Sunday 31 July
Anxiety crept into Donnel's heart as the car drove in the along a not-so-busy road that ran through along a string of double storeys. Fancy and Luxurious were the words that came into mind, his head constantly checking the GPS as they neared their destination. He heard the driver say; "we are here" before slowing down as they reached the brown gate that matched the long wall.
It slowly opened, as curiosity pulled Donnel's eyes wide open as the driver drove inside and Parked, before exiting the car and opening Colette's door.
The morning wind blew the car's warmth and off his skin as he eyed around the big yard in search of clues as to whether it was actually Karabo who had sent him that concerning message. A familiar black beamer parked a stone throw away, on the right side of the yard that appeared to stretch about 60-something metres. The compound's grey brick pavering made it easy to measure with the eye, as well as see the Navy blue VW van, a silver Toyota Hilux, a blue beamer, as well as another sedan that seemed to be a...
"All these cars, I wonder who's house this is, and what Donnel's doing here."
"Snap! check out that hastily parked police car over there Colette, that certainly doesn't smell good."
"Certainly weird if you ask me, think I just felt a kick in the tummy," Colette clasped his hand tighter than before.
"Guess someone's spidey senses are tickling, I'm still expecting her to be a girl though... Collie babes I think you should stay behind, who know what might be in this big ass house."
"Obviously roses and sunflowers, look how beautiful it looks, and how its peach colour sort of glows in the sun."
"No Colette, just stay behind, just go back to your chauffeur and give me 5 minutes to check this out. Can't afford to lose you again."
"Babes, I've already called the cops and they're on their way so we have nothing to worry about."
"You're carrying Our baby inside of you and it'd my duty to protect you." His tone pick up the depth that Colette found attractively demanding.
"Okay daddy Dee, but my chauffer and I will be here if anything goes wrong." Colette gaze sparkled before she pasted a baby kiss upon his lips, turned around and shuffled back to the maroon Mercedes.
Donnel's guard shot up as he walked to the 3 steps before the Peach double storey's door. Still thinking about that VW that once fired gunshots at him and Zimi at the park; making him that if Donnel was actually behind the text, then he could have been henhind Zimi's shooting too. Only problem is, this van was blue, with tinted windows.
He couldn't believe his thoughts and now there was a weak possibility that Katlego was involved in Zimi's killing. So he climbed up the steps, rushing as slow as he could. Driven by curiosity but held back by fear. The chain of fear that tamed his voice, enabling him to hear his thoughts; ones which were entailed by doubt as he pushed the big silver door open and watched it swing slow enough to bring expose the creative mess that laid behind it. Some colorful cushions on the floor, before a trail of blood met his eyes and led his eyes towards the hexagon of couches not so far from him. Leather couches which stood before a crucifixion show, playing from a big flat screen that hung on the wall. The TV slightly tilted forward, Lord Jesus and the thieves bleeding.
Yet on the glass table that stood within the crimson hexagon of couches had stains of blood. A strange coincidence that was, as though he was now in the middle of a mind game, playing a detective in search of a criminal mastermind. He took a step back and looked around, expecting for some psychopath to come around.
Dashing past the stairs he rushed to the kitchen, walking past two open doors. One which had several paintings, the other which had several bookshelves and and skits of empty pages all over a round bed with green sheets yet void of its duvet. Only two find two glasses of wine, one red one white on the dark grey counter top, each with a letter. Presenting a choice, and even a note at the back. Just like he'd seen on NCIS. He contemplated his next move silently, feeling someone's eyes rubbing against he's skin. Donnel was definitely being watched, and he could tell.
"Donnel! Donnel!" shouted Colette from the kitchen in a prudent tone," pulling Donnel's concern towards her as he rushed back to her.
Only to find her next to her chauffer who seemingly seemed tough next to his madam. Glad to find her safe, despite wanting to address her justified disobedience, he reached into his pockets and clicked speed dial, only for Katlegos's phone to go straight to voicemail.
"Babes are you serious right now!" Colette shouted as she had just caught him red-handed, with a glass of rose red wine in his hand.
"Relax, I was just sniffing around for clues." Further pressing his has onto his lips didn't help in making her keep quiet, she just kept scoulding. Even raising her voice carelessly.
