Cobra

by Deon Meyer

  ‘OK, Benna, keep me posted.’

  ‘I’m looking at the Metrorail schedule,’ Mbali called.

  The front doorbell rang.

  ‘Jesus,’ said Dave Fiedler. ‘It’s like a bloody beehive here.’

  Mbali clicked her tongue at him.

  Griessel said, ‘It must be Bones, I’ll open up for him.’

  09.01.

  At Parow Station Tyrone got off and walked quickly over to the train schedules on the wall in the station building, just to be sure.

  Train 3412 ran back to Cape Town, from platform 11. In five minutes, at 09.06.

  He jogged around to the platform. Stopped. Switched the phone on. Stood and stared at the screen.

  It found a signal.

  He waited.

  He couldn’t go on like this for the whole day, fok weet, when were those guys going to send the photo?

  Or were they trying to track him?

  Good luck with that, motherfuckers.

  Train 3412 pulled into the station.

  Still no photos, no message.

  Shit.

  He got on the train, heading back to Cape Town.

  ‘I think it is train 2561. It was at Woodstock at 08.33, and in Maitland at 08.42 . . .’

  ‘He’s back on-line,’ called Dave Fiedler. ‘Hang on, the fix is coming . . .’

  Griessel looked at his notes. ‘Mbali, I think you’re right.’

  ‘He should be in Parow now,’ said Mbali.

  ‘Yes, Parow it is,’ said Fiedler.

  ‘What time does that train reach Bellville?’ asked Griessel.

  ‘Six minutes past nine,’ said Mbali.

  ‘Fok,’ said Griessel, because it was too soon. Cupido would never make it.

  ‘This once, I forgive you,’ said Mbali, also dismayed.

  55

  At 09.14,Tyrone got off at Goodwood Station.

  He switched the cellphone on again.

  The first MMS came through.

  On the small screen he saw the photo. The money, stacked on a table: hundred- and two hundred-rand notes, tied in bundles with rubber bands.

  His heart leaped. Could that be two point four million? It seemed so little?

  The next photo came through.

  A black rucksack, with the money visible through the open zipper. The bag was pleasingly full. That looked better.

  The third photo. A man in a blue windcheater and black beanie. High cheekbones, stubble. The rucksack on his back.

  Tyrone felt his heart beating. This was a face he had never seen before. It wasn’t Hoodie, it wasn’t the Waterfront shooter. But this one looked so . . . terrifyingly ruthless.

  He felt the phone in his hand tremble.

  Stick with the plan,Tyrone.

  He steadied himself, tapped the phone to call the number,

  It rang.

  The guy answered immediately. ‘No, don’t call me. Send me text messages.’

  ‘Why?’ asked Tyrone.

  But the line was already dead.

  Griessel, Mbali, and Bones Boshigo stood and stared at the photo on Dave Fiedler’s computer screen.

  ‘That’s a lot of money,’ said Fiedler.

  ‘I’m guessing at least a million, million point five,’ said Bones.

  ‘Track the number it was sent from,’ said Griessel.

  ‘I’m busy . . . He’s just called it.’

  ‘Who called what?’

  ‘The train guy . . .’

  ‘Tyrone. Call him Tyrone.’

  ‘OK, Tyrone’s just called the number from which the photographs were sent. He’s still in Goodwood. I’m getting a better fix, hang on. Yes, definitely at or very near the station.’

  ‘He’s clever,’ said Mbali. ‘He got them to send him a picture of the money. He’s selling them the memory card . . .’

  ‘There’s another photo,’ said Fiedler. ‘And another . . .’ His hand moved quickly, adeptly with the mouse.

  The new photos appeared on the screen, one beside the other.

  ‘Hhayi,’ said Mbali, because the last one was the one of the man with the rucksack. ‘That’s a Cobra.’

  ‘A Cobra?’ asked Fiedler, but Mbali waddled hastily away to the conference table, where the O. R. Tambo photos of the five suspected Cobras lay. She flipped through them, and found the one that looked like the man in the photo that was sent to Tyrone’s phone. She trotted back.

  ‘It’s this one.’ She held the photo up beside the screen. The resemblance was clear.

