Moustafa handed the phone to Rick. The boy said quickly, "Yes, sir?"
"My dear boy, I am very upset by this affair." Bartouki sounded agitated, even across the miles. "Kemel will try to find out what has been going on. Meanwhile, please give him the model. And accept my apologies for getting you into such a situation, and my thanks for your loyalty to our model cat. I hope to show my appreciation when you return, and I shall certainly want to hear all about this. But for now, trust Kemel. He is my friend and associate."
Rick promised to do so, said good-by, and hung up. He turned to Moustafa and Scotty. "Mr. Bartouki agrees. We turn the cat over."
Kemel stroked his mustache. "Yes. But first, I must know of these attacks. Can you describe the men who attacked you at the Egyptian Museum?"
Scotty could, and did. He gave complete details of dress and appearance.
The Egyptian shook his head. "I'm afraid the descriptions mean nothing. They did not harm you?"
"They could have," Rick stated. "But they only searched us. We didn't have the cat with us, and it took only seconds for them to find out."
Moustafa's brows creased. "I can make no sense of this. Why would anyone want the cat?"
Rick and Scotty laughed mirthlessly. "That's exactly the same question we asked ourselves a thousand times," Rick said.
"And you made copies of concrete? That was extremely clever of you. I believe you gave one to a man who showed up here?"
Rick described the encounter, and he gave a detailed description of the man. Before he was through, Moustafa was nodding his head.
"I recognize this man! From your description, it can only be one Youssef. He is a well-known thief, and the leader of a gang. My brother Fuad was once requested to defend him, and refused. Another lawyer with less scruples took the case and got him off."
"But why would a thief want the cat?" Scotty asked.
Moustafa shook his head. "I do not know. Unless he intends to sell the model to a manufacturer, or to produce cats for sale himself. Or, if he knows how much time, money, and planning we have invested in this cat, he may see it as a means of revenge on the Moustafas because Fuad would not take his case."
The answer was logical enough, but it didn't ring true to Rick. At least the revenge part didn't. What had Youssef said? "_I have no sentimental attachment to this object. I merely want it._" A motive of revenge would be emotional, even if not exactly sentimental.