The Devil’s Meeting by Ali Andi

Author:Ali, Andi
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-01-12T00:00:00+00:00

After dinner, Bains suggested to Billy Bateson that they should go and bury Simon's body and lay his body to rest as they had with Buzz O’Brien's. Bateson had acquiesced.

The light was beginning to fade as Bains and Bateson left the house telling the others not to venture out. Bains was adamant that they would be back as quickly as they could. They waited until Henderson had locked the door behind them before taking their leave.

Simon's body was still in the same sorry state they had left it albeit already slightly decomposing of course.

Billy Bateson said, “We should have buried him when we found him. Why didn't we?"

Bains did not answer at first. His eyes were busy scanning the area. He angrily thought to himself: “I can't understand it. This fellow, Scratch, is able to come and go as he pleases without leaving any trace of his presence. How can that be? I am a professional tracker, and I can't find any evidence of the man.” After a minute or two, he said aloud, "Because we were in a state of shock – that's why. We didn't expect another one of our own to get butchered. We were expecting to butcher animals not to get butchered ourselves."

Bateson replied, “It’s all so extraordinary… There seems no … no meaning in it all.”

The authoritative figure beside him said briskly, “I’m very annoyed with myself for being so easily taken in. But that letter inviting me to the island to take part in a trophy hunt, and promising to introduce him to new clients in the process seemed quite genuine to me … quite genuine."

Bateson murmured mechanically, “Mine did too, although Mr Scratch made no mention that you would be here or anybody else from that hunt in Kenya."

He paused and added, "Did he mention it to you?"

Bains shook his head, "Not a word."

There was a brief pause and Bateson then said, “Do you really think … what you said after we found Simon's body?”

Bains turned to him. "Be more precise Bateson. To what in particular are you referring?”

Bateson said in a low voice, “Do you really think that Mr Scratch is hunting us for what we did to animals at that hunt in Kenya?"

Bains stared at him in surprise. Then he said, “I would have thought that was obvious wouldn't you, given the way Simon was killed, not to mention O'Brien."

Bateson said, "I have never heard of anybody targeting trophy hunters before. Have you?"

Bains shook his head, "Never. Although I once got into a fight in a bar with a liberal do-gooder who took offence to my hunting activities."

Bateson stared at him, "Oh yeah. Then perhaps he was Mr Scratch?"

Again Bains shook his head, "He can't be. He died of cancer shortly afterwards."

"Damn,” said Bateson. “I thought we were getting somewhere in unmasking Mr Scratch."

Bains glanced up at the sky, "The light is fading quickly. You bury Jenkins’ body quickly, while I stand guard and make sure Mr Scratch does not turn up and try and kill both of us.

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