the lock, he snapped. Gomo fitted the key and the Open mechanism turned easily. Okay, now get the handcuffs off your belt, he ordered.
The steel manacles were regulation issue for all rangers on anti-poaching duty. Snap one link over your right wrist, Daniel told him. And give me the key. The cuffs dangling from his wrist, Gomo passed the key over his shoulder. Daniel slipped it into his pocket, then snapped the second link of the handcuffs over the steel bracing of the hull.
Now Gomo was securely chained to the bodywork of the truck and Daniel released his grip on him and turned the locking handle of the rear double doors.
He swung them open. A gust of icy air flowed out of the refrigerated interior and the smell of elephant meat was gamey and rank. The inside of the hold was in darkness, but Daniel jumped up onto the tailgate and groped for the lightswitch. The striplight on the roof flickered and then lit up the refrigerated compartment with a cold blue glow. Hunks of butchered carcass streaked and marbled with white fat hung from the rows of meat-hooks along the roof rails. There were tons of flesh, packed in so closely that Daniel could see only the first rank of carcasses. He dropped on his knees and peered into the narrow space below them. The steel floor was puddled with dripping blood, but that was all.
Daniel felt a sudden swoop of dismay in his guts. He had expected to see piles of tusks packed beneath the hanging carcasses. He scrambled to his feet and pushed his way into the compartment. The cold took his breath away, and the touch of the raw frozen flesh as he brushed against it was loathsome and disgusting, but he wriggled his way deeper into the hold, determined to find where they had concealed the ivory.
He gave up after ten minutes. There was no place where they could have hidden such a bulky cargo. He jumped down to ground level. His clothing was stained from contact with the raw meat. On hands and knees he crawled under the chassis of the truck, searching for a secret compartment.
When he crawled out again, Gomo crowed at him gleefully, No ivory, truck.
I tell you, no ivory. You break government You beat me. Plenty trouble for you now, white boy. We haven't finished yet, Daniel promised him. We haven't finished until you sing me a little song, the song about what you and the Chinaman did with the ivory. No ivory, Gomo repeated, but Daniel grabbed his shoulder and swung him around to face the side of the truck.
With one deft movement he unlocked the link of the cuffs from the bodywork, twisted both Gomo's wrists up behind his back and locked them there. Okay, brother, he muttered grimly. Let's go where we have a little light to work in. He lifted Gomo's manacled hands up between his shoulderblades and marched him to the front of the truck. He handcuffed him to the front fender between the headlights. Both Gama's hands were pinned behind his back. He was helpless. Johnny Nzou was my friend, he told Gomo softly. You raped his wife and his little daughters. You beat his son's brains out all over the wall. You shot Johnny-'No, not me. I know nothing, Gomo screamed. I kill nobody. No ivory, no kill..
Daniel went on quietly, as though Gomo had not interjected. You must believe me when I tell you that I'm going to enjoy doing this. Every time you squeal, I will think of Johnny Nzou, and I'll be glad. I know nothing. You mad. Daniel slipped the knife-blade under Gomo's belt and sliced through the leather. His khaki uniform trousers sagged down around his hips. Daniel pulled the waistband open and thrust the blade into his trouser top.
How many wives have you got, Gomo? he asked. Four?
Five? How many? He slit through the waistband and Gomo's trousers slid down around his ankles. I think your wives want you to tell me about the ivory, Gomo. They want you to tell me about Johnny Nzou and how he died.
Daniel pulled the elasticised top of Gomo's underpants down around his knees. Let's have a look at what you've got. He smiled coldly. I think your wives are going to be very unhappy, Gomo. Daniel took the front tails of Gomo's tunic and ripped them apart so violently that the buttons popped off and flew away into the darkness beyond the headlights. He pulled the separate flaps of the tunic back over Gomo's shoulders, so that he was naked from the throat to the knees. gomo's body hair covered his chest and paunch with tight black balls of wool.
His genitals were massively bunched at the base of his belly, nestled in their own flocculent pelt. Sing me a little song about the ivory and Mr.
Ning, Daniel invited, and used the flat of the blade to separate gomo's dangling penis from the bunch.
Gomo gasped and tried to shrink away from the cold metallic touch, but the radiator grill pressed against his back and he could not move.
Talk, gomo, even if it is only to say goodbye to your own matondo. You are mad, gomo gasped. I don't know what you want.
What I want, said Daniel, is to cut this off at the root.
The thick tube of flesh was draped over the flat of the blade.
It looked like the trunk of a new-born elephant, long and dark, knotted with veins and with a wrinkled and hooded tip. I want to cut this off and force you to kiss it goodbye, Gama. I didn't kill Johnny Nzou.
Gomo's voice broke. It wasn't me. What about his wife and daughters, Gomo? Did you use this big ugly rod of yours on them? No, no! You are mad. I didn't. .
Come on, Gomo. All I have to do is turn the knife a little, like this.
Daniel rolled his wrist slowly, bringing the razor edge uppermost.
gomo's organ was dangling over it, and then the thin skin split. It was just a scratch, but Gomo screamed. Stop! he bleated. I will tell you. Yes, all right, I will tell you everything I know. Stop, please stop! That's good. Daniel encouraged him. Tell me about Chetti Singh. . . He introduced the name with assurance. It was a flier, but Gomo accepted. Yes, I tell you about him, if you don't cut me. Please don't cut me. Armstrong. Another voice startled Daniel. He had not heard the Landcruiser come up. It must have arrived while he was searching the cold compartment of the truck, but now Jock stood in the peripheral shadows of the headlights.
Leave him, Armstrong. Jock's voice was rough with determination.
Get away from that man, he ordered. You keep out of this, Daniel snapped at him, but Jock stepped closer and with a start Daniel saw that he carried the AK rifle. He handled it with surprising competence and authority.
Leave him alone, Jock ordered. You've gone too far much too far.
The man is a murderer and a criminal, Daniel protested, but he was forced to step back before the menace of the AK 47.
Jock was pointing it at his belly.
You haven't any proof. There is no ivory, Jock told him. You don't have anything. He was confessing, Daniel told him angrily. If you just keep out of it-'You were torturing him, Jock answered as angrily.
You had a knife to his balls. of course, he was confessing. He has rights; you can't abuse those rights. Unchain him now; let him go!
You are a bleeding heart, Daniel turned. This is an animal-'He is a human being, Jock contradicted. And I have to stop you abusing him, or else I'm as guilty as you are. I don't want to spend the next ten years in prison.
Turn him loose. He will confess first, or I'll cut his balls out.
Daniel seized a handful of gomo's genitals and pulled. The loose skin and flesh stretched like shiny black rubber and Daniel held the knifeblade threateningly over it.
Gama screamed, and Jock lifted the AK 47 and fired. He aimed a foot over Daniel's head. The muzzle blast whipped through Daniel's thick sweatsoaked curls and sent him reeling backwards clutching his ears. I warned you, Daniel. Jock's expression was grim. Give me the keys of the handcuffs. Daniel was dazed by the blast, and Jock fired again.