Especially the tobacco? Pirri's tone became an ingratiating whine.
You did not bring me the whole head.
The skin and hair were missing. Therefore I cannot give you the whole reward.
And I will give it to you only when you bring me the teeth of the elephant, as we agreed.
Pirri let out a shout of anger and drew his machete. Put that knife away, said Chetti Singh reasonably. Or I will shoot your head off with this. He showed the pygmy the Tokarev pistol concealed in the pocket of his bush jacket.
Pirri's scowl became a beatific smile. It was only a little joke, O master. I am your slave. And he sheathed the machete. I will go and fetch the teeth of the elephant as you command. He picked up the severed head. But as he skipped away into the forest Pirri's guts and chest were filled with so much anger that he thought they might burst.
Nobody cheats Pirri, he whispered, and slashed at a treetrunk with the machete as he ran. Pirri will kill the man who cheats him, he promised.
You want a head, O one-armed and greasy man. I will give you a head.
Your own. Daniel Armstrong is dead, Chetti Singh told them. The Bambuti brought me his head He died in the forest. There can be no doubt? President Taffari demanded. None at all, Chetti Singh affirmed.
I saw the head with my personal eyes. That means the woman is the only living witness. Ning Cheng Gong looked relieved. You should get rid of her immediately, Your Excellency. She should disappear in the forest, just the way that Armstrong did. Ephrem Taffari picked up his empty glass and rattled the ice cubes. Captain Kajo hurried across the room and took the glass from his hand. At the small bar in the corner of the president's office he Poured gin and tonic. Aren't you forgetting the videotape?
Taffari asked, as Kajo respectfully handed him the drink. Of course not, Cheng said. But once she has recovered the tape from the embassy we must get rid of her. He hesitated. I could arrange that personally. Ephrem Taffari smiled at him over the rim of the glass.
Ah, yes. He nodded. I have heard that you have a rather unusual hobby, Mr. Ning. I am not quite sure what you are implying, Mr.
President, he answered stiffly. I was merely offering to make certain that the job was done properly. We don't want any more loose ends.
Quite right, Mr. Ning, Taffari agreed.
The woman is becoming a bore.
I have lost interest in her. Once we have recovered the tape, she is yours. just make certain that there are no mistakes.
Trust me, Mr. President. Oh yes, Mr. Ning, I trust you just as completely as you trust Me. After all, we are partners, are we not?
My arrangement with Danny was that he would pick it up personally. Sir Michael Hargreave inspected his fingernails with some interest and then placed his hand in his pocket and went to the window of his office in the British embassy. He looked out over the lake. Daniel didn't say anything about handing it over to a third party. You must understand my position, Miss, A, Miss Mahon. The punkah fan on the ceiling squeaked and whirled and Bonny thought quickly. She knew that she must not appear too eager, even though she was acutely aware of what the consequences might be if she returned to Ephrem empty-handed. I didn't realise it would be a problem. She stood up. Danny asked me to pick it up. He'll probably be bitter with me for not bringing it back, but I don't imagine the tape is of any real importance. I'm sorry I didn't think to ask Danny for a note.
Anyway, thank you for your time and I'll explain to Danny that you couldn't see your way clear to handing the tape to me. She held out her hand and gave him her sexiest smile, thrusting out her bosom. Sir Michael's gaze wavered from her eyes, and then he seemed to make up his mind. Look here, I suppose it will be all right. I mean, you are Danny's assistant. Not as though you were a total stranger. .
He hesitated. I don't want you to do anything you feel is not right, Bonny told him. I'm sure Danny will understand that you didn't trust me.
Good Lord, my dear young lady, it. isn't a case of not trusting you.
Oh, that's what I thought it was. She fluttered her eyelids at him.
Would you mind signing a receipt? Sorry to be so awkward, but I must cover myself with Danny. I understand, Sir Michael. He scribbled out a receipt on a sheet of the embassy stationery and she signed it and wrote out her full name and passport number at the foot of the page.
Sir Michael went into the adjoining room and she heard him put a key into a lock and then the metallic sound of the door lugs of a steel safe opening and closing. A few minutes later he returned and handed her a bulky manila envelope with Daniel's name printed on it. She tried not to make her relief apparent, but her hand shook as he handed it to her.
Please give Danny my best salaams. Sir Michael walked her to the front door of the embassy. When is he coming back from Sengi-Sengi?
I'm flying up to join him this afternoon.
Bonny had her nerves under control and chatted easily. They shook hands at the door. Having one of our regular cocktail parties next Saturday, Sir Michael said. if you and Danny are back in town by then, you must come along. I'll have Miss Rogers send you an invitation to the guest house. The news of Daniel Armstrong's disappearance had not yet been reported to the embassy. Ephrem Taffari wanted all the loose ends tidied up before the alarm was raised.
Bonny went out to where Captain Kajo was waiting at the wheel of an army Landrover. She clutched the envelope in her lap, but managed another smile and wave for Sir Michael as they pulled out of the embassy gates.
Then she let out a deep breath and fell back against the seat.
President Taffari is waiting for you on his yacht, Miss Mahon, Captain Kajo told her, and took the lakeside road down to the harbour.
The yacht was moored at the naval jetty beyond the fish factory. The vessel had been the toy of a wealthy Asian businessman, one of those whom Taffari had deported and seneback to the United Kingdom when he came to power. of course, he had confiscated all the Asian's property, and this vessel was now the presidential yacht.
It was a forty-five-footer Camper and Nicholson with lovely lines, equipped with every luxury, although most of the electronic equipment had long ago failed and had not been replaced, and the paintwork and sails were no longer pristine. However, the bar was well stocked and since the yacht very seldom left its berth, the lack of navigational and sailing gear was not critical.
There were two men in the main cabin, seated at the red teak saloon table facing each other.
President Taffari was perusing the monthly operating report and profit-and-loss accounts of UDC, smiling and nodding as he did so.
Ning; Cheng Gong was watching him expectantly.
When Taffari lowered the document and looked up, Cheng answered his smile. I am impressed, Mr. Ning. It is only a very short time since you arrived in Ubomo to take control of the company, but the results are really quite spectacular. You are very gracious, Your Excellency.
Cheng bowed slightly. But I can truthfully say that I expect an even greater improvement in the months ahead. There were many problems that my English predecessor left for me, but these are being resolved. What about the vehicle maintenance depot? This is one of my major areas of concern. Taffari's smile faded. And rightly so, Mr. President. We have over a thousand heavy vehicles in service, not counting the actual MOMU installations. Our maintenance costs were running at over three million dollars a month when I took over. As you can see, I have managed to reduce these by almost forty percent.