Scott Mariani 2-book Collection: Star of Africa, The Devil’s Kingdom. Scott Mariani
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Название: Scott Mariani 2-book Collection: Star of Africa, The Devil’s Kingdom
Автор: Scott Mariani
Издательство: HarperCollins
Жанр: Приключения: прочее
isbn: 9780008236311
isbn:
‘I see,’ Khosa said. Jude could see the deep suspicion in his eyes as he gazed at Pender.
Finding nothing, Jude’s searcher stepped back and shook his head as if to say, ‘He’s clean.’ The rifle was pulled away from Jude’s head. He eased himself slowly upright into a kneeling position.
Furious, Pender marched up to shove his pistol in Jude’s face. ‘Okay, no fucking around. Where is it? Give it back to me, right now.’
Jude’s expression remained perfectly blank as he replied, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about. I took nothing from you.’
‘Think you’re pretty smart, don’t you, huh, kid? Just what were you doing sneaking around the ship, anyway? Sending emails?’ Pender gave a mirthless chuckle. ‘What, you didn’t think we’d find it?’
Jude’s stomach clenched and he suddenly felt very cold. ‘I don’t know what—’ he began.
‘Oh, I think you do. Maybe you’re not that smart after all, hmm, Jude?’ Pender said, grinning. ‘Should have deleted it after you sent it. Not that it’s gonna make a spot of difference. Nobody’s coming for you. It’s just you and me out here. So give it back. Come on. You took a crack at me; I say, screw that. No hard feelings. I’ve been hit before, and besides you hit like a pussy. Just hand over my property, and we’re cool.’
Jude said, ‘I don’t have it.’ Which, as far as it went, was the truth.
Gerber was staring at him, as were several of the others. What’s he talking about? was the question in the older man’s eyes.
‘You don’t have it,’ Pender said. ‘Okay, so then maybe you’d like to tell me WHERE YOU PUT IT?!’ Pender screamed the last words.
‘I threw it overboard.’
Pender cast a horrified glance at the waves, but quickly recovered as he saw through the lie. ‘Don’t try to bullshit me, Jude. That would be a big fucking mistake, my sneaky little friend.’
‘I don’t remember what I did with it,’ Jude said.
‘Really. Let’s see if this jogs your memory.’ Pender swung the pistol away from Jude, randomly picked another target among the huddled prisoners, and pulled the trigger before Jude could react.
The gunshot cracked out and was whipped away by the wind. Diesel’s eyes were wide and staring as a red hole appeared in the middle of his forehead. He slumped forwards on his face, blood pumping from the huge exit wound in the back of his skull.
‘REMEMBER NOW, ASSHOLE?’ Pender screamed at Jude.
The nightmare was unfolding fast now, as fast as the rising storm. Jude gaped in mute horror at Diesel’s body. He began to shake as waves of nausea gripped him. Do something, he thought. But what? He was certain that if he handed the diamond over, they would all soon be dead. If he didn’t, someone else would be the next to be shot. What kind of choice was that?
Just then, Pender and a few of the pirates looked up, suddenly distracted. Jude could hear it too: the thrumming rumble of a propeller aircraft, faint but unmistakable. He craned his neck to gaze upwards, and saw what his captors were looking at, just as the storm clouds parted to reveal a crack of sky in the distance. It was still a long way off, just a tiny blob over the horizon, but it seemed to be heading their way. His horror deflated for a second as he felt a sudden stab of excitement. Could it be the police? The coastguard? Another passing ship might have seen something. They might have alerted the authorities.
Or it could be Jeff Dekker, riding in like the cavalry.
Pender had had the same thought. ‘Who did you email?’ he demanded. ‘This Jeff guy, who the fuck is he?’
‘He’s – he’s my … uncle.’
Pender stared at Jude as if he were an idiot. ‘Your uncle?’
Khosa turned to face the ocean and observed the distant aircraft slicing through the clouds. The drone of its propellers could clearly be heard now. It was losing altitude to skim low over the waves, still more than a mile away. As Khosa watched, he thought he saw a tiny white splash hit the water in its wake, followed by a second that was just as quickly lost in the rough sea. But it was too distant to be sure what he’d seen. Then the plane picked up altitude again and banked away in a sloping curve.
Jude’s heart sank into his boots as the plane veered off and quickly began to recede into the distance, its sound fading into the wind. It was nothing to do with them after all.
Pender turned back towards Jude, his feet braced wide to counter the rocking of the deck. ‘Well, looks like Uncle Jeff decided to stay home and watch TV. Now, where was I? That’s right. You were about to tell me where you’ve hidden my property. Maybe your memory needs refreshing again? No problem. Let’s play eeny-meeny.’
He swept the gun over the huddle of prisoners. Diesel’s blood was spreading over the deck, pink where it mingled with the seawater that rained down to soak them with each new wave that crashed into the side. Pender was swaying on his feet but his aim was steady as it settled on Gerber.
‘How about you, old timer? You want to be next?’
‘Fuck you,’ Gerber said, staring up at him.
‘Fuck me? Really? Let’s see about that.’ Pender stepped up to him and pressed the gun against Gerber’s head.
Jude’s eyes met Gerber’s. ‘I’m sorry,’ he mouthed.
‘It’s okay,’ Gerber’s eyes replied. Then Gerber closed them and bowed his head, waiting for the white flash and the boom of the gunshot he would never hear.
‘You have three seconds before I blow this guy away,’ Pender told Jude, pressing the gun harder against Gerber’s temple. His finger tightened on the trigger. ‘One.’
‘You’re making a big mistake,’ Jude said. But it was just bravado. Just words. He felt empty, hollowed out. There was nothing any more between him, his friends, and death.
At that moment, Khosa’s radio gave a crackle. ‘What?’ he barked into it, irritated at the further distraction. One of his men aboard the trawler was telling him they had picked up something on the fish-finder sonar. A pair of unidentified objects, moving together and travelling fast straight towards them.
Khosa scanned the empty waves beyond. The aircraft was now lost in the clouds, barely audible. Nothing there.
‘Two,’ Pender said.
‘Engine room,’ Jude blurted out. He quickly described where he’d hidden the leather pouch. ‘That’s where it is. I swear. Don’t kill him.’
Pender took the gun away from Gerber’s head and let it dangle at his side. ‘You and you,’ he said, pointing at two of the pirates. ‘Go get it.’ The two looked to Khosa. Khosa gave a nod, and the СКАЧАТЬ