Who takes this woman

By Terry Hayward

The action just never stops coming. Elephants, lions, crocodiles, courtroom drama, kidnapping will keep you on your toes as Jack Delaney and his sidekick, Mo Dhlamini, prosecute in court poachers and smugglers, while in their free moments they track kidnappers and escaped prisoners in the bushveldt of Big 5 Game Reserves. Visits to the gang leader in Prison and clashes with mob hit-men are all part of the action. The mob are still trying to take over, illegally if necessary, a Big 5 Game Reserve near an international border to use as a staging point to smuggle wild animal parts out of the country and drugs into the country. Mo and Jack must now do what they do best, and that is put a spoke in the bad guys’ wheel.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Terry Hayward
• Release date: May 26, 2015
• ISBN: 9781311568120

Terry Hayward

I was born in Boksburg on the 3rd June, 1944, and lived in Benoni until I turned 7, when the family moved to Bulawayo in the then Rhodesia. I attend C.B.C. until the family moved back to South Africa in 1959 and then I concluded my schooling at Westville. In 1962 I attended the Durban Campus of the Natal University to study law. I was admitted to the side-bar on the 4th March, 1968, and practised law in Durban and Westville until 1987. I married Rita Hayes in November of 1968 and we had 2 children, Carmen who studied Industrial Psychology and Human Resources. Our son, Adrian, studied Nature Conservation and worked first at the Weenen Game Reserve before being transferred to the Mkhuze Game Reserve where he worked until he married a Canadian Lass and went to live in Canada last year. Carmen with her husband and 2 children now live in New Zealand and Rita and I live in a ‘granny flat’ with them.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

The lawyer moved to the dock where his client had been led from the cells by the police officer before court began for the morning’s session. As he approached the prisoner he pushed his robes back from the front of his body to give himself unimpeded space to lean over the top of the dock without hindrance and whisper confidentially to his client, This will be your final remand as today the Magistrate will set a trial date in the High Court.

And when will you be getting me out of this bloody hell-hole, demanded the client with belligerence and disgust written all over his face. Much more of this and I’ll be making my own plans.

Don’t do anything stupid, hissed the lawyer. The boss is well aware of your predicament and I’ve advised him that you have absolutely no chance of getting off the charges. He’s busy working on a plan to spring you.

The prisoner, who was charged with murder, poaching and smuggling, was all too aware that he faced a very long time in prison, so whispered back, Just get me out of here before I take matters into my own hands.

That’s crazy talk, warned his lawyer leaning closer to his client’s ear. They have a big job for you to do first and then they’ll get you out of the country.

Get me out of the country? he cried beneath his breath. All I need right now is to get out of this blasted place.

Have patience, advised the lawyer. Don’t do anything stupid and wreck their plans.

What plans? demanded the exasperated prisoner. Nobody tells me anything except to sit tight.

Then listen to them, the lawyer replied sharply. They intend to spring you as soon as your actual trial begins. You’ll do one last job and then you’ll be out of the country and disappear.

How’ll they spring me and what’s this ‘last job’ you keep talking about? queried the prisoner.

The plans are already well under way so just hang in there, old man, just the finishing touches to add, encouraged the lawyer slapping his client encouragingly on the shoulder. They won’t let you down as they need you to do this one thing and then they’ll spirit you across the border into Mozambique. The job they have in mind for you to do is up near the Mozambican border so when you’ve completed it you’ll be right there and ready to cross over.

What job man? the prisoner almost screamed under his breath.

There’s going to be a big social wedding set to take place in that area and you’re going to kidnap the bride, the lawyer told him with a huge smile on his face.

Are you insane? the man demanded. I’m gonna kidnap a bride, how’s that gonna get me out this bloody country?

Cool it man, and don’t blow all the plans with you impatience, his counsel hissed as he prepared to move back to the bar.

