Disclaimers: This work is a work of fiction and is my property.
The story and characters are fictitious and any resemblance to anyone or any actual event is coincidental. There are three distinctly different main characters that will appear as the story progresses.
You should be legally allowed to read this type of material before continuing.
As it is based on an actual book, I had published a few years ago – free for your enjoyment – the story will not contain explicit material in all the chapters BUT don't fret, as it is more the exception than the rule.
Note that there will be a violent scenario. If this will trigger any trauma for you, please be aware of it before you start reading.
Please direct any comments or feedback to my email address at davidrolsynauthor2019@gmail.com.
Enjoy! And remember to donate to Nifty!
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE James
It's the next day and my phone rings, It's Mark and it's ten past ten in the morning.
I nearly drop the phone when I answer. "Hi Mark, this is unexpected." My stomach's in knots. I hope Daniel isn't lying in a morgue somewhere.
"You won't believe me James, but I found him."
"What, Huh, How? Is he o.k.?"
"He's fine. Staying with someone in Franschhoek. Pick me up from my office and we can go together."
"How did you manage to find him so quickly?" I'm dumbfounded.
"I'll tell you later. For now, we have no time to waste. I don't want to run the risk of him going elsewhere. I'll be expecting you soon, then." He disconnects the call.
I grab my wallet and phone and head downstairs. At reception, I ask the receptionist to get me any cab. He fortunately gets hold of my usual guy and twelve minutes later we're off to collect Mark.
He's waiting for us downstairs in front of the hardware store and gets in. "To the pizzeria in Franschhoek and go as fast as you can, without breaking the law." He orders the driver.
We head off in a different direction, through side streets and suburbs and finally get to a freeway. After taking the off-ramp to Stellenbosch, we're on our way. There's still a long way to go. I'm hoping we'll get to him in time.
I'm actually biting my bottom lip raw from the tension.
We enter a picturesque town, Franschhoek, as the road sign states, and it's in a valley with beautiful mountains surrounding it. But to be honest, I don't really appreciate the view as much. My focus is on seeing Daniel again.
"There, there it is." Mark points to a pizza place and we stop in the parking lot right in front of the entrance.
He jumps out and I follow.
"Is Jaco here?" he asks a cute blond waitress at the entrance. She can't be more than nineteen years old.
"Yes. I'll go call him."
A slim good-looking guy, with a long fringe comes strolling towards us. "Howzit. I believe you're looking for me. How can I help you fellows?" A little too cocky for the mood I'm in.
Mark flouts his attitude. "We're looking for Daniel and I believe you can tell us where to find him?"
Jaco looks us up and down, suspiciously, but Mark loses his patience. "This isn't a joke or even a negotiation. Tell us where we can find him. We have to know he's ok and not in any danger."
Jaco arcs his eyebrows at that but accepts Mark's argument. It could be Mark's authoritarian tone. This young guy's definitely a bottom boy and likes to be spoken down too.
"I'll do one better. I'll show you. Wait here." He goes up to someone inside and after a brief chat he joins us again. "Come. Follow me. It's close by."
We follow him on foot and a few blocks away he unlocks a backroom of an old house. "Hey Daniel. I hope you're decent. You have visitors ..."
The room's empty. No sign of Daniel.
It's in a mess though.
"I don't understand. He said he was going to sleep in and then join me for lunch at the restaurant." Jaco genuinely looks flabbergasted.
"Wait here guys." Mark steps out and a few minutes later comes storming back in.
"We better go. Now!" And he starts running back the way we came. Jaco and I follow him.
"What's wrong Mark?" I yell out at him in front. The guy can move!
"No time to explain. We need to get to him quickly before he does something stupid." He turns his head slightly back to tell me that, but keeps his running pace.
Now I'm really worried.
We all jump into the cab and Mark practically yells at the driver to make his way to the wine estate, as fast as he can.
He continues, but to us. "Keep your eyes peeled for him. He went there on foot but might have hitchhiked by now."
"How did you track him down so quickly?" I ask.
"Not now. I'll explain everything once we have him and can take a breather. You owe me a beer for this."
"You've got it!" I reply.
Eventually, we're close to the estate and Mark spots him.
"There he is! Stop him before he enters the gate!"
The cab driver hits the accelerator hard and we manage to get to him within a hundred feet before the gate. The car comes to an abrupt halt on the side of the road, sending dust everywhere.
I jump out and I run up to him. "Daniel! Stop! Please!" I plead with him.
Daniel's carrying a crowbar and when he glances back at us, he's eyes are lifeless, even menacing.
He freezes for a minute, turns back towards where he was heading, and then turns back again, to look at me. Suddenly, the crowbar falls from his hand into the dust, and he collapses onto his knees. He lets out a blood curdling scream, before he starts sobbing like a child, defeated with his hands lying, palms up, on the ground next to him.
I run to him and drop down onto the red gravel and embrace him. His head falls onto my left shoulder and he drenches my shirt with his tears.
Involuntarily, I start crying too. Maybe just out of pure relief that I've found him or because he's not in danger anymore.
Mark and Jaco leave us be and finally, after what feels like a lifetime, he looks up at me. "I'm so glad to see you James."
I help him up and we start walking back to the cab.
Once I get him in, he rests his head on my shoulder and Jaco climbs in on the other side. Mark sits in front.
Daniel falls asleep almost immediately, drained from all the stress he's being going through.
We head back to Franschhoek.