LITMIR.BIZ

      CHAPTER TWENTY

      The Dwarsrivier Bed & Breakfast was only two blocks away, but the summer sun can fry you on the pavement, so we went in my bakkie. There were a lot of cars outside the B&B; I had to park a little way down the road. We walked slowly towards the building in the skinny shade of some thorn trees. It was one of those low square houses they built in the seventies, painted a pale brown without much character. Nothing like the original Victorian Ladismith houses. But it had a nice lawn in front of it with edges of pink flowers and a bench in the shade of Karoo willow tree.

      ‘That’s Dirk’s Toyota,’ said Jessie, pointing out a big white 4×4.

      There was also a Hilux van outside the guest house, and a family was unloading backpacks from it.

      ‘They don’t look like hikers,’ I said.

      They were well dressed, not the type to get their boots muddy. On the side of their van was a picture and some writing.

      ‘Seventh-day Adventists,’ said Jessie. ‘I did an article . . . ’ She was looking up the road. ‘Isn’t that Anna?’

      Yes, it was her, jumping out of her farm bakkie. Now she was striding towards the B&B. She was further away than us, but moving fast, her head down and her eyebrows coming together in a frown.

      ‘She must have got out on bail,’ I said.

      ‘She’s also coming to see Dirk,’ said Jessie.

      ‘I bet she’s not bringing cake,’ I said.

      ‘Anna,’ I called and waved. She didn’t look up. We moved faster. ‘Anna!’

      She saw us, but didn’t look happy about it. Jessie ran ahead and stood at the gate entrance, blocking her way. But Anna didn’t slow down; she was going to crash right into Jessie.

      ‘Anna. Wait!’

      I wasn’t running, because I don’t believe in running, but I was walking very fast and my breathing interfered with my shouting. Anna stopped and glared at me. She was wearing those farm boots and jeans and a man’s white shirt.

      I wiped sweat off my forehead and waited for my voice to catch up with me before I said, ‘What are you doing?’

      ‘Tannie Maria,’ she said. ‘Stay out of the way.’

      She pushed Jessie aside as if Jessie was light as a meringue and barrelled up the concrete path towards the front door. A man with a big beard jumped out of her way and into a flower bed. Before she stepped inside she rested her hand on a bulge at the back of her shirt. It was a gun, tucked into her jeans.

      Jessie pulled out her pepper spray.

      ‘That’s no match for a gun,’ I said.

      ‘I know,’ she said, ‘but Dirk’s got a gun too, and she might need help.’

      ‘Jessie, no,’ I said but she scooted up the path and into the building.

      I plodded after her, armed with only my Tupperware. I crossed a dark carpet with a mottled pattern to get to the reception area where there were some beige couches and a young redhead behind a desk. There was no sign of Anna or Jessie.

      ‘Call the police. Now,’ I said. ‘And an ambulance.’

      The girl just looked at me with her mouth hanging open. I grabbed the phone off her desk and dialled.

      ‘Ma . . . ’ called the girl.

      She wrapped her finger around a strand of her hair, and twisted it round and round. The policeman who answered the phone tried to ask me twenty questions but I got him to put me onto Detective Lieutenant Kannemeyer.

      ‘Anna’s just arrived at the Dwarsrivier B&B where Dirk is staying,’ I told the detective. ‘She’s got a gun.’

      ‘I’m on my way,’ he said.

      ‘We may need an ambulance too,’ I said, just before he hung up.

      ‘What room is Dirk van Schalkwyk in?’ I asked the girl.

      ‘Maaaaaa . . . ’ she called, her eyes wide open.

      I heard noises and saw an open door leading to a courtyard. A woman in a floral dress with a scarf covering her curlers came waddling out of a little office.

      ‘Jaaa . . . ’ she said to her daughter.

      But I was already on my way outside. A row of guest rooms opened onto an area with a pool, a table and chairs with a big umbrella, and some deck chairs. Kids and teenagers were swimming, and lying around the pool. Jessie was trying to get them to move into the reception area but they were ignoring her.

      ‘Emergency evacuation,’ said Jessie. ‘Move it!’

      A girl on a deck chair rolled from her back onto her side.

      ‘I was here first,’ she said.

      A little boy ran and jumped into the pool, splashing us all. It was a rude thing to do but I welcomed the cold drops on my face and arms.

      Anna was moving along, checking on each of the rooms. Her gun was held behind her back. These were badly behaved youngsters, I thought, but they didn’t deserve to get caught in a gun fight. I slipped off my shoes, stood on the first step of the pool and opened up my Tupperware. I unwrapped the cake, and held it out in front of me. I had their attention.

      ‘Cake,’ I said. ‘If you hurry inside now, you will each get a piece. Stay inside till I call you.’

      The kids were up and in that room like spring hares. I could hear the redhead and her ma shouting at them as they dripped water across the carpets. I felt bad lying to them about food. But I had a plan, so I wouldn’t really be lying.

      ‘Clear out,’ said Jessie, waving her pepper spray at a couple peering out from one of the rooms. They looked at Jessie and Anna then scuttled away.

      There were just two more unopened doors.

      ‘Don’t do it, Anna,’ I called. ‘Come sit and talk and with me. I’ve got a lamb sandwich and cake.’ I clutched my Tupperware to my heart. ‘Please.’

      But she was as focused as a lioness stalking her own dinner. Jessie was following her, getting closer.

      ‘Fok off,’ she said.

      She turned the handle on the second-last door, and opened it a crack. I closed my Tupperware and took a few steps back. Things were looking bad. Jessie gripped Anna’s shoulder and Anna struck out at Jessie, sending her flying backwards. Jessie lost her balance and toppled into the pool, splashing us with some more cool water.

      Anna pushed the door open with her foot, holding her gun out in front of her. The room was empty.

      Then I heard a toilet flushing, and the sound got louder as the bathroom door opened. It was not Dirk who stepped out, but a woman in a long dress.

      ‘Voetsek,’ said Anna, chasing her from the room.

      The woman shrieked and ran into the main house.

      There was still the sound of gurgling and splashing . . .

      Oh my God, Jessie! She can’t swim, I remembered.

      I

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