Fiona saw the tall, lanky, sharp-faced man hovering over her office desk and knew instantly she didn’t like him. As she approached, he turned to look at her and it felt like his shifty eyes were scanning every inch of her body. He moved to the front of her desk when she sat in the chair.
‘Can I help you?’ she said firmly.
‘Well darling, I’m looking for someone who I believe may work here.’
The overly-done, smooth-toned voice and the use of the word “darling” irritated her. She didn’t trust him one bit.
‘Who did you say you worked for?’
‘I didn’t. It’s confidential.’ He showed her a card.
‘You’re a private investigator eh? Well there is nothing to investigate here.’
‘Common love, it wouldn’t hurt you to take a look at this photo.’ He shoved the picture in front of her face. It was of a man with long, blond hair who was clean-shaven and slightly overweight.
‘Never seen him before.’
‘Perhaps he’s dating someone who works here?’ he said, smiling and leaning slightly towards her.
Fiona edged back her chair. ‘Nope I don’t think so. I know most of the girls’ boyfriends and he’s not one of them.’
The man straightened sharply and his voice hardened. ‘So who sits in this office?’ He pointed to the adjoining room.
The sign on the door clearly stated, Jane Fairway.
Fiona couldn’t contain her annoyance any longer. ‘My boss. Now if you don’t mind, I think you’d better go; I have work to do.’ She leaned across the desk to switch her computer on.
He didn’t move.
Fiona shifted her gaze from the computer to his face. The tightly pressed lips and the deep furrow of his forehead gave the impression he was annoyed. But it was the intensity of the look he was giving her, which made her skin go cold. She swallowed hard and stood up. Keeping her eyes focused on his face, she pointed to the corridor. ‘The lift is that way.’
The flash of anger that flitted across his face made her uneasy, but then he turned abruptly, said a curt goodbye, and walked to the lift.
Fiona watched him until the lift doors had closed, then picked up the telephone and dialled reception. ‘Hello Harry, that private investigator is on his way down in the lift… What? You didn’t send him up? Well can you make sure he leaves the building? Give me a call if you don’t see him go. Thanks.’
Fiona sat down; her gut was churning and she was trembling. There was definitely something about that bloke that was unsettling. She took several deep breaths to calm herself. She had recognised Mark in the photo despite the change in his hair and build. So what did that creep want with him? Then a dreadful thought crossed her mind. Perhaps Mark had lied to Jane. She didn’t want to believe it, but maybe he was still married and his wife had hired this PI to get the evidence of his adultery. She needed to tell Jane, but Jane was in Africa and they had agreed no calls unless it was an emergency. Fiona decided that this constituted an emergency.
She picked up her handbag, pulled out a small notepad and lifted up the telephone to dial the new mobile number Jane had given her. Just as she was about to dial, she stopped.
One of the drawers of her desk was slightly open. She never left her desk like that. Her gaze moved to the desktop and the card address system. One of the cards was not in line. She leaned forward and flicked it open at the spot. The card had Jane’s name and address on it.
‘That bloody private investigator,’ she cursed, slowly putting the telephone back on its base. How long had he been hovering around her desk or been in the office? Company policy did not permit anyone to be in the office without a member of staff being present. Reception knew that, but poor Harry hadn’t sent him up. This was getting stranger by the minute.
She hugged her handbag, thankful she had taken it with her to the toilet. The thought of him snooping around and touching her things made her feel angry. What else had he been sticking his nose in to?
Fiona slowly looked around and noticed Jane’s office door slightly ajar. She left her handbag on the floor under her desk and walked into Jane’s office. There was nothing he could have found in here as all the paperwork was locked away in the cupboards. She checked each one was secure before moving to the desk. She opened each of the desk drawers knowing Jane kept nothing in them of any importance and sighed deeply with relief. Nothing had been disturbed. It’s just my imagination, she thought.
As she was about to leave she noticed Jane’s computer was on. Now that was strange for she remembered switching it off last night. She touched the keyboard and a request for a password came up on the monitor. Fiona smiled. He obviously hadn’t got very far. She switched off the machine and returned to her own desk.
