داستان بارکمن

CHAPTER EIGHT

Barkman’s Story

Fuad and Salahadin got out of the car and walked to the edge of the road. It was now getting dark and cold. The two cars lay below them. The black car had fallen about two hundred metres to the bottom. It was on fire. The taxi had not fallen so far. It was lying against a tree.

‘Come on,’ said Salahadin. ‘Let’s climb down quickly. Perhaps Borkman’s still alive.’

Fuad climbed down the steep path and Salahadin followed him. They found the taxi. The driver was inside, but he was dead. One of the doors was open and Borkman had fallen out onto some bushes. He was not dead, but he was badly injured.

Fuad bent down and lifted the dying man. He laid him on a flat piece of ground. After a few moments, Borkman opened his eyes and looked up. He tried to speak, but he did not speak very clearly.

‘The men in the black car’ he said. ‘Where are they? What happened to them?’

‘They’re dead,’ replied Salahadin quietly.

‘But who are you’ asked Borkman.

‘We were passing on the road,’ replied Fuad. ‘We saw the accident.’

There was silence for a few moments. Borkman closed his eyes and lay still on the ground. Then he slowly opened his eyes again.

‘Will you help me’ he asked.

‘Yes,’ replied Fuad. ‘What do you want?’

‘Go to Ba’albek,’ said Borkman. ‘Go to Jusef’s cafe. Ask for Jusef. Tell Jusef.’

Barkman was silent again.

‘What do I tell Jusef’ asked Fuad.

‘Tell him that Pearson’s dead,’ said Borkman. ‘And the Black Cat’s safe.’

‘Where is the Black Cat’ asked Salahadin.

‘Tell Jusef that the Black Cat’s safe,’ said Barkman again.

‘But where is it’ asked Salahadin again.

‘Peterson has the Black Cat,’ said Borkman after a few moments. ‘I gave it to him at Alexandria. He took it with him on the boat.’

‘Which boat’ asked Salahadin.

‘The boat to Athens,’ replied Borkman. ‘Peterson took the Black Cat on the boat to Athens.’

‘Who was following you then’ asked Fuad.

‘The Red Hand Gang,’