CHAPTER 21

CHAPTER 21

[DIAMOND]

Nicole is always testing my patience. I had to knock off late because she wanted help with some paperwork for the case she's working on. Thank God for Sboniso, without him, I would've been stranded with a dead phone, in the cold, probably crying by now. I really need to go to that car dealership and get that damn car. I've been procrastinating for too long.
"Thank you so much for this. You'll sleep at our flat," I say sincerely. He also needs to talk to Nikky and stop with this silent treatment nonsense.
"No. I will not do that. You know I can't face Nikky right now… not after what I did to her," he says, another excuse layered on top of the other excuses he's been feeding me for days. How exactly does he plan to face her on her birthday? He'll probably ask me to give her his gift. I won't. Not this time.
"You should apologise, and be friends again. She misses you," I say truthfully. She does miss him. Those two have their own weird little bond, that creepy dark music they listen to that makes the hairs on my arms stand.
I see a small smile on his face. Poor thing. Life is cruel like that. Sometimes you don't get what you want. You just learn to admire your dreams from afar, or watch someone else live the life you prayed for. Life is not fair and never will be.
When I get home, I need to call Konke. I'm sure he's wondering why I've been so quiet. My phone has been off, and I just know I've missed calls from him and Nikky. I never stay out this late without telling her.
"I know… I will sleep over and talk to her. I know she will start telling me I'm behaving cold because I'm a scorpion," he says softly and lets out a small laugh. I join him, this fool.
"It's Scorpio, not scorpion," I correct him, still laughing.
"I got a vinyl player… one of those new fancy ones," he says, sounding genuinely excited.
I frown a little, but there's a smile tugging at my lips.
"Where did you get the money to buy it?" I ask, curious, waiting for his usual dramatic story.
"I stole the money," he says plainly.
I scoff because I'm used to his impulsiveness, but inside, my stomach drops. This needs to stop before he ends up in a place he can't climb out of.
"You're going to get caught one day. You know that," I tell him, serious but not harsh. I'm not judging him; I'm worried.
He blows out a long sigh.
"I steal from the rich, not the poor," he says defensively. "I know what I'm doing."
"The rich will eat you alive, Sbo," I say gently. "At some point, we need to stop and grow up."
And honestly? I've been thinking the same about myself. The heists, the petty crimes… maybe it's time to stop before life forces us to.
He laughs without humor.
"Maybe that's the plan. I want to die. I don't see myself getting old and wrinkled," he says.
I can't tell if it's a joke or not, but the words stab somewhere deep in my chest.
"Don't say that," I whisper. "You will grow old. You'll be a father someday."
For a moment, he doesn't speak. The car hums softly. His expression shifts, pain, resignation, something darker.
"I don't see that happening, Diamond," he says quietly. "Even though I love Nikky… I don't think she'd fit into our dysfunctional family. She's from a loving home."
His voice breaks just slightly at the end. It hurts hearing him talk like he's not deserving of anything good.
"Everyone deserves happiness," I tell him firmly. "Even you."
He keeps his eyes on the road, shaking his head slowly.
"Diamond, I know you're trying to make me feel better. But let's drop it," he says flatly.
I nod, swallowing the ache in my throat.
The car stays with a silence; full of the pain he carries, and it's the kind that reminds me how fragile he is, how close he always feels to the edge. And the fear hits me… one day he might disappear for real.
Just like his father did.

