“If you lose him again, I’m leaving.”
“I understand.”
Nick ended the call. He stood looking at his phone for a moment while he sipped his whisky, rolling it slowly over his tongue before he swallowed. Then he dialled McKenna’s number.
The subscriber you have called is not available at present. Please try again later.
He was reminded of five months ago, when he’d tried to call her but she’d vanished.
He called Riana’s number. A man answered and said Riana was asleep.
Nick presumed it was her new friend. Riana must have phoned him after they had left. He wondered if she had told the children yet. He wished Nols was here tonight. The old Nols would have known exactly what to say. On a night like this you need a friend. Someone in whose presence you don’t have to wear a mask. Who understands your aggression. Who knows where your weak spots are, where you are vulnerable. Someone you can trust to have your back.
He wondered whether Nols had planned his suicide before he’d come to Cape Town. He wanted to believe that Nols had done it in his flat not out of revenge, but because it had seemed a safe place. He wanted to believe many things. Among others, that Nols would have done the same if he had been in his shoes. As a policeman he had never regretted what he had done, but as a friend … He realised it wasn’t Nols who was accusing him now; he was accusing himself.
It was a quiet evening. Earlier in the day the wind had been strong on the other side of the mountain, but not here.
He recalled the lyrics of an old Creedence Clearwater Revival song. Someone told me long ago, there’s a calm before the storm. I know, it’s been comin’ for some time …
His cellphone interrupted his thoughts. He saw it was Brenda.
“Sorry, Colonel, but I wonder if you know where Ellie is. She left for Williams’s place late this afternoon and I haven’t heard from her since.”
Nick got up slowly.
“Have you asked Captain Barnard?”
“He doesn’t know where she is either.”
“And the rest? Didn’t she tell anyone where she was going?”
“I phoned them all.”
“Maybe she took the evening off.” Greyling’s face appeared before Nick.
“Anything’s possible.”
“But you’re worried?”
“I don’t think she would take an evening off now. She usually checks in, even if it’s just to hear whether there’s been any news.”
Nick ran his hand across his eyes. Would this day ever end? He needed to sleep.
“I’ll see if I can find anything out.”
“Thanks.”
He could hear the tension in Brenda’s voice and it surprised him somewhat. He had always got the impression that few things fazed her.
Nick phoned Hendriks. “Can you or De Bruin drive past Williams’s house and see if McKenna’s car is there? If it is, call me, and wait until she comes out. Tell her to phone me. But make sure no one sees you.”
“Done, Colonel.”
Next he phoned Clive Barnard.
“Please tell me there isn’t another crisis tonight. I’m bone-tired and I’ve just got home.”
Nick told him about Brenda’s phone call.
“She called me as well, but I don’t know where Mac went. Maybe she’s with a friend. Listen, I’ve just come from the emergency room with Ansie. She’s got pneumonia. Let me put her to bed and see that she takes all her medicine, then I’ll help look for Mac.”
“No, take care of your wife. I’m not going to sleep tonight anyway. I’ll let you know when there’s news.”
“You know I slipped up with her once before. I can’t do it again.”
Half an hour later De Bruin called to say the car McKenna was using was nowhere near Williams’s house.
“Are you sure? Maybe she parked it in a side street.”
“I drove three blocks in every direction, Colonel. Nothing.”
“Okay, thanks. You can go home, but don’t switch off your phone”
Nick called Jansen. “Can you have McKenna’s phone traced? Now.”
“I have a buddy I could ask. He has all the equipment, but it’s not always legal.”
“Ask your buddy and leave the legal side to me.”
“Will do.”
“Are you still in Milnerton?”
“Yes, I’m still working.”
“Give Brenda the phone for a minute.” When he heard her voice, he said: “I want you to take a look in McKenna’s room and bathroom. See if her toiletries are there.”
“I’ve already looked. Toothbrush, face cream, everything’s here. If she was going to sleep out, she would at least have taken her toothbrush. She doesn’t seem like the kind of girl who’d use someone else’s.”
“Unless she has another toothbrush there.”
“I suppose that’s a possibility.”
“Let me know the moment you hear from her.”
“I will.”
Nick felt his anxiety increase. He looked at his watch. Maybe he should phone her friend, but it was nearly midnight. He didn’t want to alarm her unnecessarily. He went to stand at the window. If she had chosen tonight to call on her ex, or whoever, he was going to be pissed off.
He phoned Brenda again. “Is the name Happy familiar to you?”
“Why do you ask?”
“Brenda, we don’t have time to play chess. Answer me.”
“Yes.”
“Do you know where I can find him?”
“I have a phone number.”
“Thanks, send it to me.”
When it came through, Nick phoned.
“Yes.” No name was given.
“I’m looking for Happy.”
“May I ask who’s looking and in connection with what?”
“It’s about his social worker.”
“Who’s this?”
“Malherbe.”
There was a moment’s silence. “What’s up?”
Nick heard the cautiousness.
“When was the last time you had contact with your social worker?”
