The Shudder Lingers Read online

  Stacey started crying, “Thank you Slade. I know you mean well, but sometimes I don’t know if I have the energy to keep fighting her. At times I feel like disappearing to another country.”

  Holding both her hands, he whispered, “Either way Stacey, fight or flight, I will be with you always.” He wiped away her tears and gave her a gentle kiss. “I suggest we take some time out and get out of the office. Maybe we can find a coffee shop overlooking the sea and finalise our wedding plans.” She tried a smile, but it was hard.

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  Stacey was awake well before five in the morning, excited about the day ahead. Elon Smith had arrived the day before, and the WKJD project team had worked excitedly on the rhino project and the drones, preparing for the next working session with their client. After the murder of Simon and her recent encounter with Daniella, Stacey had made a conscious decision to place any thoughts of those events on hold until after their wedding. She had made a choice to focus on happy thoughts only. Even so, she often found herself thinking about Daniella and her wicked ways.

  After some exercise and a hearty breakfast of scrambled egg, salmon and toast, she headed to work, in high spirits. Despite it being early, she found most of the rhino project team in the office, with excitement palpable in their warm smiles. She paused in the doorway and took a moment to reflect on what the business could be like, without its other dark side, led by Daniella. It seemed to galvanise her. She greeted everyone, “Good morning team. You all seem to be full of smiles. Are we all set for the meeting with Elon Smith today?”

  Lucy piped up, “All good thanks Stacey. Thanks to your help the other day, we have made great strides in the data analysis, visualisation and the programming for the drone flights. The tech team have also prepared the eighteen drones already. If all goes well with Mr Smith today, we should be ready to head back to the Kruger Park next week.” The team all nodded in unison.

  Stacey instantly flinched at the mention of eighteen drones, and she anticipated a shudder, which promptly arrived, and slowly curled down her back. “Thanks Lucy. I’m super glad that the project is on track.” She turned to the two young techies, “You say all eighteen drones are ready?”

  They both glanced at each other nervously, “Yes Ma’am, we collected them from your office, and they have been in our good care ever since. They are ready.”

  She knew full well that there had been twenty drones, as she had packed them herself, after the RFID tags had been fitted. She recalled seeing them on her desk and having an uneasy feeling when she found her office open. She knew instantly that someone had stolen two drones. She almost allowed panic to set in, but took a deep breath and smiled at everyone, “Thanks everyone. I know you have done sterling work, let’s hope Elon Smith is suitably impressed.” The team all smiled and passed around a few high-fives.

  Walking back to her office, she felt her anxiety levels increasing at the thought of the two stolen drones. Praying to herself, she plonked down on her chair, and found herself staring at her mobile phone, before exclaiming “Of course. You have an app!” She eagerly accessed the app and punched in her password. The app came to life and she found the pin locations to eighteen of the drones, showing them to be no more than a few meters away, while the remaining two drone locations were showing up in residential area about two kilometres from their office.

  Mixed emotions surged through her body, some of them were anger that someone within the business had stolen two drones, some was feeling pleased that she had installed the RFID tags, but also an element of excitement at the possibility of having an upper hand over the thieves. Her thoughts went to Daniella, knowing that she was behind the theft somehow, especially as Jackie had volunteered to collect the drones. She was grateful that she had collected the drones herself. She was staring out of the window, whispering to herself, “Let's play the game, whoever you might be.” She checked the time and realised she had two hours before the presentation to Elon. She opened the app again and took down the location details of the drones.

  Without notifying anyone, she slipped out of the office, taking an Uber outside and heading to the location on the app. She arrived to a find a high-rise apartment complex, which meant that it could be anywhere in the building. She walked down the street and found a secluded spot, and decided to wait, and see if anything happened. At least half an hour passed before she said aloud, “OK, this is crazy, what did I think I was going to find?” She had just reached for her phone to hail an Uber, when a black Jeep pulled up to the complex gate. The driver looked familiar, but she could not immediately place him. He seemed to stare at her for a moment, before she quickly turned her back to him. She started walking off briskly, and thankfully saw a cab parked on the side of the street. She jumped in and gave the cab driver her destination. Looking out of the rear window of the cab, she saw the black Jeep driving towards her, with the driver clearly scanning both sides of the street. She slid down in her seat, making sure she was looking in the opposite direction. As the Jeep passed, she recalled seeing him outside the WKJD offices a few weeks before, making the connection to one of the henchmen, affiliated to Daniella. She sank even further into the seat, as the driver pulled away. She clutched at her chest, aware that her heart was hammering against her ribs, and thankfully moments later they arrived back at her offices. After paying the cab driver, she rushed into the building.

  Nearing her office, she bumped into Emily, who paused mid-stride, “Are you OK Stacey? You look rather pale.” Stacey nodded without a reply.

  She walked into her office and was surprised to see Elon Smith seated on a chair, staring out of the window. He jumped up when she entered, and gave her a warm hug, “Good to see you Stacey. You seem somewhat flustered, are you OK? I suppose after recent events that seems to be a silly question.”

