Unfolding

Chapter 10

Siphokazi barged into Sabelo's bedroom and yanked the blanket, waking him instantly, "Yoh! Yoh! Yoh! Bro, what's your problem?", he put the pillow over his head, she grabbed it, "What do you mean, Sabelo? Your wife is arrested and you only care about sleeping?", she shouted. He sat up, "So? I've been arrested, it's not that big of a deal", Siphokazi was shocked by how much he did not take the matter seriously, "Sabelo, you knew about this arrest, didn't you? I saw how you said nothing while we went crazy with questions last night", Siphokazi sat on the bed, Sabelo remained silent, "So, you're framing her for your crims?", she stood up again. "Siphokazi, stay out of this, let the police do their work" "What work? Ingo was home with me the day of the murder", Sabelo got out of bed and stand close to her face, "A shoe print matching her running shoes was found at the hotel room", Siphokazi opened and closed her mouth, "So, if you still want to see your kids grow, you better drop that lie before she drags you to jail with her", he then walked pass her dumbfounded, out of the room.

Ingo sat opposite detective Molapo in an interrogation room, he's been asking questions for hours last night, given 4-hour sleep, then questioned again this morning, and she still said nothing. "I see you still don't want to speak", he was getting tired of her attitude, "I want to call my lawyer", the first words she altered, "Okay, I thought you said you were innocent, why would you need a lawyer?", she did not answer. Detective Molapo started packing his papers, "I just wonder what made you snap to kill her while she's pregnant, that's double homicide", he walked to the door, "She was pregnant?", Ingo asked, her face visibly shocked. "I thought you killed her because she was going to give your husband what you can't, but Siphokazi already did it and you did not kill her. What was so different with Zinhle?", he tried his luck again with the questions, coming back to sit on his chair. Ingo looked at the floor, "I did not kill her", he took out a picture from his file, "This is the shoe print that was captured on the scene, it matched your running shoe, even the size, how do you explain that?". Ingo appeared scared when she learned about the evidence, "And see here?", he placed another picture on the table, "This is the hotel's CCTV footage, this woman has the same physique as you, Ingo, did you go to the hotel the day of the murder?" "I want to call my lawyer", she answered.

The news of Ingo's arrest was all over the news channel, the police giving an update on their case, and people's views about the new suspect. Siphokazi was feeding the kids their fruit snacks, "Mah, look at mama on the TV", Lifa said, "Yes, mama", Thingo pointed at the picture on TV, Siphokazi looked at Sabelo who was chilled on the couch typing on his phone. She wanted to say something but was scared to start a conversation with him, "Go play upstairs", he ordered the kids. She prepared herself, but before she could speak, his phone rang, he dropped it, "Journalists? I know I hate when they harass like that", she hoped it was enough to start a conversation, "No, Ingo's parents, I don't know why they don't just call their daughter in jail, I mean it's all over the news they should know by now that she is arrest", he answered. Siphokazi kept stealing glances at him, nervously, "Ummh, Sabelo, when you were arrested, Ingo and I had to choose whether we stand with you or against you, I think we should make that choice with her too", she said. "I am not standing with a murder", he stood up and begin his way out of the door, she quickly followed behind him, "Can you please do me a favour", she lowered her face, "Can you please take care of the kids while I go get Thingo's food from the store?" "Sure", he replied and walked away.

Mdluli closed his MacBook after reading news about Ingo's arrest, he did not feel relieved for doing his job like he always did. He felt guilty, maybe because he got closer to her. He called one of his friends that knew this side of his work, "Mabutho, what's up?", his friend said, "Bro, I think I got myself in trouble", he admitted, "Hawu, I just read about the arrest, you should be proud" "That's the problem, I got to know her, I feel like I betrayed her", he told her friend, "Wait, you've spoken to her", well, it's more than that but now is not the right time to talk about all that, "Yes, we worked together at the hospital, if she finds out about my work I'll be unmasked and questioned" "Man, chill, she will not find out. Take a break, you've been in this industry for too long, you won't mess it up now". Mdluli took a deep breath to calm his nerves before he asked, "Please recommend a great lawyer" "Why?", you could hear the confusion in the friend's voice, "For my client, he's still not out of the case, he should buttle up", he explained, "Yeah, but that's not your problem", he still did not get it, "Man, just send the names", his friend was a great family lawyer, he did not deal with murder but he knew other great lawyers that dealt with murder cases and won.