The Protector, page 24
‘Oscar knew about my brief fling with Graham,’ Doc said, ‘so he knows me.’
‘We can use that, though, the personal connection.’
Doc was sure Sara was right, but it sounded harsh, calculating. She liked Sara – she was a strong, independent woman, but Doc guessed that a person also had to be hard-nosed to be a documentary maker or reporter. Ian had said that he didn’t like that part of his job when he was a journalist.
Doc and Sara left the boma and walked through the indoor dining area and bar to get to reception. Doc wanted to find Margaux and have her drive them to the anti-poaching camp. Walking there after dark, in Big Five country, would be suicidal.
They were in luck; Margaux was standing in reception talking to Dawie, the head of anti-poaching, when they arrived.
‘Margaux,’ Doc said, ‘please can you drive us to the –’
Margaux turned to them and her face was pale. ‘I have some terrible news.’
‘What is it?’ Sara asked.
‘It’s Oscar . . .’
‘No,’ said Doc, her stomach dropping.
Dawie was standing there, looking away from them. His broad shoulders started to heave and he brought his hand up to cover his eyes.
‘He’s dead,’ Margaux said.
*
‘Oscar went off by himself, in the direction he’d heard the shot coming from when Sara was with him,’ Doc said to Ian, as they sat, once more, by the fire, just the two of them. The rest of their group had gone to their rooms, all of them, except for Sara and Margaux, oblivious of what had happened to Oscar.
‘That must have been very brave of him,’ Ian said. They both nursed scotches with ice.
‘Or stupid.’ Doc sipped hers. ‘But yes, he was a brave man. Sara thought he was trying to atone for his part in kidnapping the pangolin.’ Doc had filled Ian in on all that Oscar had told Sara, having now seen Sara’s covert video of the interview with Oscar for herself.
‘Where’s Sara now?’ Ian asked.
‘She went to her room. She’s dubbing a copy of the video. It might break his family’s hearts to know that he got involved in illegally taking a pangolin, even if no harm was intended to the animal, but that act led to Graham’s death, and maybe even to his own. Sara’s going to send the video to Oscar’s brother, Warrant Officer Mdluli.’
‘Is it possible Oscar was just randomly killed by a poacher?’ Ian asked.
Somewhere far off a lion called. It sounded more sorrowful than menacing. There was a chill in the night air.
‘There was no warning radio call from Oscar, no gunfight. Dawie and his men were moving to intercept him when they heard just a single shot. It’s possible Oscar was sneaking up on a poacher, or just bumped into him and the man got a fright and fired, but that’s unusual. If a ranger sees a poacher he or she calls it in immediately, and if a poacher sees a ranger first then their inclination is to run. Also, Dawie said Oscar was shot in the back of the head.’
‘Oh, no.’ Ian closed his eyes briefly.
‘It sounds more like an execution, or an ambush, maybe. The police investigation might turn up more information, but Dawie has seen a few gunshot victims – he said it looked like Oscar had been shot from close range.’ Doc shook her head sadly. ‘I wouldn’t blame you if you wanted to get on a plane and fly back to Australia right now.’
He looked into her eyes. ‘Are you kidding? No. I still want to help, now more than ever. You can’t stick around to help with the investigation, though, can you?’
‘No.’ Doc nodded in the direction of the guest tents. ‘I’ve got you lot and the students to look after, and I genuinely want to use this trip to build bridges between other pangolin rescue and research groups. Besides, there’s not much we can do here, other than making sure Thomas Mdluli sees his brother’s videoed confession.’
‘OK,’ Ian said.
Doc looked at her watch. ‘It’s getting late. I think we should probably turn in,’ she said.
Ian finished his drink. ‘Ready when you are.’
They both stood and Doc led the way. The impact of Oscar’s death was sinking in with every step she took. By the time they reached her room it was all she could do to put one foot in front of the other.
Doc paused at her door and looked at Ian. She was trying to hold in her emotions but her lower lip was trembling. ‘Goodnight, Ian, I’ll . . .’
