Chapter 14

My breathing slowly steadied as the chaos in the room began to settle. Bodies moved with purpose, reacting to the dramatic incident that had just taken place. Ash, Dave, and Don were at my side in an instant, their faces a mix of concern and determination. Across the room, I could see Nadia, Mia-loan, and Darya unceremoniously hoisting Klara to her feet. Lucky Ash introduced the contingent Don brought along. The girls, well, women, all looked like fashion models, but were not to be underestimated in their combat skills and capabilities.

Nadia, ever the sharpshooter, had expertly disarmed Klara without causing significant harm. The .44 Magnum Desert Eagle projectile had obliterated Klara’s pistol; the shattered remnants of the weapon now strewn across the floor. A .44 armour-piercing bullet could certainly disconfuckulate a pistol in total.

“For ducks fake! Could you not just warn us that you are going to unmask the bitch?” Ash blurted out, his voice a mix of frustration and relief.

“Yeah! Dammit!” Don added, echoing Ash’s sentiment.

“I didn’t know she was armed...” I sighed, the reality of the situation sinking in.

“The bitch be crazy!” Dave chimed in, contributing his five cents’ worth to the heated discussion.

“What now?” TC asked, stepping forward. “Should I lock her up somewhere until the cops pitch up?”

“Drown her in the lake...” I muttered, my voice laced with exhaustion and anger. “I don’t care...” TC was one of the security contingent that came in with Ash, Don, and Dave. As I understood from Ash, he was the leader of the pack.

“Now, now, Ty...” Don interjected gently. “Let’s not become the villains in this fairy-tale story.”

“Well, I am going to have an interview with her,” I said, pushing myself up from my seat, determined to get answers.

“SIT DOWN TY!” Ash commanded, his voice firm and unwavering. “Mia-loan and Darya will handle it.”

“There’s still the little outstanding matter of the .375 Ruger and the trigger finger on that weapon,” I reminded them, my mind still racing.

“We’ll get it out of her. Go get some coffee. Besides, you should be calm for when Melanie wakes up,” Ash advised.

“Why is Melanie sleeping?” I asked, a new wave of concern washing over me.

“Because Gustav and Louise are removing the glass out of her foot. They gave her an anaesthetic. She is sleeping,” Ash explained “Well, not in fact sleeping, but she is seeing pink flying elephants. Gustav gave her a local anaesthetic. She is semi awake and semi-asleep. It would have been an overkill to put her fully under and maybe dangerous as she used some real strong drugs to self-medicate.”

“What! Where?” I demanded, my voice rising in panic.

“In the clinic. That girl has some interesting equipment in there,” Ash reassured me. “That clinic is so advanced you could do human open-heart surgery there. For a vet clinic, that place is an overkill.”

“So, we are not taking her to Richards Bay Hospital?” I pressed, needing to ensure Melanie was getting the best care.

“Nope. Not to Richards Bay, but somewhere else that is safe, secure, and stress-free,” Ash responded, his tone calm and collected.

“Like where?” I asked, my curiosity piqued.

“I believe the Western Cape is quite balmy this time of year around the Overberg and the Drakenstein...” Ash mused.

“High Noon?” I questioned, a hint of hope in my voice.

“Take her to High Noon. Let her go eat some apples, pears, and grapes. It will do you both good. And we will clean up the mess here,” Ash suggested.

“Oh, brother...” I sighed, the weight of the day’s events settling heavily on my shoulders.

With a resigned nod, I rose from my seat, the chaotic scene around me fading into the background. The thought of High Noon, with its serene orchards and peaceful ambiance, brought a semblance of comfort. As I moved towards the door, I glanced back at my friends, their faces a mixture of determination and concern. They would handle the mess here; my job was to focus on Melanie and find a moment of peace amidst the turmoil.

“Go! Be with Melanie for when she wakes up,” Ash urged me on. “Or for when she stops giggling like a schoolgirl...”

On my way to the veterinary clinic, my mind buzzed with the strange situation we found ourselves in. Doctor Gustav and Nurse Louise, both seasoned medical professionals, were engaged in the delicate procedure of removing a deeply embedded piece of glass from Melanie’s foot. Yet, the irony was impossible to ignore, they were performing the procedure in a veterinary clinic — her veterinary clinic! I couldn’t help but chuckle softly at the absurdity of it all. The thought struck me that most of the equipment in the operating theatre could, indeed, be universally applied to both humans and animals alike. The sheer incongruity of the scene was almost laughable if it weren’t so serious.

As I walked along the paved path towards the vet clinic, my steps echoed the internal turmoil swirling in my mind. The path meandered past the hangar where the Cessna was still parked and securely tied down. The morning air was crisp, and the faint scent of aviation fuel lingered, mixing with the earthy aroma of the surrounding foliage.

Suddenly, the deep, throaty roar of a helicopter broke through my thoughts. I looked up and saw the sleek silhouette of a blue and white AS350B3 Squirrel helicopter slicing through the sky. The chopper, emblazoned with the insignia of the South African Police, was approaching from the south, skimming low over the lake’s shimmering surface. The sight was both reassuring and disconcerting—the rest of the cavalry had arrived.

