Battles in the shadows

A "WARM" RE-UNION

Laura rolled up in bed over and over again. She never told her foster parents she found her father. That would destroy them. She decided not to hurt them. She has been trying to get some sleep and now that she managed to sleep she was tormented by nightmares.

"No! Please no. help! No!" she moved her head violently from side to side. "Mama!" she cried out and her eyes opened. Slowly she sat up and burst into tears. Her nightmares about Lorato Moloi's death were coming back fiercely and it seem they won't stop now especially now that she is back home for good.

"Not until I get justice for her; I won't rest." she said firmly. She got out of bed and walked to her computer. She was about to switch it on when her cell phone started to ring.

"Partner in crime, it's late," she whined. She was employed just few months before her graduation at Botswana television station as a journalist. Her best buddy and work mate was Preston a.k.a. partner in crime.

"Laura, come over to Phakalane right now."

"Why Preston? Its 1 in the morning for goodness sake."

"Vincent Moabe has been attacked. Come right away. The police are here but the ambulance is on the way." Laura got up and dressed up. That was a story not to be missed. Vincent Moabe was the owner of Liberty clothing line and owns shares in different companies and supermarkets everywhere. More importantly, he was the man that brought her to the world.

"I'm not missing it for anything. Not even my beauty sleep."

"Coward! Loser! Bastard! You will pay!" Superintendent Tlhware read the message painted on the wall at the Moabe's lounge for the third time.

"The old guy messed with the wrong people," he said out loud. The siren of the ambulance suddenly filled the area. Mr. Moabe was in a very critical state. A base ball bat was used to beat him and was stabbed on the chest twice and his face was all swollen with his mouth purging with blood. The family was still in shock and was all crying beside as he was gently placed on a stretcher taking him to the hospital.

"Who would have done that to him?" Laura asked in shock.

"You will not believe me if I tell you." Her colleague replied.

"Try me." Laura replied. "It was a young woman." Preston Kgalae replied with a smile.

"Jilted lover." Laura added. Both of them were very much respected at the Botswana Television station since they teamed up five months ago when Laura arrived from the UK. They do their work very well and they know it.

"The marriage might end when he wakes up." Laura said sadly.

"If he wakes up Darling." Preston replied with a shake of his head. As one of their reporters wrapped up their findings and faced the camera, Laura looked at the time as they wrapped everything up.

"I'm off. See you tomorrow." She entered her car and drove off.

********

The next day, Laura looked around and entered the ward her father was kept. She sat on the foot of his bed at the hospital. She didn't feel any remorse for him. After all he was a worthless good for nothing father; and a coward. She smiled and tears dropped from his eyes.

"All my life all I wanted to know was who my father was. Why he allowed my mother to dump me. But now I understand her a little. You rejected us both father. You made her suffer. You made her part with her own child. You are a terrible person. I am grateful to the person who did this to you. If they try again I will cheer them on Father. That should teach you a lesson."

She stood up to leave.

"Good bye father. It is not over yet. I will find mother and she will get her revenge."

"Who are you?" a female voice said behind her. Laura turned slowly and came face to face with Pontsho Moabe.

"I'm Lauretta. Nice to meet you. And ask your husband that question when he wakes up."

She left the woman in a very confused state.

"You have a lot to answer to Vincent. So get out of there." Pontsho said quietly.

****************

Vincent Moabe was hospitalized for two months and he came out with broken arms and legs. After his surgery he was placed in the Intensive Care Unit. All that was found out was that a lady held them hostage for five hours. At first it was thought to ba a jilted lover getting revenge. But the brutality of the attack showed it must be more than that. The case was still under investigations and there were no leads or suspects. A woman watched him from the window and smiled. She looked around and entered the hospital room. She sat on the chair beside his bed.

"Poor Vinny. Who did this to you?" She asked with a mocking smile spread across her face.

"Your daughter is doing very well and I was hoping we could see her sometime and tell her who we are." She smiled weakly. "I told you it was not over. Who else could have hated you more than I do Vinny? Wow! You are a more horrible bastard than I thought. What did you do this time? Impregnate another girl and denied it?" She bent down and whispered in his ear,

"When you wake up." She smiled wickedly and rolled her eyes. "I mean if you wake up darling, try to be a good family man. Ciao Vinny. Till we meet again if it is not at your funeral." She laughed gracefully and left the room.

*****************

Preston rushed inside Laura's office. She had been secretly investigating about the people in her past and nothing will stop her from getting to them. She had coincidentally met Koketso Molefe at a dinner hosted by Pontsho Moabe to raise funds for orphans few months ago. The resemblance was too good to be true but too intense to be ignored. Laura had spent most of the night to literally stare at the beautiful woman and her curiosity heightened and hence the investigation. Rumours had it she had a child that died some years ago while another talks of a child given away to an orphanage.

"Koketso Molefe graduated at the University of Botswana under the faculty of business. She did her MBA at LEEDS in the UK, works now at Debswana and lives in Block 10 in Gaborone. Not married and childless."

"Thanks Preston. You are the best!" Laura said happily.

"Secondly, the guy drained his account the day before the murder. There were rumors then that he died. The latest rumour came in last year august claiming that the owner of Smart supermarket in Palapye is Patrick Moloi. The man was devastated but he denied it and now he is missing."

"Wow. Thanks. I'll see what I can do with this information." Laura said and stood up from her chair.

"Tell me, why are you interested in these two people?" Preston asked.

"I will have to kill you if I tell you." Laura replied and laughed. "I'm leaving now. See you tomorrow" she added. Kgosi looked at his watch.

"It's just three."

"I already told the editor. I have to go somewhere urgently. Ciao." Preston smiled and shook his head as he walked back to his office. Laura was a dynamic woman; hard working and passionate. Brandon Holmes was a very lucky man indeed.