Private Gold

Chapter 28

The area outside the mine’s entrance was bustling with activity, and lit by flashing red and blue lights. Medics shouted to each other, and police walkie-talkies crackled. Joey saw that the miners were all being given oxygen and were being divided into two groups — those who needed immediate hospitalization, and those who were less severely affected, who were being interviewed by police.

“So you didn’t know you were going to be working down a mine?” Joey heard one of the officers ask a raggedly dressed zama zama. The man, who obviously understood some English, shook his head before replying haltingly.

“They told us we would be carrying rocks to the surface. They said that the business would organize us all the proper permits, and that the money would be good. It was only when we came here that we found they had lied to us.”

The miner’s story confirmed Joey’s suspicions — the men had, indeed, been trafficked here. He should tell Isobel. Where was she? Looking around, he found himself smiling when he caught sight of her. She was standing apart from the group and watching the headlights of another approaching car. He called her name, but in the hubbub, she didn’t hear. He started walking toward her, feeling suddenly nervous of what else he should say. He still wanted to give her that hug — but should he drive her back into town? Buy her dinner? Help her find better lodgings?

He had a very comfortable spare room in his own house, where Hayley sometimes stayed. He should offer it to her... but he knew that if she came to his home, he wouldn’t want her to sleep in the spare room. Thinking this way about her was going to be dangerous at best, depressing at worst.

Driving her to a good hotel with top-class security would be most sensible. He was still concerned about her safety, and guessed she’d have a busy evening updating her husband on the goings-on within his company that he should already have known about. From the sounds of things, Dave had been neglecting his business — and his wife.

But could this have been done deliberately?

Once the suspicion had lodged itself in Joey’s mind, it refused to leave. He decided that after he’d dropped Isobel at her hotel, he was going to call Jack Morgan, brief him on the situation and ask for his opinion, because something about it didn’t feel right.

Abruptly, the approaching headlights swung in Isobel’s direction. A moment later, the car stopped, and a tall man climbed out. Joey saw Isobel’s posture instantly freeze into shock, and for one horrified moment, he thought the gunman had arrived.

He was already sprinting forward and fumbling for his gun when he saw her demeanor relax. The tall man opened his arms as Isobel shook her head, and he thought he heard the sound of her laughter. Then they embraced and Joey slowed his pace.

“Dave!” he heard her say. “What on earth are you doing here? How did you even know I was in South Africa?”

“Samantha called me yesterday,” the American explained. Joey noted he was blond, well built, with strong, handsome features. “Samantha discovered that Brogan had intercepted some of the e-mails you girls sent to each other.”

You girls? Joey wanted to grab the man by his broad shoulders and shake him hard.

“Brogan intercepted them?” Isobel asked.

“Yes. Samantha was worried when you messaged that your bodyguard had been canceled. She got an IT specialist in who confirmed that the e-mail server had been reconfigured to forward all correspondence between you two to Brogan at the South African office. She contacted me immediately. I was in Cape Town, waiting to catch a flight back to the States, so I got on a plane and flew straight up here instead.”

“I had no idea you knew!” Isobel cried.

“No, I had no idea you were doing this. Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Well, I tried to, but...”

“Next time, you tell me about these things. You’ve done an amazing job here, baby girl, but seriously, you were in massive danger. I’m not gonna let you out of the house when we get home. I nearly had a heart attack when I heard about this crazy scheme.”

“But you’re not...”

“Come on. Let’s get out of this dump and go somewhere civilized. I’ve called the police already and they’re on the way to arrest Brogan. I’ve got a room booked for us tonight at the Michelangelo Hotel, Sandton, and we’ll fly back home in the morning.”

“My luggage!” Isobel exclaimed. “I left my bags in the rental lodgings.”

Dave frowned impatiently. “It’s late already, baby girl. We’ll pick up what you need in the mall next to the hotel, and my PA can organize for the bags to be couriered back home.”

Perhaps it was the residual effect of the toxic fumes, but Joey felt suddenly nauseated. He turned away. No point in staying here... there was nothing more he could do. The trafficked miners had been rescued, and Isobel was booked into a secure hotel, where she would be safe until her departure. He’d call her sometime, and tell her good-bye.

Maybe tomorrow.

Maybe never.