“I don’t remember.”
“What was your last conversation about?”
“That’s private.”
“Nothing is private any more, unless you want me to lock you up for obstructing the law.”
“Jeez, why are you people always so full of threats?”
“Because we really don’t have time for bullshit.”
“She asked me to have one of Williams’s men followed.”
“Who?”
“Elroy.”
Nick couldn’t remember if he had heard the name before. “Why did she want him followed?”
“We don’t share everything.”
“Take a guess.”
“I think she suspects our man Elroy knows something about the girl’s disappearance.”
“Did you have him followed?”
“Yes, but so far he’s just been to the usual places. May I ask why all the questions?”
Nick wondered how much to share. “She’s not answering her phone and she didn’t tell anyone she was going out tonight.”
“Shit, I knew it! That girl was looking for trouble.”
“What are you talking about?”
Happy told Nick that Ellie had been wanting to contact the kidnappers, and about the arrangements she had made with him if they were prepared to take her to Clara.
“Fuck, and you didn’t think it was something we should know?”
“I told her the boere were going to put me away real deep if anything happened, but she said she knew what she was doing and told me not to worry.”
“Well, I’m telling you now, you’d better start worrying. If anything has happened to her, the cops are coming for you.”
“But she was going to let me know …”
“The two of you had a shit plan from the start; I don’t know why you’re surprised it went wrong.”
“Jeez, I’m going to g
ive her a piece of my mind next time I see her. She’s dropping me where I don’t want to be dropped.”
“I want you to phone Brenda and try to recall all your conversations. Give her as much detail as you can.”
“Mr Malherbe … do you think she’s okay?”
“I don’t know what to tell you.”
Ellie looked at the window on the opposite wall. It was so filthy that you couldn’t see out of it. Maybe that was why Clara hadn’t noticed it. She asked Clara to climb onto the toilet and see if she could clean the glass a little.
“Even if it’s just a small spot.”
Clara climbed up and began to wipe the pane with her sleeve. Ellie saw the sleeve turn black. The problem was that the glass seemed to be just as dirty on the outside, if not dirtier.
When Clara said there was a small peephole, Ellie made her get down and she helped Ellie climb up.
Clara held her around the waist while Ellie pressed her face to the window. The roof of the building in front of her was lower in one place. She couldn’t see any houses.
She tried to recognise landmarks. Any piece of information would make her feel slightly more in control. She tried to shove the window with her shoulder without making a noise, nearly losing her balance. Clara battled to get her upright again.
“What are you doing?”
“Trying to see if we can climb out.”
“You must be joking.”
“Do you have a better idea?”
“How long do you think it’ll be before they discover that we’re gone? And once we’re through the window, what then? What if we can’t go any further?”
Ellie pressed her face to the window again. She tried to take in as much as possible in the rain. There was so little moonlight. She couldn’t see the ground, but she presumed if the window had no burglar bars, it was quite high. She shoved against the window frame again, but it was stuck fast.
“You’re going to kill us both.”
Ellie got down carefully. They sat back down on the mattress, each busy with her own thoughts.
“Clara, we have to try to get out of here. Enzio isn’t going to pay the money. He doesn’t have that much and, with his parents dead, many of the accounts will be frozen.”
“Do you think he would have paid if he could?”
Ellie looked at the girl by her side. In some ways she’d seen too much of life. In others she was still a child.
“Yes, I think that’s why he disappeared. He wanted to buy time to get the money.”
“Are you just saying that to make me feel better?”
“No, I mean it. I lived with you; I could see how much he cares for you.”
“Some people go through life without any problems. They go to school, get married, have kids, maybe work in between. Content with a house somewhere in a suburb. On Sundays they have lunch with the family. They don’t even wonder about anything else. Sometimes I’m jealous of those happy people. Life is so simple to them.”
“Would you have liked that life?”
“Since I was a child I’ve always wondered what went on over the mountain. The first time we visited Uncle I knew I wanted to come to Cape Town one day. I was still very young. But sometimes I wonder. Your heart shouldn’t be so sad all the time. I’ve been sad and worried too long.”
“Why don’t you find yourself a nice ordinary guy who doesn’t have so much baggage?”
“But that’s the thing: Will a guy without baggage understand me? Is it only the crazy ones who understand how my mind works?”
Ellie felt the answer settle somewhere inside her. If they were going to try something, they’d have to do it before it got light. Hopefully everyone would be going to bed now. She wished she knew how many people were in the other room and who they were, but they would have to take a shot in the dark.
“Try to find something to cut my hands loose,” she said.
“Like what?”
Before Ellie could answer, they heard the sound of a shot being fired, followed by three more rapid shots.
Clara began to cry. “They’re going to kill us.”
“Shh.” Ellie struggled to her feet and positioned herself next to the door. She had no idea who had fired, or where the shots had come from. Hope began to burn inside her like a small flame. Maybe someone had found them.