"Sort your issues outside, can't you see that it's too early for this." A familiar voice slides into the moment.
When they both looked around in search of its wielder, they are both surprised to we Zimi holding a phone in her hand. Dressed in a long, bared creased shirt that matches her orange socks, before she looks up and stares at them. A wide smile creeping between her lips.
"Thought you were dead, what's up with that." Despite his pounding heartbeat he walks up to her and shakes her by the shoulders before verifying her lively existence with a long hug, one that leaves Colette clearing her jealous words from her throat.
Zimi's giggles and loud chuckles rids the thorns of suspicion within his heart, but leaves him smiling when she heads to the kitchen to fetch several glasses of juice. Making both Donnel and Colette wonder as to whether she's expecting more guests or what.
"Guys listen," she sips from her glass, and continues in a whisper, "let's go outside to talk. It's not Katlego who sent the text, it was... Actually let's go outside and talk about..."
"And talk about what exactly Zimi, about birds and butterflies?" says Lihle, as she walks down the stairs, a gun in her hand as her strong, sweet scent invades the room, alongside her voice.
"About how the gunshots and the kidnapping were just a prank to teach me a very fun, yet valuable lesson." Zimi's tilted her chin and smiled, peering up to Lihle.
"Don't have to give me that look by the way Lihle, I know I'm pregnant." Colette threw back a look of disapproval back at Lihle, whose eyes were clearly poking at the big bump between her bust.
"Whatever Colette, and you," Lihle pointed at Zimi, "I know you were the one behind that text, how dare you betray me like that," she lifted her gun now and pointed at her.
"Lihle, please put down that gun, we don't want any casualties over here," said Detective Dee Monique as she rushed in, struggling to pin her shirt's buttons.
"Detective, I knew that beamer looked familiar, what are you doing here?" Asked Donnel as he remained infron of Colette's just in case a gun would ensue.
"Oh Donnel and Colette..., Dee Monique looks around in search of answers, her hesitant tone hidden behind her pretty smile, much like that bossy, French lady on Madagascar 3.
"Thing is, our sources led us here but we realized that the number plates were different, until we small Zimi, realizing that there wa s no harm done to her. So we just chilled and asked her some questions only to realize that there's no case here?" Detective Divvy Jaas Models in with a half bottle of whiskey in his hands.
"No case, what about the blood on the floor? What about the gun in her hand... As a matter of fact where is Katlego?"
"Katlego and Karabo fought over me Donnel, and that's all there is to it," Lihle's wicked look leaves anticipation of gunshots playing in Donnel's mind, as Lihle's squinted brows warns them to put the matter to rest
"But why would Kay Gee do that I'd he knows that you are dating Karabo?" Collette's expression demanded nothing but truthful answers.
"Simply because he wants revenge." A silhouette standing in the doorframes says, in an enlightening tone, before Lutho enters on crutches, Sethu by his side. 2 policemen and 2 policewoman behind them.
"Aarggh! Damn you Lutho, what more could you possibly want now. Lihle's frustration leaves a cringed frown on her face.
"If it isn't the two lovebirds themselves?" Thato walks down the stairs too, and leans against the wall, just as Nandipha walks in behind Thapelo and pours the Lutho and the officers some juice, even though Lutho and Sesethu hesitantly declines and choose water instead.
"Never thought we would see each other again ever since our exchange of blows," Thapelo bites his apple, exhales and adds on to Thato's abnoxious statement.
"Sings Lihle's favourite puppets..."
"I agree with you Sethu, You two hurt my leg, and for that we've come to make you pay." Lutho boasted proudly as he smiles at the officers both to his left and his right.
"Forgive us for savouring your juice like this but... I'm afraid that we now have to place all three of you under arrest."
You may, NOT! Your little badges and uniforms don't scare me, besides... My mother runs this town, she's the mayor." Lihle's laugh had no room for fear.
Without further notice, two of the police officers began marching towards Lihle, Thapelo and Karabo; leaving a smile past Colette's face. Until Dee Monique stopped them in their tracks and claimed to have the situation under control for they had an investigation spending. Warning them of the consequences they stood to face by choosing to interfere.
