Free Random Violence by Jassy Mackenzie Page B

in search of an ashtray, with his other hand cupped underneath for safety.
    “He seems disturbed,” Graham murmured, turning to Jade.
    “Yes. Although I think he’s always like this,” she whispered. “Artistic.”
    “Ah.” Graham nodded slowly. “That would explain it.”
    Piet returned carrying an ashtray and looking relieved. He put the ashtray on the pile of business cards. It tilted and his cigarette fell out. He grabbed it while Jade straightened the ashtray.
    “The police are still looking into it,” Piet said. “They haven’t made any arrests yet. I’m still under investigation myself.” He stubbed out his cigarette. “But they think it’s a hijacking. Like the newspapers said.” He sighed. “The criminals could be anywhere by now. That’s why I’m angry the investigation is taking so long. The more time that passes, the more chance they have to disappear.”
    Graham nodded. His smile had vanished. “That’s bad news for you, my friend. Bad news for me, too. If an arrest was made, people would feel more secure.” He reached into an inside pocket and took out a silver business card holder. He gave a card to Piet and another to Jade. Piet handed him one of his cards in turn.
    “Please call me if you hear anything further,” Graham said. “The sooner we can spread the good news that there’s been progress, the better.”
    When Graham had left, Piet walked round to the back of the house. Jade could see that his spate of visitors had inter-rupted a gardening session. A trowel, fork, shears and a pair of gloves lay by one of the untidy flowerbeds. He pulled a water sprinkler across to another bed, put the gloves back on and squatted down on the dry grass. For a while, all she heard was the thunking sound of the trowel in the earth. Jade looked out over the garden fence, towards the dark shape of the horse barn and the fields that stretched away to the horizon like a golden eiderdown.
    “I can’t stand it that Annette’s been taken from me, Jade.” He looked up at her. “Living without her was torture. I don’t know how I’m going to handle it when I go back to Cape Town. After we divorced, I used to spend hours wondering where she was going and what she was doing. Whether she was OK or not.”
    A weed landed at Jade’s feet with a little thump, spraying soil over her new shoes.
    “Is that why you had her followed?” she asked.
    Piet dropped the trowel and swiveled round to stare up at her.
    The frozen expression on his face told her all she needed to know.
    “Followed? Who told you that?” Piet struggled to his feet, dusting soil off his jeans. He glanced at her, biting his lip, and then looked away.
    “Never mind who told me. It’s true, though, isn’t it?”
    “Well, I mean …” He shook his head. “I didn’t think it mattered.”
    “Piet.” Jade stared down at the little man in exasperation. “You don’t think anything matters. You didn’t tell the police about Annette contacting a private detective, either.”
    “Yes, but that was different. I forgot about it.”
    “And you forgot about following her, too?”
    “No, no.” Piet’s head swiveled from side to side, as if looking for the cavalry coming to rescue him. “I didn’t forget about that. Like I said, I didn’t think it was …” He searched for the word and found it. “Relevant.” He snapped his fingers. “That’s it. I didn’t think it was relevant.”
    “The police are going to think it’s extremely relevant.”
    Piet looked at her, anguish in his eyes.
    “That detective already said I was a suspect. I’m terrified of being falsely accused. Like the way it happens on TV. I don’t want the police to arrest me, Jade. What if I get put in prison for something I didn’t do? If you tell them this, they might think I’m guilty.”
    His voice had risen to a shout. He glared at her, breathing hard. “If I’d thought it was important, I’d have said so. I nearly told you about it when you were