Her work colleagues were just arriving to start work. She acknowledged their greetings and sat down.
She needed to tell Jane about this but was it safe to call her? She picked up the whole telephone and looked under it, around it and everywhere else. She even tried prising open the mouthpiece, but decided to stop when she saw the strange looks coming from the others in the office.
Gently she replaced the telephone and turned her attention to her computer. Out of the corner of her eye she saw her colleagues return to their work.
They already suspected she was nuts, but now they could believe it. She didn’t care. Her main priority was Jane. She would try calling Jane from her home after work. But what if that phone wasn’t safe either? Was this paranoia or what? Pull yourself together girl, she chastised herself. Just pick up the phone and call her. Her hand hovered over the telephone then quickly withdrew.
‘What’s the matter Fiona, your phone got germs or something?’ Sally yelled, from her desk.
Fiona laughed. ‘Yeah, it’s come out in funny coloured spots.’ She heard Sally chuckle as she turned back to her computer. I’ll call her after work, from Jenny’s place, just to be sure, Fiona thought as she pulled her work up on the computer.
That private investigator didn’t look like the type to give up easily and that look he gave her. She shivered. What on earth had Jane got herself mixed up in now?
* * *
Jane and Mark walked out of the security clearance area into the hustle and bustle of Windhoek Khoma airport. She saw a scruffy-looking, slim-built man frantically waving at them and knew it was James when Mark waved back. James looked like he had just come from an archaeological dig, for his linen trousers and shirt were crumpled and pockmarked with ground-in dirt. His long, curly hair fell roughly around his oval, sun-burnt face, but didn’t hide the radiant smile he gave them as they reached him.
‘Welcome to Namibia, Mark, it’s so good to see you.’ He shook Mark’s hand with such vigour that Jane saw a wave of vibration radiate throughout Mark’s body.
‘This is Jane,’ Mark said, stepping aside.
Jane tentatively held out her right hand and braced herself for the shock wave, but James gently cradled it in both of his and softly pressed his lips to her knuckles.
‘It is a great pleasure to meet you, Jane,’ he soothed.
Jane felt the rush of a blush hit her face before she had any chance to stop it.
Mark grinned, ‘I should have warned you that under this scruffy exterior of his, James is really a gentleman.’
Jane quickly recovered and said, ‘It’s a pity there aren’t more men like him in this world.’
James gently squeezed her hand before releasing it. ‘My friends, I am so glad you could come, I really need your help.’ He picked up one of their bags and guided them outside.
The heat of the day hit Jane like she was walking into a sauna, causing her to immediately perspire and catch her breath. The dryness of the air prickling her nose and mouth.
‘You said something has happened to the crystals in the mine. Have you found out what it is?’ Mark asked.
James stopped and looked around cautiously. ‘I can’t discuss it here. It is better if I show you. We must wait until we get back to my place.’
‘Is it that serious?’
James nodded and continued walking. ‘And, I think we are only seeing the beginning. Here is my car.’
Jane looked at the battered, rusty old Mercedes and wondered whether it would take the three of them and the luggage without falling apart.
‘I see you have come up in the world,’ Mark joked as he lifted the baggage into the open boot.
James grinned. ‘Well I decided that I needed a new car when the floor under the driving seat of the other one fell out. Luckily I wasn’t driving it at the time.’
Jane couldn’t hide the worried expression on her face and James picked up on it.
‘Oh don’t worry my dear, this one is pretty solid, despite its outer looks, and it has air conditioning.’ He opened the rear car door for her.
Jane got in and sunk into the soft leather of the seat. The inside was luxurious and had the rich smell of polish. James was quite a character and she was getting to like him very quickly.
Mark sat in the front with James and they drove out of the airport car park.
James informed them that the journey to his place would take nearly an hour, so Jane stared out of the car window, watching the patchy green land gradually give way to barren, rocky dessert.
She let her mind drift back to her earlier conversation with Mark. ‘So who is James and how does he know you?’ she asked, after Mark mentioned wanting to go to Africa.
