Emmanuel thought him arrogant, even ruthless. But it wasn't
his job to bring the major down. His conscience was already burdened by three
murders and the fact that he somehow connected them. Best let van Niekerk go to
hell without help. 'Night before last was private business. The major knew
nothing about it.'
'Are
you calling the major a liar?'
'No.
I'm saying I lied to the major.'
The
tradesman smiled at van Niekerk. 'He'll do nicely,' he said.
'I
never doubted it,' van Niekerk said.
Van
Niekerk and the pale man were visibly relaxed, pleased even. It seemed Emmanuel
had passed a test they'd set for him with a mix of lies and discretion.
'Will
getting out be a problem?' the tradesman said.
'It
won't be comfortable.' Van Niekerk cast a glance at the interview-room door.
'My men will keep it under control but we have to move quickly.'
'Where
are we going?' Emmanuel said.
'Out
of the station,' van Niekerk said. 'There's a car waiting for us at the front.'
'I'm
free?'
'No.'
The tradesman collected the toolbox and placed it on the table. His alabaster
hands rested lightly on the dented surface. 'You're being transferred from
police custody into my custody.'
'And
you are?'
'The
only one who can keep you off death row.'
'Why
would you want to do that?' Emmanuel needed to know the price of his freedom.
Walking away from three counts of murder did not come cheap.
'Because
you didn't kill the landlady or the maid, at least not with the knives they
have in evidence.'
'And
Jolly?'
'Jolly
was killed by the same person who killed the two women. You didn't kill the
women, therefore you didn't kill the boy.'
The
station detectives and the arresting policemen would not agree with the
tradesman's conclusion. They'd be furious when they learned their suspect had
been released.
'Exactly
what am I going to do once I'm in your custody?' Emmanuel asked.
'Investigate
Jolly Marks's murder,' came the tradesman's deadpan reply.
'And
Mrs Patterson and her maid. What about them?'
'Clear
Jolly's murder from the board first,' the tradesman said. 'Concentrate your
resources on one investigation at a time.'
'I'm
the prime suspect in all three murders. How's that going to work?'
'Your
investigation will run parallel with that of the regular force,' the major
explained smoothly. 'You'll report direct to me.'
'Or
stay here and wait for the fingerprint results on the torch that was found in
the alley to come back from Pretoria.' The tradesman picked up the metal box
and moved to the door. 'They can do that now, you know. Lift prints from
objects with a powder. It's a world first, developed right here in South
Africa.'
The
bloodstains on Emmanuel's fingertips made the whorls and ridges stand out like
contours on a map. He'd left clear prints on the torch and on the lip of the
landlady's porcelain sink. The results might take months to come back, but when
they did he was going to swing.
'What
will it be, Cooper?' the major said.
Emmanuel
stood up and went to the door. The murders of Jolly Marks and Mbali the maid
were identical in style and execution. He wouldn't find the connection between
the two victims from a jail cell.
'We'll
leave those on until we've exited the station.' Van Niekerk indicated the
handcuffs. 'Keep your head down, do not make eye contact and keep walking. I'll
deal with the flak.'
Olive
drab police uniform pants, polished black boots and plain cotton trousers
crowded the edges of Emmanuel's vision. He kept his head down. A low murmur
accompanied their speedy exit from the station house.
'Pig...
murderer... special favours... bastard... fucking disgrace . . .'
A
filthy, blood-covered criminal walks to freedom: Emmanuel knew how it looked.
Knew how it felt, too, when a guilty party slipped the net and cheated the law.
It made good policemen want to do bad things.
They
emerged onto the street. A gob of spit hit the pavement in front of him.
Emmanuel looked up. The stuttering constable with the injured nose
his job to bring the major down. His conscience was already burdened by three
murders and the fact that he somehow connected them. Best let van Niekerk go to
hell without help. 'Night before last was private business. The major knew
nothing about it.'
'Are
you calling the major a liar?'
'No.
I'm saying I lied to the major.'
The
tradesman smiled at van Niekerk. 'He'll do nicely,' he said.
'I
never doubted it,' van Niekerk said.
Van
Niekerk and the pale man were visibly relaxed, pleased even. It seemed Emmanuel
had passed a test they'd set for him with a mix of lies and discretion.
'Will
getting out be a problem?' the tradesman said.
'It
won't be comfortable.' Van Niekerk cast a glance at the interview-room door.
'My men will keep it under control but we have to move quickly.'
'Where
are we going?' Emmanuel said.
'Out
of the station,' van Niekerk said. 'There's a car waiting for us at the front.'
'I'm
free?'
'No.'
The tradesman collected the toolbox and placed it on the table. His alabaster
hands rested lightly on the dented surface. 'You're being transferred from
police custody into my custody.'
'And
you are?'
'The
only one who can keep you off death row.'
'Why
would you want to do that?' Emmanuel needed to know the price of his freedom.
Walking away from three counts of murder did not come cheap.
'Because
you didn't kill the landlady or the maid, at least not with the knives they
have in evidence.'
'And
Jolly?'
'Jolly
was killed by the same person who killed the two women. You didn't kill the
women, therefore you didn't kill the boy.'
The
station detectives and the arresting policemen would not agree with the
tradesman's conclusion. They'd be furious when they learned their suspect had
been released.
'Exactly
what am I going to do once I'm in your custody?' Emmanuel asked.
'Investigate
Jolly Marks's murder,' came the tradesman's deadpan reply.
'And
Mrs Patterson and her maid. What about them?'
'Clear
Jolly's murder from the board first,' the tradesman said. 'Concentrate your
resources on one investigation at a time.'
'I'm
the prime suspect in all three murders. How's that going to work?'
'Your
investigation will run parallel with that of the regular force,' the major
explained smoothly. 'You'll report direct to me.'
'Or
stay here and wait for the fingerprint results on the torch that was found in
the alley to come back from Pretoria.' The tradesman picked up the metal box
and moved to the door. 'They can do that now, you know. Lift prints from
objects with a powder. It's a world first, developed right here in South
Africa.'
The
bloodstains on Emmanuel's fingertips made the whorls and ridges stand out like
contours on a map. He'd left clear prints on the torch and on the lip of the
landlady's porcelain sink. The results might take months to come back, but when
they did he was going to swing.
'What
will it be, Cooper?' the major said.
Emmanuel
stood up and went to the door. The murders of Jolly Marks and Mbali the maid
were identical in style and execution. He wouldn't find the connection between
the two victims from a jail cell.
'We'll
leave those on until we've exited the station.' Van Niekerk indicated the
handcuffs. 'Keep your head down, do not make eye contact and keep walking. I'll
deal with the flak.'
Olive
drab police uniform pants, polished black boots and plain cotton trousers
crowded the edges of Emmanuel's vision. He kept his head down. A low murmur
accompanied their speedy exit from the station house.
'Pig...
murderer... special favours... bastard... fucking disgrace . . .'
A
filthy, blood-covered criminal walks to freedom: Emmanuel knew how it looked.
Knew how it felt, too, when a guilty party slipped the net and cheated the law.
It made good policemen want to do bad things.
They
emerged onto the street. A gob of spit hit the pavement in front of him.
Emmanuel looked up. The stuttering constable with the injured nose
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