Good Morning, Ester (Morning, Day 4)

I may say good morning but it's already late in the day. I was only able to pick up my pen and start writing after midday. When I finished writing last night, I was so tired I almost fell asleep at my desk and only just managed to crawl into bed. When I woke up, it was already noon. I was still so groggy that it was only after I had taken a cold shower that I managed to come round. I got dressed and went downstairs to eat. On the way down, I saw two maids cleaning in the corridor but now that I was free of any suspicions, I don't think they were watching me. The elevator was full so I walked down the marble staircase to the hotel restaurant. The lunch service had not yet started but the head waiter, bless him, had the cooks rustle up a cheese omelette for me, along with a large glass of ayran, which I tucked into whilst leafing through the papers.

There was an interesting piece in İkdam. Two armed men have been arrested in Ankara, it seems. They have refused to confess to their charges or give a statement but they are believed to be associates of Çerkez Ethem, or Ethem the Circassian, who has fled to Greece. There is talk afoot of a plot to assassinate Mustafa Kemal, with the help of the Greek secret services. Our security services, in response, have made it clear that such plots will always be thwarted and that the ring of steel around the young republic will always be there to defend the life and the honour of the president. I read the piece carefully but there was no mention of any ex-CUP members or any attempt to link this new plot with the assassination attempt in Izmir, which I suppose is something. At least now they are no longer shackled by a fantasy that every and any assassination attempt is somehow connected to ex-members of the CUP.

‘Hi Şehsuvar ağabey’.

I looked up and saw Reşit standing in front of me.

‘Hello there, Reşit, Sorry, I was so lost in the papers, I didn't see you there.’