by Ruth Hartley
Tim’s face was very still and expressionless. His eyes fixed on Lara’s face.
“I’m so sorry, Tim! I can’t bear this – I am so ashamed of being taken in by Oscar – and I can’t stand the idea that anyone would think I was connected with what Oscar does – but I know what it looks like.”
All the time Lara was speaking she could see Oscar in her mind, looking back at her over his shoulder with that warm, humorous and loving look that he kept only for her. She squeezed her eyes shut to try and block out that memory and replace it with the last cold and hard stare she had seen on his face. The story must be told. Lara shrugged herself free of the memory of Oscar and looked up at Tim. She began her account of the ambush by the rebel gang and how Oscar had seemed so friendly with their leader, Njoka. It was always curious how talking over something with another person enlightened her understanding of it rather as the process of working on a painting increased and improved the artist’s understanding of the purpose and beauty of their own work
“I think at first Oscar only wanted to keep control of his illegal gemstone trade but then he found out that Natan was helping to fund the rebels and destabilise Chambeshi. He had to take account of Natan’s actions and include them into his own plans. On top of that, as President Chona was becoming increasingly unpopular, Oscar thought he would try and keep in with both the President and with the coup plotters so that he would not be a loser himself.”
Lara looked straight at Tim. He was still looking at her and that gave her courage. Even if he never spoke to her again she hoped he would not think she was entirely bad.
“Oscar supported me and my art as a cover for his business somehow. Yes – I was completely sold on Oscar – that’s my fault entirely. I think he used me though – but I should have seen that. I have no excuse. He has also used Enoch and Inonge and their safari camp to hide his illegal operations and that has been going on longer than I have known Oscar. I have to tell them now. I don’t know if they’ll believe me – Inonge may, but not Enoch! It will hurt him so much!”
Lara ducked her head as her eyes filled with tears. Crying was not going to get her out of this mess. She must carry on. She straightened herself again.
“When I started to realise all this stuff – only a few weeks ago – I wanted to run away. Just leave Chambeshi and start somewhere else but the political trouble had already begun and I didn’t want to leave Enoch and Inonge on their own in such a mess. I was afraid that if Oscar’s payments to the rebels up north and to the disaffected army officers down here gets known about then Enoch and Inonge – and Enoch Junior will all be caught up in it and – well – God knows what might happen – anything – prison – or worse! Death sentences maybe!
“When you said you were coming – I thought you were the most important person to tell because if it is reported – if you believe me – that is – that might help protect people and most of all – save the Njobvus. Everyone needs to know the truth.”
In spite of herself, Lara found herself crying.
“I don’t really want to get Oscar into trouble – I don’t want revenge or anything – but maybe he deserves it – I don’t really know anymore – but Natan – yes! He is a bad man, a very bad man! Most of all Tim – I didn’t want you to find out about me and Oscar and have you think I was involved with any of his horrible business. I am so sorry Tim!”
Tim was silent. He stood looking at Lara as she cried. After a while he gave her his handkerchief and put his hand on her shoulder.
“We need that coffee first.” he said. “Then we’ll talk more.”
As she sniffed and blew her nose into his rumpled handkerchief, he led her into the kitchen.
“It fits pretty much with what I’ve been told in Harare.” Tim said. “In fact it’s the other part of the picture and helps to explain it all.”
They were sitting opposite each other at the kitchen table with mugs of coffee. Tim had helped himself to a large bowl of cereal. Lara was breaking some biscuits into crumbs.
“Some of my information comes from various riff-raff in the Station Road bars. Guys who claim to be refugees or in the know or on their way to sign up with some or other mercenary group. The overall picture is that Chona is out of touch with his people, his advisors are sycophants, his army generals are ambitious, the poor people of Chambeshi are very dissatisfied and also hungry. The feeling is that a coup is likely and should be easily successful. There are stashes of weapons all over Chambeshi left by the freedom fighters when they returned to their homes in Zimbabwe and South Africa. There is easy money to be made by finding them and selling them on.
The political attachés at various embassies agree on one thing, that there is a Israeli who was with Mossad – you know, the Israeli Secret Service – maybe even the Kidon – the Mossad section responsible for assassinations – he was keeping tabs on various possible terrorist groups that might be training in Africa – but it’s said this man has gone rogue and is happily stirring up small rebellions any place where there are sources of valuable gemstones – diamonds – emeralds – that kind of thing. No one can pin anything on this man. He is a bit like Kurtz in Conrad’s book ‘The Heart of Darkness’. He uses tribal conflict – pits one tribe against another so that he is always in control.”
Lara nodded hopelessly. She had taken Conrad’s famous book off Oscar’s shelf and reread it the last time she went to the Tin Heart Mine.
“That’s definitely what Natan is doing. I think he arranged the death of Njoka because Njoka had stopped obeying him.”
“Where is he, do you think? Natan, I mean. Do you think Oscar is with him? Are you suggesting that Natan is the boss and Oscar does what he is told?”
