Elvis in Kabul by DS Macdonald

Author:DS Macdonald
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Crime
Publisher: Troubador Publishing Ltd
Published: 2021-11-28T00:00:00+00:00

Seventeen

Back at the House, in Kabul,

Monday 31 October 2005

On returning to the house, Gil noticed a new vehicle parked in the yard with government number plates and an armed soldier standing next to it. Then Sarah rushing out of the side entrance from the kitchen, tears welling in her eyes.

‘Oh Gil, these men have arrested Brock! He’s been taken to the ministry for questioning.’

‘Hold on, Sarah. What’s happened?’ Before she could answer, a grim-faced Mike Gomez came running down the steps.

‘You better come in, Gil, we’re meeting in the lounge. Where the hell have you been anyway?’

Gil pointedly ignored the question and walked quickly up the steps through the kitchen and into the lounge where the residents sat stony-faced. A senior officer from one of the ministries stood on guard at the door. Gil took the only seat available, the edge of the sofa next to the still-tearful Sarah, while Mike Gomez addressed them.

‘This is Colonel Mahmoud. At eleven o’clock this morning his men stopped one of our vehicles at a roadblock near the Massoud circle. Inside under a blanket were eight cases of alcohol, mostly wine. There was also several bottles of high-end whisky and vodka. These are definitely not part of JTD official supplies, so it’s alleged they were intended for sale onto the local market. At this point it’s difficult to refute this. It’s a most serious situation.’

‘What about Brock?!’ Sarah exclaimed, more tears gathering in her eyes.

‘He’s been taken to the ministry for questioning along with Abdul Qabir.’ Mike Gomez’s response was peremptory. ‘At this point we don’t know if anybody else in the house is involved. The colonel wants to search all the rooms. Gil, I’d like you to accompany us. You’re the only resident not working directly for JTD.’

‘Heh, hold on a minute,’ Big William interjected, ‘what about our privacy? They can’t just search our rooms.’

Mike Gomez looked at Big William as if he was someone who hadn’t already worked in Kabul for two years.

‘Of course they can, William, they can do what they fucking like. This is not an embassy compound we’re in, don’t be so bloody stupid.’

Looking peeved, Big William folded his arms tightly against his chest. Along with the other house residents he watched anxiously as the colonel, Mike Gomez and Gil made their way out of the lounge and headed for the stairs.

The house had eleven bedrooms, each with an en-suite bathroom, as would any recently built modern-styled house in Afghanistan. Three of the rooms were situated in the basement radiating out from a large communal space where a table tennis table stood, its net sagging.

One room had been modified as the house safe room where residents could hide if under attack. It kept a supply of water and non-perishable food, a large first aid kit, some reading material and a steel door that would withstand small arms fire as well as a rocket-propelled grenade – or so it was claimed. The heavy uncomfortable flak jackets recently issued to all house residents were to be kept in bedrooms until needed.

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