by Marie Moore
“Well, what about Winsome? I understand that she was involved with Willem as well.”
“Miss Winsome quickly cut a deal with us to testify against Willem. She was only a minor player in the operation, but she knew all that was going on. The only overt thing she did, as far as we now know, was to steal the memory card from the English sisters’ camera. Then she left the hut open so the monkeys would be blamed. Willem ordered her to take the camera card after the sisters had photographed one of his associates. Miss Winsome knew all of this. Her testimony will be most valuable to us when we go to trial.”
I was told later that the most important thing they learned from Winsome was that Willem had ordered George to kill Mabel and make it look like an accident. As we all learned, he succeeded. The elephant made it easy for quick-thinking George. Vincent, whose weapon had been used, was an innocent pawn. He had nothing to do with it. I was glad of that.
The powerful-looking black guy I saw in the garden and later in the ditch—Sylvester, from Zimbabwe—was an associate of Willem’s. He is now in jail, along with his boss. Henrik told the police that Willem said Sylvester was a “provisioner,” and I guess that really was, technically, correct.
Henrik van der Brugge turned out to be a fairly innocent victim in the whole thing. He is back at the game lodge, trying to rescue his business from the shambles it has become.
“I wouldn’t waste a lot of sympathy on him, Sidney,” Jay said. “The investigator told me that ol’ Henrik made a fortune for himself in diamond mining before he opened the game lodge, so he’s got plenty of cash. They’re still looking into the details of all that. That’s why he wasn’t too worried about the game lodge making a profit. He didn’t depend on it to support his lifestyle, which is why he gave Willem free rein.”
“Did he get a cut of the poaching operation, too, Jay?”
“I don’t think so. All the poaching profit was going to Willem, not Henrik. But remember, too, that Henrik was the one who hired Willem, and Willem was there a long time. Henrik’s spoiled, but he’s not stupid. He might have known something was going on and just turned a blind eye as long as it didn’t create problems for him. He seems in the clear, but no one really knows for sure. Only time will tell if he was or not.”
After I staggered into Henrik’s party and collapsed, weeping and shrieking about George, Willem had made a run for it. They soon caught him and now he was in jail, awaiting trial.
The rest turned out to be exactly who they said they were—travel agents and airline and insurance reps. They were all sorry, and shocked, and kind.
Leopard Dance was closed until further notice, but we were told that it would reopen in time for the High Stepper’s safari. Van der Brugge’s lawyer said Silverstein’s contract with them for the African tours would hold.
Jay said his piece about that, too. “That’s what he gets, Sidney, he and Diana, for booking with the cheapest lodge they could find, and for signing the papers before hearing from us. Serves them right.”
“But up until all hell broke loose,” I said, “you had a good time at Leopard Dance, didn’t you, Jay? I did.”
“Yes, but there are lots and lots of other game lodges, Sidney. Much nicer ones. Really great ones. Next time, I’m going to be sure we book one that’s more my style.”
Chapter 33
Jay was pacing up and down the hotel room in Cape Town. He always paces in times of crisis. But this time the crisis was mine.
“At least we don’t have to check out another game lodge for Diana and Silverstein for the High Steppers tour. I was really worried we’d have to do that. That’s good news. Try to focus on that, Sidney.”
I was absolutely sick. After all I’d been through, and just when I’d thought it was all over, that I could finally go home to the tiny apartment I love in New York, the police said no.
The police detective had called the hotel two days before my flight home to say that I should not leave the country in case I had to testify. The case against Willem and his operation was more far-reaching than originally thought, and I was right smack in the middle of it. Me and my damn curiosity.
“I think you should call them up and throw a big hissy fit. Don’t say you are really, really pissed because that sounds so ‘country.’ Just be dignified and refined, like the Queen, and say, ‘I am not pleased.’ It’s worth a try.”
I groaned and put a pillow over my head in the darkened room. Chocolate. I needed chocolate. Or my mother. No, not my mother. She would say “I told you so.”
“The bad news,” Jay continued, “is that Diana said Silverstein won’t pay your per diem if you stay here to testify. He will hold your job open, and pay the change fee for your return flight, so that’s something.”
“Not much,” I mumbled from under the pillow. I thought about my dear little apartment back in New York. I thought about my rent. I peeked out. “What about my regular pay? Will I get a paycheck?”
“You have to use your vacation days. You get paid for that. Once they’re used up, if it goes beyond that, sorry. Too bad, so sad.”
Not chocolate or my mother. Alcohol. I needed alcohol.
“That’s not all. Diana says that after I leave your hotel room is not in her budget, either. Maybe van der Brugge will put you up at his house. I could ask.”
“Jay. I’m not going anywhere near that game lodge.”
“Sidney, the guy likes you, and we’re pretty sure he’s okay after all, remember? At least they haven’t found anything to hang on him yet. Plus, it’s safe now that Willem and his gang are all in jail. They won’t be at the game lodge.”
He looked down at me on the bed. “Maybe you could open up a detective agency, Sidney,” he said, his eyes dancing, “to pick up a little cash. You just love detecting, don’t you, girl? They’re all pretty pleased with you for figuring out the scheme Willem was running and giving them the paperwork to prove it.”
“Yeah, right. Figured it out, that’s what I did. And then what did I do? Went right to George of all people and told him all about it, and thought what a bright little girl I was to figure it all out. Some detective I turned out to be. I always seem to pick the wrong horse. Maybe the Marsh Curse is mutating. Go ahead and laugh, Jay. I know you want to, it’s okay. I deserve it.”
