Benjamin.
I flipped through the papers, checking every single detail in the small file my investigator had
handed me.
” This is good man, am so happy you managed to get all this in a week” I sighed looking up at his
face.
” They have been around all this while. Unfortunately because of the condition they are in, they
probably are not aquinted with what is going on otherwise they could have shown up already”
Mailoni informed me as he sat across the table in my garrage.
I had decided to meet up with him that day not wanting anyone to see me anyhow as now it
seemed whatever was happening, all eyes where on me.
I was one day even approached by some journalist from some media house over what was going
on and I just told them one truth.
” My woman is innocent and in due time all this will be over” was all l said not wanting to waste my
time talking to people who had contributed to my down fall.
“So what next? ” Mailoni asked bringing me out of my thoughts.
” I think its best I go and check this place my dear. If they are there then I will find them” I
responded.
” Sure, be careful that man I told you about seems dangerous and he’s the one working with Clara.
” He cautioned.
Without wasting any time I placed the papers in the car outside and drove away. I had to go to the
address in the papers where Mailoni told me he saw my family.
He told me a man he saw with Clara days before go to the address, it was like he used to go to
observe the activities of the small house there. He later on took time observing him and after following the man three times. He knew there was some one who Clara wanted to spy on or she
was hiding something in Chainda compound.
According to his explanation, Mailoini mentioned seeing a girl of about 18 years old who seemed
to be one of the residents of the house.
The description of the girl matched that of my young sister the last born in our family. Even though
he didn’t get to get more information as I rushed to check the address myself.
The wind blew in my face as I drove at a great speed in great east road. The panic and
nervousness of seeing my sister’s and son again giving me the the motive to accelerate.
I recalled the confrontation I had with Jennifer’s brother. He had come to Jen’s house scolding me
for causing so much harm to his sister.
” I understand you are hurt cause your sister is in trouble. But you have to understand none of us
planned this to happen.” I tried to reason with him.
He sighed looking at me clear anger on his face. I just had to understand he was just being
concerned about his own sister too.
” lf you came to know how evil your wife is, you should have left her alone so that no harm comes
to her. She helped save your life now she has wasted her entire life” he shouted on top of his
voice.
I went on trying to explain what made me return to Jen and the fact that that I fall in love with Jen.
” Pray so hard my sister comes out of that place my dear Ben, otherwise I will not let you get away
with this!” He scoffed and left me without any further words.
Now l had to prove to him that I was man enough and capable of protecting his sister. All I needed
was to get Clara trapped in her evil plans and now I was getting close to achieving that.
Thankfully I had two people helping me. Clara’s nephew, the boy who l asked to go back to his
grand mother’s after selling the house and assistant accountant, Mulenga who was aware of
Clara’s drug trafficking deals and a brief of other things too.
” Am going to have my family back and rescue the woman that I love” I whispered to myself as I
waited for the traffic lights at Manda Hill to indicate a go light.
20 minutes later I was parking the vehicle across the road deep inside Chainda. I kept watch of the
house for some minutes and when I was almost getting myself to go and knock at the door, I saw
her.
My sister Serah carrying a bucket of water. She was heading towards a two roomed house that
matched the description Mailoni had given me.
” Serah!” I whispered to myself slowly opening the door. She looked so different, the last time I
saw her she was looking so young and neat in her jeans and crop top. Now she looked like a poor
beggar I felt tears in my eyes as I approached her.
” Serah?” I shouted loudly and she turned to me.
” Ben! Oh Ben! Is that you brother?” She shouted throwing away the bucket and coming to hug me
her face filled with happiness. I held her so close as she cried.
” Clara told us you were dead” she cried softly looking at my face.
” No sweetheart am alive and am here now, where is everyone?” I asked her wiping her tears
away.
” Mother left us some weeks ago, she went with aunty Clara but she has never returned. We have
not seen both of them since” she sniffed her nose.
” What about Memory and Ben?” I asked her now standing up straight looking at her avoiding to
break the news of mom’s death to her.
” You don’t know?” She asked looking really sad. ” know what Serah?” I started panicking now
wanting to hear anything worse.
” Let’s go in the house Ben, Memory is there” she sighed sadly and led me into the small house.
My other sister, the second born in our family, who came after me, Memory was laying on a mat
sleeping and her breathing told me she wasn’t well.
” Memory, Memory wake up! It’s brother Ben” Serah shook her softly and she slowly opened her
eyes.
” Ben?” She said in a whisper as her eyes kept on me.