Lara realised that Tim was thinking like the reporter and journalist he was and had put aside his personal feelings about her. It might be a wry thought but she preferred Tim this way to a Tim who might not like her any more. At least he trusted her enough to ask her questions.
“What I know about Oscar makes me think he wouldn’t take orders from Natan unless he had no choice.” Lara said. “I think perhaps that Oscar had been carrying on the same trade as Natan – that is acquiring illegal diamonds and gemstones – for even longer than Natan. I think he operated on a much smaller and more secret scale though and he didn’t kill his competitors and threaten his suppliers. Maybe Natan muscled in and Oscar had to join him or quit. It doesn’t make any difference, though, because I think that Oscar started doing the same terrible things as Natan.”
Lara looked directly at Tim.
“If I had known that Oscar was into illegal diamonds when I met him I would never have wanted his friendship or his help and I wouldn’t have become -” Lara hesitated, then blurted out, “I would not have become his lover! The trouble is that it is easy to say that now with hindsight – and I don’t suppose you’ll believe me – I would have been too scared to get involved with a criminal but also I do believe in doing the right thing – I do!”
Tim considered Lara for a long moment.
“I don’t think you would have either, Lara. I don’t think that you are a natural gangster’s moll.” Tim smiled at Lara briefly then, serious again, he asked. “Lara, do you think Oscar cared about you or do you think he deliberately set out to attract you and use you as a cover for his illegal deals.”
Lara was racked once more with utter misery and self-doubt. It was hard for her to speak. Finally she did.
“I think he did both. I think he did care – does maybe still – care for me but he can’t separate out what suits his agenda and what is right. Or what and who he does care for – well – look at the way he has used – and is still using Enoch – I know he really does love that man.”
Lara was afraid Tim would next ask her what her present feelings for Oscar were. He almost spoke and then was silent. After a while he suggested that they both should go and
talk to Enoch and Inonge. Lara agreed. The moment she dreaded was upon her, but as they got up to look for Enoch they heard the sound of rifle shots and helicopters. The sounds seemed be from every direction, all around the house.
Inonge and Enoch were on the veranda looking up at the sky. Police helicopters were circling overhead. Inonge kept shaking her head, her hands covering her mouth. Enoch watching the helicopters said after a while that they needn’t worry.
“Well – they are following groups of rioters – probably picking off the leaders. They are not far from us but if you watch you can see that they are over the main roads into town and to the President’s house. We’d be mad to go anywhere today. We’ll just have to sit here and wait for things to settle down.”
Inonge rushed to the phone to make sure that her son was safe. She returned shaking her head even harder.
“Junior is at the hospital of course – I expect he’ll be very busy – there must be many wounded – do you think he’ll be safe, Enoch?”
“I doubt that either the rioters or the police will attack the hospital.” Tim reassured her. “Do you think I can go out and have a look at what’s going on? Can I borrow a car please?”
Everyone shouted out simultaneously that Tim must not on any account go out. Lara, knowing that sooner or later Tim would go out, even if he had to walk, suggested that perhaps Tim should spend the time phoning his contacts to see what they knew first.
“Okay everyone!” Tim said. “I’ll cool it for a while. But – Enoch and Inonge, please let’s sit down and talk. Lara and I have some bad news to give you though – not unconnected with all the present trouble. Lara do you want to begin?”
Lara made an instant decision not to start with her suspicions that Oscar had used the Tin Heart Camp Safari Camp as a cover for his illegal trade, but simply told Enoch and Inonge what she had heard Oscar and Natan say about their support for the riots and the coup.
“I don’t think Oscar ever intended to support the Njoka gang – he just had an arrangement with them which meant they gave him no trouble until Natan forced his hand – or blackmailed him into it.”
Enoch’s face was averted. His expression grim. Once or twice Lara thought he was going to stand up and march out of the room but Inonge kept a restraining hand on his arm.
“This is what I discovered only days ago. Tim says he heard the same things in other places.” Lara looked towards Tim but before he could explain what he had learnt, Enoch turned back to Lara with a vicious look.
“Where are you in all this Lara? Still Oscar’s concubine? Maybe Natan’s whore too? Why should we believe you? Why are you telling us this now? Is this a trap to get us into trouble with the President?”
Lara swallowed hard. She gave Tim another desperate nervous glance.
“When I realised what was going on, I wanted to tell Oscar I would have nothing more to do with him. I didn’t want to have anything to do with treachery and crime but Oscar said no one would believe me. It wasn’t possible that my paintings were used to smuggle out diamonds and gemstones without my knowledge.”
“Lara’s afraid that Oscar may try and shut her up or even kill her,” Tim said. “Lara is going to leave Chambeshi to get away from Oscar but she wanted to warn you first – she thinks you are in danger too – and Junior. First let me tell you what I know.”
After Tim had finished speaking there was silence. Like Lara, Tim did not as yet mention all their suspicions. They needed to see how Enoch took the information first. It was Inonge who spoke.
