One Dead Witness Read Online Free PDF Page A

wrist of some
great adventurer or explorer, he’d promised himself that one day he
would buy one. And when the time came, thirty years later - just as
the firm was beginning to make real money - he had cherished the
moment. In a grand, rather tacky gesture, he had paid hard cash.
Truly a moment to remember and savour. Apart from when he made love
(and sometimes even then), the Rolex had never left his
wrist.
    Kruger dropped his head. Looking down underneath his armpit he
saw the shoes of the first guy almost directly behind him. He was
puzzled for a very brief moment when he saw the shoes crease as the
man stood on his tiptoes. Then, ironically, it all became clear
when everything went black as a hood was thrown over his head and
tightened with a drawstring around his neck.
    Kruger gagged. ‘What the hell..?’ He lashed out blindly but
without effect. He was punched twice in the kidneys, driving him
down to his knees. A pair of handcuffs were ratcheted tightly on
his wrists.
    Once again he felt the muzzle of the revolver rammed against
his head.
    ‘ You fucker - you do what we say, or we kill ya, okay? You
bein’ dead don’t make no odds to us.’ It was the first guy talking, Kruger was sure.
    ‘ Fine, fine,’ Kruger growled through gritted teeth.
    ‘ Now get to yo’ godamned feet.’
    No one assisted him, but a few seconds later he was standing
shakily. ‘Now you gonna get inna the back o’ yo’ Chevy, okay? And
we’re gonna go fo’ a little ride ... and I suggests you keep it
schtum, otherwise I’ll gets really pissed with yo’ and I’ll put a
few slugs inna yo’ brain.’
     
     
    Danny eased herself inch by glorious inch into a hot bath so
full of foam and water the tub almost overflowed. She groaned with
sheer ecstasy as her bottom, then her back and finally all of her,
was covered. She reached for the glass of vodka on ice from the top
of the loo and took a life-saving gulp, shivering as the liquid
burned down to her stomach. Then she picked up a ready-lighted
Benson & Hedges, put it to her lips and pulled a long, deep
drag as a chaser to the spirit.
    Oh God. Heaven!
    A heaven which lasted approximately four minutes, curtailed by
the chimes of the front-door bell.
    Danny’s heart dropped. She knew who it would be.
    A decision had to be made tonight - one way or the
other.
     
     
    Kruger lost all track of his whereabouts almost as soon as the
Chevy rolled out of the parking lot. He tried to keep with it for a
few moments, but the pain from his kidneys distracted him. It was
like someone poking a red-hot needle straight through the middle of
his lower back. He’d been whacked there a few times in the past,
but the effects had worn off quite quickly. Today the pain was
hanging in there, making him think he might have a stone or
something. Depending on the outcome of this little shake-down,
which was obviously not a robbery, a visit to the doctor was only a
day away.
    Eventually the pain dissipated.
    ‘ Where are you taking me?’ Kruger demanded.
    ‘ Shut the hell up,’ one of his captors grunted and skewered the
muzzle of the gun into the skin at the side of his neck.
    ‘ Okay, okay, I’ll be quiet.’
    Was he being kidnapped? And if he was - why? Most of his money
was tied up in the business. Maybe he was being taken to be wasted
somewhere. And maybe the idea that this was the work of some
disgruntled husband of a client was not so far-fetched after
all.
    But if that was the case, why hadn’t they done him in the
parking lot? That would’ve been nice and easy. This was
complicated.
    No matter how many questions he asked himself, he could not
work any of it out.
    So here he was, bundled up like some damn amateur in the back
of his own van after all he’d been through and survived in his life
so far. Taken by two spunkless punks who were young enough to be
his sons.
    How the mighty are fallen.
    The sound of the tyres on the road changed to a high-pitched
hum which Kruger recognised. The van