The Jason Green series Box Set

by Gordon Wallis

  There were the sounds of clinking cutlery and hushed music and conversation coming from the upstairs area. Eventually I had passed the main building and was making my way down towards Richard's room. I was about four rooms away when suddenly one of the doors nearby opened. A couple of overweight and very sunburnt Americans stepped out and walked towards me. “How are ya?” said the man. “Very well thanks, how are you?” I replied.

  “Great!” they both said as we passed each other. I had not expected that sudden meeting and it had pumped up my adrenalin a notch. I was relieved to see there was no more activity in front of me and I glanced behind me briefly to find the same. No movement. The rooms at the Eden Beach Lodge were each separated by an area of green foliage and small trees. The area between Richard's room and the next was no exception. I ducked quickly into the dark cover of the bush. I had to crouch down low under the leaves as I made my way to the far corner of his room. When I got there I stopped and turned around to look behind me. Again there was no movement and I waited for a minute or two in the darkness. I dumped the rucksack on the ground amongst some dead leaves and, still crouching, made my way along the back section of the room to the first window. I could tell from the drainage pipes that protruded from the lower part of the wall that I was directly outside the bathroom. Above me was a double window. Slowly I stood up and noticed that, like most hotel bathrooms, the glass of the windows was dimpled and had a misted effect for privacy. The heat of the evening was oppressive and the sweat ran down my temples as I moved along the wall towards the bedroom windows. I arrived to find that he had neglected to close the curtains at the back of the room and one of the windows was wide open. Having been in the dark for a few minutes, I could make out a large double bed with tables either side. Opposite was a lounge area with a low table and to the right was a dressing table and mirror. There were a set of ornate but heavy burglar bars that were set in from the window. I removed the torch from my pocket, put it through the window and held it low as I switched it on. The room was cool from the air conditioner that was obviously left on. I moved the beam around the room and saw nothing out of the ordinary. It was clearly an expensive hotel with plush fittings and decor but there was nothing to set Richard apart from any other wealthy tourist. Like in my own room down the beach there was a laptop on the dressing table. I switched off the torch and quietly made my way back through the darkness to the bathroom windows. The only sound I was aware of was my breathing and the crunching of dead leaves underfoot. I arrived to find one of the windows had been left open slightly. I slowly pulled at it. The screw latch on the window had been left a little tight and it groaned as it moved. I squeezed my right arm through the tight gap and loosened it so it would make no more noise.

  It worked and I was able to open the window wide. Like in the bedroom area there were heavy burglar bars and because there were no other windows the room was pitch black. I grabbed the torch, held it into the room and turned it on. The large bathroom was tiled from floor to ceiling. There was a bidet, a shower, a bath, and directly below where I stood was a double sink. The toilet was to the rear of the room behind a low wall. I shone the torch down onto the sinks and noticed a drinking glass that held a tube of toothpaste and a single toothbrush. Nothing out of the ordinary again, Green. I flashed the torch around the room again. It was then that I noticed a white dinner plate sitting on the counter of the right hand sink.

  In the harsh light of the torch I could see the residue of white powder on the surface of the shiny porcelain. Like the plate that was hidden under the seat on the passenger side of the Aston Martin. Like the plate that I had seen in Richard's bedroom in his flat back in London. Just like the plate he had used in my hotel room on that fateful first night in Zanzibar. You been coking it up again Richie boy? I thought, haven't you heard drugs are bad for you? I switched off the torch, closed the window, and made my way, crouching, back to where I had hidden my bag. Once there I replaced the torch and stopped to have a look at the scene in front of me. Apart from some laughter in the distance there was no sound and I could see through the dense foliage that the pool bar was now deserted. I sat there for a minute watching and thinking. I felt disappointed. I had thought that I might have found something. Anything that would set him apart and give me a clue as to what made young Richard Lewer-Allen tick. But apart from being an obvious womaniser, a party animal, and a casual drug user, there was nothing. My thoughts were disturbed by the sound of heels on tiles approaching. I could tell the person was walking slowly down the pathway from the left in front of me. I froze in position and waited. The sound got steadily louder until I saw the dark overalls of the security guard appear from the left. Although I could not see his upper body I imagined it would be the same one I had met on the way into the hotel. I could see the truncheon attached to his belt. He stopped right in front of me and for a brief moment my heart sank. I saw his feet turn. He was obviously facing the pool bar and the other wing of the hotel. He stood there for a good minute before I saw his feet turn again and he made his way back in the direction he had come from. I breathed a sigh of relief and waited a few minutes until the sound of his footsteps disappeared. I made my way, still crouching in the undergrowth, towards the mellow light of the pathway. I paused to look and listen just before I got there, heard nothing, and quickly stood up and started towards the beach. Although I had found nothing of major importance, I had once again looked into Richard's private world. I walked casually past the remaining rooms with my bag slung over my shoulder until I reached the sandy slope that led to the beach.

  There was a slight breeze coming off the sea and it made me aware of just how much I had been sweating in the undergrowth behind the room. My back was dripping with perspiration which was now drying in the salty air. I made my way to the darkness of the hard sand near the ocean. I stood and looked back at Richard's hotel. I felt slightly frustrated and puzzled but there was not a lot I could do. I shrugged my shoulders, and started off down the beach towards the big house of Carlos da Costa.