.
.
.
Sbo told me the vinyl player is for Nikky. I should have known. She's going to appreciate that gift so much. I just need to make sure she never finds out all the gifts, including mine, were stolen.
As we walk up the stairs, the lights are bright. I smile a little. Nikky once told me Mnotho is the reason the lights work now.
But when I reach our floor, I see two of our neighbours standing by our door, looking worried.
"Why are they at your door?" Sbo whispers.
I shrug, but something sinks in my stomach. I walk faster. Their eyes meet mine and they smile, nervous smiles, the kind that make your chest tense.
"Hey, Diamond," Rex greets, but his tone is shaky. My heart skips. Something is wrong.
"What's going on?" I ask, already feeling cold.
"We heard screams in your flat. We knocked, but no one answered," Rex says.
Screams?
I don't even ask anything else. I run. My keys shake in my hand as I unlock the burglar gate, then the door.
The moment the door opens, my whole body freezes.
The house is a mess. And on the floor, tiny droplets of blood.
My bag slips from my hand.
"Nikky!!" I scream, my voice cracking as I rush inside. I barely hear the neighbours behind me. I check my bedroom, hers, both doors wide open. My chest burns. My stomach twists.
What happened here?
I turn to Sbo. His expression collapses in fear.
"Where's Nikky?" he asks quietly, scared.
"I'm calling the cops," Rex says, stepping away.
"No. No, don't call the cops!" I snap too loudly. "I'll call her. Maybe she went to see her mom or something. Please go talk to the security, ask if they saw her leave." I beg him. I can't panic. I can't think she's hurt. Maybe she just had a nosebleed and went to the clinic. Yes. Yes, that's what happened.
Rex nods and rushes off.
I turn to Sbo. He looks terrified too.
"Give me your phone," I say. Mine is dead. He hands it over immediately.
I dial Nikky's number, my hands trembling so badly I almost drop the phone. I tell myself nothing is wrong, the screams Rex heard were just the TV, nothing else.
But when it rings… Her phone rings too.
Loud. From the kitchen counter.
Sbo's eyes widen. My body goes ice cold.
"No. No, no, no…" I whisper. "Let me call Mnotho. She's probably with him. Yes. Maybe she went to him." I grab Nikky's phone, unlock it with her password, scroll to his name like I'm drowning and reaching for the last breath of air.
It rings twice.
"Peaches, are you okay?" he says, relief in his voice.
Oh no. My breath disappears. No, no, no…
"Peaches?"
"Mnotho… this is Diamond…" My voice breaks. "Nikky…" My throat tightens, cutting the words.
"Diamond, where's Nikky?" His voice jumps, sharp with fear.
I open my mouth but no sound comes out. Only heavy breathing, like I'm suffocating.
"Diamond!" he shouts, panic rising. I can't do this. I can't say it.
I hang up on him.
Sbo grabs my shoulders. "Diamond, what's going on? Tell me!" He's panicking too, but I can't talk. If I talk, it becomes real.
I need to call her mom. But I need to be calm. I need to think.
I dial her mother with shaking fingers. It rings. And rings. And rings.
On the fourth ring, she answers.
"Hayi, Nike, I'm asleep. Why are you calling this late?" her mom says softly, annoyed and half-asleep.
My heart sinks. She has no idea.

__

"Let's not panic… let's wait for Rex. Call Snothando," Sbo says, but his own voice is shaking. My whole body is trembling now. My fingers feel numb. My knees feel loose. This doesn't look good. And I don't want to let my mind even touch the worst thoughts waiting in the shadows.
"No… Snothando isn't here in Gauteng. She can't be with her," I whisper, breath catching. "I should call Ntobe… but she's in Limpopo. And if I call her now, if I tell her something I'm not even sure about, I'll start a whole panic with her family."
My voice cracks. "And what if… what if I'm wrong? What if I'm right?"
Sbo steps closer, reaching for me, but I'm already spiralling.
"Oh my God," I choke out. "What if something bad happened to her? Look at the house, the blood, the mess, the screams Rex heard, Sboniso…" My teeth start chattering from a cold that isn't even real. A cold that sits under my skin.
Sbo pulls me into a hug so tight it almost hurts.
"Calm down. Nothing bad happened. Please, just breathe. Let's calm down," he whispers, trying to steady both of us. But even his heartbeat is racing against my cheek.
Nikky's phone vibrates violently in my hand.
I jerk out of the hug.
It's Mnotho.
God. What am I going to tell this man?
"Answer it," Sbo says quickly. "I'll look for Rex and see if the cops should be called or not."
He rushes off before I can stop him.
I let out a shaky, broken sigh and sink onto the couch like my legs have lost all strength. I swipe to answer.
"Why did you hang up?" His voice is sharp, annoyed. "What's going on?"
"I'm… I'm sorry about that," I whisper. "I panicked."
"Panicked? Diamond, what's going on? Where's Nikky?" His tone isn't annoyed anymore. It's fear. Pure, rising fear.
"I don't know," I manage, tears burning behind my eyes. "I don't know. I got here to the flat and she wasn't here. She left her phone. The place is a mess and…"
My breath cuts itself off. My throat closes. I swallow but nothing goes down.
"And what?" he asks. His voice drops, cold and controlled and terrified. "Diamond. What's going on?"
"There are droplets of blood on the floor," I say, voice trembling. "And the neighbours heard a scream. They thought it came from inside our flat."
Silence. A heavy, horrible silence.
"I'm on my way," he says. And the line cuts.
A sob rips from my chest, loud and painful and uncontrollable.
What happened here? Nikky would never leave her phone. Nikky would never leave the flat with her bag still on her bed.
And Nikky would never, not ever, go anywhere without her EpiPen.
Something happened. Something terrible.
And I feel it deep in my bones.

