom. ‘I want to go to the street where I saw Angela. Then I want to go to the British Consulate. I have an appointment for this afternoon.’

‘OK,’ said Kemal. ‘The street where you saw Angela. Do you think you can remember where it is?’

‘No problem,’ said Tom. ‘We can drive along the same route as the airport bus. I’m sure I’ll remember it.’

‘And what do you think you will find there?’

‘I’m not sure. But she was going into a building with two men. At least we can find the building - maybe that will tell us something.’

‘OK,’ said Kemal. ‘My car’s outside. Let’s go.’

Tom and Kemal were driving through the city.

‘It was a wide street,’ said Tom. ‘We came to a roundabout after the traffic lights. We turned left and then we passed an old aqueduct.’

‘Aksaray,’ said Kemal. ‘It’s near here.’

Kemal drove over Ataturk Bridge. After a few minutes, they saw the old aqueduct. Then they came to a large roundabout and turned right.

‘This is it,’ said Tom. ‘It’s somewhere near here.’

They were approaching some traffic lights. Tom looked out of the window at the buildings on the left.

‘No,’ he said. ‘Not here.’

They drove on to the next traffic lights.

‘This is it,’ said Tom. ‘This is the place.’

Kemal stopped the car.

‘You get out. I’ll find a parking place.’

Tom got out and looked around him. He was in a wide street of shops and offices. A newspaper kiosk, a travel agency - he remembered them from the day before. He stood looking at the buildings opposite until Kemal arrived.

Tom pointed across the street to the entrance to an office building.

‘That’s it, I think,’ he said.

They crossed the street and looked at the name plate beside the entrance to the office block. There were many names there a lawyer, a dentist, a doctor, and many other offices. Tom stood looking at the names for a few moments.

‘Well,’ he said finally, ‘I’m sure she went into this building. But which office was she going to? Was she going to see a lawyer, or a dentist, or a doctor? How do we begin to find out?’

Kemal took his arm gently, and they walked slowly back to the car.

‘Listen, Tom,’ he said. ‘You’re going too fast. You can’t expect to find out everything immediately. Wait until you see the man at the Consulate. After that, we’ll think about it. Then we can decide what to do. We know she was going into that building. That’s something, anyway. Now look, it’s lunch-time. You must be hungry. I know a good restaurant near here…’

‘You’re right,’ said Tom. ‘We have to be patient.’