The Satanic Mechanic Read Online Free PDF Page B

agreed you wouldn’t get involved with my work. You know how I feel about dragging you into anything dangerous . . .’
    We’d had this discussion a few times before. After the death of his first wife, he couldn’t face the idea of losing me. He’d been very upset when I was nearly killed by that murderer.
    I asked, ‘Has someone been killed?’
    He didn’t reply. It was getting dark now, and the first toads started calling in their deep cracked voices.
    â€˜Did it happen in Oudtshoorn?’ I asked. I could smell the orange pudding caramelising.
    â€˜Maria, this is what I wanted to avoid. I’m sorry, I must go now.’
    In my underwear and oven gloves, I took out the hot pudding. It was perfect, all golden-brown on top.
    â€˜I am so sorry,’ I said to Henk’s Favourite.
    I phoned Jessie and told her about my call from Henk. ‘I’m worried about Slimkat,’ I said.
    â€˜I’ve been a bit worried too,’ she said. ‘I called him just now but got no reply.’
    â€˜Has Reghardt said anything to you?’ I asked. Reghardt worked with Henk and was Jessie’s boyfriend.
    â€˜Just that he’s busy tonight,’ she said. ‘I’m going to Oudtshoorn first thing tomorrow. For the festival. I’ll find out what’s happening and let you know.’
    I ate my diet dinner and listened to a frog calling for its mate.
    The pudding cooled, and I put it in the freezer.
    The frogs and crickets sang me to sleep. But then my nightmares woke me. I heard myself shouting, ‘No! No!’
    It’s lucky my neighbours are far away, or they might have come running to see if someone was being killed.
    When the sweating stopped, I was left with the shame shaking through my body. My body remembered things that my mind tried to forget. I went to the bathroom and wiped my face with a wet cloth. And then I went to the kitchen, because the kitchen was my best friend.
    Although my hands were still shaking, they got the pudding from the freezer into the oven. My fingers and head felt far from each other, but I managed not to break anything. As I waited for the pudding to get hot, I watched Venus rising. The planet seemed so very far away.
    When Henk’s Favourite was ready, I sat on the stoep and ate that warm orange pudding until my mouth and hands and belly came closer together; even Venus felt closer. Finally I was whole again, and the shaking stopped.

CHAPTER NINE
    I drove in early to the Gazette that morning. The Karoo hills looked soft and quiet in the dawn light, as if they were still sleeping. The sunrise painted the sky a baby pink and blue. As I drove, it looked like the hills were rolling over in their veld beds. They had a better night’s rest than me, I’m sure.
    The troubles from my past sat heavy on me, and on top of them were fresh worries about Slimkat. I wished I could chuck my problems out the car window. I felt the cool morning breeze on my face. I sighed. And the wind blew the sigh back into my mouth.
    I let myself into the office and looked at the tin of buttermilk rusks that lived on my desk. Was there any point in having coffee without beskuit? Although the orange pudding had interfered a bit, I was still trying with that diet. For breakfast, I’d eaten a fruit salad.
    Hattie had printed out some emails for me and left them on my desk. And there was that letter from the teenager who wasn’t ready for sex. She was worried her boyfriend might leave her. It’s not unreasonable for a man to expect his girlfriend to be his lover. Otherwise they are just friends. He may have patience for a while, but how long can it last? But it didn’t feel fair to say these things to the seventeen year old.
    I picked up another letter, an email this time, with yesterday’s date on it.

    Dear Tannie Maria ,
    I wonder if you remember me .
    It is because of your letters that we started the Ostrich Supper Club . You