Nairobi Spy

2. Danger ahead

Jannelle jumped as a loud rat-a-tat on the glass window sounded in her ear. She whipped around to see a tall man in dark trousers, dark shirt, jacket, and sunglasses gesturing at her. She froze in mortification as the rest of the line of the song she was just singing continued to play unhelpfully on her phone. She didn't move and considered if she should play it off or just call this whole thing off and drive away. Her thumb jammed down on the reduce volume key as she tried to figure out if this guy was restaurant security. She was already calling attention to herself and she hadn't even stepped into the actual restaurant yet.

Jannelle decided to just roll down the window and just try to play it off. She pressed the window down button and tried to rearrange her mortified grimace into a confident grin. She couldn't seem to quite get there and settled her face into a friendly, hopefully, non-threatening if watery smile.

"Yes, can I help you?" she said as confidently and nonchalantly as she could muster, as the window pane slid down and out of sight.

"What are you doing?" the man barked. How rude, even if he was restaurant security. She couldn't have behaved that much more suspiciously to warrant that kind of question. I mean, sheesh, she knew that this restaurant was owned by some Italians, and was a well-known haunt for important people, politicians, celebrities, and that really rich husband and wife pastor duo. But she wasn't doing anything wrong. At least not yet.

"Just singing some relaxing tunes after a long work day. I'm here for a late lunch." Jannelle spoke smoothly or tried to anyway, and casually started gathering her keys, purse, and phone. She smiled brightly and shifted around to take off her seat belt, open the door and step out in front of the tall man. She started to step around him. "Thanks", she tried to say in a somewhat magnanimous tone and benefactorial tone, as if to indicate - take care of my car well, and there might be a couple of notes in it for you.

"Hold on there," the man said and side-stepped to block her way. Thankfully he did take a respectful step back and out of her personal space. But his face was no nonsense. "Who are you here to see?" he demanded.

He was wearing a baseball cap pulled low, but Jannelle could definitely see that he was a tall, white man with dark slightly curly hair that peered out from underneath his hat. A white security guard was a rare sight - it usually meant that there was some dignitary visiting with his personal security team or something. Trust her to pick to come here on a day with heightened security measures.

"I'm here on my own," she declared. "But since when do you ask customers so many questions?" She again attempted to get around him, only for him to quickly shift again so that he barred her way.

"I'm sorry ma'am, I need you to identify yourself quickly," he told her. Damn, I guess there must be some VIP actually in there or something. Still, the whole tough guy routine was a bit much. She had just as much right as anyone to walk in here. She was also an important person. Kind of. She had a *fan base*. Okay, more like a couple of thousand t****k followers, but still. She didn't look like just *anybody*.

"I am a travel writer, " she breathed haughtily. "Now, excuse me," she tried again waiting for him to move aside and let her pass. Nothing doing.

"And you are here alone. Not meeting anyone?" he insisted.

"No, now can you move? I'd like to get by!" She was starting to get more annoyed than scared now. She at least was going to get into the restaurant, after all this trouble. Maybe get a couple of videos even, if she could.

The man hesitated as Jannelle walked by him. She thought that he'd finally seen sense and acknowledged she looked like she had a perfect right to be here. No funny business at all. She hurried up the gravel path towards the restaurant entrance and tried to relax her shoulders. She walked up the two steps and went through the small lobby into the main restaurant section.

Okay, she was in. Time to do what she came here for. She smiled at the hostess who was walking towards her, menus in hand, and followed her through the restaurant tables to a table for two near one wall of windows, a few tables over from the kitchen entrance. Not a bad spot.

She took a moment to choose which chair gave her the best vantage point, and then sat, taking the menu from a friendly waitress who appeared shortly, looking chatty. She hoped the server would not also be observant. She needed to be discreet.

She made a drink order, then slipped out her phone, checked the time then opened her Camera app. She self-consciously held out her hand and took a selfie, and then a video. She made sure to pose and smile like this was a social media update while taking sweeping shots of the restaurant's layout. She then tapped the screen and flipped the camera direction, while still holding out her hand in the typical selfie mode. Doing this helped her to capture what was in front of her without seeming to. She panned over the hostess stand, the couple of staff around, and the other patrons that she could see in the restaurant. There were probably others in the garden area who she couldn't see but that was fine.

A man and woman in formal office wear talked over their coffee cups. An older man which white hair and hands heavy with rings ate a solitary meal. Four youngish women lingered over their lunches and swapped stories. Their animated voices carry a little over the restaurant's subtle instrumental music background. An older white lady sat legs crossed reading an ebook, an untouched salad in front of her, and a young man with blond hair walked up to her, greeted her, and sat down. The young man summoned a passing waiter with a raised hand and cheeky smile, then ordered a drink, ending with a practiced "Asante" to the waiter.

Jannelle lowered the phone and tried to figure out her next move. She wanted to get some more footage, this time of some of the back offices or even the kitchen. Maybe there would be somebody who would even talk to her. She could pretend she was lost on the way to the ladies room if anyone asked. She looked around and spotted the arched alcove which had a small metal printed sign with "Restroom" and rose to walk towards it.

The man had followed Jannelle into the restaurant and kept a reasonable distance as she choose a table and seat. She seemed to be moving carefully and deliberately, the man noted. He was still 50-50 on her being the target he thought, or an innocent passerby - a travel writer, as she had said. But he couldn't tell either way, he'd have to stick to her and see what she did next.

He couldn't very well go in and sit at a table, she would definitely see him and get spooked. He decided to stand by the shadowed entrance and keep watch.

He saw her stand up and head towards the back of the restaurant. She's on the move, he thought automatically, which made him remember that he'd left the walkie-talkie in the car, technically didn't ask for permission to actively track her, and couldn't give and updates as to his present situation. He'd just have to do his job, he resolved.

And then all doubt left his mind. He caught a quick move from one of the other tables and raced after the target, as she disappeared into the dark alcove.