Chapter 21

Newlands Estate, Newlands, Cape Town.

When the ringing in my ears and the smoke and dust cleared in the Newlands Estate house lounge, Mai-Loan turned to Ash and remarked:

“It seems like with Don Lambert, I owe you a new carpet.”

“And a new coffee table, and some shattered windowpanes,” Ash smirked and added. “Don’t worry, Mai, I knew what the risk was involved.” As he was speaking, he helped Angie up from the floor and cut her bonds.

“Now, Sweetie, let’s get your mouth open,” Skilfully he took a corner of the duct tape and in one smooth motion ripped it off her mouth.

“Aaaaaah!” she screamed, and then clutched her mouth. “Did you have to rip it off like that!” She retorted with fire in her green eyes.

“The pain only lasts a second. It you peel it off slowly you just aggravate the pain.”

“I know! But still...” she wailed, then melted into his arms. “Thanks, Pooksie-wooksie, let’s see if my lips still work after that abuse.”

Bushy had Roxy up on her feet as well, and was slowly peeling the duct tape off her mouth.

“Zeest whippet” Roxy mumbled through the duct-tape, but then he copied Ash and ripped the duct-tape off her mouth.

“Aaaaaah!” She screamed.

“Sorry Darling...” Bushy apologised.

“Nah, it’s better that way. Now let’s see if my lips still work too.”

I just shook my head and turned to Luigi, who was still standing in the patio doorway. His face was pale and he was holding his right shoulder with his left hand. I saw blood seeping out between his fingers.

“Luigi, are you okay?”

“I suppose Mai-Loan clipped me...” He replied and sat down on a patio chair.

“Ah, damn! Sorry Luigi, but you should know better than to stand in the line of fire. Next time, at least duck!” Mai-Loan retorted. “Now let’s get Swaps to look at it.”

It was then that Jonah Dawson and his crew appeared in the lounge.

“I told you guys to wait!” He admonished.

“Well, it seems like we have all under control, don’t we?” Ash retorted.

“Yeah, I see so! And you have some roadkill for me as well, I see” he replied, watching his team already taking over the surviving Dixie Boys.

The Angels herded Angie and Roxy out of the lounge to the kitchen, paying special attention to Roxy. The day had not been good to her: first the accident, then the shooting; and now taken hostage by a madman.

I suspected that Jonah and the SAPS crime scene team would be taking their sweet time with the conclusion and unravelling of the latest development, so I turned and wandered outside into the garden.

I was startled as Jonah spoke behind me,” Louis! Wait up a bit.”

“Jonah. You startled me. Do you need me for anything? I just wanted to get some fresh air.”

“Yeah. It will do you good.”

“So, did you get DiCaprio and McGee in the warehouse?”

“That’s what I wanted to tell you about. We got McGee, but DiCaprio was nowhere in sight and McGee did not know where he went.”

“Dammit!”

“The team took that whole warehouse apart and got some of the Dixie Boys as well, but no DiCaprio.”

“You think he skipped?”

“No. I’m sure he is still somewhere around; maybe on his way to Plett, looking for the Pienaars. He is still under the impression that they are in Plett.”

“Jonah, I don’t know if Ash said anything to you this morning, but we believe that DiCaprio is after Bobbie’s inheritance, and is just keeping Dezz around to get to Bobbie.”

“And what would he want to do with Bobbie’s inheritance? It can’t be of any significance to him?”

“Three quarters of a billion US dollars?”

“WHAT!”

“Miss Barbara McGee will become the CEO of NextGen Oil Technologies and Exploitation CC on her twenty-fifth birthday. That’s in seven years from now.”

“Holy crap! That little redhead girl?”

“Sjuu, she doesn’t know yet.”

“And you want to marry her?”

“Maybe, else I’ll just be happy to be her chopper pilot...”

“That girl is smitten with you. I can see it.”

“Thanks, Jonah, I love her dearly too. And if she’s worth a few US dollars, that would be beside the point. To me, she’s priceless.”

“So, who is controlling the company now?”

“Technically speaking, it’s Dezz, but she has no business savvy, so she appointed a proxy.”

“Who’s the proxy?”

“I don’t know, but I have my suspicion.”

“DiCaprio?”

“Maybe ... I have this suspicion that it is DiCaprio, and that he’s skimming off the top. Now he wants the whole shebang; the whole ball of wax.”

“Not good...”

“No. Not good. And he wants actual ownership. If something were to happen to Bobbie, and the Pienaars, it leaves only Dezz. And with Dezz out of the way to stop interfering with his skimming process...”

