The Leopard Hunts In Darkness Part 63

"That's what you two are! By G.o.d, you have dropped us in this cesspool as well, right up to the eyebrows." Morgan Oxford had flown down from Harare as soon as he had heard that a Botswana border patrol had brought Craig and Sally-Anne in from the desert.

"Both the American amba.s.sador and the Brits have had notes from Mugabe. The Brits are hopping up and down and frothing at the mouth also. They know nothing about you, Craig, and you are a British subject. I gather that they'd like to lock you up in the tower and chop your head off.1 Morgan stood at the foot of Sally-Anne's hospital bed.

He had declined the chair that Craig offered him.

you, Missy, the amba.s.sador has asked me to As inform you that he would like to see you on the next plane back to the States."

"He can't order me to do that." Sally-Anne stopped his flow of bitter recriminations. "This isn't Soviet Russia, and I'm a free citizen." "You won't be for long. No, by G.o.d, not if Mugabe gets his hands on you! Murder, armed insurrection and a few other charges-"

"Those are all a frame-up!"

"You and your boyfriend here left a pile of warm bodies behind you like empty beer cans at a labour-day picnic.

Mugabe has started extradition proceedings with the Botswana government-"

"We are political refugees," Sally-Anne flared.

"Bonny and Clyde, sweetheart, that's the way the Zimbabweans are telling it."

Sally' Anne Craig intervened mildly. "You are not supposed to get yourself excited-"

"Excited!" cried So4yAnne. "We've been robbed and beaten, threatenedowith rape and a firing squad and now the official representative of the United States of America, the country of which I happen to be a citizen, barges in here and calls us criminals."

"I'm not calling you anything," Morgan denied flatly.

"I'm just warning you to get your cute little a.s.s out of Africa and all the way home to mommy."

"He calls us criminals, and then patronizes me with his male chauvinistic--2

"Throttle back, Sally-Anne." Morgan Oxford held up hand wearily. "Let's start again. You are in big trouble one we are in big trouble. We've got to work something out."

"Now will you sit down?" Craig pushed the empty chair towards him and Morgan slumped into it and lit a Chesterfield.

"How are you, anyway?" he asked.

"I thought you'd never ask, sweetheart," Sally' Anne snapped tersely.

"She was badly desiccated. They suspected renal failure, but they've had her on a drip and liquids for three days.

She is okay that end. They were also worried about the crack on her head but the X,rays are negative, thank G.o.d.

it was only a mild concussion. They have promised to discharge her tomorrow morning."

"So she's fit to travel?"

"I thought your concern was too touching-" 41 _,oak, Sally' Anne this is Africa. If the Zimbabweans get hold of you, there will be nothing we can do to help.

It's for your own good. You've got to get out. The amba.s.sador-" "Screw the amba.s.sador," said Sally-Anne with relish, "and screw you, Morgan Oxford."

"I can't speak for His Excellency," Morgan grinned for the first time, "but for myself, when can we begin?" And even Sally-Anne laughed.

Craig took advantage of the softening of att.i.tudes.

"Morgan, you can rely on me to see she does the right thing-_2 Immediately Sally-Anne puffed up in the high bed, preparatory to fending off another chauvinistic onslaught, but Craig gave her a tiny frown and shake of the head and she subsided reluctantly. Morgan turned on Craig instead.

"As for you, Craig. How the h.e.l.l did they find out you the agency?" Morgan demanded.

4, were working for

"Was ! Craig looked stunned. "If I was, n.o.body told me."

"Who the h.e.l.l do you think Henry Pickering is anyway Santa Claus?"

"He my, he is- a vice-president of the World Bank!"

"Babes," moaned Morgan, "babes in the tupping woods." He braced up. "Well, anyway, that is over. Your contract is terminated. If there was anything sooner than immediately, that would be the date of termination."

"I sent Henry a full report three days ago-"

"Yeah!" Morgan nodded resignedly. "About Peter Fungabera being the Moscow candidate. Peter is a Shana, the Ruskies would never touch him. just so you put it out of your head, General Fungabera is a Russian-hater from way back and we have a very good relations.h.i.+p with Peter Fungabera very good indeed. Enough said."

"For G.o.d's sake, Morgan. Then he is playing a double game. I had it from his own aide. Captain Timon Nbebi!"

"Who is now conveniently dead," Morgan reminded him. "If it makes you feel better, we've put your report into the computer with a" D-minus credibility rating. Henry Pickering sends you his sincere thanks." Sally-Anne cut in, "Morgan, you have seen my photographs of the burned villages, the dead children, the devastation caused by the Third Brigade-"

"Like the man said,ftgs to make omelettes," Morgan interrupted. "Natur4y we don't like the violence, but Fungabera is anti-Russian. The Matabele are pro-Russian.

We have to support the anti-communist regimes, even if we don't like some of their methods there are women and aking a beating in El Salvador. So does that me in that we must stop aid to that country? Must we back out of any situation where our people aren't sticking precisely to the rules of the Geneva Convention? Grow up, Sally-Anne, this is the real world." There was silence in the tiny ward, except for the pinking of the galvanized iron roof as it expanded in the noon heat. On the parched brown lawn beyond the window, the walking patients were, dressed in a uniform of pink bath robes stamped across the back with the initials of the Botswana Health Department.

"That's all you came to tell usr Sally-Anne asked at last.

"Isn't it enoughr Morgan stubbed out his cigarette and stood up. "There is one other thing, Craig. Henry Pickering asked me to tell you that the Land Bank of Zimbabwe has repudiated its suretys.h.i.+p for your loan. Their grounds are that you have been officially declared an enemy of the people. Henry Pickering asked me to tell you they will be looking to you for repayment of capital and interest. Does this make sense to your "Unfortunately," Craig nodded glumly.

"He said he would try to work something out with you when you reach New York, but in the meantime they have been forced to freeze all your bank accounts and serve your publishers with a restraining order to withhold all future royalty payments."

"That figures."

"Sorry, Craig. It sounds real tough." Morgan held out his hand. "I liked your book, I really did, and I liked you. I'm just sorry it all had to end this way." Craig walked with him as far as the green Ford with diplomatic registration plates that Morgan Oxford was driving.

"Will you do me one last favourr "If I can." Morgan looked suspicions.

"Can you see that a package is delivered to my publisher in New Yorkr And when Morgan's suspicions were unabated, "It's only the final pages of my i -Lew ma.n.u.script, give you my word." Hill Okay, then," said Morgan Oxford dubiously. "I'll see he gets it." Craig fetched the British Airways bag from the hired Land-Rover at the far end of the car park. "Look after it," he pleaded. "It's my heart's blood and my hope of salvation." He watched the green Ford drive away and went back into the hospital building.

"What was all that about the banks and loansr Sally Anne asked as he entered her ward.

"It means that when I asked you to marry me I was a millionaire." Craig came back to sit on the edge of her bed.

"Now I'm just about as broke as anybody who has no a.s.sets and owes a couple of million bucks can be."