تماس تلفنی غافلگیرکننده

CHAPTER EIGHT

A Surprise Phone Call

It was seven o’clock when Tom arrived in Taksim Square. He got out of the taxi and walked towards his hotel. He felt nervous. Was someone watching him? Was someone sitting in a car watching his hotel? He hurried inside.

‘Good evening,’ said the woman at reception.

‘Good evening,’ said Tom.

He took his room key and went upstairs. He locked his door, took off his shoes and lay down on the bed. He felt tired, but nervous and excited at the same time. For a long time he lay on the bed, listening to the noises in the street outside, and thinking about one person - Angela.

The phone rang. It rang loudly, and Tom jumped nervously.

Kemal, he thought, and picked up the receiver.

‘Yes?’

‘This is reception, Mr Smith, I have a call for you.’

‘Thank you,’ said Tom.

‘Hello? Is that Tom Smith?’ It was a woman’s voice. ‘Yes. Who is that?’ Tom asked. His heart was beating fast. ‘You don’t know me, Mr Smith, but I’m a friend of Angela’s. I have something to tell you. Can we meet somewhere?’

‘Who are you?’

‘My name’s Julie. As I said, I’m a friend of Angela’s. Listen, I don’t want to talk on the phone. Can we meet somewhere?’

‘Yes, yes, sure,’ said Tom, thinking quickly. ‘Do you know the American Bar at the Park Hotel?’

‘I know it. I’ll be there in twenty minutes.’ There was a click and then there was silence. Tom put the phone down and jumped to his feet. ‘I must tell Kemal,’ he said to himself. He picked up the phone. ‘Reception? Can I have Istanbul 36 82 45?’ Tom waited impatiently.

‘Sorry, sir, there’s no answer,’ said the woman at reception. ‘OK, I’ll try later.’

Tom put the phone down, and left the room.

There were only a few people in the American Bar when Tom went in. He sat down at a table by a window. From there he could see everyone who came through the door.

Tom sat drinking a beer and watching the door. Who was Julie? What did she want? Tom would soon find out.

A girl came in a few minutes later. She had long blonde hair, and was wearing jeans. The girl looked round the bar, then walked over to Tom’s table.

‘Hi,’ she said. ‘I’m Julie.’

‘Hello,’ he said. ‘I’m Tom. Please sit down.’ She sat down. The waiter came over. ‘Would you like a drink?’ said Tom. ‘A coffee, please,’ she said. The waiter nodded and left. ‘So you’re Tom,’ Julie said. ‘You look just like your photograph. Angela showed me a picture of you.’

‘But how did you find me?’ Tom asked.

‘I went to the British Consulate today,’ Julie explained. ‘I spoke to Mr Pennington; he told me the name of your hotel. I knew you were coming to Istanbul and I wanted to speak to you.’

She looked round nervously.

‘Listen, Tom,’ she went on. ‘There’s something strange going on. What do you know about Angela’s accident?’

‘Only what the Consulate told me today,’ said Tom. He told Julie about his conversation with Mr Pennington.

‘And are you satisfied?’ she asked.

Tom looked at her.

‘Tell me what you think,’ he said slowly.

‘All right,’ said Julie. ‘Let’s start at the beginning. Angela came to Istanbul two months ago.

I met her at a party soon after she arrived and we became good friends. At the beginning, she was happy. She enjoyed her job, she liked working for her boss.’

‘Diinya?’

‘That’s right. Everything was fine. I saw her quite often. We used to have lunch together, and go sightseeing. And then, two weeks ago something happened.

Angela seemed worried about something - something to do with her work. I asked her what was wrong but she didn’t want to talk about it.

Then one lunch-time we were together in a restaurant and suddenly Diinya came in. The moment she saw him, she became nervous. I think she was afraid of him.’

‘Go on,’ Tom said.

‘Well, I don’t know anything else. She never told me what she was worried about. I saw her a few more times, and then she had the accident.’

She looked at Tom.

‘But it is strange, isn’t it?’ Julie went on. ‘She was worried about something - her job, or her boss, or something. But she wouldn’t talk about it. And then she had an accident.’

She stopped.

‘That’s all,’ she said. ‘That’s what I wanted to tell you.’

Tom leant across the table.

‘Shall I tell you something?’ he said quietly. ‘Yesterday, on the way into Istanbul, I saw her.’

Julie stared at him.

‘Where?’ she asked.

‘I was in the airport bus, coming into the city. We were in Millet Street near Aksaray. Angela was going into a building with two men.’

‘What do you mean, going into a building? Which building?’

‘Well, I don’t know. There are a lot of offices in the building. I went there today. There was a dentist, and a doctor.’

‘Doctor,’ said Julie. ‘That’s interesting.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘Angela had a virus two weeks ago - a bad attack. She was getting pills from a doctor. That explains it - she needed more pills, or treatment. She was going to a doctor!’

Tom thought for a moment.

‘So that’s where she was going,’ he said. ‘To the doctor’s. Maybe I can go and ask the doctor a few questions.’

Julie looked worried.

‘Be careful, Tom,’ she said.

‘What do you mean?’

‘Just be careful,’ she repeated. ‘Something strange is happening. It could be dangerous for you if you ask too many questions.’

‘OK,’ said Tom. ‘But I’m sure Angela is in this city somewhere. She’s in trouble. The police and the Consulate say she’s dead, so they won’t help. But I think she’s alive.

She’s in Istanbul somewhere, and I’m not leaving until I find her!’