CHAPTER 32
Nick picked up the keys of his bakkie and ran down the stairs. Half an hour ago he had sent for Gaba again so he could go look for McKenna himself. The fact that he now knew what Reggie had done made him think all kinds of thoughts. He wasn’t sure where to start looking, but he couldn’t just sit around. Maybe he should wake Williams and tell him he was looking for Reggie. A thought struck him when he got into the bakkie and he called Happy’s number.
“Where can I find this Elroy guy?”
“Hmm …”
“Happy, if you want to keep yourself out of trouble, you’d better tell me.”
“He’s here with me.”
“I want to speak to him. Keep him there. Send me the address.”
A few minutes later Nick stopped at a house in the Bo-Kaap, where Happy was waiting for him. Nick followed Happy along the side of the house to a room in the back yard. When Happy opened the door, Nick saw a frightened youngster tied to a chair. A trickle of blood ran from the corner of his mouth.
Nick didn’t say anything.
“Tell this gentleman what you just told me,” Happy ordered.
Elroy swallowed with difficulty. “I don’t know where Clara is.”
Happy raised his hand.
“But I think I know who’s got her.”
“We don’t have all night,” said Happy when Elroy still hesitated.
“Her mother and her crew.”
“Did her mother have her kidnapped?” Nick wished he had a chair.
Elroy nodded.
“And you were a part of it?”
He shook his head fiercely. “I told Calvin one day that I was helping her and the Italian. It was by accident, it just slipped out. I think he told his mother. She came to me at Uncle’s house and said she wanted to talk. It was just after Clara had disappeared. She wanted me to see to it that Miss McKenna was in an accident. When I said I wouldn’t do it, she threatened to tell Reggie I was helping them.” He looked at Happy. “You know what Reggie is like. He’d kill me if he knew.”
“Were you the one who drove into Miss McKenna’s car?” asked Happy.
Elroy nodded. “I tried to warn her afterwards. I told her to get out. That things could get ugly.”
“Why didn’t you tell her Clara’s mother was responsible for the kidnapping?” Nick asked.
“Because I still don’t know if it was her. I’m just guessing. She never told me.”
“You’re going to see to it that I get hold of her. Tell her you’ve got news about Allegretti and you have to see her urgently.”
Elroy looked from Nick to Happy as if he was looking for help.
“Did you hear the man?”
Elroy nodded. “You don’t know what trouble you’re making for me.”
“From where I’m standing, it looks like you’ve made a lot of trouble for yourself.”
“Hannes!” The voice came from somewhere outside the building. “I know you’ve got Clara. Let her come out, or we’re coming in.”
Clara stopped crying and looked at Ellie. “It’s Reggie. Why is he calling Hannes?”
Ellie put her finger to her lips.
“Hannes! I know you’re inside!”
Another shot rang out.
“Ellie, what are Hannes and Reggie doing here?” Clara whispered.
“I don’t know. Come, stand next to me, in case the bullets come through the door.”
Clara joined Ellie, her back to the wall.
“I don’t understand what’s going on.”
“Clara, we have to get out of here.”
“How?”
“That window in the bathroom.”
“
You’re crazy.”
Ellie looked at the blanket on the mattress. “Take the blanket and wrap it around your arm.”
“I can’t see.”
“I’ll help you.”
“I’m tired, Ellie, and my head really hurts.”
“I know, but we don’t have a choice.” Ellie didn’t know whether Clara understood the implications of what was happening outside. She was struggling with it herself, but what she did know was that she had to get Clara away from her kidnappers and that she herself had to get away from Reggie. He had made a mistake with her once; he wouldn’t make another one. And this time it would be even easier to plead innocence and point a finger at others.
The toilet was cramped but they both squeezed in.
“Break the window.”
“What if they hear?”
“The wind has come up, and they’re too busy.” Shots were being fired at more regular intervals now.
Clara hesitated. Then she lifted her elbow and struck the glass pane. The blow was too soft. The second one cracked the glass and the third one shattered it. Most of the glass fell outside.
“Take a shard and cut my hands loose. Don’t hurt yourself.”
“Keep still, if I cut you I’ll faint.”
It took a while because Clara couldn’t see very well but finally Ellie’s hands were free. She immediately felt better. Helplessness is a cruel feeling. It messes with your head. She quickly removed the last shards from the window frame.
It wouldn’t be easy. The window was small but they should make it out. Ellie leaned out to take in her surroundings. The wind tugged at her hair and she had to keep wiping the rain from her eyes. She couldn’t see the ground but there was a ledge below the window. The building must have had air-conditioning: A rusty old air-conditioner sat on the ledge. These rooms had probably been used as offices. She looked at the adjoining building. The roof was lower in one place. If they could get from the ledge onto the roof, they could reach the building opposite. Judging from the incline, the roof was probably considerably lower at the front of the building.
She was grateful for the clouds that reflected the city lights, or she would not be able to see at all. Of course, it also meant that they would be more visible. She turned her head and listened. The shots seemed to be coming from the other side of the building. She explained to Clara what they were going to do.
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