Hide and Seek

10 hours...

"First, the espionage mess. Anyone who knew Ezra well would know that he would never do something that stupid, unless there was a very valid reason. And even then it was questionable. He gave dad his reason but it didn't make sense. Anyone with their eyes on Ezra would know that he didn't care about the company to be that involved. So, he was either being framed, or he knew who it was and wasn't saying.
Then, the Renata mess. I knew Ezra was in love with someone, but it was not Renata, it was you. No one else knew about it at the time and I happened to... stumble upon the information. So then I figured that again, he was either being framed or he knew who the person was and was choosing to be quiet about it.
My plan was to try and figure out how these two messes were connected, if they were. So, I started spying on Ezra some more. I found out that all my other siblings were visiting him often. I don't know why though. Anyways, I didn't go far with my investigation because I started having my own problems to deal with."

"Inez, we asked you why you went to jail." Zahara cut her off.

"Okay. Give me a second. I'm getting there."

"Get there faster," she snapped.

"Zahara." Teagan shook her head and Zahara rolled her eyes but said nothing more.

"Okay, so, it was a few days after Renata woke up. I was outside Ezra's place when I saw Dilean visiting him. This time I decided to move closer to the house, maybe I could pick something you know. So, Dilean was outside, knocking on the door..."

'"Ezra let's talk," he said. "Allow me to make things right." He tapped on the door. "I'll stop seeing Renata, Ezra."

That was the most insanely shocking statement I had ever heard. Cool, calm, minds his own business Dilean was the guy Renata was having an affair with. It took everything in me to keep myself from screaming. I literally had to bite my tongue, this was gold.
Anyway, Dilean stood there for a few more minutes then left. And I had to decide between confronting Dilean about it, confronting Renata about it, confronting Ezra about it, or just telling Eli everything.
I had to pick the one with the biggest advantage and that was telling dad. He was finally going to acknowledge me.
I skipped down the steps of Ezra's complex and before I got to my car I received a phone call from one of our employees, I can't remember her name, but I liked the way she had done her hair and had asked her to tell me where she had done it. So she was calling me about that. She told me the address of her hairdresser, who was located at a salon somewhere in the bhundus. I decided to go because I really liked her hairstyle.
It didn't take me long to get there, or to find the place. It was pretty out in the open, and there weren't that many customers. Maybe like... two people who were getting their heads shaved, and one guy who was getting cornrows done.
"Hello," I greeted the barber. "I'm looking for a hairdresser. Her name is Nkazi."

"There's no hairdresser here who goes by that name." He answered without looking at me, choosing to focus on the head he was shaving.

"Are you sure about that? I was told she works here. Maybe she quit or didn't come to work today?"

"Listen lady," he drawled. "I've been working on this place for five years. I've seen hairdressers come and go but none with the name Nkazi."

"Then am I in the wrong place?" I muttered. "Is there another salon by?"

"I've lived in these parts for five years, and this is the only salon that's operated since I moved here."

"Oh really? So, then... what's happening? She texted me this address. Or maybe she made a mistake?" I pressed my thumb against my cheek and chewed the inside. "Do you know anyone who can replicate this hairstyle?" I showed him the picture.

"I've worked in this salon for five years and there isn't a hairstyle I cannot replicate."

"Awesome." I jumped to a chair. "I'll just wait my turn over here."

"Don't you know anything about appointments?" He finally glanced at me.

"Do I really need an appointment for this place?" I gestured around the salon.

"Fine, come sit here." He tapped on a chair next to the customer whose hair he was cutting. I moved with a grin and placed myself there.
He sank his fingers into my natural hair and grimaced.
"When last did you comb this bush?"

"This morning," I mumbled.

"And only the surface huh? The comb didn't go deep to the roots."

"It's painful man."

"Argh, whatever. Let's just get this done. I postponed something important for this."

"Why don't we do something different though? I have a hairstyle that would look so much better on you."

"No. I want this one."

"Very well then." He got started on my hair and a life changing conversation. "Can I ask you a private question? I feel the need to ask," he said.

"No, I don't have a man in my life."

He chuckled a bit. "Not what I was going to ask, but that's good to know. My question is, do you have a substance you take?"

"What do you mean?" My eyebrows furrowed. I knew what he meant, I just had to be sure.

"Do you drink, or maybe take drugs?"

"I don't drink," I blinked a few times, scratching my eyebrow, "but I do have a few... substances I take. Why?"

"I can tell. Your body is deteriorating in an unhealthy way."

"You can tell just by looking at me?"

"I used to be a doctor. Some people called it a God-given gift. Most of the time I can tell that a person is not well by looking at them. Their features, their eyes, their skin, their hair."

"And you concluded that it was some kind of substance abuse?"

"No, I didn't conclude. You did. I simply asked you if you take any substance," he drawled, completely focused on my head. "Anyway, you need to stop because you are killing yourself. Slowly but surely, and a beautiful woman like you has so much more to do in the world."

"Don't try to flatter me." I rolled my eyes. "I came here to get my hair done, not receive a lecture."

"It's not a lecture. It's just some advice for a stubborn soul whose body is desperately crying for it."