by Tony Jenkins
Demeter was very subdued during their evening together because he felt it was his fault for putting Theresa in danger. As a consequence, he would now only have four days of her company. She did her best to convince him that both he and her Uncle Jack had thought the problems at the mine were over. He should not blame himself when it was entirely the fault of the man Radics for again stirring up trouble with the local Roma just when the mine was back in production. They shared one bedroom for their last night together and both took great care to protect her broken arm.
Chapter 19
Confrontation
The two Romanian policemen had begun moving north after starting their search in the small villages south of Bacău. Bumbesco reasoned that the Tigani people, who had been driven from Budestin when it was burned, would probably settle in existing Tigani settlements in the general area of Bacău, or in small groups in the open country.
If Tigo had returned from his travels to find his people scattered and his mother killed, he would probably return to them after murdering those he blamed as responsible. As their leader, he would want to gather as many as possible into a new community to re-establish his control over them.
Rudi was moving slowly north amongst the Tigani settlements and using his mechanical talents to repair appliances, or even their cars, to pick up local gossip but avoid appearing too inquisitive. Although horses were still an important part of Tigani life, the motor car was seen as a status symbol, even if the engine did not work. Rudi was fixing the magneto on a battered Lada when his sharp ears picked up a conversation, which mentioned the name Tigo. Moving around the car and keeping his head under the bonnet, he managed to get closer to hear more. One Tigani was complaining to another that he had been regularly beaten by Tigo. He had moved his family away from Budestin, only to find his persecutor travelling around the area to bully his people again and rebuild the community at Pasiti, which Rudi sensed was not far away.
After switching on the engine and seeing the Tigani owner swell with pride that he could again sit inside and rev up the engine, even if he was not intending to drive anywhere. Rudi accepted payment in food for the night and to take with him when he left the following morning. Sitting around the campfire as he ate his stew and bread with the others, Rudi asked where he might find more work in nearby settlements, or villages. Three, or four names were mentioned, including Pasiti. Wanting to avoid showing any interest in the town where Tigo was now living, he asked for details about a number and included Pasiti as he compared the size and distances involved. Having obtained all the information he needed, he decided to travel to a town where he could meet Bumbesco and pass on what he had learned. The lieutenant would then decide on the next course of action.
Early the following morning, Rudi drove his horse and vardo along the road leading to Moinești, which was the nearest town where he expected to be able to telephone Bumbesco to arrange a meeting. He was moving in the rough direction of Pasiti, but knew it would be unwise for him to travel there alone before discussing the best course of action with his boss. They were stalking a murderer who had shown he would kill without hesitation. Rudi had hidden a revolver inside the vardo, but this would be no match for a rifle, which had been used to shoot the commissar. If he had to engage Tigo in physical combat, he had no doubt that he would be able to subdue, or even kill the man.
The weather was surprisingly good and he hoped to reach Moinești by the next morning by getting off to an early start. It had been just ten days since he had first begun his search for the elusive Tigo and now they could be close to finding him. Just as he was beginning to think they would not find their quarry; the chance remark had pointed the way. He wondered if he would qualify for the reward if they arrested Tigo. As late afternoon approached, he could tell that the horse needed a rest and decided to pull over to the side of the road and stop overnight. He chose an open space at the edge of the forest. There was good grazing for his horse and a stream nearby to provide it with water. He unhitched the horse and tied a rope to the halter to connect it to the vardo and prevent it wandering off, but within reach of the stream.
He collected dried wood from the forest and was setting a fire to make tea when he heard the familiar noise of wild boars in the distance. The noise was coming closer and he knew how dangerous the vicious animals could be. He thought about getting his revolver, but the animals moved so quickly and he was such a poor marksman that he knew it would be pointless. Instead he took hold of a spade, which he used to level sites for the vardo and waited near the horse. He could not untie the halter because the animal had already sensed the wild boar approach and would gallop off if untied. Suddenly, a large wild boar with prominent tusks broke through the bushes and he watched as it paused and its red eyes looked around the clearing. The frightened horse reared up on its hind legs and snorted. The sudden movement and noise attracted the boar and it charged.
Rudi stood between the horse and the boar with the spade cocked at shoulder level. Timing his strike, he swung the spade and connected with the head of the boar so that it was knocked sideways and rolled over screaming wildly. It landed near the stream and went silent and Rudi was sure he had killed it. It was a magnificent strike, but unfortunately the noise alerted the rest of the boars, which began streaming out of the forest. Rudi feared for his own and the horse’s life against a combined attack by the creatures. He raised the spade again and prepared to kill, or maim as many as possible. Suddenly, there was a shot and a boar dropped flat, then another boar was shot and killed and the pack turned and raced for safety in the forest. Looking for his rescuer, Rudi watched as a tall man holding a rifle stepped down from his horse and walked towards him with the rifle held across his chest. The stranger was bearded and his shoulder length black hair was oiled and braided.
“Light your fire traveller, and we will have boar for supper.”
