Chapter 29.
David spoke to Kim and told her what he intended to do."Look, that bastard is not going to pay. He knows that people don't carry out their threats. That is why, the money is not in the bank."
David, what if you get caught. What would happen to me. The money is gone, we don't need it. I need you, David. To hell with the money. I'll sell my house."
"That's exactly what I just said to you. He does that because he knows he can get away with it. I'm going to make sure he never steels from anybody again. He will be too shit scared to. I've got it all worked out what we will do."
"Jesus, is it really worth you putting everything that you have worked for, at risk for money that we don't need. What I'm saying David. It's not a life or death situation for us is it?"
"No it's not. But it is a lot of money and I intend to get it back. Please just trust me baby. It will work out well."
David had Coppers CB radio call sign and got hold of him. “Copper, how are you my friend?” He asked into the hand piece.
“Fine Buddy and you.” He replied.
“Tell me. How would you like a trip to Cape Town?” Dave asked knowing that he would jump at the chance of a free trip.
“Hey man; are you asking or telling me. When do we go?” He asked all eager to get out the bush for a few days. David still hadn’t found out what he was doing and he didn’t think he was only fishing.
“The moment that you get here we will fly out.” David replied. “But it’s more than a few days, more like a month.” He wanted Copper to know how long he’ll be away, before he decides.
“A month is a long time. Is it something important?” Copper asked.
“It is my friend, it is. I’ll tell you what you’re in for in when we’re all together in Johannesburg.”
Copper wondered what David is up to. In the short time that he had got to know him he had learnt that he doesn't take risks. If he is going to do anything it is always well planned and he was willing to put his life in David's hands because he knew that he would do everything possible to protect it.
Then David phoned Peter Harris the friend he met in Cape Town. “Peter answered the phone. “Hello.” He said in voice that sounded like he had just woken up.
“Peter, David here.”
“Why are you phoning me at this hour?” He asked.
“Hey my bud, it’s eleven o’clock.” David said.
“Eleven o’clock in the Night or day?”
“It’s eleven o’clock in the morning, Peter.” David said.
“So why are you phoning me so early?” I should have known he doesn’t get up before twelve. He would have only got to bed at about 2.00 am. David thought.
David laughed into the phone. “Do you want to come to Cape Town with me for a few weeks?
“When do we leave?” He asked.
“I’ll let you know in a couple of days when we meet.”
“Okay…. Who are we? Oh, don’t worry with the details. I need to get back into bed.” He said.
David grinned to himself thinking of him when he was younger. He was never scared of anything and always ready to party. He was a good friend at one time but then they lost contact. Maybe now is the right time to rekindle that friendship he thought.
He wanted to make bookings for him and Copper but first he had to get hold of John the pilot and find out when he could fly them to Lusaka. He said in a couple of days and that suited David fine. He was telling Kim when he planned to go when Andy walked in on our conversation.
“Did I hear right. You’re going to Cape Town again?” He asked. “Hell David, I would love to go with.”
“Andy I need you to stay here, Simon can't run this place on his own. And this is not a pleasure trip."
“What are you going to do, if it’s not for pleasure?” He asked. "If you're going to be in any danger, I want to be there to help you."
“I can’t tell you what it’s about Andy."
"Please David. I haven't had a break from here for two years."
"You know. I'll be away nearly a month. I have to think of Simon as well, bud."
"If Simon says it's okay, can I come?"
"Andy. Who's going to do the game drives?"
"Gail can. She knows all the spots I go to. I bet she can do that better than you. She knows all the names of the animals and she can recognize the spoors."
“I know you need a break but can't you wait till I get back. Look I'll go and talk to Simon. If he agrees, then you owe him one."
”Thanks Davy." He said, then went and told Gail. He never had a problem when it came to his wife. She would give in to anything he asked.
Three days later they were in Johannesburg. David had booked them all in at The Sandton Sun. When Peter and Copper met they could not believe they were spending a night together in the same room. They had not seen each other since 1980 when Rhodesia was handed over to Mugabe and the army battalions were disbanded.
They were in the bar, sitting in a corner and out of ear-shot when Copper asked. “What’s happening? Please fill us in, you don’t ask two ex Selous Scouts to accompany you to Cape Town for a pick-nick.”
"I want to kidnap a guy down there." David waited for some re-action but there wasn't anything forth coming."I don't expect you to put your lives in danger for me. If the ransom is paid you will each receive one hundred thousand Rand. That's the story. If you want out now is the time to say so.Okay."
“For one hundred thousand Rand, I’m in." Peter said.
