Elephant Dropping (9781301895199) (32 page)

Brian looked
incredulous. ‘Let me get this straight. The head of state security
hires a hit man to run the country’s counter terrorism unit?’

‘I’m not sure
Rubia is a hit man himself, but his unit has been pursuing you.
Patel or his associates must have paid someone a lot of money to
get Rubia’s unit on your case.’

‘If he gets his
money, then surely there is no point in continuing to pursue me?’
asked Brian hopefully.

‘Yes, except
you, my nephew and his girlfriend are loose ends. The killers will
still be looking for the three of you and Rubia has unlimited
resources at his disposal.’

Brian’s
shoulders slumped. ‘I really don’t know what to do. I’m completely
out of my depth here.’

‘The problem
is, I agree very complex, so we will deal with each thing as it
arises. You mentioned your sister. The solution there is to let her
know that you are alive as soon as possible. You will have to go
into Malindi to call her. My land rover is known around town and by
now they will be looking for Doug’s bike, so you can’t use those.
But I can drive you to a place called Ganda, a small village
outside Malindi, where you can catch a bus into town.’

‘Ok, but much
easier, I could call her on my mobile,’ Brian suggested, not liking
the idea of going into Malindi one bit.

Firdus shook
his head. ‘No you can’t use any known network an international call
can be traced. There is a place in Malindi run by Somalis where you
can make untraceable calls. I would suggest that we have lunch
first, and then Doug or I can drive you to Ganda. It’s best you
catch the evening bus and hole up overnight while you make contact
with your sister. How well do you know Malindi?’

‘Not well at
all, and the police know what I look like.’

Firdus
scratched his head. ‘That could be a problem.’

‘I can go with
him uncle,’ Doug offered.

‘No the two of
you can’t risk being seen together.’

‘I could wait
for Brian in Ganda and direct him by phone. We bought new mobile
phones in Voi - Gem has one also - I’m pretty sure they can’t trace
us through those,’ said Doug.

‘I don’t know
much about this new technology, but I do know that Rubia will have
access to all phone networks. Can you be sure he can’t trace
you?’

Doug nodded.
‘There is no record anywhere these phones belong to us, they should
be safe provided we don’t use them to call other numbers.’

‘Ok, what do
you think Brian?’

‘It seems like
a workable solution,’ he agreed.

‘Do you have
any cash on you?’

‘A little, but
I can get some from the ATM in Malindi.’

‘No, I will
give you some money, you’re dead, remember?’

‘Oh shit,’
Brian muttered.

Doug drove him
in after lunch. They tested the mobiles at Ganda, curious kids
crowded the car watching them. ‘First thing is to get yourself a
room somewhere, the bus will drop you in central Malindi by the
market - there are small hotels and guesthouses in that area, try
the Sunlight Hotel, it’s next to a hardware shop called Malindi
Tools and Sons. The place to make your phone call won’t be hard to
find, ask discreetly. Look out for undercover cops by their shoes,
they can’t resist wearing those hobnailed boots. Once you’re safely
in a hotel call me, ok?’

‘This is like a
bad cartoon, Tools and Sons, they sell sex aids?’

Doug chuckled.
‘That’s good, stay loose - hidden fears act like a magnet to cops.
I will wait here for your call.’

‘Thanks.’ Brian
boarded the bus, a converted truck with chickens in baskets and
bunches of bananas tied to the roof, a picture of what looked to be
a rocket emblazoned on its side, embellished with the words “scud
missile”.

‘Shouldn’t be
hard to find this bus again, good luck and keep your head down,’ he
yelled out to Brian as the bus departed in a cloud of dust, horn
blowing merrily.

The driver
drove at breakneck speed, on corners the body leaned in the
opposite direction to the cab and each time it did, Brian hung on
for dear life waiting for whatever remaining bolt to snap and send
them all to kingdom come. Miraculously this did not happen and the
bus arrived at Malindi market. The other passengers scrambled for
the door, chatting happily.

Brian sat
thinking about what to do, his nerves raw from the ride. A passing
backpacker gave him the answer and he needed clothes anyway. As he
got off the bus several hawkers descended on him offering tours of
the town.