The man walked past to reach down and grab hold of a tusk and drag a boar towards Rudi who noticed the distinctive Tigani clothes and thanked him by speaking in the Romani language.
“Thank you for frightening them off. They normally keep clear of people. I didn’t expect the old boar to charge, but I think the horse startled him and I don’t know whether the rest were charging, or running away, but now we have plenty to eat.”
“I saw your grand vardo and watched you kill the big boar leader and wanted to talk to you, but the rest ran out of the forest and gave us our supper. Where are you going?”
“I hope to reach Moinești in the morning and find some repair work, since I was told it was a good place for Tigani.”
“I want to take two boars to my people who are at Pasiti, which is near Moinești. One boar is yours, but the other two are mine and their meat is very good. You build up the fire and I will cut up your boar for supper.”
The horseman unsaddled the stallion and hitched it to one of the wheels of the vardo, then moved all three boar carcasses to lie near the front wheels. Taking out a large knife he began slicing meat from the big boar for their evening meal. Rudi got a fire going and sharpened some sticks to use in barbecuing the pork. Pulling a battered black metal pot from a cupboard, he filled it with water from the stream and hung it over the fire to boil and make tea. Next, he brought two small wooden stools out of the vardo and set them near the fire. The pork smelled delicious and once the tea was made the two men ate the food by using their knives and washed the food down with the strong black tea.
“There are not many vardos like the one you have. I have never seen another like it. Our people are beginning to build houses and use cheap caravans and some have cars to pull them. How long have you been travelling in this area?”
Rudi and Bumbesco had discussed a cover story in case anyone was suspicious of a traveller suddenly appearing in the area and Rudi sensed that it was just as well he was prepared.
“I work in Focsani as a car mechanic and the vardo belonged to my grandfather. When he died, he left it to my father, but he had made my father prom
ise to drive the vardo for a month to help to keep the old traditions going. We have worked to restore the vardo for the past year and my father and I were going to make the journey together, but he is ill and insisted that I go on my own. My journey is almost finished and after I make some money in Moinești, I will be going back to Focsani.”
“Come to Pasiti with me and bring the boars and I will make sure you have plenty of work to earn money. When you have finished the work, you can go home. My name is Tigo and I am the leader of a group of Tigani in Pasiti.”
Rudi had already suspected that he might have met their quarry by chance. The man was big and obviously accustomed to having his own way and very few Tigani had guns and certainly not hunting rifles. If he refused the invitation, the man could well shoot him and take over the vardo. Better to accept and try to find some way of contacting Bumbesco, who had not heard from him for over a week.
“That is a good offer and there are two bunks in the vardo if you would like to spend the night here. I will follow you to Pasiti in the morning.”
After finishing supper, Tigo said that the smell of the cooking food could be picked up by a bear half a mile away. Once it got the scent, it would certainly come to seek food. The horses could be at risk and to protect them he would lie near the fire and keep watch. He would wake if any beasts came sniffing around and would drive them off, or shoot them. Just after midnight, Rudi was shaken awake and told to take his turn guarding the horses. Tigo kept the gun with him and told Rudi that from the top of the vardo steps, he would have a clear shot at any troublesome beasts. Although this sounded reasonable, Rudi did not like having a killer with a rifle above him while he tried to sleep.
After his night watch, Rudi was stiff and tired because he had not been able to sleep during the five hours and as the fire had gone out, he was also cold. Tigo awoke early and told him to make the fire while he watered the horses and led them to an area of good grass for them to graze. The two men drank tea together and cooked some more strips of pork before preparing the horses for the journey to Pasiti. The boar carcasses had stopped seeping blood and after washing them in the stream he wrapped them in an old blanket and placed them on the floor of the vardo. Tigo told him that they would be prepared and cooked by his people for eating. They arrived at Pasiti three hours later and although the stranger in the vardo was welcomed, especially when they saw the boars, the return of their leader Tigo did not appear to be appreciated by all those meeting them. Rudi hoped that this would help him if he could contact Bumbesco and they arrested Tigo.
Releasing his horse from its harness and setting up the vardo for his stay, he was offered at least three days’ work and soon got to know the locals, who all wanted to look at the vardo and talk to him about other villages he had visited. He was aware of Tigo watching him from time to time as he was cleaning his rifle, then saw the leader walk off into the forest. He tried to do work for those who appeared to dislike Tigo, whether by a look, or a chance remark. He was trying to rebuild the carburettor on an old Dacia car for Pesha, who was a small chatty man who stood beside the car as Rudi worked on the engine. Pesha told him that they had been driven from the village where they lived by soldiers and Rudi smiled, but said nothing. Rudi continued his work and the man then said that he did not like being in Pasiti and if Rudi could fix his car, he might leave.
“How long did you live in your other village Pesha?”
“I was born there and grew up with Tigo, but he was a bully and his older step brother was just as bad, but he is dead now.”
Rudi looked carefully around the site for any sign of Tigo, but he seemed to be still in the forest. Although anxious to learn more he knew that he must avoid asking direct questions, but keep Pesha talking about the old village.
