Thirty

Kate was by her husband’s bedside. She had cried enough and was already feeling weak. She was glad he was still alive but not knowing when he would wake up broke her heart. She didn’t have much sleep, neither did she eat anything. Zamiwe came into the room and told her that there was a policeman looking for her. She declined saying she couldn’t talk to him or anyone else seeking information at the moment.

“I told you everything. Just tell him what I said. There is nothing more,” Kate said exhausted.

“Are you sure?” Zamiwe asked.

“Yes.”

“Ok.”

“Thanks Zamiwe.”

Kate knew Kent’s attack was no ordinary attack. Ever since he got Ludo’s manuscript, things had changed in their lives. Even though Kent didn’t tell her much, she noticed how nervous he had been. She was determined to get to the bottom of whatever was happening, but how? That remained her big, still unanswered question.

She paced around the room while looking at the unconscious Kent and tried to complete a puzzle in her head. She remembered the phone call he made and was very scared.

“He said he had met Brains from Ludo’s book,” she thought out loudly. “After that, Ludo went missing and came back with Melanie.”

She had long suspected Melanie. She only needed to confirm her doubts about Melanie. She walked to Kent’s bed and knelt.

“I know you said I shouldn’t pursue this; That these people are dangerous but look at what they have done to you. I just can’t sit and do nothing. I have to find out who they are,” she wiped a tear.

She got up and went to the doctor’s office and told him she had to go home and freshen up and get Kent’s clothes in case he wakes up.

“Take your time, he’s in safe hands. If there's anything, we’ll call you,” the doctor said.

She went to the waiting room and found Zamiwe seated alone.

“Where is Joe?” She asked her.

“He had to go,” Zamiwe answered. “You know these businesses.”

“Let’s go, I’m sure you are tired,” Kate told Zamiwe.

Zamiwe was surprised. Looking at Kate, one could tell that something was going on with her.

“Someone has to remain here,” Zamiwe said.

“Don’t worry. With the money Kent’s company is paying this hospital, they will take care of him.”

Zamiwe and Kent left the hospital together but went separate ways when they got in town. Kate didn’t go home. She went to Kent’s company. She walked into Kent’s office without even saying a word to the secretary. She checked the drawers and the table for anything that could be of any help in identifying the so called notorious family but she didn’t find anything.

“Can I help you madam?” Kent’s secretary asked, standing at the door.

“I don’t think so,” Kate answered tired.

“It’s really sad, what happened to your husband.”

“The world is cruel,’ Kate sighed and went on. “There is a man who came here sometime back. I’m sure you hadn’t seen him before and so didn’t my husband. He called himself Brains.”

Kent’s secretary thought for a while.

“Hmm, I don’t remember him.”

“He didn’t have an appointment with my husband.”

“A lot of people come here with no appointments, madam.”

Kate reached her end. She had nothing to confirm her suspicions but Melanie. Even her suspicions on Melanie were not as solid and she didn’t know how it could link to her husband’s attack. She sank in the chair and sighed in defeat.

“There is a man who came here not too long ago, though,” the secretary said.

“Go on,” Kate said interested.

“He seemed sophisticated. Intelligent. Confident.”

“Don’t you have anything on him?”

“No. Not really. He didn’t have an appointment but I think he wanted a manuscript.”

Kate got up from the chair.

“You say what?”

The secretary got scared with Kate's reaction.

“Yes. He wanted a manuscript but I don’t know which one. I think he might have given it to Mr. Visashi and probably got upset because it wasn’t being reviewed.”

“That’s him!” Kate murmured.

“Pardon me.”

“No, never mind. It's fine.”

The secretary wanted to leave the office but Kate stopped her.

“A girl brought in a manuscript sometime before this ‘sophisticated man’ came.”

“In the past month, we’ve only had one girl who brought a manuscript here.”

“Ludo,” Kate said.

“Yes, that girl. Your husband said she was sick and her work was trash.”

“Yea she is. Apart from my husband and obviously you, who else had access to that manuscript?” Kate asked with searching eyes.

The secretary got nervous. Kate observed and knew that someone had gotten their hands on the copy of it.

“My husband is in the hospital because of that manuscript,” Kate said sympathetically.

“It’s only him madam,” The secretary said unconvincingly.

Kate was reminded of her pupils, when they were not telling the truth. They had the habit of biting their nails and fidgeting. That was exactly what the secretary was doing.

“Isn’t my husband your friend?” Kate asked.

The secretary nodded.

“Help me help him,” Kate asked.

“I can lose my job madam.”

