Abducted Presidents Wife

By Frederic Roux

Maria and Tamara, wife and daughter of José Carlos D’Amato, first Hispanic President of the United States of America, are abducted in Cape Town on a goodwill visit to Africa. Since it is policy of the United States of America not to negotiate with terrorists, can an American President be blackmailed?
Rian Schröder is ordered by the Minister of Police to find Maria and Tamara. He comes up against a pertinacious Secret Service Agent, Kane Koretz when he locks down the hotel. The situation is exacerbated by the arrival of retired FBI Special Agent Martinez Corzo, Maria’s first love, sent by President José with specific orders to save their Maria like ‘Heracles saved Alcestis’; Special Agent Carter Langfitt, FBI Legats at the US Embassy; and Bill Kiekbusch of Homeland Security, who demands that he take charge.
Maria disappeared out of her hotel suite and Tamara out of a shack in a black township on the Cape Flats after attending a prayer meeting, and Rian realises he is dealing with two independant kidnappings that took place simultaneously. By implication, who can Rian trust as he faces hostility on two fronts.
Can a local cop face up to three powerful American federal agencies and gangsters on the Cape Flats where there are forty murders every weekend?
Who is behind the kidnappings? None of the federal agents are prepared to tell Rian what the demands are for Maria’s safe return are so using Martinez’s satellite phone he calls President D’Amato personally and is told that Maria will only be released if José resigns. Who will benefit most? The Vice President. So Rian calls Tiziana Gutierrez. She is furious that a hick from never-land should hint at her implication.
When Rian rescues Tamara from gangsters on the Cape Flats he discovers she was abducted in order to create a diversion for Maria to be furtively flown out of the country. Concern for Maria’s life induces Rian to keep mum about Tamara and conceals her in Cape Town’s 350-year old Castle.
Maria’s spoor evanesced as it crossed the Atlantic Ocean to the United States. Rian knows a visa will not be granted and to follow Maria’s spoor he must slip out of Cape Town and find a way into the United States without the federal agencies knowing. He is further restricted by the NSA that is using ‘sigint’, its electronic eavesdropping devices to listen in on every move and call he makes. For help Rian calls on Larisa Kovrizhkna, Ukrainian head of an international crime syndicate who is on the FBI Most Wanted List. She undertakes to arrange everything and with her executive jet flies him and Martinez incognito to America.
In Texas the three of them are ambushed with the intention to frame Rian for murder. In the shoot-out with a federal agent they do not come out of it unscathed. To their surprise they discover soldiers of the Mob were involved. On the run, and with federal agents and soldiers of the Mob on the look-out for them, but in the belief that Maria is being held in Washington D.C., they travel to Annapolis from where they have access to the nearby the capital.
Martinez meanwhile calls on two former protégés, FBI Special Agents Carlease Deeth and Adiles Esposito for support. Responding to Rian’s initiatives, through these two the full resources of the FBI are utilised to establish who is holding Maria and why.
Following up a lead, Rian and company fly to New York where Rian comes face-to-face with the Godfather of one of New York’s most powerful modern-day La Cosa Nostro families.
Since kidnapping is the jurisdiction of the FBI, the FBI director asserts that rescuing Maria is their responsibility. He orders that Rian and Larisa who are illegally in the country be arrested, that she be incarcerated and he deported forthwith. The Hostage Rescue Team is then ordered to move in and rescue the First Lady.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Frederic Roux
• Release date: Sep 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463706886

Book preview

Chapter 14 ― Taking down a killer.

Chapter 26 ― John Wavinja and Mamo Magomola.

Chapter 36 ― The evening had been contrived.

Chapter 56 ― US President’s wife Maria abducted.

Chapter 62 ― US President’s daughter Tamara abducted.

Chapter 69 ― Senator Domenico Di Biaggio.

Chapter 78 ― The Lindbergh Act of 1932.

Chapter 97 ― Rian calls the US President.

Chapter 99 ― Rian calls the US Vice President.

Chapter 101 ― New York’s La Cosa Nostra.

