Murder at Tennis in Tunis

By Qais Ghanem

When the son of a Yemini qat millionaire accidentally kills a woman, and gets away with it because of his father's political connections, her boyfriend seeks revenge.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Qais Ghanem
• Release date: Mar 10, 2022
• ISBN: 9781775146636

Qais Ghanem

Retired neurologist, author, poet, columnist for several international papers.Promotes peace, dialogue with diversity and gender equality.Previous books:Final Flight from Sanaa - novel, also translated to ArabicTwo Boys from Aden College - novel - also Arabic versionMy Arab Spring My Canada - co-authored non-fictionFrom Left to Right - Arabic and English verseForbidden Love in the Land of ShebaDemocracy, Deity and Death - Discussion by Four Arabs

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Murder at Tennis in Tunis

Qais Ghanem

Qais Ghanem

Ottawa Canada

Murder at Tennis in Tunis

Copyright © 2022 by Qais Ghanem

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, electronic transmission, or by any storage and retrieval system, without written permission from the author except for the purposes of study or review. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is a coincidence.

First digital edition March 2022

Designed by Crowe Creations

Cover by Qais Ghanem

ISBN: 978–1–7751466–3–6

Chapter 1: Looking for an Apartment

Minutes after nine in the morning, the phone rang in the office of Princes Estate in Green Park, London. Kathy cheerfully answered, Rental office, Princes Building. Good morning. How can I help you?

A male voice with a strong middle eastern accent said, Good morning. I read in the paper something about apartments for rent in the city center. Can you help me find one? But in the center of London.

Yes, sir. We’re in Green Park, and there’s nothing nearer to Piccadilly than Green Park, where you’ll find theaters, restaurants and parks… and most things, within walking distance.

Are they luxury apartments?

Yes, sir. Absolutely.

I want a really first-class place. How much is the rent?

That depends on the size, floor, and conditions required by the customer. Why don’t you honor us with a short visit, sir? To see for yourself the quality of apartments… and services available?

There are services?

Yes, sir. All tenants are entitled to use the swimming pool, the gym, the travel office. We also have barber and beauty shops, and massage centers of all kinds.

You mean there are many kinds?

Indeed, sir. There’s oriental massage, Thai, Chinese, Russian, Swedish and so on.

But what do I do if I don’t like the masseuse?

There’s a number of them so you can try all the masseuses. You’ll no doubt find the one you like. And you can always change her whenever you want.

Is all of that included in the apartment rent?

We can offer you an all-inclusive package if you like. That way, you’ll get a real bargain.

Very nice. I will come at ten o’clock tomorrow. Is that too early?

Not at all, sir. May I know the name?

Sheikh Qaid.

Welcome, Sheikh Qaid! Then we will see you tomorrow.

***

By ten o’clock the next morning, Kathy had prepared a pot of coffee, and was ready to welcome the Sheikh. Fifteen minutes later, the door to her office opened very slowly, and a man with Arab features entered. Kathy rushed to the door, welcoming the visitor, and shaking his hand warmly.

He was a man of sixty years or so, elegantly groomed, with gray hair, a moustache and a goatee, a long, hooked nose, and large black eyes, each with thick eyebrows graying at the edges. He roamed the room with great confidence, holding an amber rosary in his right hand, and playing with its beads. His suit was gray with blue stripes, his shirt white, and a red and blue tie hung over his large belly.

I imagine that you are… Sheikh Qaid?

And you’re, no doubt Kathy?

Yes, Sheikh Qaid. It’s a great pleasure to meet you. You’re a famous man.

How do you know that?

There is such a thing as Google, sir.

Qaid laughed.

May I pour you a cup of fresh coffee?

Please.

After coffee, Kathy asked him, When did you arrive in London? Or do you live here?

I came here two weeks ago. From Morocco.

Few come from Morocco. She smiled. Do you have an idea of the size of the apartment you want?

It depends on the rent.

The rent, in turn, depends on the number of bedrooms, which range between two and five.

OK. Let’s start by seeing your most expensive unit. It’s easier to then move to a cheaper one. I find that the other direction is more difficult.

Yes, great idea. That shows experience. Come with me please, Sheikh Qaid.

She picked up a set of keys from her desk drawer then motioned for him to follow.

In a sumptuous apartment, the two stood in the front hall beside a wardrobe with polished teak doors, twelve feet in width. On the left was a glass table with two chairs. The living room was huge, even for a man as rich as the Sheikh. As for the kitchen, it was what most women would dream of. Because the apartment was on the top of the building, the seventh floor, its ceiling included a dome of glass that made the room appear larger than it was, and very bright.

There is a lot of light, which I love. It reminds me of home, Qaid said.

This is what our clients prefer. Especially in London where we often don’t see the sun for long periods. You’ll notice that we can see Green Park from here, because of the height. From the apartments facing west, Hyde Park too, can be clearly seen.

Qaid smiled. In my country, the sun refuses to set. I wish we could exchange our surplus of sun for your rain. Let’s take a look at the bedrooms.

Here we have five rooms, but one of them is small, and is often used as an office.

Are the remaining four bedrooms of the same size?

Yes, sir.

What are these things hanging from the ceiling in this bedroom? Cameras?

Oh, no, sir. Those are water jets. In case of fire.

That is very good, but has there ever been a fire?

No! Never happened. Touch wood.

Qaid looked perplexed, but he had another question. And what’s behind that door? Near the kitchen area?

This is the sink and trash area. Let’s take a look.

It’s very wide. That’s great. What’s that big window with the blue handle?

This is the door of the garbage chute that takes all your trash into huge steel dumpsters on the ground next to the garage.

It is really huge for a garbage chute. I myself could enter it and reach the ground. At least when I was younger. Before I gained all this weight.

Kathy chuckled. Don’t worry, Sheikh Qaid. We have in the building a large room for exercise, and a swimming pool, if you want to maintain the right weight.

The Sheikh asked, What do you do about security here?

This is something we take very seriously for obvious reasons. We often have important people like you from all over the world. Actually, most clients are from your part of the world.

He turned to her with a question on his face.

"This is very important for our customers. They are businessmen, wealthy retirees, ministers, ambassadors… both