Beckoned Through The Dark

84 // Clay // Witness Protection

I watched in horror as Sihle's car went up in flames.

That explosion sent chills to my bones when I realized that it was meant for Lesego.

They were really going to kill her.

My fear doubled when Abigail breathed back to life as if she'd just submerged from under water after holding her breath for a few minutes, and the horrified look in her eyes told me she knew what happened.

"Abigail, are you okay?" Tommy asked. I looked at him, and he was pale in shock. Dammit! I shouldn't have brought him along, but he insisted.

We came in my car while Zack followed in his own car, but he was nowhere to be seen.

I drove like a maniac thinking that Lesego was in danger, but I was even more shocked when I found Abigail.

I'd been trying to call her all day so that she could stop Lesego from meeting with Sihle.

What I didn't expect was to find her here.

When I saw her on her knees, looking paralysed, I thought Sihle had done something to her, but then he told me it could be Karabelo's doing and that Lesego did not come.

I felt like punching him, but I had to attend to Abigail.

The moment I arrived, she collapsed, and her body went cold in seconds.

I was convinced she was dead, but the most surprising part was that she still had a faint pulse and her body moved from time to time as if she was trying to break free from something.

I'd never seen something like this before, more so when her husband showed up but did not even bother checking up on her.

Karabelo literally had him by the balls, clearly, he still believed she was pregnant with his baby.

"Thomas, take the car and go back to the hotel." I handed him the keys.

He stared at me in horror, and I knew exactly what was on his mind. "What if the car explodes?" He asked.

"Nothing is going to happen to you, just take the car and leave," I said firmly.

I was confident that Karabelo would never hurt him, if there was anything, she was after me.

"But what about you? And Abigail?" He stared at the woman who was currently shivering in my arms.

"I will take her home in Claudia's car." He nodded and stood up with shaking limps. Poor kid. "I'll see you later. Just make sure you go straight to the hotel and don't stop on the way."

"Take care of yourself," he said shakily.

I nodded at him. "I will."

He walked to the car and got in, and then stayed there for about five minutes before leaving.

I sighed in relief when the car left without a single spark. For a moment there I thought it was also going to explode.

I pulled Abigail closer and tried to carry her in my arms, but she protested. "I am taking you to the car, I'll drive you home."

She shook her head and sat up straight. "We can't leave just yet, the detective is on the way," she said weakly.

"Exactly why we should leave!" I yelled. "How are you going to explain how that happened?"

He pointed at the burnt car.

"She will understand, I know she will."

I gritted my teeth but didn't say anything. "What did Sihle want?" I asked instead, but she shook her head timidly. Honestly speaking, she looked like she was going to pass out. "Here, drink this." I handed her a bottle of water I took from my car earlier.

"Thank you," she muttered and took the bottle, but she screamed a second later when the liquid turned crimson red.

She dropped the bottle, and we both jumped away from it as the blood dripped on the ground.

What in the hell just happened?

Abigail looked around in fear, she was crept out.

I was too.

This had to be the strangest day of my life.

"Are you okay?" I helped her up, but she didn't say anything.

Just then, a black SUV pulled into the area followed by three other police vehicles, an ambulance, and fire fighters; and in seconds, the place had turned into a crime scene.

The paramedics attended to Abigail and gave her a blanket since she was so pale and cold, and she was lucky enough to get a bottle of water. Luckily, it did not turn to blood this time.

I wanted to get out of here now, but the police were still investigating everything, including Claudia's car.

One of them noticed the blood on the ground near the bottle and he started to ask me questions.

How the hell was I supposed to know whose blood that belonged to?

And where was this infamous detective? I knew Abigail would refuse to leave until the detective got here.

After about ten to fifteen minutes, another SUV arrived and a woman who looked eerily familiar stepped out.

Abigail threw off her blanket and walked towards the intruder. "Tiffany!" They shared a hug and then the dark-haired woman started asking everyone questions.

"Bradley, what do you have for me?" She asked the detective that came in the other SUV.

"That car exploded with someone inside," the guy said.

"Do we have an ID?"

"The vehicle belongs to Sihle."

"Interesting," she muttered, her eyes wandering around. "Anything else?"

"We found this in that car." Bradley handed her a plastic with a memory stick.

"Do you think it's related to this case?"

"Sihle gave it to me, you'll find everything you need on it," Abigail pipped in.

Tiffany turned around and faced Abigail. "Care to tell me what happened here?" She asked, and Abigail grimaced. "Bradley, could you please give us a moment?"

"Sure." He nodded and then left.

Why was she pretending like I was not here?

I rolled my eyes and went to Claudia's car.

I must have waited for about thirty more minutes before they finished, and then they came towards me.

Abigail got into the passenger seat without any questions while the detective finally took interest in me.

"Clay, it's been so long. You've grown so much," she mused awkwardly. "I'm so sorry about your mother, I heard."

I grounded my teeth and clenched my fists. "What are you doing here?" I asked.

She sighed and dropped her hands. "I'm here on work."

I nodded slowly. "That's all you've ever cared about, your job and making a name for yourself."

"That's not fair."

"You know what's not fair, you not being there when your sister needed you the most!" I yelled.

"Can we not talk about this right now?" She hushed.

"May we never have this or any other conversation from now?" I pushed her aside and reached for the door, but she stood in my way.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible, I have to take you into witness protection."

"I don't need your protection."

She threw her head back and groaned loudly.

"If I understand well, you were the one who picked Lesego from the side road where Bradley and I dropped her off." That shut me up. "Karabelo is going to come after you, it may not look like it right now, but trust me, she's coming."