Chapter 111 ― Susie puts a knife to Rian’s neck.

Chapter 127 ― São Tomé International Airport.

Chapter 134 ― Rian arrives in Dallas, Texas.

Chapter 146 ― Jenna-Wade kidnapped.

Chapter 166 ― Investments in arms manufacturing industry.

Chapter 170 ― Rian at FBI headquarters.

Chapter 183 ― UN Palermo Agreement: Anti-human trafficking.

Chapter 190 ― The Vice President visits Rian.

Chapter 193 ― Rian and Larisa at White House.

Chapter 200 ― Rian back in Cape Town.

Chapter 205 ― She held a can of pepper-spray.

Chapter 232 ― Birke has a bomb taped to her body.

Chapter 238 ― Obfuscation of Rian’s mind.

Chapter 240 ― Civil War is threatening.

Acknowledgements.

Brief CV

More Rian Schröder Books:

The Devil’s Spoor (1)(with Rian Schröder).

Quicksand of Despair (2)(with Rian Schröder).

Crossroads of Deceit (3)(with Rian Schröder).

The Cassiopeia Contract (5)(with Rian Schröder).

Who Are The Victims (6)(with Rian Schröder).

Eye In The Sjy Hijacked (7)(with Rian Schröder).

Human Traffickers: Dark Web Auction (8)(with Rian Schröder).

Escape: Dark Web Victims (9)(with Rian Schröder).

Die Proefskrif.

’n Dag Sonder Gister.

A Darker Shade of White.

Temptation, Condemnation, Damnation, Salvation.

Uit die Stof.

A Day Without Yesterday.

***

Chapter 1

Apart from sorting out his love-life, there was one other priority in Rian Schröder’s life and that was to get fit again. He had not done any physical exercises since the day he arrested the American con man David Lehman, and that was nearly five weeks ago. Wasting no time, he collected his togs and drove down to the health and fitness club in Plattekloof, not far from his house. His instructor Wikus Koen welcomed him back then told Rian the club had a new owner.

There’s the new owner now, Wikus said with a nod of his head. She’s looking this way. That’s her.

Rian turned and stared. Wearing a small sleeveless garment of a knitted material that seemed to accentuate a pair of good-sized boobs she had a bare narrow midriff and the skimpiest of shorts that showed off two long well-formed legs.

A sudden oscillation of the nervous system somewhere in his abdomen made Rian grin ― a wide grin ― or was this Bruce Wayne grinning?

Help! a voice squeaked. All eyes turned to the entrance. A young woman stood faltering in the doorway. Help … me!

She was clutching her neck. Blood seeped through her fingers. Blood ran down the back of her hand and wrist. Blood dripped onto her shoulder. A blotch of blood was also clearly distinguishable on her tank top just below her left breast.

Please …, she whispered, … help … me …!

Her voice faded. Her eyes rolled up. Her legs gave way. She collapsed.

Rian was the first to reach her. He checked the cut on the right side of the neck. It was bleeding freely. He immediately knew what had happened. He thrust his towel against her neck. Looking up he saw a female trainer standing beside him.

Hold this, he ordered. She knelt beside him and took over. Press hard, he said. You have to keep up the pressure to check the blood flow.

He pulled up the tank top of the young woman. She was not wearing a bra and had smallish breasts. There was a cut just below her left breast where the knife had entered her chest ― a stab wound aimed at the heart.

The cut on the right side of the neck. The stab wound aimed at the heart. He knew whose trade mark this was. Catherine Gladkov, the Russian contract killer.

Rian checked the stab wound on the chest closely. It had not gone in deep. The cut in the neck was bleeding but was not pumping blood. Catherine was a professional. This had not been done to kill. It was a warning. To him. But why this young woman, he wondered?

Wikus, Rian called. He spotted Wikus and tossed him his locker key. Fetch my things. And make it snappy. Then he looked at the woman trainer. I’m going to pick her up and carry her to my car. Whatever you do, don’t ease up on the pressure.

Spotting two long well-formed legs beside him his gaze travelled up. Helen, while I lift her I want you to take off her knapsack.

