BAMAKO - Aribert Raphael (red queen ebook TXT) 📗

away. After that, I started clearing some of the vegetation on the hillside with an old dozer that Hjamal bought second hand, until, months later, he told me he was going to Canada to find some technical assistance to complete and run the plant. The rest you know.”
“Yes, well, there is another thing I need to know. Have you seen anyone else at the site besides Richard and the workers?”
“No. There was no one visible, but before I left, I noticed one of the huts had been kept under guard for the past month or so. Maybe they were detaining some people in there, although I couldn’t say for sure.”
“One last thing. Have you met Hjamal’s flunky, Abdul Rasheed?”
“Yes, but mostly in the Dakar office. He’d seldom set foot at the site and he’d never stayed for long.”
“That clears up a few things.” There was something wrong with this story—too many pieces were missing. In fact, Johan didn’t add anything to what Talya already knew.
Let’s see how he answers this one then, “When did you see Richard last?”
“Let me see now… Last year in July, I think. That’s when the rain started and we were spending a lot of time doing nothing, we couldn’t—”
“Are you telling me you haven’t laid eyes on Richard since July last year? That’s incredible.”
“Talya. I’m not in the habit of lying!” He glared at Talya offended. Yet, he is still lying—I am sure of it.
“Hold on, I didn’t mean it the way it sounded. What I meant was, if July is the last time you saw Richard and he was found dead on Yoff’s beach a week ago, there is a huge gap there. What happened to him during that time, that’s what I want to know? He must’ve come back to Senegal. So where was he? His passport doesn’t tell us much except that he traveled back to Mauritania and to Mali but not to Senegal. That was in December last year—nothing after that.”
“I see what you mean.” His offended stare receded into a thin smile. “He must have worked for Hjamal in Dakar or somewhere else, I don’t know?” Johan shrugged. “But, he hasn’t been back at Sabodala, I’m quite sure of it. Unless… It was him they were keeping in that hut.” He was questioning his own statement now.
Talya felt Johan was giving her the run-around somehow, or worse… But why? She moved onto another topic. “Have you been asked to speak to the police yet?”
“No, not yet. They’re slow in getting an investigation started in this part of the world, as I’m sure you’ve noticed?”
“Are you still working for Hjamal right now?”
“No, I left the site a couple weeks ago. I’d finished what he wanted me to do. And, I was going home via Zimbabwe, when I heard of the troubles here.”
“Via Zimbabwe? My God! That’s quite a round about way to going back to Holland.”
“Well you know me, Talya.” He smiled. “I have to take opportunities when they knock.”
“One last question, how did you know where to find me?”
“Oh, that was fairly simple, I phoned the Grand Hotel in Bamako yesterday and they told me you were in Dakar; that meant the Meridien, or the Terranga. I chose the Meridien because this is where I’ve been staying anyway.”
“Quite. Let’s go back to our little story, shall we? I have something to show you. I brought it with me, just in case.” Talya pulled Richard’s letter out of her purse and handed it to him. He began reading. While he was concentrating on Richard’s lengthy narrative, Talya had time to look around for her five ‘accomplices’. They were there all right, sitting not too far from their table, but their presence was somewhat hidden from view by some pot plants. She smiled at them, but didn’t make a move.
When Johan had finished with his reading, he cussed loudly in Dutch. Everyone, including Talya’s companions, turned to see where the swearing was coming from. She was embarrassed.
“My God, no wonder Hjamal and Rasheed were in such a state when I came back,” he said more quietly. “I couldn’t understand all of what they’d said but they were not happy.”
“I bet they weren’t. Now let me tell you what brought me here. When Hjamal came to Vancouver, James must have made the connection between him and Sabodala. (How could he not since you had told him about it?) Although James had never met Hjamal at the site and he didn’t know his real name, and since there are no other mines in the area, he must have put two and two together. What we didn’t know, however, was that Hjamal was in fact the President of Minorex. Later we discovered that a connection undoubtedly existed between Hjamal and our so-called partner in Bamako, Amadou Savoi. Savoi skipped town some weeks ago after embezzling our company to the tune of a half-a-million dollars.” Talya let that sink in for a moment.
Getting no reaction from Johan, she went on, “We assumed he came to Dakar then, and his niece, Rheza McLean, took the first flight out around the same time. She too came to Dakar presumably to find her uncle. We’d heard nothing from either of them until a few days ago when Rasheed came to Bamako threatening (not openly mind you) that both of them would come to harm if we didn’t invest into Hjamal’s venture.”
Johan had his nose in his cup of coffee again. He looked as if he was taking his brain for a run around these latest developments. The letter, and what Talya had just told him, must have provided him with more than fruit for thought. He looked perplexed.
