Chapter 8
Sy and Mhlongo circled like two boxers sizing each other up. Sy had the build of a scrawny former junkie, and was taller than the well-muscled but short Mhlongo.
“I just have a little more rubbish for you to dispose of, that’s all. I can make it worth your efforts.”
“I told you. No more. No.”
“What? You don’t like money no more?”
Mhlongo fidgeted, feeling the knife he always kept sheathed in his pant leg. “I don’t want to deal with your kind.”
“You think you be something special?”
Mhlongo sneered.
Sy continued his probing. “What is wrong with my kind?”
“I don’t want nothing to do with the people moving you’re doing. What you do it has no respect in it.”
“Oh, so you are so mighty. Killing all the animals is okay. I could call the park and your precious respect would be gone.” Sy adjusted his flat cap lower across his black eyebrows and held his hand to his ear like a telephone.
“I’m sure the baas would believe an old drug runner.” Mhlongo fingered the knife.
“Don’t even think about pulling that thing out and sticking me. You and me, we’re the same. We want something and don’t let anything stop us.” Sy gave a rough, mirthless laugh. “You don’t want to make an enemy of me.”
“No. I just don’t want to do your work.”
“Last time you was happy to. Does your precious buyer and smuggler know you left a body in the veldt?”
Mhlongo shrugged and narrowed his eyes. “That was your doing too.”
“That photo man had sniffed around my, uh, storage shed. He saw you killing animals in your uniform. See? We are just alike. It was good for everyone. You helped us both.”
Mhlongo didn’t answer.
“You made me a big favor that day, Mhlongo. I am grateful. Now, I just want a little help once more.”
“Go dump your ‘rubbish’ off Crocodile Bridge yourself.”
“What if a patrol comes by?” Sy tried to sound innocent but Mhlongo wasn’t fooled.
“Alright. There’s a predators’ route off the S84 on a dirt road. But do it yourself. No one has taken pictures of me this time.” Mhlongo turned and stalked away despite Sy’s protests.