The helicopter’s rotors whipped the air into a frenzy, sending ripples across the lake and rustling the nearby trees. It descended with precision, the down draft flattening the grass and sending leaves swirling. Once it touched down, a group of uniformed officers disembarked swiftly, moving with practised efficiency. They were here to secure the area and take control of the situation, bringing a semblance of order to the chaos that had erupted.

I picked up my pace, my heart pounding in sync with the helicopter’s rotors. The veterinary clinic came into view, its unassuming façade belying the operations taking place within. I pushed open the door and the familiar scent of antiseptic and animal fur greeted me. Inside, the atmosphere was tense but focused. Nurse Louise was carefully monitoring Melanie, who lay with closed eyes, but semi-conscious on a sterile table, her foot elevated and swathed in medical drapes.

Doctor Gustav, with his sleeves rolled up, was meticulously working on her injury, his hands steady and precise. The soft hum of the clinic’s equipment provided a steady backdrop to the quiet urgency of the moment.

Louise glanced up from her work, giving me a reassuring nod. Despite the unconventional setting, their confidence was reassuring, a silent promise that Melanie was in good hands.

I moved closer and my eyes scanning the array of instruments laid out with precision. Dr. Gustav’s focus was unwavering as he carefully extracted the glass shard, his hands steady and sure. Louise assisted seamlessly, her movements fluid and practised.

“How’s she doing?” I asked softly, not wanting to disrupt their concentration.

“She’s stable,” Louise replied, her voice calm. “The glass missed any major blood vessels. She’ll be fine.”

Relief washed over me, a heavy weight lifting from my chest. Melanie’s ordeal was almost over, and soon she would be on the road to recovery.

As I stood there, the reality of the situation settled in. We were not just dealing with Melanie’s physical wounds but the psychological scars on all of us due to the day’s violence. The arrival of the police helicopter was a reminder that our battle was far from over. But for now, in this small clinic, the medical team exuded a sense of calm, a momentary respite from the chaos.

I turned and made my way back toward the outside door, my mind already racing ahead to the next steps. The police would need to be briefed, Klara secured, and the estate made safe once more. But first, I needed a moment to collect myself, to process the whirlwind of emotions and events that had brought us here.

I did not make it through that door before running into an athletic, slender young woman with brown hair. She looked to be about Melanie’s age, around twenty-seven. She had a standard, unassuming beauty with brown eyes and a straightforward demeanour. Furthermore, she was average height and thin and wore a practical “ranger uniform”: a light coloured bush-grade long sleeve shirt, denim shorts that reached just above her knees, and comfortable sandals. Her shoulder-length brown hair was tied back in a ponytail that stuck out from the back of a red baseball cap. She seemed well-prepared for the outdoors, I thought, noting her practicality.

She walked through the door, leaving it open. “Hi, I’m Anneliese Paulson-Granger. Dave Granger’s wife. You must be Tyron Van Aswegen?” she introduced herself with a warm, confident smile.

“Hello, Anneliese. Yes, I’m Tyron Van Aswegen. You can call me Ty,” I replied, extending a hand.

“Pleased to meet you, Ty. Call me Lisa. How is Dr. Ková doing?” she asked, her concern evident.

“She is still being operated on, but the nurse told me she is stable, and all is going well,” I reassured her, feeling a bit of lighter sharing the good news.

“Good to know. Maybe I should leave the two medical practitioners to do what they do best,” Lisa said thoughtfully.

“How so, Lisa?” I asked, curious about her involvement.

“Oh,” she giggled lightly. “I’m a veterinary doctor, like in a Ph.D. Vet. I was tasked by Ashwin to temporarily oversee Dr. Ková’s practice while she recuperates.”

“Oh, that will be great ... Ph.D. Vet? Like a real doctor?” I asked, slightly teasing.

“Yes, I hold a Ph.D. in Animal Veterinary Surgery, Primary, Secondary, and Tertiary Health Care,” she said, looking down bashfully, a touch of shyness creeping into her confident demeanour.

“Melanie will be tickled pink,” I chuckled. “She maintains she’s not a doctor, only a vet.”

“Most veterinarians aren’t doctors, but we all consider them doctors,” she replied with a smile.

“But you are a real doctor?” I asked, intrigued by her qualifications.

“Yes, Veterinary and Human Medicine Science,” she confirmed, modesty evident in her tone.

“Good Golly, maps sticks me!” I exclaimed, genuinely impressed.

“Oh, it’s not as glamorous as you think. I just do what Melanie does. Maybe a little less nowadays...” she trailed off, her eyes reflecting a mix of pride and humility.

I looked at the smallish woman before me, marvelling at the similarity between her and Melanie. Not only did Lisa share Melanie’s dedication to veterinary care, but she also bore a physical resemblance to her.

My eyes wandered around the reception area, spotting a coffee maker with all the trimmings neatly displayed on the rack behind the reception counter. “Well, I suppose Melanie will wake up soon. So, while we wait, why don’t I get us some coffee going,” I offered, eager to do something useful. “I think the two in with Melanie will also welcome a mug.”

