Yes. That’s what I’ll do. I’ve made up my mind. But I’m going to have to tell Benton. He’s already noticed something’s up, he just asked me what the matter is. I lied – I told him I was fine. It will ruin everything, but I must tell him my decision today, this aftern
*
The handwriting finished halfway down the page. But in the bottom right-hand quarter, Calder could make out an arc of tiny black splashes on his photocopy. Blood. Martha van Zyl’s final signature.
Author’s Note
When writing about businessmen it is always difficult to stay on the right side of the line between fiction and fact and still maintain a feel of authenticity. This is especially true in the world of international newspapers. Although Cornelius van Zyl shares the characteristics of a number of media magnates, he does not represent any one of them. Nor do any other characters in the book represent real people. The companies too are fictitious. The Broederbond was real, as was Muldergate. What the white South African government did with the millions it funnelled through its defence special accounts during the 1980s remains a mystery
I have drawn on the help and advice of a number of people: the South African thriller writer Deon Meyer, Alice Harrison and her family, Isobel Dixon and her family, Jonathan Braack and Darren Green at Ngala game reserve, Troy Reiser of Federal Aviation in Johannesburg, Allan and Stephanie Walker, Mark Aitken, Susan Griggs, Lynn Gluckman, Neil Klein, Adam Buchan, my agent Carole Blake and my editor Beverley Cousins. I would like to thank them all. Where there are mistakes, they are mine.
About the Author
Before becoming a writer, Michael Ridpath used to work in the City of London as a bond trader. He has written eight thrillers set in the worlds of business and finance. Michael is currently writing the internationally bestselling Icelandic based Fire and Ice series and TRAITOR’S GATE, a World War II novel to be published in 2013. He was brought up in Yorkshire, but now lives in North London. His website is www.michaelridpath.com
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