Before the disappearance of Vicky a lot had happened. You recall that she had gone to the studio with her two friends, Caroline and Belindah. Caroline was her cousin as well as her friend. Caroline had a boyfriend, Nick. you remember there was a time when the two were not in good terms and Caroline and Vicky almost fought over this issue but then Belindah had come in and settled their differences. Before all of these happened, there had been a series of many underhand dealings that shaped the unfolding of these events. I will take you back some many days before Vicky disappeared. It was one early morning when Caroline was in her home...
Caroline heard her phone ringing. She was carrying her laundry to the house after having them dried by the sun. She quickly placed the cauldron down and went to take the call. Just as she reached the phone the caller disconnected. She took the cellphone and browsed to the call logs to see who the caller was. It was Nick's number. Her boyfriend had called and she had missed the call. She felt bad and decided to call him back immediately.
"I don't want him to get mad at me!" she told herself as she dialed his number. The two have been dating for quite sometimes and she had learnt some few things about the one she loved. Of course one wouldn't brag to know everything about his or her partner but some things such as one's temperaments could be known and this helps greatly in a relationship.
Though it was still very early in the morning Caroline knew why it was always important to speak to her lover. She had to use every opportunity that availed itself to her for them to talk because there were times when they would not be able to. They had spoken briefly last night and he had sounded so romantic as always and Caroline had enjoyed their talk. However, it had ended abruptly when her boyfriend asked to be excused because he had some other things to attend to which required him immediately. Caroline had pressed him to call her after his errand but Nick had not committed to do so. This was not new in their relationship as Caroline had come to learn later while into the affair. Nick at times was too busy or too preoccupied with businesses that she never asked because she had sensed that he didn't like talking about his work. Caroline had concluded that Nick would always tell her all about his work and friends when he felt like doing so.
Caroline tapped at the call button and the dialer started ringing at the other end. The phone rang several times but there was no reply. She hanged up and called again the same number. Again it rang for several seconds but no one answered. This was not so common with Nick "unless he is riding his bike. Could be that he is riding." She told herself to console her already plummeting heartbeat. She put the phone in her pocket and went again to pick the cauldron that she had left a while ago. But an unexplainable feeling started attacking her senses. She started feeling a certain kind of fear that she could not understand.
"Could it be that my love is in trouble?" she thought and immediately put down again the cauldron. She took out her cellphone and redialed Nick's contact. There was no respond. The call was not even going through. She hanged up and tried again to no avail. She started feeling sick in her stomach. Picking up her laundry, she rushed into the house and immediately went to her room. She changed into better clothing then left. She called her brother Hilkah and told him that the breakfast was ready and that he should remember to serve their ailing mother.
"But don't mention to anyone that I have left."
"Are you coming back?"
"Of course, I am. I will be back shortly." And with that she left her home in a hurry headed to Nick's place.
At this time Jack and his men had gone to the safe-house where Nick had made the may-day phone call from. He knew the routine and therefore, went to the safe deposit where, true to his expectations he found his money.
"It is only half of it! Just one briefcase!" he cursed as he emerged from the safe. "The bastards must have taken off with the rest."
"Or maybe the police took it, since Tony was hospitalized with nothing!"
"And if the cops took it they have gone quiet over it. There was no mention of it to the media in their briefing!"
"Of course! The bastards are as greedy as everyone else. But before we draw any conclusions we need that son of a b**** here, now that his friend is in custody." Jack thundered.
"What should we do boss?" one of his men asked.
"Let's head to his house first and ransack it then give him a call if he's not in. He is more likely on the run already." So the troupe got into their vehicles and left.
On the other hand Nick rode his bike while calculating his moves very fast. He had gotten a hint from the media that his friend, Tony, might be still alive, hospitalized but under the police custody. At least he was alive. This gave him a sigh of relief.
"Now what I have to find out is what happened to Jack's money", he told himself silently. "Jack would not settle for anything less. I know him!" As he pondered over these things he suddenly remembered his girlfriend, Caroline. A cold chill ran into him. What would she do if she found out that he was in trouble? What would happen to her if he was to be locked up in prison for life? Or if he died? As he reached this thought, he slowly let go of the throttle and disengaged the gears. The motorbike came to a stop and he stopped by the way side.
Nick got off his motorbike and looked around. He was in the middle of a path that was surrounded both sides by the thick Mvulia forest. He took off his helmet and breathed in the cool fresh air that flowed so freely in that place. He thought;
"This could be the best place to bring Caroline for a picnic! One day I will explore it to see if there are any open grounds in there for a nice retreat."
He spoke this knowing that at the back of his head he had planned for a day when he would be proposing to Caroline. He wanted her for a wife. For a moment he forgot all about his problems as he mused over the good days the two had always enjoyed. He played back in his mind the scene from the first day when he had met her. It was in one of his friends' party where he had been invited. Many people had been allowed into the venue especially those with artistic talents because his friend was a musical celeb who had decided to give back to the society. Once in while he would organize such parties in different places and tell every interested people to attend, and extended special invitations to individuals whom he considered to be birds of same feathers as his. This included his close friends and supporters like Nick.
On this night Nick stood with his friend at the VIP tent and they happily did the catching up together. They talked almost about everything. From employment to retrenchment, successes and setbacks and even love affairs.
"Man these girls are a blunder I tell you!" his friend said, "For me I can't bring anyone closer!"
"You mean you cannot commit to one that you love?" Nick asked.
"There is no love my friend! Of all I know they are usually just after money!" the friend said.
"Come on man! True love does exist!" Nick maintained.
