Shadow City by Natalie Conyer

Author:Natalie Conyer
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, Present Tense, Ned Kelly Award, Davitt Award, winner, cop, investigation, kidnapping, murder, mystery, crime, suspense, human trafficking, sex trafficking, sex ring, interpol, literary, South Africa, Cape Town, Sydney, Australia, international, corruption, fast paced, Australia’s best crime fiction, gritty, gripping, detective;
ISBN: 9781760688868
Publisher: Bonnier Books UK
Published: 2024-08-16T03:55:44+00:00

28.

Lockie’s friend’s daughter’s car turned out to be a red Yaris hatchback. Schalk could imagine the teasing if he showed up in this in Cape Town, but at least he was independent. As soon as he got it he bought the makings of a simple meal – salmon, potatoes and salad – and he and Jackie, both tentative to begin with, shared another night together. As far as the case went, she had nothing to report. Rajendra Singh had vanished into thin air. No driver’s licence, not on the electoral roll, not a whisper on social media. Whatever records they could dig up gave the pub address, the one he’d left. And not a photo of him, not anywhere.

‘We’ll keep trying,’ Jackie said, ‘though it’s obvious he’s going under another name.’

That set the pattern for the next two weeks, which were frustrating and satisfying in equal measure. The frustrating part came from the case. Singh stayed disappeared. No breakthroughs in finding out what had happened to Nazra. The Cape Town team reported finding two more missing students whose families both told the same story. After that, nothing. Even Jim Bush with all his international connections said he’d hit a brick wall.

Roxana Flint was a mystery. She didn’t use social media. Her affairs seemed in order and she didn’t raise any flags. She rang Schalk once to suggest a sightseeing day, but when he said he was busy with Stella he didn’t hear from her again and she slipped to the back of his mind.

The satisfying part was Schalk’s time with Jackie. They spent most nights at her place – the doghouse was less private – and sometimes he wasted days in the office. More often, under Lockie’s direction, he got on with painting the big house and when Stella or Jackie were free, he explored the city. There were dinners with Lockie. Stella came too. André, apparently, was busy with his South African opportunity. They were long, friendly affairs and Schalk was happy to see how relaxed Stella and Jackie were together.

Time was passing, and more than half Schalk’s holiday was gone. He’d have to return with nothing to show. It had always been a long shot, he knew that, but he hated thinking about what he had to say to Alina’s grandmother. Nazra’s parents too; there was no closure there.

Then everything happened at once.

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