When she saw the kind, sympathetic look on his face she lost it and the tears rolled down her cheeks faster than she could angrily wipe them away. Ian came to her and put his arms around her. Doc buried her face in his shirt.
‘Do you want to come in for a moment?’ she said.
‘If you’re sure.’
She nodded into his chest and Ian opened the door for her. She wanted to tell him that she would be fine, but that would have been a lie. She was unravelling and she craved the presence of another human being to sit with her and help her stave off the despair that felt like drowning.
Ian entered and steered her to a lounge chair. He knelt by her when she was seated. ‘Can I get you something? Water?’
She looked into his eyes. ‘Please just hold me.’
For some time, she was not aware how long, he held her, kneeling beside her as she emptied herself of tears and some of her sorrow. When she was done, she sniffed and he fetched her a box of tissues. Doc blew her nose and they both stood.
‘I should get going,’ he said.
He was good and kind, and strong and handsome, and Doc couldn’t bear the thought of being alone, or of him leaving.
She came to him again and he put his arms around her. There was nothing at all in his body language or demeanour that suggested he would do anything other than just hold her, like that, for as long as she needed. She tilted her face up to his.
‘I don’t think I can be alone right now, tonight. I’m sorry.’
He smiled. ‘Don’t be. I’m here for as long as you want, or need.’
‘You’re so bloody good.’
‘No, I’m not, but I feel good when I’m around you.’
‘Me, as well,’ she said.
Doc stood on her toes. Right then, in that moment, she craved connection, the safe harbour of another person. She kissed Ian on the lips. For a moment she panicked, thinking he did not want her, but then he opened his mouth to let her in, and kissed her back with an intensity that matched her own hunger.
Ian broke the kiss. ‘You’re sure?’
Doc nodded and kissed him again. His hands moved down her back, to her bottom, drawing her closer to him. She could feel, from his body, that his need matched her own. She reached between them, fumbling for her shirt buttons, and the one at the top of his khaki trousers.
Ian stepped back to shrug off his polo shirt and Doc showed off her lacy blue bra. Ian lowered his head to her and freed one of her breasts. Doc gasped as he drew the nipple into his mouth; she unzipped him, wrapped her hand around him and closed her eyes to allow her senses to overflow with his presence. She smelled his aftershave and revelled in his groans.
They undressed each other and moved to her bed.
‘Shit,’ Ian said.
Doc found her small daypack, which passed for a handbag, and fished around in the clutter inside until she found the foil-wrapped packet. She grinned. ‘I thought I might never need this.’
Ian tore open the packet with his teeth and rolled it on. Doc felt a moment of guilt tinged with regret as she remembered she’d only bought the condoms because she’d wondered if she and Jurie would have sex. The lust in Ian’s eyes brought her back to the present as he drew her down onto the crisp white sheets and began kissing the length of her body.
She opened herself to him and wrapped her fingers in his hair as he explored her with his lips and tongue. It had been so long that her orgasm came rushing up like a freak wave, but Ian stopped, right on the brink. Doc was ravenous, more than ready. She rolled Ian over and climbed on top of him, straddling and sliding onto him. He gazed up at her, hands cupping her breasts, a nipple between each thumb and forefinger as she shuddered on top of him, let out a cry and slumped against his chest.
Doc was still pulsing against him as Ian rolled the pair of them over and started moving above her. He paused to kiss her and she closed her eyes. She wrapped her legs around him and when she opened her eyes again she saw the pure lust in his. He was as consumed by her as she was with him and he grunted as their bodies slapped together.
‘Yes,’ she breathed.
She needed this, the raw, animalistic coupling as much as his tender looks and kisses. She drew the skin of his neck between her teeth and he responded in kind, driving harder into her.
Doc felt Ian’s body stiffen, the muscles in his back as hard as steel cables under her fingers, then he relaxed and melded with her.
*
They both woke early, just before dawn, then kissed and made love again, softly, slowly.
