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

and our government should be involved once again in this matter and how far we would wish to go with that involvement before you take any step to meet with the parties concerned.”
Talya rushed to reply, “I believe there are only two flights between Bamako and Dakar for the rest of the week. I have a reservation to travel on Sunday. But, should there be a seat available on the earlier flight, I’ll be sure to be on it.”
“I would appreciate it, Ms Kartz. On the other hand, Monsieur Fade of the Prime Minister’s office, who has been of great assistance to us thus far, has told me that your solicitor, Maitre Sangor, usually accompanies you. If Maitre Sangor is still attending this conference call, I would like to have a word with him now.”
“Mr. Ambassador, Maitre Sangor speaking. I’m honoured to meet you, Sir.”
“Likewise, Likewise…. Maitre, as you have heard what I have told Madame Kartz, if you were in the room at the time, in my view, it is imperative that you accompany this lady where ever she goes until this affair is completely cleared. As you can appreciate, we are dealing with dangerous people, to say the least. Accordingly, when you arrive in Dakar, a car will come directly at the foot of the plane to fetch you both and drive you to the Meridien Hotel where rooms will be reserved. She should not speak to anyone in the meantime. Let me insist on that last point. Monsieur Fade, are you still listening?”
“Yes I’m still here, Sir Gillian.”
“Monsieur Fade, you have told me very little about this affair. I understand your reticence to have a foreign government involved unduly in a matter that only concerns a Canadian company investing in Mali. However, we are now talking of Madame Kartz’s personal safety. As a Canadian citizen, she is entitled to my protection. Seeing to her well-being whilst travelling and working in your country, is my responsibility. For that reason, I will stress once again; it is imperative that she does not speak to anyone before departing Mali. Better, I’ve asked Mr. Flaubert not to call her until she arrives at my office in Dakar—the telephone communications at the Grand Hotel are not secure. I know this for a fact.” He paused. Talya frowned. “There is another reason, which should be more apparent to you and perhaps more relevant at this time. Monsieur Hjamal has contacts everywhere in West Africa and it is not the long arm of the law that he is stretching across our border but one of criminal activities. Consequently, since Madame Kartz would not know whom she could be talking to—friend or foe—it is much better for her to refrain from having any contact with anyone. Have I made myself clear, Monsieur Fade?”
“You have, Sir. Madame Kartz will be under surveillance the moment she leaves my office tonight. She will be well guarded before she goes away and I will confirm her flight reservations as well as the ones for Maitre Sangor, myself.”
“It is all arranged then. Are we all clear?”
They answered in unison. Sir Gillian had spoken. He must have been an old army fellow used to giving orders left, right and centre.
“Sir Gillian, I must thank you for your care and understanding of the situation,” Talya said. “But I’m sure I’m quite safe for now. It would be too obvious for anyone to attract attention by attempting to harm me when a murder has just been uncovered.”
“You may be correct, Ms Kartz, but I can’t take any chance with your life. Another point: I’ve asked of Monsieur Flaubert to stay by the phone and wait for your call. He must be expecting it right now. So, if Monsieur Fade will allow you to use his phone, I suggest you ring your president as soon as you can.”
“That won’t be a problem, Sir Gillian,” Monsieur Fade agreed, “Madame Kartz can ring Vancouver from here. But, I must ask you: have you made Monsieur Flaubert aware of the arrangements we’ve just made?”
Right about then, Talya turned down the volume and kept her own counsel, the voices drowning in the background of her thoughts….
“Yes, I have … Monsieur Fade. There won’t be any surprise at that end….”
“…Yes, Sir, I will”
“I must thank you for everything you’ve done thus far and for whatever you’re doing…”

39
Soon after Sir Gillian rang off, Talya felt a desperate need to be alone to unravel this skein of dirty wool, to find where it all began to lead her where it all would end.
“Talya? Are you all right?” Hassan was asking.
“Yes, yes … I’m fine. I’m sorry, what were you saying?”
Monsieur Fade and Hassan stared at her uncomprehending.
“I feel like I’m under protective custody…. And…”
“But, Talya, that’s what you are ‘under protective custody’,” Hassan cut-in. “No one has openly threatened you yet, but what happened to Richard Gillman can and will happen to you if you’re not careful.” Hassan had taken Talya’s hand in his.
Monsieur Fade looked at the two of them from across the desk. “Madame Kartz, you’ve explained very clearly the reason for your trip to Dakar. Obviously, you are going to put yourself at risk to bring this situation to a satisfactory conclusion. You’ve said it yourself: “now it’s up to me.” Even the ambassador deems it imperative that you travel to Dakar under guard. So, I’m sure you can see why we need to take care of your safety—if only for our peace of mind.”