"We are calling the cops," a voice says from behind me. I turn my head to see Sbo and Rex, their faces tight with worry and tension.
"No one signed in that they came here to see you or Nikky," Rex continues, voice low and shaky. "And Nikky didn't sign out. The guards didn't see her leave."
The words slam into me like a punch to my face. My heart pounds in my chest. My hands are trembling so badly I almost drop the phone. My mind races.

Where could she be? Who could have taken her?

••••••

Diamond is still frozen on the couch. Rex walks out, saying he's going to call the police and inform the caretaker about the situation. Sbo stares at Diamond, unsure how to comfort her. He wants to be strong, but fear claws at him too, the kind of fear that comes from imagining the worst-case scenario. He walks over and sits next to her.
"Does she have any issues with anyone? Did she mention someone following her, or anything suspicious?" Sbo asks. Maybe they should start there. He knows the cops will take their time, and he might have to start investigating on his own.
Diamond shakes her head. Nikky never said anything about being stalked or threatened.
"I went through her phone… nothing suspicious. Oh, Sboniso… What if something happened to her? I can't lose her," Diamond says, her voice cracking, tears threatening to spill.
Sbo takes her hand, holding it tight, gentle but firm. He can't lose Nikky either, especially now, when they aren't even on speaking terms.
"Don't worry. We'll figure this out. Rex said they'll check the CCTV at the gate," Sbo says.
Diamond lets out a humorless laugh. "Those cameras don't work. They're just decoration. Oh Sbo… where do we even begin?" Her chest tenses, and she buries her face in her hands for a moment, the panic crawling in her chest.
They stay in silence. Sbo finally stands, restless, knowing he needs to do something.
"Stay here. Wait for the cops. I need to go and see what I can find out," Sbo says, his voice low but determined. Diamond stares at him, her heart pounding, a tremor of fear making her breath catch.
"Don't do anything stupid," she warns, knowing how impulsive he can be.
"I'll cross every line for Nikky. I'll stay in touch. I'll come see you in the morning," he says firmly. He doesn't wait for her answer. He's already moving, already acting.

_

Sbo and Diamond walk toward the commotion at the gate. Diamond doesn't want to be alone. She also needs to see for herself how the guard could have missed Nikky leaving with someone.
"How convenient. Your cameras don't work. What kind of building is this?" a cold voice snaps. "And you didn't see her leave either? What kind of job is this?"
Diamond freezes. It's Mnotho. He looks like he's about to explode, his fury so raw it makes the air feel heavier around them.
"That's Mnotho. Let me go talk to him," she tells Sbo. He frowns but says nothing. He doesn't want to confront a man dating the woman he loves, not in this state.
"Okay. Be safe. I'll be in touch," he says, pacing as Mnotho's commotion grows louder.
Diamond walks toward them, her heart hammering in her chest. She needs to hear everything herself. She stands next to Mnotho, searching his face.
"We should check or call everyone who came here," Diamond says, trying to sound calm.
Mnotho turns to her, eyes blazing.
"Did you call her family?" he demands, desperation creeping into his voice, hoping they might know where Nikky is.
"I did. She's not at her mother's. Her sister is in another province. She's not with them. There's blood in our flat. Someone took her, Mnotho," Diamond says, her voice trembling, tears threatening to fall.
Mnotho's face hardens, a dark, cold chuckle escaping his mouth. He wants to blame Thabang, but Thabang is dead. Richard is sick, dying in his hotel room. They were the suspects who had been following her. But they can't be the ones this time. Who did this?
"We are calling the cops and praying to God that Nikky is safe," one of the guards says.
Diamond lets out a humorless laugh, but Mnotho turns on them, his eyes sharp as knives.
"No. Don't call the cops," he says, cold and dangerous, pulling out his phone.
The guards freeze, shocked.
"No, we have…"
Mnotho casts a glare at them that stops them mid-sentence.
"I am the police. I am God. I will find her," he says, voice low and lethal. He turns to Diamond. "Let's go to your flat and get some clues. Something that might help us."