When they were done Doc lay with her head on Ian’s chest. He brushed a strand of damp hair away from her eyes.
‘Just when I thought it couldn’t get any better,’ he said. ‘The second time, last night, was amazing, but this was . . .’
She turned her head to see his smile. ‘Lovely. Yes. Ian . . .’
‘Yes?’
‘I don’t want you to think I’m the kind of woman who jumps into bed with just anyone.’
‘I don’t.’
She wanted to explain to him, as much for her own sake as his. ‘Jurie, my partner in the police sting operations, and I had worked together for three years before, well, before we became close.’
‘You don’t have to explain yourself to me, Doc. I think you’re wonderful.’
She stroked his chest. ‘I told you that you were too bloody good. Jurie was married.’
‘I try not to judge people, Doc.’
‘Thank you. He told his wife he wanted a divorce. They hadn’t been getting on for a long time, but he told her, only a few weeks before he was killed, just before we . . .’
She sniffed and wiped a tear from her eye and he held her tighter.
‘I don’t know what this is, between us. Maybe it’s just some kind of reaction to all the death and trauma.’ She felt his body tense, just a little, and searched his eyes. ‘I’m sorry, Ian. That came out all wrong.’
He smiled again. ‘It’s fine. It’s OK that you’re trying to process it. But I have to be honest, I felt something the moment I saw you.’
She nuzzled into him and felt her cheeks burn. ‘So did I.’
He kissed her hair.
‘I wish we could stay here for the day, or the week,’ she said.
‘Same,’ he said. ‘Doc . . .’
Doc looked at him again, worried she had still somehow offended him. ‘Yes?’
‘Maybe this wasn’t just some kind of survivor sex, or whatever they call it when people need to be close after something bad happens. Maybe it’s more.’
Doc didn’t know what to say to that, but Ian saved her from having to answer. He kissed her again.
Chapter 20
The mood in the vehicle was glum as Margaux drove them from Antares to the Kruger National Park. They had left the camp’s open game-viewing vehicle behind and were in Margaux’s tan-coloured, modified, extra-long enclosed Toyota Land Cruiser.
Doc was beginning to wonder if she should have changed her mind and cancelled the whole trip.
They had risen with the sun and driven out of the Balule Nature Reserve to the Phalaborwa Gate entry to the Kruger Park. The early start had put a dampener on any conversation. However, once Margaux had organised their entry permits and passed through the gate, they moved at a more sedate speed and there was time for all of them to try to process what had happened. Doc, Ian and Sara had jointly decided over early-morning coffee that it would be better for them to tell everyone what had happened to Oscar, rather than have them hear about it on the radio or by other means.
Margaux scanned the open plains of dry golden grass, and peered through dense thickets of mopane trees looking for game, probably in a bid to lift everyone’s spirits.
‘Did Oscar have a family?’ Eva asked, breaking the silence of the drive.
‘Yes,’ said Doc, ‘a wife and a child, a son with serious medical problems.’
‘I hope he didn’t use that as an excuse to become a poacher,’ Eva said.
Doc thought the woman cold. The students had picked up on what had happened to Oscar by breakfast time and Warrant Officer Mdluli, distraught at the death of his brother, had arrived before dawn and had already begun interviewing people, including Sara, who had met him and shown him the video she had recorded with Oscar.
‘He wasn’t a poacher,’ Sara piped up from the back of the Land Cruiser. ‘He never intended for any harm to come to the pangolin.’
‘Sure,’ Sue said, ‘but he broke the law by kidnapping my pangolin and hiding it. Although the pangolin wasn’t “mine”, of course. No one’s allowed to just go and grab an endangered animal from the bush and do anything with it.’
‘How does that work, then,’ Pär asked, ‘with the likes of you and Geoff doing your research and fitting the animals with transmitters and such?’
Pär had a knack of defusing tense situations, perhaps as a result of a life spent with his wife, by injecting sensible commentary or, as in this case, asking an intelligent question.
