‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘About, you being a worse thief than all of them and that you had the gun.’
Brian chuckled. ‘She said that? Silly bitch.’
‘You told me you had left the gun in the apartment.’
‘Yes and just suppose I hadn’t, what would you do about it?
‘Ahhh fuck this,’ said Doug getting out of the car and the impasse. He walked round to the passenger door, Brian slid across into the driver’s seat and they headed towards Nairobi in pained silence.
*
Patel sat on the aircraft, a magazine on his lap, not knowing what to do. The initial excitement of his condition had surprised him. He had assumed it would resolve itself, something to do with the joy of his narrow escape, but now it was getting painful. He fingered himself under the magazine trying to relieve the pressure; it only made the craving worse. He craned over the seat in front of him looking for the sign for the toilets. He would have to ease himself out and make a dash for one of them. He glanced at the woman beside him working out how to squeeze past, when his eyes locked on her thighs. He shut them trying to force the image from his mind and stood up. ‘Excuse me,’ he blurted out and pushed his way towards her.
A passing flight attendant addressed him firmly. ‘Sit down sir we are about to take off. Please put on your seat belt.’
Patel looked at her wildly his eyes on her breasts. ‘The toilet,’ he said in a strangled voice.
‘Sorry you will have to wait,’ she told him unsympathetically and walked on. Patel sat down moaning softly, eyes shut as he tried to control the sexual images coursing through his mind, he felt like he was about to explode.
The plane was no sooner in the air than he was up out of his seat, pushing past the woman treading on her foot in his haste to get to the toilet. He stayed in there for a long time, later feeling better, he made his way back. The woman glared at him as he returned. He leered back. ‘Sorry my tummy,’ he said as he squeezed past her.
An attendant came over. ‘Is everything alright sir?’
‘Yes. My stomach, I must have eaten something,’ he blatantly undressed her with his eyes.
‘Would you like anything to drink sir?’
‘Yes some water please,’ Patel answered, eyes glistening.
In the serving bay she turned to her companion as she got his water. ‘We have a pervert in 16c, can you find a seat for the poor woman sitting next to him?’ Her companion looked down the aircraft. ‘Oh yes I see him. What a creep I’ll see what I can do.’
A steward handed Patel his water eyeing him disapprovingly. Patel returned his look boldly. The steward faltered and spoke to the woman. ‘Would you like to change seats dear?’ he asked kindly.
‘Oh yes,’ she said relieved, ‘thank you,’ and hastily followed him. Patel giggled and switched off his lights, relieved to be on his own in the dark.
THIRTY-SEVEN
A few miles out of Nairobi, Brian pulled off the road and got out. ‘I need to pee, do you want to drive?’
‘Alright.’ Doug slid across the seat.
Brian got back in trying to get a conversation going. ‘So you think antibiotics will clear this stuff up?’
‘Yup, just get to a Doctor.’
‘How do you know, have you ever caught it?’
‘My mechanic’s always getting a dose.’
‘What about the women, don’t they have any symptoms? I mean Lucy must have known she had it, right?’
‘Not always, carriers don’t display any ill effects.’
‘Hmmm is that -umm - the same with AIDS?’
Doug heard his fear and softened a little. ‘AIDS is a whole new ball game, it’s very name says you have to acquire it.’
‘But I can get tested for it?’
‘Yup, there are clinics all over Nairobi funded by the US. They also hand out free condoms.’
‘Have you ever had a test?’
‘No, firstly I don’t fuck around, but they can’t tell accurately if you have AIDS or not, the system itself is faulty.’
‘How do you mean faulty?’
Doug tired of this conversation. ‘Brian I’m not a Doctor, but I doubt you have AIDS. If you’re worried, get yourself tested.’
‘Bloody tart,’ he said with feeling.
‘If it walks like a duck, talks like a duck, chances are it’s a…by the way what happened with that computer stuff you were doing?’
‘I have copied all the data relevant to the case.’
They lapsed back into silence as Doug drove the last few miles through the Nairobi traffic.
