Blindside. Wilna Adriaanse

that worked out of Zimbabwe and Angola years ago. The story is that they had contacts in the army way back then, and that his father has important connections in Zanu–PF. Maybe he’s the one stirring things up, in the hope of getting rid of his brother-­in-law, which will make him and his wife the sole heirs. If he manages to piss Barkov off and have fingers pointed at brother Enzio, he may be rid of him. Or maybe he and Enzio are in cahoots and he’s the balls in the operation. Hell, it must be hard to be stuck with a legacy like that. Aren’t kids supposed to be more successful than their parents?”

      Ellie looked out the window. “That’s what they say.”

      Clive sighed. “In my case it wasn’t very hard. I outshone my old man just by getting up in the morning.”

      “I made peace long ago with the fact that I shouldn’t even try. Now I don’t know any more.” She let her head lean back into the headrest and they both fell silent.

      Clive turned the radio up. Arno Carstens was singing: “From the galaxy of blues to a universe we choose, no more crying and just maybe somebody to hold …”

      After that, it was Coleske: “Take me where the sun is shining, where the air up in the skies are in my eyes, and I will fly to where my dreams are hiding somewhere in the sky, for just a while.”

      When Nianell began to sing “Did you see the shiny moon turned into a black balloon just as you walked away from me?” Clive looked at her. “Warn me before you start crying, but I’m a sucker for this girl’s lyrics.”

      “You’re forgetting what kind of home I grew up in. My dad had a very broad taste in music. But he drew the line at backtracks.”

      “One of my girlfriends didn’t like local music. I think that’s why I started liking it. Pure childish rebellion. Relationships can get pretty toxic.”

      Ellie thought about her parents. Was their marriage also toxic towards the end? Can people’s expectations of love and marriage be so different that one partner thinks he’s giving his all, while the other one feels she’s starving?

      “And yet we don’t stop searching. Maybe humans are programmed to find a partner. The never-ending hope that this time you’ll get it right.”

      Clive sighed. “We’re stuffed before we’ve even started.”

      They stopped at the office block and walked quietly to their office, side by side.

      “Ellie, Captain Greyling has been looking for you,” Rita said the minute they entered.

      “Why didn’t he call me on my cell?”

      “No, he’s here.”

      “What’s he doing here?”

      Rita motioned with her head in the direction of the corner office. “He’s with the brigadier.”

      Ellie hung her handbag over the back of her chair, poured herself a cup of coffee and took up position in front of the whiteboard. She had always been good with riddles. The thing was to unravel that first thread. After that, it was child’s play. She read the names again. Saw them in her mind’s eye. Allegretti. Even in the worst photo he was attractive. The same could not be said for Alexei Barkov. The good life was apparent in his waistline and double chin. But it didn’t seem to put the girls off; there was a continuous parade of them on his arm.

      Yuang Mang maintained a lower profile, but occasionally a photo surfaced, taken at some event or club. He was a regular visitor at a particular Chinese restaurant in Sea Point.

      The one she found most unpredictable was Nazeem Williams. No one knew his bloodline, but he was said to have grown up in Manenberg. He lived in Rondebosch East these days. In a big house, with who knows how many others. His mother and some of his siblings were still in Manenberg, but in a different house. A bigger one he had bought a few years ago.

      The one she knew the least about was the Nigerian, Jonathan. What she did know was that he was connected to every possible 419 scam.

      Allegretti lived in an enormous house in Bantry Bay, Barkov had a house in Milnerton and, according to the latest reports, Mang lived in Newlands.

      She wrote on the board again. Clive sat down on the chair behind her desk and shook his head. “You and your lists. What are you writing now?”

      “Their legal businesses. You taught me: When in doubt, start at the beginning.”

      He nodded. “Everyone is in imports and exports. What else? Allegretti has the club as well, and Williams has a number of spaza shops in the townships.”

      She stepped back from the board. “Yes, the concept ‘import and export’ is open to interpretation these days.”

      They looked up when they heard loud voices coming from the corner office.

      Rita shrugged when Ellie looked at her. “It’s been like that for a while.”

      Clive also looked at the closed door. “If I were Greyling I’d tread carefully. You don’t handle that tigress without kid gloves.”

      “And if she hears you calling her a tigress she’ll nail your balls to the floor with her stilettos,” Rita said.

      All three went quiet when the door opened. Then Albert spoke behind them.

      “My, but the two of you are busy!”

      Ellie turned and saw Brigadier Zondi watching them for a moment before she closed her door.

      Ellie looked at Albert, but his easy smile was in place.

      “What are you doing here?”

      “Can’t I come visit you?” His hand brushed her buttocks. “I came to invite you to dinner tonight. I feel like I haven’t seen you in years.”

      “You ask me for dinner but go looking for trouble with my boss when I’m not here?”

      He looked at the closed door in the corner and smiled. “We had a nice little chat. The two of us are old chums.” He touched her hand. “Come on, say you’ll come for dinner tonight.”

      “I don’t know. I have to go home first, see how my mom is.” She suddenly remembered she had planned to phone her mom. “And Clive asked me to go for a drink.”

      Albert looked at Clive. “Am I going to have to pull rank?”

      “Sorry, Mac,” Clive said, “that drink will have to wait.”

      “The story of my life.” She looked at Albert. “I have to go to my mom first.”

      “Okay, come when you’re done.” He looked at the board. “Are you still busy with that bunch of losers?”

      “I know you don’t like to share, but you didn’t happen to hear any gossip anywhere, did you?” Clive asked while the three of them stood gazing at the board.

      Albert shook his head. “The problem is that they’re almost always causing shit. You can never really tell what’s been going on for a while, and what’s new. But I promise, if I hear anything, I’ll let you know.”

      Clive extended his hand. “Congratulations on the promotion. I haven’t had a chance to say it personally.”

      Albert shook his hand. “Thanks. Maybe I’ll be able to afford an engagement ring at last.”

      “Are you …?”

      Ellie shook her head. “Ignore him. He’s hallucinating.”

      Albert’s hand reached for her bum again but she moved out of reach. He laughed. “She’s just shy.” He glanced at the empty desks and gave her a peck on the cheek. “See you later. Clivie, look after her, will you?”

      Clive followed him with his eyes as he walked away. “One day you’ll be playing hard to get and another girl will walk away with the prize.”

      “Yes, Dad. Come, focus