Carefully he lifted the young woman’s torso and Helen pulled the two string straps off her arms and removed the knapsack."

Go call the police, Rian told Helen. They must look for a woman, a white woman, a foreign woman. The cuts are not deep. She passed out. From shock. I’m taking this young woman to emergency at the Panorama Medi-Clinic. And tell Wikus to bring my things out to my car.

He turned his attention back to the woman trainer and checked her name tag. Lena, on the count of three I’m going to get up. Okay? She nodded. He gathered the young woman in his arms. Right. One, two three.

Both Rian and Lena slowly stood up. Carefully they moved to the door. Shuffling he turned sideways to allow Lena to exit simultaneously without relaxing the pressure on the woman’s neck. Stepping out onto the parking lot Lena looked up and Rian nodded to indicate in which direction he was heading.

The white Range Rover, he said.

When they reached the vehicle he stopped and cursed under his breath. Taken aback by the subdued profanity Lena’s eyes followed his gaze. They both stared at the rear wheel ‒ it was flat. An ominous feeling suddenly gripped Rian. He took another two steps forward and checked the front wheel. That too was flat.

Turning towards the front door of the gym he saw Wikus trotting towards them.

Wikus, Rian called, tell Helen to bring her car keys. I’ve got a couple of flats.

Did she do this? Lena asked. The … ugh … foreign woman.

He nodded. The other two wheels are probably flat too. The woman who did this is Russian. She’s a professional killer. A serial killer.

***

Chapter 2

Shocked Lena stared at him with big eyes. Ugh … why …? Then she gave a nervous glance about.

He shook his head. He knew why. This was Catherine telling him she knew where to find him. But he did not deem it prudent to tell this woman that. Journalists would be onto the story soon enough, of that he had little doubt, and for the time being it was better not to draw attention to himself. He had already said too much.

Earlier, sitting on his back stoep, before he decided to come to the gym, he was reading Die Burger, the local Afrikaans morning newspaper. Across the bottom of the front page was an article that had given Rian immense satisfaction. The Supreme Court judge in the case State vs Mpepuwa Rutlokoane, and fourteen others for the murder of George Sithayi, Alexander Klochko, and others, had agreed with the prosecutor the risk of them fleeing the country was too great and bail was denied. Standing accused were ― South Africans: Mpepuwa Rutlokoane, Nzibe Ngqengelele, Shakes Mosimane, Fokothi Manqondo, Alfred Nkununu, Billy Ramarumo and Solomon Sesoko ― Russians: Boris Mikhailov and Andreyevich Rajkovic, both enforcers of a Moscow crime syndicate ― posthumously: Ntabeleng Ndabezitha, Israel Thanjekwa and Dingiswayo Sithayi ― and in absentia two Russians: Petrovich Dmitrovic, a Moscow crime boss, and Catherine Gladkov, alias Jelene Naumann (South African ID), alias Yvon Baudrot (French passport), alias Jolanta Várnagy (Polish passport). One name not on that list was the late Benoit Decugis, a former Interpol agent. He was disappointed but the prosecutor felt there was not have enough evidence against her. She had been shot when she held him at gun-point at the Newmarket race track in East Anglia.

A warrant for the arrest of Petrovich Dmitrovic and Catherine Gladkov had been issued. Copies had also been sent to Interpol and the FBI.

After stabbing Dingiswayo in the heart and slitting his throat under the very noses of Rian’s team, Catherine Gladkov who was wounded in the attack had miraculously escaped their net. Brigadier Mpepuwa Rutlokoane, commander of the Sandton police station, had put her up while she recovered and Rian had assumed that by now she was back in Russia. But he was sorely mistaken. She was in Cape Town. She wanted revenge. By pulling the plug on a billion-dollar undertaking of the Russian Mafia he showed up a powerful international crime syndicate and they knew only one way to get satisfaction and that was to retaliate ‒ usually as viciously as possible. Or was this personal? He could not tell.

