Daddy's Girl by Margie Orford Read Free Book Online

master. Now he’s using the branding of the 27s like a franchise.’
    Riedwaan waited as the sirens outside went past. ‘All you need is a way of managing it. Violence is easy. You teach one person a lesson once, and everyone gets it. These people don’t decide things by committee.’
    Leaning forward, Delport cut in, ‘Don’t tell me you’ve bought this bullshit about the 27s moving out of the prisons and onto the street? One or two body-building clubs, a bit of extortion, a few strippers. Anything more organised than that is a figment of the media’s imagination. It’s throwing money away, going after them.’
    ‘The capital.’ Phiri kept his eyes on Riedwaan.
    ‘One kopek is hardlycapital,’ Delport sneered.
    ‘Let me hear this,’ said Phiri. ‘I’ll decide. Who’s backing Ahrend, Faizal?’
    ‘I’m trying to pin it down. Hard to find an individual. Shell companies behind shell companies in the property that’s been selling. Management outsourced, the muscle, too. Whoever it is gets others to take the risk, guarantees a flow of merchandise, skims their fees off the top. Lowrisk. High reward.’
    There were muffled voices at the door. Seconds later it opened, and a statuesque woman filled the doorway. The charcoal skirt and jacket were so tailored that she may as well have worn her uniform. Behind her were two men in Special Directorate uniforms.
    ‘Special Director Ndlovu. I didn’t expect to see you in Cape Town.’
    ‘Phiri.’ The woman nodded.
    ‘Captain Faizal,’said Director Ndlovu. Riedwaan was on his feet. The woman held a folder with his name on it. They had crossed paths before. ‘What have you done with your daughter this time?’
    ‘I don’t have her.’ The pen in Riedwaan’s hand snapped. ‘Where is she? What’s happened?’
    ‘Your wife went to collect her from her ballet class, Captain. She’s gone.’
    ‘She’s gone home with one of the other girls,surely?’ Riedwaan’s chair toppled as he stepped towards the door.
    Ndlovu blocked him.
    ‘Shazia checked that. She checked with Yasmin’s teachers too.’ The expression in her eyes was arctic. ‘You knew she’d be there, and now she’s gone.’
    Delport, Phiri, Louise standing in the doorway behind the uniforms, Ndlovu – all had their eyes on him. ‘Just the week before your wife was going totake the child to Canada. The family court ordered that you return the papers on Monday. Have you signed?’
    ‘No,’ said Riedwaan, shoving his cigarettes into his pocket, feeling for his keys. ‘I have not signed.’
    Salome Ndlovu turned to Phiri. ‘Then…’
    ‘Don’t you fuck with me, Special Director Ndlovu.’ He had his hand on her arm, the grey silk of her jacket slippery under his palm.
    ‘Is that another threat, Captain Faizal?’ She didn’t flinch.
    Ndlovu’s men stepped into Riedwaan’s body space.
    ‘No.’ Riedwaan’s hand dropped to his side. ‘But I don’t have her. And the longer you believe I do, the harder it’s going to be for me to find her.’
    ‘Given your own history, the police’s history for family violence, this restraining order—’
    ‘What I’m telling you is a fact,Director. Something that your years in the Soviet Union may have taught you to overlook.’
    ‘Director Ndlovu,’ said Phiri. ‘Captain Faizal’s been working all day. I will deal with this. The explanations are simple, I’m sure.’
    ‘Shazia Faizal is moving to Canada, she is taking the child with her. The father’s reaction to this has been violent.’ Ndlovu held up an official-looking document.‘For men with Captain Faizal’s record, there are protocols that must be followed. In the interest of the safety of the child and the mother.’
    ‘For fuck’s sake.’ Riedwaan snatched the interdict from her. ‘I’m going to look for her.’
    ‘Your protocols will be followed,’ Phiri said, a restraining hand on Riedwaan’s arm. ‘I will vouch for Captain Faizal.’
    ‘To the letter. Your