Chapter 41

 

Pieter watched them on the breakfast terrace from a safe distance, using his field glasses. Mhlongo had told him of the meeting and probably realized he was watching. It would be nice to be able to hear the conversation, too, but he didn’t want this American woman to see him with Mhlongo again. As far as she knew now, the capture was over and he would have no need to interact with the ranger.

He couldn’t afford connections with Mhlongo anymore. In addition to the native man’s desire to take over the operation, Pieter had other nagging doubts. Something gloomy hung nearby. Did Mhlongo cause it, or did it follow him?

Perhaps it was only Pieter’s short timer’s nerves. He shrugged and lowered the glasses from his eyes. If Mhlongo was in any danger of being caught by his superiors, Pieter wanted to be well away when it happened.

He struck the hood of the Jeep with a fist. They’d done so well for so many years. Why did it have to come unraveled on his last export?