BAMAKO by Aribert Raphael (smart books to read txt) 📖

His voice was demanding, almost commanding.
Here they were again, back at the one-night-stand proposition, and that wasn’t a proposition Talya wanted to consider, not now, not ever.
“In that case, I think we have to part company,” Talya said. “I cannot see you as my lawyer anymore, because I will not sacrifice what I’m trying to achieve to satisfy a passing desire.”
Hassan got up, and without a word; he walked out of the hotel.
Talya was stunned. She had done it. However justified she had been for doing so. She had chased him away. She hated herself for doing it. She stood up, walked out of the lounge and slowly climbed the stairs leading to her room. She felt disgruntled, flustered, and down right mad at herself. Talya couldn’t see how she was going to face the next day. She needed some shut-eye, but with all that coffee, she didn’t expect to be going to sleep anytime soon.
26
Hassan drove to Mohammed’s house. He had to talk to someone. This was fast becoming a nightmare. He could have kicked himself for walking out on her, but Talya was unbelievable. She wanted him, he could see it in her eyes, and yet, she sent him away like an unwanted servant. He was hurt.
He arrived at Mohammed’s place very late but as usual, the latter was sitting on the bench below the street light.
“Well, well, what brings you here on this fine night?” Mohammed watched his friend come to sit beside him.
Without preamble, Hassan said, “Have you ever known me to take a woman and reject her after one night?”
“No, not since you’ve returned from France, yet, I don’t know what you did while you were at the Sorbonne or while you were living in Paris.” Mohammed smiled. “But what’s this about?”
“It’s about Talya…”
“Umm, I see, and what about her?” Their meeting earlier that day had left a bitter taste in Mohammed’s mouth. “She is a very strong woman, you know. You saw her this morning.” His tone was flat, indignant. “You better watch your step. She won’t do your bidding, you know. She’s white, don’t you forget that.”
“I know, but she’s not giving in to her emotions either.”
“What do you mean by that?” Mohammed was curious.
“Well, I think I’m falling in love with her and I’ve told her!”
Mohammed couldn’t believe his ears. He looked at Hassan astonished. “You did what? You’re not serious? How could you be such an—”
“Such an idiot; is that what you were going to say?”
“Yes, that’s what I wanted to say. Do you realize what you’ve done? You had the opportunity of a lifetime here and you’ve shoved it down the drain just because you can’t control your yearnings? If that’s not idiotic, I don’t know what is.”
“That’s why I came to see you.”
“And what am I suppose to do about it?” Mohammed flared angrily. “The woman is probably filing a complaint against you as we speak.”
“No, she won’t do that. I know because I could see she has some feelings for me as well.”
“Did she say so? Did she tell you she felt the same way for you as you do for her? Or is it in your imagination?”
“No, I’m not imagining it. We went to the restaurant tonight and I touched her hand and she didn’t take it away.”
“Hassan! How could you? Don’t you have any restraint? Again, I tell you she’s white and she’ll turn on you…”
Hassan shook his head. “No!” he said vehemently. “I can’t believe that. I can read her better than that.”
“Oh, you can, can you? And what are you doing here then?”
“She invited me at the hotel for a tea after the restaurant and then she sent me away.”
“And you thought the invitation was meant for you to go straight to bed with her?”
“I guess I reached the wrong conclusion.” Hassan was abashed.
“That you did, you fool. How could you…?”
“I needed to find out if I love her or if it’s just infatuation. It’s driving me insane.”
“Did you also tell her that?”
“Yes, I did.” Hassan was embarrassed now, not because of Mohammed’s berating but because he recognized what he had said and done.
“You’re unbelievable! I’ve got only one thing to say to you: you’ve got to apologize and forget about getting involved with her for now. Otherwise, you’re asking for trouble. She may be a wonderful woman, and she obviously has principles and integrity, and those, my friend, won’t be bent just because you want her.”
Hassan felt miserable. He sat his head down, elbows on his knees. Mohammed patted his back in a friendly gesture. He knew Hassan well and he knew from experience that he wasn’t a man to give in to his emotions this easily. He wondered if his friend was really falling in love after all.
“All right then. It’s getting late. You go home and think about what I’ve said, and tomorrow you go and see her and ask her to forget about this whole thing.”
“I guess you’re right. I’ll see you later then …”
“Inshallah.”
Hassan got to his feet and walked away pensive.
27
Even with all the coffee she drank the evening before, Talya woke up the next morning feeling rested. She had fallen asleep on top of the covers. Somehow fatigue must have dragged her down into never-never land quickly enough.
And, wouldn’t you know it? The telephone rang. She picked up the receiver still lying on the bed.
“Hello?”
