Race (13 page)

Ronan chuckled. "What kind of a problem will that unfortunate soul create? I issued Frank, the contract killer, the contract to kill her. It was her photograph that I put in the envelope."

"There's a girl who was always with Noah. In this envelope is her photo and address. Do not make a single mistake in this contract." The envelope was sealed.

"Don't worry, she'll be no match for me," Frank smirked.
He opened up the envelope to take a brief look at the photograph of the woman he had to kill, and the photograph was of Chantelle.

"I'll tell you exactly when to do it, too," Ronan continued, and handed over the envelope as Chantelle stared at them both absent mindedly. Ronan turned to Chantelle. "Sweetheart, give him the money."

Chantelle nodded, taking the money out of her handbag and handing it over to Frank.

"Who's this?" Frank asked.

Ronan chuckled lightly. "Don't worry about her. She's my wife."

"Don't worry. I'll do this job," Frank told Ronan, nodding.

"Oh, so sad!" Alice exclaimed. "But when will he kill Chantelle?"

"After we've received the insurance sanction letter," Ronan explained. "Now there's only one person in the way of our money. Officer Harry Rodgers."

CHAPTER THIRTY SIX

HUNGRILY EATING WATERMELON

Officer Harry Rodgers took a huge bite into his piece of watermelon, eating it hungrily as Mini continued to chop him slice after slice. Mini was chopping angrily.

"Chop slowly and quietly, Mini, watermelons are very sensitive!" Harry snapped, his mouth full of watermelon juice.

Ted bounded up to him. "Sir," Ted began, "Sir, this is the lab report of the marriage certificate. It's one hundred percent authenticated, Sir. Noah and Alice's signatures on this are also one hundred percent authenticated too, Sir."

"Thank you, Ted," Harry said vaguely, sifting through the lab report. "You can go now."

"Yes, Sir, and ma'am." He nodded and walked away.

"Mini," Harry began.

"Hmm?" Mini answered in a drawl of a voice.

"Take for example that me and you got married, right?" Harry continued.

"No sir. I don't want to get married to you." She grinned and carried on chopping watermelon.

"You idiot, I'm not proposing to you!"

"Then?"

"I'm telling you to imagine it! Imagine that me and you are getting married."

"If  I'm going to imagine it, then why to you? Can't I imagine my marriage to Ryan Gosling instead?" she smiled at the thought.

"What do you think of yourself, that you're the second Rachel McAdams?" Harry mocked, his voice harsh. "Anyway, let's talk about this case. Think that we're both about to get married in the Marriage Registrar Office, and this is the marriage certificate." He took a piece of paper and a pen out of the pot. He signed the paper. "Now you sign it, too." Mini nodded, taking the pen from him,.

"Why did you take my pen?" Harry asked, for argument's sake.

"Because it saves time, instead of me having to open my purse and find a pen, and your pen was right there, so I took it." Mini said brightly, her face glowing and her cheeks flushing a faint pink.

"Right," said Harry, nodding. "The majority of people do exactly what you've just done." He took the pen back from her, glad that Mini was at last normal and part of that majority. "But in this marriage certificate, Alice's signature is in an ink pen, and Noah's signature is in a ballpoint pen."

"Meaning?" Mini asked, unsure about where Harry was heading in the conversation.

"Meaning that you book two tickets to Cape Town," Harry replied hotly.

"Why, sir?" Mini questioned her boss, intrigued.

"Because the truth will be revealed, baby," Harry grinned, giving her a cheeky and assuring wink.

CHAPTER THIRTY SEVEN

THE CAPE TOWN ESTATE AGENTS

Harry and Mini were in Cape Town, at the Sam and Brooklyn Estate Agents.

"Are you sure?" Harry was asking.

"Yes, sir. Mr  Noah and Miss Alice came here. They got a final deal from a client," replied the receptionist.

"Hmmm," Harry said vaguely, drinking his coconut milk viciously. He'd brought it from the beach on his way to the office, and it was a real coconut with the milk inside it, with a straw. "By night time, were they both here?"

"Sir, only Mr Noah was here in the evening," the receptionist explained. "His secretary felt a bit ill, so apparently she went back to the hotel."

Harry stared for a long moment. "Thank you for your co-operation," he said finally. "Do you have any papers or something for us to have?"

"Today's Sunday, so we can't give them to you today, as the office will be closed." The receptionist shrugged, trying to reassure their disappointment.

"Now what?" Mini piped up.

"Now, we wait until tomorrow so we can get our papers," Harry replied, continuing to drink his coconut milk.

"Then what will we do for the rest of today, Sir?" Mini asked.

"Today, we'll go to the Cape Town beach!" Harry grinned at her.

CHAPTER THIRTY EIGHT

HARRY'S HUGE REJECTION

Harry was lying down on the sunbed, with a white cap on his head, and he was casually drinking more coconut milk. Then, he saw an irresistible lady, wearing a pink polka dot bikini, and was walking down to the beach to join him after swimming in the sea.

Harry gazed at her in awe.

It was Mini. She sat down on to the sunbed next to  Harry, towel drying her hair. Harry was still staring at her, as if his eyes were glued to the spot.

