“Sanibonani,” kubingelela uMaVilakazi eme noMvelo ngaphandle kwegceke lakwaKhumalo.
“Yebo, sawubona, nkosazane,” kuphendula umseshi uBenson.
Athathwe ngubuhle bukaMaVilakazi njengoba esondela kuye. Kukhale umakhalekhukhwini wakhe esikhwameni sebhulukwe esingaphambili. Ufake ihembe elimhlophe nesudi enevi, kanye nothayi obomvu. Izicathulo ezimnyama ezicwebezelayo. Uma umbuka, ungafunga ukuthi uya emshadweni. Igeza lensizwa leli. Umhlophe ngokwebala kanti mude sengathi nguQuinton ongumlingisi kumdlalo kamabonakude i-Scandal. Afake isandla sakwesokudla esikhwameni sebhulukwe, akhiphe umakhalekhukhwini. Angabe esabheka ukuthi ngubani omshayela ucingo njengoba usukade uqalile ukukhala umakhalekhukhwini wakhe, avele achofoze inkinobho enokuhlaza.
“Hello, you’ve reached Detective Benson,” kusho umseshi uBenson ewubeka endlebeni umakhalekhukhwini. “How may I help you?”
Asondele kancane kuMaVilakazi. Kumcacele ukuthi ngunkosikazi womuntu lona njengoba esebona indandatho emunweni wesithembiso.
“Ben, ingabe kukhona enikutholayo okubambekayo?” kubuza umseshi uMabaso ngale kocingo. “Izidumbu sezithathiwe. Akasekho emhlabeni uMthobisi, sebembulele.”
“Hhayi bo!” kubabaza umseshi uBenson. “Ubulewe ngubani uMthobisi? Kwenzeke nini?”
“Seyiphelile imizuzu eyishumi ngiwutholile lombiko.”
“O my God!” kusho umseshi uBenson emangele. “Who are we dealing with, exactly?”
“Angikazi okwamanje, sizokwazi uma kukhona akutholayo uMncube, usayobheka kumakhamera ukuthi kwenzekeni.”
“Kuyezwakala. Cha, okwamanje akukho okubambekayo esikutholile,” kuchaza umseshi uBenson. “So far, it seems like there’s no evidence that was left behind. None at all! I just hope there are finger prints that are still left here, we’ll definitely have to rely on the forensic team!”
“Awubakhuthaze basheshe, singaze sidedele lendoda kanti vele inecala! Uqaphele i-Condor emnyama. Lezigebengu ezibulale uMthobisi nodokotela, zihamba nge-Condor emnyama!”
“Ok, I’ll keep on observing, but it’s unlikely that they’d come back if they’ve got what they wanted!” kusho umseshi uBenson ngezwi eliphansi. “Lomlisa enimvalele ekuseni, anikamkhiphi?”
“Yebo, usangaphakathi, ngiqeda ukuhlukana naye. Akafuni ukugonyuluka. Amalunga omphakathi ayatoyiza la ngaphandle. Bacela ukuziqondisela bona lomlisa. Bangahle bambulale uma singamkhipha. Yena akakuboni lokho, ufuna ukudedelwa!”
“Ngiyakuzwa. Uma sekunje, akusaqondakali kahle. Kusengenzeka ukuthi lezidumbu zilandwe ukuze angatholakali enecala,” kusho umseshi uBenson, agwinye amathe. “It might also happen that we’ve arrested the wrong person. But why would those thieves risk their lives if one of them isn’t in jail?”
“Yena unaso isandla ekufeni kukaSipho,” kusho umseshi uMabaso ngezwi elikhulu. “Bobabili bangabaphathi be-S. S Construction!”
“Hawu, kanti umufi ungumphathi kanye naye lomlisa?” kubuza umseshi uBenson, edidekile. “Inkampani engakanani leyo-S. S Construction?”
UMaVilakazi abuke uMvelo njengoba ezwa igama lenkampani yomyeni wakhe.
“Angikaze ngizwe ngayo, izinze eGoli. Inkampani yabo ibiqeda ukuthola ithenda yokwakha izikole eSoweto,” kuchaza umseshi uMabaso. “Ngiyacabanga ukuthi yona iyinkampani enkulu. Ngiyamsola lomlisa ubulale uSipho ukuze asale ebusa yedwa. Phela izinkunzi ezimbili azibusi esibayeni esisodwa.”
“Uqinisile lapho,” kufakaza umseshi uBenson. “Osekungimangaza yikho ukuthi akahlali lapha eNyukhasela umbulali?”
“Yebo, bobabili akusibona abalapha. USipho ebeqashile lapho kwaKhumalo.”
“Mgcine impela lapho, uyoze alikhulume iqiniso. Ngimbonile unguteyeye, angeke akwazi ukuhlala neziboshwa. Uzogcina elishilo iqiniso!” kumemeza umseshi uBenson, abambelele esangweni. “Akudlalwa ngaphakathi.”
“Kodwa sizoba nenkinga uma kuqhubeka kanjena,” kusho umseshi uMabaso ngomoya ophansi. “Asinakho okuphathekayo okungenza simgcine ngaphakathi. Yena ngiyambona uthembe ummeli wakhe.”
“Inkinga izoba lapho-ke, John,” kusho umseshi uBenson. “Umthetho uyahlupha ngoba uzofika ummeli wakhe amkhiphe, nezidumbu azisekho, kungaqhubekeki kalula nalelicala! Kodwa akesiqhubeke siphenye nalamadoda, hleze kukhona engizokuthola lapha,” kuqhubeka umseshi uBenson, ewaphimisa ngokushesha amagama. “Umndeni wakwaKhumalo ukuphi?”
“Angazi kahle kodwa uBaba uKubheka ebengitshele ukuthi umnyeni kaMaKhumalo washona ngo 2008, ebesesele yedwa uMaKhumalo,” kuphendula umseshi uMabaso ngezwi eliphansi. “Abantwana nomnyeni wakhe, sebadlula emhlabeni. Ube esebala umzukulu wakhe ongekho lapha, ufunda enyuvesi eGoli. NguSipho obemukhokhela esikolweni.”
“Mm, kwaze kwabuhlungu,” kusho umseshi uBenson ebuka emhlabathini ngaphandle kwegceke lakwaKhumalo. “Uthe i-Condor emnyama ithathe izidumbu?”
“Yebo,” kuphendula umseshi uMabaso. “Angikaliboni mina.”
“Mangikhumbula kahle ekuseni sitheleka kwaKhumalo, nanxa simbopha lomnumzane, kade ikhona i-Condor emnyama ime buqamama. Amadoda abehamba ngalo ebemakhulu emzimbeni. Mhlawumbe uMbhele uwabonile ngoba ehlike ama ngakuye.”
Sitshele umbono wakho: Uthini ngezinga lokuphenya amacala lamaphoyisa aseNingizimu Africa?