Chapter 25: It gets messy
"Ladies aren't we going to talk anymore? Are we enemies now?" Lindiwe asks with sounds like a soft, begging voice. Ever since Tendai revealed to them why he took them there has been a visible
tension between the ladies. Moments like would usually unite friends who are practically sisters but it has really broken trust between these ones. They really can't stand each other at the moment even though none can really say for sure why they are upset with one another.
"Oh, the last time I checked you really didn't want to talk about this Lindiwe because you said my crazy boyfriend wanted to kill you, remember that?" Buhle responds with an equally low voice. She looks tired and exhausted. "Look I know that friend " Lindiwe says. "I really didn't mean to hurt you. I know my issues with Bheki is the reason you guys are here, but Buhle you have known me for a very long time. You know I'd never do anything to deliberately hurt you" she says with a sad voice as if she'll cry. "Yeah I know" Buhle says as she sighs deep, looking down. "I know you'd never hurt me, sis" as she makes eye contact, to which Lindiwe smiles as she's relieved.
"Guys I'm sorry too, I really am" Lerato jumps in. "You guys know I'd never deliberately do anything to hurt either of you and..." she doesn't finish as she's interrupted by Lindiwe, who says "But then why did you do it Lera?" she asks with a sad and low voice. "I mean, you dated an assassin. Even when you found out what he really was you still hid that from us, why?" she's curious.
"I know guys, I know" Lerato says as she looks down in embarrassment, she can't look at her friends. "When I found out what who he was I was already in love with him. I confronted him about it and he didn't deny it, instead he was opened about everything and promised to never keep anything from me again. I believed him" she starts to be teary a little bit as her voice begins to tremble in sorrow. "Then, the companies he used as a front? He turned them legit so that he'd quit this job, to which he really did. That's when I started working for him. He assures me he never took another job after Tsego Rabadi" she says nervously looking at Lindiwe, knowing how this topic makes her feel.
"But the truth is, the more I delayed telling you the truth the harder it became to do so. The guilt was killing every day, hence coming together with you guys became more and more scarce. I just couldn't look at you in the eyes anymore" at that, tears start to fall down her face.
"Uhmm, so when we discovered that someone tempered with your husband's car, which lead to the accident I confronted him" she continues as she looks at Buhle this time who is looking at her back. "But he assured me that he didn't do it. I had my doubt initially but he promised that he didn't do it and I believed him Buhle" as she wipes her tears. "Uhmm, so when they took him, it was because Tendai had discovered that Ndoda was seeing someone. They saw that he's become a liability as I'm a loose end. Somehow he escaped and disappeared for a little while. But when he contacted me again that's when he told me about MEC Tendai...that he was the man who hired him" she looks at a shocked Buhle who cuts her off, "And then you couldn't warn me?" she asks as if she's whispering.
"I know; I know friend" Lerato jumps back in. "But Ndoda thought it wasn't a good idea because if there's any sense that you guys knew something it meant you too were also loose ends. Tendai would have killed you both." she says and at hearing that Buhle gives a huge sigh of terror.
"Ndoda asked me to leave the country with him for a little bit but I refused and..." Lerato says but Lindiwe cuts her off, "Why the hell did you do that, Lera?" she shouts in shock. "You knew your life was in danger, why did you refuse to go with Ndoda?" she probes but Lerato cuts her off as well, "Because guys...I wasn't going to up and leave the country and leave you too here knowing your lives weren't safe. I wasn't going to leave you alone" she says as she looks to down to which her friends let out a little smile of appreciation.
"Anyways, that's the reason I left my apartment and moved to a more secure place that Ndoda arranged for me. So when I was at your place it was the first time that I left this place, then this happened. I'm really sorry guys" she says with a sad voice. "It's okay my friend, let's try and move on from this okay?" Buhle says with a smile as she looks at Lindiwe who smiles and nods in agreement. But that reconciliatory moment is interrupted by Tendai and his men coming through the door. Timing couldn't have been worse from these people, the girls think.
