Snail Pace
The rain stopped and a new day dawned. Petra sat on the terrace and gazed down on the valley below. That was where her father’s side of the family had settled three hundred years ago. Her mother’s people hadn’t penetrated so far south. When the Europeans arrived, the Cape of Good Hope was peopled by Hottentots and Bush People.
The Hottentots were pastoralists, like the Xhosas, and kept herds of cattle. The Bush People were hunters and gatherers who lived off the land. Petra had seen wax models of them in the museum. The Hottentots were tall, statuesque people. The Bush People were small, with high cheekbones and narrow eyes like the Chinese.
The Xhosas had intermarried with them and shared some of their features. Like the Bush People, they were relatively light-skinned and their language used the strange click sounds with which the Bush People spoke.
There were now no pure-blood Hottentots or Bush People in South Africa. They had been absorbed by the Europeans and their descendants were mixed-race like herself. People of mixed race made up a large part of the population of Cape Town and most spoke Afrikaans. It evolved from Dutch and other languages which the Europeans brought with them when they settled the lands around Table Mountain.
One of these other languages was Indonesian. Richard used to joke that the Dutch settlers were of mixed-race from the start. Many were employees of the Dutch East India Company and arrived in the Cape with their Indonesian wives and mistresses. Uncle Henry said that was nonsense and insisted that the de Villiers were of pure European descent before his brother took a kaffir for a wife.
Petra recalled her mother being upset by his outbursts. Henry poured out his racist venom in Afrikaans and was fully aware that his sister-in-law spoke the language, even if he had not taken the trouble to learn a single word of hers.
She glanced at her watch. The family attorney was about to arrive. Uncle Henry had set him to work and expected quick results. They would be meeting in her father’s office. Henry was behaving as if it now belonged to him. Sipho had foreseen that possibility and had bugged it with listening devices. David and his mysterious colleague would hear everything that was said.
The attorney was in his seventies but no less sharp than when he worked for Petra’s grandfather as a much younger man. The Republic of South Africa followed the Roman-Dutch system of law and Anton Vandergrift was well-qualified to act on their behalf. He arrived in an immaculate dark suit and blue tie. Henry met him at the door and showed him through to the office.
The rest of the family was already there. Henry’s wife, Manuela, ruled the roost in his absence and made sure that Anna and Carla were kept well apart. Anna joined Petra at one end of the room. Carla lounged in a chair at the other.
Anton Vandergrift sat down at Richard’s desk and Henry stood over him like a headmaster about to check the homework of an errant pupil. He was the first to speak.
‘So nothing is decided.’
Anton Vandergrift produced some papers from his briefcase.
‘We are proceeding with all due haste, Mr de Villiers.’
‘Yes … snail pace … that’s how you people earn your money,’ Henry lapsed into Afrikaans. ‘You need to know that it’s a new ball game now, Mr Vandergrift. You are not dealing with my brother anymore. I’m in charge. I’m the one who signs the cheques and I pay for results. That means quick-smart. Time is of the essence in my line of business.’
Anton Vandergrift stuck to English.
‘I appreciate your concern, Mr de Villiers.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘You are convinced that your brother is deceased …’
‘Blind Harry can see that,’ Henry continued to speak Afrikaans. ‘His plane left Frankfurt ten days ago and vanished over the Atlantic. The rescue services have abandoned their search. They are convinced there is no chance of finding anyone alive.’
‘The rescue services may be convinced, Mr de Villiers, and their views will be taken into account in a coronial enquiry. However, until a court of law declares your brother deceased, the terms of his Will remain confidential. I am not permitted to divulge them. Nor is anyone else.’
‘That’s the sort of crap …’
‘Henry. Speak English.’
Manuela bore down on her husband. Petra watched as he changed his stance and pulled a face. His next outburst was in a language his wife could understand.
‘You must surely understand, Mr Vandergrift, that I have major responsibilities for the group of companies established by my father and managed jointly by me and my brother. The present situation cannot be allowed to remain in limbo without serious consequences.’
‘Your brother was aware of that possibility.’
Anton Vandergrift shuffled through a stack of papers.
‘At his request, I drew up the necessary documents for the transfer of powers in the event of his incapacity though ill health or any other reason. That document will need to receive a seal of approval by a court of law before its terms can be legally enforced under the present circumstances.’
‘And how long is that going to take?’
‘Not very long. Knowing your sense of urgency, I took the liberty of submitting the document for immediate examination.’
‘And we will then know its terms … when it’s passed?’
‘You can hear them now if you wish.’
The scowl on Henry’s face relaxed. Anton Vandergrift adjusted his gold-rimmed spectacles and began to read.