At the hotel reception, he introduced himself and asked after Firdus. ‘He is in the dining room, he’s expecting you,’ the receptionist smiled pleasantly and pointed the way.
The dining room was about half full, candlelit with white crisp napkins and red tablecloths. There was a pleasant warm hum in the atmosphere from contented dinners. Firdus rose from his table as he spotted Doug and Brian looking about. ‘Over here,’ he called.
Firdus and Doug embraced warmly, he let go of his nephew and shook Brian’s hand. ‘Brian Nicholls I presume,’ eyeing his unshaven growth.
‘Hello Firdus,’ smiled Brian.
‘You boys hungry?’
Doug sat down. ‘Yeah but I could kill for a cold beer first.’
‘Beer it is, how about you?’ He asked Brian.
Brian nodded. ‘Sounds good.’
Firdus placed the order with a hovering waiter. He beamed at his nephew. ‘Quite a journey you have been on, eh? I was expecting three of you, is the girl here?’
Doug looked at Brian. ‘No – do you want to tell my uncle what happened to Lucy.’
Brian embarrassed, explained what had happened.
Firdus listened without expression. ‘I see, I was hoping she could tell us more. No matter, we have picked up Fimbo anyway, I’m sure he can tell us all we need to know.’
The waiter brought the drinks. Firdus finished what was on his plate as the two travelers sipped their beers, he was aware of the underlying tension between the two men. ‘I can recommend the food,’ he urged as he wiped his mouth with a napkin. ‘They have a great selection at the buffet, just help yourselves.’
Brian asked. ‘So what happens now?’
Firdus looked at him. ‘First get something to eat and then we can go through to the conference room. You can meet Katana,’ he looked significantly at Doug, ‘the detective from Voi.’
‘I’m tired and not really hungry,’ Brian said fingering his car keys, ‘and I badly need a shower. Can’t this wait until tomorrow?’
‘No it can’t and it won’t take long,’ Firdus said firmly.
Brian got up and walked over to the buffet table.
‘I have arranged for you to have a room here,’ Firdus told his nephew, ‘you just need to meet Katana and fill in missing details. It’s vital that you see him tonight.’
The two men tucked into their food. ‘This is good,’ said Doug enthusiastically spearing a piece of chicken.
Brian ate little and ordered a bottle of mineral water; he drank often, his tension stilting the conversation.
‘We can order coffee in the conference room,’ Firdus suggested as they finished their food, ‘or more beer?’
‘Coffee is fine for me,’ Doug eyed up the sweets trolley.
‘You want one?’ Firdus asked with a grin.
‘No it’s ok,’ Doug smiled shyly.
‘Go on, choose one, they can bring it through for you.’
Doug relented and chose a slice of cheesecake.
‘How about you?’ Firdus smiled at Brian.
He answered distracted. ‘Maybe some more water.’
In the conference room, a defiant looking Cyrus was sitting with Katana. The detective looked disturbed and told him to wait outside. Firdus made the introductions; they shook hands and sat down at the table. There was a knock on the door. Katana answered it as a waiter brought their cof
fee. He called out to Firdus. ‘Sir, a moment.’ He stood by the open door while the waiter walked in.
Firdus walked over. ‘Yes what is it?’
‘I have some bad news,’ he said in a low voice. ‘Cyrus just told me he shot Fimbo dead, trying to escape.’
Firdus sucked in his breath. ‘I was afraid something like this would happen. Give me the details later; my boy is tired, so let’s deal with him first?’
Katana sat down and they quickly went through Doug’s story. The detective questioned Brian .When he had finished Katana said to Doug. ‘I will have to interview your wife as well.’
‘Yes - girlfriend actually,’ Doug corrected him.
‘Ok girlfriend. Now what happened in Malindi?’
Firdus interrupted. ‘It’s ok detective, we can go over that in the morning these boys are tired.’ He handed Doug a room key. ‘Go and get some rest,’ he told him, ‘I will see you in the morning.’
Doug looked surprised and stood up, Brian rose also.
‘Brian can you wait a moment,’ Firdus told him. He sat down, looking puzzled.
‘Ok see you later,’ Doug said, eager to call Gem.