“Holly Moses! I shudder to think about it. With the Pienaars and Bobbie out of the way, he can keep Dezz around and just keep on doing what he does.”

“So, let’s get that DiCaprio scumbag.”

“What about Dezz?”

“Dezz has no idea of DiCaprio’s plans, or so I think. I also think we can turn her around for the good.”

“Famous last words...”

“No, leave it to Bobbie. She doesn’t hold grudges, and I think that she will turn Dezz around.”

“Bet a fifty on it?”

“I’ll raise you another twenty!”

“Damn! And you’re not even a gambling man!”

“I don’t play the Lotto, or the Power Ball, but I had some luck with the red bet at Roulette.”

“Red bet?”

“Yeah, you bet on the colour red, never mind the number, and if you lose, you bet the next time double that amount of the previous bet. When the ball finally lands on a red number, you make all your money back that you lost in the previous rounds.”

“But that way you don’t make any money!”

“Oh, you do, and don’t lose much. The odds that the ball will land on a red number are fifty/fifty. It so happens that one time I had the red number come up five times in a row!”

“Holly Scot!”

“Yeah, but that was in my young and reckless days. Now I place a little more value on money than to just give it to Sol!”

(Author’s note: A South African saying: “If you want to gamble, just go give your money to Sol!” Sol Kerzner was the big boss of all the legal casinos in South Africa. He was once married to the South African beauty queen, Anneline Kriel, the 1974 Miss South Africa that became Miss World in the same year after the reigning Miss World had to resign due to the technicality of being an unmarried mother. Annaline, now 67 (2023) lives on the island of Mauritius, just east of Madagascar in the Indian Ocean.]]]

The ants nest of activity finally came to an end at the Newlands house. The bodies of the two Dixie Boys and Bianchi were taken away in body bags. The four other Dixie Boys members were arrested, cuffed, and transported to the local police station for detention. From somewhere, Nurse Igor and Dr Frankenstein appeared to tend to Luigi.

Lucky for Luigi, the bullet that clipped him had lost most of its energy by passing through Bianchi, and was just lodged under the skin of his shoulder with no major damage. The bullet just popped out as Swaps tended to the wound.

Doctor Frankenstein and Nurse Igor were much appreciative of Swaps’ work with the wound and getting the bleeding stopped. The two took over from Swaps to see to it that there was no infection and tend to Luigi with prescribed medication. Between Swaps, Nurse Igor and Doctor Frankenstein, Luigi was in good hands.

“I want to keep that bullet,” Luigi declared, and we just looked at him. “At least I can say the Dark Angel shot me, and I have the evidence to show for it...”

“Luigi! If I was to shoot you, you would now be on your way to a state mortuary fridge in Maitland!” Mai-Loan chuckled.

“So, I was lucky, once again.”

“Yeah, lucky is the right word,” Nadia commented. “Mai-Loan always hits her intended target good.”

“I wasn’t going for Luigi!” Mai-Loan defended. “He just caught the deflection ... collateral damage ... That’s all!”

There was a buzz of laughter.

“I’m hungry,” Nadia broke the moment.

“You just ate at the restaurant not even an hour ago!” Darya exclaimed.

“So?” Nadia retorted. “I’m hungry again ... Call it after action satisfaction.”

“And how do you keep so skinny and thin?” I asked.

“A fast metabolism...” Nadia replied and looked down to her hands. A blush was spreading over her neck and face. Mai-Loan saw it.

“I bet Dave has something to do with you being so skinny...” Mai chuckled. “He keeps you exercised.”

“Mai-Loan!” Darya admonished as she came in from the kitchen and heard the last exchange. “Nobody needs to advertise Nadia’s sex life!”

“Who said anything about her sex life.” Mai-Loan retorted. “I was referring to Dave keeping her busy on the farm, and the air freight business!”

And Nadia kept getting redder.

“Okay you two! Stop embarrassing Nadia!” Ash admonished. “Let’s think of something for supper.”

“Good Idea!” I said. “Ash, you think we could invite the others from Bantry Bay back here?”

“Why don’t we all go to Bantry Bay,” Ash suggested. “I’ll have to get a cleaning service to clean out this place and someone to replace some windowpanes.”

“Okay! Let’s get going then. We can pick up something on the way over there.” Angie suggested as she and Roxy returned from the kitchen.

“Ah-um...” Came from Luigi.

“I told you we will keep an eye on you. So you’re going with me, and Mai-Loan can drive your car,” Ash replied.

“Just like that!” Mai-Loan exclaimed.

“Yeah! As punishment for shooting Luigi.”

“I DID NOT SHOOT LUIGI!”

We all burst out laughing.

