A Place To Die by Mike Lunnon-Wood

Author:Mike Lunnon-Wood [Lunnon-Wood, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-06-14T16:00:00+00:00

11

In Harare life raced on, as much as life in a small city in Africa in the heat of the day can race on. The large, fashionable hotels were busy with casual guests, the bars full of loud, noisy crowds mostly beginning the pre-Christmas wind-up, of company drinks, and long lunches. The restaurants of the first floor of Meikles Hotel were far more sedate and elegant, its table reputable for four generations of Rhodesians. The smaller restaurant was the Bagatelle, its menu famous amongst those who could afford it, and who liked to think there was a real French chef in the kitchen. The executive chef really was French, but the men who did the work were all local Zimbabweans, proud of their culinary skills but especially proud of their garlic snails and rare fillets of Zimbabwe beef.

One diner who should have been gently picking his way through the snails and anticipating the succulent grilled fillet de boeuf was the Honourable Minister. But alas not today. The final snail on his plate disappeared into his mouth with no more anticipation and reverence than a cheap boiled sweet.

Minutes before, he had left a meeting with Heine Guttman and once again the German’s intelligence sources had managed to embarrass him. Guttman hand known before the Minister that things had once again gone wrong in the search for Orpheus, or whoever was still out there.

‘He has done it again,’ Guttman said. ‘Three men dead and one missing. At this rate he will decimate your Brigade by Christmas. One was killed with a light calibre. We don’t know much of Orpheus, but we do know that his favourite weapon is a long-barrelled target pistol size. One was killed with an issue weapon. Excellent! Your people are excelling themselves. First they allow someone to walk off with one of their rifles, and then start killing with it. The last one, this is the best! He was killed with a knife. He had his throat cut! The autopsy was difficult with that one because something had eaten half his neck and head away.’ The voice dropped to a whisper, and Guttman again reminded the Minister of a puff adder. ‘If we lose this one, then it’s all over. It must be him! Who else could kill three of your men? Put in more men! I have sent for two of mine from Lusaka. They will . . . advise on the search. It would be a pity for the Prime Minister to hear of your involvement in this matter, so do as I say. You are bought and paid for. Remember that!’

Even the hours spent with the French whore were now being affected. Last night, he had completely failed to become aroused. Lucky for her she hadn’t laughed at him, or the mood he was in, it would have been the last sound she made.

*

The big black animal had led them across the river at dawn, the leader hanging back with the smaller tow. They have

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