Night Of Knives

Chapter 35

"And what do you intend to do with her?" General Gorokwe asks.

His voice is low, powerful, accustomed to command. Veronica looks at Danton, wide-eyed, awaiting the answer, trying to look as pitiful as possible. She hates him with every cell of her being, but right now her only hope is his forbearance.

"Nobody touches her," Danton orders. "She was my wife."

Susan says, "We can't let her go."

"I'm not talking about letting her go."

"We can't ever let her go. Even after it's over."

Danton says, "We'll worry about that when it's over. She won't be a problem until then."

"She doesn't have to be a problem at all," Gorokwe says.

"No. She was my wife. You're not giving her to those monsters."

"It doesn't have to be Athanase. It can be quick and painless. Only say the word and you will never see her again, it is as simple as that."

But Veronica isn't worried. She knows what Danton is like when someone tries to argue with him after he has made up his mind.

"I said no," he repeats, in a tone of voice all to familiar to her, petulance more than anger, as if perhaps the problem is just that he has not been heard correctly until now.

"We don't even know what she knows," Susan says.

"Rockel will tell us." Danton considers Veronica. "But I'll talk to her."

Veronica looks meekly at the floor rather than aim her venomous gaze at him.

"In private," Danton says archly.

Susan and Gorokwe look at one another. Eventually Gorokwe nods. Both of them stand and depart the room. As they reach the door Veronica sees Susan put a familiar hand on Gorokwe's back. It is the touch of an intimate, a lover. She remembers Susan saying that she lived in Zimbabwe before she came to Uganda.

"I told you to go home," Danton says, when there is no one in the room but the two of them. "I gave you a second chance."

Veronica looks around for a weapon. He is a strong man and her arms are cuffed behind her, but this is the only chance she has. Maybe he has handcuff keys on him. Maybe she can kill him, free herself, burn down the hotel or something, liberate Jacob and escape. It doesn't seem particularly likely but it seems like all the hope she's got.

"Who else did you talk to?" Danton asks. "We know Prester. Who else? Who got you to the Uganda border?"

"What are you doing?" she bursts out. "You stupid asshole. What the fuck are you doing? Trying to prove yourself? Trying to show the world you're not just some useless rich kid, you're as good as your daddy? What the fuck are you doing, Danton?"

He is so taken aback by her unexpected verbal assault that he actually recoils. Then he says, "Don't you understand? Do you still not understand? We're saving Zimbabwe. And half the Congo. We're doing a great thing here. You're getting in the way of something wonderful."

"Something wonderful. Murder, civil war, you're in bed with man who committed genocide. What's going to happen to Jacob? What are they doing to him right now?"

"I'd worry about yourself, if I were you, not your new boyfriend."

"I'd worry about yourself if I were you too. You think I'm the only one who knows too much? You really think you're going to get out of this country alive after they shoot down Mugabe? Don't you see? Once they've gone and spent your daddy's money you'll be totally fucking expendable."