“We also suspected this. Junior came to warn us last week. He has been speaking to Pascal and Chimunya – they each have different information but together it points to Oscar’s complicity and guilt. Chimunya’s father is still in the government but he told her about the threatened coup and the ‘white’ businessman who gave money to the cause. She identified this businessman as Oscar. Of course she supports the government. Pascal, who knows what the word is on the street, said there are similar rumours in all the bars. He would love to see the government brought down. People think a change of government will make food cheaper – little do they know!”
“Since Junior told Inonge and me about these plottings, I have been checking all the business accounts that I can get my hands on.” Enoch reluctantly admitted.
“I’ve checked Oscar’s office too – Oscar’s been importing dollars from his offshore accounts – in some cases converting it into cash – US dollars that is – then moving it on very fast – I don’t know where to or why but he has also used our joint business accounts without telling me – it looks as if he expects the Wall Street crash to happen here – it is not how I do business.”
Enoch still would not look at Lara or speak to her but Inonge reached out her free hand to touch Lara’s shoulder.
“You are good to think of us and try and help, Lara. Sometimes us women just pick a bad man without knowing – we too thought Oscar was our friend – he was Enoch’s hero. Hmm! No! No!” Inonge clamped her lips together in disapproval; her eyes closed while she shook her head, and swayed her body in distress.
“Now we need to work.” she said collecting herself, “We must clean up the accounts, Enoch – I am not going to prison with Oscar when the coup fails!”
“If it does fail.” Tim said.
“We’ll probably all go to jail if the coup succeeds!” Enoch said.
Chapter Four
Curfew
The President was back in Chambeshi City the next day. He appeared on TV announcing the imposition of a 36-hour curfew while saying that there would be no reduction of maize meal prices. The TV showed damaged buildings and burnt out cars and police stations. Rioting was to be dealt with severely. Almost immediately arrests were made and the football stadium filled up with people caught with looted goods. No food was given to those who were imprisoned and they were held for days. Juveniles were taken to court and many were rumoured to have disappeared. Bodies were disposed of secretly – or so it was said. Helen’s Cypriot ex-husband turned his shopping centre into an armed enclave. Unprotected supermarkets were looted at night one after the other. A crowd of rioters set off to attack the President’s house but came across a very large battery chicken farm and stopped there to share out the poultry until the police caught up with them. The dusk to dawn curfew gave the populace an enforced holiday. Getting to work and back in time for the curfew to start was impossible for people who walked several hours back and forth to work each day. There were long queues at petrol stations, banks were shut, shops closed, food could not be bought. By misfortune and bad planning the riots had begun before pay-day and no one had any cash or money. Tim was out every possible moment and spent the curfew hours talking to anyone who had any information, otherwise he was on the phone and fax machine to his head office in London. They were only just beginning to take an interest in the story.
Lara went down one morning to the Umodzi Gallery and spoke briefly to Helen.
“No one’s tried to loot any contemporary artworks.” Helen said, with a grin. “If they take anything it will be the ritual objects and dance masks from the Chambeshi museum – those that have magic and power.” She was going home to lie by her walled swimming pool with a bottle of wine. There was nothing else to do.
Inonge was busy seeing that her workers who came briefly to the house in the hope of food had, as usual, something to eat and this time also some provisions to take home to their wives and children.
“It’s not like they weren’t out looting and rioting with the rest!” Enoch said with irony. He was however, sympathetic to their plight.
By the end of the week the informal traders were back on the streets cleaning shoes, and selling sun-warmed, expensive imported apples. The state shops opened with sacks of maize-meal at the new raised price. It was also available on the black market, no cheaper, but in kilo packets that were more
affordable.
The university remained in uproar. After the first day of rioting there wasn’t one staff car that had not been set alight. Eventually the university was closed and the hungry students were sent home to their hungry families. The airport was open but flights in and out of Chambeshi were uncertain. Those that were outward-bound were full and tickets for future flights were hard to get. Lara had already booked herself on the earliest flight she could get, in 8 days’ time.
It was still difficult to move around the city though life appeared to be returning to a version of normality. Enoch and Inonge had continued to work through Oscar’s office files and felt that they had almost completed the task. After the first day Enoch asked Lara to help them. It was distressing work but it kept her mind occupied. There was no sign of Oscar. No messages, faxes or phone calls.
Chapter Five
Return to the Gold Mine
It was after midnight by the time they had finished clearing out Oscar’s office.
Enoch said, “I want to drive to the Tin Heart Mine. We must make sure that everyone is safe and see that they have food and maize meal. We will leave before sunrise as soon as the curfew lifts.”
He and Inonge had just finished packing up papers and putting boxes of files into the strongroom. Lara had been delegated to take down all the prints and paintings in the study, wrap them, box them and stack them in the strongroom in their dedicated storage space with all their relevant paper work attached. They had all worked as fast as possible without speaking while the local radio played rumba ceaselessly. It had been rumoured the day before that the radio and TV stations were under attack again from rioting crowds. Though the President had returned to the city his position wasn’t at all secure. Announcements of a coup were still expected at any moment. So far however, there had been no new developments overnight.