  ‘Print that photo, Dave,’ said Griessel. ‘And send one to Captain Cupido’s number.’

  ‘Give me his number,’ said Fiedler.

  Griessel looked it up on his phone, and held it out so that Fiedler could see.

  ‘Tyrone is very clever,’ said Mbali.

  Griessel wasn’t listening, his brain was too busy now. Tyrone on the train. Tyrone deliberately took the train from Cape Town Station. He could have taken a taxi. He could have taken the bus, but he didn’t.

  Why?

  Tyrone, who travelled to Parow, and was now on the way back towards Cape Town.

  ‘We have a new text,’ said Fiedler. He read: ‘“Why must I only SMS?” That’s from Tyrone’s phone, to the other guys.’

  ‘The Cobras,’ said Griessel, because he wanted their communication to be very clear. What lay ahead was going to be messy enough.

  ‘Who the f— Who are the Cobras?’

  ‘The bad guys.’ Griessel read the SMS over Fiedler’s shoulder.

  Why must I only SMS?

  ‘They must have told him not to call,’ said Griessel.

  ‘But why?’ asked Bones. ‘They can still be traced and tracked, can’t they?’

  ‘I think I know, but you’ll have to tell me what the hell is going down here,’ said Fiedler.

  Griessel knew it was the right thing to do now. ‘Tyrone is selling a very valuable item to some very dangerous people. We call them Cobras, it’s a long story . . . Tyrone is trying to set up the exchange of the item, for the money in the photo.’

  ‘Is it a gang? How many Cobras are there?’

  ‘Five, at least.’

  ‘OK. I think they want him to text so that they can share the message quickly. Doing that on a voice call is tricky in peak time – our cellular network is just too up to shit if you’re on the move and you’re not using the same service provider.’

  They all read the new message from the Cobras to Tyrone on the screen: Because I say so.

  There was silence in Dave Fiedler’s big room. Everyone trying to make sense of the text messages.

  ‘They are setting a trap for him,’ said Mbali.

  ‘Yes,’ said Griessel. ‘They are.’

  Fiedler was busy at another computer, while the detectives stood and looked at the screen where the money photos and text messages appeared. Time dragged.

  Go to Bellville Station.

  ‘That’s Tyrone to the Cobras,’ said Bones.

  ‘I have a fix on the Cobra phone,’ said Fiedler.

  New text: No.

  ‘The Cobras are saying “no”?’ asked Bones.

  ‘Where is the Cobra phone?’ asked Griessel.

  ‘It’s moving along the R304, going south, towards the N1.’

  Do you want the card?

  Nobody said a word, waiting for the Cobras to answer.

  Bellville Station too dangerous after yesterday. Choose another place.

  ‘Fair enough,’ said Bones.

  Nothing on the screen.

  Fiedler, at the other monitor, said, ‘The Cobras are now on the N1, heading towards the city.’

  Griessel wished he could call in the SAPS helicopter, or that he had the time and manpower for a roadblock.

  His phone rang. It was Cupido.

  ‘Vaughn, we still don’t have anything, I’ll phone you back.’

  ‘Roger, Benna.’

  ‘Why isn’t Tyrone answering?’ Bones asked.

  ‘Because they have messed u
p his plan,’ said Mbali.

  Go to Parow Station.

  ‘Trains,’ said Griessel suddenly.

  They looked at him questioningly, but he picked up his ZTE and phoned Nadia again.

  It rang for longer this time. She answered with a scared ‘Hello?’

  ‘Nadia, does Tyrone ride the trains often?’

  ‘Ja, he comes to me a lot, in Stellenbosch. He’s always saying he likes the trains. Loves riding them.’

  ‘First class or third?’

  ‘I think third class.’

  ‘Thank you, Nadia. We still don’t have news, but I’ll let you know as soon as there is.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  He killed the call. He heard Fiedler talking, and Mbali answering, but he wasn’t listening. He wanted to make sure his reasoning was correct, that he understood Tyrone. He tried to put himself inside the pickpocket’s head. He didn’t have a car. Taxis and buses were subject to the flow of traffic. Unpredictable, at best. And also not private if you want to make calls or receive photos of money. The Metro trains were reasonably predictable. In the morning they ran at regular intervals. They were public, but if you wanted to make a call, you could get off and put distance between yourself and your fellow passengers.

