Chapter 20

NQABA CELE

It's been three hours since I had Mnqobi in my house. He looks good for a dead person. It's been five hours since my son went missing. Lwandle's driver called to ask if I picked him from school and I realized then that my son was taken and no one else has taken him except his mother. Apparently she Eddie's man the slip and disappeared. Right now, no one knows where she is and she has called. Mnqobi is refusing to talk. I managed to get him out of Malusi's house without anyone noticing. I had slip him through the neighbor's yard to dodge the surveillance team. Mabutho and Sizwe are here with me. I wanted to this on my own, but now they had to implicate themselves.

"Why did you do it Mnqobi, I mean you are alive, why did you frame me for murder. Was it not enough that you were sleeping with my wife?" He looks up at me with no emotion at all. "I love her, I wanted her all to myself and I needed you out of the way permanently. I didn't want to have to deal with you. I wanted your life. I was going to be a good father to Lwandle. The divorce was not enough. I needed you out of the way." He is lying. He can't even look at me. He's not lying about loving her though. I saw a flicker of it when he said it. "I was prepared to let the two of you live your lives as you please but now you went a touched my son. You went and involved my son in your shenanigans. You see Mnqobi, there is a lot that I am prepared to do for my son. When I say I'll do anything for Lwandle because he is my son, I mean that shit. Anything includes dying for him, I'll even go as far as killing for him. I doubt very much you'll be this cocky when I pull this trigger just to prove a point." I can tell that he doesn't believe that I'll do it. "You've gone too far this time boy." Sizwe adds. "He is still not prepared to talk, he thinks we are playing games here." Mabutho adds taking a the gun from me and fires a shot Mnqobi's leg. He groans like a dying animal. Still not saying anything. "Let's go. Maybe the pain will bring him back to his senses after a few hours." Sizwe adds.

We get up and leave. The drive is quiet, everyone lost in their own thoughts. I have figured Milani's game. She is not going to make this easy for me. She wants something she won't get from me. I she is smart but she just messed up. By taking my son she just messed up big time. I know we won't be able to find Lwandle on our own. "Drive to Malusi's house, the one Mnqobi was using." I tell Sizwe who looks at me like I have lost my mind. "You know that house is being watched." He adds. "I know brother. I need them to see me, we can't find Lwandle on our own. Milani is smart. She won't make it easy. The fact that she hasn't called, she is trying to make me sweat."

"Why don't we just call Detective Mbhele?" Mabutho asks. I contemplated that but Mbhele is in the SAPS, calling him might compromise everything. I need the guys watching the house. "SAPS is compromised. They have a mole there." Sizwe tells him understanding where I am coming from. Milani is expecting me to go to the police. I am not going to do that. We arrive at the house and I get out telling them to go home and make sure that my parents are ok. They nod in agreement. I walk into the house and it's empty.

I walk around the house, making sure I don't touch anything. Nothing is out of the ordinary. It's just a plain house with nothing much. There is laptop on the table, two phones. What is he doing with two phone. There's an external hard drive as well. I decide to take a sit without touching anything and it doesn't long, someone walks in and it's Sipho. He was at my house with the lawyers. "Are you alone?" I ask as he walks closer to me and sits on the other side of the table. "No. They are in the car. I came to get you and whatever else I can get from this house."

"Well, I haven't touched anything, the only thing I could see that was important here is these devices."

"We'll take those with us. Let's go, we don't have much time. We need to be out here fast." I don't need to be told twice. I help him take the devices and we walk out. We get in the car, the driver drives off fast. We all sit in silence. No one is saying anything. I think they are scared to say something to me. I watch as we drive up a drive way of a beautiful house and park. Everyone gets out and I follow behind these men without a word. When we walk in Mabutho and Sizwe are here, looking very comfortable, holding glasses with what looks like whiskey in them. Trust these two to make sure they enjoy a glass of two of good whiskey. I can't blame them though. They can afford. I grab a sit next to them.

