Part 63 (2/2)
Craig took advantage of the softening of att.i.tudes.
”Morgan, you can rely on me to see she does the right thing-_2 Immediately Sally-Anne puffed up in the high bed, preparatory to fending off another chauvinistic onslaught, but Craig gave her a tiny frown and shake of the head and she subsided reluctantly. Morgan turned on Craig instead.
”As for you, Craig. How the h.e.l.l did they find out you the agency?” Morgan demanded.
4, were working for
”Was ! Craig looked stunned. ”If I was, n.o.body told me.”
”Who the h.e.l.l do you think Henry Pickering is anyway Santa Claus?”
”He my, he is- a vice-president of the World Bank!”
”Babes,” moaned Morgan, ”babes in the tupping woods.” He braced up. ”Well, anyway, that is over. Your contract is terminated. If there was anything sooner than immediately, that would be the date of termination.”
”I sent Henry a full report three days ago-”
”Yeah!” Morgan nodded resignedly. ”About Peter Fungabera being the Moscow candidate. Peter is a Shana, the Ruskies would never touch him. just so you put it out of your head, General Fungabera is a Russian-hater from way back and we have a very good relations.h.i.+p with Peter Fungabera very good indeed. Enough said.”
”For G.o.d's sake, Morgan. Then he is playing a double game. I had it from his own aide. Captain Timon Nbebi!”
”Who is now conveniently dead,” Morgan reminded him. ”If it makes you feel better, we've put your report into the computer with a” D-minus credibility rating. Henry Pickering sends you his sincere thanks.” Sally-Anne cut in, ”Morgan, you have seen my photographs of the burned villages, the dead children, the devastation caused by the Third Brigade-”
”Like the man said,ftgs to make omelettes,” Morgan interrupted. ”Natur4y we don't like the violence, but Fungabera is anti-Russian. The Matabele are pro-Russian.
We have to support the anti-communist regimes, even if we don't like some of their methods there are women and aking a beating in El Salvador. So does that me in that we must stop aid to that country? Must we back out of any situation where our people aren't sticking precisely to the rules of the Geneva Convention? Grow up, Sally-Anne, this is the real world.” There was silence in the tiny ward, except for the pinking of the galvanized iron roof as it expanded in the noon heat. On the parched brown lawn beyond the window, the walking patients were, dressed in a uniform of pink bath robes stamped across the back with the initials of the Botswana Health Department.
”That's all you came to tell usr Sally-Anne asked at last.
”Isn't it enoughr Morgan stubbed out his cigarette and stood up. ”There is one other thing, Craig. Henry Pickering asked me to tell you that the Land Bank of Zimbabwe has repudiated its suretys.h.i.+p for your loan. Their grounds are that you have been officially declared an enemy of the people. Henry Pickering asked me to tell you they will be looking to you for repayment of capital and interest. Does this make sense to your ”Unfortunately,” Craig nodded glumly.
”He said he would try to work something out with you when you reach New York, but in the meantime they have been forced to freeze all your bank accounts and serve your publishers with a restraining order to withhold all future royalty payments.”
”That figures.”
”Sorry, Craig. It sounds real tough.” Morgan held out his hand. ”I liked your book, I really did, and I liked you. I'm just sorry it all had to end this way.” Craig walked with him as far as the green Ford with diplomatic registration plates that Morgan Oxford was driving.
”Will you do me one last favourr ”If I can.” Morgan looked suspicions.
”Can you see that a package is delivered to my publisher in New Yorkr And when Morgan's suspicions were unabated, ”It's only the final pages of my i -Lew ma.n.u.script, give you my word.” Hill Okay, then,” said Morgan Oxford dubiously. ”I'll see he gets it.” Craig fetched the British Airways bag from the hired Land-Rover at the far end of the car park. ”Look after it,” he pleaded. ”It's my heart's blood and my hope of salvation.” He watched the green Ford drive away and went back into the hospital building.
”What was all that about the banks and loansr Sally Anne asked as he entered her ward.
”It means that when I asked you to marry me I was a millionaire.” Craig came back to sit on the edge of her bed.
”Now I'm just about as broke as anybody who has no a.s.sets and owes a couple of million bucks can be.”
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