Guilty Eye

Chapter 9

I sat in the same leather chair I had vacated only a few hours previously. Across from me Inspector Tsono and Mr Cat sat,the former with an unbecoming frown on her plain face.

The PIB officer smiled and sat back. "Oh, man. You sure know how to party. I mean,God, just eight hours ago you killed Dr Mate. And now Corporal Jerima is also dead."

He fell silent and stared at me.

I was confused. What was the question?

I looked from his unsmiling face to Tsono's forbidding countenance. And back to Mr Cat again.

The silence stretched out for a while before the PIB officer banged his fist on the desk."Well?"

I swallowed. "Well what,sir?"

"Why are they dead?"

I was indignant. "Because they tried to kill me.That's why! How dare you ask me that?That doctor stabbed me and tried to strangle me. I had no choice but to fight back. And your corporal? He abducted me and tried to kill me. If it were not for my wife showing up when she did, I'll be dead. What? You think I should have let myself be murdered? Well, I don't. I chose life!"

"Calm down, calm down, Mr Saka." Tsono said,gesturing.

It was at that moment I realized I had been shouting. I took a deep breath, counting to ten.

"Hah,hahaha." Mr Cat guffawed in mirth.

"W-what's so funny?"

"Huh? Well,everything in life is funny." He dabbed a handkerchief at his eyes. "You just need to have a sense of humour to appreciate it."

"I'm sorry ,Mr Saka," Inspector Tsono was apologetic. "We needed to be sure where you stand. Especially now that we've discovered that Mrs Percival is involved."

"I've had a long day. Can we go home now?"

Mr Cat shrugged. "Sure.We will escort both of you home."

*****

The chirping of birds and the distant hooting of cars penetrated through the thick fog of sleep and slowly pulled me to the surface. I opened my eyes, starring fixedly at wood-themed ceiling of the guest bedroom,enjoying the feel of the oh-so-soft pillows and mattress. The double bed stood in the centre of the room, with two small tables bearing shaded lamps flanking its headboard.

I turned slightly to the left,my glance resting on the sleeping face of my wife. She looked serene, at peace. My gaze was drawn past her to the white and pink curtains, through which the unmistakable brilliance of the sun penetrated.

I stretched myself in place, feeling all the knots and lumps on my body acutely. It was morning already.

Portia stirred beside me, and I kissed her.

"Morning." I whispered.

"You're awake, " she said sleepily. She moved her hand from my chest, down my stomach and further south. She giggled. "You are awake. All of you."

And that acted as a temporary anaesthesia.

****

After a warm bath I leisurely made my way downstairs, stopping for a moment at the landing to look through the windows at the carefully tended grounds.

Lush,green lawns stretched all  round the two storey mansion. The grounds were dotted with indigenous trees like Msasa and Mtondo as well as exotic ones: tall Acacias with birds flitting around their branches, smooth trunked palm trees and thick Jacarandas shedding their leaves. Above the cacophony of nature, I could hear the quiet whirr of watering sprinkler. The sound lulled me until the growl of my stomach sent me downstairs.

The moment I put a foot inside my father-in-law's dining room, I sensed the palpable tension between the occupants of the richly ardoned breakfast table.

"Ah, here you are." My father in-law greeted me with his toothless grin.

I smiled back."Good morning, father."

I nodded and winked at my wife, patted my son on the back, and ruffled Grace's hair. And stopped in my tracks.

Mr Percival's wife,my wife's step mother sat stiff backed, a fork in her jewelled hand, an look of snobbish superiority on her heavily made up face.

"Hello, mukwasha." She smirked.

"Yooouu....you..." I stuttered, anger rendering me temporarily speechless.

"Please, sit down, son in-law. We have to  a lot to discuss. After breakfast." The old man's voice was still as strong as it was fifteen years ago. His whitish hair was combed over the bald dome of his head. His blue eyes shone with strength and power.

I sat beside Portia and Chipo (that is her stepmother's name,by the way). Breakfast was an arduous ordeal, despite my hunger. I wanted to be out of the place and go home. Every minute I spent in there increased the danger that my family faced.Chipo's presence there portended bad things for me.

Were it not for the children, the meal would have been a daytime nightmare. The kids were oblivious to the animosity between us. And as such they were quite chirpy and naughty as they talked back and forth between themselves and all of us.

After what felt like eternity, the meal was over and the elderly maid came to clean up.

My father in-law led us adults to the sitting room while the kids sped off to whatever mischief their eleven year old minds could invent.

The wall mounted TV was turned on but the sound was muted. Percival took seat on comfy couch and gestured all to do the same on the sofas. His wife sat beside him. Portia and I sat on the opposite side.

"My son," he began, "I know you have questions."

"Yes,sir." You bet your ass I do.

"Ask away, mukwasha."

I glared at Chipo ,anger threatening to overpower reason."Why does my mother in-law want to kill me? "

I expected the old man to be shocked, his wife to deny it. I was utterly confused at what ensued.

Chipo broke into a laughing fit as if I had said the funniest thing she had ever had. Her husband, on the other hand, sighed and shook his head,a frown between his grey eyebrows.

"Oh,mommy," I could hear the ice cold anger in Portia's voice. "Why don't you tell us what the joke is, so we may laugh together."

Chipo abruptly stopped laughing and sobered up.

"Stop it,both of you." He turned to me. "My son, I'm sorry for what my wife did to you. Lemm try an' explain.

"My wife here is a very active member of Pfumo Dzvuku..."

"Wicknell..." Chipo tried to shush him.

"Shut it,Chipo!"

"Wait, " I said,"you mean Pfumo Dzvuku ,the terrorist group?"

"We ain't terrorists!We are..."

"Chipo,I said shut it." His face was aflame with anger. "You've caused too much trouble for me already. Now,early this year we were at a conference in Johannesburg and while there my wife was radicalised."

Chipo made as if to talk but her husband fixed a stare at her and she zipped her mouth shut.

"But what has Pfumo Dzvuku got to do with my husband?"

"Chipo,why don't you tell them?"

My stepmother in-law glared at  us before shrugging. "All I know is that Saka witnessed the murder of the ambassador's wife..."

"And how,pray tell, are you involved in that case," Portia enquired through clenched jaws.

"Instructions came from up high to take her out. All I had to do was assign Jerima and," she snapped her fingers, "just like that,it was done. "

"What?"