The Game Reserve Quest

By Janet F Gallagher

Cressida is a young Lady Lawyer, who trained at the School of Art and Ballet. She as a young girl grew up in the magnificent Bush of South Africa. Her legal eagle work is carried out in a glamorous up market department store in South Africa. An event occurs which leads her on a mystery trail throughout the story.

• Language: English
• Publisher: BookBaby
• Release date: Apr 23, 2019
• ISBN: 9781543969535

Book preview

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Chapter 1.

Cressida

The worst news ever in the most cherished home of my childhood.  Before the land awakes, I shiver on this early-morning drive, feeling a chill in the air.  As the darkness slowly transcends into light, the mist slowly dissipates, revealing the mystical magic of the African bush.

I want the Land Rover to go faster.  We must reach the Game Reserve, Bijoux, my former home.  My eyes are fixated on Malcolm’s pager, as if paved in gold.  Just get me to dad.

My fault I wasn’t here last night.  Mum and Emma had been away for a few days.  If I had been here, I could have stopped dad’s craziness in joining the anti-poaching crew on this special assignment.  Why, oh why, did I let my busy lawyer life prevent me from travelling this far.

The spookiness of the bare, leaf eaten trees creates tension.  Malcolm stops abruptly.  A pack of wild dogs, ghost-like and grey, blend forcefully into the environment.  Skilled from experience, Malcolm manoeuvers past them and yet I cannot help but soak in their unmistakable demeanor of common purpose.

We won’t be long now, Cressida.  Malcolm, who has never been a boyfriend but surely a really good friend, pats my arm gently, desperately trying to console me.

They’re just five minutes away Cressida.  He again tries to reassure me.  We must reach dad before it is too late.  I search the sky for sight of the ambulance helicopter.  The speed of the Land Rover is fast and bumpy.  Clinging to the seat, I grip with one hand to hold more securely onto the side, my other hand wipes the tears falling down my cheek.  The salty taste reaches my mouth.  Yet I must show dad a brave face once we arrive.

Just a moment now Malcolm sounds hopeful.  I can see a small group nearby a tree.  They’ve got him safely outside the fenced-off wild animal area.

Almost scared to look, I jump out of the Land Rover and grab blankets. The first aid kit will help until the helicopter arrives.  Not a time for reproach.  Still alive but weak, dad’s eyes even show happiness at my arrival, yet they cannot hide his pain.

My head hurts, head hurts he murmurs.

I can hear the helicopter now, dad.  They will make you better and do you know you saved the mama Rhino who is carrying a baby.

His creaky and weak voice hardly resembles dad’s former strength.  I hold him close.  The tension his body transmits overcomes me.  I try to help, to stop him speak, but to no avail.

Important, the agreement, my work hut.  You’re a lawyer sort it out.  He stops then manages to continue.  I failed you and mum, forgive me.

No dad, there’s nothing to forgive.  You’re a wonderful father.  Nothing else matters but for you to feel better.  The ambulance has landed now.  They’ll take away your pain, heal your injuries.  Hold on, please dad.  I love you.  Please …

Too sore, sore … My fault … Not Grigor … Not Grigor.

As he slumps to his side, the paramedics now arrive, rushing to dad, asking for clearance and they order Malcolm to move me away, including the Anti-Poach crew.

Malcolm holds me close.  I know he is trying desperately to console me.  I must be brave for dad’s sake.  It seems an endless time.  Why haven’t they taken him in the helicopter?  They could have been on their way to hospital by now.

I watch in horror.  They’re treating dad as if he were a body yet trying desperately to revive him, over and over again.  They place a cover over him.  In a daze I watch Malcolm walk towards the paramedics and plead with them.  As if in a dream Malcolm returns to me.  He leads me ever so gently to where dad lies.

I’m so sorry, Cressida.  They’re letting you say your last farewell.

oOo

I thought I would find you here.

I’m momentarily in my own world, clasping a photograph, myself the ballerina.  Dad is proudly by my side.  I look up as Grigor approaches.  I must have fallen asleep after seeking refuge at our family Lodge, Bijoux, the name derived by my dad’s father, of French origin, and means ‘precious jewel’.  I finally let loose the brave wall I needed to muster to find the strength required to cope with medics and police questioning.  Malcolm had helped by dealing with the staff, to minimalize the drama and to protect visiting guests.

This had been my ballet room, with its mirrored surrounds, a theatrical ballet barre and balcony, and a finely polished floor.  Much used when I attended the School of Art and Ballet.

Grigor takes the photograph gently from my hands and tries to draw me into his arms.  Although we are no longer a couple, he strokes my hair and my face gently.  I don’t love him but I succumb, all else forgotten.  Surely this horror cannot be true, only a bad dream.

