An Eventful Evening at Shepheard's

Barb felt as if she’d been staring at this ancient inscription for decades, even if it had only been days on the project. Now, thanks to another papyrus she found in the library, the story was beginning to unfold. It told of a young prince and a cat. Barb found this aspect particularly odd. She must be translating it wrong. She stared intently at the hieroglyphs in front of her. She traced her fingers over the lines, examining their meaning again.

“Yoo-hoo Baarbie! You in there?”  

The sound of her friend’s voice snapped her out of the trance she held over the tablet. She turned to see her friend Lara, hand on her hip as she stood in the doorway of the library scanning the room. Her emerald green beaded gown outlined her voluptuous form. She was genuinely looking like a movie star.  It was no wonder men tripped over themselves when this fire-headed beauty walked by. Especially here in Cairo, she was a particular oddity.  With stark blonde hair and a perfect soldier physique, her husband Andrew captured his fair share of attention as well.  Barb felt safe in their shadow; her smooth brunette hair and not quite as fair skin tone helped her blend into the background where she preferred to be. 

“I already told you I won’t take no for an answer.  You are coming with us to Shepheard’s tonight.  I brought you a dress, so get over here, missy!”

“Okay, Lara, I’m coming.  Just leave the dress there, and I’ll be over there in a bit.”

“Nope, kiddo, I’m not falling for that trick.  Andrew has a car downstairs, and you are getting dressed. I’ll help with your hair and makeup; brought a kit and everything.”

Barb sighed.  Honestly, she would rather stay in the library and unravel more of the mystery, but she knew how relentless her friend could be. She placed her hand on the transcript and whispered, “Until later, my beautiful mystery,” before turning toward Lara and heading out the door.

Once Lara had Barb in the chosen evening gown, she went to work, fussing over Barb’s thick brunette mane and getting her the look that she felt was working.  Barb caught her reflection and was slightly startled, unaware of her own potential. 

“Wow, Barbie, you look amazing! Now let’s go show you off!”  

Barb rolled her eyes slightly to deflect her discomfort at that thought, and the two-headed out to the waiting car. Barb was treated to the usual banter between the feisty pair on the short trip over to the hotel.  She admired the love these two clearly had for each other.

As the car stopped in front of the hotel, her heart skipped a beat.  The terrace at Shepheard’s was filled with men in British and American uniforms as well as tuxedos. Most were seated at tables either in conversation or deliberately eyeing the surroundings while often attempting to catch the eye of one of the few elegantly dressed women there. 

As they climbed the stairs and crossed the crowded terrace, making their way to the grand hotel’s entrance, she felt so many eyes on her.  “No, they are staring at Lara,” she told herself to ease her apprehension. 

She noticed Andrew surveying the scene himself and sensed he felt charged with her safety as well as that of his wife’s.  Her friends had her back.  She felt it. 

Once inside the elegant lobby, Andrew approached a nearby gentleman.

“So what’s the wait like at the long bar tonight?”

The man shook his head. “Andrew, you dog, you know full well all you have to do is send your wife up there, and you’ll get served right away.  You know Joe has a thing for her”

Andrew laughed. “Perhaps, but I’m not necessarily willing to let him flirt with her just to get a drink.”

“Well, it took me a good 30 min to get this lovely cocktail, so good luck!” the man held up the glass as if to toast to that success before slipping away to the terrace out front. Lara put her hand on Andrew’s arm, looking at him adoringly.  “I don’t mind Joe’s flirting lover.  Besides, he might fancy Barbie here too.” 

Andrew smiled and shook his head.  “No, my love, you ladies take a seat.” He said, pulling back a chair first for his wife and then for Barb. “I’ll be back with refreshments promptly, you’ll see.” 

As he walked off, Lara sighed, “Gawd, I love when he does that, gets all protective and stuff.” 

Barb smiled; the love in Lara’s eyes said it all. Suddenly Barb felt unease as she noticed a handsome man with piercing eyes dressed in a tuxedo staring intently in their direction. 

She moved closer to Lara and whispered, “do you know that man?  I think he is staring at us?”

Boldly and abruptly, Lara turned to look at the man.  “Ooh, good looking fella!  That would be Ralph Henry.  He’s a British archeologist or something, and he’s not staring at us; he’s watching something going on at the bar, we just happen to be in his line of sight, but I’m sure we could get his attention easily enough!” 

“No!” Barb exclaimed as she grabbed her friend’s arm before it jetted into the air.  “I’ve heard of him, heard he’s a cheat and a liar who steals precious antiquities for sale instead of giving them to the museum as contracted.”

“Too late, you caught his attention yourself, and he’s headed over here” Lara shrugged.

“Well, if it isn’t the famous Mrs. Andrew Morgan,” Ralph’s deep voice was as smooth as his English accent.  It was so sexy.  Barb shook it off.

“And who may I ask is your enchanting friend?”  

“Barbara, my name is Barbara. Now, will you leave us alone?”