"This is Eddie, that is Sandiso and that isDetective Nxele. Detective Mbhele is on his way." Sipho introduces the guys I've never met before. "The reason we are here is that, this is the only place that it's walls don't have ears." Eddie adds. I understand what he is saying. It's not easy to trust these day. No where is safe. "We are here because of your missing son. We are here to help you find him." His firm and sincere. I watch Sipho hand the devices to the guy named Sandiso. He them and walks away. I guess he is the tech savvy guy. "The question is how do we find him?" I ask looking them to see if they any answers. "Where are you keeping Mnqobi. We know you have him." Sipho adds, raising his eyebrows. "He is still alive, you don't have to worry about that. I need him to tell why they did what they did." They look at me surprised. Just before Det. Nxele could speak Mbhele walks in with a file in hand and joins us. "You said you want him to tell you why they did this to you, why not tell you where to find your son?" Det. Nxele asks as soon as Mbhele settles, sounding surprised by what I said.

"If I know Milani as I think I do, she won't tell her side kick all her plans. Mnqobi is here for purpose. A purpose that will serve Milani and that's it. Mnqobi only know what he needs to know, what is related to his task and that's it. This is not something Milani planned. It was never in here plans. She thought things would be easy with me in jail. She thought she would automatically have Lwandle since I was convicted. I took Lwandle from her a long time ago. She will never have excess to him. Her taking Lwandle like this only came up because she realized she is not going to get what she wants especially after she found out that I was out. This is ploy to force my hand to give her what she wants."

"I told you guys that we need Nqaba to get to Milani. He is the only one that can unsettle her and he has already without even trying." Mbhele adds. Everyone looks at me stunned. These people don't understand what they are dealing with. Milani is impulsive. This move though is impulsive. "Where do we start, we can start with her brother?" Nxele asks looking at me. "Malusi doesn't know about this. He is too busy preparing for the meeting he has with the so called potential supplier." Eddie.

"Milani didn't share this with anyone. She did this on her own. No one knows about this except her. We have to wait until she calls me and she will call. Right now she trying to make sure that I understand that she is the one in control."

"You really know this woman." Sipho adds. " I lived the last five learning and understanding who she really is, not the soft version she was pretending to be. I've through her abuse to know what she wants and when she wants it and this, me like this, is exactly what she wants." The room goes silent. The silence is not silent. It speaks louder than words ever could. If this woman thinks she can dance on my head using, she has another thing coming. She shouldn't have touched my son. Now she is going to die with that little boyfriend of his

"We still Mnqobi." Mbhele brings me out of my trance. "Not yet. I need to know what's on those devices. There is definitely something in there that can used. Mnqobi stays where he is. I need her to know that I have him. She's not going to care what happens to him, she will more worried about what's in those devices especially one of the phones."

"He is right. We to know what's in those devices. We need to set up so that we can be able trace the call when she calls. She is smart, we might not be able to trace the call but we to try. Eddie can you Sandiso to set for that. I think the three can go home for now. We need to set up for the meeting with Malusi." Nxele he continues to tell everyone what they need to do and he drives us home himself. "If it was me, he would have dead. I would have had someone beat her up and r~ape her and make it look I did it, knowing very well the law won't touch me. Don't kill her, we don't want you going to jail for a murder when you when you have a get out of jail free card. I'll get the footage from the school to see what happened. I lost a child once. I won't let you lose yours." He doesn't say anything else but starts the car and drives off, leaving me wondering in my own world. What does he mean he lost a child once.

MILANI CELE

He is going to be out for hours, that gives me time to deal with other things. I need to call Nqaba. He should have just accepted what is and stayed in jail. None of this would be happening. Now he is going to have to deal with me another level. He has no choice now to do what I want him to do or it's bye bye to little Lwandle here. I am tired of him fighting me every chance he gets. I know his biggest weakness is his son. He'll do anything I want to make sure Lwandle is safe. I've also been trying to call Mnqobi but he's not answering and locations pings at the house. Maybe he's bathing or sleeping. I'll call him later.

