“I’m roasting,” Tusker said as he peeled himself off the seat. “I’m going to run over to that shop and grab some bottles of water.” He jumped down from the truck and jogged across the road, dodging a swaying lorry that blasted a warning with its triple air horns.

The shop was sweltering and smelled of rotting fish. Several women floated up and down the small aisles in sarees and a bored-looking man sat behind the counter waving flies away. Tusker walked to a small refrigerated case at the back of the shop and took out four small plastic bottles of ice cold water. While he was waiting to pay, he looked out at the bright street. He could see Sam sitting in the Land Rover as the attendant finished filling the tank. A large vehicle flashed across his view. It was one of those oversized Toyota SUVs, a deluxe version with tinted glass and large tires. It came to a stop two doors down from the gas station at a branch office of the Royal Ceylon Bank. A man stepped out on to the road. A Western man in a red cap. It was Roland, and the cap he was wearing was Tusker’s.

“Bastard…” muttered Tusker through clenched teeth.

“Sir?” The man at the checkout said to Tusker, who looked down and clumsily handed over some cash.

“Keep the change,” Tusker said, taking the water bottles in his hand and moving towards the door, not taking his eyes off that Toyota. He glanced over at the gas station. Sam had started the Land Rover and was easing it onto the road, waiting to turn left and come across to pick him up. He hoped Roland wouldn’t see her. He wanted to see what he was up to first.

Roland was talking to a man in the left hand passenger side window of the Toyota, someone Tusker couldn’t see. He smiled and nodded. Then the door opened and a man stepped out onto the curb. He was tall and fair, with swept-back silver hair, a turtleneck and trousers. When he shielded his face against the harsh sun, an expensive watch glinted on his wrist. The man was a full head taller than Roland. It was Rausing.

As I suspected, Tusker thought to himself. Roland was connected to Rausing. He stood in the shade of the shop and continued to watch the two men, debating whether to confront Roland. Suddenly, a car horn blared. It was Sam in the Land Rover. She was double parked in the middle of the road, waving to Tusker to get in. He looked back at Roland and the man. The sound had made them look and Roland was staring right at Tusker with his mouth open. Rausing was frowning. Tusker quickly ran to the Land Rover and jumped into the passenger seat.