Here is an extract from Chapter Six of In the Long Run.
The British marathon runner, Ryan, has now realised the terrible mistake he has made over his judgement of the American Tony Manelli and is desperate to flee South Africa. But is he already in too deep? Can he protect the girl Gayle who he has fallen for and still somehow escape from the terrifying clutches of the man known to him only as Parker?
Ryan paused outside, hating himself. He had sensed Gayle’s eyes following him as he left the bar. But what could he do? If he couldn’t get a flight home quickly then there was little doubt that Parker would turn nasty. The way he had acted was in Gayle’s best interests, even if she didn’t know it.
Was he being watched? It seemed probable. He would have to be very careful if he were to conceal his intentions. He would also have to get some kind of warning to Manelli. He couldn’t live with himself if he did not do that. Perhaps an anonymous last minute call from the airport? Once Kenny and Clint knew the danger, he was sure that the pair of them could protect Manelli from anything Parker might produce. And once he was on the plane, he too would be safe from any threat.
‘Hello Mister Ryan.’
The voice came from behind. He spun quickly around.
Facing him was the same stocky African he had met in the hotel elevator. Even though the man appeared friendly enough, Ryan felt his stomach twist with fear. There was something about his dissembling smile and the way he kept appearing out of nowhere.
‘You look worried,’ the African observed. ‘Is everything going as expected?’
‘Of course. No problems at all.’ There was a small croak in Ryan’s voice.
The benign expression continued. ‘Good. Mister Parker wants to talk to you.’
It took all Ryan’s effort to conceal his alarm. What the hell did Parker want with him so soon? Surely he couldn’t suspect his change of heart? He decided to try and bluster his way out of the situation.
‘Not tonight, I’m tired. Surely tomorrow will do.’
The man’s smile fell away in an instant. ‘No. He wants to see you now.’ He indicated a fairly old car parked on the other side of the street. ‘Now,’ he repeated.
Ryan thought as quickly as his frightened mind would allow. To refuse would be crazy. Apart from revealing how he now felt, he had no idea what force might be used. This guy could easily have a gun on him. His smile didn’t mean a damn thing.
He sighed. ‘Okay, let’s go.’
Like a dutiful chauffeur the African opened the front passenger door and ushered him inside.
They drove through the city in silence. At last Ryan could stand it no more. ‘Where are we going?’ he asked.
‘Not far.’ The driver’s tone stated very clearly that there would be no more information forthcoming.
Before long the city was behind them and they were heading along the main North Coast road. After nearly thirty minutes the car eventually slowed to make a left turn onto a rough dirt track.
Bumps and potholes littered the new surface, causing their vehicle to buck wildly at times. Away from the semi security of the main road it was dark. Suffocatingly so. Only the two small puddles of weak orange light from the car’s headlights offered any relief from the claustrophobic blackness. It was like being transported to another world in a matter of seconds. A world where anything could happen and nobody would ever know. The driver’s silence compounded what Ryan prayed was his irrational fear.
After another ten minutes of bumpy driving his fearful gaze began to make out a flickering glow ahead. As they drew closer he could see that the light came from a large bonfire. The flames gave fragmented illumination to several squalid looking huts. Each sullen silhouette assumed an air of grave potential menace.
As they entered the small township numerous dark figures began to appear. Each one stared into the vehicle with hostile curiosity. The car had now slowed right down to a pedestrian crawl, allowing these shadowy figures to walk menacingly alongside in silent close escort.
Ryan’s eyes suddenly fell onto a smouldering rubber tyre lying abandoned on the ground ahead. Even with the car windows closed, the stench of burning rubber was pungent. My God, he thought, now very close to blind panic. They’ve had a necklacing here.
Several times he had read with revulsion in the British press about this inhuman form of execution. A sadistic ritual in which a car tyre was placed around the naked victim’s neck, filled with petrol, and then set ablaze. It was the ultimate punishment for those considered to be informers or collaborators.
The car pulled up just alongside the focus of Ryan’s horrified attention. ‘Out,’ the driver instructed. His tone brooked no argument.
There was little choice. As Ryan emerged, a silent mass of inhospitable black faces stared at him. He wanted to say something – to shout out to them: Why are you staring at me like this? I’m on your side. Surely these people would then understand all the support he had given them in the past. All the protest marches and demo’s held on their behalf. This whole area was just like the townships he had seen featured on TV documentaries back home.
But this was not TV, and he was not in the safety of his own front room. This was actually happening to him. Ryan almost cried out loud in panic. Why had he been brought to such a place? Where was Parker?
Ryan’s questions were soon answered. Parker suddenly appeared in the doorway of the nearest hut. As before, the man was immaculately turned out, although framed as he was by a patchwork of rusting corrugated iron and splintered timbers, his dress now appeared ridiculously out of place.
In spite of this impression it was still clear that he held a position of authority here. All eyes tuned towards him as he approached Ryan.
He spoke to the driver first. ‘Any difficulties?’ he asked, raising an eyebrow.
The African’s smile returned. ‘No Boss.’
Parker nodded before turning his attention to Ryan. ‘And how are things progressing?’ he demanded.
There was no prelude to this brusque question. No small talk. Not even a hello.
Throughout the drive Ryan had been trying desperately to work out what he would say to Parker when asked this. Now the moment was here, could he carry it off? His eyes flickered once more towards the smouldering, partially melted tyre before answering. He prayed that his performance would be convincing.
‘It’s going well. I’ve made friends with Manelli just as you wanted. He seems to like me. I even had dinner with him tonight.’
Parker gave a curt nod. ‘Yes, I’m aware of that.’
His tone then became a touch friendlier, although his eyes remained hard. He moved closer to Ryan and placed a hand on the runner’s shoulder.
