Home For The Holidays

Part 10

Soon the police and the forensic team swarmed the house we used to call home . “ Tell me that someone saw something or at least heard something “ the detective said. It was Philip’s one of the best detectives in town who was known for solving and closing all the complicated cases. “ No one heard or saw anything. They say they believed he had gone to the hospital but later on discovered a letter suggesting he had ran away"  the police officer who took Nkosiyabo, Nombuso and Ntsikas statements said. “ Give me some I.D who are they. ? “ Philip’s asking the officer. “ On the left Nkosiyabo their big brother , Middle is Nombuso she is the third one out of the 5 and we have Ntsika the last one. “ the officer said. “ Okay I’m going to need you to take them down to the police station for further questioning.  This house is officially a crime scene" Philip’s said. It was as if she saw them as suspects more than victims. 

They spent hours looking all over the house for clues. They were collecting every single print they found even the bugs they found on Sollys body everything I tell you even swabbed his nails. “ Giovanni what’s the analysis here.  “ Philip’s asked. “ It looks like the victim was strangled. While fighting for himself he also got stabbed multiple times. The body is at least 6 days old. “ Giovanni responded.  “ Are you trying to tell me these people have been living with a dead person but they do not know when , by who and how this man was killed?” Philip’s said. “ Something is not adding up here and I will find it. Meet me back at the police station with a full report I have some people to grill. “ she added on.

11:00am Phillips made it to the station immediately she wanted to grill the witnesses with some more questions because in her mind one of them was the murderer. “ I understand you are one of the key witnesses to this murder case" Philip’s asked Nombuso. 

“ Mam why am I even here I told the officer everything he needed to know “ Nombuso said. “ Yes you did but what I do not understand is how do you guys stay with a dead person for so many days and not report if you are not the culprits. 6 days ! And you tell me that you are innocent “ Philip’s said. “ Mam I know my rights and you can not question me like this with out a lawyer present . I am not saying another word . I do not even understand why I am here . I am not the killer I am a victim that man is my father so I do not understand why I am here." Nombuso said.

The interrogations were on hold up until the trio got a lawyer.  The best in town Stein . “ You have no right keeping my clients here. They have not done anything as they said. If only they are victims and if you don’t want this station in the headlines on the 7pm news I suggest you let them go" Stein said to Philip’s.  “ I feel like you always play this card but you do not follow through always scaring me with dead threats. But you know what it is fine they can go but just like all your other clients one of them will be going to jail for this and I will make sure of it even if it is the last thing I do.” Philips said.

The trio couldn’t go back home sadly so they had to book in a hotel for the night. The ride going there was a short one everyone was quiet looking out of the windows and in their minds thoughts were flooding. Each individual trying to figure out who actually did this. Nombuso dating back to that night she ruled out her and Nqaba because they were together at the garden. This leaves Jabulile and Nkosiyabo she was wondering if any of them did it . But who had more motive that time she wondered. She had another moment she looked at Nkosiyabo. 

Could it be him I mean after all he also knew what that man did to me but so did Jabulile.  Ntsika on the other hand still thought it was Nkosiyabo and that ride to the hotel was too long as he could not stand to be in one place with him. Nkosiyabo puzzled by all of this because he knew none of his siblings were capable besides him because not only was he a notorious miscreant he was a cold blood killer unless Nqabas temper got the best of him because as a young boy one time he stabbed someone to death but Nkosiyabo took the fall for him. It was all a matter of time till everyone found out exactly what happened there.

Eventually they get to the hotel. Ntsika starts pacing around “ Nkosiyabo why don’t you just tell the truth . Why are you trying to get us in trouble? Just tell the truth and serve your time. I am not about to go to jail for something I did not do!” Ntsika shouted you could tell he was frustrated and scared. “ Ntsika I am not about to repeat myself to you. I did not kill your freaken father! If only I am as confused as you are . “ Nkosiyabo said. “ Guys please stop arguing sit down and let us talk tell me exactly what happened I am here to help you" Stein said.

“ I did not kill anyone. That day I had an argument with my brother here Ntsika and it ended up in a fight but I left after that and everyone saw me leaving. I went to the mother of my kids I spent the night there and came back home around 6 am I did not even enter inside the house I sat outside” Nkosiyabo said. “ As for me I was in hospital because this idiot beat me into a pulp I only came home 3 days later. “ Ntsika said.

“ From the hospital we came home everyone went to bed but I couldn’t sleep I woke my brother up at 4 am we went to the garden where the grave of my baby is. I was showing him the grave and I was opening up to him about things that have happened to me in the past we sat there till 6 am we walked back to the house we found Nkosiyabo sitting on the porch that’s when we all went inside the house where we found Jabulile making breakfast already and …”  Nombuso couldn’t finish her sentence as she remembered something about that morning besides Jabuliles puffy eyes, face she made when she sat down , her dropping the spoon when she asked if Jabulile had been raped the house was sparkling clean already and that was the first normally the house would be clean around 7am she also remembered a patch of blood on Jabuliles dress but she thought it was from the chicken she slaughtered that day which was strange too because it was so early in the morning. “ that’s all I remember “ Nombuso added on.
 
 
“ Let’s be frank here are you guys telling me that you stayed with a body in the house and you did not know?” Stein asked. I mean that was the question that got them to be suspects more than anything. “ Stein we did not know that man was dead we thought he left. He wrote a letter and our mothers money is missing so we honestly thought he left. The only reason we were able to find his body is because of a vile odour that we smelt in the house then Nombuso decided she would do some spring cleaning she cleaned the whole house but still the house reeked till she decided to go into the one room we grew up knowing to never go in and that is our parents room. She decided to start cleaning there and that is how this mans body was discovered. “ Nkosiyabo said.

“We did not do this . If only we also want to know who killed Solly.” Nombuso said. Stein knew it was not going to be easy but as always she would have to fight tooth and nail to keep my siblings out of jail. I on the other hand got home and there was more tape than any Christmas present Jabulile has ever got me. “ Guys what happened I am here at home and there is police tape everywhere “ I said as I was on the phone with Nombuso. “ Nqaba do not go in come to the hotel I will send you the address “ Nombuso said. I was puzzled by this but I got back in the cab and asked the driver to take me back to town. Eventually I got to the hotel room with the sibs(siblings). “ Before anything else please tell me why is our home taped so much that it looks like a police fest venue" I said.

“ Solly is dead and Nombuso found his body in the parents room" Ntsika said with a sad tone. “ Hold on he is what!?” I shouted I actually had a happy feeling honestly I wanted to let out my happy laughter and dance but I was mad about the fact that I did not kill the dog myself.  “ Dead brother . Solly is dead" Nombuso repeatedly said that.  “ They say his body has been in the house for 6 days" Ntsika said. I on the other end had a gut feeling about who could have done this as I dated back . I remembered how Jabulile did not want me to go inside the room that morning she had that face as if she had seen a ghost and the mention of Josephina she had the same face again.  Could she have done this? I ask myself.  But if she did I had to be happy for  her I mean the bravery . As Benjamin said “Sometimes pain was like a storm that came out of nowhere. The clearest summer could end in a downpour. Could end in lightning and thunder “and this right here was the storm and thunder .