The Last Hunt
A work of fiction by Tsao Alexander
Waterton Publishing Company
No part of this book was created using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
This is a work of fiction. The events described are imaginary and the settings and characters are fictitious and not intended to represent actual places, companies, or persons.
Copyright © 2026 by Waterton Publishing Company. All Rights Reserved.
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THE LAST HUNT
CHAPTER 8
The police and coroner were at the ranch compound early the next morning. Stewart Roberts’ body was placed in an ambulance and driven to the morgue in Cape Town. A young Lieutenant met briefly with Clarence on the veranda before he and the others left to begin the search anew; officers from the police service were expected to join the search the next day if there had been no progress. Clarence would contact them by satellite phone.
The searchers from the ranch took off for the hill country in two Land Cruisers and a Grenadier. With them were the mastiffs, Tommy and Mako, each of which took up considerable space in the back of a Land Cruiser. Remaining at the compound were Yvonne, Jane, Gabelo, Shammi, and three porters; all of whom but Shammi were waiting for Thomas to arrive so they could begin his safari. Clarence had left instructions with Jane on preliminary matters.
Gab was sitting in a chair under a large Baobab tree, leaning back with his eyes closed, when he heard somebody approaching. It was Shammi. Gab sat up straight and said hello. It was very unusual for Shammi to initiate contact with another person.
“They will not find the woman,” Shammi said from a distance of at least ten meters.
“Why not Shammi?” Gab stood up; “What have you been made to know?”
“A beast in this country that does not wish to be found will not be found.” Shammi’s eyes were fixed on Gabelo. “This woman does not wish to be found.”
Gab chose his words carefully as they would likely be his last with Shammi on the subject. He said, “Do you, Shammi, know where she is?”
“She is in very dangerous place.” Shammi turned and walked away.
Gab stood silently and watched Shammi leave. He wondered why Shammi would not tell him exactly what he knew. Shammi did not track people; that was all Gab could think. ‘But then why did he even start the conversation? He wanted the searchers to know they were wasting their time, or they were in the wrong place, or she would soon be dead?’ Why did he use the term “beast”? What and where was this very dangerous place? The solution to Gab’s mystery was only made more difficult by the sudden arrival of Thomas Stevens at the compound.
Gabelo ran to meet the truck when it parked at the main lodge. Jane had been on the veranda and was already introducing herself to Mr. Stevens and directing porters to remove Mr. Stevens’ luggage and set it on the veranda. Gab caught his breath, introduced himself, and said that he and Jane would be Thomas’s guides. Thomas would soon learn that the term “guides” had a different meaning at Hunter’s Paradise than was typical for any other safari.
Jane asked Thomas to follow her to Clarence’s office. There, she sat at wooden desk and Thomas sat across from her in a high-back chair. Thomas looked around the spacious room full of deep colors, fine furnishings, and wall art depicting African animals and people. He felt like something was missing, though, and it finally dawned on him that there were no stuffed animals or animal skins. No heads on the walls. No hides on the floor.
On the desk was the Thomas Stevens folder. Jane opened it and glanced through the papers. Then she asked Thomas for his doctor’s note. Tom dug through his satchel and pulled out one page that he handed to Jane. It was from a doctor in Denver, Colorado, confirming that Tom was in good health and able to engage in moderately strenuous activities.
“Do you have the agreement with you, Tom,” Jane asked, “and did you sign it?”
Tom again shuffled through the satchel. “I don’t see it,” he said, “I know what you’re talking about but I must not have brought it.”
“Not a problem,” Jane said, “I have one here.” She handed Tom a three-page typewritten document with the title “Participation and Release Agreement.” “Why don’t you take some time and read through it,” Jane advised Tom.
“Not necessary,” Tom replied confidently, “I read it before and everything is fine. I’ve signed dozens of these things. Never had a problem. Do you have a pen?”
Jane looked at Tom: “Are you sure? You read it?” Tom nodded aggressively.
“Yeah,” he said, “let’s get this show on the road. I’m anxious to bag a tiger!”
“Hold on while I get Gab in here to witness your signature,” Jane went to the office door and yelled for Gabelo. He came running. She explained that she needed him to witness Mr. Stevens’ signature.
“That’s a new one,” Tom said as he turned to look at Gabelo. “Very formal.”
“Do you want to read the agreement again, Mr. Stevens?” Jane did everything she could to make sure Tom understood the Hunter’s Paradise terms and procedures. But Tom would have none of it. “I’m an accountant,” he said, “I know legal. Give me the pen.”
Jane handed Tom a pen and he quickly signed and dated the document. Gab then signed as a witness to the signature and Jane went to the copier to make a copy for Tom.
Jane and Tom went back out to the veranda. Gab had already removed Tom’s rifle cases, and he told Tom that they would be safely stored until Tom returned from his adventure. Tom was perplexed. “Those are my hunting rifles,” he exclaimed, “both custom made, highly valuable, highly accurate! What the hell do I shoot with?” Tom’s indignation was palpable.
“You are only allowed to hunt with the weapons we give you here,” Jane said calmly, “it was in the documents we sent you before you made your reservation.”
Tom looked at Jane. Then he looked at Gab. Then he thought. He had not spent much time with those documents because it was tax season. And he never really read the agreement.
“Oh, whatever, let’s just get going,” Tom said angrily.
“You don’t have to go,” Jane told Tom; “You would get a fifty-percent refund if you want to bow out now.”
“Not on your life,” Tom replied loudly. “You promised me a tiger and I’m going to kill my tiger!”
“We promised you the chance to kill a tiger,” Gab said softly. “That is not the same thing.”