  As I walked the low buzz of adrenaline I had been feeling gradually got more and more intense. It heightened my senses, quickened my breathing, and gave me an electric feeling in my arms and legs. It was a feeling I had not had for a long time and I savoured every moment of it. I passed the remaining buildings on the right within ten minutes and the shroud of darkness between Paje and the big house enveloped me. For safety and cover I decided to move onto the soft sand near the line of jungle. There was a lot more debris on the beach there. Things like washed up coconuts, palm fronds, and drift wood. They were a bit of a worry in that they were obstacles and might make a noise if I trod on them but I could make them out pretty clearly as I walked. The soft sand underneath my feet looked grey in the gloomy light and the breeze I had felt was subsiding leaving a humid fug all around me. When I was sure I was within five minutes of the corner of the wall of the big house I sat down and opened my bag. I pulled the pair of jeans on over my shorts and then replaced my rafters with the now blackened trainers. Then I put on the black tracksuit top and zipped it up. It had a flap of material that covered the entire length of the zipper. I opened a tin of black shoe polish and proceeded to smear it on my forehead, cheeks, nose, chin, and neck. Finally I pulled the woollen skull cap from the bag, turned it inside out, and pulled it over my head.

  With all the layers of clothing, the heat was stifling but it was absolutely essential that I would be unseen. I packed the bag and made my way slowly down the beach. The guard I had seen sleeping on my morning run and then later with Richard would no doubt be there. With any luck he would be drunk and sleeping on the job again. The sight of his AK47 had unnerved me both times I had seen him. I walked slowly and quietly keeping an eye on the grey sand in front of me. Eventually I rounded the last section of jungle and the light at the corner of the wall surrounding the big house came into view in the distance. I could see the guard clearly. He was sitting in the same spot I had seen him sleeping in on the morning of
my run up the beach. In his right hand, he held a cigarette that would glow bright every twenty five seconds or so when he took a draw from it. I decided to stop for a while and watch him. I had learned a long time ago that a bit of patience could save your life.

  I sat down slowly in the darkness of the vegetation. I was aware of the sound of my breathing and the gentle lapping of the sea to my left. Along with the constant whistling of the cicadas, there was the occasional sound from the darkness of the jungle to my right. A coconut falling, a small animal shifting as it slept. The creaking of a tree. The guard never moved from his seat. He leant back against the base of the wall and I although I couldn't see his gun I knew it was there. He finished his smoke and flicked the butt out onto the sand. I watched until the tiny glow extinguished itself. Then the man sat up straight, stretched his arms, and slowly got to his feet. My pulse quickened slightly as I realised he might take a walk down the beach towards me. If he had done so I would have moved a few metres into the jungle and laid low while he passed. Thankfully he moved off in the opposite direction and it was then that I saw the weapon. He walked slowly for about ten metres and then stooped down to retrieve something from a hiding place in the wall. It was only when he had come back into the light of his favourite spot that I saw he was carrying a bottle. The man leant his weapon against the wall and sat down in his favourite position. I watched him as he slowly unscrewed the top of the dark plastic bottle and took a swig. I imagined it would be some toxic home brewed spirit. The man lit another cigarette and took turns between smoking and sipping his drink. That's right, buddy, I thought, you carry on and get hammered, it's fine by me. The heat was starting to get to me now the breeze had gone and with all the layers of clothing my entire body was sweating profusely. Still, my eyes never left the man until he had finished the cigarette and was concentrating solely on the bottle. Finally I felt satisfied that the man had settled in for the night and I decided it was time to move. I got up and backtracked for fifty metres or so down the beach. My plan was to cut into the jungle for a hundred metres and then make my way to the wall and try to get over it. A hundred metres would put me a long way behind the big house and the scene of the beating I had witnessed. I would decide on what to do once I was over the wall.

  The jungle was totally black and seemed impenetrable. I squatted down, opened my bag and retrieved the night vision goggles. It took a few minutes to get them fitted comfortably but when I turned them on, the foreboding blackness of the jungle was transformed into a monochrome green and white obstacle course. It looked like the graphics of a primitive computer game. Every branch and frond was clearly visible, along with all the dead vegetation on the ground and the vines in the trees. I was impressed. Flicking the goggles up, I took one last look at the guard in the distance. He had not moved an inch. I pulled the goggles over my eyes and started making my way into the undergrowth. I was surprised at how quietly and quickly I was able to move in the alien green and white world the night vision produced.

  I kept a mental note of each step I made as I climbed over fallen trees and ducked under hanging vines. Ten minutes later I was satisfied I had gone at least a hundred metres back from the beach. I knew from memory that if I turned left and crossed the wall, I would be safely behind the house and the out building I had seen.