“After the Russians left our country, I thought we would be safe, but now you tell me that our own soldiers attacked your village for no reason.”
“There was bad blood between the brothers, but Tigo was leader although he was younger. The older brother Renko killed the son of a chief in France and he sent men to punish Renko. Tigo held a trial and his brother was found guilty and he was nailed to a wooden board. The French Tigani must have talked about it and the soldiers came to find what happened. They were also looking for another Tigani, who never spoke very much, who had come to our village a few weeks before.”
Tigo suddenly appeared from the back of the car with a face red with anger. As he strode towards Pesha, the small man cowered in fright and Tigo smashed his fist into the face of the small man, who fell to the ground unconscious. His nose and mouth a mass of blood.
“This fool is a gossip and you don’t want to take notice of his lies. Come, there are other things to fix and you should not waste your time working on this heap of metal.”
After kicking the Dacia car, Tigo took hold of Rudi by the arm and pulled him over to the other side of the village, not looking at the inert body of Pesha on the ground. Rudi made up his mind to say nothing about Pesha’s comments and be very careful not to ask any questions. He thought that if Tigo now wanted to prevent the details of his brother’s death reaching the authorities, he would have no hesitation in killing Rudi, but not while he was in Pasiti, where there were too many witnesses. The most likely danger time would come when he left the village and was driving through the forest. Fortunately, he had his revolver, but this would not be very effective against a rifle in the hands of a hidden marksman.
He picked up a reward notice, which had obviously been torn down from a tree trunk and thrown amongst some rubbish. He slipped it into his pocket and would try to find which of the Tigani’s could read and then somehow leave the notice where he was likely to find it and hopefully read it. He knew his life was in danger and he had to find every possible way of helping himself to survive. He carved two wooden wedges to jam his door at night, in case Tigo came to slit his throat. He also kept his revolver where he could get hold of it quickly.
Bumbesco had been making his way north on a parallel course to Rudi, but driving along the edge of the mountains so that he could drive, or walk along the valleys to hunt. He was choosing pheasants to shoot because they were good targets and small enough for him to cook for his lunch in the forest. At night he ate in the hotel, or the inn where he slept. He saw deer and an ibis, but they were large animals and the government wanted them protected. He was waiting to hear from Rudi and although he understood that it was sometimes difficult, it was now ten days since the big policeman had set off in his vardo. He tried not to think about the disappearance of the last Tigani sent to check on Tigo’s actions.
He could not begin visiting local Tigani communities without putting his man in danger, but his daily routine was beginning to bore him and the lack of constructive action was making him frustrated. He had received two telephone calls from Major Chisca to ask about their progress and in the last call the previous day, his boss was obviously not impressed to hear that he had no idea where Rudi was. A fox ran across the trail in front of him and he immediately shot it and then felt guilty for killing the poor animal because of his frustration. He must maintain his control and let the investigation proceed according to his original plan. Having tired of pheasant, he kept watch for an alternative and when a group of wild boars ran past, he shot one of the smaller, younger boars. There were quite a few in the forest and he liked their meat. He would put the carcass in his car and take it back to have his landlord prepare it and share it with others at the inn.
It was late afternoon and he lifted the boar into the back of the Suzuki and wrapped it in a groundsheet before beginning his drive back. He was staying the night at a small inn on a minor road passing through the town of Comănești, which was adjacent to the area where Rudi should be travelling. So far, the reward offer for information about Tigo had brought no results. The leaflets had been widely distributed, but many Tigani were unable to read. It was also possible that those who knew, or were living near Tigo were too frightened to contact the aut
horities and possibly risk their lives.
After a delicious evening meal of pig cooked on a revolving spit and helped down with local beer, Bumbesco returned to his room feeling guilty at his comfortable part in the search. He could not continue waiting when Rudi could be in danger. After studying a local map and calculating the average rate of progress he tried to find a town where Rudi might go to contact him, even if he had yet to gather any information on Tigo.
Chapter 20
Attrition
The Russian Mafia gang had all been killed and Jack Randil was able to reassure customers protected by his security operation that there would be no further night-time burglaries, or fires at their properties. Greg Ridd was relieved that the threat to his team had been removed, but was also pleased that their systems had been tested and as a result, their training methods and equipment had been improved. Staff who had been attacked received bonuses and were now fully recovered and back at work.
Theresa was recuperating at home after being collected at the airport by her stepfather Greg Ridd and her Uncle Jack Randil. Judy was worried that her husband was once again putting himself at risk by flying back to Hungary to try to stop the war between the local Roma people and the Hun-Al mining staff. Greg and Mary were furious that their daughter had escaped being shot by just three feet. Jack with Theresa’s help had to work hard to convince them that their future son in law was now in danger and needed their support. Greg then insisted that he should join Jack on his peacekeeping mission, but seeing the concern in his sister’s eyes, Jack wanted to avoid taking his friend into danger.