“I’m afraid not.”
“But you are an engineer,” she said accusingly. “You said so. What have you done that someone should wish to kill you?”
“I have done nothing.” He hesitated. “I just happen to be on important business. Some business competitors don’t want me to return to England.”
“Now you are lying.”
“Yes, I am lying, but not very much. I am on important business and there are some people who do not want me to get back to England. They employed men to kill me while I was in Gallipoli but the Turkish police arrested these men before they could try. Then they employed a professional killer to do the job. When I got back to my hotel after I left Le Jockey Cabaret the other night, he was waiting for me. He shot at me and missed everything except my hand.”
She was breathing quickly. “It is atrocious! A bestiality! Does Kopeikin know of it?”
“Yes. It was partly his idea that I should travel on this boat.”
“But who are these people?”
“I only know of one. His name is Moeller and he lives in Sofia. The Turkish police told me that he is a German agent.”
“The salop! But he cannot touch you now.”