Firdus addressed Brian. ‘Detective Katana recovered your briefcase from your abandoned car,’ he walked over to a cabinet and took out the case, putting it on the table in front of Brian. ‘The contents of the case are as the detective found it.’
Brian eagerly opened it, watched by the detective as he searched the papers for his passport. ‘My passport was in here,’ he looked up at Katana.
‘Your passport is safe, it’s with the minister of security. He has been liaising with the British Ambassador.’
‘So how do I get it back?’
Firdus answered. ‘If you contact your embassy, they will liaise with the minister’s office. There should be no problem. I can see you’re tired, shall I arrange a room for you here as well?’
‘Thank you, but I have my keys.’ He held them up.
‘Very well so let’s meet up here tomorrow. I’m sure you would like to see a Doctor first thing. I have called your bank, they are aware you are helping us, and are not expecting you at work.’
‘Thanks,’ Brian coloured up, ‘you have thought of everything.’
‘Yes,’ agreed Firdus, ‘I have.’
They shook hands formally; Katana nodded a goodbye as Brian left with his briefcase.
*
Doug opened the door to his room, the lights on, a whiff of familiar perfume. He stepped in puzzled, was this the right room? Gem was off the bed and in his arms taking him by surprise. Doug moaned. ‘Oh darling,’ he said, ‘oh my darling I have missed you so.’ They embraced. He kicked the door shut behind him and carried her to the bed.
*
‘So what do you think?’ asked Firdus as he sat down with his coffee opposite Katana.
‘It’s a clear case of self defence. It only remains for me to get his girlfriend’s statement and we can close the book on it.’
‘Great, that’s a relief and Nicholls, what’s your instinct?’
‘I think he is just a victim of the crooked operation. He was getting too close and they wanted him out of the way.’
‘You mean Patel and the Arab woman.’
‘Yes, and possibly Evans the bank manager.’
‘Yes of course I hadn’t thought of that, call up the OCS. I want Evans put in a cell alone, we can’t risk anything happening to him. Call him now and then tell me what happened with Fimbo.’
Firdus waited, while the detective made the call.
‘I thought we had agreed Cyrus was not to be armed, in case he did go after Fimbo.’
‘Yes Sir,’ Katana embarrassed. ‘He got hold of a gun, without my knowledge, in Malindi.’
‘This shooting of Fimbo, was it only revenge? Or do you think Cyrus was cleaning up loose ends?’
Katana shook his head. ‘No Cyrus was very upset about Fimbo killing Titus, it was pure revenge.’
‘Huh’, said Firdus. ‘Nothing we can do about that now.’
‘Do you want to interview him? I have asked him to wait.’
‘No, tell him he can go home.’
‘Any news of Patel?’
‘No sir, he is a mystery man, last we heard, he was in Mombasa to meet Fimbo.’
‘And Azizza?’
‘No, I told detective Mugo in Malindi to keep looking.’
‘Very good, I think you have covered the ground, it’s been a long day. A pity about Fimbo, this case just gets more and more complicated. Just one more question. What do you make of Nicholls?’
Katana scratched his head. ‘He may know more than he has told us. We need to talk to that girl.’
‘Yes but she could be anywhere by now, although I would suspect that she will make her way back to Malindi. Let’s take a fresh look at it in the morning.’
*
Brian drove back to his flat, glad to be out from Firdus’s casual but penetrating scrutiny. A phone started ringing in the car, the tune familiar. He stopped and rooted around under his seat and found Lucy’s pink mobile, angrily he got out and put it in front of the tire and crushed it as he drove off.
At the flat he ran the shower and spent ages scrubbing himself, letting the hot water ease his tired and aching muscles. ‘Little bitch,’ he cursed as he tried to pee with difficulty. Wrapped in a towel he then went through the contents of his briefcase, surprised to find his credit cards, he assumed they would have been stolen. He sat and thought carefully over what to do next. Lucy was the only one who knew that he had taken Azizza’s money. However, he couldn’t leave it lying in an offshore account indefinitely. It was imperative he move it again and soon.
He rang his sister in England. ‘Hello sis,’ he said, ‘it’s me.’
