Elephant Dropping (9781301895199) (43 page)

Firdus put
Katana’s file on the desk and then quickly explained the events of
the last few days. The minister listened without interrupting, his
eyes widening at the mention of Rubia’s name.

‘I have a
detective from Voi in the waiting room. He has evidence to back up
my claims.’

‘This is quite
a wild story, Mr. Fernandez. How long is this British man supposed
to have been missing?’

‘Since
Sunday.’

Omollo waved
his hands in the air. ‘The British Embassy has not contacted me on
this matter.’

‘They will,
Sir. Can I introduce you to the detective and show you the evidence
we have so far?’

‘Ok,’ agreed
the minister glancing at his watch.

Firdus opened
the door and motioned for Katana to join them, a small wave to the
secretary to reassure her.

The Minister
was leafing through the file when he returned.

Firdus quickly
made the introductions prompting Katana to tell his part of the
story. The minister listened, only to be interrupted as the phone
on the desk rang.

‘Yes this is
Rupert Omollo,’ he sat up straighter in his chair. ‘Yes Madam I’m
aware. In fact,’ he reached across and expertly fished out
Nicholl’s passport from Katana’s papers. ‘I have his passport with
me right now. Yes, we have my detectives from Voi hot on the case.’
Omollo flicked through the passport as he spoke. ‘Yes, yes, I
understand. No, at this stage I would rather you didn’t get your
police involved, after all he has only been missing for a few days,
there could be a perfectly reasonable explanation.

No Madam, I can
assure you I have put all my national resources onto this case, and
will let you know as soon as I have more information. Thank you too
Madam.’ He put down the receiver tossing the passport on the desk
and nodding at Firdus. ‘The British Embassy, you were right.’

‘Detective
Katana please continue,’ the minister invited, eyeing Firdus. Once
Katana had finished his story, leaned back in his chair. ‘So from
what I have understood so far, you’re surmising that Rubia was
hired by people unknown, to use his organisation to remove this
Briton,’ he tapped the passport, ‘because he was about to stumble
upon a massive bank fraud, and your nephew and his girl just
happened to get in the way.’

‘Yes sir that’s
correct.’

‘How much money
are we talking about?’ He asked Firdus.

‘I don’t know
the exact details but it’s in the millions.’

‘Don’t you
think it’s possible these people were working without Rubia’s
knowledge?’

‘Detective
Katana spoke directly to Rubia on several occasions, he was fully
aware. We also believe that Rubia could have been involved in the
chief of immigrations accident.’

‘Ahh yes,
Kamau, but why do you think that?’

Firdus pointed
out the signature on Brian’s work permit.

‘That could be
a coincidence and it’s hardly conclusive.’ The minister negated.
‘Ok gentlemen, now what do you expect me to do?’

Firdus said. ‘I
want you to put Rubia under arrest.’

The minister
smiled. ‘Come now sir, the man’s a senior officer, I can’t do that
based on what you have here,’ he waved at the papers on his desk
indulgently.

‘Senior officer
or not, the man is a murderer and so long as he is not stopped, my
nephew’s life is in danger, not to mention the British
nationals.’

‘These are only
allegations, there is no proof.’

‘Not yet but
there will be, that I can assure you,’ Firdus said confidently,
‘furthermore,’ changing tack, ‘I read in the paper that you are due
to meet the British minister of agriculture on Tuesday.’

‘Yes so what?’
Omollo asked, amused.

‘Isn’t the
British government about to release a large amount of aid money,
based on improved security?’

‘What’s your
point?’ Omollo said shortly.

‘My point is
this Mr Minister Sir, under the securities act of your office, you
have the emergency powers to place Rubia under house arrest pending
an investigation into his activities.’

‘If I so
choose, I could also have you arrested.’

Firdus smiled.
‘Not before a complete report with evidence is placed on the
British Ambassador’s desk, for his attention.’

Omollo leaned
forward scowling. ‘Her attention,’ he corrected. ‘Fernandez are you
threatening me, do you know who I am?’

‘Yes sir. You
are a presently elected member of parliament in charge of the
national security of the republic of Kenya.’ Firdus said
respectfully.

Omollo nodded
in satisfaction. ‘Yes that is correct.’

