INCLINATION

CHAPTER 24 | She would have Protected me

HLANGA

 
I look at my father, I didn’t want things to come to this point but they forced my hand because they doubted me. His wife is dead, his son is about to realize what hell is and he’s going to spend the rest of his life alone and miserable. I thought he knew me, raised me to be a man who will do anything to protect his family and those he loves but clearly he didn’t.
 
The idea of what I thought my father was and what he has been showing me all these years are two totally different things. I was blinded by the love I have for so much that I couldn’t see that he had been hurting me, lying to me all the damn time and I turned the other cheek because he was my parent and he made a mistake.
 
Now those mistakes have ruined his life and it’s never going to be the same, ever again for all of us..
 
“ The police are on their way here boss" Humudi informs me.
 
“ They’ll take your statement and you will tell them the truth, that Charlotte shot your wife wanting to get revenge on your son Andile for the abuse he put her through and for killing her brother. It was Andile who tied the two of you up. If you try anything stupid or say something you’re not supposed to, I will know and you will know me. You will stop talking to Kevin Gama, I will deal with them form now on. Do you understand Makhoba?”
He nods. “ What are you going to do with me?”
“ You will know in due time. I’m going to call Zonke too. You better tell her the whole truth, if you lie she will tell me and I play her the audio of you, your wife and son confessing to everything.”
I take off his cuffs then look at him. This is the last time I’m going to be anywhere around him or even be inside this house. I walk out, they drag Charlotte out of the house following me. Charlotte gets gagged then placed inside the car and the police vans and ambulance drive in.
Just as the police step out of the car, we hear a loud bang of a gunshot. I shake my head.
“ I knew he would take the cowardly way out. Fucken coward”
“ What must we do now sir?” they ask me after we shaking hands.
“ Everything right, make sure the scene is clean. I need to call my uncle and sister. My aunt is in my house and I’ll tell her once I arrive there”
“ We’ll take care of it.”
“ Good"
 
I walk towards the car then Phil drives out as I direct them to Andile’s old house. He never sold it and never rented it also. It was his fuck pad that he took every woman to that he fucked. It was his burial ground too cause bodies are buried here. Don will finally have closure and bury his father the right way.
 
“ Did you call forensics?”
“ Yes sir, they should arrive the same time as us"
I nod. I look outside the window and think about the phone call from Vino. I am so fucken mad, I want to break something or punch someone until I take out all my frustrations. I talked to them gently and kindly so they can understand and hear me but no. They had to jump over my head and go terrorize the woman I love in her own home.
 
Emy should have kicked them out and not allowed them in. They were supposed to have mother and sin day today, bond like they always so when they are together but no, my mother had to come with my sisters  and ruin their day. This time o make sure that they hear me loudly and clearly.
 
The gate opens and we drive in. We step out and they drag Charlotte out too who is crying. I lead them to the backyard because I think that’s where he buried all of them. Mazwi’s family will finally have closure as to what happened to their son. He never got to meet his daughter because of Andile. He could have told Zonke that Mazwi  was cheating on her instead of taking his life like he was God.
 
“ Take off her gag" they do. “ Is this where he buried all of them?”
“ Yes, where the flowers are planted " She says. I look around and I can count to 10 flowers. I curse.
The forensics come in and they have their protective gear on. “ Why did you ever keep quiet Charlotte?”
“ I was scared”
“ No, you enjoyed the thrill of seeing him take someone’s life. How many murders did you help him commit?”
 
She cries. I don’t think Charlotte realizes how deep in trouble she is. “ Charlotte, when was the last time you two committed a crime?”
“ It was….he made me do it, prove my love for him”
“ Is the person buried here?”
“ No, he was a homeless man. I gave him clothes then I offered to go and buy him food. He got in the car with us, we bought him food then we took him somewhere and….and as he was eating his food sitting on the front seat, I checked him"
I watch her body language as she talks and she’s breathing fast like she’s reliving it. Charlotte enjoyed killing that man, it gave her an adrenalin rush, I thrilled her. The more she got away with it, is the more she continued to do it with Andile. Charlotte is a killer like her husband. She was never forced to do anything.
 