My phone buzzes a few times and it's my friend. **Milani what did you do?**, what is she talking about? **What on earth are you talking about Emihle?**

**Did you take Lwandle, he is missing and the police are snooping around. I had an officer asking me where you are, no one knows where you are, they want to talk to you.**

**What do you mean my son is missing? I didn't take him. Why would you even think that? I'm coming there now.**

She doesn't respond. Now I am going to have to play hurt mother with a missing child. Nqaba has probably told the cops that I am number one suspect. This is going to be fun. I take my other phone and call Nqaba. He picks with a lazy "Hello"

**My dear husband, how did you get out?**

**What do you want Milani?**

**Ok straight to the point. No small talk. I miss you Nqaba, don't you miss me?**

**Cut the bullsh*t and tell me what you want Milani.** Ok he is not playing along.

**I have Lwandle.**

**I know that already Milani. What do you want to bring my son back?**

**Don't worry dear husband, all in dew time. I just wanted to let you know that I have him so that you don't worry too much. I'll send you a text telling you what I want. For now you can relax. Lwandle is fine and is safe.**

I hang up before he can say anything else. I don't want them tracing my calls. Even if they trace the call, they won't find me. I grab my keys, walking out and giving the guard strict instructions about Lwandle. It's time to play the hurt mother.

I can't believe he's still playing games with me. Nqaba thinks he can outsmart me, but he has no idea what I've set into motion. While he's lurking in the shadows, I'm making my moves under the radar. Lwandle is just a pawn in this twisted game, and I know exactly how to manipulate his father. As I drive towards Emihle, I can already picture the look on her face when I walk in pretending to be the concerned mother.

I pull into her driveway and take a deep breath, brimming with false vulnerability. The door swings open, and I paste on my best worried expression. "Milani! Where have you been?" Emihle exclaims, concern etching her features.

"Oh, you know... just dealing with things." I feign a sigh, shrugging it off as if it's just another mundane problem in my life. "Have the police been around much? I just can't have them sniffing around. It complicates things."

Emihle raises an eyebrow, puzzled. "What do you mean Milani, of cause they have. We don't need this kind of attention Milani. Did you do it"

I summon some tears in my eyes, my mind racing to keep my story straight. "No I didn't, but you know how it is. They always think a parent is the one behind everything, especially when parents are not in good terms." My voice cracks a little, I can see doubt creeping into her eyes, and I quickly add, "But I would never hurt Lwandle. He's my baby. I promised you guys that I wouldn't involve Lwandle in this like that."

She nods, somewhat convinced but still skeptical. She gives a hug and pulls out of it in seconds, "Just be careful, Milani. You know how this can get. Your brother is also frustrated with this. We are getting too much unnecessary attention." I look down and break down in a sob. "I know that I wasn't that much of a mother to Lwandle but why, why would someone take him. What do they want?" She tries to comfort, making sure I am calm. Eventually I calm down, while she wipes my tears away telling me everything is going to be ok. That we are going to find Lwandle. "With this incident you can even file for full custody. He will definitely lose especially since he has been convicted with serious crimes." She says comforting me. After a while I decide to leave.

As I drive away, her words echo in my mind, but I shake them off. It's all part of the act. I need to establish control over the narrative - make it clear that I am the one calling the shots. I reach for my phone, dialing Nqaba's number again, but this time I'm careful, ensuring that the call is brief.

"Soon, my dear husband, soon," I whisper to myself as the sun sets, casting an eerie glow over the darkening streets. "You won't see it coming, but you'll surrender to my will."

**Expect a text later on with instructions. Nqaba, remember that if you don't do what exactly what I tell you, your won't see your son any time soon. And Nqaba, if you cross me, I'll kill you.** I hang up before he says anything else. Now he knows I mean business. F**k why is Mnqobi not answering his phone. I check his location on my phone and it says he is at the house. I change the route and drive to the house. When I get there, it's quiet. Usually the tv or music is playing but today it's quiet. That's odd. I look around the house, I search everywhere and he is not here. Where the hell did he go. Mnqobi knows he is not supposed to go anywhere without telling me. But then again he has never been to follow rules right to the tee. That's why I am getting rid of him once he is done with his part. Dammit Mnqobi! Where are you?