Where was Carla? Jissis, he had to get some coffee or something, he had to sober up fast. He got in the car. The driver?s seat was shifted right up to the steering wheel, he had to feel around for the lever underneath before he could get in. At last he got the car going.
Not so very drunk, he just had to concentrate. He pulled away, must get to the hotel. Drink some coffee. And walk, keep walking until the haze lifted, then he could phone Anna; she mustn?t hear he had been drinking. She would know. Seventeen fucking years? experience?she would catch him out at the speed of white light. He should never have had those drinks. He had even packed the bottle. He was ready to start drinking full bore again and now Carla was missing and a suspicion began to grow in him and he didn?t want to think of it.
The cell phone rang.
He checked. It wasn?t Anna.
Who was phoning him at eleven at night?
He would have to pull over. He wasn?t sober enough to drive and talk.
?Griessel.?
?Is that Detective Inspector Benny Griessel?? The ?g? was spoken softly and in a vaguely familiar accent.
?Yes.?
?Okay. Detective Inspector Griessel, you will have to listen very carefully now, because this is very important. Are you listening very carefully??
?Who is this??
?I will ask again: are you listening very carefully??
?Yes.?
?I understand you are hunting the killer of Carlos Sangrenegra. This is so??
?Yes.? His heart was racing.
?Okay. This is good. Because you must bring him to me. You understand??
?Who are you??
?I am the man who has your daughter, Detective Inspector. I have her here with me. Now, you must listen very, very carefully. I have people who work with you. I know everything. I know if you do a stupid thing, you understand? When you do a stupid thing, I will cut off a finger of Carla, you understand? If you tell other police I have your daughter, I will cut her, you understand??
?Yes.? He forced out the words with great effort; thoughts were scrabbling through his brain.
?Okay. I will call you. Every day. In the morning and in the afternoon, I will call you, for three days. You must find this man who kill Carlos, and you must bring him to me.?
?I don?t know where you are . . .? Panic overflowed into his voice, he couldn?t stop it.
?You are scared. That is good. But you must be calm. When I call you and you tell me you have this man, I will tell you where to go, you understand??
?Yes.?
?Three days. You have three days to get this man. Then I will kill her. Okay, now I have to do something, because I know people. Tomorrow, you think you are more clever than this phone man. So I have to do something to let you remember tomorrow, okay??
?Okay.?
?Carla is here with me. We take her clothes. Your daughter has a good body. I like her tits. Now, I will put this knife in her tit. It will hurt, and it will bleed. But I want you to listen. This is the thing I want you to remember. This sound.?
PART THREE
Thobela
41.
I will leave you to it,? said Sangrenegra and walked away from him.
Thobela said his name. ?Carlos.? The lone word echoed around the interior of the large room. The Colombian turned.
Thobela swiftly and deftly drew the assegai by the shaft out of the white swimming-pool pipe. ?I am here about the girl,? he said.
?No,? said Carlos.
He said nothing, just stepped closer to where the man stood beside the pool.
?She lie,? said Carlos walking backwards.
He adjusted his grip on the assegai.
?Please,? said Carlos. ?I did not touch the girl.? He raised empty hands in front of him. Terror distorted his face. ?Please. She lie. The whore, she lie.?
Fury washed over him. At the man?s cowardice, his denial, everything he represented. He moved fast, raised the assegai high.
?The police . . .? said Carlos, and the long blade descended.
Christine saw the minister?s eyes were red-rimmed and tired, but she knew she still held his attention.
