'Who?'
They heard their running steps and looked at the entrance, where Jason and the others had appeared. Jason had a gun in his hand now.
'We just want her,' he said to the big man. The man had put his arm protectively around Rachel's shoulders and said: 'Not before we call the police.'
'She stole from us. We just want our stuff back, we don't want trouble.'
'Even more reason to call the police,' and he had started to feel in his pocket, probably for his phone.
Jason pointed the pistol at the man. 'Then I'll have to shoot you.'
The man took out a cell phone.
She realised she was not going to be responsible for another death and she started running again. The big man tried to stop them.
She heard two shots. She looked back. The big man in the black suit fell down.
Then she was gone, around the corner. In the street a municipal lorry had pulled away, a smelly truck transporting rubbish bags. She jumped up against it, saw them coming. The truck picked up speed so that Jason became smaller and smaller. She thought they had given up when she had nearly a half a kilometre lead on them. But then the traffic lights at the top of the street turned red. She jumped off then.
'Two men went into the building just before he saw you?' he asked her as they wheeled her into theatre.
'Yes,' she said.
Griessel followed. 'What did they look like?'
'I can remember only one. He was ... eccentric. Very thin, his head was shaven .. . Oh, and he had a silver earring,' and then the doctor told Griessel he would have to leave. 'He was dressed all in black,' she called before the theatre doors closed.
16:41-17:46
Chapter 47
Detective Inspector Vusi Ndabeni finally lost his professional cool in the interrogation room at the Caledon Square police station.
They deposited Steven Chitsinga in a cell. They asked Mat Joubert to question Jason de Klerk in an available office, as Griessel said he couldn't, because if he did he 'would beat the fucker to death'.
Vusi took Barry Smith to the official station interview room. Griessel took charge of Bobby Verster in another office. Verster was the last one to come out of Rachel's torture chamber, the one who had left Jeremy Oerson alone with her. They suspected he was the weakest link.
Joubert got nothing from Jason de Klerk, despite his skill, his intimidating size and the fact that Jason was in agony from his smashed elbow. He ignored every question, just sat and stared at the wall.
To every question from Vusi, Barry Smith mumbled 'Fuck off.' Vusi felt the unease growing inside him, but he suppressed it and asked the next question.
'Fuck off.'
In the other office, Bobby Verster told Griessel he hadn't been on the tour. Last night by chance he had been with Barry and Eben at the Purple Turtle when Jason had phoned. Barry had jumped up and told them to come, and outside they had seen Jason and Steven chasing two girls down Long Street. So they joined in the chase.
Griessel's body was sore, but he was filled with euphoria from the breakthrough and the relief at finding Rachel. He stood up from his chair and approached the table. He looked at
Bobby. Bobby looked away. 'Have you heard the one about the little dog?' Griessel asked.
'What one?'
With suspicion.
Benny sat on the table, folded his arms carefully across his chest and said in a mischievous, playful and friendly voice: 'The one about the young dog that heard the big dogs talking about sex and how good it felt to fuck. 'What is fucking?' asked the young dog. 'It's the best thing ever, let's show you.' The dogs ran up the street and found a bitch on heat. The bitch ran away from the pack. They chased her, around and around the block. After the fourth time around the block, the little dog said: 'Guys, I'm only fucking one more round and then I'm going home.''
Bobby Verster didn't laugh.
'You didn't get tired of all the chasing, Bobby?' Benny Griessel asked.
Verster said nothing.
'Not even when they cut an innocent girl's throat?'
Bobby said he was shocked when Jason did it. He had protested. But Steven Chitsinga told him: 'You're next if you don't shut your mouth and help.' It scared him. But he didn't know what the hell was going on with Jason and them.
'So were you forced?'
'Yes.'
'So actually, you are innocent?'
'Yes!'
'Would you make a statement to that effect? Just so we can close your part of the case?' Griessel asked him.
'I will,' he answered eagerly.
Benny shifted pen and paper closer. Bobby wrote. 'Sign it,' said Benny. Once Bobby was finished, Griessel read the statement out loud to him. He asked: 'All this is the truth?'
'It is.'
'Then you are an accessory to murder. You are going to jail, and you will sit there for a very long time.'
Bobby Verster's eyes widened. He protested, just as he claimed he had done the previous night. 'But you said I was innocent!'
'No, I asked you if you were. Come, there's a police van outside that will take you to Pollsmoor.'
'Pollsmoor?'
'Just until the bail hearing. In about a week or two. Three.'
'Wait...'
Griessel waited.
Bobby Verster thought for a long time. Then he said: 'You're looking for Blake.'
'Who is Blake?'
'Do I still have to go to Pollsmoor?'
'Everything is negotiable.'
'Blake is the owner. Of Overland. We bring the people in for him.'
'What people?'
'The blacks.'
'What blacks?'
'The blacks they put in the bins under the trailer. From Zimbabwe. But they're not always Zimbabweans.'
'Illegal immigrants?'
'Something like that. I don't know. I've only been helping with unloading about a month, but they won't tell
