Elsa and Greg sit grim-faced opposite Nat and Dave in Elsa’s lounge. No-one speaks. The front doorbell chimes. Greg moves to answer it and seconds later he ushers in Thabo and Mannie Govender.
‘Thabo’s here with the police, Elsa.’
Elsa gives a wan smile and gets up to give Thabo a hug. She takes Govender’s offered hand and gestures for them to move to the dining room.
‘Thanks for coming, Thabo,’ says Nat.
‘Least I can do.’ Thabo’s face is set with anger. He looks grim-faced at Govender who’s already seated at the table and sifting through a wad of papers.
‘If you could give me all the details, please,’ Govender says, looking directly at Elsa.
Elsa’s hand trembles and Greg interrupts with details of what they witnessed and of the police who arrived first on the scene and took the body. I look up at the passage. The tiles are white and shinning with no trace of the night.
‘You got no look at his face?’
Both Greg and Elsa shake their heads. ‘Nothing; they both had balaclavas on,’ says Greg.
‘The dead one’s face is a tad damaged,’ says Elsa with a wry smile.
Govender ignores her ironic humour. ‘Height, weight?’
Greg gives a shrug of his shoulders. ‘Hard to say; six foot at least and well-built – not fat; he got away in a black Ford Cortina.’
‘Number plate?’
Greg pulls a face. ‘Impossible for me to get in the circumstances.’
Govender nods and jots it all down. Elsa looks at him with irritation. ‘We’ve given all these details to the Durban North police, Inspector; I think what we’ve got to take on board and investigate is that this is the second attempt on my life in a very short space of time, which makes it obvious to me that someone wants me dead.’
Inspector Govender meets Elsa’s eye and turns down the corners of his mouth. ‘Possibly, but you must also remember that this is a common occurrence in South Africa. We live in a dangerous country.’
Elsa throws back her head in scorn. ‘Don’t patronise me, please. I’m quite aware of what goes on, but I’m also quite aware that, given the circumstances of my sister’s death, this is not just a coincidence.’
Govender feels Thabo’s eyes burning into him from across the table. ‘To date, I’m afraid we haven’t acquired any more evidence that your sister was murdered. There are some aspects, I grant you, that do not add up, but I’m sorry there is, at the moment, no hard evidence of murder. The same, I’m afraid, applies to this. I can’t assume that you are deliberately being targeted until I have evidence.’
Thabo purses his lips at Govender. ‘I think we all realise that, Mannie, but I know you’ll agree that sometimes we also need to go with our intuition, and I’m afraid mine agrees with Elsa’s. I just don’t like what’s happening. I need you to put some police protection out for both Elsa and Nat until we get to the bottom of this.’
Govender’s jaw tightens. He says nothing for a few seconds and then mumbles, ‘We don’t have unlimited resources, Thabo.’
‘I’m aware of that,’ Thabo says, ‘but I still need you to do it. If you need help, please fill in an official application and I’ll make sure you get it.’
Govender bites back what looks like the beginning of a sneer, but nods at Thabo. ‘Okay, will do.’ He looks back at Elsa and then at Nat. ‘I want you two to stay here until I send some officers to be with you. We’ll station them at both your homes and I’ll have them follow you for the next two weeks. We’ll reassess after that.’
Elsa gives Thabo a smile of thanks.
‘Much appreciated, Mannie,’ says Thabo, patting Govender on the back.
Govender ignores the pat and hastily draws together his papers.
‘Are you still looking into Karlos?’ Elsa’s gaze is one of challenge. ‘You’ve been given the details of him staying at the Maharani by the private detective we employed so at least you know where he is.’
Govender ignores the barbed tension behind Elsa’s comment and pushes back his chair, standing to look down on her. ‘As I said, we’ve not found anything yet on him, but I’ll get my officers to look into whether he’s made contact with any of the local contract killers we’re aware of. Perhaps if we can find this intruder it will help, but unfortunately you haven’t given us much to go on.’ Sarcasm drips as he utters the final words.
Elsa bites her bottom lip. I’m sure she wants to tell him to go fuck himself.
‘I’m sure you’ll do your best,’ says Thabo in a measured tone.
Govender nods and looks at his watch. ‘I’ll keep you posted,’ he says and without shaking anyone’s hand he turns to the front door and leaves.
‘He’s a hard-arsed bastard, but he’s good. Don’t worry; I’ll make sure he does a thorough investigation.’
‘Thanks, Thabo. I don’t know what we’d do without you.’
Thabo looks at each of my sisters with a wan smile. ‘It’s the least I can do given what you’ve all been through,’ he says slowly. ‘The very least.’
Elsa sits in silence for a few more seconds. ‘If the police don’t check the phone records properly from the hotel, I’ll get Fletcher to do it. If Karlos has been in touch with any hit man then maybe, just maybe, he’s been foolish enough to do it from there.’
‘I’ll make sure Mannie checks them,’ say Thabo.
‘Phone Fletcher now,’ says Greg, placing a tray of coffee mugs in the centre of the table. ‘I’m not having my wife made into some decoy. If the police can’t come up with anything then perhaps I’ll pay Karlos a visit myself.’
‘I’ll join you,’ says Dave, making Nat raise her eyebrows at him.
‘I think both of you should wait for the police,’ she says, ‘they’re going to be protecting Elsa and me from now on; I don’t think it’ll help things if you two also get involved.’
‘Nat’s right,’ says Thabo, ‘let’s see what Mannie comes up with, but I think it’s a good idea to have Fletcher watch Karlos’ every move.’
Greg scowls and takes a slurp of his coffee. I see his knuckles whiten around the handle. I’m sure he’s just as scared as everyone else but trying desperately not to show it.