“Good idea. Let me help,” she replied, and stepped towards the coffee maker with a practised ease.

Together, we set about preparing the coffee. The aroma of freshly ground beans soon filled the small reception area, bringing a sense of respite after all the chaos. As I watched Lisa move with efficient grace, I felt a renewed sense of hope. Despite the day’s turmoil, there were still moments of connection and comfort to be found.

We worked in companionable silence, the hum of the coffee maker and the soft clinking of mugs providing a soothing backdrop. It struck me how, in the midst of crisis, small acts of kindness and normalcy could have such a grounding effect. I handed Lisa a steaming mug, our fingers brushing briefly. She smiled, a simple gesture that conveyed understanding and solidarity.

“Here’s to Melanie’s swift recovery,” I said, raising my mug in a small toast.

“To Melanie,” Lisa echoed, clinking her mug gently against mine.

As we sipped our coffee, a sense of calm settled over us.

“Melanie does not seem to have a lot of patients. Did she send them home before the storm?” Lisa asked after a while, her voice breaking the comfortable silence.

“No, she had only a grey mongoose that she cared for, but he was released back into the wild long before the storm hit,” I clarified. “She mostly assists the locals with vaccines and primary health care and goes out to see them.”

“Oh, then it will be straightforward to locum for her.”

“I suppose she will brief you on the goings-on around here. She sometimes flies to her more far-off clients. That’s one of the reasons she keeps that Cessna 206 float plane in the hangar out back.”

“Yes, I need to speak to her about that ... She flies to her clients? It must cost a fortune for her?” Lisa replied, her voice trailing off into a thoughtful silence. There was a subtle tension in her demeanour that I couldn’t quite place, an undercurrent of apprehension.

“Not to worry, Lisa. I’ll see that someone stays behind to fly you about. And I believe Dr Ková don’t even charge for her services.”

“She doesn’t charge for her services! She must really love this place, the animals, and the locals. And, Ty, there’s no need to worry about someone to fly me around. Dave will stay behind, and Mia-Loan is a certified pilot too,” Lisa replied and then leaned over towards me. In a whisper she continued: “Mia tries to teach me to fly the Cessna 182 out at our place. So, far I can land the plane without too much of a bounce.” Chuckle.

As we sipped our coffee, the soft hum of the clinic’s equipment and the occasional clink of mugs created a calming atmosphere, a moment of respite amidst the day’s chaos. However, this calm was abruptly shattered when a massive dark shadow fell across the threshold of the door. I looked up, my heart skipping a beat, and froze.

Standing in the doorway that Lisa had left open, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, was Nalo, the male lion. His presence was both majestic and intimidating, his powerful frame filling the entryway. His golden eyes scanned the room with a calm, almost regal curiosity. The soft light from outside highlighted the tawny hues of his fur, the dark, majestic mane framing his face like a crown.

For a moment, time stood still. I was rooted to the spot, my breath caught in my throat. I assume Lisa was also. The sheer size and presence of the lion was overwhelming. His muscles rippled with each movement, a testament to the raw power he possessed.

However, despite his fearsome appearance, there was a sense of calm about him, as if he was merely surveying his territory.

Nalo took a few deliberate steps forward, his massive paws making surprisingly soft thuds against the clinic’s tiled floor. He paused just inside the door, his gaze locking onto us. There was a peculiar intelligence in his eyes, a depth that suggested he was more than just a wild animal.

“He’s ... he’s magnificent,” Lisa whispered, her voice barely audible.

“Yes, he is,” I agreed, my voice equally soft, not wanting to startle our intruder.

Nalo seemed to sense our awe and respect. He tilted his head slightly, almost as if acknowledging our presence. The tension in the room was palpable, a mixture of fear and admiration. Every muscle in my body was taut, ready to react if necessary, but something about his demeanour was oddly reassuring. He didn’t seem aggressive, just curious, or more to the fact, he was looking for something or someone. Melanie perhaps?

“Do you think he’s looking for Melanie?” Lisa asked, her voice steadying and echoing my thoughts.

“Possibly,” I replied. “Melanie has a way with animals. They trust her. Nalo and Melanie go for walks every morning.”

The huge cat continued to stand there, his gaze unwavering. Then, as if deciding there was no threat here, he turned and left, his massive form moving with a grace that belied his size. The tension in the room dissipated slightly as the lion disappeared from view, but the awe remained.

“That was ... incredible,” Lisa said, releasing a breath she’d been holding.

“Yes, it was,” I agreed, still feeling the adrenaline coursing through my veins. “Welcome to Melanie’s world.”

Lisa smiled, the apprehension from earlier slowly being replaced with a sense of wonder. It was clear that this was no ordinary veterinary clinic. The animals, the land, and the people were all intertwined in a delicate balance, a balance that Melanie had become an integral part of. And now, so would Lisa.

“I worked with elephants before, but this was astounding. The King himself coming to greet us.”