” Memory what happened to you? I went close to her holding her face and I felt the heat in her skin
reaching mine.
” She’s been sick since mother went away but we have no money to take her to the clinic. The
vegetables mom was selling finished but so did the money to order some more. I have been going
out to work some small jobs in the market to get us something to eat” Serah sobbed as she
explained the conditions of their lives. .I couldn’t hold it anymore. I held my sister’s and cried with
them. Telling them all shall be well.
Later on after a moment of embracing each other I told them to come with me and drove them to
Jen’s house. I had continued paying for rentals from the time I started the garage business even
before Jen went to Prison. I knew Clara wouldn’t mind me taking my sister’s there.
They told me how Clara had gone to get my son a year after I was gone. Lying to my mother she
wanted to raise her own son and since then, they never saw him again.
” Mom said she wouldn’t hurt her own son” Serah explained. ” so she let her take him and asked
her to be bringing him to visit us. But she never did.
The only time we saw Clara was when she came with some signed documents showing that our
house, the one in meanwood is her’s as granted by the courts. How she managed to change the
papers we all don’t know.
She asked mom to start paying her for rentals but mom had no money.
With the little money mom had left, she tried to hire lawyers to claim back the house but it all
failed. Causing us to move to Chainda and Memory stopped the course she was pursuing at the
university. I too stopped when I passed to grade 10 due to lack of finances.
Clara stopped giving us our share from the company so we had nothing .
Mom promised she would find a way to make Clara pay and somehow get hold of the companies
and everything we had lost. Unfortunately we don’t know where she has taken her. she usually
came here to insult my mother telling her she was paying for treating her like a lazy woman and
never accepted her as a daughter in law. ” My sister told me the story and l was not surprised at
all.
At that point I knew what Clara was capable of and that wasn’t a surprising. I felt glad my sisters
were okey and l prayed in my heart my son would be fine too wherever she had taken him was also well.
I took my sister to the hospital and the following day before going to Prison to visit Jen, I called
and told the lawyer about my sister’s.
He told me they both would help testifying in court their story indicating that Clara took away my
mother. He offered to keep them at his house for fear of Clara plotting an attack to prevent them
from testifying. But I objected and told him I would take them to the priest at church. That was the
only safe place I could think of.
We were still talking with the lawyer when my phone rung.” Hello Mulenga!” I responded seeing
the assistant accountant’s caller ID.
” You have to come over to the company now, I want you to see something that will help you out”
he spoke and it seemed he was in a rush as the call was cut immediately.
” I have to go now, thank you so much for helping. And will see you soon. ” I thanked him as I
shook his hand.
I drove to drop my sister’s at church and later on rushed to the company.
Upon getting to the company I wore a company cap for drivers and walked to the back.
” Am here, in the back” I called Mulenga who cut the line without answering.
I waited for almost 5 minutes and I saw him rushing to me.
” Clara is planing something against you. I have no idea what, but I overhead her telling that her
macho man that he should strike before the trial. ” Mulenga whispered.
” But that’s not what l called you for. See those trucks there?” He asked pointing three container
trucks in the parking spot.
” There are tones of drugs, illegal drugs hidden in the containers. They won’t be unloaded til
tonight so I don’t know what you can do with that but make sure am not stated in all this” he
cautioned and quickly ran back but that was before he whispered into my ears, “Clara is in her
office right this minute, be careful”
I wanted to leave but an idea popped up my mind, l got my phone, scrolled to the voice recorder
and headed direct to her office, which used to be my father’s before he died.
I had to find a way of saving Jennifer and I had to try be brave and face her again.
” What are you doing here Ben?” Clara stood upon seeing me enter without knocking.
The man I had come to know as her right hand man from Mailoni’s investigation, sat in front from
of her. He looked down upon seeing me. I realise he knew me so well.
” What ? aren’t you happy to see me?, I thought you put Jen in Prison so that we can get back
together!” I teased with a laugh pressing my hand on my forehead.
” Leave my company you crazy! In your dreams will I ever have you in my life! ” She shouted not
looking straight at me.
” Well to start with, I know how you Planned on my mother’s death. You want an innocent woman
to pay for your crimes” I spoke loudly provoking her.
I felt myself smile inside as she went on throwing it in my face how she wanted us both to suffer.
” Okey, you think you are clever dear Clara but l only came here to let you know that your time is
up. Soon enough your walls will fall and like you said, we will see who will laugh last” I smiled
leaving her as she shouted for me to leave her office.