The Script of Evil

21. Calling the shots

Jack jumps into action. "Kadin and Rene, quickly come to the sleeping room. Billy, go and wait for me in the sitting room. Look through the peephole and see if you recognize someone at the front door."

Jack grabs shorts and puts it on over his pajama shorts and also a T-shirt and jacket before he goes to the hidden safe in their cupboard. He takes out his 9mm Parabellum, pushes in the magazine and cocks it and then put it away behind his back where it is hidden under his jacket.

He turns and looks at Rene and Kadin and speaks earnestly: "I am going to have a look and if Billy recognizes those monsters at the front door, I am going to surprise them on the spot. Lock yourselves in the room and don't open before someone gives three knocks three times as a code. Doesn't matter what we do or say, you only come out when you hear the knock code or else push the silent alarm's button for Atlas Armed Security and don't come out before Atlas arrives, okay?"

Kadin grabs Jack by the arm before he goes out. "Father, if it is an old man with a large hump on his head and a bushy beard, don't look into his eyes. He will bewitch you."

Jack frowns. "What ..?"

"We haven't told you yet. The man steals your thoughts easily. Promise you won't look in his eyes."

Jack is bewildered but pacifies her. "Okay, Kadin. I'll do as you say. But now, lock the door and don't come out even if anyone says you must. Wait for the code. And if someone tells you to open without knocking, then push the silent alarm's button without hesitation."

Rene intercedes and pushes Kadin lightly deeper into the room. "Go and sit at the panic button in the meantime, my darling"

Rene whispers furtively in his ear: "Think about the children. Promise me you won't become mad again."

She looks deep into his eyes and they change from cruel to tender before he kisses her and turns around and she locks the bedroom door.

The bell rings again. Jack meets up with Billy at the front door and Billy whispers: "There are two men, Uncle, but I don't know them. One looks slightly familiar but I don't know from where. But they are definitely not part of the villains as far as I can make out. Those men that tortured me looked and talked like foreign Indians. These two are middle-aged, white men and look like South Africans."

Jack peeps through the hole. "Who are you and what are you doing here."

The man on the right side puts his hand in his inner pocket and holds his police identity card in front of the peephole. The photo and name correlate with what Jack sees when the man answers. "I am detective Alex Bond from the Murder and Robbery squad Humewood police station and this is my colleague, Nico de Jager."

"How can I help you?"

"We must see Kadin Bosch urgently, Sir. She is living here, not so? Are you her father? Is she here now?"

Jack and Billy frown at each other before Jack answers: "At this stage, I trust no one, Alex, and you will have to explain what is going on or there will be trouble, do you understand?"

"Your daughter's friend, Billy, had been kidnapped and detained and was released only after she negotiated with the kidnappers this morning in the library, Sir. We have been informed and asked for help by a friend of them who contacted us last night. Kadin had confided in him and told him about the ordeal and we followed her clandestinely and protected her up to the library where Billy was released. We planned to follow the villains when they leave the library and arrest them but unluckily we lost them. We now urgently want to talk to Kadin and her friend because they can help us to catch these criminals and detain them. Please open the door so that we can talk, Sir."