He walks off without waiting for Diamond. She swallows hard, her chest tight, her heart racing. Her mind is screaming, but she follows him anyway. Every step feels heavy, but she can't stop. She needs to be there. She has to see.
Mnotho suddenly stops mid-step. He turns to Diamond, eyes wide and tense, a memory hitting him.
"When I was on the phone with her, before hanging up… she said she knows the person who was at the door," he says, his voice sharp with fear and anger.
Diamond freezes, her heart pounding.
"So the person who took her… knows Nikky," he continues, his voice low and deadly. Diamond just stares at him, not sure what to say.
"That person took her. Knows her. And you will help me," he says coldly. "Give me all the names of people close to Nikky, from work, friends, family, anyone who knows her. Even the names of all the tenants here, the workers at the shops she goes to outside the gate. I want every name," he demands, his hands shaking slightly as panic and rage show in his voice.
Then he turns and walks away, leaving Diamond alone. Her chest feels tight, her legs weak. She stands there, trying to understand what he just said. Fear coils through her, her heart racing. She can feel Mnotho losing control, his panic and anger radiating like heat from a fire. Her chest tenses, her stomach knots. She knows this night is far from over.

This is the same man who just called himself God.

••••••

[NIKEZINKOSI]

He wiped my little cuts clean and put plasters on them. I even took a bath, and now I'm wearing warm clothes he gave me. And now… now he's dishing up breakfast for me.
I don't understand why he's being so kind. Why is he being sweet?
What kind of kidnapping is this?
It's just after 9am. Shouldn't he be at work?
He said this place is one of his houses and that it's far from town. There's a watch on the wall. We're in the kitchen like two normal people.
Maybe I should be grateful he didn't tie me up in chains or lock me in a dark room. But who am I kidding? I am his prisoner.
He pushes the plate of food toward me with a glass of orange juice and painkillers. He smiles warmly.
This man is not normal. That alone terrifies me. Why is he so nice?
"Eat. You will need some strength, Nikky," he says softly as he wipes the counter.
I swallow. "Paul… you can still change your mind," I say gently.
At least he cooked in front of me. No drugs in the food. The painkillers… he showed me the packet, they're the normal ones everyone uses. So I'm safe.
For now.
"Nikky, take this as a little vacation. Relaxing. I'll take care of you… as your brother-in-law, of course," he says with another warm smile. "You're gorgeous, you know. I should hook you up with my cousin. He's a bit uptight, but you two could be a good match."
His cousin? If they share blood, I know he's crazy too.
"I need to go to work soon," he adds calmly. "There's a library here. You can read. No TV… sorry."
I stare at him. My stomach twists. "What's your plan, Paul? You should at least tell me," I ask, almost begging.
I'm not scared of death. I'm scared of dying and disappearing… my family never finding me.
And it's my birthday party in three days. I can't be here. I can't be missing.
He sighs, walks closer, and cups my face with both hands.
I freeze. I stop breathing.
"Sweetheart," he says softly, "trust my plan. It will go perfectly. I will get Diamond back. And we will all be a happy family. You just need to do your part and lie. If not…" He giggles. "I will have to, you know, hurt your mom a little."
My whole body turns cold.
What the hell…
"And I was planning to call them or Diamond and demand ransom," he continues casually, "but eish… your family doesn't have a million, shame."
I shake my head fast. "No. Not my mom. Don't call her. She won't survive that. And I will never forgive you. Diamond will never forgive you," I say urgently, voice breaking.
Not my mom.
Please.
I already lost my father because of me.
I can't lose my mother too.
Mnotho has money. He can handle situations like this. Calling him would be safer than calling my mom. My mother would fall apart. But Mnotho… I trust him. He can fight back. He won't panic.
"Don't call my mom," I say quickly. "I have a fiancé. He has money."
Paul pauses. He smiles… then frowns. He drops his hands from my face and looks down at my fingers.
He raises an eyebrow.
"A ring?" he asks.
I sigh. "He's from deep rurals of KZN. They don't really do rings. Once lobola is negotiated, it's done."
He giggles. This fool.
"Rurals in KZN?" he says mockingly. "What does he have? A farm?"
"He's into logistics," I say sharply. "And he's here in Joburg. You can call him and tell him you kidnapped his fiancée. He will pay you."
He gasps dramatically, like I just told him the best news in the world. His eyes light up. His hands grab my face again.
"Oh, Nikky girl," he says excitedly. "I knew you had it in you. This plan of ours will work. Yes, we will call him. And Diamond too."
Our plan?
My stomach twists.
"Look, I need to go to work," he says suddenly, like he's talking about a normal day. "I have to get that wizard fired from the office. But I'll be back. Then we plan more. See you later. Eat your breakfast, honey."
He leans in and drops a kiss on my forehead.
Right on the plaster he put there.
Then he walks away whistling… like everything is perfectly normal.
My shoulders drop. My whole body sinks.
I need to find a way out of here.
I need to escape while he's gone.