The clerk of the court’s gone to fetch the Magistrate, so I’d better get back to my seat, the lawyer informed him as he turned back to the side bar.

The prisoner almost grabbed the lawyer over the dock but restrained himself and instead hissed, Explain yourself man!

The lawyer glared in annoyance at the prisoner before replying, The boss still wants to buy the Lodge. He thinks that if you kidnap the girl it will enable him to put pressure on the old man and encourage him to sell. After all, kidnapping is a good persuader and when you’ve accomplished your mission you’ll be right there close to the international border.

CHAPTER 2

One of the greatest challenges to law enforcement, anywhere in the world, is to keep the Chinese crime syndicates, and Chinese crime generally, isolated in China where it originated many centuries ago. Unfortunately, this is proving easier said than done! The Chinese crime syndicates have been in South Africa for a hundred years or more, starting with the Chinese tongs.

The original name given to the tongs back in China was ‘hatchet men’ and they were, very basically speaking, plain thugs or street gangs who fought against each other for territorial superiority and dominance. The earliest clashes in the Chinese history of crime have become known as the tong wars. Initially these tongs were social clubs but they soon gravitated into gangs, gangs which are still thriving today throughout the world. These gangs are now under the control of large international crime organisations or syndicates which we know as Triads.

The English were the first to notice that the triangle, which symbolised the unity between heaven, earth and man, was the Chinese symbol for a criminal secret society and they were the first to use the term Triad for these secret societies. These Triads were, and still are, heavily involved in murder, extortion, drugs, loan-sharking, money laundering, prostitution, and indeed anything else that would bring in a fast buck.

Slowly but surely these Triads started this worldwide network of gangs in every city that was large enough to support criminal enterprises. Which of course means almost every city in the world soon had such a gang.

The Triads do the dirty work, the enforcement and intimidation, which brings such fear of them that nobody in their right mind would think of crossing them. This fear is necessary for the Triads’ dominance over the people. And as very often happens, this need to dominate will lead to murder, which is the basis from which the organisations operate. This fear increases their stranglehold on the masses.

The people heading these Triads are often, at least on the face of it, legitimate businessmen with legitimate business interests in normal commercial and industrial operations. They are, however, also the type of people who in their so-called ‘legitimate operations’ will take just about any short cuts they can introduce so as to increase their profit margins. Accordingly, they very often end up in trouble with their so-called legitimate enterprises for producing contaminated or otherwise dangerous and defective products. Corruption is endemic in China.

It is also reliably believed amongst some law enforcement agencies, the C. I. A. included, that these top men and their ‘legitimate operations’ interact with senior officials in the Chinese Government, which over the years has been a dedicated supporter of the Triads. This relationship, allegedly, ensures these corrupt officials a good size share of both the legitimate and illegitimate profits of the Triads and the companies running them. The Triads have also been used by the Chinese Government as a means of spying on other nations by using their organisations, set up in just about every major country in the world, as a source of information.

So what’s your plan? demanded the Don of the South African mob who had newly come to power when his predecessor had been jailed.

Danny Gonzales, the new South African mafia boss had been a Don for many years but, until recently, only over the Cape Province operations. He was fully aware of the Chinese crime history. How do you intend for our two organisations to cooperate?

Mr. Huang Lee, the leader of the Triad smiled condescendingly as he looked across the table at his South African mob counterpart, before replying, First, Mr. Gonzales, let me explain something to you. It is you who need to tell me your plans because it is your organisation that finds itself in selious trouble. My people already have a smuggling loute in and out of South Africa, which we use extensively and so far it has given us no headaches. You are the one having problems with your smuggling loute, not us. You called this meeting so you need to explain what it is you want.

Embarrassed by the truth of the smiling Chinaman’s barbed comments at the mob’s recent run in with the authorities and their subsequent inability to move their contraband in and out of South Africa, the mob leader leaned forward to help himself to another spring roll, buying time as he struggled for a plausible response.

