'It could. So instead, we had better do some work.' She sat up, crushing out her cigarette. 'Have you thought about how Fennel is to get in?'
'Through here.' Garry waved his hand to the big lounge. 'With us here, he has only to walk in.'
'Would it be as easy as that?'
'I think so. There could be guards patrolling the house at night. I don't see any of them around now.'
'Perhaps Kahlenberg is so sure no one could get through the jungle, the house isn't guarded.'
'Want to take a look at the garden?'
'Not now. It will be terribly hot out there.'
'Then you take a nap . . . I'm going.' Garry got to his feet. 'You have more energy than I have. You'll be roasted.'
'See you,' and with a wave of his hand, Garry wandered off down the green cement path.
She watched him go, then she closed her eyes and thought about him. When the job was done, they would all separate. She wondered what he would do. She would have liked to have had a long weekend with him in Paris, and then say good-bye. She was twenty-six years of age, and she was sure Shalik would continue to make use of her for at least five more years before he began to look around for a younger woman. She had no illusions about Shalik. In those five years she would have made and saved enough money to give her complete independence and that was what she wanted more than anything else. To be financially free to live well, to travel and possibly get married.
She considered the possibility of marrying Garry, but decided it wouldn't work out. Although he attracted her physically, she knew she wasn't in love with him and also he hadn't her need for gracious living. Luxury was essential to her whereas it wasn't to him. No . . . he was a good bed companion, but nothing else. If she were to marry, she must find a man who was wealthy, intelligent, cultured and luxury loving. She knew this was a pipe dream for she had met many men in her life, had many proposals of marriage, but there was always some snag, or was it that she valued her freedom too much?
Anyway, pipe dreams were pleasant when lying in a comfortable chair in the shade, surrounded by luxury.
She dozed off, and it was more than an hour later that Garry, returning, awakened her.
'Want a drink, lazybones?' he asked, moving to the bar.
She nodded, stretched and sat up.
'Find anything interesting?'
'Yes and no. There's no access to the far end of the house.' Garry brought over two Tom Collins and sat down. 'The path leading to it is guarded by a Zulu who looks as if he's stepped right out of a movie. He was wearing a leopard skin, ostrich plumes and carried a shield and an assagai. He turned me back without trying to be polite.'
'Kahlenberg's quarters, I suppose.'
'Yes. Another thing: there's a big pool full of enormous crocodiles at the far end of the garden and sitting on surrounding trees are about ten well fed looking vultures. That corner of the garden gave me the creeps.'
Gaye laughed.
'But why?'
'Just struck me it would be a marvellous place to dispose of a body.'
She looked at him and seeing he was serious, she asked, 'Why should Kahlenberg want to dispose of a body?'
Garry sipped his drink, then cradling the glass in his hand, shaking it slightly so the ice cubes tinkled, he shrugged.
'The atmosphere of the place made me think of it, but I'm uneasy about all this, Gaye. I think we were invited in too easily. I don't like the look of Tak. Once or twice while you were talking to him, I got the idea he was laughing at you. Particularly when you asked if this place was his. It struck me he knew you knew it belonged to Kahlenberg.'
'Do you think he suspects us?'
'I think he could.'
'You don't think he guesses we are after the ring?'