"Huh! Does it!? If so, why are you still single? Ahaa! Remember your story with Violet, was she really into you or just after your money?"
"Violet was different, my friend. She was a symbol of those types of gold-digger girls whom I agree do exist. But good ones also exist! You just wait"
With that they argued along that line as they always did but peacefully. No one was offended. Soon they would change the topic and move on into politics and so forth. Nick had stayed with his friend for sometimes after that then other guys had come up to where the two were. Soon this new group also got engaged in stories with the celeb and was laughing merrily. Nick, finding little of their chattering amusing, he excused himself and moved out of the group. He strolled about for some minutes before turning to the main stage where some upcoming singers were presenting their new song.
He looked at them trying to see if he identified any of them but no bells rang in his head. "Newbies!" he said. Unknown to him, the two were Belindah and Victoria who were happily presenting their song. Actually it was Victoria's own composition but since they had almost everything in common so they both called it "their" song. He enjoyed the way they sang and so he couldn't resist some moves as he stared at the performers.
From where she sat, Caroline cheered on her friends for a while as they continued their performance. Then her eyes landed on this well-built smart young man with a glass of wine in his hands. He seemed to like the song and Caroline stared at him for a while, may be a little too much. Because the young man at that very instant turned and his eyes landed on the staring Caroline. She thought of looking away. It was too late. The guy had already noticed her and their eyes locked. Something made Caroline to stubbornly maintain her gaze and she had her eyes fixated on him. Then the guy smiled.
"Aww!" it was all Caroline could manage as she smiled back at the young smartly dressed young man. She suddenly felt shy and looked the other side. "This is crazy!" she told herself. Then she stole another glance towards where he was, to her surprise, Mr. handsome was walking up to her!
"Oh my God!" she gasped, looking aside faster, "he's coming! He's coming!" she could hear his footsteps as he slowly reached her. A sweet scent of men's perfume reached her and she knew he had reached her. She turned gracefully, intending to say, "Hi!" but the smile she met looking down at her from this fine young man melted her. Her mouth suddenly went dry and she fumbled for words to say.
"Hi there!" it was the young man.
"Hi!" it was a nervous little voice, barely audible. She had prolonged it that it sounded like, "Haaaaaayyy!" This always happened to her when she was nervous. Her voice would always go many notes higher, even while speaking and she could be heard shouting, almost screaming.
"Do you mind if I join you?" he politely asked.
"There is plenty of room! No problem" she managed to invite him. Seeing that he was friendly and jovial, Caroline got back her voice faster than it normally is.
"I am Nick!" the guy said as he took the high-stool next to her. He extended his arm to her as a form of greeting. Caroline took his hand into hers as she returned his warm greetings. She noticed how firm his hands were judging from the grip he held her with. Suddenly funny thoughts and images crossed her mind and she found herself smiling. Then she realized how sheepishly she was behaving in front of a total stranger and he quickly pulled her hands back. Nick, who was also smiling sweetly, looked at her more closely, feigning some surprise.
"I am sorry! Please excuse me!"
"Oh no need to apologize…em...ah…" he realized she had not introduced herself. "How….!" Before he could finish asking how he should call her, Caroline realized this too and was quick to answer him.
"Caroline, my name is Caroline!"
"Wow! Caroline! I like that nice name." and with that they started flattering. Within no time Caroline had found out that she really liked everything about Nick and wanted to have more time with him. Nick, too, seemed so happy to have met her. His countenance had suddenly changed and even his posture. He seemed to talk with more energy that made him to seem vibrating. That was the beginning of their romantic journey.
Nick came back to reality as he stood beside his motorbike in the middle of the Mvuli Forest. He took out his phone and decided to call Caroline. He dialed her number and waited listening as it rung at the other end of the line. There was no answer. He was about to call her again when suddenly his ears were pricked up by a distant wailing of the siren. He sprang to his bike and quickly mounted it. He listened again and this time round he could not mistake it. The sirens were not from the ambulance or the fire department. No! They were the police! And they were nearby! Nick started his motorbike and sped off in a hurry.
After going for like 200 meters he noticed a footpath ahead going deep into the forest. In great expertise he swerved into it and sped down the footpath. He still could hear the sirens wailing past the place he was. He continued riding wildly not knowing where he was heading to. The only thing he cared for was that there was nobody in his pursuit. While he was riding he could hear his phone ringing and guessed that it was Caroline calling him back. But he did not have time to stop and check. He needed to create as much a great distance between him and his pursuers as possible. So he continued to ride on, and as he went deep into the forest the wailing of the sirens got fainter and fainter until he could hear them no more.
Caroline got to Nick's house and called a few times for him to open the door if he was in. she thought she had heard some voices and what sounded like footsteps while she approached the front door. But as she called "babe! Darling! Nick!" no one answered. She thought she was mistaken and decided to check her purse for the spare key which Nick had given her. She got it and immediately tried the door. To her surprise the door was not locked! Perturbed, she pushed it and entered the house and started calling out again for her boy-friend. In her mind she was thinking that perhaps Nick was sick and was lying helplessly on the bed. Or perhaps he had just forgotten to lock his door last night and had slept off. Therefore, Caroline hurried toward the bedroom, hoping to see him lying on the bed. She opened the door and to the bedroom and entered. The sight that greeted her eyes was one that she had never even imagined in her entire lifetime! She suddenly felt her heart jumping to her mouth and she could not breathe. She could neither say a word even though she tried to open her mouth several times in short quick gasps. Only her lips could be seen parting and closing. She felt her whole body going limb. In her head she wanted to make the loudest scream she could manage but she didn't got to make one!