7 Days Read Free Page A

investigation diary, you’ll see, they followed up everything.’
    Griessel opened the dossier at the SAPS5 form in Section C, quickly paged through it, saw the extensive, detailed notes. ‘You know how it’s been since the Steyn case,’ said Afrika. ‘Everyone makes doubly sure, nobody takes chances any more. The Sloet investigation was by the book. The forensics were good, the footwork was thorough, they talked to everyone who lived and breathed, there’s no motive that stands up to scrutiny.’
    ‘Except that she was a lawyer,’ said Nyathi philosophically. ‘Big clients. Big money.’
    ‘True …’ said Afrika.
    ‘Crime of opportunity,’ said Nyathi. ‘Impossible case.’
    Afrika sighed. ‘Trouble is, she moved into the flat on the third of January, she was murdered on the eighteenth. She hadn’t even finished unpacking. Nobody could tell the Green Point detectives if anything was stolen.’
    ‘Let’s not disclose everything,’ said Manie carefully to the general. ‘We want Benny to look at this with fresh eyes. Work through the file from the beginning, see what he can find.’
    Afrika nodded in agreement.
    Griessel picked up the email. ‘Brigadier, what about this “cover-up … you know why she was murdered”?’
    Before Manie could answer, Afrika said vigorously: ‘It’s rubbish, Benny, absolute rubbish. Take a look at his other emails. Dreadful insinuations. We are protecting the communists and the Antichrists and whatnot.’
    ‘The guy’s a loony,’ said Nyathi. ‘White supremacist, hates us, hates the government, hates gay people, hates everybody.’
    ‘A terrorist, that’s what he is, a terrorist hiding behind an anonymous email address. Untraceable.’ Afrika slid the thin folder that lay in front of him over to Benny as well. ‘Here are the other letters. You’ll see.’
    Was he supposed to investigate the sniper affair too?
    The brigadier picked up on his uncertainty: ‘You know how it is with these crazies, Benny – sometimes they fixate on a specific case. But if there is a connection between the gunman and Sloet, and we have missed it … CATS are going to hunt the gunman. Colonel du Preez is the JOC leader.’
    ‘Mbali will be our official investigator, Brigadier,’ said du Preez. ‘She arrived back from Amsterdam yesterday …’
    ‘Amsterdam, oh, Amsterdam,’ said Afrika, shaking his head, but with good humour.
    The unit had been abuzz the past week, over ‘the incident in Amsterdam’. The stout Mbali Kaleni, a member of du Preez’s CATS team for the past six months, had been one of a group of detectives taking a course in Holland. Something had happened to her – according to the bush telegraph it was a great embarrassment. But, despite pointed speculation in the corridors, nobody really knew what hadhappened. Except the top management, and they were as silent as the grave.
    ‘You will have your hands full, Benny, but it’s important that you know what progress CATS are making, what they are looking into. And if you find something that could help them …’
    ‘You know how we work, Benny,’ said Colonel du Preez. ‘One big team …’
    Griessel nodded again.
    Nyathi folded his arms and sighed. ‘Benny, if word gets out there’s someone blackmailing us, shooting policemen … Feeding frenzy for the press, public panic.’
    ‘Cloete will keep the constable’s knee out of the papers. Just so you know, Benny,’ said Manie. ‘Please be careful with the press. In any case, Adjutant-Officer Nxesi is the Green Point detective who handled the Sloet case. You can call him, any time, he’s ready to come in.’
    ‘Our whole team is ready to support you,’ said Nyathi.
    ‘Not to put any extra pressure on you, Benny,’ Afrika said seriously, ‘but you must get moving. This mad bastard is going to keep on shooting policemen until you solve the case.’
    At half past ten on a Saturday night Griessel walked to his office down the deathly silent, wide