he ruffled out the thick mane of hair upon his shoulders.
When he had completed the circle, he sat down facing the Land-Rover, in
a repellently humanoid attitude, and thrust out his lower jaw as he
regarded them through the small brown, close-set eyes.
A nasty beast, David told Debra. He would weigh ninety pounds, with a
long dog-like muzzle and a jaw full of yellow fangs. After the hyena,
he was the most hated animal of the veld, cunning, cruel and avaricious,
all the vices of man and none of his graces. His stare was unblinking
and, every few seconds, he ducked his head in a quick aggressive
gesture.
While all David's attention was on the baboon, a man had come out of the
store and now leaned on one of the pillars of the veranda.
What can I do for you, Mr. Morgan? he asked in a thick accent. He was
tall and spare, dressed in slightly rumpled and not entirely clean khaki
slacks and openneck shirt, with heavy boots on his feet and braces
hooked into his pants, crossing his shoulders.
How did you know my name? David looked up at him, and saw he was of
middle age with close-cropped greying hair over a domed skull. His
teeth were badly fitting with bright pink plastic gums and his skin was
drawn over the bones of the cheeks, and his deep-set eyes gave him a
skull-like look. He grinned at David's question.
Could only be you, scarred face and blind wife, you the new owner of
Jabulani. Heard you built a new house and all set to live there now.
The man's hands were huge, out of proportion to the rest of his rangy
body, they were clearly very powerful and the lean muscles of his
forearms were as tough as rope.
He slouched easily against the pillar and took from his pocket a clasp
knife and a stick of black wind-dried meat, the jerky of North America,
boucan of the Caribbean, or the biltong of Africa, and he cut a slice as
though it were a plug of tobacco, popping it into his mouth.
Like I asked, what can we do for you? he chewed noisily, his teeth
squelching at each bite.
I need nails and paint David climbed out of the Land-Rover.
Heard you did all your buying in Nelspruit Akkers looked him over with a
calculated insolence, studying David's ruined face with attention. David
saw that his deep-set eyes were a muddy green in colour.
I thought there was a law against caging or chaining wild animals.
Akkers had roused David's resentment almost immediately, and the needle
showed in his tone.
Akkers began to grin again easily, still chewing. You a lawyer, are
you? 'Just asking. 'I got a permit, you want to see it? David shook
his head, and turned to speak to Debra in Hebrew. Quickly he described
the man.
I think he can guess why we are here, and he's looking for trouble.
'I'll stay by the car, said Debra. Good. David climbed the steps to
the veranda.
What about the nails and paint? he asked Akkers.
Go on in, he was still grinning. I got a nigger helper behind the
counter. He will look after you. David hesitated and then walked on