The forensics drive in and park the van. Don is pacing up and down, he’s nervous about finding his father’s body.
“ Special Agent M, I’m agent..
“ I know who you are agent Lance” we shake hands. They start digging into the back yard.
“ We got the call straight from the headquarters”
“ Thanks for coming at short notice. This is the supposed burial site. I’m not sure how many bodies are here but I think they could be more than 10"
“ Fuck me and this is her Charlotte Mbatha ?”
“ Yes, She’s now his wife and am accomplice to some if not all of these murders"
“ No!, I…I didn’t.”
“ We have found a body sir" someone screams.
“ Is it him?, is it my father?” Don shout asking them.
“ We can’t tell right now sir but once we do a DNA test, we will definitely let you know if it him.” Lance tells Don.
“ Don’t worry Don. They will find his body and you’ll finally give him his last rest that he deserves.” He nods.
“ Another sir" they say.
Humudi shifts and faces Charlotte. “ Since you’re already in cuffs. I’ll read you your rights. Mrs Charlotte Makhoba, you are under arrest for murder of the homeless man that you confessed to killing, the murder of Mr Sithale Jiya and an accomplice to many murders committed by Andike Makhoba. Anything you say can and will be used against you…..”
While Humudi reads her rights, Lance takes her to the van. She screams, curses at me that I betrayed her. I was supposed to let her go after she tells the truth. Stupid girl. They drive out with her.
 
“ Don I need to go back to my father’s house and call my sister and uncle. You’ll be fine right?”
“ Yeah I will. Thank you man for everything you have done for me and my family. I will finally lay my father to rest and the whole family will begin to heal. Maybe my children will also start getting better.”
“ I hope so too. Call me if you need anything”
“ I will. Thank again M"
We hug then I leave. They don’t need me here now. We get in the car and I sigh.
“ Drive back to Makhoba’s house" I tell Phil
“ Yes sir"
“ Charlotte is going to be charged with murder tonight once they dig up all the bodies. She’s going to want to save herself and implicate Emy like she did before. I want you to make sure that once they charge her and take her to the cell. Get someone who do a very clean job.
 
I want them to cut her tongue out,  her index finger and thumb. I want it to look like she did it herself. Her lawyers will play the insanity card and if the judge agrees, they will transfer her to the psych ward and be under surveillance.
Once there, you will make sure that she takes psychotic medication that will make her crazy. She will be spend the rest of her life there until she dies. She’ll be locked up because she’s going to be a danger to herself and the other patients. Do you all understand me?”
“ Yes boss”
“ I want no mistakes. Am I clear"
“ Yes boss, you can trust us"
“ I know, we’ve done worse shit than this one"
“ That’s true" Humudi agrees.
 
I call my uncle one they park the car and I step out. I head to the house and there are two bodies on the floor. I pull the first one and indeed it is my father, the coward killed himself and the other is his wife. Now they can be together in hell.
 
“ Gwabini?”
“ Uncle, ubaba and his wife are dead. Charlotte shot Siyanda and he killed himself. I don’t know what happened”
“ I’m coming” he says and hangs up.
I call my brother in-law after because I can’t just call Zonke.
“ Mfowethu, Gwabini”
“ Sure Tebogo, where is your wife?”
“ She’s watching TV, you want to talk to her?”
 
“ No, my father shot himself and he’s dead. Charlotte killed Siyanda and Andile is missing. Can you take my niece to your parents house cause I don’t want her to see this"
“ Oh my God bro, are you okay?”
“ Everything is a mess man, I’m worried about her, how she’s going to handle this"
“ Fuck man, this is fucked up. I’ll  take coco first before I tell her and bring her there"
“ I’d appreciate it man and please switch off her phone in case someone calls her.”
“ Sure bro, I’ll see you later" we hang up and heave and deep sigh.
 
“ Sir we are done. The house can be cleaned and the bodies will be taken straight to the morgue after the autopsy"
My uncle walks in at that moment followed by his wife aunt Mary and my cousins. He stares at the floor and then me. He heaves a deep sigh. He walks up to me and we hug.
“ It’s not your fault. You did what you had to do and I don’t blame you" he whispers. I nod. “ Bring me the incense in their bedroom so I can release their spirits.”
“ Yebo baba"
 
I head to their bedroom closet and search for the incense then come back with it. He lights it, starts to pray then says our clan names as they wheel them out. I look at the bedroom and there’s blood all over the floor. I head to kitchen, fetch the mop and bucket but my cousin Lauren stops me.
 
