Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon

He said stubbornly, “You’ve done enough.” He had managed to put his shoes on. He was a forlorn-looking figure, standing there in a torn, bloodied shirt and jacket. His face was seamed and his hair was gray, but when Kate looked at him she saw the tall, handsome figure she had first met as a child.

“Banda, if they catch you, they’ll kill you,” Kate said quietly. “You’re coming with me.”

She knew she was right about the roadblocks. Every exit from Johannesburg would be guarded by police patrols. Banda’s capture was a top priority and the authorities had orders to bring him in dead or alive. The railroad stations and roads would be watched.

“I hope you have a better plan than your daddy had,” Banda said. His voice was weak. Kate wondered how much blood he had lost.

“Don’t talk. Save your strength. Just leave everything to me.” Kate sounded more confident than she felt. Banda’s life was in her hands, and she could not bear it if anything happened to him. She wished again, for the hundredth time, that David was not away. Well, she would simply have to manage without him.

“I’m going to bring my automobile around to the alley,” Kate said. “Give me ten minutes, then come outside. I’ll have the back door of the car open. Get in and lie on the floor. There will be a blanket to cover yourself with.”

“Kate, they’re going to search every automobile leaving the city. If—”

“We’re not going by automobile. There’s a train leaving for Cape Town at eight A.M. I ordered my private car connected to it.”

“You’re getting me out of here in your private railroad car?”

“That’s right.”

Banda managed a grin. “You McGregors really like excitement.”

 

 

Thirty minutes later, Kate drove into the railroad yards. Banda was on the floor of the backseat, concealed by a blanket. They had had no trouble passing the roadblocks in the city, but now as Kate’s car turned into the train yards, a light suddenly flashed on, and Kate saw that her way was blocked by several policemen. A familiar figure walked toward Kate’s car.

“Superintendent Cominsky!”

He registered surprise. “Miss McGregor, what are you doing here?”

Kate gave him a quick, apprehensive smile. “You’ll think I’m just a silly, weak female, Superintendent, but to tell you the truth, what happened back at the office scared the wits out of me. I decided to leave town until you catch this killer you’re looking for. Or have you found him?”

“Not yet, ma’am, but we will. I have a feeling he’ll make for these railroad yards. Wherever he runs, we’ll catch him.”

“I certainly hope so!”

“Where are you headed?”

“My railway car is on a siding up ahead. I’m taking it to Cape Town.”

“Would you like one of my men to escort you?”

“Oh, thank you, Superintendent, but that won’t be necessary. Now that I know where you and your men are, I’ll breathe a lot easier, believe me.”

Five minutes later, Kate and Banda were safely inside the private railway car. It was pitch black.

“Sorry about the dark,” Kate said. “I don’t want to light any lamps.”

She helped Banda onto a bed. “You’ll be fine here until morning. When we start to pull out, you’ll hide out in the washroom.”

Banda nodded. “Thank you.”

Kate drew the shades. “Have you a doctor who will take care of you when we get to Cape Town?”

He looked up into her eyes. “We?”

“You didn’t think I was going to let you travel alone while I missed all the fun?”

Banda threw back his head and laughed. She’s her father’s daughter, all right.

 

 

As dawn was breaking, an engine pulled up to the private railroad car and shunted it onto the main track in back of the train that was leaving for Cape Town. The car rocked back and forth as the connection was made.

At exactly eight o’clock, the train pulled out of the station. Kate had left word that she did not wish to be disturbed. Banda’s wound was bleeding again, and Kate attended to it. She had not had a chance to talk to Banda since earlier that evening, when he had stumbled half-dead into her office. Now she said, “Tell me what happened, Banda.”