‘No thank you,’
he waved them away and dived into a nearby clothes shop. He bought
a small backpack from a display lined up on the pavement outside.
Slinging the pack over one shoulder he then headed for the
second-hand clothes stalls, where he bought fake ray ban
sunglasses, a variety of shirts, two pairs of jeans, a stained
yellow baseball cap with no logo, and a pair of worn desert boots.
He hardly bargained at all he was so nervous. He stuffed all but
the cap and the sunglasses into his backpack and then asked
directions from a stall owner to the Sunlight Hotel.

‘I take you
there,’ the man offered and Brian gratefully accepted, it would be
easier to follow someone, than walk around looking obviously lost.
The man led him across the Market Square and down a nearby alleyway
into the old town. After a walk of a few hundred yards he pointed
out the entrance to the hotel. Brian made to tip him but he waved
the money away. ‘No problem mister, welcome to Malindi, you come
buy more clothes yes?’

Brian smiled.
‘Yes, thank you.’

Paying in
advance, he got a room with the minimum of fuss on the second
floor. It was clean but simple with an adjoining bathroom, two
single beds, mosquito net, chair and a square of linoleum on the
bare cement floor. A single louvered glass window overlooked the
courtyard below. It was mercifully quiet after the noise and bustle
of the streets. Sitting on the bed, he called Doug.

‘Hello, yes I
made it to the Sunlight Hotel. I’m in room three, talk to you
tomorrow, thanks.’

Brian breathed
a sigh of relief, at least he felt safe in the room and he examined
his new purchases. One of the shirts was missing a few buttons, but
otherwise the clothes were ok. He would have to buy socks for the
boots and wondered idly who they had belonged too - at least he
would feel different in someone else clothes. He tried on a few
combinations, satisfied that he looked like any other traveller,
and decided not to shave, anything to look different.

He waited until
dusk before daring to venture out. The earlier receptionist was
out, so he asked an old man at the desk where he could make an
international phone call, the man just shrugged his shoulders and
peered at him curiously. Brian had not expected this and in a
moment of panic fled back to his room.

He sat on the
edge of his bed his head in his hands, paranoia flooding his mind.
Tempted to call his sister, he scrolled through his office mobile
trying to buck up the courage; he flicked through the numbers until
he came to one he did not recognise, puzzling over it, he
remembered it was Lucy’s number. Impatient with fear and
indecision, he recklessly called her number from his new mobile.
The phone rang for an age and he almost clicked off. ‘
Ni
nani
?’ a female voice enquired.

‘Lucy? Is that
Lucy?’ Brian asked.

‘Yesis, who is
you?’

‘Lucy I’m
Brian, you remember me? I took you for an ice cream and you helped
me buy a pair of shoes.’

‘Ahhh Birin!
It’s you, but you have different number?’ she demanded. ‘Where you
musts come to Malindi now!’

‘I am in
Malindi,’ Brian replied smiling.

‘You are in
Malindi? Why no call me?’

‘Lucy can we
meet at the ice cream place?’

‘Ahhh gelati,
yesis I see you now. Ahhh Birin, my lucky man!’ Lucy abruptly hung
up.

Brian laughed,
it would be good to see her again and she would know where he could
make a phone call. He caught a tuk-tuk to the restaurant, ordered a
pizza and waited for her. His tension eased and he even stopped
scanning feet for hobnailed boots.

He tucked into
the delicious food and watched each tuk-tuk for

Lucy. His
anxiety returned as he finished his meal, it had been forty minutes
since he had made the call. He ordered a coffee and asked for the
bill, getting increasingly uneasy as the time passed. It was silly
of him to rely on her, he knew nothing about her - she could be
leading the police to him right now. Despite his anxiety he waited
and put off making a decision to leave. He didn’t know where to go
anyway.

A tuk-tuk
pulled up outside the restaurant and Lucy dressed in a bright
yellow summer dress got out. Her long smooth legs and neat sexy
figure drawing the eye of every man in the place. She stood
theatrically for a moment in the restaurant doorway looking for
Brian, he waved to attract her attention. She hesitated, and then
walked over to his table.

‘Hello Lucy,’
he greeted her.

She took in his
unshaven face, tense rumpled appearance and scuffed boots. ‘You
have been on safari,’ she announced eyeing him curiously.

‘Yes I have.
Are you hungry, what will you have to eat?’

Lucy brightened
and sat down. ‘Hice cream, a milkyshake, chocolalate.So you back
and come to looks me,’ Lucy smiled at him showing perfect white
teeth. ‘I’m so sexy for you to miss for long time. Your heart its
heavy for me, hey?’