“It’s okay, Mai-Loan. A pretty woman like you, can shoot me any day...” Luigi replied.

This time the laughter was thunderous.

Bantry Bay House.

We descended on the Bantry Bay house like a nest of ants on a scavenger hunt. Ash and Angie decided to retreat to their home in Constantia.

The Bantry Bay house was large but could not house us all. With the idea in my mind that the Pienaars and Bobbie were not out of the woods yet, I looked at the eight-bedroom house and told Bobbie that it would be better if I went to a hotel, or a bed and breakfast place, to free up a bedroom for sharing.

“This will not do...” she whispered in my ear.

“And why not?” I asked, innocently.

“Because I am going to miss out on a snuggle, Doofus!”

“Desperate times calls for desperate measures. Besides, John would kill me if he caught you in my room, never mind in my bed...”

“I’m a big girl now!” Bobbie retorted. “And as you say, desperate times calls for desperate measures. I don’t mind sharing.” Giggle.

“I’m not sharing with John!”

“NO! You share with ME!”

“Don’t push your luck! We’ll have years and years ahead to share...”

“I can’t wait years and years. I’ll be a wrinkled old hag by that time.” She stated, but her eyes were sparkling, indicating that she was teasing me.

“Seriously, Bobbie, although it is tempting, but you could survive a night without me.”

“I suppose so...” She sighed and pouted her lips. Then she perked up, “But I need some serious smooching before we part...”

“Then let me suggest we go for a walk on the estate grounds. It’s such a wonderful evening.”

“Ooo! You’ll have to keep me warm. Your wonderful evening seems to be a bit chilly.” Blue eyes mocked me.

“Get your jacket. Let’s go.”

“I don’t think I’ll be needing a jacket ... or a shirt, or a...”

“BOBBIE!”

“What?”

“Stop it!”

“Are you going to spank me?”

“No...”

She placed her index finger in her mouth and took on a shy expression, tilting her head to the side and let the ginger red tresses fall half over her face. “I just wanted to say ... If you want to spank me, I’ll not need my jeans and...”

“Do you want to go smooch or not?”

“Yes ... Master.”

I sighed. Wee-men. And a redhead as well? Disaster! But I was warned ... And I still did not listen.

Two days later. Wednesday.

The depressing wet and clammy weather faded away to bring out a bright sun. It promised to be a break from the rainy winter weather as the Western Cape eased into spring. A few days of rain, a few days of good warm weather, and soon the Southeaster would come to make its summer mark.

This also meant that the work on the water purification plant will start up again. I must start to think of going back to Plettenberg Bay. Besides, Bobbie needed to be back at school and start her final stretch towards the final exam. Twelve years of school were soon to be a memory for her.

We took to the road after thanking Ash for his hospitality. John and Jenny in their SUV, and Bobbie and I in my 4 × 4 convoyed the four hundred and twenty kilometres back to Plettenberg Bay.

As we passed south of the town of Albertinia, my cell phone rang, and was echoed on the bakkie’s stereo. Jonah. I pressed the call button on the steering wheel.

“Good morning, Colonel! How’re you doing?”

“Hello, Louis. Well, thank you. I believe you are on your way to Plett.”

“Yeah, back to the salt-mines, to toil and sweat under the blistering sun for a few Rands to keep the hunger pains away...”

“Says the eight hundred thousand Rand a year senior helicopter pilot...” Sigh.

“Oh, Colonel, you overestimate my pay!” I replied.

“Oh, do I? And what might it be? Come, come, I’m an Officer of the Law and you may not lie to me!”

“I only get a measly seven hundred and ninety thousand a year...” I chuckled.

“That’s three times my pay! Dammit!”

“You did not call to discuss our pay scales, now did you?”

“No. Where’s Miss McGee?”

“Next to me and listening...”

“Sorry. I’ll call when you are alone. I have something delicate to discuss with you.”

“It’s okay, Bobbie and I don’t have secrets between us,” I replied.

“It’s about her mother...” Jonah replied.

“What about Jenny-mom? She’s nice and safe and in the car in front of us.” Bobbie spoke up.

“No, not Jenny, but your mom, Miss Bobbie.”

“That woman ain’t my mom!” she exclaimed.

“Well, Miss Bobbie, you can deny it all you want...”

“Jonah,” I interrupted. “It has come to light that Desiree McGee ain’t Bobbie’s biological mother, but Jenny is, and Bobbie knows it.”

“What! Then the woman has no claim to Miss Bobbie...”

“Yeah. She might be the woman that gave birth to me, but she’s not my mother,” Bobbie said and looked out the side window of the bakkie.