“I can see that, and I appreciate it, Monsieur Fade. I’ve also heard the ambassador and I won’t ignore any of his recommendations either. However, my point is, too many people are involved already. I can’t tell you how upset I am about putting so many people at risk, just because they’ve been thrown in the midst of all this trouble and didn’t ask for any of it.” Talya was shaken up—no two ways about it.
“I think it’s time for you to call Monsieur Flaubert,” Monsieur Fade said, his tone dismissive. Clearly, the man didn’t want to hear any more discussion regarding Talya’s opposing views on the subject of liberty of action or risks to be taken or not taken.
Within minutes, James was on the line. “How are you, my dear? Have you heard from the ambassador?”
“Yes I have, James, and thank you, I’m fine. I’m in Monsieur Fade’s office where Sir Gillian called us. He made it very clear that I wasn’t to speak to anyone until I arrive in Dakar and that he wanted Maitre Sangor to accompany me to Senegal.”
“Yes, that is what we’ve decided. I can’t stress enough that the only reason you’re still in Africa is that Sir Gillian and the Board need an explanation and have requested your assistance, in resolving this situation.”
“But to do that, I… Frankly, I don’t want to advertise my presence anywhere or make a show of being guarded. I’d prefer to be left alone to do my work.”
“First of all, Talya, you’ve done your work. You have filed the Kankoon application. The money we’ve sent to Monsieur Savoi cannot be recovered. Therefore, if it weren’t for the fact that we have a body at our doorsteps and that we happen to know something of the people involved, you would be on your way home already. So, take it or leave it, you’re going to travel under guard from now on. And if Maitre Sangor is hearing this, I’ll have only to say this to him: Ms Kartz is to be coming home as soon as possible.” Talya could hear the stress in James’s voice. He was not pleased.
“Monsieur Flaubert,” Hassan began, “I’ll make sure that Madame Kartz is safely on her way back to Vancouver as soon as we’ve completed our mission. However, I must emphasize the matter is quite complex and it may take a few days for us to tie all of the loose ends.”
“Yes, I understand the circumstances, Maitre. In the meantime, you’ll have to keep me informed of your progress. The Board of Directors is on my back to be given explanations as to what’s been happening over there. I can’t keep feeding them with conjectures and suppositions. I have to come up with evidence to demonstrate that we, as a company, will come out of this affair unscathed.”
“I understand, sir. You can rest assured that Madame Kartz and I will do everything in our power to have this situation cleared up in the briefest time possible.”
40
A half-an-hour later, Talya was back at the hotel. Everything was quiet. No one had been asking for her during the afternoon and no message had been left with the receptionist. Since Hassan was now assigned to stay with her for the duration, he had gone back to his place to pick up an over-night case.
As Talya sat on the bed, her mind clamouring with everything she had been told to do and not to do, she reflected on the past 24 hours. What a mess!
She wanted to call Chantal. Before doing anything else, however, she had to have a shower. She felt as if all of the dirt and grime of the day were pasted on her skin.
The water running down her body felt soothing. She could’ve stayed there for hours. Her senses were raw. Fear has an insidious way of invading one’s mind and it was happening to her.
She tried to shrug off all of those warnings she had heard during the day, but none as crystal-clear as the one from the ambassador: “you’re not to speak to anyone until you reach my office,” And the lame excuse for it: “communications are not safe…” The ambassador wanted to prevent any possible meeting with “friend or foe.” Perhaps he knew Rasheed was in town and he didn’t want a confrontation between the two of them. Yet, wasn’t Talya right in thinking that it was a simple matter of Hjamal and Rasheed forcing her hand, or was she deluding herself?
There was something else, which was nagging at her: there hadn’t been any ransom demands made, at any time, for the safe return of Richard Gillman. Why not? In fact, his abduction and detention had been reported only weeks after his arrival in Senegal, when “a missionary group contacted the embassy…” and it was only then that a successful rescue had been conducted. ‘Successful’ to a point, Richard had re-appeared months later, to be killed. Why? Why did he come back?
Richard’s letter bothered Talya also. The piece of information missing from it; what was it that he hadn’t told them?
And where was the Dutchman coming into all this? How far was he involved? He was mentioned in the letter. He knew Richard Gillman. Wasn’t he supposed to phone her?
Talya came out of the shower in a daze. The questions kept on scrambling for first place in a race against her brainpower. What happened to Rheza? Why did she give her car to Rasheed? Did she lend it willingly or was it forcibly taken from her? And what was Savoi doing…? Was he in collusion with Hjamal and Rasheed?
She dressed casually in the loosest attire she possessed, and