"What is it, Sir?" Mini laughed. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Mini," Harry began, "what do you think of me?"

"Genius, sir," Mini replied.

"Mate, oh, mate, I know that all ready! How many times have I told you not to say the things that I all ready know again and again! It makes me feel embarrassed, mate!" A wide grin stretched across his face, and he sat up straight. "Say something else."

"Sir, could I ask you something?" Mini said suddenly.

"Yes, ask away!" Harry thought that she was about to ask him something about how good looking he was, or how charming he was, or how kind he was, something like that.

"Sir, you know on that marriage certificate, how did you see the difference in the signatures but I didn't?"  Mini looked as if she was about to burst into tears. "Why isn't my mind sharp like yours, Sir?"

"That's because you have a really big problem, Mini!" Harry scolded, folding his arms, bothered.

"You always tell me that I've got a problem, so how about today, you actually tell me what my problem is?!" Mini smiled.

"Do you have a boyfriend, Mini?" Harry asked randomly.

"Sir, how can I have a boyfriend?" Mini replied innocently. "I stay with you for the whole day!"

"That is exactly what your problem is!" Harry snapped. "You've crossed the line of life's silver lining! You don't have a boyfriend, you haven't got married! What are you going to do with yourself, you sexy piece of shit?"

Mini laughed. "Sir, you haven't got married yet, either!" she said pointedly.

"Yes, but I socialize a lot!" Harry began to grin again. "Look," he said, sitting next to her, "boy's aren't just about what they appear to be on the outside. Their bodies also play a role in their personality. They hunger. Their body gets frustrated when they can't get what they want. And they don't concentrate when they're thinking about it."

"I don't understand," Mini frowned.

"Look, there's things that I say that you won't understand in that little brain of yours. It has to be practical." The word practical gave Harry a sudden inspiration. "Come on inside and I'll show you, come on." He smiled widely.

There was a cabin with a bed inside it.

"Think that you're with your boyfriend, right?" Harry began. "He comes closer to you, grabs your hands and throws his hat off." He did exactly what he was saying.

"Sir, left side or right side?" Mini asked.

"Oh, just come to me!" Harry growled, and then he hugged her tight. "How are you feeling?" he whispered.

Mini pulled away from the hug. "It feels good," she admitted.

"Then, he kisses your neck," Harry continued, leaning in to kiss Mini's neck, but she backed away a little.

"Sir," she piped up, "left side or right side?"

"Any side!" Harry was getting impatient now. He kissed her neck. "How are you feeling?"

"It feels very good, Sir!" Mini exclaimed.

"Then, he kisses your lips," Harry grinned, getting really excited, and he leaned in, but Mini backed away again.

"Sir," she said, "there is no left or right here, so I think we should stop now."

Harry looked disappointed. "Why?!" he cried. "Don't you like me?!"

"Sir, it's got nothing to do with that," Mini smiled. "I don't like you in that way. I want you as my God."

Harry sighed long and hard. "Oh, that's a new one!" he muttered.

"And people worship God," Mini continued. "I worship you, Sir. You're great." She began to walk towards the door. "Bye!" she left the room.

"Idiot," Harry mumbled. "This is the first girl I've met who denies being touched by me and then sees me as a God!" He looked as if he was about to burst into tears.

CHAPTER THIRTY NINE

THE REGISTRAR OF MARRIAGES OFFICE

Harry and Mini walked into the Registrar of Marriages office.

"Where's Mr Downes?" Harry asked to a lady who was walking past.

"Please take a seat, Mr Downes will be here in five minutes," the lady replied.

"Thank you," Harry said, nodding. Then, he and Mini heard a shouting voice.

"I'M NOT YOUR DAD'S BLOODY BEGGAR SERVANT, SO YOU'D BETTER TALK TO ME WITH RESPECT!" came a roaring voice. "ARE YOU BLOODY TAKING THE MICKEY OUT OF ME? DO YOU THINK I'M EASILY JUST GOING TO HAND YOU OVER MONEY LIKE THAT?! DON'T TALK TO ME LIKE THAT IN THE OFFICE. THE OFFICE IS MY HOME, DO YOU UNDERSTAND? DON'T TALK ABOUT FATHER'S LIKE THAT. OH, FOR GAWD'S SAKE,  IF YOU'RE A WIFE THEN ACT LIKE ONE AND STAY A SENSIBLE ONE!" He dialled off his phone in frustration and bounded into the room where Harry and Mini were. "Talk," he began, calming down a little.

"Look, we want to -" Harry began.

"You want to get married?" Mr Downes shouted. "Everyday, boys and boys, girls and girls, boys and girls, ask me to get them married! I'm not talking to you in an offensive way, but f you want to get married, then bloody give me a ring. There's such things as phones, you know! Talk on a mobile and the other mobile won't be upset, do you understand?! Please don't take this in a bad way, but it's really annoying!" He paused. "Never leave a phone on silent, you can change the bloody ringtone whenever you bloody want! You can even put the phone in your pocket, but my wife never bloody listens to me! After getting an old wan, you can sell it for a new one, but no, my wife does not listen!"