Before his "plan" becomes something I can't survive.

•••••

[KUKHOKONKE]

Josh has been apologizing since we arrived for this board meeting. I'm R150k richer thanks to Ndleleni's numbers. Honestly, I should just quit because it is clear as day that Paul will not let me work peacefully here.
I can't even get hold of Diamond. I wanted to share this lotto news with her, but her phone is off. She told me she wanted to invite me to her friend's birthday party this weekend, but I declined because I have to go home and free those spirits at the Zungu royal compound. I hope she's not angry. Maybe she thinks I don't want to see her friend or something.

I'll go to her workplace and check on her, and I need to consult Ndleleni if there's something he needs since he gave me this money. Maybe I should pay that R100k deposit for that land. Yeah, I should do that.
Paul is the last to walk in with his head held high with confidence or arrogance. That is what I call it. He annoys me. Part of me wants to fight for my job and stay just to give him hell.
Before he even sits down, his PA rushes in with her phone in her hand, gasping.
"Mr Maseko, we have a crisis," she says, her voice loud.
Paul frowns at her.
"What is it? The meeting is about to start," he says.
"What the hell…" one of the board members says while staring at the phone with wide eyes. Then he looks at Paul.
What's going on? I look at Josh and he shrugs.
"It's Thabang," the PA says as she hands Paul the phone.
Paul's face goes blank as he looks at whatever is on that screen.
I unlock my own phone. I need to know what is happening. News… Google… trending topics… Thabang Maseko's name pops up. I click the link.
I gasp loudly.
"What's going on?" someone asks, but I don't answer.
I am staring at a picture of a body hanging from a light pole. Thabang.
Whispers spread around the boardroom. I don't want to lift my eyes and look at Paul because I know he is going to blame me.
Someone gently takes my phone. It is Josh. His eyes stay fixed on the screen, widening. Then he turns and looks at me.
Yes. It is not Paul's father.
It is someone else.
And my vision was close to home.
"They say someone wrote rapist on his stomach," another person says.
I finally look at Paul. His eyes are on me, deadly and furious.

And instead of shrinking, I just smile.

••••

[MNOTHO]

I feel like I'm going to explode. I'm going to lose my mind. I can feel myself slipping. Something in me snapped the moment they said she didn't sign out. The moment I saw that blood.
My heart is running ahead of me and my body can't keep up. I'm pacing, sweating, thinking things that could get me jailed for life. I don't care. Nikky is gone.
And the world feels like it's tilting sideways, like it's about to crush me.
I've already gathered people for the manhunt. I asked Diamond to find every single person who knows Nikky. At Brian Hospital, Pinky will send me the full list of workers. I need everything. Everyone is a suspect.
I even demanded CCTV footage from the neighbouring building, the one facing the road and the gate. Someone there must have seen something. I know the person slipped out easily because of those useless guards. I'm checking every angle, every shadow, every car that passed. I won't miss a single detail.

My face is resting in my hands. Thabang's news has broken out, and the cops found his body hanging exactly as I planned. Richard is next. I know Richard didn't take her; he's sick, his liver is failing as we speak.
And yes, the whole country is in a standstill.
And God knows what this country will turn into when I find Nikky d…
I shake my head hard. I don't want to even finish that thought.
Whoever took her must know her.
And if they know her… I'll find them.
And when I find them… I chuckle softly, a dead, empty sound.
The door swings open.
I don't even raise my head.
"What's wrong with you?" Bangizwe's voice.
I ignore him. I'm not in the mood to speak.
"Alfred still hasn't come. We should just forget about him," he continues.
I really don't care about that man.
I'm sitting here because I need to calm down.
Because I'm close to snapping at the wrong people.
Bangizwe keeps talking, rambling, but his voice is distant. Fading.
All I can think about is Nikky.
Nikky alone. Nikky scared.
Nikky somewhere in the dark, waiting for someone to save her. My heart breaks at that thought. And I feel truly helpless.