King by Gareth Crocker

Author:Gareth Crocker [Crocker, Gareth]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780143531050
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Published: 2013-03-04T00:00:00+00:00

30

Before Eli could even think of what to say, Andy lifted Harper onto his shoulder and insisted that it was time for ice cream. Without giving her a chance to respond, he hurried her out the room, promising to return in a few minutes.

As Eli watched them disappear into the passage, he felt his shoulders slump. ‘What’s the latest?’

Lola, trying to maintain a brave face, cleared her throat. ‘He’s still being kept out of sight while they finish his “enclosure”,’ she began. ‘And by enclosure, I mean cage.’

‘And they still won’t let you see him?’

‘After the hell I kicked up, I’m surprised they allow me into the zoo at all.’

‘When will his enclosure be finished?’

‘Pretty soon. The bastards are so eager to make money out of him that they’ve actually put up a banner outside the main gate announcing him.’ She reached into her bag and withdrew her phone. Sighing, she ran her finger across the screen. ‘Here.’

Eli looked down at the photograph. It showed a stock picture of what was clearly a different white lion sleeping in the African bush. Underlining the image were the words: ‘Come and meet Champ, Detroit’s only white lion. Coming soon!’

‘They’ve even increased the entrance fee.’

Eli handed back the phone, numb.

‘Champ,’ Lola exclaimed, lifting her hands to her head. ‘Can you fucking believe that?’

Eli looked towards the window on the far side of the room. ‘I’m so sorry, Lola. I did this.’

Lola immediately shook her head. ‘No, Eli. This isn’t your fault. It’s just–’

‘Just what?’ he asked, suddenly raising his voice. His words cracked with emotion. ‘Stop defending me. I should never have taken him to the cemetery. I don’t know what the hell I was thinking. Lying here now, I can’t imagine what drove me to it. I have no memory of getting in the car.’

‘Stop it, Eli. It doesn’t matter now. You had no idea you were going to pass out.’

As the words left Lola’s mouth, Eli was struck by a question so blatantly obvious that he could scarcely believe that it hadn’t occurred to him before. ‘Why did I pass out?’

Lola paused to consider the question. ‘We don’t know for sure that you did. You could just as easily have lost your footing and fallen. The ground’s uneven out there and it was obviously very dark and slippery.’

‘That doesn’t sound right to me. I’ve often visited the cemetery at night. I could practically walk through the place with a blindfold.’

Suddenly, Eli could see that Lola had something else on her mind. ‘There’s something you’re not telling me.’

‘What?’

‘You know something. I can see it in your eyes.’

To Eli’s surprise, Lola seemed to stall for time.

‘No … well, I was just thinking that maybe you’d … uh … oh, forget it. It’s not important.’

‘Lola, please.’

She took a breath and then looked down at the floor. There was no question about it, she was avoiding his stare. ‘I was just going to say that you’d … well … had a few drinks. That might also explain why you took King to the cemetery in the first place.

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