As Helen’s rental drove away and with Wikus nervously watching him Rian took out his smartphone and dialled a number. He quickly put his aide Colonel Jenna-Wade Knapton in the picture. Then he asked her to arrange for a set of tyres; to get detectives to question everybody at the health and fitness club; and to get to the hospital to check on the young victim. Like him Jenna-Wade had a picture of Catherine on her smartphone and she was to show this to the victim in order to get a positive identification.

I’ll join you the moment I have wheels, Rian said.

***

Chapter 3

Earlier, sitting on his back stoep with its magnificent view of Table Mountain, one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World, Rian Schröder wondered whether it was not time for him to sort out his love life. To settle down. Mentally he sifted through the list of women he was currently involved in. Far too many. In his relationship with women his identity had become confused. Haunted by a consciousness of guilt that the fault lay with him why his wife had been unfaithful it demands that he take over the search in a state of obfuscation of the mind.

For more than a year while his wife was sleeping around he had lived a decent celibate life. Even after Johanna left for Paris, France, on a two-year contract, for a further eight months he did not look at another woman. That is, until five months ago when the Aryan disciple Eva Croucamp drugged and seduced him. The occlusion of seduction and divorce was the trumpet that brought his wall of celibacy to come crashing down, with the result that he has responded avidly to the dozen or more women who have since made a pass at him. Since the ratio of black to white in this country is more than twelve to one it was inevitable that he had more contact with blacks than with whites, more so as a brigadier in the police serving a black government. Thus it was unavoidable that the majority of women who made a pass at this tall and well-built blue-eyed man would be women of colour.

Notwithstanding the fact that the list of women he would like to settle down with was topped by the tall slim Mariechen Thiart, with the petit Birke Behrens a close second, he had a suspicion both women may have some other interest in their lives. Birke, in fact, was quite open about it, telling him that each time the consular official of a certain African Embassy, who wore velvet jackets, black pants with stripes down the sides and shiny black shoes and had a military bearing, kissed her she had trouble keeping her pants on. Mariechen on the other hand had been evasive about something or someone and as a detective with years of experience having to judge when someone was not telling the truth he had been quick to pick this up. Not that he could blame either woman for this last case in Sandton, Johannesburg had taken him away from Cape Town for seven weeks. Granted, Mariechen had combined business with pleasure by flying to Johannesburg twice in order for the two of them to spend a night together, one in a Rosebank hotel in Johannesburg, and the other a night in a hotel on the Vaal River. Not that he saw anything of the river. For this he gave her full credit. He, on the other hand, on a flying visit to Cape Town had shacked up a night with Birke.

Rian was born in an era when it was taboo to have sex across the colour line, illegal in fact, with the result that when he made love to any of the twelve or so women who were a darker shade of white, even though clothes had been shed in some cases, this was where it stopped. This was not a conscious act, but somehow he had simply not been able to cross that line ― yet. However, trumpets were blowing, and having heard them loud and clear he accepted the fact that sooner or later the taboo wall may come down too.

Brooding over these eventualities was as good as firing an incendiary into his blood stream with the result the explosion scattered all thoughts that he may have had of settling down into the wind. Since there were too many imponderables he grudgingly acknowledged that ratiocination was getting him nowhere. This was where the need for physical exercises took over.

***

Chapter 4

Jenna-Wade, Helen and Lena were waiting for Rian in the reception of the emergency section of the hospital.

Miraida identified Catherine, Jenna-Wade said by way of greeting.

Is that her name?

He nodded. Miraida Zvellas. She says she heard this loud whoosh and saw this person stabbing a tyre of the Range Rover. So she approached her and asked her what she was doing. Catherine grabbed her and in a flash the knife pierced her chest. In shock she stared at the blood on her tank top and was about to open her mouth to scream when Catherine twisted her head and cut her neck.

She sounds quite coherent about events.

Transparently clear-minded. She passed out from shock.

I’m not surprised. No hesitation about the identity?

None at all. It was Catherine all right. But what is Catherine after?

I see it as a warning to me that she knows where to find me.

Mm, you’re probably right.

I must find her before she goes after my family.

Goodness, yes. I didn’t think of that.

