The Deal

Forty-Three-Imani

My home—Hell, no! Bernadette's home is eerily quiet. The only sounds are the refrigerator, my footsteps, and the blinds rattling against the window, but no sign of Thabo. The knife block looks so perfectly put in place on the wooden shelf. The urge to pull one out has never felt so tempting. I'm going to arm myself in case Armani, Baduza, or Thabo step out and hit me with a surprise.

Getting a can of Coke from the fridge, I realize I can't even look straight. I'm still peaking over my shoulder, scanning around for any form of movement. What if Thabo knows what I've been up to? He might have put a tracker on my phone to monitor me or he might have had witnesses watch me leave Yvonne's house. One way or another, he's found out. He's reforming a new plan with his allies. My thoughts go to my godfather and kids. One thing's for sure. I'm certain Bill has got what it takes to get Bernadette's confession. He never struck me as the kind of guy to get sloppy with a plan; especially the way he kept watch over me.

Whatever happens, I hope Bill makes it out alive. Bernadette's confession. I doubt he's going to get it. She's too protected right now. I'm sure she calls Baduza or Armani to do her dirty work anytime something doesn't go her way. I'll have to get Thabo to spill the dark secrets he's been keeping from me and everyone who loves and adores his wife. I'd get it to the public by any means necessary.

As I pour the carbonated soda into a wine glass and mix a couple of ice cubes before gulping it down, Noami Rozabell comes to mind. The podcast lady who contacted me weeks ago. Of course, I could call her and tell her the whole truth. I could even bring the recordings along and, once this goes live on air, the media will blow. Perfect. I should have thought of this sooner.

When I reach for the knife block, I do well to think again before falling back. The house could be crawling with cameras monitoring all movements. He mentioned he installed security earlier. Secondly, I'm not a killer. Thabo makes my skin crawl. A part of me wants to make him pay for all his manipulation, but I know watching him burn in a courtroom would give me much better justice.

But there is the possibility his powerful connections would earn him a ticket out of the law's hands. There's corruption everywhere. Thabo would walk away with what he's done to me, and the best attorneys and prosecutors won't do me any good.

Climbing the stairs, I'm reminded of the creaky noise I'd hear from the one back in my real home. How I long to hear it again and again. Opening the door to a crack, I spot Thabo in bed. My beating pulse rate finally slows down. How long has it been since he'd taken a nap? Now that he's resting, I could hide the phone—

"Nettie?"

I startle. Sweet Virgin Joseph! Has he been pretending to sleep? I turn and shoot him a broad smile. "Good morning, honey. Hope you had sweet dreams." Gosh, terrible at disguises, terrible at acting, and now terrible at trying not to act suspicious. Judging from my horrible plan, it's a good thing I didn't grab the knife along with me. This whole plan would blow up right this instant.

"I'm surprised they discharged you so early," Thabo says in a low, sleepy tone. "I was going to come pick you up, but I was way too exhausted."

"Yeah, it's alright. The doctor told me I was lucky to survive. It was nothing serious." He's playing the role of the caring husband, unaware of what his wife's up to. Playing it pretty well. The doctor, albeit the same one I met when I awoke from "the coma", informed him I ran off. The doctor probably knows what Jabar and I were up to because he was watching.

He nods. "I know. Hey, I've got good news. I found the private investigator I said I'd hire. I promise you, he's a good one. If Armani and Bill are working together to torment you, we'll find them both."

His face is so punchable when he lies, I almost let myself chuckle. I swear, I'm holding back a lot of rage right now. I satisfy the anger by imagining him in the courtroom. The judge giving the sentence. "I know we will." Good, Imani. Nice performance.