My future looked dark. In fact, it looked dismal.
The phone rang.
Jay reached for it, saying, “It must be important. I asked them downstairs to screen all the calls.”
“Helloooooooo. Star Witness Central, Jay speaking.”
There was a pause.
“Who? Oh, heavens, yes! She’ll talk to her. Put her on.”
He clamped his hand over the receiver. “Sidney, sit up. You’ll want to take this.”
“Who is it? I told you I didn’t want to talk to anyone.”
“It’s Brooke,” he hissed, “your fairy godmother. You have to take her call.”
If there is one person I will always talk to in this world it is Brooke. Right at that moment, I needed her wise advice more than ever. I flung the pillow aside and grabbed the phone.
“Brooke! It’s so good of you to call! How did you find out about all this mess? The local newspaper? Oh, yeah, I forgot about the newspaper. Yeah, I guess it will probably get picked up by everyone else, too.”
Jay said in a stage-whisper, “Maybe you’ll have to go into Witness Protection, Sidney. These are bad dudes you are testifying against.”
“Just a minute, Brooke.” I covered the receiver. “Will you hush? I can’t hear. Sorry, Brooke, Jay was talking and I couldn’t hear that last thing you said.”
I listened for a long while without comment, then thanked her from the bottom of my heart and hung up.
“What did she say? Tell me. Tell me now.”
“She said a lot, bless her heart, but the main thing is that she’s sending a car for me in an hour. I get to leave. I’m transferring to the Nellie, until I sail with her in her suite on The Rapture of the Deep to the S
eychelles. From there, after a little R&R on the beach, I can fly back to New York. She really is a fairy godmother.”
“What? How can you do that? What about the police? What about the trial?”
“When she found out about everything, Brooke hired a high-powered local lawyer to represent my interest. He made some calls, and now I’m free to go. The trial won’t be for months. I can return if I have to testify in person, but they may have enough without me.”
I got out of bed and started packing my stuff before heading for the shower.
“What about Diana and Silverstein and Itchy? What are you going to do about them?”
“Brooke called Silverstein and squared everything with him. She pointed out that my new lawyer felt that I was due some recuperation time for the trauma I suffered while on a job for him. Plus, she reminded him of all the great publicity the agency has gotten from my little ordeal.”
“Oh. And he was okay with that?”
“Yes.”
Then he asked the question that I knew had been foremost in his mind since I told him about Brooke’s call. “Well, Sidney, what about me?”
“I’m sorry, Jay, but even fairy godmothers have limits. When Brooke asked about you, Silverstein signed off and turned the call over to Diana. Diana told Brooke that if you intended to keep your job, you would have to return as scheduled so you could escort the High Stepper’s Fall Foliage tour to Branson. I’m sorry, honey. I really hate it after all you’ve done for me. Brooke is sorry, too, but it’s out of her hands. She said to tell you.”
“That ...”
I don’t know all the words Jay used just then to express his feelings about Silverstein and Diana. He used those same words and more, later, when I thanked him again, and kissed him goodbye. I let him vent, but then I had to be going. He accompanied me to the street, where I climbed into the limo and rolled away, bound for The Nellie, and Brooke, and ultimately, for The Rapture of the Deep to see if a certain Greek captain was still at her helm.
I’ve never heard some of the words Jay used and hope I never will again. They were bad words, Yankee curses far, far worse than even a dog-cussin’ is Down South.
Let’s just say, he was not pleased.
* * * * *
Author’s Note
Readers who want to know more about the tragic plight of endangered rhinos and African elephants—or would like to join in effort to save the elephant and the rhino, spearheaded by Britain’s Prince William—are encouraged to read news on the subject from the international media. Current articles will also be quoted and posted from time to time on my website, www.mariemooremysteries.com. Also, please visit the following websites for more information or to contribute to the cause:
The National Geographic Society
www.nationalgeographic.com
The International Union of Conservation of Nature
www.IUCN.org
The Tusk Trust
www.tusk.org
World Wildlife Fund (WWF)
www.worldwildlife.org
Photograph by Chad Mellon
Marie Moore is a native Mississippian. She graduated from Ole Miss, married a lawyer in her hometown, taught junior high science, raised a family, and worked for a small weekly newspaper—first as a writer and later as Managing Editor. She wrote hard news, features, and a weekly column, sold ads, did interviews, took photos, and won a couple of MS Press Association awards for her stories.
In 1985, Marie left the newspaper to open a retail travel agency, and for the next fifteen years, she managed the agency, sold travel, escorted group tours, sailed on nineteen cruises, and visited over sixty countries. The Sidney Marsh Murder Mystery Series was inspired by those experiences.
Marie also did location scouting and worked as the local contact for several feature films, including Heart of Dixie, The Gun in Betty Lou’s Handbag, and Robert Altman’s Cookie’s Fortune.
In mid-1999, because of her husband’s work, Marie sold her travel agency and moved to Jackson, MS, then New York City, Anna Maria Island, FL, and Arlington, VA. She and her husband now live in Memphis, TN, and Holly Springs, MS.
Game Drive is the sequel to Marie’s first novel, Shore Excursion, which introduced amateur sleuth Sidney Marsh. For more information, go to:
www.mariemooremysteries.com.