I had better go and talk to Miraida. Zvellas? That is not a South African name?

Mexican. She does have a work permit.

What does she do?

They import coffee from Columbia and distribute it throughout southern Africa.

Who is this we? A husband?

No. She and her mother. They run an import company. The mother is with her. Juana Zvellas.

You say they import coffee beans from Columbia?

They are originally from Columbia.

No mister Zvellas?

They were mum about that.

Let’s go and see them. He looked at Helen. Excuse us. I’ll see you later.

Can I take Lena back? Helen asked.

Yes. I’ll look in on you when I’m done here.

Rian let Jenna-Wade lead the way. The young patient lay propped up in bed with a big bandage around her neck. Next to the bed sat a woman. Both women looked up when they walked in. With their dark complexions and long black hair, they could well have been sisters.

Miraida, Mrs. Zvellas, this is Brigadier Schröder, Jenna-Wade said. He is the man who ran to your aid …

Bloody pervert, Miraida snapped.

Excuse me? Rian asked.

You looked at my breasts, she said in a loud voice.

I looked at your chest to see …

You looked at my breasts.

Perplexed Rian looked from Juana and to Jenna-Wade. What the …

You looked at my breasts, Miraida shouted.

He shrugged. I saw your breasts …

See! I told you, Miraida told her mother in a loud voice, he is a voyeur.

Staring at Miraida Rian stood dumbfounded. Jenna-Wade took his arm and led him out.

Predator! Voyeur! Miraida screamed after him.

What in the hell is that about? Rian asked when they were walking down the passage towards the reception.

I’m sorry, I did not think she was serious, Jenna-Wade said. When I spoke to her she questioned Lena and Helen about the man who had checked on her wounds. Lena told her that you lifted her tank top to check on the wound on her chest. I did not think she would react in this way. Thoughtfully she stared at him. The effect of the shock, do you think?

No, this goes deeper than that, he said. From now on you can deal with her. I haven’t got time for … Taking a breath he waved an arm dismissively. … that. I’m going back to the gym.

***

Chapter 5

Arriving back at the health and fitness club the detectives who had questioned everybody reported to Rian that they could not find anyone who had seen Catherine. He was not surprised and thanked them.

After they left he joined Helen. She took his arm.

What are you going to do now? she asked.

Now? I’m going home. You coming?

I’ll follow you Bruce.

Rian grinned. Driving home with Helen on his heels Rian recalled how they met. She owned a health and fitness club in Sandton and while on this recent case he went to the club to get some exercise. When she found out who he was she cornered him in the shower. To have sex against the shower wall had been wild and hunky-dory. A most satisfactory experience. What amused him was that she called him Bruce Wayne, telling him that she knew he was in fact Batman, but that his secret would remain between them. He remembered still telling Jenna-Wade he thought Helen was cuckoo.

But in actual fact, what this shrewd woman wanted him to do he did without her asking him. She was engaged to an American, David Lehman ― had apparently been bullied into it by her father Syd Templeman. Syd was one of the wealthiest men in the country. His company, TempleProp, listed on the Stock Exchange, owned more property in Johannesburg than anyone else. It also owned property in Cape Town, Durban, Port Elizabeth, East London, Bloemfontein and Kimberley. David wanted Syd to invest in the development of a diamond mine in Zimbabwe but Helen suspected that he was a crook. After Rian had sex with Helen a couple of times, when he saw how David bullied Helen and how scared she was of him, he asked Jenna-Wade to investigate David. Jenna-Wade quickly discovered that David was wanted in the United States and Europe for fraud, so they arrested him and he was deported.

The day after Rian arrested David, Helen left the country and he did not see her again. He felt relieved for he did not know where he stood with this cuckoo woman. But the night before she left she told him she may buy this Plattekloof club so that she and Bruce could get together in the shower again. A promise he had taken with a pinch of salt. However, not only did she buy the club, she, as a director of TempleProp, had given instructions that the building that his family rented here in Cape Town from TempleProp be given a face-lift at no cost to his family. This he had only learnt this past weekend. His father ran a successful business that imported machinery from Germany.

