“Aunt Selina?” Temwa was astonished upon seeing Mrs. Selina Khoviwa in the police cell.
“I am innocent my dear. Don’t listen to these fools,” she responded.
“Until we prove you wrong,” Detective Nospoh said as he led Temwa away. Temwa finally met her father and hugged him, with tears flowing. Detective Nospoh took them to his house.
“Mr. Msiska, meet Dede, the man who was working for Mrs. Khoviwa,” Detective Nospoh introduced the Giant to Mr. Msiska.
“Now, we need to come up with tangible evidence to nail down Mrs. Khoviwa. Dede’s evidence cannot be enough as he was just a guard therefore he could not give enough details of the dealings Mrs. Khoviwa usually had. The only guy who can help us is Dennis Tonde,” Detective Nospoh pointed out.
“The last time I saw him was two and a half years ago,” Mr. Msiska said.
“What happened exactly?” Detective Nospoh asked.
“Tonde was working for Mrs. Khoviwa as a gardener. On the night I last saw him, he called me to meet him at a school that was about 600 meters from her residence,” he paused, “I rushed there with my car and he told me to take him to any place that could be hard for Mrs. Khoviwa to reach. I did so and I took him to a certain remote village called Pemba. With him was a briefcase and a gun. He told me he had witnessed something that would incriminate Mrs. Khoviwa but he was waiting for the right time to bring it out,” he said and everyone in the room was quite.
“So, how can we get him?” Detective Nospoh asked.
“We need to be so quick before she makes a move. She’s got connections,” Dede said.
“Okay!” Detective Nospoh stood up, “I think you guys have done enough to help me. It’s now time to release you and seek help from detectives from other stations.”
“But…”
“No buts! You are all dismissed. I will call you when I need you again,” he said and they all left.
Yvonne and Mr. Msiska went to his house while Temwa went to her mother’s place to update her.
“I may know where Dennis could be found,” Temwa’s mom revealed to her.
“You do?” Temwa asked, surprised.
“Yes I do. Apparently, he will be there this Wednesday,” she said.
“Mom, where?”
“He delivers goods at the restaurant you met me at that night. He does deliveries twice a month. He comes to deliver spices,” she paused and looked at her. “I met him on his last visit. He said nothing about keeping anything belonging to Mrs. Khoviwa.”
“Mom, he can’t tell you because he is scared. Didn’t he ask about his sister?” she asked.
“Stop it! I lied to him that she was fine. Yvonne stole my man! I will not help her.”
“But mom if Dennis hands in the evidence then all this will be over!” Temwa persuaded her mom.
“I just hope I am not making a mistake,” she said.
“And why do you seem so concerned about Tonde?” Temwa asked.
“He was my first love.”
“Is that all?” she asked.
“Temwa stop… Okay, I’m thinking of restoring our love. I slept with him so maybe I may…”
“Mom, you what? You are worse than…”
“Ooh please stop it! Your dad did the same. It’s tit-for-tat.”
“You are no longer my mom,” she said and stood up.
“Then I will not help in this case.”
Temwa sat down, wiped her tears and said, “Okay mom, just do me this favour – get Tonde to speak. As for us, we will talk later.”
On a Wednesday night, Tonde came, wearing his usual black hat and tinted glasses.
After the delivery, he went to see Mrs. Msiska and found Detective Nospoh waiting. He arrested him and told him to hand in the evidence that he had against Mrs. Khoviwa.
“Deal! Let’s go to my place then,” he said, giving the detective his van keys.
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