recover from their trembling.
She forced herself to continue. First she called a taxi, so they could arrive sooner; she didn?t know how much time she would have.
She made sure the plastic container of pills was in her handbag. She took the dog and the syringe and went down the stairs to the garage.
The BMW was locked. She swore. Went up again. She couldn?t find the keys. Panic overcame her and she was conscious of how her hands shook while she searched. Until she thought to look in Carlos?s trouser pocket and there they were.
Back to the garage. She pressed the button on the key and the electronic beep was sudden and shrill in the bare space. She opened the door. She shoved the toy dog under the passenger seat. Taking the syringe, she put her thumb on the depressor and aimed the point at the backrest of the rear seat. Her hand shook badly. She made a noise of frustration and put her left hand on her right wrist to stabilize it. She must get this part right. She squeezed the syringe quickly and jerked it from right to left. The dark red jet hit the material. Fine drops spattered back onto her arms and face.
She inspected her handiwork. It didn?t look right. It didn?t look real.
Her heart thumped. There was nothing she could do. She climbed out looking back one last time. She had forgotten nothing. Shut the door.
There were still a couple of drops in the syringe. She must get them on the dress. And put the garment somewhere in his cupboard.
He weighed up the policeman?s words. He assumed the man was trying to explain why he had become corrupt. Why he was doing what he was doing.
?How did they find you?? he asked later, beyond the turnoff to Humansdrop.
?Who??
?Sangrenegra. How did you come to work for them??
?I don?t work for Sangrenegra.?
?Who do you work for, then??
?I work for the SAPS.?
?Not at the moment.?
It took a while for Griessel to grasp what he had said. He repeated that ironic laugh. ?You think I?m crooked. You think that?s what I meant when I said . . .?
?What else??
?I drink, that?s what I do. I booze my fucking life away. My wife and children and my job and myself. I never took a cent from anyone. I never needed to. Alcohol is efficient enough if you want to fuck yourself up.?
?Then why are we driving this way?why am I not in a cell in Port Elizabeth??
It burst out and he heard the rage and the fear in the man?s voice: ?Because they?ve got my daughter. The brother of Carlos Sangrenegra took my daughter. And if I don?t deliver you to them, they will . . .?
Griessel said no more.
Thobela had all the pieces of the jigsaw now and he didn?t like the picture they made.
?What is her name??
?Carla.?
?How old is she??
Griessel took a long time answering, as if he wanted to ponder the meaning of the conversation. ?Eighteen.?
He realized the white man had hope, and he knew he would have, too, if he were in the same position. Because there was nothing else you could do.
?I will help you,? he said.
?I don?t need your help.?
?You do.?
Griessel did not respond.
?Do you really believe they will say, ?Thank you very much, here is your daughter, you may leave?? ?
Silence.
?It?s your decision, policeman. I can help you. But it?s your decision.?
Eleven minutes past seven in the morning he hammered on her door, as she knew he would. She opened up and he rushed in and grabbed her arm and shook her.
?Why you do that? Why?? The pressure of his fingers hurt her and she slapped him against the head with her left hand, as hard as she could.
?Bitch!? Carlos screamed and let go of her arm and hit her over the eye with his fist. She nearly fell, but regained her balance.
?You cunt,? she screamed as loud as she could and hit out at him with her fist. He jerked his head out of the way and smacked her on the ear with an open hand. It sounded like a cannon shot in her head. She hit back, this time striking his cheekbone with her fist.
