Chapter 30

MALUSI NKABINDE
"It doesn't look good." My lawyer says looking like he wants to shoot me. I understand his anger. I also don't understand how I got myself trapped like this. I mean I looked into this James person and everything seamed legit. Maybe everything is legit about him but has a deal with the cops. No, it doesn't make sense. He doesn't look like someone who would let the cops get to him. But I did. I let the cops get me. I must say, they are good. You would never suspect a thing. The way that Eddie guy spoke, he sold it and I bought. F**k. "So what's the next step?" I know the he is giving me. I know it means I have no options. I am doomed. "They are denying you because of your crimes, even if we go to court for the bail application, you won't get it. They have a list of the judges that handled cases against you and somehow you were free and the case went cold. They are looking into all the cold cases, they somehow have files. How do the have files of those cases, those files were supposed to go missing permanently, never to be head of but somehow, the have everything. Someone is talking Malusi. Someone is giving the police everything the need to bury you behind bars. Malusi I am afraid with everything that I have, I cannot get you out. This is difficult. We are being cut off branch by branch." He is making sense. "I hear you but we need to do something. I cannot go to jail. Speak to the commissioner yourself, make him the gravity of this." Who could be betraying me,us like this. What is it that they have to gain by doing this?"
"They're building a case stronger than anything I've ever seen." His words hit me like a punch to the gut. I'm trapped in a web of someone else's design, with no clear way to escape.
"Do we have any leads on who turned me in?" I ask, desperation creeping into my voice. "If I can figure that out, maybe I can find a way out of this." He shakes his head, his expression grim. "It's difficult, Malusi. The evidence they have is not only circumstantial, they have evidence that places you in a few place, they have recordings of conversations you've been having with people that the police are looking to arrest and they're likely placing a lot of resources on cold cases involving your name. Your business network will crumble if they take you away and they will take you away today. There is a possibility that you might await trial in prison."
I lean back in the chair, feeling the weight of everything crashing down on me. "I can't let them get away with this," I declare, my voice steadying as I knit my brows in thought. "I need to push back. Whoever is doing this, can't get away with this."
"Pushing back from where?" my lawyer replies, raising an eyebrow. "You're not in a position of power here. You need a strategy, someone to fight for you. Malusi you are not even allowed visitors here. They are not allowing you any visitors, not even your wife."
"No, I can't just sit here and wait for their move. I have to inform Emihle and Tony. They can't go down with me." I stand, a spark of determination igniting within me. "I need to see them. I need to talk to my wife. Make it happen."
I pace up and down this room, my thoughts running wild. This cannot be the end of me, I hear my lawyer's voice trail behind, " Malusi, you have to understand that this is not going to be easy, but I'll try and see if you I get your wife here at least and I'll speak to the commissioner as well." His words make my hurt, I like my airwaves are clogged. I don't even understand why they can't allow my wife and m sister at least to visit me. I need to put a plan into motion before it's too late or is it already too late. I listen to my lawyer speaking on the phone to someone about allowing my wife to visit. He speaks for a while before ending the call. "Emihle will be here in a few minutes. Detective Mbhele will allow only her to see you in my presence of cause." That's better. What matters is that I get to see her. We sit and he goes through my case file with me, showing me what they actually have on me and to say that I'll get out of this unscathed, I'd be lying to myself. This is real, I am going down. I am losing everything. As we are busy the door opens and Emihle walks with the detective. "You have fifteen minutes with her." He walks out before we could reply. Emihle walks up to me, hugs and softly kisses me before sitting down. "What the good news?"
"Not good news," I reply, leaning closer to the two of them. "We're running out of time, and we need to think several steps ahead. If they put me in central holding, it could be years before I see the light of day. From central holding, it's prison."
"We need leverage. We have to dig deeper. I suspect there's a mole within our ranks, someone who knows too much."
"Do you think it could be James?" Emihle asks, her voice barely above a whisper. I can see now that we have to figure this out or we'd drain ourselves fighting an invisible enemy. "Possibly, but I just met James, he doesn't know the things that are in this file. We had a deal and that's all we spoke about." I murmur, feeling the pressure close in like a vise. "And once we figure out who it is, we'll turn the tables. I refuse to be a pawn in this game."
"I have a feeling that the deal with James was a trap. I know you said you looked into him and found nothing suspicious but I still, my gut tells me that James was a trap. Even if it was, it won't change anything now. We are in a mess." We huddle together, a sense of purpose coiling around us, unyielding amidst the chaos threatening to consume us. As the distant sound of footsteps looms near, I take a deep breath. It's a challenge I'm ready to meet head-on. It's probably the detective coming to get Emihle. I need to do something for me. "Before you go, Emihle, I need you to reach out to an old contact. See if you can get him to tap into any information about James or anyone who might be behind this. The sooner we identify our enemy, the sooner we can take action. Please don't argue with me about this, you know he listens to you when I'm not available." Emihle nods, her expression one of fierce resolve. "I'm on it. I won't let you down."
"Tell Tony, He is my second-in-command. I want him to start gathering everything he can on the police reports. We need to know exactly what they think they know and what angles they are working with, mostly, I need to know who is sticking a knife in to my back."