The receptionist was on the line.
“Good morning, Madame Kartz, sorry to disturb you but Maitre Sangor is here and he would like a word with you. Would you like me to put him through?”
“Hassan…,” Talya said, then caught herself, “I mean Maitre Sangor is downstairs?”
“Yes, Madame Kartz, Maitre is right here. Shall I put him on?”
“Of course, yes, yes please do.” Talya sat up wide-awake now.
“Talya? How are you?” As if nothing happened…. Unbelievable!
“I’m fine. And you?”
“I’m okay. I could be better, but that will happen only if and when I see you.”
“I just woke up. I don’t even know what time it is. If you have a few minutes to spare, just enough time for me to take a shower, I’ll meet you at the restaurant.”
“It’s already ten o’clock. I haven’t been to the office yet, and since you’re not ready, I’ll come back before lunch. How does that sound?”
“It sounds fine. Oh, before you go, tell me why did you decide to come back? I thought you were gone for good last night.”
“You don’t know me, Talya. I have a hard time letting go of an idea. See you in a couple of hours.”
He had hung up before Talya could say anything else. She looked at the receiver in her hand and wondered...
She got up, took a shower, turned on the music and felt good about herself. However, trouble was looming. Talya sensed it. She phoned the airline office and booked a return trip to Dakar for the following weekend. She wanted to believe that the Kankoon application was going to get through without a hitch, if Hassan put his mind to it and if the Minister did what he had promised to do, even though Hassan had told her they were only dismissal words on the part of the Minister, and not a promise. Yet, Talya wanted to go back to finding Savoi (and Rheza maybe?). She knew it was important to bring the man to justice, for many reasons, including that of Hassan’s father being duped. She had not forgotten about that problem, but it had to wait until she met with the man and examine what sort of settlement he and the other proprietors could consider as suitable.
Talya dialled Mohammed Fade’s number. She wasn’t sure he would be in his office, this being Saturday. He picked up the phone at first ring.
Doing away with the customary civilities rather quickly, Talya said, “I phoned to apologize for my behaviour yesterday. It was uncalled for. I know you wanted to help me to try to redress the situation. I had no excuse for erupting the way I did, nor should I have disturbed you for what is now Carmine’s problem.”
“First, you were not disturbing me, Madame Kartz. You must know this. I’m Rheza’s uncle and what you may consider to be ‘Carmine’s problem’, may go beyond and turn out to be much more complex than we first imagined. So, not only was I trying to help you (or your company) but I was intending to help Rheza out of the mess.”
“I can see that now. Yet at this stage, as I’m sure you understand, you can’t expect my company to pay for anyone’s assistance in this regard. The Board is adamant on that point. The Directors only want to cut their losses, not add to them.”
“Believe me, I understand your position. Then perhaps you’re right and you shouldn’t concern yourself with Rheza’s predicament…”
“But, I am concerned, Monsieur Fade. I believe Rheza’s troubles are directly related to her uncle’s disappearance. Moreover, as we have concluded on several occasions, I need to find Monsieur Savoi in order to clear my company’s name, which is imperative if we ever want to do business in your country. I also believe that I can only find a solution in Dakar and not in Bamako. I have told Hassan already, I’m going to Senegal shortly.”
“I’m very happy to hear you say that, because I know you’re right. Dakar will be the place where you’ll find the answers we’re all seeking. However, I’ll offer you some advice: do not trust anyone or you’ll be sorry for having done so.”
Especially Abdul Rasheed. “May be so, yet, I think I have a chance to kill two birds with one stone. On the one hand the trip to Dakar is an opportunity for me to start talking to Monsieur Hjamal and, on the other; maybe I’ll find out where your brother-in-law is hiding and locate Rheza as well.”
“Yes, I think that’s possible, even probable. I phoned Rheza’s family last night, she hasn’t been home for two days now. Therefore, it is my belief she’s gone to Dakar, as Hassan suggested.”
“That’s what I suspected also.” She paused. “Monsieur Fade, may I ask you a question?”
“Of course, what is it?”
“How did you know Abdul Rasheed?”
“Oh, well, I knew of Monsieur Hjamal from his well publicized venture in Senegal. A few months ago, his associate, Monsieur Rasheed, had investigated the possibility of obtaining financial assistance from our government. They were eventually turned down, I might add. I, therefore, knew they were involved in the mining industry. So, Rasheed’s name came to mind when you mentioned that my brother-in-law may have gone to Senegal. Does that answer your question?”
“Yes, it does, and thank you for that piece of information. All I need now is to file the Kankoon application, pack up my bags and get to Dakar as soon as I can.”
“Yes, but again, please be careful…” He paused.