"Plus you don't have to sue me for anything Lutho, just let me triple the money you wanted and give you 20k instead, then you withdrawn the charges and we live happily ever after." She then held her waist and grinned at him, delightfully.
"Just so your goons can get me again, forget it!"
"Think about it Lutho, you and I are friends, we don't have to be enemies," Lihle, too a step forward and left Donnel and Colette fairly curious as to where the confrontation was headed.
"Leigh! This isn't about money anymore, don't you get it. We're tired of holding on to that seductive secret of yours... It's become too much of a burden," asserted Sethu firmly and abruptly.
"But babes, we need that money, maybe we should just bury the hatchet and renew old ties, she's a blessing you know.
"No Lovey, someone died because of this... Burying the hatchet won't bury the truth, it will just make matters worse, besides, secrets aren't healthy." Sethu rubbed her hands around her tummy to highlight her growing foetus too.
"Plus I'd also like to hear this so called truth, I'm tired of trying to connect the dots over here," interjected Colette in a kindly bitter tone before placing her hands back on her rounded stomach.
"Guess you two should have thought about that from the very second you became involved." Thato raised his eyebrows in Lutho's direction and clenched his fists tightly.
Exactly then did Sethu boil up the atmosphere, spilling out the truth that once formed pillars to her relationships with Lihle. Zintle's eyes remained at Donnel, Lihle's unshaken expression began malting to the acidic truth, all whilst Colette's shoulder dropped with confusion as Sethu boldly explained how Lihle called, arranged a meeting with, and bribed some of the students that attended the twins' birthday party. Warning them to remain steadfast, stick to the plan and blame Zintle for any volcano (of bullets) that would erupt.
Chills climbed up his arm as Lihle and her two favourite goons laughed at Sethu's absurd claims. Claims which had no base but also left Dee Monique's face twitching awkwardly. Until Sethu reached for her back pocket and took out an envelope, one similar to the one Zimi had given to Donnel several days back, and took out a note which left sweat running down Divvy Jaas' face.
"Look, Here it is, the letter which Lihle used to get to Zintle, as soon as Zintle got convicted."
Honestly Zintle, I tried to be nice, tried yo warn you and push you away. But you just couldn't stay away from the twins. Yet now, despite the doubt that hinders this unproven fact, You are responsible. Damn right that statement is. You'll have to play guilty for a while, and even admit to be mentally challenged at times. Just know that, even if you don't you're still the main suspect and possible perpetrator to the twins shooting. As your friend, I'll advise you to take my advice, unless you want me to bless the whole school with that steamy session of you and Karabo, and still send you to prison on top of that. Don't underestimate, or even take this as a bluff, I'm not fluffy. I'll also pay you handsomely for your time, and limit your weeks inside to 10. This is for only you and your eyes alone. From your worst nightmare.
Sethu pulled her gaze from the note and grinned with empathy, watching everyone else' reaction to her act of redemption. Donnel's temperature rising as warmth consumed Colette's soul and heated up Donnel's arm that ran around her shoulder. Just as she remained leaning on him, her hand deep in his back pocket just the way she liked it, despite the fact that that habit of hers highly irritated Donnel.
"But that letter could have been forged, don't forget how untrustworthy you are Sethu."
"Untrustworthy? Maybe, but I fetched this intact piece of evidence from Zintle herself, two days ago... After she called me and asked me to destroy this letter, and get it to the Mayor, just so she can see how rueful and conniving her daughter is."
"One would say you're describing someone in the mirror, and I bet you're doing all this with a motive, don't you," Thato lifted his chin and assessed her carefully.
"Fine Sethu, I admit it. I personally wrote her that letter myself that very night of the shooting," Lihle's voice lost its usual feistiness as she went to sit in the couch, planted her elbows in her thighs and poked her nails into her hair, her voice suddenly trembling and breaking with remorsefully. Her tone seemingly plague by guilt.
"Was she wrong to do what she did to protect her relationship? Lihle did all that for the twins. Shooting them was not her intention but it had to be done to solidify our case against Zintle." Thato argued, his posture complemented by his suit.