“That’s more than I expected, Talya … and, who are the people at the table behind the flowerpots? I gathered they’re with you because I saw Samir come in with them. And I see the two Minorex pilots—Pierre and John, I know them also. They flew me down from the mine when I left Sabodala.”
Looking in Hassan’s direction, Talya nodded to him, and to Johan she said, “We’ll go over and join them now. They’ve helped me in more ways than one. Of the two you don’t know, the one with glasses is my attorney and the man sitting beside him is another of Rheza’s uncles. He’s also one of the PM’s counsellors in Mali.” Johan looked away. The presence of a government member seemed to concern him somehow.
They got up and went to the table where her five partners were waiting for them.
“Gentlemen, this is Johan Van Burren, known to everyone as the ‘Dutchman’. Johan, these are my friends and I will let them introduce themselves.”
They all shook hands, and sat down. They ordered a fresh pot of coffee and Talya began summarizing Johan’s story—the little of it there was.
69
There he was, Mr. Ahmed Hjamal. Briefcase in hand, he marched into the restaurant, followed by Monsieur Abdul Rasheed, of course. No one missed their grand entrance. Hjamal had the allure of one who wasn’t to be detracted from his objective. His stride was firm, purposeful and determined. It was saying to all and sundry: “Don’t you dare cross my path or you’ll pay the price.” He didn’t come to play games, neither did Talya. They both knew it.
Ahmed Hjamal was particularly well dressed this morning. In a grey suit, white shirt and silk tie, he looked all business. He had left the prayer garments at home for today’s meeting. Self-confidence and assurance were visible in his square jaw and tight lips. As he came closer, Talya could see his eyes still showed the anxiety and distrust she had seen yesterday.
Abdul Rasheed, on the other hand, walked in the shadow of his master. He wore a linen suit with a white turtleneck pullover. On anyone else, it would have been flattering. On him however, it was out of place. Dread and fear seemed to deepen the lines of his face. He was probably anxious about the outcome of the meeting. His glasses were fogging from the change in temperature between the hallway and the air-conditioned restaurant. Talya smiled inwardly. He looked like a circus clown making his entrance onto the ring.
They reached their table and stood over them like two vultures ready to descend on their preys. Talya was glad Pierre and John had already left. By now, they were on their way to Paris with their aircraft. They didn’t need to be subjected to more indignation at the hands of their former client.
“Madame Kartz, I’m here to talk to you,” Ahmed Hjamal said with arrogance and visible impatience.
Except for Talya, no one at the table looked up at the demanding guest. She got up and as courteously as she could manage, she proceeded with the introduction.
“Monsieur Hjamal, good morning. Let me introduce you to Monsieur Mohammed Fade, Counsellor to the Prime Minister of Mali, Captain Samir Shaykh Sahab, our pilot, and of course you know Mr. Van Burren, and Maitre Sangor whom you’ve met last night.”
Hassan got to his feet. “Monsieur Hjamal, Monsieur Rasheed, I’m pleased to seeing you again.”
“Thank you, Maitre,” Hjamal replied.
Rasheed ignored Hassan’s greeting and shrugged instead. Talya looked at her other companions waiting for them to acknowledge the men’s arrival. No one made a move. Proper greetings hadn’t come forth from the guests, so they didn’t feel obliged to respond.
“Madame Kartz, I’m not interested in your acquaintances, nor am I interested in my ex-employees.” Hjamal glared at Johan. The latter shook his head and smiled in reply, staring down at the cup of coffee in front of him. “I’m here at your request to have a business discussion with you, alone.”
“Monsieur Hjamal, as Madame Kartz’s attorney, let me inform you the lady will not have any discussion, business or otherwise, without the people you see around this table being present. Therefore, if you wish to speak to her, I suggest we adjourn to her suite presently.”
“I appreciate your concern, Maitre, but I don’t need nor do I want any of you anywhere near Madame Kartz during a discussion of a confidential nature.”
“Monsieur Hjamal!” Talya uttered, “If I decide my attorney should be present; that will be my choice and my choice only. I don’t particularly like your attitude. I’m the one who called the meeting. So, I’m the one who will run this show.” She could see Hjamal was seething. He didn’t appreciate being given orders, and obviously even more irritable to him, was that these directions came from a woman.
“We’re wasting time. Let’s go to your suite and have our chat.”
“You’re the one, who’s been wasting time, Monsieur Hjamal, but never mind…. Shall we?” Talya said, brushing a glance in the direction of her friends sitting at the table.
Samir stood up first. “Talya, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll return to the airport and see to the plane. I’ve got to get it ready for departure.” He shot a complicit wink at her. What is he up to?
“Of course, go ahead. But when you’re done maybe you should come back and have lunch with us?”
“No problem. I’ll be back in a couple