She bristled at the thought of what her teacher and employer Fahid had said about him.  How pieces that logically should have been from his dig sites ended up at auctions in England even though his permit stated they were to remain in Egypt.  As an Egyptian scholar herself, that was a hideous crime. Ralph straightened, and the surprise on his face was apparent.  

“Well then, no worries, I’ll leave you two beauties to your evening” he offered them a short bow and headed back to the bar.

“Barb, I don’t know what you heard or where but as I hear it, Ralph is a straight-up guy, polite and definitely sexy.”

Just then, Andrew appeared table side with three cocktails.  

“Do I want to know how you pulled that off?” Lara asked as he set the drinks on the table. 

  “My magic is my magic, and anything is possible, my love, when it is for you,”  was all he offered. “Say did I see Ralph over here talking to Barb? I thought you two would hit it off, both being into all the antiquities and the like.  Why’d he leave?”

“Now, Andrew, no need to play matchmaker. Barb will decide who she likes, won’t you, Barbie?”

“Thanks, Lara. Yes, Andrew, I just wasn’t interested, but thanks for thinking of me.”

Barb's mood lifted as they continued to chat. Music started playing, and Barb enjoyed her seat at the table watching Lara and Andrew dance. A young British soldier politely asked for a dance, and despite her initial reluctance, she accepted. Quickly, she had both American and British soldiers lining up for dances, much to Lara and Andrew's delight. Suddenly the night seemed magical. Barb felt calm and confident. Was it the music, the company, or now wait, what was in that drink?

She stumbled a bit in the arms of her dance partner, suddenly unable to recall who he was. The room started to spin as she felt him clutching her tighter, his rough hands pulling her closer to him. Something wasn’t right. She was being pulled somewhere, she tried to resist, but it was as if her limbs weren’t working and no noise could escape her lips. She felt a rush of cool air as the man's heat left her and felt her body sink to the cold floor as the world went black.

Barb felt a sting as a hand slapped at her face.

“Barbie, oh my gosh, are you alright?” Barb blinked, the light coming back into her eyes as she realized she was seated on the floor and they were out on the terrace.

“Were you slapping me?” Barb asked

“Well, of course I was silly. I was trying to bring you around!”

“What happened? Why am I out here?”

Andrew and Lara both assisted her to stand and seated her at the nearest table.

“Well, near as we can figure, someone slipped something in your drink. He was dragging you away when Ralph stepped in and sucker-punched the guy. He is over there talking to the police. The guy was dressed like a British soldier but apparently is a German, although exactly why he was kidnapping an American woman is another mystery.”

“So you are saying Ralph saved me?”

“It certainly looks like it. See, I told you he’s a stand-up guy.”

Barb sighed. She saw a Ralph walking toward them. It irritated her that this man she was supposed to hate was not only sexy, handsome, and charming, but now she had to add heroic to the list.

“Are you alright, Barbara? I won’t invade your privacy; I promise only checking in.”

“How, I mean why or er what happened? I’m guessing you saw something?”

“Quite alright, I’m sure you are confused. Firstly in my brief encounter, you didn’t seem the type to be running off with a soldier you just met, so when I witnessed you so tightly in his arms, that seemed odd. Then I noticed your feet barely moving, so I suspected something amiss as it appeared as if he was dragging you, which could not have been good from my perspective.

When I called out your name, and you didn’t respond, but he turned to me and moved faster, I knew I had to act.”

“You said you called my name, and he turned to you?”

“Precisely, I suspect he knew who you were and was targeting you specifically.”

“But why me?”

“You are the same Barbara that works in Fahir’s library, I assume? He had spoken of you before he decided he hated me anyway. He said your ancient hieroglyph translation skills are impeccable.”

Barb nodded. “But still, I don’t get it.”

“Well, here is my theory, apologies as I work through it, but the bloke was a German working for the Nazis. Rumor is that Hitler is obsessed with ancient Egypt and the occult. I suspect they wanted to force you to work for them translating something they found. The only other option I could see was the man had been stalking you and was kidnapping you to force you to be his lover. Neither were things a lovely young lady such as yourself should be subjected to.”

“I don’t feel so good” was all Barb could manage to say. Her head was spinning. In part from whatever had been in her drink and partly because this was all too much to process.

“It’s okay, Barb, we’ll get you home,” Andrew said.

Ralph put his hand on Andrew’s shoulder. “It is none of my business Andrew, but if my first theory holds any weight whatsoever, perhaps she shouldn’t be left alone tonight in case that wasn’t a solitary operative.”

Andrew nodded. “Good point Ralph. Barb, you are in our guest room tonight.”

Lara hugged her friend. Barb fought back the tears of fear and confusion. She wanted to break down, just not here, not now.

“Thank you,” she managed to squeak out.

“Do take care, Barbara. I hope we meet again under better circumstances,” Ralph said as he took his leave of them. Barb could see the concern and sincerity in his blue-green eyes as much as hear it in his voice. She wondered why Fahid thought the things he did about this man. For now, she was simply thankful the evening had ended safely.