Eberhard. He came in on Wednesday. Mining interests, diamonds primarily. Industrial grade but some jewellery.’ A good-looking blond man was pictured leaving the airport. He was wearing a well-cut light suit, a shirt without a tie. ‘He’s been suspected of various crimes but he’s technically clean.’
Bond studied the photos of the men.
He memorised the names.
Frowning, Jordaan said, ‘I don’t understand why Hydt needs partners, though. He’s got money enough to fund Gehenna himself, I should think.’
Bond had already considered this. ‘Two reasons, most likely. Gehenna must be expensive. He’d want outside money so that if he’s ever audited he doesn’t have to explain huge liabilities on the books. But, more important, he doesn’t have a criminal background or network. Whatever Gehenna’s about, he’ll need the contacts that people like these three can offer.’
‘Yes,’ Jordaan allowed. ‘That makes sense.’
Bond looked at Lamb. ‘Sanu Hirani in Q Branch texted me this morning. He said you had something for me.’
‘Ah, yes – sorry.’ The Six agent handed him an envelope.
Bond peered inside and then pocketed it. ‘I’m going out to the plant now. Once I’m inside I’ll try to find out what Incident Twenty is, who’s at risk and where. I’ll get word out as soon as I can. But we need a fall-back plan.’ If they hadn’t heard from him by four p.m., Jordaan should order tactical officers to raid the plant, detain Hydt, Dunne and the partners and seize the contents of the Research and Development department. ‘This will give us – or you, if I’m no longer in the game – five or six hours to interrogate them and find out what Incident Twenty’s all about.’
‘A raid?’ Jordaan was frowning. ‘I can’t do that.’
‘Why not?’
‘I’ve told you. Unless I have reasonable belief that a crime is occurring at Green Way, or a magistrate’s order, there’s nothing I can do.’
Damn the woman. ‘This isn’t about preserving his rights for a fair trial. This is about saving thousands of people – possibly many South Africans.’
‘I can do nothing without a warrant and there’s no evidence to present to the court to get one. No justification to act.’
‘If I don’t turn up by four, you can assume he’s killed me.’
‘Obviously I hope that doesn’t happen, Commander, but your absence doesn’t equal cause.’
‘I’ve told you he’s willing to dig up the graves of massacre victims and turn them into building materials. What more do you want?’
‘Evidence of a crime somewhere in the plant.’ Her jaw was set and her eyes black granite. It was clear she wouldn’t yield.
Bond said sharply, ‘Then let’s hope to God I can find the answer. For the sake of several thousand innocent people.’ He nodded to Nkosi and Lamb and, ignoring Jordaan, left the office. He strode downstairs to his car, dropped into the driver’s seat and fired up the engine.
‘James, wait!’ Turning, he saw Bheka Jordaan walking towards him. ‘Please, wait.’
Bond thought about speeding away but instead he rolled the window down.
‘Yesterday,’ she said, bending down, close to him, ‘the Serbian?’
‘Yes?’
‘I spoke to him. He told me what you’d said – that you were going to get him to a doctor.’
Bond nodded.
After a breath, the policewoman added, ‘I was making assumptions. I… sometimes I do that. I judge first. I try not to but it’s hard for me to stop. I wanted to apologise.’
‘Accepted,’ he said.
‘About a raid at Green Way, though? You must understand. Under apartheid the old police, the SAP and their Criminal Investigation Department, did terrible things. Now everyone watches
Much of the training of 00 Section agents in the Group was psychological and part of that arduous instruction was to instil within them the belief that they were different, that they were allowed to – no,
As M had put it, Bond had to have
That was part of Bond’s fabric – indeed, he couldn’t do his job without it – and he had to remind himself continually that Bheka Jordaan and the other hard-working law enforcers of the world were one hundred per cent right in respecting the rules. It was
He said, not unkindly, ‘I do understand, Captain. And whatever happens, it’s been quite an experience working with you.’
Her response was a smile, faint and fleeting but, Bond judged, honest – the first time that such an expression had warmed her beautiful face in his presence.
54
Bond skidded the Subaru into the car park outside the fortress of Green Way International and braked to a stop.
Several limousines were lined up close to the gate.
REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE
A few people were milling about. Bond recognised the German businessman, Hans Eberhard, in a beige suit and white shoes. He was talking to Niall Dunne, who stood still as a Japanese fighting fish. The breeze ruffled his blond fringe. Eberhard was finishing a cigarette. Perhaps Hydt didn’t allow anyone to smoke inside the plant, which seemed ironic; the outside air was bleached with haze and vapours from the power plant and the methane that was being burnt.
Bond waved to Dunne, who acknowledged him with a blank nod and continued his conversation with the German. Then Dunne pulled his phone off his belt and read a text or email. He whispered something to Eberhard, then stepped away to make a call. On the pretence of using his own phone, Bond loaded the eavesdropping app and lifted it to his ear, rolling down the passenger window of his car and aiming it in the direction of the Irishman. He stared ahead and mouthed to himself so that Dunne would not guess a microphone was pointed his way.
The Irishman’s conversation was one-sided but Bond heard him say, ‘… outside with