‘I see that you have noticed the necklace over there. I take it that you are familiar with its use?’
Ryan swallowed hard and nodded. He said nothing.
‘It is not a pleasant way to die, I can assure you.’ The old man then gave a short laugh that was totally lacking in humour. ‘But of course it is only used on those who attempt to deceive or betray us. That being so, there is absolutely no need for someone like yourself to be concerned. Is there?’
For a few seconds Ryan thought he was going to be sick. Now he knew for certain that Parker was completely inhuman. The thought of that rubber obscenity being placed around his neck completely numbed his brain, making him unable to answer.
Parker removed his hand. ‘I can see that you are impressed. And in answer to your unspoken question, no, it has not been employed for such a use tonight. It is there merely to illustrate my point.’
‘Why are you telling me this?’ Ryan’s voice was a husky whisper.
Parker’s tone became hard once more. ‘Your conduct since arriving here causes me to doubt your wholehearted support for our aims. This is not a holiday. Your friendship with the girl for instance – the barmaid.’
‘She knows nothing,’ Ryan protested. ‘She’s just a friend, that’s all.’
‘But your instructions were to make friends with Manelli. No one else. Any diversion could be viewed as frivolous conduct. Worse than that, a security risk.’
‘I won’t see her again. She doesn’t mean anything to me.’ He had to keep Gayle out of this at all costs.
‘It is too late now, she is involved.’ There was a chilling finality to Parker’s words.
‘I’ve already told you, she doesn’t know anything. She means nothing.’
Parker was unmoved. ‘You protest too much,’ he stated. ‘It is very obvious that even in the brief time you have been here, you have already developed a certain affection for this girl. A very stupid thing for someone in your position to do.’
The horrific thought of Gayle being sucked into Parker’s insane world brought home to Ryan as never before just how much he did care for the girl. It was crazy that he should feel like this after just a couple of days. Crazy – but still undeniably true.
‘You’re not going to harm her in any way,’ he said. It came out as half question, half defiant statement.
‘She will be in no danger just so long as you continue to do as instructed.’
Ryan could not suppress a sigh of relief. This feeling was quickly replaced though by the awful realisation that he would, after all, be forced to carry on with this terrible business. Although Manelli clearly did not deserve to be sacrificed, there could be no question of skipping the country and leaving Gayle at the mercy of these people. The thought of that was just too horrible to contemplate.
‘I warn you,’ Parker continued, ‘if you have any naïve notions that the authorities here can help or protect you and the young lady, forget them. You would undoubtedly end up in jail and she would most certainly ….’
He allowed the words to hang ominously before adding: ‘Nobody can be protected forever.’
‘All right, there’s no need to spell it out. Just tell me what I need to do.’ The resentment in Ryan’s voice was strong.
Parker allowed himself the luxury of a brief smile. ‘Having formed this unfortunate friendship with the girl, it would now be better if you were to let it continue. A sudden change of attitude on your part might well cause unwanted attention. It is important that you appear as natural as possible. I would add though, should you breathe a word of our plans to her, then you will both die. Is that clear?’
‘How the hell can I appear natural with a threat like that hanging over my head?’ Ryan demanded.
‘That is one of several problems that you will have to work out for yourself. I am sure, given the considerable incentives involved, that you will manage somehow.’
This aspect was then dismissed with an imperious wave of Parker’s hand. ‘Turning to more practical matters,’ he continued, ‘I think it would be a good idea if you were to attend Manelli’s first concert this Monday. You are now on good terms, so I am sure that he will provide you with a couple of tickets should you ask for them. Take your young barmaid. Now that she is involved so to speak, albeit unknowingly, we may as well obtain some use out of her.’
Parker gave a sardonic smile. ‘The combination of a pretty face and a smattering of intelligence will nearly always make an impression with our American friend. Unless I am very much mistaken, the young lady qualifies adequately in these departments. You will quite possibly find that by having her in your company, Manelli will be keener than ever to socialise with you.’
Ryan’s fear of Parker was now supplemented by a total loathing. How could the bastard drag an innocent young girl so cynically into this violent mess? To think that he had come six thousand miles to help such a man. Damn Tyler for being so persuasive. Not that his old friend could possibly have known how dangerous things would become. But damn him anyway. Damn him – damn him – damn him!
‘What if she won’t come?’ he asked Parker.
‘I’m sure that she will. She seems rather fond of you. In any case, I can’t imagine there are many young women who would pass up a chance of meeting Tony Manelli.’
Remembering Gayle’s response when he had told her about dining with the singer, Ryan was forced to agree.
‘So what then?’ he asked, bitterly conceding the point.
‘You will discover Manelli’s plans for the day of the race. Find out whether he intends to watch it on television from the safety of his penthouse suite, or if, as is more likely, he is contemplating an actual visit to the event. I am positive that now he is taking a personal interest in your performance you will have little trouble gaining this information.’
‘And what if he does choose to actually be there?’
Parker’s expression barely altered. ‘Then we will arrange for it to be his final public appearance.’
A loud burst of laughter from the smiling African standing just a few feet away jolted Ryan back to awareness of his surroundings. So intense had been his exchange with Parker that temporarily only the two of them existed. Now once again he was conscious of the oppressive atmosphere and host of hostile faces still gazing at him.
In spite of this intimidation, his anger gave him courage. He would do anything to protect Gayle.
‘Is there anything else or can I go now?’ he asked, not even attempting to disguise the enmity in his voice.
Parker gave him one final austere look. ‘You can leave,’ he stated. He then made a sharp movement with his hand. The African driver moved closer.
‘Take Mister Ryan back to his hotel Simon. I think he now knows where his loyalties lie.’
Simon grinned broadly. ‘Yes Boss.’