‘Yes, I don’t
know many people in Malindi and I remembered how kind you were,
helping me to find those shoes.’

‘Yes, they
nices shoes, did you looses them?’

‘In a way I
did,’ he agreed.

Their
conversation was interrupted with the arrival of Lucy’s order,
which she attacked with her usual gusto, hissing at the coldness of
the ice cream. ‘You came from Nairobi? Hiss, ohhhh,’ she asked
between mouthfuls.

Brian laughed,
enchanted again at her spontaneity.

‘Yes it was a
long drive.’

‘Where your
car?’ Waving a long spoon at him.

‘It’s not
here,’ he told her.

‘You take me
for a drive, after,’ she said arching her eyebrows and sucking on a
double straw, her face like a pixie’s.

‘Maybe, but
first, I need to call my sister in England, do you know where I can
make a phone call?’

‘You don’t have
mobile?’ She asked puzzled.

‘Yes I do but
it’s expensive.’

‘But you rich
mans.’ She countered.

He laughed.
‘Even rich men have to be careful.’

‘Hmmm, ok. I
know a place. Your sister, she beautiful and has many
childrens?’

‘Yes she has
two children.’

‘Oh she must be
very young, only two,’ noisily sucking out the last of her
milkshake.

‘Yes she is
younger than me.’

Lucy, toothpick
in her mouth, studied him. ‘After you call your sister, we go your
hotel, yes?’

‘Let’s see.’ He
called the waiter over and asked for the bill.

Lucy scowled.
‘Where your wife here in Malindi?’

‘No, no wife,’
he shook his head. ‘I’m divorced.’

Lucy brightened
at this news, and then frowned. ‘She took alls your money, you lies
to me, you not rich mans.’

Brian smiled.
‘I have no wife.’

Lucy nodded
confidently. ‘I know you are my new mans.’

Brian paid the
bill and they left the restaurant.

‘You follow me,
it not long way, we walk,’ Lucy announced striding ahead and
ducking down an alleyway into the old town. He dutifully followed
the movement of Lucy’s hips and buttocks in the yellow dress, her
long legs accentuated by high heels. She’s gorgeous, he said to
himself. A few more turns and Lucy stopped outside a kiosk that had
mobile phones on display.

Barking out
questions to the kiosk attendant, he replied in kind. Lucy gave him
a withering look and then strode on. ‘Stupid mans.’ She flung over
her shoulder.

The attendant
grinned at Brian, ‘Amigo! Jigi jigi,’ and laughed.

They emerged
from the old town near the market where Brian had earlier bought
his clothes. Lucy crossed the road without looking, just missing a
cyclist with no lights. The two swore at each other in passing,
each blaming the other. She stopped outside a shop that had
household goods on display in the window, above the entrance was a
sign. “International calls, cheep rate, little money.”

‘Here,’ she
pointed at the sign, and turned to look at Brian.

He made the
call, Lucy breathing over his shoulder, not wanting to miss a word.
Again it was the answer machine, he had anticipated this might
happen and had composed a message in his mind.

‘Hi Sal, it’s
Monday night, I’m ok despite what you might hear. Do not tell
anyone that I have called you. I’m in danger from some people who
are stealing from the bank where I work, but I will get through
this. Try not to worry, I will call you soon, love you.’

Lucy was
silent, watching him closely, picking up on his serious mood. They
stood together on the pavement outside the phone shop, Brian lost
in thought. ‘Which hotel you stay?’ she asked.

‘One here in
town.’

‘We go your
hotel?’

Brian sighed.
‘Lucy, thank you for your help, but I’m in danger, there are some
bad men looking for me.’

‘Bad men
polices?’

He nodded. ‘I
don’t want to get you involved.’

Lucy looked
sideways at him weighing up this information. ‘You buy me beer tell
me your newses.’

Brian
hesitated. ‘Beer where?’ He could certainly use one.

‘Come,’ she
stepped out into the road and forced a tuk-tuk to an emergency
stop, the driver stalled it abruptly and yelled at her, she snarled
back and climbed in. ‘Birin come,’ she called. He hesitated, and
then got in beside her. Lucy gave the driver an address, smiling
sweetly at the scowl on his face. He looked like he wanted to throw
them both out, then shaking his head he restarted his taxi and
drove them to a beer garden. She paid the fare.