‘James is a friend who I met about four years ago. He was just finishing a university course on geology.’
‘And does he know you as Mark or Adrian?’ Jane wanted to make sure she didn’t inadvertently cause Mark a problem. Since she discovered that Mark had changed his identity, to avoid a man call Ferrand, she was wary of anyone who said they knew him.
‘He knows me as Mark. But he is aware I used to work at NASA, but that’s all.’
‘So what’s in this mine that is so worrying?’ she asked.
‘Crystals. According to James there is something happening to the crystals.’
‘And you’re an expert on crystals, are you?’ she challenged.
Mark gave a slow, deep shrug. ‘I used crystals in my work with NASA and as a engineering scientist I have used them in making precision equipment.’
‘What kind of work with NASA or can’t you tell me?’ she probed expectantly.
‘Can’t tell you I’m afraid, official secrets and all that.’
Jane remembered feeling frustrated, but she had forced herself to accept his answer.
Her attention returned to the present moment as the car began to slow down.
‘Here we are, welcome to my home,’ James declared. He turned into the driveway of a large, white, single-storey house, with a red-tiled roof and a veranda along its entire length. It was set well back off the main road and surrounding it was a high, wire fence, with barbed wire angled along the top. Signs, painted with red lightning symbols, were pinned to poles at intervals along the perimeter, warning people not to touch the fence. The closed gates opened when they approached and they drove through to the front of the house.
Jane saw two black African servants, a man and a woman, quickly appeared on the porch. The man was in his mid-thirties, tall and well-built, wearing khaki trousers and a shirt. Hanging from his left shoulder was a rifle. The woman was older, slightly overweight, with short, dark, curly hair. She was wearing a bright patterned dress, partly covered with an apron.
The car stopped and the man stepped forward to open the door for Jane to exit. He then went round to the boot and removed the luggage.
‘This is Kwasi, he is my handyman and also looks after my security; and this is Aisha, my house keeper.’ James waited until Kwasi had placed the luggage on the porch. He then spoke directly to his servants, ‘These are my friends, they are my guests and you will attend to their every need.’ Kwasi and Aisha nodded their heads in acknowledgement to James’s instructions.
Jane was a little taken back by the abruptness of James’s commands and became even more uncomfortable when James prevented her from picking up her bag.
‘Kwasi will attend to your luggage. Come inside out of the heat. Aisha, refreshments for my guests.’
Inside, the house was very luxurious and clutter free. Everything had a place and seemed quite out of contrast with James and the visual impression he gave to the outside world.
‘Take a seat whilst I change my clothes. Then we’ll have some refreshments and I’ll explain everything to you.’
Jane sat down on the cotton fabric settee and allowed the cool air of the air conditioning to bathe her exposed skin. Mark moved over to the wall by the door leading to the kitchen, to inspect an African mask and spear displayed there.
Aisha came through the swinging door carrying a tray with a jug of iced lemonade and three glasses. She carefully placed it on the wooden coffee table in front of Jane. Mark called to her before she had a chance to pour the drinks.
‘Aisha, are these from around here?’
‘Yes boss…’ she hesitated as if uncertain she had addressed him correctly.
Mark smiled. ‘Just call me, Mark.’
Aisha nodded gratefully and said, ‘They are from the Bushmen, the local tribe who walk the land. Master James spent time with them. The mask is for protection and the spear is for good hunting.’
James reappeared; his hair was brushed back into a ponytail and white cotton slacks and a t-shirt replaced the grubby clothes he had worn. ‘Ah, that’s better. Come my friends, have a drink. Aisha, that will be all for now.’ He waited until she had left before pouring out the drinks. Mark joined Jane on the settee and took the glass offered to him. ‘Cheers,’ James said, as he took a swig of the lemonade.
Jane let the cool drink linger in her mouth for a few seconds before swallowing. It was beautifully sweet with just a tang of bitterness.
‘So James, what’s been happening with the crystals?’ Mark asked.