  Forcing a smile, she replied, “Good to see you too Elon. I'm fine thanks. To be honest, the events around Simon and his son have been stressful, but we are all coping. No doubt, it will pass. Changing the subject, shall we go through to the boardroom, the project team is anxiously waiting for your arrival.”

  They entered the boardroom, with Elon greeting each individual, and spending a moment thanking each of them for their work on the project. Stacey noticed how each individual took to his charm, clearly showing that he had a strong affinity for people. I can learn from that, she thought to herself. While she was admiring his leadership style, he was greeting Jackie, and she observed an ever so slight tensioning in his body. This intrigued her, and she made a mental note to ask him about it afterwards.

  Slade welcomed Elon on behalf of the project team, and kicked off the presentation, and soon handed over to Lucy and the technical team. Elon was engaging throughout, at times complimenting the team, providing a suggestion or asking insightful questions. It was patently clear that he had applied his mind to the project and was familiar with all the key elements of it. He was particularly fascinated when they demonstrated the drone and the linkages with the data visualisation. Stacey was carefully observing each of the team members, assessing their strengths during the presentation and how they answered the questions. She was blessed to have such a dynamic team. Only Jackie seemed distant, occasionally even giving Stacey an evil stare. No love lost there, she thought to herself. Stacey took a moment to reflect on how Daniella had overturned her decision to fire Jackie. She made a mental note to follow this up with human resources.

  On conclusion of the presentation, Elon rose and gave a hearty round of applause, “Thank you everyone. I am hugely impressed by the work you have done. I truly believe that your efforts will make a significant impact on the anti-poaching efforts in the Kruger Park. I look forward to our future success.” Again, he walked around and shook everyone's hand.

  When the feedback session had been completed, Elon nodded to Stacey and they went to her office. With the door closed, he said, “OK Stacey, let's talk about what has been happening since the death of Simon's son.”

&nbs
p; Stacey realised that he was not yet aware of Simon’s death! She breathed deeply, before recounting the most recent events. Elon had stopped listening and stared out of the window, “What is it Elon? If you are concerned about your association with WKJD then perhaps we should terminate the rhino project.”

  He did not respond immediately, before rubbing his neck with both hands, “Ordinarily I probably would have terminated the project, but something deep inside tells me that I have a moral obligation to support this fight against evil. I suggest we continue to meet with Gerald and see how we can beef up support for him.”

  Stacey was tempted to go over and hug him, but she refrained from doing so. Instead she called Gerald, “Hi Gerald. Elon and I would like to meet with you. Can you meet us in say thirty minutes?” She listened briefly and said to Elon, “He will meet us at a coffee shop close by in a few minutes. Shall we walk across?” He nodded and started walking towards the door. They walked in silence for some time before she asked, “I noticed a tightening in your body language when you greeted Jackie earlier. I’m curious, why was that?”

  He glanced sideways, “I just got an overwhelming sense that I cannot trust her. I don’t know why.” He paused before continuing, “Changing the subject. How are your wedding plans coming along? I have been thinking that we need to beef up security for your wedding.” She stopped mid-stride. He stopped and glanced back at her, “Just a precaution.” Looking rather perplexed she nodded and caught up again.

  As they approached the coffee shop she realised that she had not seen Lizzie in a few weeks, “How is Lizzie? I have been so absorbed with Daniella and recent events that I have neglected our friendship.”

  It was Elon's turn to stop mid-stride, “Funny that you ask, she certainly appeared offish when I arrived this week. However, we have not really had too much time together.”

  They were interrupted when Gerald approached them. Stacey was taken aback as he appeared rather frail and seemed to have dramatically aged in the few days since she’d last seen him. His face lit up, however, when he saw Stacey and Elon. They found a table, and after ordering coffee, started a deep conversation about how Elon might support Gerald. After some debate, Elon agreed to provide funding for Gerald to add an additional five people to his team. This would more than double his resource capacity. By the time the coffee arrived, Gerald was visibly buoyed, and a sparkle had returned to his eyes. He rubbed his hands together, “Thank you Mr Smith. Your support will give us a fighting chance.”

  Elon added, “One last thing please Gerald. Please make sure you have some extra security for Slade & Stacey’s wedding this weekend.” Gerald looked up in surprise, but only nodded.

  Chapter Thirty-Six

  Saturday the twenty-eighth of May had arrived. Stacey had booked rooms for Kate, Lizzie and herself close to the wedding venue near Franschhoek. She had slept fitfully and was excited when the alarm went off. She peered through the curtains to be met with a drizzly winter’s day. She had hoped for a clear day and prayed that it would dry out by the time the chapel service took place. She was still staring out of the window when Kate and Lizzie arrived, knocking at the door.

  Kate hugged her, “Finally, your big day has arrived. I hope you are as excited as we are.” Stacey nodded happily. Lizzie made some coffee, and the three of them jumped into bed chatting away noisily and giggling at every second word.

  Lizzie said, “Well girls, time to get going. We need to get Stacey ready for her big day.” After another round of hugs, they got up and started assisting the bride with her preparations.