  The heat and humidity of the night was intense and I felt like I was roasting. I paused and flicked the goggles up to see what my surroundings looked like without night vision. All around me was totally black and I could not even see my hand outstretched in front of me. Gratefully, I pulled the goggles back over my eyes and paused to listen. There were no sounds apart from the usual. It was time to head to the wall. Turning left I started off in the direction I knew it to be. The green and white maze of the jungle was just as it had been on the way in and it was only my sense of direction that reassured me I was on the right track. Ahead of me a snake slithered away into the undergrowth. The adrenalin was humming constantly in my body and it helped me to overcome the claustrophobic green and white sauna I found myself in. I moved slowly and carefully, counting my steps for a good ten minutes. I stopped and looked around. There was no change and worryingly, no stone wall anywhere near. I had a brief moment of self doubt and I wondered if I had erred somewhere. Fuck all, Green, I thought, it's there, you know it's there. Carry on and you’ll come to it. I followed my instincts and proceeded. It was not a minute later that I became aware of a looming grey mass with intensely bright, pin prick lights above it. I flicked the goggles to the upright position and saw that I was indeed at the wall and the bright lights above were stars in the night sky. I was out of the canopy of the jungle and in the clearing that had been cut when the wall was built. The wall was at least four metres high, jagged and imposing in front of me. I squatted down quietly to watch and listen. My eyes once again had become accustomed to the night and the stars above gave me enough light to gauge the wall. It was made up of jagged coralline rock with cement mortar in between. It towered above me. I stood up and ran my hand across the surface. The coral was as sharp and dangerous in the air as it was in the sea but it was lumpy and would offer some grip for me to climb it. What I needed was a strong tree to attach my rope to. This would guarantee an exit from the property no matter what the surface of the wall was like on the inside. I turned right and walked slowly in the clearing between the jungle and the wall. It wasn't long until I came across a tall palm tree that was two metres from the wall. Its surface was smooth and as thick as a beer keg. I ran my hand up the wall opposite it and was pleased to find it was as jagged and rough as I had found it earlier. I squatted down, removed the coiled rope from my bag, and tied one end firmly around the trunk at shoulder height. I pulled at the rope violently and felt the knot tighten reassuringly around the trunk.

  Then I slung the remainder of the coiled rope as high as I could over the wall. It flew silently and disappeared, leaving only the section between the palm and wall at a forty five degree angle. Once again I sat to watch and listen for any movement. There was nothing except the sound of the cicadas. My entire body was dripping wet with sweat by that stage. It felt like the polish on my face was preventing my skin from breathing. It was time to go. After donning my gloves I stood up near the wall and felt for hand and foot holes. There were quite a few but some were too sharp and jagged. Eventually I found some that were suitable and with the bag on my shoulders, I started climbing. It was a slow process of finding a hand hold, pulling myself up, then finding a foot hold. My arms ached as I moved half a metre at a time but I was getting there. At one stage I had to move to the left as the rocks above me were too jagged but I managed, and eventually I pulled myself, panting and sweating, onto the top of the wall. It was a metre thick at that point and the surface was as rough as the sides. I paused, squatting, and caught my breath. I was half way there. In the distance to my left I could clearly make out the house and the various out-buildings. The house towered above the tree line. There were a few lights on including on the top floor which I knew to be Carlos and Angelique’s living area. Quietly I moved to where the rope was hanging over the wall. I gave it a pull and was relieved to see it hanging all the way to the ground on the other side.

  After pausing for a moment, I took hold of it and began abseiling down into the property of Carlos da Costa. Half way down I heard a crunching sound under my right foot. A loose piece of rock had become dislodged and tumbled to the ground noisily. It landed in amongst the vegetation with a thud and for a moment I hung there suspended. My arms burned from the strain but I remained calm and waited to see if there would be any reaction. There was none. I carried on descending till I reached the bottom. My heart was beating loudly in my ears and I was panting from the exertion. I laid low for a while to recover. The vegetation around me was not as thick as the jungle on the other side of the wall but it was equally dark. I retrieved the night vision goggles and fitted them. I decided I would first move towards the house and the outbuildings to have a look around. I h
ad seen very little on the night of the party and I needed to get a clear idea of the layout of the property. I made a mental note of where the rope was hanging and moved off slowly through the darkness, pausing every four or five metres to check my surroundings. The adrenalin was pumping freely through my body at that stage and my limbs felt like coiled springs. There were no pathways, only thick bush and palm trees. Eventually, through the night vision goggles, I became aware of burning white lights ahead of me. I flicked the goggles into the upright position and saw that I was approaching a building.

  Inside were dim lights but I saw no movement at all. I realised that I was behind the building where I had witnessed the waiter get his beating. Staying in the darkness and using the limited light from the building, I skirted around to my left. Eventually I could make out the dark shadow of the wall and the back of the ablution block from where I had heard the cries of the waiter. In front of me was the dark, rocky slope I had come down, and to my right was the side of the mansion. The lights were still bright on the top floor. There was no movement and nothing to see so I decided to skirt around the building to the right behind the main house. I moved off silently with the goggles in the upright position until I arrived at a large flat clearing. In front of me was the back of the mansion. Its three stories towered above me and I was once again aware of the sheer size of the place. It was clearly the business end of the house and I could see various stairways and entrances to kitchens and other utility rooms. Still in the relative darkness and cover of the bush I squatted down to get an idea of the layout.