James sat down and his face became serious. ‘A few weeks ago we began blasting a new section of the mine, where our geological scans had indicated there were large deposits of fluorite to be found.’
He paused and Jane asked, ‘Sorry, but what’s fluorite?’
James went to a shelf on the wall behind him and brought back a beautiful green crystal point. He gave it to her. ‘Fluorite is a calcium fluoride crystal, which comes in various colours. We mainly have green here.’
Jane held it in her left hand. She could feel its vibration and the sensation seemed to create a warm glow in her chest.
James continued, ‘Anyway, we began blasting and instead of fluorite we found huge quartz laser wands. I mean really big ones.’ James stretched his arms apart to about three feet. ‘That was the size of the ones that were dislodged by the blast, but, behind them, further into the rock, were even bigger ones.’
‘So you found laser wands, what’s the problem?’ Mark looked puzzled.
James took another drink of lemonade, then said, ‘It’s what happened next that has me worried. My men took the loose ones and began cleaning the dirt from them. They didn’t notice that inside the quartz points, there were black veins.’
‘Another mineral inclusion?’ Mark suggested.
‘That’s what I thought, but the men said it was fluid, so I thought maybe it was discoloured water. I wasn’t too bothered about it; the crystals will sell for a better price if there is something unusual within them.’
‘So what’s got you so worried?’
‘We blasted late, so the men only handled three or four of the crystals before leaving for the day. I got a call next morning to say that all three men were off ill and one had been taken to hospital.’
‘What happened to them?’ Jane asked, putting the fluorite on the table.
‘The doctors don’t know. The one in hospital is declining fast and they think he could die, but they don’t know why. It is like he has given up on life. There are no physical symptoms so they think it’s mental, some kind of depression, but they don’t understand how it could have affected him so quickly. They are doing tests, but their resources are limited.’
‘And the other two?’ Mark asked.
‘They have similar signs, but they seem better today. I did some checks into their work schedule and it looks like they didn’t handle as many of the crystals as Jano, the one in hospital, did. Everyone is refusing to go near the blast site now.’
‘Have you had a look at the crystals yourself?’ Mark’s interest was stirred.
James nodded. ‘I looked at the ones they extracted and the black fluid is still inside, but it seems to be getting thicker. Strange, eh? So I didn’t touch it.’ He fiddled with his glass. ‘I then went to the blast wall to look at the larger quartz points. They have the same blackness inside of them and are getting darker every day. This fluid stuff seems to be thickening up at the base before moving up to the point.’
‘How can it be the cause of your men’s sickness?’ Mark was shaking his head.
‘I don’t know, but I’m taking no chances. I’ve cordoned off the area for the time being. I’d be grateful if you could have a look with me, tomorrow.’
‘Yes of course. Have you done any extractions of the fluid yet?’
‘No, I’ve just quarantined the points in a sealed container and ordered some protective lab suits. They should be here tomorrow,’ James paused, ‘I’ll need help with the analysis. Will you help?’
‘Yes, but I think you’re being over cautious, there’s never been anything bad associated with mining crystals.’
James finished his drink before speaking. ‘I know, but if the crystals have been exposed to contaminated water, then my men may have picked up something from the water.’ He rubbed his face. ‘Mark, this could be bad for me. Namibia takes the protection of its environment very seriously. They could shut me down if they think I have infectious water or land.’
‘Let’s not jump to any conclusions yet. We’ll have a look first.’ Mark stifled a yawn, with his hand.
‘Oh forgive my manners,’ James said, quickly putting his glass down. ‘You’ve had a long journey. I’ll get Aisha to show you to your room.’ He leapt up, yelling Aisha’s name as he moved round the coffee table.
Mark got up and James grasped his hand. ‘I’m so glad you came.’ James turned to Jane and took the hand she gave him. ‘My home is your home, dear lady.’
Aisha came into the room and James gave her instructions before turning back to them saying, ‘Rest my friends, dinner will be at eight but if you need anything at all before then, Aisha will get it for you.’