‘And according
to the parliament act of nineteen sixty four, you can be removed
from office, for failing to act on information that could become a
matter of national security.’

He laughed.
‘This is no such thing my friend.’

Firdus unfazed
upped the pace. ‘It is when the so called head of the
anti-terrorism unit - appointed by your good office may I
respectfully remind you Sir - a one Joseph Rubia, is abusing his
power and running his own private army bumping off civil servants,
and British nationals at will.’

Omollo stood
up, clearly annoyed. ‘Out,’ he pointed at Katana, ‘I need to
discuss this with your boss,’ he said sarcastically. Katana started
to gather up his papers. ‘No!’ The Minster shouted. ‘Out!’

There was a
silence you could cut with a knife after Katana left. Omollo walked
around his desk and standing over Firdus his fists bunched
aggressively, said with barely controlled fury. ‘You have a lot of
nerve mister coming here with your crappy story, involving one of
my senior officers, how dare you try to make a fool of me!’

Firdus sat
calmly, waiting for the tirade to stop.

‘Who the hell
do you think you are?’ Omollo demanded.

‘Sir,’ Firdus
held up his hand. ‘I have laid the facts out this morning as I see
them. I have not in any way been disrespectful of you or your
office. I have come here to ask for your help. I’m no stranger to
officers going bad with too much power. Hear me out, please.’

Omollo went
back and sat down. ‘Hurry up Fernandez, you’re trying my
patience.’

‘Sir, I was for
many years head of Special Force and in my time we had several
unpleasant cases to deal with, namely the Orengo case, in seventy
seven. He was a minister just like you, and saw it as one of his
perks to get ten percent off all imports through this country to
Uganda. You probably don’t know this, but he held back a
consignment of luxury cars destined for Idi Amin and that madman in
retaliation, threatened to invade Kenya with his army.’

Omollo was
listening. He smiled. ‘I had no idea, of course I was still a
schoolboy then. Orengo was a crafty bugger eh? I guess he got away
with a great deal of money?’

Firdus frowned.
‘In order to placate Amin, we sent Orengo up to Uganda to apologise
in person. The apology was accepted and he was given a stuffed
lions head as a reconciliation gift. The aircraft blew up on
Orengo’s return journey and he was killed along with several other
high powered Kenyan businessmen.’

Omollo grunted.
‘And the Kenyan government did nothing?’

‘We made a
diplomatic fuss of course, but it happened in Uganda’s airspace,
there was very little we could do, and after the way things had
gone there was not much incentive.’

‘It’s an
interesting story but I fail to see the relevance.’

‘Sir, I don’t
think as a minister you can afford to have your underling running
an operation outside this government’s mandate, that could turn
into a diplomatic row with your aid supporters.’

Omollo sighed
and picked up the report. ‘So this bank fraud involves an Indian
called Patel of Golden Palm?’

‘Yes he seems
to be the top dog on the fraud, but we don’t know who else is
involved.’

‘And this
Nicholls you say, is with your nephew?’

‘Yes.’

‘I can arrange
to have him picked up. We can put him in safe custody and he can
explain to us exactly what has gone on, even where the money
is.’

‘So long as
Rubia is where he is, I can almost guarantee that if he finds
Nicholls he will have him killed. The British Embassy already knows
the Englishman is missing; you can avert a huge diplomatic row. You
must stop Rubia as soon as possible.’ Firdus was adamant.

Omollo leaned
back in his chair disappointed. ‘Shit,’ he muttered, ‘so Fernandez,
what do you expect me to do now? I mean I don’t have that much
experience in these matters.’

Firdus leaned
forward in earnest and explained to the minister exactly what to
do, an old hand with a new pupil. He emerged from the minister’s
office ten minutes later giving Katana the thumbs up; the minister
did not see him out.

‘Rose, cancel
all my appointments for the rest of the day,’ they overheard Omollo
instructing, as Katana collected his gun from the security
guard.

They walked
down the hall towards the lifts, Katana suddenly said. ‘My papers!’
and turned back.

‘Don’t worry
about it, they’re in safe hands.’ Firdus said as they reached the
top of the stairwell and started the long walk down.

‘I was
surprised to see you after the way you spoke to the minister. I was
sure he was going to have you thrown in jail.’

Firdus smiled.
‘Yes he would have liked that.’