" Ladies, I'm sorry to disturb this bonding of your last days in the land of the living but I brought you food, sleeping bags, your toiletries and clothes. I don't know if you noticed but over there in the corner, on the right there's a hot shower " Tendai says as he and his men put the bags the suitcases and food in front the girls, much to their surprise. They didn't really expect that.
"Oh come on, don't act so surprised, I'm not a monster no matter what you think of me. The doctor here knows very well that I am a loving guy" he says with a smile looking at Buhle, seemingly very impressed with himself. "Well then, if you that's the case why don't you let us go" Buhle jumps in
there to try and take advantage of that moment, since it looks like Tendai is still in a good mood.
"Doc, you know I can't do that" Tendai says politely. "I need the information your friends have or things will take a turn that I'm not looking forward to" suddenly his face changes to being a little serious. And that puts an end to Buhle's attempts as she goes dead quiet while looking at her friends.
"What you should do is speak sense to your friends doc. They must give me the information that I need or else there will be blood on this floor. I'd hate to have to kill even you in the process.
Important people are on the files that Mrs. Khuzwayo has. They are putting pressure on me so I'm forced to put pressure on you. So speak to your friends Buhle" as he turns around to leave the room with his men but then suddenly he turns around and says, "In fact your friends should thank you that they are treated with a little decency here. But every man runs out of patience" as he turns around to leave the hall in complete shock of the ladies.
***
Sometime later Tendai is on a phone call with Bheki, who is still in France, away from this whole drama. Tendai is a little bit anxious about this conversation knowing that his business partner would never approve of what he's up to here. He's just happy that the conversation is telephonically and not in person or else Bheki would have sensed something is up.
Tendai: "So how's Paris?"
Bheki: "Arg man, it’s been good, you know but I'm coming back home soon and I can't wait. How are things there?"
Tendai: "Uhmm, things are good here"
Bheki: "That didn't sound at all convincing, what's going on there man?"
*a little pause*
Tendai: "Hey man, I got to tell you something." Bheki: "Sound a little serious, what is it?"
*Another pause*
Tendai: "Look man, I got your wife here" (he takes a little sigh) Bheki: "What are you talking about Tendai?
Tendai: " I mean, I got all the girls, your wife, Buhle and Lerato. I took them" (as he sighs, again)
Bheki: "Wait, I don't understand. Why did you take them?"
Tendai: "Damnit, Bheki...I took them because your wife has the file that I need, that we need. A file that those other important people need"
Bheki: "What the hell is wrong with you Tendai? Didn't I tell you not to touch my wife? Did you hurt her? Because I swear if you did..."
Tendai: "Relax, I didn't hurt her. Only because she's your wife or soon to-be ex-wife that I didn't hurt her. I'm getting pressure from the top to get the files from her, don't you get that? If that file gets out, we all go down, including you Bheki. So don't get all moral with me. Your wife had a file on you, a file that could destroy us all. I want it.
Bheki: "I'm warning you. Don't you dare touch my wife you hear me?" Tendai: "Well, it’s up to her what happens, isn't it now?"
*Tendai drops the call*
***
Bheki wakes up in the morning at his hotel room in France not having had a good sleep after the conversation he had with his business partner and friend, Tendai. He knows his him very well that he'd do anything to get what he wants. While he had made peace with the fact that Lindiwe was divorcing him, he still didn't want to hurt her. He is frustrated because he is far away and can't be there personally to reason with Tendai. Now he is on the phone with one of his own people.
Bheki "You still haven't found her?"
Man: "No Sir, but we're still looking.
Bheki: "Well, you better look harder because we are running out of time, damnit. This is my wife we are talking about."
Man: "Yes sir, I understand.
