Cashback

by Duncan James

  ***

  After nearly a day of exchanges between the offices of the President and the leader of the opposition, it had become obvious that the head of state was not prepared to meet his opponents to discuss 'the pack of lies and forgeries put about by London'. Threats of publicity did nothing to bring a meeting any closer, and indeed the President's confidence was such that the opposition party almost began to believe that the documents might, after all, not be genuine.

  However, before the shadow cabinet could meet again to discuss what to do next, the President almost took the decision for them, by sacking his Finance Minister and arresting the Governor of the Reserve Bank, charged between them for being responsible for the leak.

  So the documents were genuine, after all.

  Will rang the British Embassy on his secure phone, and spoke to Charles Bowman.

  "I never know what you've heard and what you haven't," said Will, "but in case you didn't know, I thought I would tell you that the Finance Minister has been sacked, and the Governor of the Reserve Bank has been arrested. The Finance Minister could be charged with something soon, too, but the two bank chairmen who were arrested earlier have been released, none the worse for wear it seems."

  "That's very useful information, Will," said the Group Captain. "And never worry about telling me something you think I might already know - the more sources that tell you the same thing, the more you can be sure it's accurate."

  "Oh, right," said Will.

  "As it happens, I had heard about the sacking, and knew that the Governor had disappeared from the scene, but I didn't know he'd been arrested or why," said the attache.

  "Because the documents are accurate and genuine, that's why," explained Will. "They have been accused of leaking the information about the head of state's recent financial dealings, and copying the papers specially."

  "Nothing has been said publicly about any of this yet, I notice," said Bowman.

  "Apparently, the opposition party means to brief the press in a few days, but they are making the man sweat a bit first," relied Will. "They are still hoping for a meeting with the President, but so far he's refusing, even in the face of threatened exposure. He says the papers are forgeries, put about by the British Government."

  "Which plainly they are not, else he wouldn't be accusing senior people of leaking," said the Group Captain.

  "Exactly, so that's good news for your Government. I gather he means to hang on to the money, though, in spite of everything!"

  "Nothing surprises me about that man," said Bowman. "Thanks for the call, Will - keep in touch."

  "I may not be in touch for a few days, I'm afraid," said Will. "I have to go to see my father in the Western Cape, but I should be back at the weekend. Can I tell Robin what I've told you, by the way? I know he'd be interested."

  "I see no harm in that, provided you're not overheard," replied Bowman. "Is he still in Nairobi with you?"

  "Only until tomorrow, when we both leave town," replied Will Bartlett. "He and Marian are returning to Oxford. Work to do, he says. If anyone rings me with any hot gen while I'm down south, I'll let you know right away, providing the phone works from that distance."

  "It will," the attache assured him. "Have a good trip."