  By the time the wedding ceremony arrived, the drizzle had cleared, and the overcast skies had given way to a warm sunny day. Kate and Lizzie were doing final touches to her make-up. Lizzie stepped back, “Perfect. You look like an angel.” This was enough to bring tears to Stacey’s eyes. Lizzie said, “Why are you crying?”

  “I’m happy. These are tears of joy.”

  Kate responded to a loud knock on the door. It was Stacey’s father, who had arrived to escort his daughter to the chapel. When he saw Stacey, he too allowed a few tears to show, “My goodness Stacey. You look beautiful. I just wish your mother could have been here to see you today. She would be as proud of you, as I am.” Stacey was once more gripped by emotion and shed a few more tears. Choking back his own, he said, “Well, best we be on our way.”

  The chapel and wedding venue were set in the midst of a beautiful wine estate, with vineyards surrounding the small chapel, and spectacular mountain views that added to the allure of the venue and occasion.

  Holding tightly onto her father’s arm, Stacey held her head high as they entered the chapel. She became aware of the time slowing down, as she took in every moment, trying to make eye contact with each of the guests. She took mental photos of every smile, every nod of approval, every face and the multitude of colours. Finally, her eyes met those of Slade, and her heart leapt with excitement. Walking down the aisle to marry her prince charming was a childhood dream come true, and his warm smile as she approached was something she would cherish for the rest of her life.

  The pastor provided a heartfelt and moving message on the joy of marriage. Stacey and Slade held hands and tightened their grip with each heart-stirring pearl of wisdom. The message moved Stacey and when she glanced around at the guests, she noticed that everyone was glued to the pastor’s wise words. Finally, he said, “I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.” Slade leant forward and gave Stacey a long kiss, which brought an eruption of applause from the guests.

  The wedding photo shoot was memorable, as the photographer had carefully planned for a stunning sequence of photos set in the vineyards, on an old wagon and with a backdrop of majestic oak trees. Stacey and Slade enjoyed every moment, while the photographer captured the special occasion for posterity.

  The wedding reception was a special occasion for the small group of family and friends. Kate and Lizzie had done an amazing job on the wedding planning in a short space of time. The reception was intimate and allowed everyone to engage. Huge log fires at both ends of the room added to the warmth of the occasion.

  Slade stood up and took hold of the microphone, “Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you all for joining Stacey and me on this hugely special occasion. First and foremost, I want to compliment my beautiful wife. Stacey, when you walked down the aisle today, you blew me away. You looked ravishing and gorgeous.” This brought a huge round of applause and a few loud whistles from the guests.

  Slade raised a hand and was about to continue when a gunshot went off in the distance, then a moment of silence, followed by at least half a dozen more gunshots from outside. Pandemonium broke out, with some guests diving under the tables and others fleeing towards the doorways. Slade rushed over to Stacey, grabbing her arm, and pulled her in the direction of the kitchen, figuring they would be safer there. They found a secluded storeroom at the back of the venue, and he closed the door. Standing in silence, he held her tightly. A few minutes passed, during which everything was silent. Although he wanted to open the door for a look, he dared not venture outside.

  It was several minutes before they heard the voice of Gerald booming from the reception area, “Has anyone seen Stacey and Slade?”

  Slade heard the raised voices of guests, all trying to loudly relay their version of the few minutes of wild panic. He led Stacey back through the kitchen and into the reception area. They were met with strained smiles and tears of relief from some of the family. He asked, “What happened Gerald? What were all the gunshots about?”

  Gerald stood close and whispered, “Just some unwanted visitors who tried to enter the wedding area. When my men stopped them, one of the henchman drew a gun and shot at the security team that Elon had arranged. They shot back and hit him in several parts of the body. He quickly surrendered. We have cuffed him and taken him into the local hospital. When he recovers, we will be interrogating him. The others sped off in a car.”

  Slade thanked him with a fir
m handshake, “Will we be safe to continue the wedding?”

  Gerald nodded determinedly, “Absolutely. As long as I live, you will be protected.”

  As the guests slowly settled back at their tables, Slade again took the microphone, “I think we should toast to the fact that we are all alive and well.” Everyone cheered, and the energy soon returned to the room. He continued, “After that explosive start, no pun intended, I would like to propose a toast to my wife. This toast is to you Stacey; I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.” Although she smiled broadly, Slade could see a hint of anxiousness in her eyes.

  With formalities completed, the wedding couple could relax and enjoy the auspicious occasion. While enjoying her main course, Stacey was able to pause for the first time and just take in the momentous occasion. The shooting outside had unsettled her, but she had chosen to suppress it. She was not going to let the henchmen, Daniella or whoever was behind it, spoil her special day. While chewing on a delicious piece of fillet, she immersed herself in the occasion, saving the images and thoughts to memory. She took in the smiles, the smell of fresh roses on the table, the sounds of laughter, the aroma of food and the taste of the red wine. It was a day she would never forget. She noticed that Lizzie and Elon seemed to be full of smiles and happy. Whatever was wrong before, it seemed to have been smoothed over. Tilting her head sideways, her eyes met those of Slade. She blew him a kiss, to which he smiled, holding his hand to his heart, and blew back a kiss. The celebrations, dancing and socialising continued well into the night.