***

Chapter 6

They pulled the two cars into the double garage and went inside. He wanted to ask her if she wanted something to drink or eat but never got around to it. First things first, and that was clothes flying all over.

Having sex with Helen was not petting, kissing and fondling, or gradually working up to a peak, it was a wrestling match, wild and furious. After both had climaxed they flopped down and puffed as if they had done ten rounds ― which in fact they had.

Wow! she panted. That was great. Not as good as the shower … but good enough.

His response was a grunt. For the moment that was all he was capable of. When he got his breath back he turned his head to look at her and asked, Something to drink?

She pushed herself up and legs wide apart sat down on top of him. I missed you.

You skipped the country.

Stroking his chest her hips rocked to-and-fro. I had to.

Why?

She thrust a hand under her to help him enter her before she replied. I was falling for you and it was the only way I could put a stop to that.

He clutched her thighs. Still you buy this franchise knowing I live close by.

I had to do this.

Was it necessary to buy this place? To spend so much money? You could have called me.

I bought this franchise so that you are aware that I will never be far. So that every time you go to the gym you will think of me.

That still doesn’t answer the question … why?

We come from two different cultures, you and me.

I couldn’t agree more.

Not just religious.

What else? Language?

The gentle rocking movement did not slow down. No. First of all, with me you are Bruce Wayne. You will take me out, go to parties with me, make love to me, sleep with me, and enjoy things with me. But in secret you are Batman. You don your outfit and go out and fight crime. You can’t share that with me. Never. I know that and accept it. I don’t work. I sleep late, laze about, or go shopping. What’s more I flit about the world like a butterfly partying and boozing too much. Batman can’t be part of my life. Ever.

I still don’t understand, he said. You say you were falling for me, but won’t that happen now?

Yes it will.

Then why did you buy this place? Why not stay away?

If I feel I can’t take it any more I can always run away.

It doesn’t make sense Helen. You have to come back every now and then.

Hopefully Bruce won’t always be home.

He laughed. She slapped his chest hard.

What was that for? he asked.

She thumped down hard on him making him grunt. You must not laugh at me.

I’m sorry. It’s just …

Just what?

You and I have different cultures. You’re Jewish and I am Protestant. Our languages differ. Our way of life is different. Wouldn’t it have been easier just to stay away? You did run away once before.

Partying in Israel and Europe I discovered that my feelings for you had not changed one iota. Having sex with you was better than with those useless Israelis, Englishmen, and Italians. And make no mistake, in spite of the Israeli and Italian who had followed me back to South Africa, this is what I wanted. She resumed rocking.

What does your father think of all this?

His only comment was that he is sorry you are not Jewish.

You discussed all this with him? Buying the health and fitness club in order to be near me?

Of course. He had to give the okay for me to spend the money.

By the way, thank you for giving the building where my family’s business is a face-lift.

I am happy I could do something for you. It is a small compensation for getting David out of my hair.

He chuckled. And now you’re saddled with me.

I’m not wearing your ring.

No you’re not.

Not yet.

What do you mean?

Batman may put away his suit. You never know.

I …

My dad will be happy to take you into the business.

Did he say that?

Yes.

My dad made a similar offer.

She dug her nails into his side making him cringe. My dad has got me on his side.

Helen …?

What?

Let’s get something to drink and eat.

Why, is this not good enough?

He chuckled. When we come back you can carry on as long as you like.

I will. I must make up for lost time.

***

Chapter 7

Helen was as good as her word. He did not get much sleep. She was still asleep when he got up. Looking down at her naked figure he was tempted to climb back into bed. But, he decided, he had had enough ― for one night.

He made coffee, helped himself to rusks, and went and sat on the back stoep. Table Mountain was a sight he would never tire of. On a clear day he could see the two cableway cars doing their vertical rounds moving visitors up the mountain and down. Those who had enough guts climb the mountain then take the cable car down ― which they have been doing for close on ninety years. To the right and somewhat lower were Lion’s Head and Signal Hill. When clouds cover Lion’s Head it is a sign that it is going to rain. But there were no clouds on Lion’s Head today. Nestling between and below the mountain and these two hills was the city bowl, its towers visible.