“I’ll make sure you won’t, I promise,” Kate walked to the secretary.

“It’s his friend, Mr. O’Brien, who got the other copy.”

“O’Brien?”

“Yes madam.”

“Okay, thank you for your help. I’m leaving now.”

“I wish your husband a quick recovery.”

“Thank you,” Kate said and left the office.

She went home and got Kent’s phone and searched for O’Brien’s number. She just couldn’t get why O’Brien would need the copy of the manuscript. She dialed his number and it rang. Immediately after answering, O’Brien sympathized with Kate and told her that he was going to be at the hospital after work. She let him talk and asked him a question he didn’t expect.

“What is the name of the family claiming Ludo’s book is about them?”

O’Brien was shocked.

“Sister in law, I don’t know anything about that.”

“O’Brien, Kent is your best friend and I know you got the manuscript from his secretary. He’s in the hospital because of what you did. The only thing you can do for him now is tell me the name of the family.”

O’Brien didn’t think about all that. He was in shock and to think that he almost got his friend killed because of money was devastating.

“Name of the family please?” Kate repeated.

“The Hamuumbu’s,” O’Brien answered ashamed.

“Which Hamuumbu’s?”

“The Hamuumbu’s who own Triple E group of companies. Nalishuwa Hamuumbu is the one who started the company.”

Kate had no clue which family O’Brien was talking about. She knew she had to do some research.

“Okay, but I know they got the manuscript from Kent. So who did you give the other one to?”

“I don’t know the person. I’m sorry. Are you going to the police?”

“No. Not yet. I have to know these people. Thank you O’Brien but think about what you did to your friend,” she said and hung up the call.

She went in Kent’s small library and turned on the computer. She sighed before opening a search engine. She knew she had to start from scratch because she had no idea what kind of people she was dealing with.

Zamiwe got home and found Ludo in the kitchen with Nancy, talking and laughing.

“You didn’t call us when you got home, I was worriedly sick.” She said to Ludo.

“Mom I’m here,” Ludo said. “Safe and sound.”

Nancy excused herself and went outside to wash some clothes and give them privacy.

“Your father and I are worried about your recent behaviour.”

“I’m fine mom.”

“Have you been taking your meds?”

“How can I forget?”

“Good.”

“How’s Mrs. V?”

“She seems fine but I know she’s not. She was acting strange today. I don’t know.”

“How strange?”

“I don’t know. She’s probably just in shock,” Zamiwe stood by the kitchen sink. “Although I can’t stop thinking about what she meant when she said she knows who did that to her husband.”

“You also heard that?” Ludo asked.

“Of course I did. I was an inch away from her.”

Ludo had forgotten about those words.

“You should have your hand checked out,” Zamiwe said looking at Ludo’s hand.

“It’s fine,” Ludo said.

Nancy came back in the house and stood like a pole not knowing how to say what she wanted to say.

“What is it?” Zamiwe asked.

Nancy looked at Ludo.

“There is a man outside looking for Ludo.”

Ludo and her mother quickly peeped through the kitchen window and saw him.

“Isn’t that your friend’s boyfriend?” Zamiwe looked at Ludo.

“Yes, that’s Evan,” she answered.

“What is he doing here?”

“I’m sure he’s having problems with Melanie.”

“But couldn’t he have called?”

“I don’t know mom. Let me find out what he wants,” Ludo left the kitchen.

As she walked to Evan, he watched her with a straight face. She didn’t know what he wanted from her because she didn’t want anything to do with his family.

“What do you want here, Evan?” She asked him. “Have you come to kill me?”

Evan didn’t answer her.

“You have now turned mute. What does your mother want now?”

“I’m not here for my mother,” Evan responded.

“That’s strange. What is it?”

“Can we talk in my car?”

“We can talk from here Evan,” Ludo replied.

“If that’s what you want. I came to say thank you for what you did last night. Any person, especially a girl, could have left me. I could have been robbed or probably killed,” Evan said.

Ludo was quiet.

“No one has done something like that for me. That’s why I came here to say thank you.”

“Whatever,” Ludo said. “You can leave now and tell your family to leave me alone with my family. You people got what you wanted from me. Please leave me alone. I will never tell a soul about you people.”

“I also apologise for what Erica did to you this morning,” Evan added.

“What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing.”

“Okay I have heard your apology and whatever that other thing was. You may leave now. I hope to never see you again, Evan,” Ludo walked away from Evan.

At the door, she bumped into Nancy who apparently was eavesdropping.

“Why were you treating him like that?” Nancy asked.

“You feel sorry for him?” Ludo asked.

