Unmasked

Things between my wife and I haven’t been the same of late. There is a part of me that is dying to believe that everything I know now is a lie but the better part of me knows that it is true. What makes this whole situation worse is that she hasn’t yet brought herself to opening up. I know if I decide to dig for information, I will probably find more than I am prepared for. The best I am doing for her right now is giving her the chance to come clean but she seems not to be cooperating.

Lona is brought into the room. I haven’t seen her in two years. I was expecting to see someone broken but from the way she looks, she is perfectly fine unless like my wife she is hiding it so well.

‘Well look who decided to get his brains from his butt hole.’ She teases as she settles on the chair designated for her.

I choose not to respond. I have dealt with people of her kind before but I need to be extra careful because my wife is still tied to this case.

‘I was shocked when my lawyer told me that you have been put back on the case. I thought Zara and her brother had you so deep into this mess that you had lost your senses.’

‘You are making accusations.’

‘What are you going to do? Arrest me?’

I shake my head at the sarcasm. I am not about to get into it with her.

‘So Lona, from what I have in the files here. You have an alibi who is willing to testify that you didn’t kill Gabriel.’

‘Yes I do.’ She says with a smile.

‘And this alibi, why didn’t they come forward all these years? Why now?’

‘Well I can’t give you that information. But trust me they are going to testify.’

‘I see.’

‘You know what Thando.’

‘I can call you by your first name right?’

‘Sure.’ I say with a smile.

‘I heard you are the officer handling the Plot 15 investigation.’

‘I am not here to discuss my cases with you.’

‘I know. But tell me something, Plot 15 has been in existence for years. It’s been an underground network and the Police have never been tipped. Aren’t you wondering why you were tipped? Do you think you are so special that the information had to come to you?’ She is asking this and looking me straight in the eye.

‘Eventually all things come to light.’ I say even though what she has told me has just planted seeds of doubt in my mind.

‘Thando you are not that special of an Officer, whoever tipped you about Plot 15 wanted to get to someone through that information. There is nothing extraordinary about you, you are just a pawn who is being used in all this mess.’ She stands up.

‘Lona I appreciate your concern but we are not here to discuss Plot 15.’

‘Gabriel was a Masochist.’

‘A what?’

‘He derived his sexual gratification from pain. And he wasn’t killed because of that, but in the end it was a more valid reason.’

I look at her. Lost because now I am not following.

‘I hate to be the one to break this to you, but before you can start your investigations, I would like you to dig into Zara’s background. Your wife wears her mask so well. She has skeletons in her closet that are eventually going to come out and trust me when they do they will ruin you and your entire career.’

‘I appreciate everything you are saying but I trust my wife. And she is not half the person you think she is.’ I say trying so hard to believe my own words.

‘You are a good man Thando. I appreciate that you are trying to still see some good in her despite her faults. If I were you I would do my research because trust me there is more to the woman that you married.’

‘Guard!’ She yells afterwards.

An officer comes and she tells him that she is ready to go.

I am left in the room trying to replay the whole conversation. I shouldn’t even be thinking that Lona might be telling the truth, but she was in Zara’s circle and there is no way she is going to make up such information. I mean what does she have to gain? At the end of the day she is already behind bars serving her time. I pick up my phone and call one of the guys we use in the department. I trust him with my life and I know he will keep what I am asking him between us. I ask that he puts a tracking system on Zara’s car and connects her phone to mine. I don’t know how he will do it without her finding out but that is his job.

..

Kwenje’s Girl

Winnie

🙇🏾‍♀️