Jane and Mark followed Aisha out of the room, down a narrow corridor to a room at the end. Aisha opened the door and left. The room was large with a huge bed against the wall, opposite the window. A beautifully carved wooden table and matching chairs were to the right of the door, with a wooden wardrobe against the opposite wall. An air-conditioning unit filled the room with cool air and a mosquito screen lined the closed window. A door at the far end, next to the wardrobe, led to a luxuriously tiled bathroom.
Their luggage was stacked on the floor at the base of the bed and Jane noticed something on one of the pillows. She chuckled out loud as she went over to it.
‘What?’ Mark asked.
Jane picked up the single red rose and realised it was synthetic. ‘I think James is a romantic at heart.’
‘Hmm,’ Mark said, stretching out on top of the bed, ‘I think I’m going to have to keep my eye on him.’
* * *
The next morning, Mark and Jane were sitting at the dinning table eating what appeared to be an English breakfast, although Jane wasn’t sure that, what she was eating, was bacon. James bustled into the room, dressed in his scruffy clothes again. He quickly sat down and Aisha served him.
‘Good morning, did you sleep well?’
Jane smiled, remembering how the bed had swallowed her, cushioning every curve of her body. ‘Blissfully,’ she said.
‘Good, good,’ James muttered, as he delved into his breakfast.
‘No sore head?’ Jane mused, reflecting on the bloodshot eyes and pale colour of his face.
He grinned. ‘My dear lady, a bottle or two of our excellent African wine does not produce a hangover.’ He held up his hand, as Jane was about to interject. ‘But, three or four, in the company of good friends, can produce some adverse effects. Still it was an excellent evening.’
Jane heard a groan from beside her and laughed. Mark had hardly touched his food and was cradling his head in his hands. She nudged him gently. ‘You should have stopped when I did.’
He muttered another groan.
‘I have a cure for our ailment, Mark. It’s an old African remedy. Disgusting to taste, but works a treat.’ James indicated to Aisha and she left the room returning a few minutes later with two glasses containing some dark, mucky-brown fluid.
Jane was glad she wasn’t drinking it.
An hour later, Jane and Mark got into James’s car and they set off for the mine. James’s miracle cure for the hangover had worked and Mark was beginning to look more like himself. His tanned face had lost the pale flashes and the sparkle in his brown eyes had returned.
Jane was curious about the mine. ‘Do we have to go down deep to see these crystals?’
James chuckled. ‘No, no. The mine is an open cast one. We blast away the rock surface to expose the veins or pockets of crystals held in the earth.’
‘Isn’t that destructive? I mean you’re creating a hole in the ground.’
‘Yes, but least you can see it. When mining underground, there could be many layers of tunnels crossing under where you are walking or driving and you won’t know they are there, until the ground gives in.’
Jane didn’t like the thought of that nor did she like the thought of mining above ground. She prepared herself for what she was about to see, as they approached the mine’s gates.
The single security guard recognised James and opened the gates as the car approached. James drove straight through. The land, past the entrance, was rocky and barren. A track road split into two, a little way ahead, with the right one swinging down to a huge crater, where men were working at the rock face. They were pulling out crystal structures and placing them in barrels. The left track took them round a rock cliff to a smaller quarry, where more men were working. James drove past them, following the road round and down until they reached a barrier preventing any further travel. It was a temporary one, made of large metal drums, spread across the road with a large sign painted in red, saying, “DANGER – ENTRY PROHIBITED”.
Jane felt a nervous twinge in her stomach, as the three of them left the car and walked between the drums.
The track continued a little way up before dropping to a small area against the cliff face. A few outbuildings stood a short distance away to the left and they walked towards them. Just before they got to the buildings, James moved to the right, into what seemed to be a small alcove in the rock. Jane followed him; the anxiousness in her body was building.
James stopped about five feet from the rock wall and Mark moved to stand beside him. Jane heard James gasp, and when she drew level with him, he said, ‘It’s almost totally black now. This is not normal, Mark.’
There exposed, in about a ten-foot area, she saw a large black crystal. Mark moved forward slightly and James quickly pulled him back. ‘No closer, I don’t know how safe we are without protective suits.’
