"But how? Guards swarm everywhere. They are alert, because there was a big robbery not long ago. Everyone is watched. Everyone! I don't understand even how you could hide it without being seen."
"We have our own methods," Rick assured him. "And we'll get the cat back. If you will come here tomorrow night it will be waiting for you."
Moustafa rose and walked to the door. He looked at the boys, and above the luxuriant mustache, dark eyes blazed at them. "It had better be," he said flatly. "If you are caught by the museum guards you had better say it was a joke. As Americans, you may be believed. Do not connect me, or my brothers, or Bartouki with this thing! But get that cat! I don't care how. But get it!"
He slammed the door behind him.
Rick looked at Scotty. "Get it, or else?"
"Or else," Scotty confirmed. "He didn't say it, but he meant it."
Rick put his thoughts into words. "No one gets that excited over a plastic model. The cat is important for some other reason. But what?"
"I'll ask a different question for a change. Who would you rather have on your trail, Moustafa or Youssef?"
Rick stared at his pal for a long moment while he digested the implications of the question. "I see what you mean," he said finally. "There are two groups after the cat. Right? I've wondered about that myself, since we were rescued by Kemel this morning. So we're caught between a pair of tough characters, like eggs in the jaws of a vise."
Scotty finished grimly, "And right now the jaws are closing. Fast."