“It sounds like fun to me, so I’m in.” Copper said. “In life, nothing ventured, nothing gained. My mom always used to tell us that. It’s been a long time but I can still remember her saying it.”
Andy said. “Hey I also want part of the action.”
“David."Copper had a little smile. "I love kidnapping people so much, I would have paid for my own trip.” David knew that kidnapping was a big part for the Selous Scouts in the Rhodesian army and that is why he had asked these two guys to come along.
“Me too,” Peter said. “I would even go as far as Cape Town to do it.”They had a good laugh which attracted a bit of attention to them.
David organised, without Copper and Peter knowing, two ladies of the night to meet them in the bar and pretend that they have taken a fancy to them. He paid for them to stay the night.
They arranged to meet at 9.00am for breakfast and then take a slow drive down to Cape Town. When the two of them came in for breakfast they were like two little boys that had just been taken to a sweet shop and asked to each fill a packet.
“Hey Dave, what a night, we met two unbelievable chicks in the bar last night. They were both blondes with beautiful figures and big tits. I couldn’t believe that some women could be so loose. They said that their husbands had given them the night off and they were taking advantage of it. Well we both took advantage of them. I don’t know if they were ever fucked by the husbands because they couldn’t get enough. At one time I had to take a rest… for ten seconds.” Copper said.
“Ten seconds?” David asked,why so long? Then they burst out laughing. Ha…Ha.
“Those chicks didn’t want to go home. I was happy when I was told that.” Peter Said.
I don’t think they will need their husbands for a while.” Copper said then burst out laughing again and we joined in.
“It doesn’t look like you will need a woman for a while either---”David said grinning at Copper---"Does that mean you've forgotten your lady in Paris?"
"Shit David, the chick last night didn't cost me ten thousand US Dollars."He made a slip-up and was for many days teased.
"Whaaat?" Asked Peter. Did you pay tennnn thousand US Dollars for a fuck."
When we arrived in Cape Town and drove to Kim’s house. David got a shock when I saw her house. There was graffiti on all the walls and when they went inside the house saw that it had been vandalized. David knew this could be the work of only one man. Robbie Bruce and said that to the guys.
“Don’t worry David. That only gives us another reason to punish him.” Peter said.
“Look we can’t stay here. We’ll book in at a hotel tonight and decide what we’re going to do.” David said. They drove to Sea Point and booked into a hotel overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. David phoned Kim to give her the bad news about her house and then they went into a pub for a few drinks.
The next morning they all gathered in David's room and made a list of what they would need for the kidnap. Later in the day David drove down the road in which Robbie lived and found a place where it would be quite safe for them to wait for him.
“Yes, that looks okay.” Copper replied.
David looked at the road and the garage and came to the conclusion that the cars have to reverse into the garage when they are parking, so that it’s easier for them when they come out.
Then they went hunting for a place to put the captive. They were driving along Main Road in Muizenberg when they found an empty shop. The nearest shop was 200 meters away, it looked like it hadn't been used for years and there was a back door. That was great. They didn’t have to use the front entrance and it had two rooms. Peter went to the estate agent and took it on a three years lease which pleased the agent. Before they went into the shop they got some gloves and overalls and gum boots and those they would wear when they were inside.
The second room was like a store room. Peter came up with the idea of sound proofing that one and we would use the other as an office.
"Peter what a great idea but we need to get the material here. I think we must go out tonight and steal a van."
David wrote down the registration number of a white Hilux he had seen earlier and had an identical set made. Then they went out to look for a white Toyota Hilux that they could steel. They spotted a white one in Rondebosch standing in a dim lit street. While Peter and David sat in the car Copper put the screwdriver in the door lock and hit it with the hammer and a few seconds later he was inside. Then he did the same to the ignition. He hotwired it and it started. In total it took him exactly one and half minutes to steal, then Andy parked behind the shop and changed the number plates.
They bought a Motorola Smart zone 2 way radio and fitted it into the Toyota Hilux van then tuned it into the police frequency of ……MHz just in case we were being looked for or followed and a set of Motorola Overview walky talkies that had a ten kilometer range.
They moved out the hotel in Sea Point and split up. It was too much of a risk to be seen altogether. Each morning they would regroup at the shop.
At night the four of them studied the routes that they could use to escape and get back to the shop in the quickest time and the next day they tested which route they thought was the fastest. The route they decided on was a distance of 25 km and took them 31 minutes in day.
They bought a small bottle of chloroform and timed how long it would take for David to be knocked out. He was the gieny pig in all the trials because Robbie and him were the same height and build. The moment the rag was put in front of his nose it started taking effect and after two minutes he was out.
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