"And as for you, the mighty headboy Thato, running your mouth like a top, judicious lawyer. You think that I don't know that you tried to sleep with Zintle, and record it just so that Lihle can use it against her?. Sethu says, her voice inattentive to Lutho's warnings against going there.
"Honestly speaking, Lihle only asked him to be there for Zintle should anything happen to her on stage, she didn't tell him the details." The truth erupts from Thapelo's mouth and leaves a goofy, yet awkward, face as he scratches his cheek.
"Guys, you did this to me?"
"Don't be shocked Thato, Lihle and I weren't as sure as to whether Sphe would actually succeed in claiming Zintle back from Karabo."
"Zimi's right Thato, no one thought he would actually process in throwing their lovely reunion under the bus and soon embarrassing her with that disrespectful speech of his.
"No Thapelo, I deserved to be kept in the loop," Thato said, going to sit in the couch and pouring himself a glass of..."
"Dude, what's the big deal? We didn't want the principal's son to worry plus you had several other responsibilities that night, remember?" Zimi clicks her tongue inconsiderately.
"I'm betting that Lihle also blackmailed and bribed Sphe into blackmailing his way back into Zintle's heart, and even paying him to ensure that he does exact that, including embarrassing Zintle shortly afterwards."
"And of that alcoholic incident that put my friends and I into a comatose, were you all responsible," Colette faces them with bloody red eyes, the corners of her lips twitching with both rage and disbelief.
"Shut up both of you, Lihle gets up with tears in her eyes and and wipes her wet cheeks, before some shed tears falls on the table that Nandipha had just begun cleaning and wiping. Before turning around and picking up sight of Thapelo who was quietly chewing his packet of Lays as his eyes remained locked at a nearby Detective Dee Monique who was now facing, and pressing her little notebook against the wall, positioned with enough composure to expose her assets' might as they pressed against, letting their sweet shape remained defined by, her tight pants.
"Like I've said before, I'm afraid you're under arrest Lihle, we have your confession on record and would like you to come with us," said one of the policewomen as she unveiled her handcuffs.
"Quite frankly, that should be the least of your worries officers, that orange glass in your hands have been blessed with something a little poisonous." Lihle's words leaves a smirk on her face, as tears of joy pour onto her giggles.
"Actually, it's just pure orange juice, I prevented Nandipha from pouring slipping powder into the officers' drinks, boasts Lihle as she steps away from Thato and steps forth towards Donnel and Colette.
"You did what, how dare you defy my orders Zimi, you know that any officer that walks into this house gets drugged, that's my number one rule and you know that." Lihle rubbed her temples in disappointment.
"Simply because doing that would just go against my plans, I orchestrated this meeting Lihle, I invited Lutho and Sethu, and Donnel and Colette... Someone has to put an end to this, your games have gone too far you know..."
"You ungrateful peacock, after all that I've done for you, you do me like this?" Lihle almost walked over to slap her off her pedestal, but Dee Monique stopped her.
"Guess you aren't the only genius amongst us , Your mother secretly advised me to keep an eye on you, fearing that your attitude would uplift your insanity, more than your high heels ever could... And she was right, I can't let you continue!"
"I never would have guessed that you of all people were capable of betrayal,"
"Betrayal is much better than killing. Lihle's become bipolar and none of you have the balls to say it. Zimi's finger left Thatho and Donnel eyeing each other queerly.
"You're just jealous that you aren't my mother's daughter, I've seen how you lurk in my mother's shadow and how you wash yourself in her orders, with grace and obedience... Never will you be me Zimi, and let that sink in!"
"If so then wait till your mother finds out about what you did to Katlego last night... You freakin' sociopathic psychopath.
Zimi's words left Lutho cupping his mouth whilst holding on, firmly, to his crutches. The speechless policeman were eyeing each other, still worried about what might have happened had Zimi not stopped the maid from toying with their juice.
The same Nandipha who then stepped forth from beneath the staircase and high fived Zimi on her great performance, breaking the tension with her giggles before she too revealed that she'd also been asked to watch, out for, Lihle. Before her laughter was cut short when Lihle grabbed Divvy Jaas' gun and pointed it at Zimi, her killer eyes shadowed by anger.