Benjamin….
The liberating feeling I was feeling inside was enough for me to trust God that all things shall turn
out well for us.
Even when Clara was hiding my family, something just kept on telling me all shall be well. As we
drove back home I had talked less. My mind wild back to years back when my father was still
alive. They were so good together with my mother they both inspired me to look forward to my
marriage. I had thought marriage was to be enjoyed but now I was sure my current story said
otherwise.
” Ben my son come over here” my mother called me one evening as she sat in her favourite sofa.
” I want you to know and understand so that one day, you will not get lost with the issues of life.”
She sighed looking at me her tender loving face looking at me. Her head wrapper moving to the
side as the air blowing from the fun blew in our faces.
I always wondered why my mother prefered having a fun on instead of an air con. I recall one day
she told me she wanted the cool air closer that it was with the aircon. Her defence didn’t make
sense but I let it go.
” Soon you will grow up and you will realise that it’s not every person that smiles at you who truly
loves you. Believe it or not, this world is full of evil. It’s hard to believe if things are normal and
okey. I just want you to grow up in the way of the Lord so that no matter what evil you are going to
face in future you will have a firm standing in the word of God and it will give you strength to carry
on. There is evil yes, but the power of God surpasses it all.
Remember evil is not just in witchcraft or Satanism, but also in the acts of the people that choose
the path of hate and jealousy. Be ware Benjamin. This I have learnt over the years I have lived
and I want you to learn from me too” she spoke with so much calmness.
At that particular time I had wondered why my mother would preach to me about the things that l
thought I knew already. But like she said, now I had a clear understanding.
Over the years I had experienced evil especially with Clara who was supposed to be my wife.
I had realise how I had grown in prayer with the help of Jennifer and the priest who kept helping us
with prayer in the weeks after my recovery.
Thinking of how my house felt so heavy the time we got there, I had felt for a moment it won’t
work. But like to show me how might he was, God revealed everything and the charm was burnt.
I was still clouded with thoughts of what was going on when Jen’s voice spoke making me regain
my attention.
” Who is that?” She asked I looked out to see the person standing by the door but the image was
blurred I couldn’t see who it was.
” I walked in front tying to protect Jen in case some one was out to hurt us.
” Mother?” I asked as the image of my mother came clear.
” Benjamin!” She exclaimed trying to walk towards me but I notice she was staggering.
“Mom!” I screamed running to her before she fall down as she seemed dizzy.
Jennifer who was now shocked looking at us, quickly opened the door and turned on the outside
lamp that lit the entire yard immediately displaying the blood that was coming out from her hand.
” Mom what happened?” I asked trying to make her stand so I take her inside.
She was gasping failing to talk.
” Mom please say something I screamed scared with the sight on her face. ” help me get her
inside My love.” I called to Jennifer and she held her on one arm I on the other as we took her in.
” Your wife came to my house yesterday. She she…..”my mother stammered trying to tell me what
happened.
She removed her blouse and I gasped at the sight of the deep cut in her stomach.
” she stabbed me and left me here a few minutes ago I have no ide..aa why. She was keeping me
for hours till today and now….” she struggled to speak.
” Oh my God!” Jen screamed as mom gasped trying to speak some more.
“Come on mother let’s take you to the hospital” I panicked trying to make her stay awake as her
eyes looked weak and pale.
” Am happy to see you again my….. my son!” She gasped trying to hold my face and before I could say anything more. She collapsed and fall dead in my hands. She had lost a lot of blood
seeing how much was on the ground we found her standing and the trail into the house which was
made as we pulled her in. We had no idea how long she had been left to bleed to death there.
” Mother!” I screamed in tears trying to make her wake up but she was cold. Jen held me up and
we lay her body flat on the floor as we both cried out.
30 minutes later the house was clouded with police officers and neighbours who came to witness
what was going on.
I was so damp folded I couldn’t say or do anything. I kept my eyes staring in one place my
thoughts had stopped. With blood on my clothes and hands I watched as the police talked to
Jennifer who was shaken but at least she was managing to say something.
” Benjamin!” One of the cops called me shaking my shoulder.
We found this knife which was used to stab this woman we are told is your mother to death, do
you know who It belongs to?” He asked me and I looked at him seeing the very knife which I
always saw in Jen’s house. It was her favourite as she always said it was sharp and was good for
cutting things.