“Yes, he seems nice.”

“You just don’t know what you’re talking about. That man is evil.”

“Evil?”

“Never mind,” Ludo joined her mother in the kitchen.

“What did he want?”

“He wants me to talk to Melanie for him,” Ludo answered.

“Is that so? He could have called.”

“He called but I didn’t see his calls. Go freshen up mom, you stink,” Ludo laughed.

“Get out of here,” Zamiwe said leaving the kitchen.

“And mom, I’m going to see Mrs. V.”

“Don’t you ever get tired of moving around?”

“Mom I’ll be back early.”

Naveen sat right across his father. Unlike many children who were free with their parents, Naveen was never free with his father. With the recent mess he made, he was determined to make it right and he was doing good since his return.

“I talked to him. He’s in,” Naveen said.

“Are you sure?” His father asked.

“Yes very sure.”

“And the girl?”

“He will kill her.”

“He'd better; she’s a distraction.”

Ludo reached Kate’s house and knocked. Kate didn’t open the door despite evidence that she was inside. Ludo knocked even more to no avail. She sat on the veranda and waited a little bit more. She had carried her laptop with her. She played with it for a while and saw it was getting late. She felt bad for Mrs. V. She knew everything was her fault and could only hope for a day to tell her that she was sorry. Ludo left and headed back home with a heavy heart.

Hunter sat outside Ludo’s house in his car thinking about Naveen’s proposal. He really wanted the manuscript and being offered like that was an opportunity. An opportunity that came with shedding blood. He thought back to the day he met Ludo; how she had a seizure on him and how scared she was. Killing Hilary was easy but there was something about Ludo. Hunter knew she didn’t belong in his world like Hilary did. How she got herself into it, he didn’t know but only knew about the manuscript.

“Just one soul,” he thought looking at his sharpened knife.

He saw a car enter Ludo’s compound. It was the same car he had followed to the hospital. He knew it was Ludo’s father. He was tired of waiting and wanted to leave when he saw Ludo walking alone with a backpack. His heart skipped. He grabbed the knife and got out of his car. He looked around and didn’t see anyone in sight. Ludo saw him coming in her direction and identified him.

“Hunter!” She yelled. “Just the man I was looking for.”

Hunter stopped and looked around.

“Is this a trap?” He asked himself.

“I have something for you,” she reached where he was standing.

Hunter hid the knife.

“Can we go to your car? Is it that one parked there?” Ludo walked to the car leaving Hunter surprised as to what was happening.

Hunter discerned that Ludo was no longer scared of him. It was obvious she had known he was on her side. He walked behind her. He saw her open the door and entered his car.

“So what do you have?” He asked.

“I have the manuscript.”

“I thought you gave away the last copy.”

“It’s here,” she pointed at the backpack.

“Let me see.”

Ludo removed the laptop from the backpack and gave it to Hunter.”

Hunter confirmed the manuscript.

“I don’t want anything to do with this family. Whatever beef you have with them, I hope you sort it out.”

Hunter looked at Ludo still surprised. She seemed different.

“Why?”

“I’m sick and tired of them, especially that whore of a woman, Jezebel.”

“There is more,” Hunter said. “Obviously.”

“Yes they hurt my friend. He’s now in a coma. I hope you deal with them accordingly. Don’t you have a flash drive? I need to go. My parents are definitely waiting for me.”

Hunter quickly transferred the document into his flash drive.

Ludo put back the laptop back in her bag and opened the door.

“Wait,” Hunter stopped her.

“What?”

“I still need your help.”

“I thought I have done that.”

“You know these people. You can get into their house and, trust me, they won’t let you off the hook just like that. You know too much.”

“I don’t want anything to do with them.”

“That’s not your decision to make. It’s either they keep you in forever or, worse still, let you out...” He paused before finishing the sentence, “...dead.”

Fear creeped in.

“They can’t. I told them off this morning.” Ludo said, more like adduring herself.

“I know them, trust me. I can protect you and your family.”

Ludo thought about her mother and father. She agreed with Hunter's words that she was in too deep to be let go just like that. It was no longer her decision to be let out, but Elise’s. One person was already hurt and more could get hurt if nothing is done to salvage the situation.

“What do you propose?” Ludo looked at Hunter.

“Are you in?” He asked.

“Tell me.”

“It’s late. You have to go but think about these words,” Hunter handed her a piece of paper.

Ludo looked at the paper and said, “This is an address.”

“Not those words.” Hunter chuckled

“Which words then, Mr. Bearded man?” Ludo asked.

“To betray, you have to belong,” Hunter said.