“How’s Ken?”
“Ken?” She waved her hand dismissively. “How the hell should I know?”
“He’s your husband.”
“That was an enormous fuck-up. I should never have married him.”
“You could have refused.”
“I was heartbroken because you didn’t want me. I wanted to show you what you were missing.” She sighed. “Surely you didn’t think I was marrying for love?”
“Don’t talk like that.”
“Darling, everyone knows we’re a convenient business deal. Our families have been wheeling and dealing for years. With the two families united in marriage, a lot of secrets will be safe.”
“Well, I suggest you try to make the best of it. Given that he’s husband number two.”
“You’re a codardo. A coward.”
“And you should stop drinking and go home. It’s way past your bedtime.” He sat her down on a chair and asked a waiter for a bottle of water. Her makeup was smudged and she suddenly looked very tired.
“Only if you come with me.” She touched his face. “Caro, I know you want me … and no one has to know.”
Despite his good intentions and everything he kept telling himself, he felt a primeval urge stir inside him. An urge that knew no reason, that did not count the cost or think of consequences.
“Someone always knows.”
“Chicken.” She got up, picked up her handbag and went slowly down the stairs, swaying slightly.
Nick followed, and handed his car keys to a guard at the door. “Please take Mrs Visser home, and come straight back.” He looked at Gabriella. “I’ll send someone with your car tomorrow.”
“Why don’t you just screw my sister and get it over with?” When he turned, Allegretti was standing behind him. “You know she won’t rest until she’s had her way. It’s getting boring.”
Clara stood next to Allegretti. Even at this late hour and after quite a few drinks and who knows what else, she looked young and fresh.
“She’ll feel better tomorrow.”
“We’re going home.” Allegretti took Clara’s hand. “Bedtime for lovely young ladies.” He kissed her neck and for a moment Nick thought she looked embarrassed.
“Where’s Fritz?”
“I gave him the evening off. I can drive.”
Nick kept his irritation in check. “I’ll take you home.”
“Do you think I’ve never driven home at this hour?”
“I’m sure you have, but it’s irresponsible. Your keys?”
“Sorry, we came in the Ferrari. No room for you.”
“Then we’ll take the Range Rover as soon as it’s back. Wait inside.”
“No fucking way will I let you speak to me like that … I don’t work for you.”
Clara touched Enzio’s arm. “Let’s wait inside.”
To Nick’s surprise he went with her, but at the door he turned. “If I were you, I’d get my shit together. The old man won’t live forever and if you want a place in the company, you’d better start being nice to me.”
Nick didn’t reply. It wasn’t the first threat he had heard in the past year or two, neither would it be the last.
When the Range Rover returned, Allegretti and Clara got into the back. Nick called one of the guards to come along. While he was driving, he watched the rearview mirror, as usual, and tried to anticipate when the traffic lights would change. Fortunately the streets were almost deserted and he could drive fast.
Allegretti didn’t get out when they stopped at Nazeem Williams’s house in Rondebosch. Nick opened the door for Clara and accompanied her to the front door.
On their way back, Allegretti dozed off. At home, Nick struggled to wake him. Between himself and the guard they finally got him to his room, where Nick took off his shoes and left him on his bed, fully clothed.
When he had dropped the guard back off at the club, he drove slowly back to Bantry Bay. The streets of Sea Point were deserted, except for two prostitutes on a street corner. Nick looked at the clock on the dashboard. Five to three. How long before you accepted that no one was going to pick you up tonight?
At the apartment he sat down on the balcony. The light breeze carried the sound of the sea. He thought of everyone he had seen tonight. Replayed the conversations in his mind. It was a strange, complex world, where the most important things were often left unspoken. He didn’t want to think too much about Gabriella, but would think about Clara Veldman for a while. She was neither the first beautiful young girl to set her sights on an older man, nor the first who’d been game for a relationship with a man with Enzio Allegretti’s reputation. Yet he couldn’t shake the feeling that things might not be that simple. He found himself feeling the pocket where he used to keep his cigarettes. Damn, he missed it. How was he supposed to think without a cigarette in his hand? Quitting now had been a crap idea. Maybe someone had left a packet lying around.
He got up, but when three drawers failed to yield anything, he went to bed.
CHAPTER 6
On her way to the office on Thursday, Ellie looked at the early morning traffic around her. Faces staring straight ahead, heads nodding rhythmically to music. Kids in school uniforms, babies in car seats, on their way to daycare. A familiar road, familiar scenes, but since last week she’d been feeling as if she didn’t really know anything at all. As if every image and event suddenly had nuances she hadn’t been aware of before.
Possibilities. Borders had shifted. The impossible suddenly seemed possible. No matter how she had relativised death in the past, nothing had prepared her for what it was doing to her mind now. She had a master’s degree in psychology and theoretically understood the process, but at the moment none of the theory applied to her.
She jumped when a hooter blared next to her. A woman with hair an unnatural shade of auburn raised her middle finger as she drove past. The finger had a long red nail and wore a gold ring. Ellie smiled. That could be the answer. But she feared she didn’t have enough middle fingers to make herself feel better.
The parking area was still quiet and she was glad she had come early. She wanted to be there before the others arrived. She still felt like an accident scene, with everyone slowing down to look.
What did you think? she wanted to shout, but she drew back her shoulders and walked through the doors. She nodded at people as far as she went, but didn’t stop to chat. Here and there someone extended a hand, but she kept it to a brief handshake.
She was grateful when she reached the third floor and it was still quiet.
Brigadier Andile Zondi’s door was open and Ellie stuck her head in. The brigadier was hunched over her desk and her ample bosom almost rested on the documents in front of her. Her jacket pulled tightly across her shoulders. She was a striking woman with her full lips and short braids. If she could get rid of the chip on her shoulder she’d go far, but she had a habit of tripping herself up.
“Mac, you’re back. I’m glad. I wish I could say take another day or two, but I need all hands on deck. This thing with Barkov is messy. Your friend Ahmed and his team are pointing fingers at us, and I won’t stand for it.” She sat back in her chair. “We warned them about Barkov and his crew, but they ignored us like a fucking stop sign, as usual.”
“I’ll start working on it immediately and see if I can find anything new.”
Back at her desk, she looked at the pile of messages. A