Bheki: "Good. Call me when you have something"
*Bheki hangs up*
"Damnit" he thinks out loud in frustration but that thought is interrupted when there's a knock on the door. He puts on his gown and quickly goes to open the door thinking its the room service he'd ordered. As he opens the door, it is not what he expected as a man with a gun appears. It Is Ndoda,
Lerato's boyfriend. He doesn't really look happy. He is not dressed like an assassin this time but he's wearing a black suit and a white shirt. He pushes Bheki inside.
"Sit down" Ndoda says, pointing a gun at Bheki while he looks around to see if anyone is in the room with Bheki. "Who the hell are you?" Bheki asks trying to look brave but his eyes give him away as he looks terrified at the death staring at him in the face. "I said sit the f*ck down" Ndoda shouts at him as he points to his bed with the gun. Bheki keeps quiet as he goes to sit on the bed. Ndoda goes by the window to close the curtains and comes back to stand in front of Bheki. "Now I'm going to ask
you one question and if you don't give the answer, I will put a bullet in your head" he says as he points a gun to his head.
"Where's MEC Tendai Lebese?" he asks with eyes burning with rage. Bheki looks at Ndoda and sees that this man is not one to mess with. His finger is on a trigger; one wrong move he'll let fly the bullet that will end him. He is suddenly lost for words as his voice gives way. He begins to feel hot under collar.
"I'm not going to ask you again, mother f*cker, where's Tendai?" Ndoda shouts again like a man who is running out of patience. "Oh wait, you're Tendai's trigger man, aren’t you?" Bheki says as he gives a half smile trying to appear brave. He is trying to pretend that he is not staring at death in the face even though he is beginning to sweat all over his body. "You are the guy that shot my wife, aren't you?" as he looks at Ndoda dead in the eyes, completely ignoring the question asked. But without a moment's notice Ndoda lets fly the bullet that hits Bheki in the leg. It's not loud as Ndoda used a silencer to avoid drawing attention of the hotel stuff. Bheki falls to the floor in agony.
"Aaaaah, aaaah, aaaah, my leg. You bastard, aaah..." he screams loud as he holds on to his leg. "The next one goes to your head. Now where's Tendai?" Ndoda shouts again as he cuts Bheki off. He points the gun at his head. "If you don't tell me where Tendai is, I won't be able to save your wife.
Now where is he?" he shouts as his finger gets itchier.
"Okay, wait, wait, wait" Bheki says with a panicking voice as he signals with his hand begging Ndoda to not shoot. "Look I don't know for sure where he is okay?" he pleads. "My men are also looking for him because he called me last night to tell me that he had my wife and her friends. But he never told me where he is, I swear" Bheki's voice begins to tremble as he feels the pain. "Look, he has a number of warehouses under his businesses so I think the girls are in one of those. But you have to believe me, I don't know which one it is for sure" he is in agony. "Okay, give me the names of all these warehouses and their location, right now?" Ndoda says as he keeps his gun pointed at Bheki who immediately tries to stand up and look for a piece of paper and a pen in order to write down the info Ndoda wants.
***
At Sbu's home the mood isn't really good. He is struggling to eat and sleep, and it is beginning to show in his body. Worst part is that it is becoming even harder to harder to hide it from his little girl. Even though the story remains that her mother is on work trip, it can't sustain forever. Having Grace here has helped him a great deal as well. It allows him to focus all his efforts on finding his wife.
"Hey man, how are you holding up?" Tsepo who has come with Jabu to see him asks as they sit outside by the pool. "Arg, you know man, nothing yet" Sbu says with a low and very worried voice. "The police are not making any connection with any foul play. There's no sign of a break in her apartment. Nothing is broken. So i don't know man, I really don't know" as he looks down, beginning
to feel sad. "They will find her man; they will find her. We just have to stay positive about all this" Tsepo says with a low voice.
He is sad seeing his friend like this. "Thanks man" Sbu responds but continues to look down. "Oh and I just wanted to thank you man for allowing Grace to come and help with Naledi. I don't know what I would have done if she wasn't here" as he lifts her glass of fruit juice.