  It was familiar territory, as well.

  And now The Great Transaction. The trains gaveTyrone a moving exchange location – there were not the same dangers of a specific street corner or abandoned building, where the Cobras could hide or stalk him.

  Tyrone was clever, as Mbali had pointed out. He knew the trains, apparently he knew the stations. They must be good places to steal from people’s pockets. And there would be some small comfort in the crowds of other people, possible eyewitnesses. The Cobras were rightly wary about going back to Bellville. On the rail system, Tyrone could keep moving, in two directions, keep them guessing. Every station offered its own escape routes, within minutes from each other . . .

  He phoned Cupido.

  ‘Where are you?’

  ‘Just past Karl Bremer, on the N1. Traffic is a bit better this side.’

  ‘Tyrone is on his way back to Cape Town.’

  ‘Jissis, Benna, he’s fucking us around.’

  ‘Ja. I think you must still go to the station. Take the first train to Cape Town.’

  ‘Then I’ll be without a car.’

  ‘I know, but I think he’s going to do the whole thing on the trains. He knows the system, and it gives him a lot of options.’

  ‘It’s taking a big chance, Benna.’

  ‘It’s all we’ve got.’

  56

  ‘Bones, you’re going to stay here and you’re going to be our controller,’ said Griessel.

  ‘Me?’ In disbelief.

  ‘Yes. Mbali and I need to get to the city station. I think Tyrone is going to make the handover somewhere along this railway line. At a station or on a train. And the quickest way to get from station to station is by using the train.’

  Griessel searched through his pockets, until he found the earphones for the ZTE. He plugged it into his phone, pushed them in his ears.

  ‘Dave, you’re going to have to help. You’ll have to call Captain Cupido and give him instructions, but wait until I tell Bones what to do.’

  ‘Sweet, china.’

  ‘Bones, call me on this phone. Tell me everything that is happening.’

  ‘I’ll do my best,’ said Bones nervously.

  ‘You’ll be OK,’ said Mbali, and adjusted the pistol on her hip.

  ‘You’ll have to hide the weapon,’ said Griessel. ‘And the ID card. We’re going undercover.’

  Tyrone was on train 3414, from Goodwood to Cape Town.

  He stood with bated breath and waited for Black Beanie’s answer.

  He hadn’t expected them to refuse to go to Bellville. He should have thought of that, it was common sense, he didn’t want to show his face there either for a while.

  But it had made his timetable a bit weird. Because Metrorail’s trains ran less frequently until late afternoon.

  But it was still OK, if he kept his head.

  The phone vibrated in his hand.

  OK.

  That was their answer.

  He let out a sharp, explosive breath.

  It was on.

  Griessel and Mbali, in the BMW, with the siren and blue light on.

  The ZTE rang. Griessel answered, ‘Bones?’

  ‘Tyrone is moving again, train 3414 to Cape Town.’

  ‘OK.’ He thought for a moment and then spoke loudly, so that Bones on the phone as well as Mbali beside him could both hear him clearly, ‘He’s moving between the city and Parow. Bones, look at the schedule, is that where the most trains are running?’

  ‘Hang on . . . Tyrone has just replied to the Cobras’ text, he said “Tell me when you are at Parow Station”.’

  ‘Has Dave called Vaughn yet?’

  ‘Yes. Vaughn is on train 3214, it left Bellville at ten, direction Cape Town. It’s the one right behind Tyrone’s.’

  ‘OK, tell him we’re undercover. No ID, no firearm visible.’

  ‘Roger . . . Benny, you’re right. The bulk of the trains will be running between Eerste River and Cape Town from now until about four. Just about twenty per cent go to the Strand.’

  ‘OK, Bones. I think it is going to happen between the city and Parow, maybe Bellville. When is Vaughn going to reach Parow?’

  ‘He’s already past Parow, according to the schedule. He should be at Thornton now.’

  ‘Tell him to get off at Maitland. Unless you can see Tyrone leaving his train somewhere.’

  ‘Tyrone still seems to be moving.’