‘My God Brian where are you? I have been so worried. The Foreign Office told me you had been found. What an earth is going on? Be quiet!’ she yelled at a child shouting in the background. ‘Sorry,’ she apologised, ‘are you ok?’
‘Yes I’m fine,’ said Brian and told her what had happened, keeping the story as simple as possible, even then it still sounded farfetched, and more like the script of a “b” movie.
Brian finished the call and sat in silence. He had hoped his sister would be able to help him move the money, but now realised he would have to find another solution. ‘Shit,’ he exclaimed aloud, somehow it was all Lucy’s fault. He had never intended to take the money; it just seemed so easy at the time. I should have thought this thing through. Still four million dollars was no small amount, and now that he had it, it was worth going through a bit of trouble to keep it. In his mind’s eye, he went through the options. Doug didn’t know, for sure, Evans didn’t know and he had covered his tracks as far as the banks were concerned. Lucy was still his weakest link, and who would believe her? Even if she got to talk to Firdus, there was no proof.
The sooner he got out of here the better he decided, as he made for his bed and set the alarm. First things first in the morning, he needed to see a doctor.
THIRTY-EIGHT
Azizza woke in the half-light before dawn disorientated and with a headache; a mouth and tongue like dry paper. As her eyes adjusted, she gasped, there was a sleeping body lying beside her, fragments of last night came back. The hotel bar, the charming Indian man, the nightclub, lots of laughter and many drinks, and now she was in his bed!
Quietly, she found her clothes and quickly dressed, picking up her shoes and tip toeing out.
The streetlights revealed a road somewhere in town. Azizza reached an intersection, and waved down a passing tuk-tuk
At the hotel the night guard barred her entrance, until he saw the room key; the receptionist nodded a good morning as Azizza headed for the lift.
The lift mirror reflected smeared makeup that gave her eyes a blackened haunted look, her hair a mess, she looked like she felt. In the room Azizza looked out at the car park for Patel’s car and was disappointed. Opening a bottle of water and popping two pain
killers she drank most of it. She brushed her teeth and ran a bath. Images of the night came back as she soaked, despite her hangover she remembered Haroun had been good looking, but couldn’t recall much about their love making.
The painkillers working, her thoughts turned back to Patel. It was so stupid of me to expect him to do what he said he would, he must have left for Tanzania the minute he had finished with Fimbo. He had no intention of going with me, sneaky little bastard. She hoped the potion had given him some trouble, bloody man. Her thoughts went to the money. I’m rich now I can do what I want, to hell with him.
She ordered breakfast. Later munching on a piece of toast she tried Patel’s mobile, the number unobtainable. She tossed it on the bed. A few moments later it rang, it was Zainabu.
‘Azizza how did it go?’
‘Fantastic,’ between mouthfuls, ‘it was amazing.’
‘Oh I’m so happy for you. I told you it would work. That Dr. Kumanda, he is the best.’
‘Yes he is thanks. Listen cousin, I have to go,’ she lowered her voice to a conspirators whisper, ‘he’s coming you know.’
‘Ahh,’ Zainabu giggled, ‘ok, call you later lover girl.’
Azizza finished her breakfast and convinced herself that Patel was now firmly out of her life, she was over the stupid fool. She reasoned by offering herself up and being continuously rejected had affected her mind, but now she was free, last night her proof.
She would go back to Malindi and arrange her millions. She went through the clothes she had bought and rejected them all they would only remind her of that sorry fool.
Azizza didn’t bother to check out of the hotel but walked straight to the taxi rank and barely negotiated a price to Malindi. Knowing she was paying too much but didn’t care, in a hurry to start her new life.
*
Patel had a fitful night and refused dinner. Midway through the flight his discomfort began to ease. Landing in Mumbai, he quickly passed through immigration and booked himself on the next flight to London. Next, he wandered around duty free and bought gifts for his wife and children.
He felt great and suffered no ill effects from the strange episode on the plane. Danger he reasoned, must be a very powerful aphrodisiac. He felt so good he went back to the booking office and up graded to first class.
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