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I blow out a shaky breath. He’s probably just here to pick up tourists having tea after visiting the falls.
Outwardly, I school my features. Inwardly, I’m shaking as I make my way to the entrance. I keep vigilant but see no one suspicious hanging around the lot.
Two men in casual clothes stand in the lobby, pretending to be reading brochures, but their focus is trained on me as I cross the floor and make my way to the terrace.
The terrace isn’t busy. Only three tables are occupied. I spot Wolfe immediately. He sits at the table in the corner closest to the rail, facing the falls.
I quickly scan the other tables. The man studying a menu two tables away from Wolfe is definitely a detective. Like the men in the lobby, he’s dressed in casual clothes, but a gun holster peeks out from under his jacket. A young couple are having drinks at the table on the opposite end of the terrace, and the man who drove the minivan is leaning with his arms on the rail, staring at the water. He’s fitted a pair of Ray-Bans. I’m certain now he’s a driver waiting for a group of tourists. He has that look.
Wolfe gets to his feet when I walk over. He waits until I’m seated before he sits. Scrutinizing me, he says, “You surprise me, Miss Joubert. I didn’t think you’d come. Then again, you also surprised me with the stunt you pulled with the bracelet.”
A waiter stops next to our table.
“Drink?” Wolfe asks.
My voice is tight with tension. “No.” I clear my throat. “Thanks.”
“Coffee with milk, please,” he tells the waiter.
When the waiter scurries off, I get straight to the point. “You’re going to gather your men, get into your van or plane or whatever mode of transport brought you here, and vanish from our lives forever. You’ll never pursue Ian or me again. You won’t attempt to contact us. In fact, you’re going to forget we exist.”
Leaning back, he utters a laugh. “Why would I do that?”
I don’t play my trump card yet. “How did you find me?”
“Informant.”
The waiter delivers his coffee.
He thanks the waiter and says when the man is gone, “Does it matter?”
“Who?”
“I think you know.”
“Danai.”
“Mm.”
“Did you pay her?”
He takes a sip of his coffee. “She got a handsome reward.”
“What did she tell you?”
“I don’t care what happened or how you got here. I don’t want to waste time on how you tricked us or if you’re here out of free will or because Mr. Hart is forcing you. That’s not what matters now.”
“Why are you here?” I want him to admit his intentions.
“Let me make this clear for you. Ian Hart and his gang are going down. There are two ways this can happen. Either you testify against him, and I put you in witness protection, or I arrest you with them and throw your ass in jail. I’m sure there are a few wardens who’ll enjoy your company on more than one level.”
So, this is his plan. He’s bribing me with protection and blackmailing me with the horrors of jail to testify against Ian. With my testimony, Ian will be found guilty without a doubt. Wolfe probably knows Ian will avenge himself by killing me for my betrayal. If Ian can’t do it personally, he’ll get someone else. That way, all the loose ends are neatly tied up, and Wolfe gets his next set of cufflinks for excellent service, not to mention the feather in his cap for nailing the most notorious thief in the history of the continent.
Does he take me for a fool? Does he think I’ll let him use me to serve his purpose? The fact that he thinks I can’t see through him is an insult to my intelligence. Deep down where it matters, in a person’s soul, he’s worse than Ian.
He threatened me with killing us to get me here. Just because of that, I taunt him. “You don’t have jurisdiction here.”
“There are ways of getting Mr. Hart back in South Africa.”
“Such as?”
He raises a brow and waits for me to connect the dots.
Oh, my God. If he thinks he’s going to kidnap me to use as bait, he’s got another think coming.
“Let me tell you how this is going to go down,” I say. “You’re going to get the hell out of here and tell your men it was a false lead. You’re going to use all that energy you invested in your obsession with Ian to reflect on your sins. Maybe go to confession or get psychological treatment. Whatever you do with your miserable life after today, make very sure we never cross paths again.”
His eyes widen with his smile. “You’re quite a number, Miss Joubert. Congratulations. You win the prize. That must be the funniest speech I’ve heard.”