‘My brother, Henry, to assume responsibility for those of my holdings that lie within the Columbian sphere of our joint operations.’
Henry nodded approvingly.
‘My daughter, Anna, to assume responsibility for the Brazilian sphere of my operations subject to the terms and conditions currently pertaining to her exercise of that role.’
Anna looked less than satisfied.
‘You do understand … don’t you … Ms de Villiers?’
‘Yes.’ Anna’s face remained sullen. ‘Nothing’s changed.’
‘What about the de Villiers Foundation?’ Henry asked.
‘I was coming to that.’
Anton peered at Henry over his spectacles.
‘My daughter, Petra, to assume responsibility for the duties and functions of Chairperson of the de Villiers Foundation subject to the advice of …’
‘That’s preposterous!’ Henry’s face reddened. ‘She’s only a girl. She can’t possibly handle the responsibilities of such a position. Richard must have been out of his mind when he came up with that.’
‘Do you wish to challenge the document, Mr de Villiers?’
‘Is that possible?’
‘Yes. You could claim that his mind was unsound when he signed. However, in doing so, you would forgo the advantageous terms afforded to you under current arrangements, until a court of law has reached a decision.’
‘And that will take a long time.’
‘Yes, Mr de Villiers. While a rapid decision is likely on your brother’s current incapacity, a decision on his soundness of mind will undoubtedly take much longer.
Henry looked gobsmacked. Petra stared at him as her head went into a spin. Richard had assigned most of his responsibilities to her. It didn’t take much imagination to figure that he had also made her heir to most of his huge fortune.
The deck outside the dive shop was crowded. David watched as Frank’s customers climbed onto his big wave-piercing catamaran, talking excitedly. Their enthusiasm was understandable. They were about to dive amongst the amazing sea creatures that live in the cold, nutrient-rich waters off the Cape of Good Hope.
He pressed his earphones against his head and returned his attention to the drama unfolding in Richard de Villiers’ office. Charlie sat opposite chuckling. Frank lolled in a hammock and seemed equally amused.
Henry had been outwitted. A hand from the grave had struck the bastard down. His brother had given him a present with one hand and taken it away with the other. Henry couldn’t challenge Richard’s decision to give Petra control over the de Villiers Foundation without threatening his own position.
What followed was something of an anticlimax. Henry could be heard speaking Spanish. He was presumably talking to his wife and daughter. Anna’s voice blasted away in another corner of the room. She spoke in English and was trying to have an argument with Petra. Then, suddenly, the voices ceased. Doors banged and there was silence.
Charlie removed his earphones and grinned at David.
‘He’s a smart operator … your friend.’
‘Who?’
‘Richard de Villiers. You’re always singing his praises. Most people think he’s a total screwball. Ask Frank.’
‘Right around the twist, David.’
Frank clambered down from his hammock and went to the window. His staff were loading the last of the gear onto the catamaran and preparing to cast off. He returned their wave and walked back.
‘Richard is one big joke around here. He turned the family estate into a hippy commune and puts out a newsletter to publicise his thoughts. The latest is full of maps and diagrams to show that global warming is a Russian plot to change the climate in their favour. If Richard is correct, there will be no arctic ice in twenty years and they will be growing bananas in Siberia.’
‘He does that to hide what he’s really doing.’
‘Yes, David. You know that and so do the people who killed him. They’re smart and their eyes will now be on Petra. She has just received an immense amount of power and is ill-equipped to handle it.’
‘You will have to look after her,’ Charlie cut in.
‘How do you expect me to do that?’
‘They’re going to the Flamingo.’
‘The what?’
‘The Flamingo Resort, David. It’s part of an exclusive network of international resorts created for the world’s richest and most influential people.’
‘Where is it?’
‘Cape Agulhas … not far from here.’
‘How do you know Petra will be there?’
‘Henry plans to take her. Didn’t you hear him talking to his wife and Carla about it?’
‘You know I don’t speak Spanish.’
‘Ah. Yes.’ Charlie gave him a disapproving look. ‘I had forgotten about that lapse in your education. If you had put some effort into foreign languages, you might have understood that an important event is about to take place. Big names are descending on the Flamingo. Henry will be there and he intends to take Petra and Anna with him.’
‘How do I fit in?’
‘You will be going too.’
‘Big deal! Shall I use your bankcard?’
‘That won’t be necessary,’ Charlie smiled. ‘You won’t be going as a guest. You will be there as a staff member. Frank supplies the resort with divemasters. They get through a lot and are always asking for more. It will be easy to slot you in.’
‘Get through a lot … what do you mean by that?’
‘It’s the way they operate.’ Frank tapped David’s arm. ‘They do things differently. You’ll soon find out when you get there.’