‘There’s a good deal of red tape involved,’ Doc said. ‘When we set up research projects for Geoff and Sue and other students working on their master’s theses relating to certain animals we need to apply to the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment for a TOPS permit – TOPS stands for “Threatened or Protected Species”. We need to outline the research and its purpose, and prove that we’re not going to harm the subject species in any way or subject it to undue stress.’
Eva folded her arms across her chest. ‘Well, I’d say kidnapping a pangolin and putting it in a box counts as undue stress.’
Doc gritted her teeth, then tried to play peacemaker. ‘I agree, Eva, and what Oscar did was clearly against the law and unethical, but it doesn’t necessarily put him in the same category as a poacher.’
Ian had taken the seat next to Doc and every now and then she felt the brush of his thigh against hers. She was sure it was deliberate and she had to stop herself from grinning, or reaching out and taking his hand. Doc looked over her shoulder at Sara. ‘I haven’t had a chance to ask. How was Thomas Mdluli? Did he say anything?’
‘He was badly shaken,’ Sara said, ‘as you would expect, but he was doing his best to be professional. He interviewed me for quite a while. He said the police would get records of Oscar’s phone calls to see if they could trace the man who had called him, and that he would look into the bank transfer of money to Oscar’s account.’
‘Let’s hope he turns up some leads,’ Ian said.
Doc thought of Oscar and Thomas Mdluli, and how they would never see each other again. Graham, as arrogant and full of himself as he was, often referred to Oscar as ‘bro’ or ‘bru’, or ‘boet’. They all meant the same thing and Doc had sensed there was a real connection between the men.
And now they were both dead.
It was chilly this time of morning. Doc rummaged under her seat and pulled out one of the blankets Margaux kept on board. She spread it over her knees and put her cold hands under it to warm them up.
Ian felt her movement and when he saw what she was doing he discreetly slipped his hand under the blanket and took hers. He gave it a squeeze.
Doc was warmed by the gesture, but in the same instant had a terrible thought. What if I’ve put Ian at risk by being close to him? She eased her hand away from his and he got the message, probably assuming she did not want the rest of the group to know anything had happened between them. That was partly true.
Ian leaned closer to her as they drove on. ‘Are you OK?’
Doc nodded. ‘Fine.’ She smiled reassuringly at him.
Margaux left the tar road and cut north via gravel roads. They stopped for a rest break at the Mooiplaas Picnic Site, where a dainty bushbuck cautiously nibbled at the vegetation on the edge of the cleared area as they used the restrooms.
Ian took Doc aside while they waited for the others. ‘Are you sure everything is OK?’
A grey go-away bird made its eponymous call from a tree above them. ‘I’m fine, Ian,’ she whispered, more forcefully than she wished. ‘Sorry. I mean, I’ve got a lot on my mind, and not just “us”.’
‘I understand. I don’t mean to pry or push.’
‘Also,’ she said, ‘I’m not sure I’m ready to try to explain to everyone else what’s happened between us.’
He nodded. ‘OK, I get that. We can keep it quiet. I don’t want to upset the group dynamic. But, I’d still like to kiss you. Now.’
She smiled. ‘Me too. Maybe later.’
‘That’ll do me,’ he said.
Eva emerged from the ladies’ room. ‘Margaux, do you think you can find us a leopard?’
Margaux waited until the last of them had climbed back on board the Land Cruiser. ‘I’ll do my best.’
*
They did not see a leopard, but just north of the turnoff to Mopani Rest Camp Margaux slowed as they approached a traffic jam.
Ahead of them fifteen to twenty cars and safari vehicles were moving in a slow conga line, blocking both sides of the road. Margaux hung back.
‘Well, this is a disaster,’ Eva pronounced.
‘What are they following?’ Ian asked.
‘I could hazard a guess. Probably painted dogs on the move.’ Margaux stopped the car.
‘Don’t you want to catch up?’ Eva asked.
‘Dear,’ Pär interjected, ‘let Margaux do her job.’
Eva frowned and put her hands in her lap.