"Yeah don't worry about that man, really. We are happy to help man" Tsepo says as he also lifts his glass up. "Speaking of which, can I go inside and see her?" he asks humbly. "Oh yeah man sure. I think she's with Naledi upstairs." Sbu says to which Tsepo gets up and leaves him with Jabu who has been sitting quietly.
"So man, what's the plan now?" Jabu asks as he looks at Sbu in the eyes. But this makes Sbu take a few seconds to think before letting out a huge sigh. "I don't know man." he says with a very low voice. "I mean I guess we can only pray that wherever they are they are safe. I'm trying to use my
contacts to try and see if anyone knows anything but no success." he takes a huge sip of his juice. "Look man, stay in hope. We will find your wife" a sad looking Jabu says. "We just have to find connection between the three girls, maybe that will give an idea." as he looks up as if he's trying to
figure something out.
"That's it" Sbu says as he seems to spring to life. "You are on to something there man. The girls are clearly together wherever they are. We just need to know what connects them, right" as he stands up to move up and down by Jabu.
"Alright, so what really connects them?" Jabu asks anxiously as he tries to think. "Okay, your wife is a doctor, Lindiwe is a business woman and Lerato is a...uhmm" he tries to think looking at Sbu as if to says, help me out bro. "Uhmm Lerato is a...was a uhmm...I'm not really sure." Sbu says as he tries to think. "I know that, uhmm wasn't she an influencer?" he asks as if he's a little embarrassed by just asking that. "No man, I think she was some events manger something. I can't really remember what it's called" Jabu says as he jumps in to help. "Okay fine, what do these girls have in common, because it doesn't look like they are industry colleagues?" Sbu asks curiously as he comes back to sit down.
"I don't know man, but maybe it's something else" Jabu says as he scratches his head. "What if...Uhmm...arg but no man" he says as he shakes his head but that just draws Sbu's curiosity. "What is it?" he asks anxiously. "Nah man, forget about it" Jabu responds as he shakes his head again.
"Oh come one man, don't give me that, I'm dying here" Sbu raises his voice in frustration. But that moment is interrupted by Tsepo who's come back from the house. "What's going on?" he asks curiously as he sees there's a little tense moment here by the pool. But both of his friends ignore him as Jabu continues, "Okay man look, what if one of your business rivals took your wife? I mean, a person like Tendai. We can't say he isn't capable of this, right?" he says much to Sbu and Tsepo's shock but Jabu continues, "Plus, the history she has with him you know...But what won't make sense with that is why then take Lerato and Lindiwe?" he asks looking at his friends but then suddenly his eyes pop again as if he's remembered something else.
"What is it?" Tsepo asks curiously to which Jabu takes a second to think before saying, "Alright look guys, I shouldn't be telling you this." Jabu says as if he's whispering, "You know that I'm representing Lindiwe in the divorce settlement. She told me she has a damaging file on Bheki and his dealings with Tendai" as he looks down as if he's feeling guilty about having to divulge information about his client.
"What? What kind of information?" Sbu whispers as he asks curiously. " I don't know man okay. That's why I was looking for the other day. We needed thresh out a few details of this settlement" Jabu says as he downs whatever was left of his glass. "Okay now this makes perfect sense" Sbu says as he stands up again in frustration. "I'm thinking that when Tendai and Bheki took Lindiwe she was probably together with Buhle and Lerato. Bastard" he shouts. "We should go to the police, right now" as he touches his pockets in search of his keys. "Whoa, whoa, whoa man" Tsepo says as he stands up to calm his friend down. "I don't think that's a good idea man, okay? Let's first gather all the facts before we do that alright? Please calm down" he says politely.
With that Sbu comes back to sit down as they try to figure this whole thing down. They spend the next hour trying to connect the dots between the girls and Tendai.
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