  ‘Hang on.’ Griessel wove though the traffic in Strand Street. He had to concentrate on the road for now. Mbali sat staring with wide eyes, clutching the big black handbag on her lap.

  Then they were across Adderley, alongside the station. He saw a loading zone, switched off the siren, and parked. Mbali’s door was already open, as though she was relieved to be getting out of the car.

  ‘Mbali!’ he shouted as they ran to the station. ‘We are going to take two separate trains, just to cover more bases.’

  ‘Yes,’ she said, already puffing.

  Tyrone got off at Woodstock.

  Where was Black Beanie? Why was it taking so long to get to Parow Station?

  They were going to fuck everything up.

  He went over to the schedules again. He would have to wait.

  Time to begin chewing the gum. He dug in his pocket, took out the pack, put six strips in his mouth, began to chew.

  His cellphone vibrated.

  We are at Parow.

  He shivered. Was his plan going to work?

  His fingers trembled as he typed OK. I know u are 4. Money guy ... and he looked closely at the time tables . . . goes on train 3520, leaving Parow at 10.36, Plfrm 9. Must be alone, or u won’t get card. I will hide card on train 3515, reaching Parow at 10.50. when I have money, will tell u where on train card is hidden.

  And then he waited for them to answer.

  Bones’s voice was high and almost panicky when he passed on the news to Griessel.

  ‘OK, Bones, Mbali has just left the station on that exact train, so we are covered. I am going to call her now, and I’m going to warn her. Now you and Dave must try to get Vaughn on the same train, Mbali will need backup.’

  ‘Roger, out.’

  ‘No, wait. Where is Tyrone?’

  ‘Woodstock.’

  ‘OK, that’s where I’m going.’

  If card is not on train, we WILL kill your sister. Just 4 guards at hospital.

  How did they know that? wondered Tyrone. Had they been there?

  Of course they had been there, you ape.

  He would have to get the money, and then take the pistol and go to his sister, these guys just wanted to kill.

  Take a deep breath,Tyrone.

  He typed on the phone: If money is right, card is there.

 
Train 3515 pulled into Woodstock Station.

  Tyrone ran for the train.

  Time to put the card under a seat.

  Mbali Kaleni saw the pickpocket running towards the train. Her cellphone against her ear, she told Griessel, cool as a cucumber, ‘I see him.’

  ‘Good,’ said Griessel.

  ‘He’s getting on the train . . .’

  ‘OK.’

  ‘He’s in the next carriage, I can see him . . . He’s taking off his backpack. He’s sitting down . . . He’s opening his backpack, he has taken something out. I can’t see what it is. He has it on his lap. Wait . . . Now he’s taken something from his mouth. He’s looking around . . . Sorry, Benny, I had to look away . . .’

  ‘OK.’

  ‘He . . . Benny, I think he has stuck the card under the seat. Now he’s getting up, the train is going to stop at . . . Salt River Station. I think he’s going to get off.’

  ‘Mbali, go and see if the card is there.’

  She waited until Tyrone had left the train. She watched Tyrone go and stand on the platform. She felt sorry for him, in that instant, he looked so scared and bewildered.

  Still she remained seated. Till the doors closed, and the train jerked, and began to move.

  Then she got up and walked to the seat he had vacated. She saw Tyrone standing on the platform staring at the departing train.

  A young black man sat down on Tyrone’s seat. He had earphones on and his head moved in time to the music he was listening to.

  Mbali stopped in front of him and said: ‘I want you to move.’

  He didn’t hear her.

  She tapped him on the knee and he looked up, irritated by the intrusion. She gestured that he should move up.

  He stared at her, challenging. ‘Ungachopha apho,’ he said. You can sit there.

  She smacked him against the ear, like a naughty child.

  That shocked him, he ducked to avoid another possible smack, and said in agitation, ‘Yintoni eyebayo?’ What is wrong with you?

  But he took in her severe expression, the fearless attitude, and he shifted up, three seats further away. He shook his head in disbelief, trying to regain a little dignity.

  Mbali ignored him, sat down, put her handbag beside her, and leaned over. She felt underneath the seat, until she found the wodge of chewing gum. She pulled it loose, and held it up.

  She said to Benny Griessel, ‘I have the card.’