OK Mr. Lee, you’ve got me there. You’re right, he conceded, deciding to come clean with the old Chinaman without revealing too much of the mobs’ current deficiencies. We do have temporary logistical problems, but these will be rectified within days and so we’d like to form some sort of agreement or maybe even a temporary alliance with you so that we don’t tread on each other’s toes and start a shooting war between our two organisations.

They were sitting in a Chinese restaurant on the Durban beachfront, sharing a meal at the Tong Lok, where the owner, Mr. Wong, was serving these important guests. Mr. Wong hovered around the table in a private room, set aside specifically for these occasions and for such important customers.

Both leaders had agreed that they would meet in secret without any assistants in the room, just the two of them. The restaurant had an enviable reputation and when such important patrons as the heads of the South African mob and the South African Triads met, Mr. Wong would expel all other staff from the room and wait on the esteemed customers personally.

There need be no shooting at all, if we always keep communications open between us, and lemember that it’s you who have these so-called logistical ploblems, Mr. Lee responded, sitting upright on his chair, his hands resting comfortably on the top of his walking stick. But to do this we need to actually communicate. You need to tell me exactly what it is you’re poposing so that I can tell you exactly what it is our wesponse will be. In plinciple we have no ploblem with forming some sort of alliance with you.

Fair enough, Gonzales agreed, deciding that, as the unthinkable was inevitable if the mob was to survive, he’d swallow his pride as he helped himself to yet another spring roll before continuing, As I’m sure you’re aware, we are having temporary transport problems and have been unable to export certain of our produce in recent months, but I am now personally taking responsibility for clearing up these problems.

Gonzales popped the small spring roll into his mouth and savoured not just this delicacy, but also the thought that when he’d got his organisation up and running smoothly once again, he’d really enjoy taking down this pompous little yellow man.

He purposely forced the thought to the back of his mind before continuing, What I propose is that we will another attempt to export our merchandise and clear up the present bottleneck, while your people watch how efficient we actually are. Efficient, not only in getting the stuff in and out of South Africa, but also in producing and obtaining the merchandise and how we deal with anyone who tries to cause any problems for us. If we can successfully achieve this, then you’ll be in a better position, having watched us at work, to agree to us working together on a more permanent basis in the future. After that we can get together again and come to some sort of more formal arrangement.

And what is this merchandise you keep weferring to? You plomised to come clean so I want to hear it all, demanded the Chinaman as he at last took one hand off his walking stick and leant forward, carefully picking up a pair of chopsticks to help himself to a spring roll.

All right, you’ve got me over a barrel, conceded the mob leader somewhat reluctantly, trying to hide his embarrassment with a chuckle. We are in a spot of trouble….

What is over bawwel? interrupted Mr. Lee, stopping in mid-stretch with a confused look on his face.

Huh? exclaimed a startled Gonzales before he realized what the Chinaman was talking about. Don’t worry, it’s just and expression.

Oh, OK, Lee replied congenially, yet at the same time giving the mob leader a puzzled look, before continuing, Yes, I aware of these ploblems you have, but you need to be open and honest with me about all your ploblems if you hope to find some sort of agleement with us.

Even more reluctantly Gonzales sighed and continued, OK Mr. Lee, it’s because we have been unable to export our merchandise that our middle-eastern customers are now threatening to find other sources of supply. We have been trying, unsuccessfully of late, to move diamonds and rhino horn out of South Africa and at the same time we are really hurting because our importing of drugs has all but dried up which is causing a slight cash flow problem for us. We will in the not too distant future also be in possession of a large quantity of elephant tusks and will need to start moving them out of the country too. Our existing route will be able to handle the smaller parcels of diamonds and possibly some of the rhino horn too, but we need a partner to help us move the larger stuff such as the ivory. I understand that you are already in control of such a route and that your people will be able to move the stuff out of the country.