“ We’ll do it bhuti, you…”
“ Thanks sis" I walk out and head to the living room. I sit down, about to call my aunt but my sister walks in and the moment she sees me she bursts into tears.
I get up, hold her tight and let her cry it all out. It’s going to worse and I wish it wouldn’t be but she doesn’t need to hear it now. My  aunt Mary takes her and they sit down.
“ No one goes to that bedroom, we will lock it until a healer comes to cleanse it.”
“ Where’s Andile? Why do you have blood on your clothes?” Zonke asks me.
“ Andile is missing, he ran away before we got here and Charlotte has been arrested. They are digging for bodies at Andile’s old house. The blood is from me trying to stop Charlotte from shooting your mother. She shot her right in front of me."
“ Haibo Hlanga, uthini manner?” what are you saying?
 
I tell the what Charlotte said, the death of Don’s father and the other bodies that are buried there. I don’t dare say that her baby daddy’s body is one of those buried there.
“ We all knew what Andile was capable of. The fact that he ran away before he could answer for his sins pisses me the hell off. He needs to be locked up and never see the light of day" my uncle says and I agree.
 
“ I need to fly to Durban and tell aunt Nomusa what happened. If possible she’ll fly down tonight but if not, she’ll be here tomorrow morning.”
“ Don’t worry about your sister, we’ll all be here until you come back tomorrow. We’ll begin to pack their clothes.”
“ Thank you auntie” I look at my uncle. He nods. I walk out of the house and my mood is just dark. I get in the car and they drive out with me.
 
I stand outside the front door then take a deep breath. It has been a long and exhausting day. I expected some things to happen but what I didn’t expect is my mother disregarding my wishes. I push open the door and it’s silent inside,  too silent for my liking. I look back and realize that it’s only aunts security that is here.
 
I walk in and my kitchen is empty. Walter and Blessing are not here but I hear the TV playing in the living room. I head there and see my aunt drinking tea. She has her head covered and shoulders. She looks up and sees me. I sit next to her and heave a deep sigh.
 
She puts her cup down, shifts and faces me. She takes my hands to hers. “ your uncle called me. It’s not your fault Gwabini. Your father was going to get killed one day either by Andile or the people he did business with"
“ He shot himself auntie. When we walked out of the house with Charlotte, we heard a bang.” I tell her the whole truth. She’s one person I would never lie to.
“ He was a coward mntanam. He couldn’t live with the decisions he had made once the whole truth was out. Ever since your father got involved with that woman, he changed Hlanga. He was never same. I thought maybe it was because he lost your mother but it’s was that woman.”
 
“ Even after he took Emy from me auntie, I still forgave him but this auntie? Was it because he felt like I was responsible for my mother’s death?”
“ Cha Gwabini. Siyanda wanted you both dead, that’s why she got people to hijack your mother and you. She thought that was the only way she could have your father and she did.”
 
“ I was angry at him and I was going to forgive him one day auntie but I never wanted him to leave us like this. I never did"
“ He chose his way mntanam.  It’s not your fault. Nome of this is.” She takes a deep breath. “ Are you sure that Andile will never escape where he is?”
“ He won’t. I’m going to go there tomorrow. I booked you a 9 am flight. They’ll drive you back to the airport and pick you up when you land"
“ Thank you Gwabini. We will get through this"
“ I know. Emy and Aya are not here?”
“ They are at the farm, that’s where you left them"
“ I did but uMa came with some other women and I bet its Khanyisa, her mother and my sisters. She chased Emy away and threw her clothes out. I’m going to kill that woman" my phone vibrates. I pull it out and read the message.

“ Oh Kodwa Nkos' Yam. What is wrong with Nohle?. You know what? I’ve had I with your aunt Hlanga. I’m going to deal with her first before you kill her.”
“ I warned her this morning before I left that she must stay the hell away from Emy. I need to go get them. Vino just sent me their location”
“ Ok, I’ll start packing my clothes. I think it’s better if they drive me to Joburg tonight. I’m worries about your sister.”
“ Ok, they will drive you. I’ll see you tomorrow then"
She stands up and we hug. “ I’m sorry auntie. I know you loved him”
“ I know you loved him too. You’re not alone and you never will be. You have me, your uncle, Emy and your son. Your sisters too and your mother and Motha”
“ Then why do I feel like I’m an orphan. Why do I feel like if my mother was still here, I wouldn’t be in this situation. She would have protected me from my father.”
“ Oh Hlanga”