It was at that moment that Jane felt a huge heaviness fall across her shoulders. It was like someone had shrouded her in a heavy coat, which pressed hard against her neck. She dropped her head forward and her nose became stuffed up, so much so, she had to open her mouth to breathe. Feelings of sadness, misery and despair suddenly overwhelmed her, and she began to cry.
James and Mark immediately turned to look at her, shock and puzzlement on their faces.
Quickly, James scooped her into his arms and swiftly carried her away from the rock face to the buildings. Mark rushed ahead, opening the door. Inside, James gently lowered her onto a chair and Mark pulled up a chair to sit beside her.
Jane wiped away her tears with a tissue James gave her. She had no idea what had caused her distress. The heaviness was now gone and so too, the stuffiness in her head. Gradually a feeling of warmth was filling her, just as if she was sat by an open fire. She smiled at the two anxious faces staring at her. ‘I’m fine now, really, I’m okay.’
‘What happened?’ Mark asked, his hand taking hold of hers.
‘I don’t know. It came on really quickly. A heavy, depressed feeling with so much misery and despair. I’ve never felt anything like it before. But it’s gone now, thank goodness.’
James stood up and paced the room. ‘It’s the same as what my men described, but you didn’t touch it. Dear God, that means, whatever it is, has gone airborne.’
‘Just hang on a minute, James, if that was the case, you and I would have felt it.’
James stopped pacing, the index finger, of this right hand tapping his chin. ‘Perhaps Jane is more sensitive than we are.’
Mark stood up. ‘But it wouldn’t explain why she feels better now. If it was a viral gone airborne, she would still be unwell, but she isn’t.’
‘Good point, good point. Still I’m going to see if our lab suits have come before we do anything else.’ James left the room.
Jane noticed Mark frowning.
‘What’s up?’
‘I was thinking about what just happened, it makes no sense, unless…’
‘What?’
‘How did you feel as you approached the rock face?’
‘I was anxious.’
‘Anything else?’ Mark was really focused on her.
‘I don’t think so. Not until we stopped and then it was like I had impacted on something, which fell over me.’
Mark’s face had gone pale. ‘It’s not possible, surely.’
‘What’s not possible?’
Just then James returned carrying a box. Mark squeezed Jane’s arm. ‘I’ll tell you what I think it is once I’ve done some tests, then I’ll know for sure.’
Jane nodded, knowing she would get nothing more from him.
James placed the box on the desk and opened it. ‘We should be ok with these,’ he said, unpacking what looked like a space-suit.
Mark felt the texture and shook his head. ‘We can’t go near the rock face with these.’
James looked disappointed. ‘But they’re from my friend who works in the UK’s infectious diseases centre and they deal with some lethal bugs.’
‘It’s not infectious diseases we need protection from, it’s the vibration from the crystals.’
‘What do you mean?’ Jane asked, seeing the puzzlement on James’s face too.
Mark looked at them for a moment, then said, ‘Our bodies are surrounded by a ball of energy, which feeds our body; you may know it as the aura. All sorts of things can impact on it and I think that what you experienced, is the crystal’s vibration impacting on your energy system.’
Jane recalled how she had felt and nodded. ‘Yes, that’s exactly how it was. One minute I was okay, the next I felt horrible.’ She shivered slightly.
Mark took her hand and squeezed it. ‘Crystals vibrate at different levels and quartz crystals are very strong in their vibration. You must be sensitive to it.’ He paused like he had thought of something.
‘What is it?’ Jane asked.
‘You said you felt horrible. The crystals must be sending out negative vibrations.’
James looked at the suit in his hands. ‘And vibrations travel through anything. So how are we going to do this?’
‘We need to, somehow, get a sample of the black stuff without us going near the crystal.’
James smiled. ‘I have exactly the thing and I’ve been dying to use it. I’m going to get, Roger.’ He promptly left the room.
Jane looked at Mark and he just shrugged his shoulders. ‘I told you he was eccentric.’