rivoniaunmasked

"I'll telephone the Johannesburg Municipality right away and arrange for the loan of an
ambulance," he said. His hand strayed towards the telephone to pick up the receiver, but he withdrew it
again as something occurred to him. "Hm... perhaps it wouldn't be advisable to use an ambulance for
our purpose," he reflected. "For one thing, it attracts too much attention: for another, 1 feel that an
ambulance is the one vehicle which should always be above suspicion. If we start using ambulances
for police traps there may be unpleasant repercussions."
"1 see your point, sir. Well..." van Wyk considered. "How about a laundry van? I happen to know a
chap who's the manager of a dry cleaning business in Fordsburg. I could phone him and arrange to
borrow one of the firm's vans."
"The very thing," agreed the chief. Who would look twice at a dry cleaning van?
The manager, when approached by van Wyk, sounded very doubtful. "It's a most unusual request,"
he said dubiously. "I'm afraid I can't... Look, Lieutenant, I think you'd better speak to the proprietor
himself."
The proprietor was emphatic. "Impossible, can't be done," he declared. "I operate a big concern,
you understand. I couldn't possible spare one of my vans. It wouldn't do to disappoint my customers.
What do you want a van for, anyway?"
"Oh... some rather urgent police work," van Wyk replied vaguely. "Look here– we'll be needing it
for a few hours at most. Surely . .."
"I've told you, it's out of the question," interrupted the proprietor impatiently. "I'm sorry, but as I've
already explained to you, I can't . .
"We're prepared to pay you R200 for the use of your van," van Wyk cut short his further
objections. "That's fair enough, isn't it? And I promise you that we'll be using it for a couple of hours
only. You'll have it back the same afternoon."
"Er... what did you say? How much? Well The proprietor sounded rather dazed. "Oh well, it's our
duty to help the police, I suppose. All right, then, you can send for the van whenever you want . .
Van Wyk did not send for the van immediately, however.
First he wanted to pay another visit to Rivonia by daylight to get some idea of the topography of
the place. When he had driven past there on the previous night it had been too dark to make out
anything except trees and bushes.
He and his namesake, Sergeant van Wyk, drove out to Rivonia in the latter's private DKW (a make
of car not used by the police). Keeping their eyes well open, they cruised past the place pointed out to
them the night before as Sisulu's probable hideout. It turned out to be an extensive estate named
Lilliesleaf. The place was very densely wooded and no buildings were visible from the road. Making a
wide detour, they approached the place again from another direction, and now they could just make out
a small section of tiled roof showing among the trees. A little stream cut across the lower end of the
estate.
"Plenty of cover there," observed the detective, gesturing towards the undergrowth. "When we
come to raid the place, it might be as well to bring a police dog along."
Meanwhile they were still little the wiser. Van Wyk decided that it might be worth while to stop at
one of the neighbouring estates and ask a few discreet questions about Lilliesleaf and its occupants.
The neighbours, wealthy English-speaking people, were friendly and communicative. From the
lady of the house the detectives learnt that Lilliesleaf belonged to a certain Mr Goldreich. It was a big
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