The Rabbit Hole by Mike Nicol

Author:Mike Nicol
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa

FP: I know you are in the country, John Webster. We need to meet.

JW: Just back. Few things to sort out. Clear my desk, then will be in touch.

FP: Don’t play hardball. I need a commitment: time and place.

JW: How about Friday 11 a.m.? Why don’t you come to the consulate? I’ll show you round.

FP: Can’t wait.

Note: It is unknown how Pescado knew I was in the country. He might have been guessing. No response was given to his last message.

2

During this time, for those looking, there are public Instagram pictures: Fish Pescado and Tyrone Mansoor; Vicki Kahn and Ravi Pollard; Angela Amalfi and Juzia Malik; Rej Ben Ali and Antony Brennan; Sipho Dube and an unknown. With the exception of the first group photograph taken at Harbour House, mostly the shots are of couples, except one of a chain bolted to a wall. Mostly in public places. It is as if someone is creating a story. A document of record.

Which someone is. With the blessing of, actually at the behest of, the Voice.

He, in this instance, is Mart Velaze.

‘Do it, Chief,’ stipulates the Voice. ‘We need what they call a meta-narrative. We need to leave a legacy. Remnants of a story. Something especially for the historians. No doubt a millennial will pick it up. It’ll go viral on social media. Undoubtedly also blow smoke up various back channels. And why not? Not as if they don’t deserve it. Seems like a win-win situation for us.’

Being a good soldier, Mart Velaze takes to Instagram. Posts under the moniker Stem Izwi.

In order of posting: Picture of Sipho Dube, Rej Ben Ali, Ravi Pollard, Angela Amalfi: seated at a table in Harbour House restaurant. Beyond them a window onto the sea. Everyone looking like they’re having a good time eating, talking, drinking wine. The angle has Rej full face at the window; Angela, Ravi Pollard and Sipho Dube in profile. He has his knife raised, making a point to Angela opposite;

Picture of Fish and Tyrone Mansoor: they are in the same frame but not together. It’s a street scene: St George’s Mall, late afternoon judging by the shadows, the flow of people headed towards the railway station. The angle from behind, slightly to the side. Tyrone Mansoor in front. Identifiable by shape, clothes, jaunty walk. Fish’s face is in half profile. Fuzz of blond hair starting to grow back;

Picture of Tyrone Mansoor and Colonel Kaiser Vula: in the front seats of a car with government garage number plates. Faces both unmistakable. Taken from the left-hand side giving the colonel almost full face; Tyrone Mansoor in a little shadow but identifiable. Neither man smiling. What you would call grim-faced. Presumably off to do unpleasant business;

Picture of Vicki Kahn and Ravi Pollard: at a table outside Lily’s in Mouille Point. Late afternoon, locals stopping in for after-work drinks. Vicki has changed her hairstyle: gone for a shaggy pixie cut. Made her look gamine. Hardly the sophisticate now. Mischievous, teasing. Has Ravi Pollard drooling. You would not say his girlfriend was killed some few weeks back.

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