At last Grigor speaks.  I really have no idea why your father joined the anti-poach team, Cressida, and surely crazy for him to be there on this mission.  They apparently were one guy short and somehow he felt he had to join them.

Aware my eyes and nose are red and my voice cracked and soulful, I look up at Grigor just for the moment, comforted by his presence.

Mum is on her way back.  She totally blames herself for not being here.  She would never have allowed him to go with the anti-poaching crew.  When did you arrive, Grigor?

If I thought for one single moment you would take me back, Cressida Grigor as if pleading, strokes my hair, lightly kissing my cheek.

My heart is broken.  I’m simply unable to cope.  I don’t have the strength to push him away.

The doctor gave me some medication and Malcolm spoke with the lodge manager on duty, to ensure no guests are taken on a Game Drive.  Otherwise the guests are being treated as normal.  The Police have cordoned off the area where it happened.  There was a chance he would make it but he died after seeing me, as if he felt at peace then, and was already struggling to stay alive.  Nothing could have prepared me for this, Grigor.

Can I come in also a voice from the doorway.

Grigor releases me, aware his fiancée is standing at the entrance.  She is exquisitely groomed, long dark hair, fashionable and exotic.  I recognize her from a photograph recently seen in an edition of a tabloid magazine.  At least Grigor has the grace to look slightly embarrassed as he introduces Sonja.

Ah my pet Grigor addresses Sonja.  You two know of each other but you haven’t met before.  He had never succeeded to lose his Romanian accent, which women find irresistible and his acquired wealth by no means diminishes their interest.

Sonja, this is Emma’s mother.  This is your future step-daughter’s mama.

I cannot imagine how terribly shocked you must feel, Cressida.  Sonja’s foreign accent is as glamorous as her looks.

Grigor I must start now to prepare for mum’s arrival.  Thank goodness Emma was not with me when this happened.  Malcolm has been an absolute star these last few hours, attending to everything whilst we awaited you reaching here.  I stayed at his place last night after a business meeting at my work.

Time for me to garner strength for mum and Emma’s sake and I watch Grigor close the door to my special ballet room, aware of the many photographs of my supportive dad on display there.

Chapter 2.

Cressida

It had been a week with Emma and mum at Bijoux.  No alternative but to show a brave face, ensuring I keep mum very busy after the small remembrance ceremony.  She has agreed to my suggestion she packs up and moves for a while to my home in Sandton, with Emma.  My own private grief is completely overtaken with concern for my daughter and my mother. Normally strong and alert, mum is seriously traumatized.

Mum, a change of scene will be best for you.  You must stay with Emma and me until you decide to move to a new place of your own later.  I’ve organized everything we have been packing from the family lodge to be put into storage and the removal-company booked for Friday.  I also don’t want to be around the main lodge, nor mingle with the visitors.  I just cannot cope with that for now.

I picture moments with dad in his workroom shed.  As a child, I used to sit and watch him working with his tools – a private retreat away from his duties at Bijoux.  Those last moments, despite the unbearable pain he obviously endured, he chose to mention the agreement.  Crucial, therefore, I privately find the document he so badly wanted me to oversee.  His small, well-worn desk, with two drawers, in his workroom would surely be the best place to search.  At the very back of the first drawer, amongst the mess, I find a key, but it has no label to indicate where it belongs.

The second drawer proves to be really untidy.  It contains a fitted box, resembling a safe with a lock.  Trying the key in the lock, it opens.  Several items are inside. This comprises old versions of identity papers and old, driving licenses.  Dad was not an expert at filing.  Most documents were kept at the family, private lodge.  I pull out of the box, a rather tattered sheaf of papers, certainly not a full document and obviously with pages missing.  The name of the attorney on the front page is not one I am familiar with, and there is a reference number at the top.  Yet the first and last pages which would show the signatories, and thus the names of the participants to the agreement, appear to be missing.  I look for the domicilium clause.  As is often the case, each participant on that page, has a shortened name only.  Yes dad’s name Johan is there.  Malcolm would perhaps know who the attorneys were.  Although we studied at university together, we both later specialized in different areas of law.  My focus was commercial law and Malcolm chose criminal law.  I place the papers, basically resembling an agreement, into my briefcase, to study as soon as I have an opportunity.  Meanwhile I must find what is in the hut, which mum could find useful once she finds a new place of her own to live.  Even something she might want to retain for sentimental reasons.

Somehow I can feel dad’s presence, with happy memories.  The tears fall and I cry alone.  All those moments where I had to be brave for mum and Emma’s sake, in the last week, finally released.  Revenge starts to overtake my sadness, for whoever was responsible for killing dad.  Yet the police are constantly searching for clues regarding poachers in the area, occasionally making arrests.  There are crime syndicates,