‘So what
happened, what did you say to him?’

‘I gave him a
small history lesson. I was head of Special Force when Kenyatta was
in power.’

Katana stopped
and looked at Firdus in awe.

‘I had no idea.
So what happens now, will the British Embassy get the papers?’

‘No,’ Firdus
said with a grin, walking down the stairs, ‘that was just a bluff.
I should also teach you how to play poker one day.’

Katana laughed.
‘Yes, that would be good, very good sir.’

TWENTY-THREE

When Doug
arrived at Antonio’s apartment, Lucy barely looked up from painting
her toenails. ‘Is Brian up?’

She scowled and
jerked her chin at the stairs.

Doug found him
unshaven, working on the computer.

‘How’s it
going?’ Doug asked.

‘Been a hell of
a night, I’ve only had a few hours sleep.’

‘Yeah, you look
like shit. What have you found out?’

‘Not much more
than we already know,’ he yawned and switched off the computer.
‘You want a coffee - how was your night?’

‘I got a room
at the Tree Lodge in town, slept like a baby.’

‘So is that yes
to a coffee?’

‘Black, two
sugars. Do you mind if I have it up here, your girlfriend’s not too
friendly.’

‘Ok, it might
help if you apologised.’

‘Yes,’ Doug
agreed, ‘it might.’

Brian went
downstairs and reappeared later with two mugs of coffee. Lucy
followed, she walked awkwardly, her toes splayed out, the nail
polish drying.

‘Lucy I’m sorry
for the way I treated you.’ Doug said.

‘Me Somali,
gowan, I never forgive you,’ her eyes bulged dramatically and her
hand imitated a knife cutting her throat.

Doug shrugged
looking at Brian. ‘What’s the plan this morning?’

‘You and Lucy
are to follow Azizza when she leaves the bank this morning and see
where she takes the money.

Doug snorted.
‘Why do I have to do it with her?’

‘You don’t know
what Azizza looks like do you?’

Lucy announced.
‘I no go anywheres with this shit gowan.’

‘I’m bloody
tired and I have to be here, on the computer,’ Brian said getting
exasperated.

‘Yous says
yesterday, you get moneys,’ Lucy complained.

‘It’s not that
easy love. We have to wait for the right time.’

‘Mens, all
liars,’ she declared.

‘What time do
we have to be at the bank?’ Doug asked.

Brian glanced
at his watch. ‘You’d better get going, Evans told me Azizza comes
in between ten and ten thirty and we can’t afford to miss her. Call
me when you see her.’

‘Ok, better get
your girlfriend dressed and tone down her attire will you. I’m
going to wait in the car.’

Fifteen minutes
later Lucy sulkily got in beside Doug, dressed in jeans and a
T-shirt.

They sat in the
car in pained silence outside the bank from where they could watch
the front doors. People came and went; regular traffic in and out
of the bank. At ten thirty a white Landcruiser drove in. ‘It’s
she,’ Lucy hissed, ‘the harab bitchis, good for you, look looses
old bottom.’

Azizza stepped
from the vehicle; she studied Evans’s Mercedes for a moment and
then went into the bank.

Doug rang
Brian. ‘She’s at the bank.’

Evans was also
watching for Azizza and hurried into his office to wait for her.
‘Morning Azizza,’a smirk on his face, ‘you have some more loans?’
He said unnecessarily as she sat down and handed him the forms.
‘How is our friend Patel?’

‘He is fine. I
see you have crashed your car?’ She said mildly.

‘Not me! A fool
last night, but he will pay.’

‘Oh good,’ she
said returning his smirk.

‘You heard
about my boss Nicholls?’

‘Heard
what?’

‘Oh, he is
still missing,’ a glint in his eye.

Azizza frowned
and pointed at the forms unattended on the desk. ‘Is there a
problem?’

‘No, no
problem,’ Evans signed each one with a flourish.

Azizza rose to
go.

‘Are you going
to pay me my money soon?’ he asked.

‘Of course, you
know you will get it.’

‘Yes I do,’ he
said with a smile.

Azizza
completed her payments with the teller and took the remaining cash
in a large brown envelope.

‘Here she is,’
Doug said as Azizza emerged from the bank.

‘Ahh,’ Lucy
gasped, ‘look the bag, much money!’