” Yes, it’s Jen’s knife we use it in the house” I responded before realising where the cops was
leading to with the question.
” Do you realise that you two people who stay in this house are the possible suspects of this
murder?” He asked me and I stood up holding his uniform and shaking him angrily.
” Are you mad you idiot! How dare you accuse us of killing my own mother. Haven’t you heard the
story Jennifer is telling you about how we found her wounded when we came back” I shouted and
Jennifer pulled me back stopping me from hitting an officer of the law.
” Calm down Ben, am sure someone had stagged this and wants us to take a fall for all this.
Imagine the police are saying there was no force entry into the house. They are saying we must
have killed her and then called the police” she cried as she held on to my hand.
” That is just ridiculous! You and l know that we were just from looking for her. She appears back
here stabbed and these unprofessional people can accuse us of killing my own mother!” I shouted
angry. I couldn’t take it. Instead of helping solve the issue, it seemed the police came to find faults
in us.
That night we were dragged to the station, the cops saying we had to give our statements and be
released later on.
I felt so furious and disapointed with the way they were handling things. We were driven to the
station leaving some police officers searching the house and wrapping my mother’s body.
After they recorded our statements at the police, we were told to go home but not to leave the
house since everything was under investigation.
” What are we going to do now?” Jen asked as we sat in bed. It was now morning and we had not
slept one bit.
I kept thinking of how Clara would do such a thing to me. The pain of losing my mother was too
much I was failing to trust God’s intervention at the moment.
” I don’t know my love and am scared for my sister’s and my son. God knows where that woman is
keeping them or what she’s doing to them. I swear I feel like am going crazy with all this my mind can’t seem to process a thing” I scoffed shaking my head as tears fall freely from my face.
We were still talking when I received a call. Noticing it was a strange number, I quickly picked it
up.
The voice of Clara laughing hysterically came through the ear piece.” Now you will know better
than mess with me. As it is you two with that Jennifer of yours have murdered your mother and
you will be jailed for life!” She spoke happily I felt my inside come up my gullet, I wanted to throw
up.
” You have gone too far Clara and soon you will pay for this ” I shouted back and she laughed
again.
” No one will believe that I killed her. I don’t even know where you stay and later on seen your
mother in years. I might not have my charm but remember I have all the money I need to pay
whoever I want and you will surely serve your sentences” she added sounding cheerful I heard her
sigh like she was sipping on something, which I guessed was wine knowing how she loved
drinking.
” You won’t get away with this Clara” I screamed in the phone and she cut the line.
Hours passed and we remained home waiting for the police like they told us to.
We saw their car drive in and we rushed to the door to hear what they had to say.
” We have run all the necessary tests and the forensics results shows Jennifer’s finger prints on
the knife. This proves that she was the last person to touch it and probably the murderer.
Besides we ruled you out sir, ” he looked at me.
“Because we realise you had no motive to kill your own mother. ” He explained
” What? you must be joking, you tell me you are suspecting Jennifer just because she owns the
knife and she has definitely used it a hundredth time since its hers you surely aware of that. Don’t
you realise that’s what the murderer wants to make it look? ” I snapped pulling Jennifer who was
silently sobbing without saying a word.
” That’s not all sir. We realise she had some history of using Juju and given the spread of the news
of her doings on the social media, the assumption is that your mother came to comfront her and
she killed her. She had the motive” he sighed like whatever he was saying was actually true.
” Do I look like someone who is not well to you officer like someone who is being held against their
will?” I asked now really pissed.
” Just the way you wanted to beat up an officer in the early hours of the day shows something off”
he responded and thank God for Jennifer and the priest who pulled me back. I was almost going
for his face with my fist.
” You people are joking right?” Jen asked them speaking for the first time.
” No it’s serious young lady” the police officer responded. ”
” And am sorry we are here to arrest you as the co suspect in the murder of Mrs Margaret
Kamanga. You are to remain silent as anything you say will be held against you in the courts of
law” he spoke as they hand cuffed Jennifer’s hands she cried out to me.
” This is a mistake officer please listen to me. I was with her the whole time she is not the
murderer!” I shouted running towards the police vehicle they were taking her in.
” Am right behind you my love!” I shouted running back to her car as the police drove away.
” Trust in God” the priest who we called earlier patted my back as I sat in the driver’s seat but I
couldn’t seem to hear him. All I could think of was the innocent woman they were driving hand
cuffed like a criminal.
To be continued…