"Consider it done," she replies, determination lining her features. "Also, keep an eye on Det Mbhele; he clearly thinks he holds all the cards. If he's a part of this, we need to know what his next moves will be."
"Got it. we'll find a way to look into his previous cases as well," My lawyer says thoughtfully. As my lawyer moves around packing everything, I feel a flicker of hope arises within me, pushing back against my despair. I know the days ahead won't be easy—more like a battle in the shadows where every misstep could cost me dearly. But fighting back is my only option. "While you're at it, Emihle," I add, urgency rising in my voice. "Find out who's been trying to buy the other business behind my back. It feels like they are orchestrating this whole thing, and if they think I'm out of the way, they'll pounce."
"Understood," she says, her eyes sharpening with focus.
I lean back on my seat and run a hand through my hair, feeling the weight of my choices pressing down. I've never been one to shy away from the dark corners of the business world, but this time, it feels different. This isn't just about money or power; it's about freedom and survival. I have to survive this."We can't underestimate them," I warn, breathing restlessly. "If it's true that one of our own betrayed us, then this runs deeper than I thought. We need to remain several steps ahead, or we'll never reclaim what's ours."
Emihle and the lawyer exchange glances, and I see in them a shared determination—a resolve to navigate the treacherous waters of our reality.
"Look," I say, my voice steadier now. "While we gather our resources and information, I want to know to my sister is up to. I know she had plans for me but those plans didn't invoilve her turning me over to the police, that much I know. Don't do anything, I just want her watched for now." Emihle looks at me surprised. I know what she is thinking. I started the thing between me and Milani and now she is just teaching me a lesson. Even though that may be so, I still need to know what she is up to and I need her to be safe as well.
As we stand there, the three of us at the precipice of a storm, I feel an urgency coursing through me. The stakes have never been higher. If we're going to reclaim control, if I'm going to prevent them from burying me alive, we need to outsmart, outmaneuver, and outfight every opponent lurking in the shadows. The Detective Mbhele walks with a smug on his face. "Time's up Mrs Nkabinde." She kisses my cheek, telling me she loves me and walks out. Just before the lawyer walks out as well Mbhele speaks, "I wanted to say this before your lawyer leaves. We are adding another charge. We'll be charging you for the murder of Mnqobi Khumalo Senior. You are not getting out of this Nkabinde. Your empire is crumbling." He looks at me once and then at the lawyer and walks out. F********K!!!!!!!
NQABA CELE
It's been great being out, but I know Milani has been sniffing around and I recently found out that Malusi has been arrested. I might say these people are doing the most and I love it. They should get rid of Milani once and for all. "I don't believe a word she said." I say to Mabutho, who has been annoyed by Milani's visit at my parent's house. I have never seen my son so scared of someone the way he was scared of his mother. Milani really traumatized him. "I know you don't but the question is why did she do it? Why did she go to the length of coming here to apologize and on top of that, she came unannounced?" I know it is unsettling. "She playing a game Mabutho, a game she doesn't want to lose. I have been a step ahead of her when it came to my assets and Lwandle. She was driven to get the bank shares at all costs including losing her child forever. She might have had a little chance to have some kind of relationship with him, now there is no chance at all and you know what, I glad actually I am happy. I didn't drive her away, I didn't keep her from him, she did it all by herself and Lwandle saw it all. It's just going to be and Lwandle from now." He looks with a naughty smile on his face.
"You know that not every woman is like Milani. There is a woman out there meant for you. It is obvious that Milani was not meant for you. There is someone who is going to love you and Lwandle the way you deserve to be love." He is one to talk. "You are to talk my friend. You haven't dated anyone since Nomonde and how many years has it been?" I smile at him, "a woman is the last think on my mind right now Mabutho. I am going to focus on raising Lwandle and growing the business for him. He is very business minded at his young age. He want to have his own business. I'm not closing off meeting someone but for now and in the next few years, my focus is my son and the business. I'll make you a deal though, if you give love a chance, I'll also give it a chance but not now." He smiles and I know I have put him in an awkward position. He never wants to date. Nomonde did him bad.
"Well I can't exactly expect you to do it if I don't set an example for you, so, my friend we have deal."
"What deal? What are you two talking about?" My brother Sizwe asks as he walks to the fridge , grabs a beer and joins us. He looks at both of us and smile. "What mischief are two up to. "Well Mabutho here has agreed to give love a chance if consider giving it a chance. Now that we are we talking about it, you are also going to be part of the deal. You need a woman in your life brother, it's been a long time. We need to give the parents lots of grandchildren before they die." He smiles widely. "There is someone. It's six months now and I'll be introducing her to the famiy soon and I proposed and she said yes."
"You sly dog, why didn't you tell us?" Mabutho shakes his hand hugging him and congratulating him. Finally my brother has someone. It took him long enough. We continue chatting about him and his girl how they met and all. This feels good. "Oh by the way, I delivered the envelope you asked me to Detective Mbhele. I can't wait to see Milani's face."
"That makes three of us. I can't believe you married to that Nqaba for this long." Mabutho says sipping his bear. "You know shy I stayed and now, I'll never look back and very soon she is going to be a very distant history."