However, a cloud did cover the southern side of Table Mountain. The southeaster. Or Van Donk smoking his pipe, the old-timers called it. Cold fronts from the Antarctic swept past the Cape coastline from west to east. Sometimes the front brushed the Agulhas coastline, but every so often the cold front would sweep land in. This could bring rain and even snow to the Western Cape and Eastern Cape mountains. There would be no rain or snow today, but he expected the wind to be much stronger this afternoon. In the nineteen-hundreds the Peninsula or Cape Flats was just sand and when the southeaster was at its best, or worst, farmers from Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek and Somerset West could not deliver their produce to the market. Sometimes they had to wait for days before the sandstorms subsided to allow them free passageway across the Cape Flats.

Sipping his coffee, he chuckled. Yesterday he sat here contemplating life, wondering who he would like to settle with. Five women had crossed his mind then. Helen had not even featured. However, for a time during the night she topped the list. But now that he was sober ― or was it a case of a clear head? ― was that even possible? ― did Helen feature at all?

Batman was definitely not about to put away his cape. Which is what most of the women would want if he married them. Daddy was prepared to give him a job with TempleProp, but that would mean living in Sandton. The others did not have daddies who could offer him a job, but they still wanted him to have a steady job, based in one place, commissioner of a police station somewhere in the Western Cape.

While mentally pursuing all these eventualities, Rian’s eyes roved about, checking the clouds amassing at one end of the mountain to the choppy sea on the opposite side, and taking in the gradual build-up of traffic on the N1 Freeway heading in to town. Later he would have to take that same route to his office.

Suddenly something odd registered in his mind. Something that had nothing to do with women, the mountain, the sea, or the traffic build-up.

***

Chapter 8

The suburb of Plattekloof was located on the western slopes of the Tygerberg Hills. His house faced east and the back stoep faced west. The house below him had a flat roof, giving him and unobstructed view of most of the Cape Flats, Table Mountain and Table Bay. The two houses on either side had pitched roofs. The pitched roof of the house on his right blocked out a view of Robben Island. It belonged to a family who lived in Johannesburg. They only used the house for a month during the Christmas holidays and occasionally the husband would stay over for a night or two. But that was seldom.

The wall facing south, in other words the wall that Rian could see, had only one window, a solder window. Yesterday the curtain on that window was shut. This morning it was open a crack. Even when the husband spent a night or two, that curtain was never open. Covertly watching the window Rian made an effort not to look directly at it. There was no movement and he could not see anyone. But his gut told him someone was watching him. His whole being itched to take a hard look at the gap in the curtain, to do something, but instinct told him to remain calm.

He was saved further frustration by Helen. Wearing one of his ex-wife’s bath robes she came out onto the stoep and without hesitation leaned over him to give him a passionate kiss. Then she sat down on his lap. When she sat down the robe opened up. She wore nothing underneath. Her back was to the house in question. Rian wore boxer shorts and her hand quickly found its way in under the waist. He happily responded to her amorous cuddling for now he could unobtrusively watch the window over her shoulder and past her head.

Helen was not satisfied just sitting on his lap. Before long she stood up, pulled the gown up, parted her legs, and when she sat down on his legs she took him in. Convinced that someone was watching, Rian was embarrassed, but then he realised he could not get a better stratagem to disguise his suspicion that someone was watching them, or of his scrutiny of the window.

Helen reached a climax and was disappointed when he did not. She got up suddenly, leaving him exposed and said she was going to take a shower. While he hastily pulled up his shorts she invited him to join her in the shower. He knew the best thing he could do was to act natural, so with a laugh he jumped up. She squealed and the robe went flying as she ran into the house. He scooped up the robe and ran after her. Just inside the sliding door, out of sight from the window, he stopped and pulled an upright chair over in front of the door. Fetching a broom from the kitchen he propped it up against that chair. Finally, he draped the towel over it, shaping it in a certain way.