There you are, Mr. Gonzales, that wasn’t so difficult now, was it? teased the Chinaman, taking a small delicate bite out of the spring roll as he held it in his chopsticks. Yes, you are light, we are in contlol of such a smuggling route and will be plepared to share it with you if you can prove to us that you are in fact in contlol of your own loute and your own people. We cannot afford to have you skew up our smooth lunning organisation. From what we hear so far we are not much impressed with your abilities to stay on top of your people.

Mr. Wong was surreptitiously making frantic notes on the back of his order book, in his own personal shorthand, to hand over to his controller.

Chapter 3

Kimberley is the diamond capitol of the world and was named after the then British Secretary of State for the colonies. It is, and always has been, a name synonymous with wealth, and consequently, adventure and romance.

Adventure, because history regales us with stories of wild men fighting to make their fortunes. While a vast number of these stories are purely fiction most, however, are at least based on fact and might even bear some semblance of truth, about smuggling and banditry, about intrigue and corruption.

Romance, because companies such as de Beers Consolidated invested a fortune in advertising to convince us that, not only are diamonds forever, but that diamonds are a girl’s best friend. And what macho, lovesick man doesn’t want his girl to be forever thankful to him, and hopefully feel obligated too, when he buys her the diamond of her dreams. The name Kimberley conjures up all sorts of vibrant and exciting images in a person’s mind, ranging from fame and fortune, to crime and action, and to love and lust.

The city sits almost in the very centre of South Africa, not only the geographical centre, but it’s certainly also the diamond centre of the country, possibly even the diamond centre of the world. It is a place that, believe it or not, is dominated not by a Table Mountain or some such natural wonder and beauty, but by a big, ugly man-made hole dug deep down into the ground! Originally a small hillock known as the Colesberg Koppie, a small stone rise, is now famous throughout the world and known simply as ‘The Big Hole.’

Lerato Sepeng was Harvard’s first black woman to hold the office of Managing Director of the world’s largest diamond buying company, Kimberley Holdings. She had been awarded her MBA at Harvard University at a time when many black women the world over were hammering, seemingly without success, at the so-called glass ceiling holding women back because of gender prejudice. The management at the time, who now either are retired or work with her or for her, had seen her potential and collaborated with her in her upward rise within the company, which could only be described as meteoric. The only person still over her in the company was the CEO and nobody had any doubts that on his retirement in the a few years’ time, she would also take over his position as head of the company.

This relatively young businesswoman had not risen to her position in the company because she was a pretty and decorative object on public display, nor was she there to make up some sort of racial or gender quota system within the company. She was there because she was very simply the best.

So that morning when she received a phone call from someone who refused to give her his name, but told her assistant that the call was about selling diamonds, she took the call. She also had the presence of mind to immediately press the record button on her office phone.

Hello. This is Lerato Sepeng speaking, she answered when the call was put through to her.

The male voice on the other end informed her, I can get my hands on large numbers of uncut diamonds, are you interested in buying?

My job is buying diamonds, so of course I’m interested, she confirmed caustically but cautiously in the hope of not scaring off the caller, yet at the same time knowing that the sale of uncut diamonds was illegal in South Africa. Not wanting to get caught in some sort of test sting by the authorities, she knew she had to be very careful in this conversation. In fact, to my knowledge, only in South Africa and Botswana is it illegal to buy and sell uncut diamonds. In London, for example, you can stand on any street corner and sell the things legally. Actually, maybe not so legally after all, what with all the so-called ‘blood diamonds’ the markets are nowadays being flooded with.

But are you interested in buying my diamonds? he persisted, pushing for a commitment.

I’m always interested in buying diamonds, but I would need to know your source, because I’m sure you’re aware of the South African law on buying the uncut stones, she explained, sensing that the caller was very nervous so she’d have to be careful that he didn’t get cold feet and drop the call.

The diamonds are perfectly legal, the voice continued cautiously, "But are from another country. In fact if you