Blindside. Wilna Adriaanse
you know who Allegretti’s new girlfriend is?”
She shook her head.
“What the hell do you and Barnard do with your time?”
“Do you really want an answer?” She began to get up.
“Shit, but you’re touchy. I just mean it’s the kind of thing you should know. For the past month or two Allegretti has had a thing going with Nazeem Williams’s niece by marriage. Clara Veldman. Allegretti wants her to move in with him, but Williams has put his foot down. Now he’s finally agreed, on one condition: He’ll arrange his own security to look after her.”
“How do you know all this?”
He rubbed his face again. “Williams told me.”
She picked up the mug, blew on it, then put it back down without taking a sip.
“Since when have you been so chummy with Williams?”
“You know as well as I that we do what we’ve got to do. I happened to meet Williams a while ago. He helped us out with a case. I saw the gap and about a month later I warned him about a roadblock.”
“And now you’re part of his inner circle?”
“There have been a few more tip-offs …”
“And Ahmed knows this?”
“Yes, he knows.”
“Why doesn’t he want you to tell me?”
“He’s a control freak. Since your dad died, he thinks it’s his duty to be a father to you.”
“But you just said it was only a few tip-offs … what’s he afraid of?”
“Maybe I lied.”
Ellie folded her arms. “How deep in are you?”
“Reasonably deep.”
“Does Ahmed have reason to be worried?”
“For years I’ve been working my arse off. I’ve given my all to every case that came along. I don’t sit and wait for breaks. I go out and look for them. Then, one day, I get a break like this. What would you have done? A chance like this doesn’t come by every day. I’m going to take it, and no one’s going to stop me. You know how it is. Everyone shits in their pants when they first hear about it, but when the case breaks and the squad grabs the big guns and throws them in the back of the van, then it’s all fucking smiles and everyone claims it was their idea in the first place.”
“What makes you think I won’t tell Ahmed?”
Albert’s expression clouded over. “I wouldn’t have told you if I thought you’d talk.” He sat down beside her. “If you want it to, this could be a break for you too.”
“Is that why you went to see Zondi?”
“Yes.”
“Why did she feel you were trying to teach her how to do her job?”
“I told her I think you’re the right one to send in. She said the decision would be hers.”
“And Ahmed knows you want me to go in?”
“Yes. He nearly pissed in his pants, but I think you deserve a break. Especially after the thing with your father.”
When she didn’t answer, he took her hand.
“This is our chance, babes. Everyone denies it, but you know very well that up to now you’ve just been your father’s daughter. They’ve all been waiting to see if you’d be as good as the old man. Well, after this, you can tell them all to go to hell.”
“Do me a favour and drop the cheap sales pitch. Leave my dad out of it.”
“Does that mean you’ll do it?”
“That’s not what I said. I want to know more first.”
“I was in the right place at the right time. A guy I sometimes use tipped me off that Williams and his crowd rented a house for a consignment of abalone that was on the way. I passed the tip on, but the morning before the raid I told the guy to warn Williams and tell him I had sent the message. Afterwards Williams thanked me and said he owed me a favour. I sent him a copy of my paycheque. The next day a thick envelope was pushed through my postbox.”
“How much?”
“Five thousand.”
“What did you do with it?”
“Jeez, Mac, what do you think?”
“What makes you think Williams would hire me? One phone call and he’ll know who I work for.”
“Obviously you’d have to resign. On paper, anyway. And he trusts me. If I tell him I’ve got someone he can use, he’ll believe me. It’s not like anyone bats an eyelid these days when a cop resigns.”
“What then?”
“I’ve done some homework. Easiest would be to set up a dummy security company. You get appointed there. I give the name of the company to Williams and tell him I can recommend them and he should find out whether you’re available.”
“I don’t think it will be that easy. One or two tip-offs from a cop doesn’t mean he’s going to get into bed with you.”
“I didn’t say it would be easy. But I think it’s worth a try. If it works, great; if not, no one loses anything. I’m sure he’ll make you jump through a few hoops, but I believe you can do it, or I wouldn’t have put your name forward. You’re a good judge of character and you have your father’s instincts.”
“How urgent is it?”
“Very. Allegretti is giving his girlfriend a hard time because she hasn’t moved in, and she’s on her uncle’s case. If we leave it too late, Williams might get someone else. In the meantime, I’ve let him know I have just the right person for him.”
“Seems the two of you are a lot more than acquaintances.”
Albert shrugged. “I told Zondi about an office in Darling Street. The tenants had to leave in a hurry. It’s available and it’s furnished. When you’re up and running, the office might not be necessary, but it’ll always be a good front.”
“What if Williams wants to know where the rest of the staff are?”
“Easy. A few police officers will be assigned to double as security guards. We make sure they show up now and again, dressed like security guards. It probably won’t even be necessary. Don’t worry about the details. They’re easy to work out. You’ve seen how it’s done.”
“And if I don’t feel up to it?”
“I’m sure Zondi won’t let this chance go by. She’s desperate for something to make her department look better. If you won’t do it, she’ll find someone else. As I’ve said, it would be a pity to hand this kind of break to someone else on a platter.”
Ellie didn’t ask him why he’d never told her before that he was so deeply involved with Williams. Both of them had known from the start that there’d be things they couldn’t share.
“What does Williams think Allegretti will do to the girl?”
“It’s not what Allegretti will do. On the one hand I suspect Williams just wants to make life difficult for Allegretti. On the other hand I think he’s genuinely worried. Maybe not so much about what Allegretti might do to her, but that she might become collateral damage between Allegretti and his rivals.”
“So he wants to send in someone of his own choosing to look after her.”
“Yes, and to drive her car. He says she can’t drive for toffee. And to let him know if there’s trouble.”
“Why would Allegretti