He found Helen in the shower.

What took you so long, she cried.

The shower was cramped compared to the showers at the gym but without too much effort she did manage to wrap her legs around him so that he could bang her against the wall.

As soon as he could get away from her he grabbed his pistol and went and checked the chair in front of the sliding door. The broom was exactly as he had left it, but that was not the important clue, it was the way he had draped the robe. Satisfied that Catherine had not sneaked in, because he knew that was who was behind that window, he went to get dressed. However, he first checked on the red and blue marks on his shoulders and bum, lasting engravings of Helen’s passion, to see if any needed medical care.

***

Chapter 9

After Helen left he went from door to door, checked that they were properly secured, and then left markers. He had no intention of being taken by surprise. Cutting narrow strips of industrial tape, he stuck these in concealed spots on every door and window. Before leaving the house he called Colonel Corné Heunis, the Task Force leader in Cape Town and asked him to meet him at the office in half an hour. Then he called his sister Letta.

Letta, has any strange or foreign woman knocked on your door in the last day or two? he asked.

Does this have to do with the woman who was stabbed at the health and fitness club last night? she immediately asked.

He decided it was best to play open cards with her. Yes. The Russian woman who murdered Dingiswayo and all those other people in Johannesburg did it. She is after me.

Recalling how Dingiswayo had seduced her Letta shivered. But why?

Revenge. What else.

No Rian, no strange woman has been here.

Well in case one does ring the bell, don’t open your gate. And keep your back door and the side door locked.

Rian, you scare me. What’s up?

She’s out for revenge and you may become a target. As soon as I get to the office I’ll make arrangements for police protection for you and the children.

Now I am scared.

Just be careful. I’ll send a picture of her to your smartphone.

***

Chapter 10

Corné Heunis was waiting when Rian arrived at his office in the city bowl and Rian asked Jenna-Wade to join them. He told them that he suspected that Catherine was ensconced in the house behind his.

You’re not serious, Corné said. All you’ve got to go on is a gut feel.

Listen Corné, Jenna-Wade said, you can trust Rian’s instincts. In my experience, he has been spot on every time when he says his gut tells him something is not right.

All right, Corné said with a wave of his hand, I’ll go along. What do you want us to do? Corné had accompanied Rian to Potchefstroom where the shootout with the killers of the Deputy Minister had taken place, so he knew Rian.

Rian quickly outlined his plan. But they all knew it would take hours to put in place.

Later that morning Letta called Rian. There was a woman at the gate, Letta said. A stranger.

‘You didn’t let her in?" Rian asked.

No.

What did she want?

She was looking for someone but the name she came up with was not someone I knew. Definitely not someone in this street.

Did she match the woman in the picture I sent you?

I’m not sure. I only remembered the picture you sent me when she was some way off. I couldn’t very well look at it when I was talking to her.

Did she have a car?

Not that I saw. There was no car in the road. I watched her walk away until she disappeared around the corner down the road.

Has a police guard pitched yet?

Yes. A police van is parked directly opposite the gate. There are two men in it. I peeped through the bushes.

Good. But keep your back door locked. And if you hear anything suspicious blow your whistle. Anything at all. Do you have one of those whistles the municipality issues?

Yes.

Well blow it. Call those cops. They are there to protect you. He closed the call.

Letta? Jenna-Wade asked and he nodded. Did she recognize Catherine?

She says she cannot be sure.

Catherine may have disguised herself.

Miriam … whatever her name is … recognized her.

Miraida. She came face-to-face with Catherine.

In spite of receiving the shock of her life she recognized her?

What are you saying? Do you have doubts about her?

Accusing me of depravity, of being a voyeur, yes I do have serious doubts about her.

Jenna-Wade chuckled. Does it worry you?

What worries me is her role in this.

Rian, are you suggesting that Miraida may be implicated?

You tell me.

You’re not serious.

***

Chapter 11

Later that afternoon a truck with a Cape Town municipality emblem drove down the street in front of Rian’s house. At the same time a similar truck drove down the street in front of the houses below